Anaheim Police chief retiring, city to start search for next chief

ANAHEIM, Calif. (July 10, 2025) - After a 30-year law enforcement career, Anaheim Police Chief Rick Armendariz is retiring with plans for a nationwide search for his successor set to take place.

Armendariz will make himself available to assist as the city works through a recruitment and transition process for the next chief of the Anaheim Police Department, Orange County's largest city police agency.

Anaheim plans to undertake a national recruitment process open to candidates from outside and within the department and that will include public input and a candidate review panel.

"Chief Armendariz is leaving Anaheim better than he found it," Mayor Ashleigh Aitken said. "He has been a tireless partner and advocate for community policing in our schools, neighborhoods and alongside our businesses. Despite challenges seen throughout our region, Anaheim under Chief Armendariz stands out for consistent and sustained declines in crime in our city. On behalf of Anaheim, I thank Chief Armendariz for his service to our community."

"The Anaheim Police Department has seen an unprecedented period of growth in people and strategic innovation under Chief Armendariz," City Manager Jim Vanderpool said. "Both professionally and personally, I thank him for all he has done for Anaheim and for helping us ensure a smooth transition as we look to swear in our city's next chief in the months ahead."

Armendariz became Anaheim's 37th chief in August 2023 after coming to Anaheim in 2019 and serving as deputy chief.

He is timing his retirement now to allow for Anaheim's next chief to be sworn in and established as the city prepares for the 2028 Summer Olympics with volleyball in Anaheim and major expansions underway around Honda Center and the Disneyland Resort.

Armendariz, 53, also plans to spend time with his family and enjoy travel after serving for more than 30 years as a police professional.

"Coming to Anaheim has been the peak of my career," said Armendariz, who lives in downtown Anaheim with his family. "As a police explorer at 16, I never thought one day I would lead policing in Anaheim with world-class theme parks, sports and entertainment. This has been the assignment of a lifetime. Although it is hard to leave a profession I love, I am comforted knowing the department is well positioned to continue to grow to even greater heights. The Anaheim Police Department is made up of amazing people with servant hearts and a passion for public safety, which makes this department second to none. I now stand ready to assist with a steady transition process for a city that has done so much for me."

As chief, Armendariz has led and expanded a department of nearly 600 employees, including more than 400 sworn police officers, detectives, investigators, pilots, mounted unit officers and horses, K-9 officers and dogs, tactical operations personnel and command staff.

Under Armendariz, the Anaheim Police Department has grown to a record 430 sworn positions in the city's current budget, up from 408 five years ago.

Other department achievements include:

• Launching Anaheim's real-time crime center, a command center at the department's Main Station that brings together dispatch calls, video, drones and other unfolding information to better respond to calls.
• Restoring Anaheim's community policing, homeless assistance liaison officer and tourism-oriented policing teams after the pandemic.
• Returning and expanding Anaheim Police school resource officers to high schools and a junior high to ensure public safety and to serve as a resource for administrators, teachers, students and parents.
• Creating a youth services liaison to bring together services available to young people in Anaheim from our police, Community Services, schools and nonprofits.
• Starting a youth engagement program with Irvine-based nonprofit Team Kids for charity carnivals at schools that connect kids with police and firefighters.
• Reorganizing the department around a core mission, values, priorities and goals to impact public safety, enhance community relations and foster a strong organization.
• Increasing technology and innovative policing strategies to enhance police services

During his tenure, Armendariz has also worked closely with other city departments to humanly address homelessness and to restore parks, railways, underpasses, sidewalks and other public spaces.

The son of immigrants, Armendariz has worked alongside other city departments to reassure our community that the role of the Anaheim Police Department is to serve everyone regardless of background or status.

Armendariz's law enforcement career started in 1995 when he was sworn in as a police officer with the Modesto Police Department, serving in number of special assignments and details.

He promoted through the Modesto ranks as a detective, sergeant, lieutenant, captain and then assistant police chief. During his time with the city of Modesto, Armendariz also served for two years as interim deputy city manager.

Armendariz's interest in policing started at age 16, when he joined his high school's law enforcement regional occupational program and later an explorer program.

In his early 20s, Armendariz worked as a part-time dispatcher and reserve police officer, working patrol and as a school resource officer.

He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy in Quantico, the Senior Management Institution of Boston University and holds a master's in emergency services administration from California State University, Long Beach, and a bachelor's in criminal justice from Chapman University.

He has served as a board member in various community groups including Anaheim Community Foundation, Anaheim Family YMCA and Anaheim Rotary Club.

In addition, he has held board membership positions with the California Chief of Police Association and most recently California Peace Officer Association.

Stay tuned for more on Anaheim's search for the city's next chief of police.

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