Shawn Eastman Named Gaithersburg Chief of Police

Shawn Eastman has been appointed as the new City of Gaithersburg Chief of Police following the retirement of Chief Mark Sroka. He was sworn in during the Mayor and City Council meeting on March 2, 2026, and will officially begin his duties on March 7. View the swearing-in and presentation.

"Shawn Eastman's decades of service and proven leadership make him the ideal choice to lead the Gaithersburg Police Department," said City Manager Tanisha Briley. "His deep knowledge of our community and commitment to disciplined, community-focused policing will ensure the department continues to uphold the highest standards of professionalism and community trust."

Shawn Eastman, a 29-year law enforcement veteran, began his career with the National Institutes of Health Police Department in 1997, serving as a criminal investigator before joining the Gaithersburg Police Department in 1999. Over the past 26 years with the City of Gaithersburg, he has advanced through the ranks, serving in patrol, plainclothes, and investigative roles, and leading numerous criminal, background, and internal investigations.

Promoted to lieutenant in 2018, Eastman has led both the Operations Bureau and the Special Operations Bureau, overseeing patrol functions and specialized units. In 2025, he was promoted to the rank of Captain and assumed the position of Assistant Chief of Police. He is a graduate of the Police Executive Research Forum's Senior Management Institute for Police (2022) and the Leadership in Police Organizations program (2016). Eastman is an active member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the Maryland Chiefs of Police Association, and the Maryland Municipal League Police Executive Association.

Throughout his career, Eastman has received numerous awards and commendations, including top academy graduate, multiple life-saving awards, and Supervisor of the Year in 2012 and 2015. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice and Political Science from Frostburg State University (1995) and a Master of Arts in Human Sciences from Hood College (2005). Since 2006, he has intermittently served as an adjunct professor at Montgomery College and the University of Maryland, earning the Kendall Service Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2014 and 2020.

"I am truly honored to lead the department where I have dedicated my career," said Eastman. "Our success has always been driven by the unwavering commitment of our officers and professional staff and strengthened by the trust and collaboration of our City leaders and the community we serve. Together, we will continue to support one another, uphold disciplined policing, and deliver the highest standard of service to those we are entrusted to protect."

For more information contact the City Manager's Office at 301-258-6310 or the Gaithersburg Police Department at 301-258-6400.