ELK GROVE, Calif. — Timothy Albright has been a captain at the Elk Grove Police Department for the past three years. He has also been with the department since it formed more than a decade ago. Prior to that, he worked with the Sacramento County Sheriff's Department.
On Tuesday, Albright became the fourth chief of the Elk Grove Police Department. Prior to ascending to the highest position within the department, he served in a variety of positions including patrol sergeant, watch commander, detective sergeant, and investigations division commander.
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During his 25 years in law enforcement, Albright has earned a silver star for bravery, three bronze stars, and three life-saving medals. Before being sworn in on Tuesday, ABC10's Mayde Gomez interviewed Albright.
Mayde: What is the biggest challenge your department faces?
Albright: One of our challenges is leveraging technology to better serve our community, to provide for a higher level of safety for our community members.
Mayde: How do you see the new use-of-force law?
Albright: As it relates to the use-of-force bill, our ability to continue to be professional, our ability to have interactions that are professional and that we would demonstrate empathy. That we would be sympathetic and engage in interactions that are productive, and really it comes down to explaining why sometimes. How we are doing what we are doing.
Mayde: You grew up with divorced parents. There were challenges growing up. Can you tell us more?
Albright: I didn’t always make good choices and I think that is the message right, that we don’t always have to come from this perfect mold to be successful. But what we do have to be is honest with ourselves and we do have to find people who care about us and want to mentor and develop. Someone has to believe in you to get you to that place, to have you recognize that you were meant for more than perhaps what you have defined.
Mayde: Your message to the community of Elk Grove?
Albright: I want to communicate our thanks for the relationship we have and thanks for supporting this organization.
Albright has been a resident of Elk Grove for 22 years. He has been married for 21 years, he and his wife Christina have three children, who range in ages from 12 to 17.
Continue the conversation with Mayde on Facebook.