Paul Shearholdt

• Rank: Captain I
• Bureau/Division/Office: Southeast Division
• Email: 34890@lapd.online

Bio

Captain Shearholdt was born and raised in the City of Los Angeles. After high school, Captain Shearholdt enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and was a military police officer stationed at Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii. While in the Marine Corps, Captain Shearholdt rose to the rank of Sergeant and earned his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Wayland Baptist University.

In 1998, Captain Shearholdt joined the Los Angeles Police Department and worked a variety of patrol and investigative assignments. As a police officer, Captain Shearholdt worked Rampart patrol, Hollywood patrol, Hollywood Narcotics Enforcement Detail, Hollywood Gang Enforcement Detail, Hollywood Vice and was an element member in C platoon at Metropolitan Division.

In 2009, Captain Shearholdt was promoted to Sergeant and was assigned to 77th Division and Wilshire Division. In 2012, Captain Shearholdt was promoted to Detective and was assigned to Southwest Detectives. As a Detective, Captain Shearholdt worked the Major Assault Crimes table, Crimes Against Persons table and was an investigator at Criminal Gang Homicide Division, South Section.

In 2014, Captain Shearholdt reverted to Sergeant and accepted a position as a supervisor in the Gang Enforcement Detail at Southwest Division. During his time in GED, Captain Shearholdt was promoted to Sergeant II and put in charge of the Community Law Enforcement and Recovery (CLEAR) unit and was responsible for coordinating community meetings and facilitating partnerships with Southwest Area community members. At the conclusion of his time in GED and CLEAR, Captain Shearholdt served as an Assistant Watch Commander at Southwest Patrol Division.

In 2022, Captain Shearholdt was promoted to Lieutenant and was assigned to Southeast Division. In 2023, Captain Shearholdt was promoted to Lieutenant II and accepted a position as the Officer in Charge of the Southwest Gang Impact Team. Later, Captain Shearholdt accepted a position at Internal Affairs Division and was the Officer in Charge of West Section and Workplace Investigation Section.

In May of 2026, Captain Shearholdt was promoted to Captain and served as the Commanding Officer of Southeast Patrol Division.

Captain Shearholdt is a graduate of the Los Angeles Police Department’s Leadership Course, the Sherman Block Leadership Academy, and the Washington D.C. Leadership Academy.