Christopher Cano, a lieutenant with the El Monte Police Department, has been hired as the Riverside Community College District (RCCD) chief of police. The new chief was sworn in during the RCCD Board of Trustees meeting on Tuesday, March 21.
Cano has served in a variety of leadership roles during his law career, most recently as the Investigative Services commander, where he oversaw a staff of 25 investigators assigned to the Detective Bureau, Narcotics Unit, and Gang Team.
“For 39 years, I have dedicated my life to public service, serving in all three public safety sectors,” said Cano, who leaves the department after serving as a lieutenant for patrol services and the city’s SWAT commander. “Twenty-six of those years have been as a peace officer with the El Monte Police Department. There is not one aspect of law enforcement that I have not worked in during my career.”
In addition to his extensive law enforcement background, Cano has knowledge from serving in diverse positions of responsibility, authority, instruction, and leadership. As a bureau commander, he implemented a process that streamlined the department, bureau, and criminal investigations. He has been called upon to provide training to professional and sworn staff in various POST-approved training classes as well as being a subject matter expert for POST on various training projects.
Cano, who graduated from Mt. San Antonio College with a degree in emergency medical services, holds a master’s degree in public administration from the University of La Verne and currently is working on a doctoral degree in public administration from Walden University. He has served as an adjunct faculty member at three colleges, including Chaffey and Pasadena colleges, in 2017, he attended Command College.
“As a graduate of Command College, I have learned the importance of not only strategic planning and forecasting but the importance of predicting events and trends as they relate to law enforcement,” he said.
Cano is a well-decorated public servant, having been honored as Officer of the Year (El Monte City Council, 2001); Public Safety Employee of the Year (El Monte City Council, 2001); a two-time honoree of the Medal of Valor (El Monte Police Department, 2004 and 2008); and a Unit Citation (El Monte Police Department, 2008).
The Riverside Community College District Safety and Police Department is a POST-certified agency that complies with state standards for recruitment and training.? The department, which employs over twenty full-time sworn police personnel, several reserve officers, more than twenty community service aides, and a number of non-sworn clerical staff, work to ensure a safe and secure learning environment. The department provides law enforcement services to the three colleges (Moreno Valley, Norco, and Riverside), and District offices as well as offsite education centers. The department also has memoranda of understanding with the Riverside Police Department and Riverside County Sheriff's Department, providing each department with assistance for incidents requiring specialized resources and expertise. ?
“In Christopher, the District has secured an individual who is a respected law professional and an expert in community policing and safety preparedness,” Wolde-Ab Isaac, chancellor, said. “He is well qualified to not only oversee the department but more importantly ensure that we continue to offer a safe and secure learning environment for students and staff.”