Stan is 53 years old, a native of the area and moved to Rescue in 1991. Shortly after graduating from high school he entered the United States Air Force. He served nine years on active duty and another fourteen in the reserves, retiring at the highest enlisted rank of Chief Master Sergeant.

In 1983, he joined the CHP and rose quickly through the ranks working in a variety of assignments including:

• Field patrol and motorcycle duty
• Public Affairs Officer
• Critical Incident Investigation Team Leader
• Commander of the Governor’s Protection Detail
• U.S. special advisor to the Ukraine on converting their military into a state police
• The CHP’s California Legislative Liaison, and
• Service in Washington, D.C. as the Department’s first Congressional Liaison.

He was last assigned as Chief of the CHP’s Valley Division, with 1,100 employees, and 19 field offices throughout Northeastern California. His scope of responsibility included managing a budget of over $200 million dollars and:

• Aerial operations and four aircraft
• Undercover auto theft and drug intervention task forces
• Tax seizure and warrant service programs
• Assisting local sheriffs & police with gang suppression efforts
• State property & facility protection and criminal investigation
• Three commercial vehicle inspection facilities
• Four communications centers
• Two community outreach centers, and
• Hundreds of field patrols.

During his tenure, Chief Perez added to El Dorado County dozens of officers, an aircraft, a canine, officers to two different county task forces, and an officer to assist with investigations out of the DA’s office. On June 1, 2009, he retired from the CHP to run for election as the next Sheriff of El Dorado County.

He has been married to his wife - Julie – for twenty-four years. They have two sons, both attending colleges in California.