Kevin Thompson

Kevin Thompson is the co-owner of Salus School Safety Solutions and a retired police officer with 28 years of distinguished service with the Oxnard Police Department. Known for his unwavering commitment to public service, Kevin has dedicated his life to protecting others, building community trust, and mentoring youth.

A native of Tulsa, Oklahoma, Kevin graduated from Booker T. Washington High School before attending Howard University in Washington, D.C. He later joined the United States Marine Corps Reserve, serving from 1990 to 1998, including active duty during Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm. His service in the Marine Corps instilled in him the leadership, teamwork, strategic thinking, and emotional resilience that would shape his career in law enforcement.

Kevin began his police career in 1994 while still serving in the Marine Corps Reserve. Over nearly three decades with the Oxnard Police Department, he became a trusted and respected presence, particularly among the city’s youth. He volunteered with the Police Activities League (PAL) for 28 years, coaching and mentoring students from elementary through high school.

He served as a School Resource Officer (SRO) for more than 16 years, working across every school and district in Oxnard. In this role, he helped foster safer, more supportive learning environments through community-centered policing and positive engagement with students and staff.

Throughout his career, Kevin completed extensive training in school safety, investigations, large event planning, crowd control, active assailant response, lockdown procedures, crisis intervention, defensive tactics, transportation safety, and Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED).

Kevin’s service has been recognized with multiple honors, including being the only two-time recipient of the Oxnard Police Officer of the Year Award (2004 and 2018) since the department’s founding in 1903. In 2022, he was named California PAL Officer of the Year in recognition of his long-standing commitment to youth development. One of his proudest accomplishments came just before retirement, when he learned that more than ten of the department’s current officers were former students he once coached and mentored.

Recognizing the need for meaningful safety education in schools, Kevin co-founded Salus with fellow retired police sergeant, Daniel Shrubb. Together, they deliver professional development, student presentations, and safety training for K–12 districts focused on practical skills, school law, crisis response, and creating safe, engaging school environments.

Now retired from active law enforcement, Kevin continues his commitment to service by supporting school communities across California. Under his leadership, Salus has already reached nearly 25,000 students, educators, and families and continues to expand its impact.