Chief Norris

David Norris joined the Menlo Park team on April 12, 2021. He came from the San Mateo Police Department, where he served since 1993, rising through the ranks from parking enforcement to Police Captain and Interim Chief of Police.

During his tenure in San Mateo, Chief Norris managed high-profile cases, trained and mentored numerous employees and promotional candidates, and championed transparency and community service. He was a key architect of San Mateo’s highly praised youth services unit and a national trailblazer in the evolution of social media in policing.

As Police Chief in Menlo Park, Chief Norris secured additional staffing to recover from significant 2020 personnel cuts and worked closely with the public and an Ad Hoc Council Subcommittee to address contemporary policing issues and community concerns following the social unrest of 2020–2021. He launched a pilot program for fully electric police vehicles, advancing the department’s use of low and zero-emissions vehicles to industry-leading levels. He also modernized non-lethal intervention tools, upgraded police radio systems, introduced in-car cameras and initiated the use of fixed license plate readers, and implemented near real-time community feedback on officer and dispatcher performance.

Chief Norris serves on the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) Police Professional Standards, Ethics and Image Committee (PPSEI), and is a Program Team member in the Consortium to Advance Police Supervision (CAPS) through Ohio State University. He is a Fellow of the Future Policing Institute and serves on the Board of Directors for the American Society of Evidence-Based Policing. Locally, he is a Director on the Boards of the 100 Club of San Mateo County and the Peninsula Conflict Resolution Center.

Chief Norris is a graduate of the CA Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Command College. He holds a master’s degree in law enforcement and public safety leadership from the University of San Diego, and a bachelor’s degree in human performance from St. Mary’s College (CA).

Chief Norris remains committed to advancing ethical, community-centered policing through innovation, collaboration, and accountability.