The city of Half Moon Bay is getting a new police chief to oversee its Coastside Patrol Bureau.

San Mateo County Sheriff Christina Corpus said Wednesday that she’s selected Capt. Richard Cheechov as the new chief of police services for Half Moon Bay. 

Cheechov has served as a law enforcement officer in San Mateo County for 24 years. He oversaw the Sheriff’s Office Training Unit for several years and on implementing programs for incarcerated people at the Maple Street Correctional Center in Redwood City. 

“Captain Cheechov is no stranger to the coast,” Corpus said. “His deep roots, knowledge and experience serving our coastside communities is evidenced by multiple high-profile arrests that have taken place on the coast just over the last couple weeks.”

Cheechov will be replacing Rebecca Albin as captain. Albin chose to pursue another law enforcement opportunity and her last day is Thursday, said Gretchen Spiker, spokesperson with the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office. 

Albin has been the bureau’s captain since August 2021.

Since 2011, Half Moon Bay has had a contract with the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office to outsource law enforcement services for the coastal city. When the city had its own independent police department, Cheechov served as one of its officers. 

“It is a full circle moment to be back serving the communities where I began my law enforcement career nearly 24 years ago,” Cheechov said. “I look forward to working with the community to expand and enhance existing relationships so that we can work collaboratively to make our communities safer.”

Alise is a general assignment reporter with a focus on covering government, elections, housing, crime, courts and entertainment in San Francisco and on the Peninsula. Alise is a Bay Area native from San Carlos. She studied history at University of California, Santa Cruz and first started journalism at Skyline College’s school newspaper in San Bruno. She has interned for Bay City News and for Eesti Rahvusringhääling, or Estonian Public Broadcasting. She has covered everything from the removal of former San Mateo County Sheriff Christina Corpus to the divisive battle over the Great Highway on San Francisco’s west side. Please send her any tips.