LEADERSHIP
Shawn Ledford
Chief of Police
Shawn Ledford began his career in 1989 with the King County Sheriff’s Office as a patrol deputy at the Federal Way Precinct. As a patrol deputy, Shawn was a field training officer, master police officer, and negotiator on the Hostage Negotiations Team. In 1995, he became a detective in the Special Assault Unit and later Major Crimes.
Shawn was promoted to sergeant in 1999 and served at the Maple Valley Precinct. In 2001, he was selected as the police chief for the City of Newcastle, a position he held for five years. In 2006, he was promoted to captain and held assignments in patrol, administration, contracting, and criminal investigations.
In 2012, Shawn was promoted to major and selected by the City of Shoreline to be their police chief, where he served for nearly a decade. In 2021, he was appointed to the rank of division chief with the Sheriff’s Office, overseeing the Patrol Operations Division and then the Criminal Investigations Division. In 2024, Shawn retired from the Sheriff’s Office to become the police chief for the Tulalip Police Department.
As a proud member of the Tulalip Tribes, Chief Ledford is honored to be serving his community. He is committed to treating all residents, both tribal and non-tribal, with fairness, equity, and professionalism while ensuring accountability for offenders.
Chief Ledford holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology and criminology from Western Washington University.
Chris Gobin
Deputy Chief of Police
Chris Gobin is a proud member of the Tulalip Tribes, a commercial fisherman, and a dedicated law enforcement professional who has devoted his career to serving his community.
Chris graduated from Marysville-Pilchuck High School (MPHS) in 2001 before joining the United States Army. During his military service, he was stationed at Fort Campbell and deployed to the Horn of Africa, Iraq, and Afghanistan. He completed his military service in 2006, bringing valuable experience and a strong foundation of service and leadership into the next chapter of his career.
In 2007, Chris joined the Tulalip Police Department as a Fish and Wildlife Officer, combining his connection to the Tulalip community and his knowledge of the fishing industry with his commitment to public service. His dedication and experience led to his promotion to Sergeant in 2009. In 2023, he was promoted to Commander and, later that same year, advanced to the position of Deputy Chief.
Throughout his career, Chris has remained committed to serving the Tulalip Tribes and its community. Drawing on his military background, law enforcement experience, and connection to the fishing industry, he continues to bring knowledge and leadership to his role as Deputy Chief of the Tulalip Police Department.
William Santos
Commander-Operations Bureau
Commander William Santos was hired by TPD as a lateral officer in 2004. His interest in police work started at an early age. While in school, he did a one-year internship at the Miami-Dade Police Department’s Photo Identification Unit. The following year he interned with the City of Miami Police Department’s Crime Prevention Unit.
After graduation, Commander Santos joined the Army, where he spent 10 years and fought in Desert Storm with the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment. Upon exiting the military, Commander Santos worked for two small police departments in Washington and the BIA-Blackfeet Agency in Montana.
Commander Santos has served in multiple positions throughout his career, such as Reserve Officer, Patrol Officer, School Resource Officer, Detective, Patrol Sergeant, Detective Sergeant, Lieutenant, and Commander.
Commander Santos has attended numerous trainings, including Northwestern University School of Police Staff and Command, Northwest Command College, FBI LEEDA, Middle Management, First Level Supervisor, Field Training Officer, Basic Homicide, Basic Criminal Investigations, Reid Interview Basic and Advanced, Working, Controlling and Managing Major Cases, Hostage Negotiator, and several others.
As a Detective Sergeant, he served in various roles such as a Snohomish County Multi-Agency Response Team (SMART) Investigator, an FBI Task Force Officer, and Liaison with the Snohomish Regional Drug Task Force.
Commander Santos has enjoyed watching TPD grow and become what it is today. Over the years, he has made several friends in the Tulalip community whom he calls his second family.
Angela Davis
Director-Support Services Bureau
An enrolled member of the Tulalip Tribes, Angela Davis serves as Director of the Support Services Bureau and as an executive member of the Tulalip Police Department's Command Team. She oversees professional standards, recruitment, personnel administration, emergency dispatch services, records, technology, budgeting, procurement, grants, and other administrative support functions.
Angela began her professional career in the hospitality and gaming industry at the Tulalip Casino in 1993, where she held several positions, progressing from entry-level roles to Cage Supervisor. In 1998, she transitioned into healthcare, working as a Certified Medical Assistant at The Everett Clinic. In 2001, she entered the United States Air Force through the Delayed Entry Program and began active-duty service in 2002. She attained the rank of Staff Sergeant before continuing her military career in the Air National Guard, completing 12 years of combined military service. In 2012, Angela transitioned from full-time military service in the Air National Guard to Tribal Government administration, initially serving as a Central Employment Coordinator before becoming Executive Director of Central Employment in 2013. She continued serving in the Air National Guard until 2013 while leading centralized employment services, workforce strategy, recruitment, and hiring across Tribal entities. In 2016, Angela took on a new leadership role as Hiring Manager for the Tulalip Gaming Organization. In 2019, she joined the Tulalip Police Department as Professional Standards Manager, overseeing background investigations, internal investigations, policy development, and compliance. She was hired as Director of the Support Services Bureau in 2023.
Complementing her professional experience, Angela's professional development includes Professional Military Education (PME), specialized law enforcement training, leadership training, professional credentials in tribal human resources, internal affairs investigations, and background investigation adjudication. She is also a graduate of the Leadership Snohomish County Signature Program, reflecting her commitment to regional leadership, community involvement, and collaborative problem-solving. She holds a Master of Public Administration with an emphasis in Government and Policy and bachelor's degrees in Business Administration and Human Resources. She is currently pursuing a Doctor of Education in Organizational Leadership with an emphasis in Christian Ministry. Guided by principled leadership and a commitment to lifelong learning, Angela continues to expand her knowledge and abilities to strengthen organizations, develop others, and make a meaningful difference in her community.