Seaman takes the helm as police chief
Officer leaves SJPD to become LG's top cop
By Gloria I. Wang
San Jose Police Capt. Scott Seaman attended a Los Gatos Town Council meeting last week, hoping to meet the officials in the town where he wanted to work.
Immediately after the meeting, Seaman was offered the job--that of chief of the Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department, a job that Seaman says he's been interested in for almost a year. Seaman first became interested when he heard through the grapevine that his colleague, Chief Larry Todd, was planning to retire in the near future.
Los Gatos Town Manager Debra Figone announced on May 22 that Seaman would be Todd's replacement come July 1.
Seaman, 49, said, "I'm so excited. I'm just thrilled about this."
The 27-year veteran of the San Jose Police Department says he was drawn to the "quality of the town, how well the town is run, the team environment that Ms. Figone has created among department heads. ... It's an opportunity to work very closely with an outstanding community, outstanding department."
Seaman has known Todd for years through their involvement in the California Police Chiefs Association and cooperation between their respective law enforcement agencies. When he found out about Todd's June 28 date of retirement, he decided to go for the job.
According to Figone, Seaman was chosen because of his capability as a law enforcement professional and his ability to be a team player who will maintain a commitment to what Los Gatos stands for.
"Anyone who wants to come here has to be a part of a well-functioning team," Figone said.
As captain of the San Jose Police Department for almost a dozen years, Seaman is "particularly committed to police-community partnerships, police-youth partnerships," Figone said.
Seaman founded the department's first volunteer program, which has several similarities to the Los Gatos Volunteers in Policing Program, Seaman noted. Interacting with volunteers in San Jose has been "remarkable," and he is looking forward to the opportunity to work with those in the VIP program, which he says has a "fabulous" reputation.
Seaman's extracurricular community participation includes membership on the board of the San Jose Central YMCA, service with the Rotary Club in San Jose and involvement with Notre Dame High School, where his daughter, Laura, is a junior.
Seaman's family consists of wife Christina, a teacher, Laura, and son Brendan, a freshman at UC-Santa Cruz. They live in the Evergreen area of San Jose.
While Todd was not involved in the interview and selection process of the new chief, he worked to actively recruit candidates and says that he is pleased with the choice.
"I think he's a very, very talented individual. He's bright, he's articulate," Todd said. "He's going to do a fabulous job."
Todd says Seaman is a good match for the town. "This has been my department for 15 years. I'm very proud of the men and women who work here and the accomplishments we've made," Todd said. "It's like having a child who's getting married--you want to make sure they have the right partner." Seaman is, Todd says, the right partner.
Los Gatos, California Since 1881
