Walter Yin Chinn was born in Oakland, CA on April 21, 1923 as the eldest son of Harry K. Chinn, and Chew Gem Ping. He graduated from Prescott Elementary and Junior High school, Oakland Technical High School, attended San Francisco City College and Curtiss Wright Technical Institute. He served as a mechanic in the US Navy Reserve where he was stationed at Pan American World Airways to maintain a fleet of airplanes that included the famed China Clipper, Boeing Clippers, Catalina PBY, and Consolidated PB2Y3R flying boats that served only established air routes in the Pacific and Atlantic Theaters at the start of WWII. He then embarked on a 32 year career with the Oakland Payless Drug Stores. In 1963, he became the first non-Caucasian store manager of a Caucasian-owned National Chain Store. Along with managing a store, he also became the District Manager of 8 stores, Director of Bay Area Advertising, a Main Buyer, Corporate Trainer, and a Director of the Payless Credit Union. Walter retired from Payless Drug Stores in 1982 and started a career in Public Services. He served the residents of the City of Oakland as a Council Aidde and Chief of Staff to Oakland Vice Mayer Frank Ogawa from 1984 to 1990 and as a City Commissioner Housing Advisory and Appeals Board. In 1986, he co-founded the Asian Advisory Committee on Crime (AACC) and in 1990, the Asian Youth Services Committee (AYSC), organizations that exemplify the Oakland Community Policing Model of working together at the block, neighborhood, and citywide levels to address crime issues. Both the AACC and the AYSC have sponsored national and statewide conferences and have received Recognitions, Commendations, Proclamations, and Resolutions from the US Crongress, California State Assembly, Alameda County Board of Supervisors and the Oakland City Council. Walter Y. Chinn was awarded Resolutions from Samuel Merritt Hospital, Summit Medical Center Hospital, City of Oakland, Alameda County Board of Supervisors, and the California State Assembly for his community building efforts. He was honored with the Alameda County Bar Association Liberty Bell Award in 1995 and co-founded the Oakland Asian Cultural Center. He served on many boards, including the Samuel Merritt Hospital, Summit Medical Center Hospital, Shoong Family Cultural Center, Albert Brown Mortuary, Wa Sung Community Service Club, Gee How Oak Tin Family Association, United Savings Bank, Third Age Inc., Alameda County Food Program, AACC, AYSC, and others. He served as Assistant Director of the Oakland Ethnic Day Parade and the East Oakland Pride Day Parade. in 1993, Walter was recognized as the Oakland Police Department AACC Citizen of the Year and once again in 2013. He co-founded the original Oakland Police Chinatown Sub Station in 1990, and in 2013, he was awarded the Oakland Police Department Honorary Gold Badge.