The City of Ventura has a new police chief — at least temporarily.
Tony Lee, who most recently served as Chief of Police for the University of California, Los Angeles, took over as interim chief on Dec. 28. He replaces Darin Schindler, who just retired after more than three decades in law enforcement.
“Tony’s leadership at UCLA demonstrates his exceptional ability to manage complex operations while fostering community trust,” said Ventura Mayor Dr. Jeannette Sanchez-Palacios. “His experience overseeing high-profile events, nationally ranked hospitals and a celebrated athletics program will be a great asset to the city of Ventura during this transition.”
Before his job with UCLA, Lee was a Beverly Hills police captain. He oversaw Field Services, Investigations and Administrative Services as well as the Intelligence Unit. He was responsible for coordinating security for large events such as the Golden Globes and Los Angeles Marathon, and he occasionally served as the acting chief of police.
Lee is a graduate of California State University, where he earned his Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice and Master’s in Public Administration. He received training at the FBI National Academy, Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, the Senior Management Institute for Police, and the Los Angeles Police Department’s West Point Leadership Program.
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