John Carli

John Carli served as chief of the Vacaville Police Department for over seven years. He started with the department in 1989 as a patrol officer and later supervised patrol teams, the Critical Incident Negotiation Team, K9 Unit, firearms instructors, police technology, and the Office of Professional Standards.

He is a nationally recognized thought leader in promoting best practices and officer safety and wellness. His progressive work in organizational transparency led the Vacaville Police Department to become an early adopter of body-worn cameras.

Early Life and Education

John Carli has an impressive list of accomplishments in his life. He has served in several roles, including a 25-year police officer and seven-year police chief.

During his tenure, Carli was responsible for the development of a number of innovative initiatives, including the use of body-worn cameras to enhance officer safety and organizational transparency.

He also led the way in implementing the Solano County Mobile Crisis “alternative response system,” which reduces the number of calls for police service due to mental health problems.

He is also a proud member of the open education community, which promotes free, openly licensed educational materials. In particular, he is a big fan of the Library as Open Education Leader project. Essentially, the project involves inviting and training librarians to be leaders in their own libraries in the promotion of openly sourced education resources (OER). The project also has a large following on social media.

Professional Career

john carli has served as a police officer and K-9 handler for more than three decades in Vacaville, CA. He has worked in various roles including patrol, field training, detective and investigations, police technology, firearms instructor, and the Office of Professional Standards.

He became Vacaville’s police chief in 2014 and has since led the agency through its progressive use of organizational transparency, leading the department to become a leader in wearing body cameras. His commitment to technology has also led to a revamped computer-aided dispatch system, a new radio system and digital forensics capabilities.

In his work as the city’s police chief, Carli has forged relationships with the community, addressing quality of life concerns and homeless issues in Vacaville. He has helped shape legislation pertaining to use of force and de-escalation techniques. He has also helped to coalesce community groups and faith-based organizations, leading Vacaville to become nationally recognized for its progressive approach to community policing.

Achievements and Honors

A decorated saxophonist, composer and musician, Carli was a member of the University of Toronto’s music faculty. He has won numerous awards, including five Gemini Awards (Canada) and three Canadian Screen Awards.

Carli also received a SOCAN Award, which recognizes professional musicians who have contributed to the growth of the saxophone. His music is heard throughout the world.

Currently serving as Chief of Police for the Vacaville Police Department, Carli oversees 179 sworn and civilian staff and a budget of $42.4 million. His progressive work in organizational transparency led Vacaville to be recognized nationally as an early adopter of body-worn cameras.

As chief, he also promoted a culture shift to create psychological resiliency among first responders. This prevention-focused approach to promoting wellness has earned the Vacaville Police Department national recognition and is the basis for a unique, patented Law Enforcement Wellness App.

Personal Life

John Carli has a wonderful family and has many friends. He is a dedicated doctor and has been working for many years to develop the highest standards for the Cardiac Care Unit at Cape Cod Hospital.

He has been a wonderful father, granddaddy, brother, uncle and friend to so many. He is survived by his wife, Helga Arthur; daughter Christina and her husband Jeff Ellis; daughter Lisa and her wife Michele Farrelly; grandson John M. Carli; granddaughters Christina and Chloe Kinch; siblings Rick Koski, Andrew Carli and Mary Scheppler; nieces, nephews and cousins.

John started his career in 1989 as a police officer, serving as a patrol officer, K-9 officer, field training officer, detective, sergeant, lieutenant and finally as chief of the Vacaville Police Department. He retired in 2021.

Net Worth

John Carli is a finance professional who is experienced in assisting high net worth individuals and their families. He provides comprehensive financial planning services including asset management, wealth transfer, and income tax preparation. He also specializes in estate planning and charitable giving.

John is a former police officer and Chief of the Vacaville Police Department. He joined the department in 1989 and served as a field training officer and detective. He was later promoted to lieutenant and commander of the department’s Investigations Division.

Carli married professional golfer Brian Hollins in November 2016. They are a loving couple who are often seen together in public. They have never had any conflicts in their relationship. They reportedly live in Mount Laurel, New Jersey.