June 5, 2025 1:47 p.m. Correction In 2023 the Ukiah Police Department wrote 190 moving violations. In 2024, with the addition of a traffic officer, that number increased to 936.
Tom Corning didn’t grow up dreaming of becoming a police chief. His journey into law enforcement started with a more universal call to arms.
“I was born and raised in Napa, California. Graduated high school in 2001, which was the year of the terrorist attacks on the Twin Towers. So after those, that basically prompted me. I went down to the local recruiting station and joined the United States Army.”
He served nearly seven years, including a 13-month deployment in Iraq as a crew member on an M1A1 Abrams main battle tank.
“Engaged in some extreme combat situations on a daily basis, pretty much.”
After returning stateside, Corning became a recruiter for the Army in Marin and Napa Counties. When his service ended, he faced the realities of returning to civilian life.
“I quickly learned that there's not a big need for tank operators in the civilian world.”
He took a job as a correctional officer at the Napa County Jail, but was laid off during the 2008 recession. The only department hiring at the time was in Lake County.
“I’d never been to Lake County ever.”
His then-girlfriend, a schoolteacher in Vallejo, was also laid off. They moved to Lake County together. Two years later, she found a teaching job in Ukiah. The long commute was tough, so Corning applied to the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office.
“We really liked Ukiah. We were really happy there. Liked the town. Liked the city.”
He worked in the county jail, then was selected for a deputy-in-training position and sent to the police academy.
“I graduated from the police academy, number one in my class.”
Corning was assigned to the coast— which meant traveling from Westport to Gualala and twenty miles inland. It also meant more time away from home.
“I was like five or six nights a week, depending on how many days I worked, I was sleeping on another deputy's couch in Fort Bragg. It just wasn't the best family life.”
Friends at the Ukiah Police Department encouraged him to apply. He did—and was hired. That was 11 years ago. Today, Corning is Ukiah’s police chief.
From Rank-and-File to Leadership
“You know, I think as a police officer, I quickly became a field training officer, which I think is the beginning of leadership in any law enforcement agency… I really enjoyed that aspect of it. I like teaching guys and making sure that they were doing the right thing.”
He also served as president of the Police Officers Association before becoming a sergeant.
“That was a really good time. I liked being a sergeant and running a shift.”
Corning went on to lead the detective bureau as a sergeant—his favorite post so far.
“We had a really good team in there… some good crimes to solve… we really worked well together, and it was fun.”
From there, he was promoted to lieutenant, then captain. Becoming chief wasn’t always the plan.
“I don't think I'd ever envisioned myself being chief of the police department. But I think once I became captain, I was like, oh, this is probably going to happen, you know. So, and here I am.”
On Community Concerns
Corning says citizens’ top two complaints are speeding and homelessness.
“Speeding, I feel as though we have addressed recently… we actually dedicated an officer to a traffic enforcement position, which has been great… I think the entire department… wrote like 200 to 300 speeding tickets… I think we wrote over 900 tickets.”
He says homelessness is more complicated, especially in a small city that serves as the county seat.
“We get the most homelessness attracted to that area.”
Corning highlighted the county’s new core program, particularly the mobile crisis response unit.
“We love it. We absolutely love it. It helps us quite a bit… a lot of times they help de-escalate the situation where my officers can step back.”
His department also works with the Heads Up program.
“We tell them, hey, it's this person, this is their name, this is where the area they kind of hang out… and this is what we think they could benefit from.”
He added that a third program, still in development, is being launched by Sheriff Matt Kendall.
“I don't think it's 100% ready or off the ground yet, but once it is, that's definitely something that we're willing to look at and partake in if… we think it's a good measure.”
Communication and Complaint Handling
One of the perks of being a police chief is you can keep at a distance from the messiness that patrol officers deal with everyday. But Corning tends to take the opposite approach. He wants the people he serves to feel comfortable speaking to him and his officers.
“I don't have a problem with people emailing us, don't have a problem with people calling,” he says. He gives out his email and phone number freely.
He also wants the public to see more of the department’s leadership at community events.
“I think it's very important for the public to get face time with the chief and with the captain… so that they can, you know, not just get to know us… but if there is an issue… I'm open to that.”
And when it comes to complaints about officers, Corning says they are taken seriously.
“If it is a serious complaint… we will not investigate it ourselves. We actually contract with a third-party investigator that is not located within Mendocino County.”
Staffing and Recruitment
Many police departments struggle with staffing. Corning said that’s not an issue in Ukiah.
“Right now our staffing situation is looking very good… we are fully staffed. We're slotted for 32. Right now I have eight individuals in the background process… I’m very optimistic.”
Corning says he’s especially proud to be attracting lateral hires—from agencies in San Diego, Carlsbad, even out-of-state. But he’s also focused on hiring local people.
“I do love hiring homegrown Mendocino people because typically they're going to stay.”
He says many locals don’t realize they can be paid to attend the police academy.
“They thought, you know, they had to put themselves through… and it's just not going to work.”
As for past marijuana use?
“I think that law just changed… where marijuana is not something that we DQ people candidates for anymore.”
Looking Ahead
Corning is especially excited about transitioning to a new computer-aided dispatch system, which he says will improve officer safety, response times, and community service.
“It is so old… the company that makes it only has one employee left that still knows how to work on this program.”
The new system, RIMS, is expected to go live later this year.
“It’s going to make everything faster and better.”
Corning closes the interview with a reflection about what it’s like to be a police officer in Ukiah.
“I really think that the large majority of the community here supports us… I'm proud of my department. I know, you know, 99% of all police officers and deputy sheriffs are good guys and they're out there… doing great things for their communities.”
