A San Jose assistant police chief has been picked to be the new chief of the Watsonville Police Department.

The city of Watsonville announced the selection of Brian Shab to be its next chief. Shab, a Santa Cruz County resident, joined the San Jose Police Department in 1998 and rose to the level of assistant chief before being tabbed for the Watsonville job.

He is expected to begin as chief in early 2026 after the completion of a background check process, city officials said.

“Chief Shab brings extensive experience in law enforcement and is a proven leader who has dedicated his career to public service,” City Manager Tamara Vides said in a news release. “Chief Shab takes great pride in having built a reputation for integrity, fairness, transparency, and earned trust by putting people first; both within the organization and in the communities he serves.”

Shab said in the release, “I am truly honored, humbled, and excited to have been selected to serve as the next chief of police for the city of Watsonville. As a Santa Cruz County resident, Watsonville holds a special place in my heart. It is a beautifully diverse, hard-working, and family-oriented community. I will lead with accountability, compassion, and respect.”

Dan McMenamin is the managing editor at Bay City News, directing daily news coverage of the 12-county greater Bay Area. He has worked for BCN since 2008 and has been managing editor since 2014 after previously serving as BCN’s San Francisco bureau reporter. A UC Davis graduate, he came to BCN after working for a newspaper and nonprofit in the Davis area. He handles staffing, including coaching of our interns, day-to-day coverage decisions and management of the newswire.