 Chavez obtained an Associate of Arts from San Joaquin Delta College in 1970, earned a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice from California State University, Sacramento in 1972, and a Master of Science in Management from Cal Poly Pomona in 1992.Chavez joined the Stockton Police Department in the 1970s and became Chief of Police around 1995.He held the position until he was elected mayor in the 2004 election.