Veteran Officer Appointed as Chief
Hermosa Beach officials announced Wednesday that Michael Lavin, a veteran of the city’s Police Department, will be its new chief.
Lavin, 45, started his career in the Hermosa Beach Police Department at age 22. He attained the rank of captain and has been acting chief for two months since the retirement of Chief Val Straser.
His goals for the department, Lavin said, include making more inroads with the community and helping raise standards for officers.
Though he now lives in Torrance, Lavin said Hermosa Beach “is my home area, where I grew up.”
Lavin has a bachelor’s degree in public administration from Cal State Dominguez Hills and is a graduate of the FBI National Academy in Virginia.
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