Meet The Danville Candidate: Denton Carlson

DANVILLE, CA — Patch reached out to all three at-large candidates for Danville Town Council with questions we feel San Ramon voters want to know. Three candidates are running for two seats: one belonging to incumbent Robert Storer, and the other to Karen Stepper, who chose not to run for re-election.

We reprinted their answers verbatim.

Below, read the responses of Denton Carlson, the retired Chief of Police for San Ramon.

What is your educational background?

I earned a Master of Science in Emergency Services Administration from California State University, Long Beach, and graduated from California POST's Command College, where I received the Dorothy Harris Award for academic excellence. I also hold Executive Certificates in Leadership from CSU East Bay and the California Police Chiefs Association. For the past 8 years, I've taught in the University of San Diego's Master's Program in Law Enforcement and Public Safety Leadership.

What is your professional background?

I served 27 years in Contra Costa County law enforcement, the last 24 in the San Ramon Valley, as a Deputy Sheriff, Detective, SWAT Sniper, Regional SWAT Commander, School Liaison, and Community Outreach Coordinator. I retired in December 2025 as San Ramon's Chief of Police. I am a small business owner, a Public Safety Ambassador for Longeye, Inc., and serve on the Cal Chiefs and San Ramon Regional Medical Center's Governing Boards. I also advise the California Accreditation for Public Safety.

Have you ever held public office, whether appointive or elective?

I have never held elective office; this is my first campaign. I did serve in an appointed public role as Chief of Police for the City of San Ramon, working alongside the City Council and City Manager and answering directly to residents. I also serve on the Board of Directors of the California Police Chiefs Association and the Governing Board of San Ramon Regional Medical Center, where I've gained experience in governance, oversight, and fiscal stewardship.

What are the top three issues facing Danville right now?

1. Public safety. Danville is one of the safest communities in California, but the recent wave of commercial burglaries shows that safety can never be taken for granted. Residents and business owners need to know the Town is staying ahead of organized, mobile criminals. 2. State housing mandates and well-managed growth. Sacramento's housing requirements are real and non-negotiable, but how we meet them is a local decision. Danville must plan carefully so growth fits our infrastructure, schools, traffic capacity and small-town character, and so we retain local control. 3. Fiscal responsibility and economic vitality. Danville's strong finances are the result of careful stewardship. We must protect that by spending wisely, finding efficiencies, and supporting the downtown merchants and small businesses whose sales tax and energy fund the services residents value, all while preserving the beauty of historic Downtown Danville.

What is one specific action you would prioritize during your first year in office?

In my first year, I would prioritize a focused plan to protect our businesses from commercial burglary and retail theft. Working with the Danville Police Department and Town staff, I would push to evaluate where we can strengthen patrol coverage, camera and license plate reader technology, and investigative follow-up, particularly during the overnight hours when most of these crimes occur.

I would also bring business owners into the plan. That means offering security assessments, sharing practical guidance on alarms, lighting, and cameras, and creating a direct line of communication so merchants hear about emerging crime trends quickly. And I would strengthen coordination with San Ramon, the Sheriff's Office, and our Tri-Valley partners, because the people committing these crimes do not stop at the town line.

I have done this work for 27 years. I know which strategies actually reduce crime and how to measure results, and I would report progress back to the community.

How should Danville meet its state-mandated housing obligations while addressing affordability and preserving the qualities residents value about the town?

Danville has to meet its state housing obligations. The law is clear, and failing to comply risks losing local control through builder's remedy projects, lawsuits and lost state funding. The question is not whether we plan for housing, but whether Danville shapes that growth or lets Sacramento and developers shape it for us.

I believe in well-managed growth. First, we should keep a certified, defensible Housing Element and meet our deadlines, so we retain the authority to set design standards and decide where new homes belong. Second, we should direct new housing to locations that make sense: near existing commercial corridors, transit and services, and through thoughtful reuse of underutilized sites, rather than forcing density into established neighborhoods. Third, we should adopt clear objective design standards so that projects the state requires us to approve still reflect Danville's scale and character.

On affordability, the Town can encourage accessory dwelling units, support housing for seniors who want to downsize and stay in the community, and work with partners on quality affordable projects that serve teachers, first responders and young families who grew up here.

Finally, growth has to be matched by planning for its effects. Traffic, parking, school capacity, water and emergency services, including wildfire evacuation routes, must be part of every conversation. Residents deserve transparency and a real voice as these decisions are made.

How can Danville best support its downtown and small businesses?

Downtown Danville is the heart of our community, and its small businesses are what make it special. The Town's role is to make it easier to do business here, not harder.

First, streamline permitting. Opening or expanding a business should not mean months of uncertainty. I would support clearer timelines, a single point of contact at Town Hall, and a review of rules that add cost without adding value.

Second, keep downtown safe and welcoming. Business owners should not have to worry about break-ins or theft. Visible patrols, good lighting, well-placed cameras and a direct line between merchants and the Danville Police Department protect both businesses and the customers who visit them.

Third, bring people downtown. Events like the farmers' market, holiday celebrations and summer concerts draw residents and visitors who then shop and dine locally. The Town should continue to invest in them and partner with the Danville Area Chamber of Commerce and local merchants to promote downtown. Parking also matters; we should manage it so customers can find a space and employees have options.

Fourth, preserve what makes downtown unique. Our historic character is an economic asset. Thoughtful design standards and a balance of retail, dining and services keep downtown vibrant without turning it into somewhere else.

As a small business owner, I understand how thin the margins can be. I will listen to our merchants and make sure the Town treats them as partners.

Danville and many other Tri-Valley communities have recently seen a rash of commercial burglaries. How can we better prevent this from happening?

Commercial burglaries in the Tri-Valley are largely the work of organized, mobile crews who travel between cities, strike overnight and are gone in minutes. Preventing them takes a regional, layered approach, which is the work I led in the San Ramon Valley.

First, deterrence and detection. Strategically placed cameras and license plate readers at the Town's entry points and commercial areas help identify suspect vehicles in real time and give investigators the evidence they need. Visible patrols during high-risk overnight hours, based on crime data, make Danville a harder target.

Second, regional coordination. Criminals ignore city limits. Danville should share information quickly with San Ramon, Walnut Creek, Pleasanton, Dublin, Livermore and the Sheriff's Office, and support joint operations that follow crews across jurisdictions. When one city identifies a pattern, every city should know.

Third, partnership with businesses. The Town can offer free security assessments and practical guidance on alarms, lighting, reinforced entry points and camera placement, and create a rapid alert system so merchants hear about emerging trends immediately.

Fourth, accountability. Arrests only matter if cases hold up. Strong investigations and close work with the District Attorney help ensure repeat offenders face consequences.

I know which of these strategies work and how to measure them. I will bring that experience to the Council.

Why do you feel you're a better candidate than your opponents?

I respect everyone willing to run for public office. What I offer is a combination of experience that I believe is unique in this race.

For 27 years, 24 of them in the San Ramon Valley, I kept this community safe, finishing my career as San Ramon's Chief of Police. In that role I worked with a City Council, managed public resources, made decisions under pressure and was accountable to residents every day. I know how local government works, and I know how to get results from it.

Today, as a small business owner, board member and educator, I bring a practical, fiscally responsible approach and a strong network of regional partners.

Most importantly, Danville is home. My family has lived here for almost 15 years and our two children are in high school here. I am honored to have the endorsement of the full Danville Town Council, and I am running to protect and enhance the quality of life that makes Danville such a special place to live.