John E. Perez is ‘Honored’ to be Selected as Pasadena Chief of Police

After months of speculation, City Manager Steve Mermell has officially appointed John E. Perez as Chief of Pasadena Police. – Photo by Terry Miller / Beacon Media News

By Terry Miller

City Manager Steve Mermell told Pasadena Independent that the final three candidates went through the conclusive selection process for the coveted position of Pasadena police chief last week. One out of town candidate voluntarily withdrew at the eleventh hour. And then last week the city manager met with the final candidates and ultimately picked the top contender, John Perez who is a 33-year veteran of the department.

A few weeks ago, Pasadena Independent sat down with the then interim chief about his goals for the department, in his office near city hall.

Perez had been serving as the interim chief of police since April 2018, after former Chief Phil Sanchez announced his retirement. The genuinely motivated chief expressed remarkable candor about his department and future plans which heavily lean on community policing and use of force issues that have tarnished police departments throughout the country in recent years.

Starting his storied career as a police cadet, Perez worked various assignments throughout the organization which included patrol, community relations, internal affairs, special enforcement section, SWAT, special investigations unit, and the counter terrorism unit. He has served in command of all three PPD divisions: Strategic Services, Field Operations and Criminal Investigations.

This humble, personable, and highly decorated chief of police is dedicated to the community with numerous commissions and committees that help him educate the community at large through his unique experience as a Pasadena police officer.

“It’s evolution of critical thinking,” according to Perez. Not every great idea has worked but Perez points out that we learn more from our mistakes and that ultimately strengthens our moral fiber.

There are three main areas of importance in police work, according to Perez:

• Administrative training policy.
• Operations with four divisions and 14 sections.
• Community engagement.

Highlighting these areas, Perez points out the importance of his “lessons of experience” and the vital role the department must play in transparency, open and honest community dialogue and the all-important staff retention. Perez will oversee a department with 325 employees and an annual budget of $82 million.

As interim chief of police, Perez created a Community Advisory Committee, comprised of Pasadena residents, to work with the PPD on issues important to the community including the use of body cameras, use of force, and neighborhood policing.

While overall crime is reduced within city limits, homeless growth “will not go away anytime soon,” Perez concedes. Officers have to deal with a growing problem, perhaps due in part to the Gold Line making area cities easily accessible. This, combined with people sleeping outside businesses and basic sanitary conditions has made officers learn to be a conduit between business owners and the homeless; and at the same time hopefully help the homeless community with education. Helping those individuals know there are people in the City of Pasadena who really do care and want to help is a large task but Pasadena officers are equipped with extraordinary knowledge and resources to help those who need it most.

“Serving in the Pasadena Police Department for the last 30 years alongside tremendous men and women has been the honor of a lifetime,” said Perez. “To have the opportunity to lead our department, to help enhance our relationships with the community and to use innovation and hard work to keep the city safe, is truly an honor. We will conduct ourselves with the utmost of integrity and professionalism and we will be a safety net for every member of the Pasadena community whom we serve.”

Perez holds a doctorate in public administration from North Central University, a master’s degree in behavior science from California State Dominguez Hills and a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Mountain State University. He serves on the executive board of the Patron’s Saints Foundation.

Perez, 52, is married to Norma Perez and they have fraternal twins, Josh and Jake.

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