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Chief Michael Kent was sworn in as Chief of the Irvine Police Department (IPD) in 2021. He has been with IPD since 2002 and is the first Irvine Police Chief to grow up in Irvine and rise through the ranks from police explorer to Chief.
As the Department continues to move forward in the twenty-first century, the City continues to expand. The annexation of the former El Toro Marine Base, as well as land in the "Northern Sphere" has created a city of almost 79 square miles, the largest land mass city in Orange County and third most populated city behind Santa Ana and Anaheim.
Also launched in 2008, was the Irvine Police Department’s “Return Home Registry” which is an innovative program designed to assist police officers in locating lost or wandering persons missing from their home or caregivers.
In 2007, the Irvine Police Department established a “Youth Liaison Officer” position responsible for assisting the Special Investigations Unit identify and work with at-risk teens in the community.
The Youth Liaison Officer works in partnership with the Irvine School Resource Officers, schools and school districts, homeowner associations, apartment managers, property managers and other members of the community to enhance public safety as it relates to Irvine’s at-risk youth.
In 2004, the City of Irvine assumed full-time law enforcement duties at the Orange County Great Park. Today, a team of Park Safety Officers are assigned to the Orange County Great Park/Great Park Neighborhoods and provide security services for the property on a continual basis.
Along with the transition to geo-policing the Department continued its contemporary advancements by updating and modernizing its patrol force and policing capabilities utilizing the latest state-of-the-art law enforcement equipment and technology.
The progressive approach included equipping officers with patrol rifles and other less-lethal alternatives such as the Oleoresin Capsicum (OC/pepper) spray, TASER Electronic Control Device (ECD), and the 40mm exact impact projectile device.
"Working in Partnership with the Community" - the mission statement of the Irvine Police Department - is a commitment to develop relationships between the police officers and professional staff of the Irvine Police Department and the residents and business owners in the community.
In 1991, Chief Peart retired and Charles S. Brobeck was sworn in as Irvine’s second Chief of Police. During Chief Brobeck’s term the Irvine Police Department continued to expand its public service and criminal enforcement roles in the community. Programs such as DARE were implemented and investigative specialties such as narcotics enforcement, vehicle theft, and economic crimes grew to keep pace with, and prevent, crime in the City.