ABOUT CHIEF ROBERT LUNA

Robert Luna recently 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. 

Growing up in unincorporated East Los Angeles, from a poor Latino immigrant family, Luna’s neighborhood was patrolled by the Sheriff’s Department. He saw examples of both good and bad policing, which inspired him to become an officer and shaped his philosophy on relationship-based policing specifically in communities of color.

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Luna understands that 21st century policing requires collaborative partnerships with community leaders, residents and government partners that tackle crime at the root of the problem and offer effective and lasting solutions to public safety. Luna has received various awards from organizations in Long Beach for his civic leadership and community engagement.  

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Luna started as a reserve officer in 1985 and has since been promoted within every rank of the Police Department. He was appointed Chief of Police in 2014 and recently served on the Major Cities Chiefs Association (MCCA) executive board, and is active with the organization’s Homeland Security Committee and the Police Executive Leadership Institute (PELI) mentorship program.

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Luna is a graduate of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) National Executive Institute and National Academy, and Harvard University’s program for senior executives in state and local government, and the University of Southern California’s (USC) Delinquency Control Institute. Luna has a master’s degree in public administration from Cal State Long Beach. 

 

Luna lives in Long Beach with his wife and has 2 adult children.