The City of Novato has announced the selection of Jim Naugle as Novato’s next chief of police. Naugle will be Novato’s 13th person in that post.
Born and raised in Petaluma, Chief Naugle began his career with the Novato Police Department in 1998, where he worked patrol and was a Defensive Tactics Instructor, DARE instructor, and Special Response Team member.
Beginning in 2001 until present day, Chief Naugle has worked for the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office where he served as a patrol deputy, sergeant, lieutenant, captain, and is currently 2nd in command as the assistant sheriff where he oversees the Law Enforcement Division of the Sheriff’s Office.
During his 22 years at the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office, Naugle’s service spanned nearly every aspect of policing from defensive tactics to internal affairs, with a theme of commitment to community policing weaved throughout his entire career.
Naugle, a press release from the city said, “approaches his work as a coach after decades spent coaching his teams at the Sheriff’s Office as well as kids on his sports teams. He believes in leading by example and preparing your replacement at every level of policing.”
Novato City Manager Adam McGill (and also Novato’s former police chief) said, “Jim’s proven record of accomplishment and leadership with Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office makes him an excellent match for the Novato Police Department and for our community. His depth of knowledge, measured style and commitment to transparency will help ensure we maintain the high level of public safety standards that our community has come to expect.”
Naugle graduated from the University of Davis where he obtained a Bachelor of Science Degree in Environmental Biology and Management. For three years, Naugle served as an Advisory Board Member for The Salvation Army and many other volunteer endeavors in Sonoma County.
“I feel so fortunate to return to Novato after 22 years to lead the outstanding team of law enforcement professionals that make up our department,” said Naugle. “As your chief, I’m excited to get to know this community and look forward to finding opportunities to build partnerships that’ll enable our police team to provide the best possible public safety service. More than partnerships, I want to reach further into the community to those who don’t think about the police department on a daily basis and ensure we’re meeting the expectations of all our community members.”
Jim and his wife, Kim, have four sons, three attending college and one in high school. In his spare time, Naugle enjoys coaching high school sports in Petaluma and spending time with his family.
Naugle begins work in Novato on Oct. 23, 2023, at an annual salary of $212,882.
A swearing-in ceremony is tentatively scheduled for Nov. 14.
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