Ruby Flores

• Rank: Deputy Chief
• Bureau: Acting Director, Office of Operations
• Email: ruby.flores@lapd.online

Bio

Deputy Chief Ruby Flores was appointed to the Los Angeles Police Department in 1994. After her Police Academy training, Deputy Chief Flores served in various patrol assignments, including Northeast Area, 77th Street Area, and Southeast Area, where she advanced to the position of Field Training Officer. Deputy Chief Flores returned to the Police Academy as an instructor and developed expertise in police education and training, curriculum development, domestic violence, community policing, hate crimes, crisis communications, and diversity.

In 2002, Deputy Chief Flores was promoted to Police Sergeant and served in three of the four geographic Bureaus of the City. Deputy Chief Flores advanced to Police Sergeant II and served as an Assistant Watch Commander, Central Traffic Division; Development Team, Real-Time Analysis and Critical Response (RACR) Division, Assistant Officer in Charge of Media Relations Section, and as Aide for two Chiefs of Police.

In 2012, Deputy Chief Flores was promoted to the rank of Police Lieutenant and was assigned to Rampart Area, where she served as a Patrol Watch Commander. She was then assigned to the Office of the Chief of Staff as the Department Relations Liaison.

In 2015, Deputy Chief Flores was promoted to Police Captain and assigned as the Commanding Officer of Community Relationship Division (CRD), where she leveraged her experience and emerging technologies for more effective community engagement. In 2016, Deputy Chief Flores advanced to Police Captain III and assumed command of Hollenbeck Area.

In 2017, she was promoted to Police Commander and assigned to Community Policing and Policy Group. In 2018, Deputy Chief Flores moved on to Operations-Central Bureau as the Assistant Commanding Officer. In addition to the daily operations and oversight of five commands, she was responsible for implementing a Community Liaison Officer (CLO) program in each of the five Gang Enforcement Detail (GED) units within the Bureau. This program has since been institutionalized Department-wide, where a CLO is assigned in each of the 21 geographic area GED units.

Upon completing her tour at Operations-Central Bureau, Deputy Chief Flores was assigned to Training Group as the commanding officer in 2019. She was the Department Training Coordinator, the Tactics Training Review Committee Chair, the Use of Force-Policies and Procedures Committee member, and the Co-Chair of the Use of Force Review Board and the Uniform and Equipment Committee.

In a groundbreaking move in December 2020, Deputy Chief Flores achieved a significant milestone in her career when Chief Michel Moore appointed her as the first Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Officer for the Department. In this pioneering role, she took on the responsibility of not only establishing but also leading the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Group, which encompasses the Ombuds Section, Community Engagement and Professional Development Section, and the Racial and Identity Profiling Act (RIPA) Unit within the overarching Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Division.

Under Deputy Chief Flores’s visionary leadership, this multifaceted command aimed at fostering a more inclusive and equitable environment within the police force. The Ombuds Section worked to address internal concerns and conflicts, ensuring a fair and transparent resolution process.

The Community Engagement and Professional Development Section focused on strengthening ties with the community and enhancing the professional growth of Department personnel. Simultaneously, the RIPA Unit played a pivotal role in addressing issues related to racial and identity profiling and promoting fairness and justice in law enforcement practices.

Furthermore, Deputy Chief Flores expanded her role by taking on the additional responsibility of serving as the Department’s LGBTQ+ Community Outreach Coordinator. In this capacity, she actively engaged with and advocated for the LGBTQ+ community, reinforcing the importance of inclusivity and understanding within the Department.

Deputy Chief Flores’s visionary approach and commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion have undoubtedly set a precedent for positive change within the police force, reflecting a dedication to creating a more harmonious and reflective law enforcement environment.

In January 2024, Deputy Chief Flores received a historic promotion to lead Operations-Valley Bureau, the first woman to receive this command and the first Latina promoted to Deputy Chief within the Los Angeles Police Department. Operations Valley Bureau is the largest command within the Department and includes seven areas within the City – Devonshire, Foothill, Mission, North Hollywood, Topanga, Van Nuys, and West Valley.

Deputy Chief Flores not only holds the distinguished position of President within the Los Angeles Women Police Officers and Associates but has also been honored with the prestigious “Champion of Women Award” by the Los Angeles Business Journal in 2022. This recognition is a testament to her unwavering commitment to advancing the role and influence of women within law enforcement, exemplifying her outstanding leadership and dedication to fostering positive change. She is also a member of the National Association of Women Law Enforcement Executives, the Police Executive Research Forum, the Latin American Law Enforcement Association, the California Peace Officers’ Association, and the International Association of Chiefs of Police.

Deputy Chief Flores excels at building and sustaining trusting and collaborative environments, is passionate about providing exemplary service with sincere humility, empathy, and inclusion, is a driver of innovative, community-driven problem-solving solutions, and consistently supports and mentors her teams and the next generation of law enforcement leaders throughout the Department.

Deputy Chief Flores has earned both Bachelor of Science and Master of Science Degrees at California State University Long Beach. She is a National Collegiate Athletic Association student-athlete, who has earned numerous accolades for excellence, both on and off the softball field, including pitching a perfect game and being recognized as the 1992 Western Region – Woman of the Year and 1992 All-Big West Scholar-Athlete of the Year. She is a proud ambassador for her alma mater, encouraging the pursuit of educational goals. In January 2021, she earned a certificate in Diversity and Inclusion from Cornell University.

A proud first-generation Mexican-American, Deputy Chief Flores is a life-long resident of Southern California with her husband and two adult children.