CHIEF OF POLICE

CHIEFS OF THE DEPARTMENT

Chief Sockman brought to the City of Galt an impressive eighteen year law enforcement career with the City of West Sacramento Police Department. Starting out as a patrol officer in 1997, Mr. Sockman promoted up through the ranks to the position of Police Lieutenant reporting directly to the Deputy Chief of Police. Prior to that, he served 10 years in the United States Air Force as Security Police. His expansive career has allowed him to lead each department within the West Sacramento Police Department providing experience in the areas of Community Policing, Predictive Policing, Professional Standards, Critical Incident Management and Investigations. In addition to holding a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice Management, Mr. Sockman graduated from the FBI National Academy and attained a Graduate Certificate of Achievement with a concentration in Homeland Security from the University of Virginia.

"I am honored and humbled for the opportunity to lead such a great team of men and women of the Galt Police Department”, said Sockman. “Galt is a very safe community and through our partnerships with our residents, businesses, employees, and schools we will make sure that we remain one of the safest cities in the region."

Chief Bowen brought thirty two years of law enforcement experience to the City of Galt, including experience with gang awareness programs, community education, and developing community-oriented police for identified problem areas. Chief Bowen began his career in Fremont in 1972 and moved to Reno where he became employed by the Reno Police Department in 1979. He left the Reno Police Department in 2005 with a variety of titles under his belt, including watch commander. He continued his career as the Chief of Police for the City of Rio Vista Police Department until 2011 when he was selected as the City of Galt's next Chief of Police. 

Chief Bowen retired from the City of Galt in 2016. During his thirty two career in law enforcement, he is credited with implementing a gang awareness program for community members and educators, developing a narcotics program in response to community identified problem areas, and then developing an monitoring community-oriented training programs, including diversity, problem solving, and community partnerships. Not only active on the streets, Bowen is also credited with working closely with community members on future growth issues, submitting grants and encouraging service club participation in achieving policing goals.

In addition to over 30 years of experience in law enforcement, Bowen also achieved a master of the arts degree in behavioral science from California State University and holds a POST Management and Executive POST Management certificate.

Chief Cattolico initially became interested with police work after taking a police science course in his Senior year high school. Afterwards, he obtained his Bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice at California State University, Sacramento. During that time, he resided in the Bay Area, and there were only a handful of law enforcement jobs. As a result, he began working in a steel mill until 1980, when he achieved a job with the San Rafael Police Department. After working at San Rafael for about one and a half years, Cattolico moved over to work at the Walnut Creek Police Department. He worked there for the next 25 years and was able to rotate positions and work every position over there with the exception for traffic officer. After reaching the rank of Lieutenant at Walnut Creek, the next position in the hierarchy rank would be Chief. Because of his abilities, leadership, skills, and 30 years of knowledge, he pursued to become Chief of Police.

After hurdling through trials and tribulations, he was able to achieve the title of Chief of Police at the Galt Police Department in November 2006. Although four years may seem like a brief amount of time, Cattolico brought a plethora of changes to the Galt Police Department. For example, some changes that transpired in the four year period would be the institution of beats, an increase in sergeant oversight of other officers, and the update of the department’s old limited radio system to a new countywide, state-of-the-art system. Moreover, according to Cattolico, he stated that "60 percent of those currently with the Galt Police Department were hired under his watch."

A 1973, Galt High graduate, Douglas M. Matthews, was hired by Chief Froehlich as a part-time dispatcher the day after he turned eighteen. After seven months, he was hired to fill a vacancy as a full-time graveyard dispatcher at the rate of $474 a month. In June of 1975, he was hired to fill one of two vacancies as a police officer at the rate of $650 a month.

In August of 1987, he was appointed as the Chief of Police. For the next three years, he continued as the State of California’s youngest Police Chief. During his career with the department, Chief Matthews has held the ranks of Sergeant and Lieutenant. He was also appointed twice to serve as the interim police chief. While Chief of Police, Matthews implemented many new programs such as Neighborhood Watch, Community Service Officer Program, the senior volunteer program (CAPS), Special Team Enforcement Program (STEP), traffic program, etc.. Chief Matthews completed his career with the Galt Police Department after 31 years of service when retiring in October 2006.

A Galt High School graduate, Willie W. Weatherford, started his career with the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office then moved to the City of Manteca Police Department where he achieved the rank of Captain. Chief Weatherford was appointed as Galt's top law enforcement officer in the fall of 1983. During Chief Weatherford’s career with Galt, he coordinated a very popular police K-9 trial that continued for more than a decade. After a few months as the Chief of Police, the Galt City Council appointed him as their new City Manager. For two years, Weatherford headed the City with an Interim Police Chief. At the end of two years, Weatherford exercised his previously agreed upon option to return to his position as Police Chief. The City Council reluctantly agreed and Chief Weatherford returned and served until the summer of 1987, when he returned to the Manteca Police Department as their new Police Chief. He is currently retired from law enforcement.

Chief Robert S. Fuller was appointed as Chief of Police for the City of Galt in 1978. Prior to taking on this role he was a Lieutenant at the Pacific Grove Police Department. Chief Fuller coordinated the final plans for a new city hall that would also serve as the new police station. Chief Fuller’s primary focus during his tenure was training and he was responsible for the department’s first K9 program.

Chief Walter Froehlich started as the City of Galt’s Police Chief in 1948 and also served as Public Works Director and Building Inspector. His wife, Merrill, served as the first Police Dispatcher as emergency calls went directly to the Froehlich home.

Before calling Galt his home, Chief Froehlich served in the United States Army at Camp Roberts for four years and then went to work for the Isleton Police Department for three more. Chief Froehlich followed Galt’s first two police chiefs, Chief Athos Loll (1946-1947) and Chief Edgar McCarthy (1947-1948).

During his early years at the Galt Police Department, Chief Froehlich would patrol for 30-minute stretches and then switch to construction, water, or street maintenance work for the remainder of his shift. After six months of using his personal car for patrol and being reimbursed, first $30 and alter $50 per month, the City authorized Chief Froehlich to purchase the City’s first police car from Galt Motors at a cost of $1,677.21. The following year, Chief Froehlich was responsible for the installation of the City’s first police radio system.

Galt Police Chief Walter Froehlich returned in 1978 and passed away in 2006.

On December 3, 1947, Edgar Charles McCarthy was appointed by the City Council to the position of Chief of Police. At the January 14, 1948, City Council Meeting, Mayor Glenn McFarland and Councilman Larry Littleton exchanged words about Chief McCarthy. Chief McCarthy began: "he had heard some complaints on his methods of enforcing the law; he also stated he would resign before he would allow the law to be broken in his presence and not be able to do anything about it."

Mayor Glenn McFarland criticized the Chief of Police for not taking the City Council into his confidence before conducting a raid on the slot machines in the City. Councilman Larry Littleton took exception to the Mayor’s comments and stated: "there is nothing in the law that states the Chief must consult the City Council." He continued, "the Chief of Police should be complimented on his work instead of being criticized by the Mayor." Mayor McFarland, obviously on a roll, continued and criticized the City Clerk "for being overly ambitious in regards to City affairs" and told him to "stick to his books in the future."

During this same City Council meeting, Chief McCarthy was authorized to appoint Thomas Skinner as his assistant and when working, Mr. Skinner was paid $2.00 an hour. On October 5, 1948, Chief McCarthy resigned his position.

Very little is known about Galt’s first Police Chief Athos Loll. City Council Meeting Minutes (12-30-46) indicate that after three months, a committee of one person was appointed to ask for Chief Loll’s resignation. The same notation is found in the minutes of the January 6, 1947, meeting along with the fact they were accepting applications for the position of Chief of Police. Apparently, the City Council was unhappy Chief Loll would not take action on illegal slot machines in two local bars. On November 25, 1947, a committee was formed by the City Council to ask Tom Skinner to be the Chief of Police. However, Mr. Skinner was not appointed to the position.