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Police recruitment and retention have become two of the biggest challenges facing law enforcement today. Agencies across the country struggle to attract qualified candidates and keep them engaged, while leadership gaps and cultural stagnation exacerbate the issue. But one department is proving that building a strong agency isn’t about flashy incentives or temporary hiring sprees — it’s about culture.
In this episode of the Policing Matters podcast, host Jim Dudley speaks with Hermosa Beach Police Chief Paul LeBaron and retired Air Force Colonel Rick Poplin about how their department has not only achieved full staffing but has also created a leadership pipeline that ensures officers are engaged, supported and set up for long-term success.
Chief Paul LeBaron took over the Hermosa Beach Police Department during one of the most challenging times in modern history: the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. Facing staffing shortages, a fractured internal culture and community mistrust, he knew that traditional approaches wouldn’t cut it.
Instead of focusing on quick fixes, he prioritized sustainable leadership development, employee empowerment and a bottom-up approach to innovation. A key element of this transformation was the Leadership and Mentoring Program (LAMP), spearheaded by Colonel Rick Pappin, which has helped officers at every level refine their leadership skills, take ownership of their careers, and contribute to a culture of trust and accountability.
Tune in to discover:
- Why leadership development is the foundation of officer retention and department success.
- How Hermosa Beach PD reversed its recruitment crisis and built a waiting list of candidates.
- The surprising role that culture — not just policies — plays in keeping officers engaged.
- Why traditional field training programs often fail new officers and what Hermosa Beach PD did differently.
- How informal leaders within an agency can make or break morale, recruitment and retention.
About our guests
Chief Paul LeBaron was appointed as the Chief of Police for the Hermosa Beach Police Department on April 16, 2020. Before joining the Hermosa Beach Police Department he served the Long Beach Police Department in Los Angeles County, California for 27 years. Chief LeBaron is a graduate of California State University, Long Beach with a degree in Communication Studies. He earned his master’s degree in Management and Organizational Leadership from American Military University and a Graduate Certificate in Criminal Justice from the University of Virginia. He graduated from Sherman Block Leadership institute (SLI) Class #177, USC Executive Leadership Class, and the FBI National Academy Class #261. He is also an adjunct staff member at the Simon Wiesenthal Museum of Tolerance and a faculty member at California State University Long Beach where he teaches classes in Criminal Justice.
Rick Poplin is a retired USAF Colonel and F-16 fighter pilot, promoted to life-and-death leadership responsibilities on the world stage. Today, after 30 years as a military and commercial pilot, Rick has a new mission as an executive coach.
Rick deployed to the Iraqi Combat theatre nine times as a F-16 Viper pilot and Mission Commander, and commanded the only F-16 Squadron to operate from Al Asad Air Base, the 125th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, Anbar Province, Iraq. After 20 years as a combat fighter pilot, Rick was assigned to the Pentagon, serving as the Integration Branch Chief, National Guard Bureau Plans & Programs Directorate, NGB A8. During this time, Rick was tasked with integrating the Air National Guard’s Future Years Defense Program into the Department of Defense’s $648 Billion annual budget. Following his Pentagon assignment, Rick returned to flying the F-16 to command the 138th Operations Group and served at the Joint Force Headquarters in Oklahoma City, OK.
On February 1, 2018, after 30 years of service, flying in and training future aviators in the most elite fighting forces on the planet, Rick retired from the F-16 and the United States Air Force.
About our sponsor
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Key takeaways from this episode
- Leadership must be built, not assigned: Hermosa Beach PD shifted from a top-down leadership approach to a bottom-up model, ensuring that officers at every level have a voice and play a role in shaping the department’s future.
- Culture outweighs incentives in retention: While many departments focus on financial incentives to attract new recruits, Chief LeBaron focused on cultivating a culture where officers feel valued, heard and invested in — leading to a fully staffed agency and a waiting list.
- Redefining the field training officer role: Recognizing that field training officers (FTOs) play a critical role in shaping recruits, Hermosa Beach PD overhauled its FTO selection process, prioritizing positivity, mentorship and alignment with department values over just experience.
- Embracing change and breaking tradition: From revising outdated grooming policies to incorporating community input in decision-making, the department has embraced flexibility and modernization, making it more attractive to new generations of officers.
- Wellness is a culture, not a program: Instead of treating officer wellness as a checkbox, Hermosa Beach PD has woven it into the fabric of its organization, creating an environment where officers are encouraged to acknowledge struggles, seek support and maintain a healthy work-life balance.
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