Pasadena Police Chief John Perez Will Retire In 2022

PASASDENA, CA — The city’s top cop will retire from the Pasadena Police Department in 2022 after spending nearly 40 years at the law enforcement agency.

Chief John Perez told Pasadena Now earlier this month he’ll oversee the department’s operations during the Rose Parade and Rose Bowl football game one last time before retiring.

“It’s been a fantastic and purposeful career, but change is always good,” he told the online magazine.

Perez joined the department in 1985 and was tapped to lead the organization in 2018 following the retirement of Chief Phillip Sanchez, whose departure was plagued by several controversies.

During his tenure as chief, Perez increased transparency at the department by releasing body camera footage from critical incidents long before the 45 day deadline required by the state, Pasadena Now reported. He also ended a partnership that allowed the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department to provide oversight on critical incidents after critics said that the LASD’s participation resulted in less information being released to the public.

But Perez's time leading the department wasn’t without its own controversies.

Two Pasadena police officers beat a man, Christopher Ballew, during a traffic stop at an Altadena gas station in 2017, according to the Pasadena Star-News. The incident happened before Perez became chief, and an internal investigation cleared the officers of wrongdoing in April.

Pasadena police also shot and killed a man, Anthony McClain, as he ran away from officers during a traffic stop last August, the paper reported. The department said McClain was holding a gun while he fled police; his death sparked protests against Pasadena police, with calls for Perez to resign.

Perez didn’t give specifics about his reasons for retiring, but he told Pasadena Now they’re unrelated to the McClain shooting or the Ballew beating.

“No matter what I do about critical incidents and how I respond, the police chief will always face criticism,” he told the magazine. “There is nothing you can do about that. That’s not a reason to leave the job; we put into motion the changes that were needed, and it is happening: The future of the department is emerging.”

Steven Mermell, Pasadena’s city manager and the person who chose Perez for the position, thanked him for his years of services in a statement obtained by the Star-News. He called the relationship between a city manager and police chief a “special one.”

“I am thankful that John Perez accepted my offer to become chief, and I have very much enjoyed working closely with him,” Mermell said. “He has done a terrific job and has well earned a long and enjoyable retirement, but until then, there’s still much to be done, and I know he’ll do it.”

After news of Perez’s retirement broke, city leaders said any effort to find his replacement should involve Pasadena's Community Police Oversight Commission.

“Community members should be part of the hiring process, as we do with most department heads, including a subset of the newly appointed commissioners,” Councilman Tyron Hampton said.

The commission was established last summer following nationwide protests that were sparked after the death of George Floyd, who was killed while in police custody. Only three members of the 11-seat commission have been appointed, according to the Star-News.