SAN PEDRO : Top LAPD Official to Head El Paso Police Department
LAPD Harbor Division Capt. Russell Leach was unanimously named police chief of El Paso on Thursday.
Leach, 46, will start his new job April 3. He is the first chief to come from outside the local Police Department.
“I love this place (Los Angeles), but this is a good opportunity,” said Leach, who has 20 years of experience with the Los Angeles Police Department.
Leach was chosen from a pool of 35 candidates. Council members in El Paso selected him over local Deputy Chief Edward Ortega, who was their other top choice.
Leach “brings a lot of expertise from a big department,” El Paso Mayor Larry Francis said.
The Los Angeles officer, who has headed the Harbor Division since April, will lead 1,000 officers in El Paso. City officials plan to expand the force to 1,300 in the next two to three years.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
