Jeff Kepley has been appointed Police Chief for the City of Palos Verdes Estates. He succeeds Interim Chief Dave Hinig who has been serving the City as a PERS annuitant since October 2013.
Chief Kepley was raised in Cypress and began his law enforcement career in 1986 with the Cypress Police Department in Orange County, a department with 58 officers. As a Cypress police officer, he worked various assignments such as patrol officer, field training officer, and background investigator before being promoted to sergeant where he worked as a patrol team supervisor and later a traffic bureau supervisor. Chief Kepley was promoted to the rank of Police Lieutenant in 1999, and worked all of the lieutenant assignments during his tenure including field operations, budget and administration, investigations, technology and equipment, and firearms range management. Chief Kepley joined the La Habra Police Department in Orange County as a Police Captain in 2011, a department with 71 police officers. He served as the Operations Division Commander overseeing field operations and uniformed personnel.
Chief Kepley studied Criminal Justice at Golden West College and obtained a Master’s degree in Emergency Services Administration from the California State University, Long Beach. Chief Kepley is a graduate of the prestigious FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia, where he studied police management and leadership.
Chief Kepley has been awarded certificates from the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) including Basic, Intermediate, Advanced, Supervisory, and Management certificates. In addition, he has attended numerous management and executive level training courses including the POST Executive Development Course.
He is an active participant in the communities he serves and has been involved as Past-President of the Board of Directors for the Boys & Girls Club of Cypress, Cypress Rotary Club and Board Member for the La Habra Chamber of Commerce. He also currently sits on the Technology Committee of the California Police Chiefs Association.
“We are very pleased to have appointed a Chief of such high integrity, experience and knowledge, and community policing experience. He will be a great addition to our complement of fine PVE Police personnel and overall City team,” stated City Manager, Anton Dahlerbruch.
“I am honored to be appointed as the PVE Police Chief and look forward to working with the men and women of the police department, in collaboration with all city staff, to serve the needs of this community. I look forward to meeting the members of our community, working in partnership to achieve the highest level of professional police service,” Chief Kepley states of his new position.
Chief Kepley has started with the Department on June 1, 2014.