Long Beach police appoint new deputy chief, commander

Two cops will take on new roles in the Long Beach Police Department, the city aounced Monday.

Police Cmdr. Richard Conant has been appointed the department’s new deputy chief, and Lt. Steve Lauricella has been promoted to the position of commander, according to Police Chief Robert Luna and City Manager Patrick H. West.

Conant, a 25-year veteran of law enforcement, fills a vacancy created in the wake of Deputy Chief Richard Rocchi’s retirement. He was promoted to sergeant in 2006, to lieutenant in 2011, and to commander in 2015. His experience includes patrol, gang enforcement, homicide detail, SWAT and Inteal Affairs.

He most recently served as Luna’s chief of staff, and has completed the Sherman Block Supervisory Leadership Institute, FBI Crisis Negotiation Team Leadership training, and is a graduate of Leadership Long Beach Institute Class of 2015.

Lauricella started as a reserve police officer with the city in 1988. Hired full-time in 1990, he was promoted to sergeant in 1997, and lieutenant in 2013. Lauricella has worked numerous, Inteal Affairs, patrol, field training officer and sex crime investigations.

Lauricella eaed his bachelor’s degree law enforcement education from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and a master’s degree in communication management from the University of Southe Califoia. He is a graduate of the Sherman Block Leadership Institute, as well as the Peace Officer Standard and Training Management Course. He is also an adjunct faculty member of the Museum of Tolerance as an instructor with the Law Enforcement Tools for Tolerance Program.

“Richard Conant and Steve Lauricella display dedication and leadership skills at the highest levels and will be assets to our leadership team,” Luna said, in a statement. “They are fully engaged with our community partners and embrace our department’s core values of ethics, intelligence, and respect.”