Downey resident named university police chief

DOWNEY - Downey resident Carlos Velez, 32-year veteran of the LAPD, was sworn-in as the new university police chief at Cal State Dominguez Hills earlier this month.The university selected Velez following a nationwide search to replace Susan Sloan, who retired after 22 years with the CSU Dominguez Hills University Police Department. "The selection committee and the administration were impressed with Mr. Velez's extensive experience in law enforcement," said Mary Ann Rodriguez, vice president of Administration and Finance, the division which includes university police. "We believe he will be the right fit for CSU Dominguez Hills." In his career with the LAPD, Velez rose among the ranks from a patrol officer specializing in gangs and fraud, to most recently as lieutenant in the robbery-homicide division for the last 10 years. He had also worked as a detective, patrol supervisor and a sergeant in internal affairs, planning and research, in the Office of the Inspector General, and as a watch commander. He has also served as an instructor with the West Point Leadership Program, and has spoken as an expert on abduction at the Southern California Kidnap Conference. Velez earned his bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Cal State Los Angeles in 1993 and his master's in public administration from Cal State Northridge in 1996. He lives in Downey with his wife, Teresa, and teenage sons, Tony and Jose.

********** Published: June 30, 2011 - Volume 11 - Issue 10