Deputy Chief Michael Berkow, (ret.)

Appointed in April 2003, Michael Berkow was the first outside sworn deputy chief in the history of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD). The LAPD has over 13,000 employees with approximately 9,300 sworn officers serving a city of 470 square miles and a population of almost 4 million residents. As deputy chief, Berkow commands the Professional Standards Bureau, responsible for all police misconduct and corruption investigations as well as the Critical Incident Investigation Division which investigates all officer involved shootings and serious use of force incidents.

In July 2001, Berkow was appointed Chief of Police for the City of Irvine, CA, a city of approximately 175,000 over 50 square miles. The annual budget is $33 million dollars with 227 employees.

From July 1997 to July 2001, Berkow served as Chief of Police of the South Pasadena, CA Police Department with 51 employees and an annual budget of 4.7 million dollars. Responsible for all aspects of police operations.

From April 1995 to July 1997, Berkow served as Chief of the Coachella, CA Police Department with 36 employees and an annual budget of 2.7 million dollars. The City had a population of approximately 26,000.

From Sept. 1993 to April 1995, Berkow served as a Police Project Manager for the United States Department of Justice International Criminal Investigative Training Assistance Program where he managed police training and development projects around the world intended to enhance democratic, civilian professional policing. Granted the status of diplomatic attache, Berkow served as the manager for all policing projects in Central and South America where no in-country manager resided. From Washington, he supervised a team of assistant managers, each with responsibility for specific countries.

Berkow was the project manager for the Somalia Police Project, the first police development project of the United States Department of Justice outside of the western hemisphere. He managed a 12 million dollar project intended to reconstitute the Somali National Police Force, formerly one of the finest forces in Africa. In Somalia, Berkow built and managed two residential police academies, developed and implemented refresher training to over 300 police officers utilizing active duty American police officers as instructors and provided specialized training to support humanitarian efforts, as well as the first management training to the Somali Police since their civil war.

Berkow was also the project manager for the Haiti National Police Project. Tasked with creation of the first civilian police force in Haiti’s history, managing, coordinating, and supervising the development and implementation of a National Police Academy. Worked with the Government of Haiti to develop the organizational structure of a 5,000 person, community oriented police force to include all of the police officers, mid and upper level management. Directed oversight and management of a 23 million dollar annual budget. Supervised the construction of a 7 million dollar police academy. Coordinated with the Multinational Forces, the Government of Haiti, the International Police Monitors and the United Nations.

From 1976 to 1993, Berkow served in the Rochester Police Department, Rochester, New York (from 1990 to 1993 as Lieutenant).

Additionally, in 1983, Berkow worked for the the law firm of Davis, Wright, Todd, Reise & Jones of Seattle, Washington where he was a Litigation Attorney with Practice in trial work and labor law. And from 1982 to 1983, he served Confidential Law Clerk to The Honorable Michael A. Telesca, Chief Judge for the Western District of New York, Rochester, New York.

EDUCATION
Johns Hopkins University, Master of Science in Leadership and Management; May, 2000
Southwest Command College, June, 1996
FBI National Academy, 173rd Session, June, 1993
FBI National Law Institute, 1984
Syracuse University College of Law, Juris Doctor, cum laude (1981) Passed the Washington State Bar exam.
Kalamazoo College, Bachelor of Arts, Sociology and Public Policy Studies (1978)
New York State Municipal Police Training Council, Certified as a police officer (1977)
California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training, Basic, Intermediate, Advanced Certificates (March, 1997).

TEACHING EXPERIENCE
1991 to Present – International Association of Chiefs of Police Alexandria, Virginia. Adjunct Faculty. Serves on a part-time, contract basis and was the Recipient of the Distinguished Faculty Award in 1996.
1982 to Present – Consultant Faculty. Teach at a variety of police academies and training sites, including Northwestern University, Connecticut State Police Academy, Orlando, Florida, Police Academy; Southern Police Institute.
1986 to 1987 – State University of New York Brockport, New York. Adjunct Professor. Taught undergraduate course in criminal justice and policing. Also, higher level seminar classes on police and society.
Deputy Chief Berkow is a member of numerous professional associations and writes widely on police issues.