A leadership shakeup is coming to the Long Beach Police Department next year. Chief Wally Hebeish has announced he will retire this December, bringing his 32-year law enforcement career to a close.<\/p>\n
Hebeish joined the LBPD in 1995 and served in various leadership roles before becoming the city\u2019s first Arab American police chief in 2021. He took the helm during one of the most challenging and transformative periods for police departments across the nation, on the heels of the 2020 protests following the murder of George Floyd.<\/p>\n
Hebeish\u2019s tenure saw a decline in shootings and homicides, along with the creation of a High Crime Focus Team in 2024. At the same time, the department experienced high vacancy rates, which contributed to longer response times. The city also experienced a sharp increase in fatal traffic collisions.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The city hopes to have a permanent successor in place by early next year. According to City Manager Tom Modica, a recruitment firm will be selected in the coming weeks, and the public will have a chance to weigh in through a new \u201ccommunity input process.\u201d Online surveys and in-person town halls are expected, and candidates will undergo interviews with a community panel, technical panel and city department directors. Modica will ultimately select the new chief.<\/p>\n