David J. Kowalski

• Rank: Deputy Chief
• Bureau: Counter-Terrorism and Special Operations Bureau
• Email: david.kowalski@lapd.online

Bio

Deputy Chief David Kowalski currently serves as the Commanding Officer of the LAPD’s Counter Terrorism and Special Operations Bureau. This Bureau is comprised of the LAPD’s specialized commands to include Air Support Division, Emergency Services Division, Metropolitan Division, Security Services Division, and Major Crimes Division.

Throughout his 28 years of LAPD service, Deputy Chief Kowalski has worked in both patrol operations and specialized assignments in various ranks and was twice selected as Supervisor of the Year as a Sergeant.

As a Police Captain, Deputy Chief Kowalski was awarded the 2015 Excellence in Leadership for his impact on crime fighting and the Law Enforcement Community Engagement Award in 2018 for his efforts in relationship-based policing. He is a graduate from the Senior Management Institute of Policing at Boston University, the Harvard Kennedy School of Government’s Leadership in Crisis, the Anti-Defamation League’s Advanced Training School on Extremism, and the FBI’s Leadership in Counter Terrorism(LinCT) in 2023.

Deputy Chief Kowalski serves as the Co-Chairperson on the Executive Board for the Major Cities Chiefs Association Intelligence Commanders, a group comprised of 78 police agencies in the United States and Canada who share information and intelligence with Federal, State and local partners. He is also the Chair of the Joint Regional Intelligence Center (JRIC) Governing Board, a fusion center responsible for six counties in Southern California. In 2022, he served as the Incident Commander for the Summit of the Americas, an international event involving world leaders in Los Angeles that required the largest pre-planned mobilization of LAPD personnel in its history.

Prior to the LAPD, Deputy Chief David Kowalski honorably served in the United States Marine Corps, achieving the rank of Sergeant. He is veteran of the Persian Gulf War and the liberation of Kuwait. He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice Administration from San Diego State University and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from California State University Fullerton.