Sheriff Robert Luna arrived Monday at the Hall of Justice and held his first news conference on the front steps. Supported by countless Sheriff’s Department employees, Luna outlined his plan for the Department and set the groundwork to foster a collaborative work environment with the rest of County Government.

“Integrity is about treating people with respect and living up to the Law Enforcement Code of Ethics.” Luna said, “Accountability is not something to be feared, but rather embraced, as it is the cornerstone to any successful law enforcement agency. All of us, starting with me, will be accountable to the people we serve. And collaboration is the best way to reduce crime and to work with our community in partnership.”

Luna was elected as the 34th Los Angeles County Sheriff on Nov. 8, 2022 and sworn into office on Dec. 3, 2022.

In line with the County Charter, Luna took command of the largest Sheriff’s Department in the United States on Dec. 5, 2022, with nearly 18,000 budgeted sworn and professional staff, encompassing over 4,000 square miles and hundreds of miles of rail and busways. Luna will also be responsible for managing the country’s largest county jail and court system and providing safety and security to county residents hiking in the Angeles National Forest.

Managing large law enforcement organizations is nothing new for Luna. In 2021, Luna completed his service as Long Beach Chief of Police, capping a 36-year career at the Long Beach Police Department, the county’s second-largest police department. Sheriff Luna started as a Long Beach Police Department reserve officer in 1985 and was promoted within every rank of the Police Department. He was appointed Chief of Police in 2014. During his time as Chief of Police, he served on the Major Cities Chiefs Association (MCCA) executive board and Homeland Security Committee, and the Police Executive Leadership Institute (PELI) mentorship program. He also received various awards from organizations in Long Beach for his civic leadership and community engagement.

Luna is a graduate of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) National Executive Institute and National Academy, Harvard University’s program for senior executives in state and local government, and the University of Southern California’s (USC) Delinquency Control Institute. In addition, Luna holds a Master’s in Public Administration from California State University Long Beach.

Throughout the weekend, Luna addressed the guests and Department members with words of encouragement and hope, “To all you wearing the Tan and Green, I am forever indebted to you.” He continued to explain the importance of respect: “I talk about respect because this uniform and badge represent all the courage’s men and women of this Sheriff’s Department who everyday work on behalf of ten million residents in Los Angeles County, and it also represents the hundred and thirty-nine fallen Sheriff’s personnel that have made the ultimate sacrifice serving our communities here in Los Angeles County.”

His overarching message to the residents of Los Angeles County is, “I have every confidence in the Sheriff’s Department that we will serve our residents of L.A. County to the best of our ability, and I look forward to serving with each and every one of you.”

To view the Taking of Oath Ceremony, click [here].

To view Sheriff Luna’s first day in office, click [here].

Photos courtesy of Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department