Chief Craig Courtin joined the Foster City Police Department in 1984, after working as a landscape contractor and small business owner for several years.

Over the past 20 years, he has worked most assignments and held all ranks within the department. He served seven years in the Detective Bureau, first as a detective, and later as the sergeant in charge of the bureau. After being promoted to lieutenant in 1995, he worked each of the Patrol Division and Administrative Division assignments associated with that rank.

In 2001, he was promoted to Captain and headed the Administrative Division for the next three years, then headed the Patrol Division for six months before being promoted to Chief of Police on December 19, 2004, replacing Randy Sonnenberg who retired after 30 years with the department.

Chief Courtin is currently on the Board of the Rotary Club of Foster City and was selected as the club's 2007 Honors Award recipient. He also served for five years on the Board of the San Mateo-Foster City Community Education Foundation, which serves as the fundraising arm of the San Mateo-Foster City Elementary School District.

Chief Courtin holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Bowling Green State University, and is a 2001 graduate of the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Command College, an eighteen month futures-oriented program for California police managers. Since 2006 Chief Courtin has sat on the Board of the San Mateo County Police Chiefs and Sheriff Association, having served as President in 2008. Chief Courtin and his family have lived in Foster City since 1996.

Click on Office of the Chief of Police to find out more information about the responsibilities of this position.

You mail contact Chief Courtin at 650-286-3300 or send him an email at Policechief@fostercity.org