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The former leader and longtime public face of the San Ramon Police Department has returned to the public eye in neighboring Danville, with a campaign for public office now underway in what is often touted as one of California’s most public safety-centered communities.
Denton Carlson’s campaign announcement earlier this year for the Danville Town Council seat set to be vacated by Karen Stepper marks his first foray into San Ramon Valley politics, but comes following decades of working closely alongside local government agencies during his law enforcement tenure, which concluded with his retirement from SRPD last year.
“For 27 years, I served as a law enforcement professional in Contra Costa County. The final 24 years of that service were dedicated to public safety within the San Ramon Valley,” Carlson said on his campaign website.
Carlson’s law enforcement career saw him take on a variety of roles, including deputy-sheriff, detective, SWAT team sniper and commander, school district liaison, public information officer and community outreach coordinator, prior to his appointment as police chief in 2022.
Since shifting to civilian life last year, Carlson has focused his energy on his role as public safety ambassador for Longeye, an AI startup focused on processing evidence for law enforcement, and his public safety consulting business Resolute Response.
“Now, I am looking to continue my public service to the entire Danville Community as a member of the Danville Town Council,” Carlson said. “My commitment to you is a mindset focused on public safety, fiscal responsibility, well-managed growth, enhanced government efficiency, and practices and policies that support our local businesses and promote a thriving economic environment while preserving the beauty of our historic Downtown Danville.”
A 15-year resident of the town with two high school aged children, Carlson noted that “my commitment to the Danville Community has never been stronger.”
“I am excited to bring my experience and decision-making to the forefront to ensure the Danville Town Council does everything within its power to not just maintain, but enhance the quality of life we enjoy every day,” Carlson said.
Carlson’s council campaign has racked up a number of endorsements in the months since its announcement, kicking off with a vote of confidence from Stepper as she announced her pending retirement at the end of her sixth and final term in the seat. Danville council elections are at-large, and incumbent Councilmember Robert Storer plans to run for reelection to the other seat on the ballot Nov. 3.
All five members of the Town Council, along with Contra Costa County Supervisor Candace Andersen, former fire chief Paige Meyer and Discovery Counseling Center board member Kathy Chiverton, had also added their names to the list of Carlson’s endorsements as of Wednesday.
While Carlson’s campaign has been underway since April, it was made official Wednesday when he qualified for the ballot in the throes of the candidate nomination period that kicked off July 13.
For seats with an incumbent running, the nomination period closes Aug. 7, with the deadline extended for the Danville Town Council seat and others that don’t have incumbents running through Aug. 12. With no other candidates yet announced for the Danville council race, it remains unclear whether Carlson and Storer will face any opponents.
More information on Carlson’s campaign is available at dentoncarlson.com.
