The Los Angeles Police Department is proud to announce several command staff promotions and new assignments that will strengthen our organization’s commitment to quality service, integrity in all we say and do, and diversity in experiences and backgrounds. These significant organizational changes will usher in the next generation of public safety leaders dedicated to creating healthy communities and building relationships with our residents.
Since the first of this year, the Chief of Police has appointed five new Deputy Chiefs, seven new Commanders, eight new Area Commanders and ten new Patrol Captains along with more than a dozen other strategic command staff changes. All of the men and women appointed to these new positions bring collectively, hundreds of years of experience in community policing to the residents of Los Angeles.
New Deputy Chiefs
Phillip Tingirides – Deputy Chief of South Bureau
Phillip Tingirides began his career in South LA in 1980, policing the streets of LAPD’s Southeast Area. This United States Army Veteran has worked various assignment including, Vice, Gangs, Metropolitan Division, and Detectives. But, he is celebrated for his work in the South Bureau as Commanding Officer, Commander, and now Deputy Chief. For nearly a decade Tingirides has worked closely with the community of Watts focusing on youth, breaking down barriers and building relationships with a community that has been at odds with the law enforcement for decades. He is also a key player in our ever-expanding Community Safety Partnership program which focuses on changing the culture of policing in Los Angeles. Deputy Chief Tingirides has a degree in Criminal Justice from National University and has received numerous accolades for his community policing efforts, including being recognized with his wife, Lieutenant Emada Tingirides as one of Governing Magazine’s Public Officials of the Year. Phil and Emada were also recognized by President Barak Obama for their community policing efforts in South LA.
John Sherman – Deputy Chief of Valley Bureau
John A.Sherman was born in Los Angeles and raised in the San Fernando Valley. He attended Cleveland High School and California State University-Northridge (CSUN). While attending CSUN, he was a Police Student Worker with the Los Angeles Police Department. Sherman served four years active duty in the United States Marine Corps and then joined the LAPD. He worked throughout the city as he was promoted through the ranks. One assignment Sherman is particularly proud of, opening the Topanga Area Community Station. Prior to this new assignment, Deputy Chief Sherman served as the Assistant Commanding Officer of Central Bureau and the Assistant Commanding Officer of the Office of Special Operations. His most recent post was in the Office of Operations as the Assistant Commanding Officer.
Dennis Kato – Deputy Chief of West Bureau
Dennis Kato is a Southern California native born in Los Angeles and raised in Montebello. Shortly after receiving his Bachelor of Science degree in Occupational Studies from the California State University at Long Beach, he joined the Los Angeles Police Department in 1987. Kato has worked various assignments including as a Detective assigned to Southwest Area, Narcotics Group-Field Enforcement Squad in the Newton Area, and Officer in Charge of the Harbor Area Vice Unit. Kato is a member of the Law Enforcement Association of Asian Pacifics and the California Narcotics Officer’s Association.
Horace E. Frank – Deputy Chief of Counter-Terrorism and Special Operations Bureau
Horace Frank began his career as a police officer in 1988. and quickly rose through the ranks, promoting to Captain in 2005 of LAPD’s Southeast Area. He was an integral part of a successful effort in the early 2000s to bring the community of South LA together, while significantly reducing crime there. In September 2013, he was promoted to the rank of Commander and reassigned to Information Technology Bureau. Most recently he served as the Assistant Commanding Officer of LAPD’s Counter-Terrorism and Special Operations Bureau. Among his many assignments, Frank was an academic instructor at the Los Angeles Police Academy, as well as an Employee Relations Investigation Advocate. Frank has attended numerous national leadership schools, which include the Federal Bureau of Investigation National Academy, the National Incident Management School at Texas A&M University, and the Anti-Defamation League’s Advanced Terrorism School in Washington D.C.
Justin Eisenberg – Deputy Chief of Detective Bureau
Before joining the LAPD in 1990, Justin Eisenberg served in the United States Navy Reserve and was mobilized to active duty in 2002 to the Pacific Fleet Intelligence Directorate. As a Los Angeles Police officer, Eisenberg worked a variety of patrol and investigative assignments. In May of 2007 he was promoted to Captain and served as the Patrol Commanding Officer for both the Pacific and Newton Area Community Police Stations. That was followed by promotions to Assistant Commanding Officer of Gang and Narcotics Division as well as the Commanding Officer of North Hollywood Division. In October of 2013 he was promoted to Commander and served as Assistant Commanding Officer of the Central Bureau and Information Technology Bureau. He also served as the Department’s Employee Relations Administrator. Eisenberg has a Bachelor of Arts degree from Colorado College and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the University of Southern California. He is also a graduate of the FBI Academy and the US Army Hazardous Devices School.
New Commanders
Jorge Rodriguez – Commanding Officer-Valley Bureau
Rodriguez was born in Havana, Cuba, immigrated to the United States with his parents at the age of seven, and settled in Hawthorne, California. He joined the LAPD in November of 1987 and has worked assignments ranging from Patrol to Gangs. Rodriguez was promoted to the rank of Captain in October 2010 where he served as a Commanding Officer in 77th Street Area, Topanga Area and most recently as the Area Commanding Officer of the Newton Area.
Philip Fontanetta – Commanding Officer-World Police & Fire Games
Philip Fontanetta is a 33-year veteran of the Los Angeles Police Department and has been assigned to various duties, but he is noted for his exceptional work as the Commanding Officer of the Emergency Operations Division. Fontanetta has received specialized training in emergency operations from the Department of Homeland Security, California Specialized Training Institute, and the Center for Domestic Preparedness.
Gerald Woodyard – Commanding Officer-South Bureau
Gerald Woodyard attended Long Beach State University on a football scholarship and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice. Woodyard’s first assignment after joining the police force in 1994 was in the Southwest Area of the LAPD. After holding various positions in various commands, he was promoted to Captain in 2012. His most recent assignment brought him back to where his career began as the Commanding Officer of Southwest Area.
Martin Baeza – Assistant to the Director, Office of Administrative Services
Martin Baeza was born in Yucatan Mexico, immigrated to the United States with his family at the age of two, and settled in Los Angeles. After attending East Los Angeles College, he earned a Bachelors degree in applied Business Management and Master’s degree in Organizational Management from Azusa Pacific University and graduated Magna Cum Laude. Baeza became a Los Angeles Police officer in 1989, fulfilling a childhood dream. He has worked various operational and administrative functions throughout his tenure. Most recentlyh he served as the Commanding Officer of the Hollenbeck Area. He is a graduate of the Sherman Block Leadership Institution and the West Point Leadership Program.
Peter Zarcone – Commanding Officer of Counter-Terrorism and Special Operations Bureau
Peter Zarcone is a San Fernando Valley native and graduated from California State University, Northridge with a Bachelor degree of Arts in Philosophy. After graduating from CSUN he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps. He was deployed for Operation Iraqi Freedom in December of 2002. Zarcone joined the LAPD in 1988 and served as a Patrol Officer, Gang Officer, Self Defense Instructor, Detective, as well as Captain of the Olympic, Hollywood, and 77th Area Community Police Stations.
Howard Leslie – Commander-Central Bureau
Howard Leslie has been with the Los Angeles Police Department for nearly three decades. He has worked in three of the four Operations Bureaus and served as a Patrol Officer, Narcotics Officer, Hollywood Vice Officer, Metropolitan Division Officer. He also worked as member of the LAPD’s distinguished Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team. Leslie is proud to serve as a mentor to the younger generation of police officers and supervisors currently serving the city.
Nicole Alberca – Commander-Employee Relations Group
Nicole Lynn Alberca was raised in the San Fernando Valley and graduated from the University of Arizona in 1993 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science with a minor in Sociology. She joined the Los Angeles Police Department after serving with the Los Angeles Fire Department. Alberca has worked various assignments throughout the city, and most recently served as the Pacific Area’s Commanding Officer. She is a graduate of the FBI National Leadership Academy in Quantico Virginia and is a member of the Los Angeles Women Police Officers and Associates Organization.
New Area Commanding Officers
James Alvarez – Captain Newton Area
Ruby Flores- Captain Hollenbeck Area
Bryan Lium-Captain Devonshire Area
Leland Sands-Captain Southwest Area
Beverly Lewis-Captain West Valley Area
New Patrol Captains
Alejandro Vargas-Olympic Area
Gisselle Espinosa-Harbor Area
Alfred Labrada-Hollenbeck Area
Louis Paglialonga-Southeast Area
Kathleen Burns-Devonshire Area
Daniel Randolph-Rampart Area
Aaron Ponce-North Hollywood Area
Aaron McCraney-Wilshire Area
Jonathan Pinto-Pacific Area
Brian Wendling-West Los Angeles Area
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