On June 19, 2008, Todd Mattern swore his oath of allegiance as he began his tenure as the 8th Police Chief of the City of Los Alamitos.  Chief Mattern was surrounded by nearly 200 family, friends, City officials, fellow law enforcement professionals, members of the community, and the proud members of his Police Department.

After serving as Interim Chief since the retirement of the prior Chief in March 2007, the former Police Captain will take the highest rank in the Department in which he has served for almost 22 years.  Chief Mattern becomes the first Police Chief in Los Alamitos to be promoted from within the ranks of the Department.

Having spent his entire life in West Orange County, Chief Mattern relates well to the community's values.  He grew up in Cypress where he served as a Police Explorer and Reserve Officer.  He currently resides only a few miles from the Los Alamitos Police Department and is frequently seen at community events.  He has been married for 22 years and has two grown children.

Chief Mattern values integrity and professionalism.  Although he holds his staff to a high standard, he is mild mannered and known for being fair.  Mattern exudes pride when he speaks of the members of the Los Alamitos Police Department.  He believes in them and is proud of their commitment to the community and the law enforcement profession.

In addition to earning a Bachelor of Arts degree from California State University Long Beach, Mattern is a graduate of the prestigious FBI National Academy.  Prior to promoting, he was an adjunct faculty member at the Criminal Justice Training Center at Golden West College.  As a Training Advisor, he enjoyed mentoring new recruits and helping to shape their careers.