Burlingame taps SFPD veteran to serve as its next top cop

BURLINGAME – A San Francisco Police Department veteran will serve as Burlingame’s next top cop, the city announced.

Raj Vaswani replaces Chief Michael Matteucci, who retired in December after 33 years of service.

“I am delighted to welcome Raj Vaswani to the city of Burlingame and look forward to working with him,” City Manager Lisa Goldman said in a statement Thursday.

“With his wealth of experience in law enforcement, Raj was my top pick and was the unanimous choice of the city’s department head team,” she continued. “I’m confident his expertise and commitment will make him a tremendous asset to the organization and the Burlingame community.”

Vaswani is a 31-year veteran of the San Francisco Police Department, where he most recently worked as deputy chief of the special operations bureau. Prior to that, he served on the command staff as commander of investigations and deputy chief of investigations. Vaswani also previously held the positions of captain and lieutenant.

Vaswani earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from San Jose State University and is a graduate of the San Francisco Police Department’s Leadership Development Institute.

“I am honored to serve as Burlingame’s next police chief and look forward to working alongside the dedicated members of the Burlingame Police Department to keep our community safe,” Vaswani said in a statement.

“I’m also excited to collaborate with the city team to plan for the future,” he continued. “Additionally, I’m committed to strengthening partnerships with our residents, local businesses and schools to ensure we continue building a strong, connected community.”

Vaswani will formally join the Burlingame Police Department on Aug. 4 and be introduced the community at the Aug. 18 City Council meeting, according to the city.