Who I am, where I’m from:
My name is John Choplin. I grew up in Carmel, just north of Indianapolis, IN. Afther graduating from college, I moved out to Southern CA where I have lived and worked for almost 30 years.

What ties me to my region:
I have created a home for my family, and I am raising my children here in Southern California. I understand the challenges in today's world to continue keeping the community a safe haven. Opportunities are vast in this region, and it is a beautiful place to live in. I am grateful to be here, and I want to support and be part of the solution to preserve the beauty, safety, and opportunities for generations to come.

A bit about myself:I have 15+ years of technical sales experience encompassing hardware, software (SaaS), and service. I have also been with the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) for more than 25 years serving in various capacities (Patrol, Traffic, Motors, Dignitary, and Special Problems Task Force) across the city, state, and even nationally with the Police Unity Tour. Being part of Utility allows me to get behind a product I believe in and also combine my passion for public safety and technical product education.

Why should agencies choose Utility, Inc.:
Utility's products offer tools that eliminate human error, contribute to documenting and protecting the facts and case evidence, and also ensures officer safety. Utility effectively saves officers' time and decision-making steps in critical situations through automation. Simply put, we build a better product that helps protect those who protect us.

What inspired me to select a path working in the public safety sector:
I had some regrets not joining the military before moving to California, and when I came across the opportunity to join the LAPD, I embraced it. This gave me the chance to combine my passion for serving and protecting the innocent while feeding my hunger for excitement. It has also given me some incredible life-long friendships and memories. I am guided by our motto: "We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give."

What does Transformative Transparency mean to me:
Transformative Transparency creates open channels of communication about problems, solutions, best practices, and a path towards improvement allowing us to focus on making more empathetic decisions given a situation.

Why should you trust Utility:
Utility understands that each department has different needs and capabilities, and rather than making officers conform to products, Utility creates solutions that are customizable to suit the departments and officers we support. Instead of creating more work for the officer, Utility becomes a force multiplier by allowing officers to focus on the situation at hand and reduce human error. The part of having to remember to activate their camera at the appropriate time, properly classify their video, and the need to return to the station just to upload the video evidence can now be eliminated.

The biggest lesson learned I’d like to share with Public Safety Leaders:
Settling for the way we have always done things in the past does not always lead to what is the best for our future. Striving to be even just 1% better each day will have a lasting positive impact on our future and those around us.