HISTORY OF LALEY

Early and Trailblazing “Firsts”

• First Latina Woman Officer — Josephine Serrano Collier (1946)

Josephine Serrano Collier was the first Latina woman to join the LAPD, hired in 1946. She was the only woman of Mexican descent among the nine women officers that year, making her a pioneering Latina in law enforcement.

Leadership and Command Milestones

• First Latino Captain — Rudy De Leon (1971)

Rudy De Leon, one of the original founding members of the Latin American Law Enforcement Association (LALEY), became the first Latino Captain in the LAPD. He played a key role in community policing and is widely recognized as a historic figure in the Department’s leadership.

• First Latino Deputy Chief — Robert S. Gil (1992)

In 1992, following the Hunter–LALEY Consent Decree aimed at addressing disparities in training and promotions, LAPD Chief Willie L. Williams appointed Robert S. Gil as the first Latino Deputy Chief in LAPD history.

• First Latina Deputy Chief — Ruby Flores (2024)

In January 2024, Deputy Chief Ruby Flores made history as the first Latina promoted to the rank of Deputy Chief within the LAPD. In addition, she became the first woman to command the Operations-Valley Bureau, the largest operational command in the Department.

•Juan J. Carrillo: Recognized as the first Latino to hold a high-ranking position within the department’s early history, he served as the City Marshal in 1874 and later became the first full-time Chief of Police for the City of Los Angeles.

•Julio Gonzales: A trailblazing officer who joined the department and was later appointed as the LAPD’s “Latino Ambassador of Goodwill” in 2000. He was also the first officer specifically tasked with community relations and therefore, the first Community Liaison officer.

Throughout its history, LaLey has played a vital role in advocating for the equal representation of all member of the Los Angeles Police Department that serves and protects residents in the City of Los Angeles.