Administration

Chief Angela Averiett

Chief Angela Averiett

Chief Averiett brings more than 25 years of experience in policing to Los Altos. Most recently, she served as the deputy chief for the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) Police Department, a 200-officer, full-service police department responsible for  the safety of 400,000 daily riders across five Bay Area counties, as well as the protection of the BART system. Chief Averiett assumed her position with the Los Altos Police on August 1, 2022.

“Chief Averiett has a proven record as a dynamic and respected leader in public safety,” said City Manager Gabriel Engeland. “She joins Los Altos at a critical time and will advance, listen, and lead the discussion on community-oriented policing.” 

As deputy chief of BART PD, Averiett created, implemented, and oversaw the Progressive Policing and Community Engagement Bureau, a bureau committed to launching initiatives that aid individuals within the BART system experiencing homelessness, mental illness, or substance abuse. As part of building the bureau, she revised and redeployed the award-winning Transit Ambassador program and developed an innovative co-responder response model that helps at-risk individuals. 

“I am humbled to serve the Los Altos community as the police chief and eager to get to work. My commitment to safety, accountability, fairness, and equity will strive to ensure the well-being of all who live, work, and travel through Los Altos,” said Averiett. A significant portion of Averiett’s career took place in Hayward, California, where she rose in the ranks from records clerk to lieutenant. In her 22 years with the Hayward community, Averiett served in the patrol and traffic divisions, and the internal affairs, community policing, and special duty (gang) units. Averiett was also team leader for critical incident stress management and peer support as well as assistant team leader for the crisis (hostage) negotiations unit.  

Averiett’s track record illustrates a career devoted to tackling complex neighborhood problems by building trust-based relationships through inclusive community partnerships, communication, and engagement. Her collaborative policing efforts have resulted in the production of a summit attended by over 300 local youth, the revitalization of Hayward’s Neighborhood Watch Program, and the recognition from the District Attorney of Alameda County and Southern Alameda County NAACP for her work with the community-based Barbershop Forum. 

“I firmly believe in forming collaborative relationships where everyone has a voice. I am enthusiastic and confident that together we can work to achieve common goals by building upon the strong foundation of the current city government,” Averiett explained. 

Averiett holds a bachelor’s degree in Leadership and Organizational Studies from St. Mary's College (Moraga, California). She also graduated from the Alameda County Leadership Academy and the Los Angeles PD Leadership Academy. She currently serves on a number of community, civic, and professional organizations, including the California Association of Hostage Negotiators, Peace Officer Standards and Training AB392 Use of Force Guidelines Committee, and Women Leaders in Law Enforcement.

Captain Katie Krauss

Captain Katie Krauss - Support Services

Captain Katie Krauss attended UC Santa Cruz and holds a B.A. in Environmental Studies and a Master's in Education. Katie was a school teacher in San Jose and Long Beach before pursuing her career in law enforcement. Katie joined the Los Altos Police Department in 2011 after spending three years with the San Jose Police Department. 

During her tenure with Los Altos, Katie has served as a Patrol Officer, Field Training Officer, Police Agent and Patrol Sergeant. She was selected to be the School Resource Officer where she spent 3 years teaching the DARE program and educating children about alcohol and drug use. She also taught the Parent Project program, working with parents to strengthen skills to assist in dealing with difficult situations involving adolescents. Katie was also instrumental in initiating community enriching activities such as Pumpkin Carving with a Cop, the YES Campaign (rewarding Youths Exhibiting Safety), Cops Love Lemonade Stands and Popsicle Patrol. Katie has remained engaged with the community’s youth by providing Police Department tours, hosting the local high school district job shadow program, as well as participating in the annual Silicon Valley Shop with a Cop holiday event. Katie graduated from the Los Angeles Police Leadership Program and also served on a county specialized enforcement team that handles narcotics crimes.

As Captain Krauss transitions into her Captain role, she will oversee the Operations Division.  Operations is comprised of Patrol, Investigations, Traffic, Canine Handler and the Reserve Divisions. Captain Krauss appreciates the close working relationship between the police department and the Los Altos community.  She looks forward to strengthening this relationship further in her role as Police Captain.

Captain Joe Ledoux

Captain Joe Ledoux - Operations

Captain Joe Ledoux attended San Francisco State University and holds a B.S. in Business Administration with an emphasis on International Business and a Master’s in Criminal Justice from Boston University. Joe was a reserve firefighter with Orange County Fire Authority, a dispatcher at the San Francisco State University Police Department, and worked for 17 years at the Berkeley Police Department prior to joining the Los Altos Police Department.

While at Berkeley Police Department, Joe worked as a patrol officer, drug task force officer, Field Training Officer, and a detective assigned to the Special Investigations Bureau. Joe was promoted to Sergeant, where he worked patrol teams, and was assigned to Policy and Planning Sergeant, where he furthered several policies and helped acquire surveillance cameras and automated license plate readers for the City of Berkeley. Joe was also assigned to the Situational Awareness Group, and he spent four years cross-deputized with the United States Secret Service for his work in fraud investigations.

As Captain Ledoux transitions into his Captain role, he will oversee the Operations Division. Operations is comprised of Patrol, Traffic, Canine Program, Emergency Operations Coordinator, and the Reserve Officer Program. Captain Ledoux is excited to responsibly and ethically leverage technology to enhance the safety of everyone in Los Altos.