Fight Crime: Invest in Kids has given Los Gatos/Monte Sereno Police Chief Scott Seaman its 2013 CrimeFighter Award.
The a nonprofit group, comprised of more than 5,000 police chiefs, sheriffs, prosecutors and crime survivors, presented the honor to Seaman Feb. 25 during the California Police Chiefs Association conference in Palm Springs.
“Chief Seaman consistently stands out as a knowledgeable law enforcement practitioner, willing to take a hard look at the issues and consider evidence-based solutions,” said Meghan Moroney, a spokeswoman for Fight Crime: Invest in Kids California.
Moroney said Seaman was recognized for his leadership and ongoing efforts to prevent crime by providing children and youth with supportive services and interventions needed to succeed in school and in life.
Seaman was specifically honored for his work encouraging policymakers to lower the state's high school dropout rate by investing in evidence-based policies and programs designed to keep youth in school and on the right track in life.
Seaman has repeatedly advocated for alternative discipline strategies in schools to address the root causes of student misconduct to help improve school climates, Moroney said.
“Public safety largely depends on kids getting a quality education in the classroom instead of on the streets,” said Seaman in a prepared statement. “Interventions and non-punitive forms of addressing school discipline are essential to this strategy and especially effective because they help young people learn from their mistakes and develop the skills they need so that they have every opportunity to be successful in the future.”
Seaman serves as president of the California Police Chiefs Association, which represents 332 municipal police chiefs who represent 78 percent of state residents.
He earned his bachelor's degree in criminology from the University of California-Berkeley.
He began his career with the San Jose Police Department in August 1975. He worked a large number of assignments there, including patrol, investigations, community work, narcotics, sexual assault unit, street crimes unit and personnel. As a pilot, he also flew the department's plane on collateral assignments.
Seaman received specialized training through the FBI National Academy, a 10-week program for law enforcement and the California Command College, a two-year program, which contributed toward a master's degree in management. In 2002, after a 27-year career with the SJPD, he became aware of an opening in Los Gatos. He got the job as the town's top cop, and on July 1, 2002 was sworn in as the Los Gatos/Monte Sereno police chief.
Seaman also serves on the board of the YMCA of Silicon Valley and is a member of Rotary. He's been married for 30 years and has two adult children. His hobbies include woodworking, fly fishing, traveling, cooking and flying.
