Tom Ferrara began his law enforcement career in 1978 as a police cadet with the Rio Vista Police Department. In 1981, Tom put himself through San Joaquin Delta College’s first basic peace officers academy. This was an extended academy held on evenings and weekends which Tom attended while also working full time. Upon graduation, he became a reserve police officer with Rio Vista. In 1983, he joined the Isleton Police Department as police officer where he served until December of 1984, when he was hired as a deputy sheriff with Solano County.

During his career at the Solano County Sheriff’s Office, Tom has held a variety of positions including patrol deputy, field training officer, background investigator, and civil deputy. In 1994, Tom was selected to be the first line-level deputy sheriff to serve as the sheriff’s public information officer.

In 1995, Tom was promoted to sergeant and returned to patrol, where he served until 1998, when he took charge of the Vallejo Courts and assisted in the merger of the Vallejo Marshal's Office with the Sheriff's Office.

In February, 1999, Tom was promoted to chief deputy and given command of the Public Safety Division. Sheriff Gary Stanton implemented a reorganization of the Sheriff’s Office in 2002. Under the reorganization, Tom was promoted to captain and assigned as the Custody Division commander. In 2006, Sheriff Stanton promoted Tom to undersheriff, where he has served until his appointment as sheriff.

On August 14, 2012, upon the recommendation of retiring Sheriff Gary R. Stanton, the Solano County Board of Supervisors, in a unanimous vote, appointed Tom Ferrara sheriff-coroner of Solano County to serve the remainder of the current term of office, effective November 1, 2012 through December 2014. On June 3, 2014, Tom was elected sheriff by the citizens of Solano County.  He was then re-elected in June of 2022 for the term ending December 31, 2028.

Sheriff Ferrara holds an Associate’s degree in the Administration of Justice from San Joaquin Delta College, as well as a Bachelor’s Degree in Education, Training and Development from Southern Illinois University. He is also a graduate of the FBI National Academy’s 205th Session.

Sheriff Ferrara holds numerous certificates from the California Commission on Peace Officers Standards and Training including, Basic, Intermediate, Advanced, Supervisory, Management, and Executive certificates. Sheriff Ferrara also has a certificate in Community Policing and has completed the Kerr-Hill Management Training Course, as well as the Quantum Leap Leadership Training Academy and the Josephson School of Ethics where he was certified as an ethics instructor.