Biography of Police Chief
Ruben Chavez
Ruben grew up in the Bay Area where he began his
law enforcement career as a dispatcher with the
Milpitas Police Department. At the age of 21, he went
on to work for the San José Police Department, and
after serving 28 years, retired in 2010 as a police
lieutenant. While at the San José Police Department,
Ruben worked a variety of assignments including
training new officers, traffic enforcement, mounted
patrol, and technical services.
In 2012, he was selected as the chief of police for the Livingston Police Department where he
currently serves. The City of Livingston is a very diverse community located in the Central Valley;
it is home to Foster Farms Chicken and is known as the Sweet Potato Capital.
Ruben graduated from San José State University in 1992 with honors, earning a Bachelor’s degree
in Administration of Justice with a Sociology Minor. While working at the San José Police
Department, he went on to earn a Master’s Degree in Justice Studies in 2009. As a graduate
student under Dr. Ann Lucas, he studied cultural social injustices occurring in South Asia and
shortly after, led a team of students to India to promote social justice. He is a graduate of the FBI
National Academy and has served on numerous boards including the San Jose Police Chaplaincy,
The Alum Rock Counseling Center, and he currently
serves on the board of directors for Merced County
Young Life. He has a passion for family and children
and has applied what he learned at San José State
University to make Livingston the best community
possible.
He and his wife of 31 years, Sandra, have 3 grown
children and one grandchild. They will have a second
future Spartan arriving in February 2016.