Chief Mike Hamel (ret.) is a 29-year law enforcement veteran, who began his career with the Los Angeles Police Department, before laterally transferring to the Irvine Police Department in 1995.
In October, 2021, he retired as the Police Chief for the City of Irvine, California after proudly serving in that role for six years. He now serves as the Chief Security Operations Officer for Hoag Hospital Presbyterian.
While working in law enforcement, Chief Hamel served as a Deputy Police Chief, Area Commander, Investigations Commander, Training and Recruitment Lieutenant, Police Sergeant, Field Training Officer, Traffic Officer, and SWAT Officer.
He has a strong background in Organizational Leadership, Personnel Management and Criminal Investigations. He has over two decades of formal teaching and training experience, most recently serving as an adjunct faculty member for UMass Global.
During his tenure as Chief, Mike served as the President for the Orange County Police Chiefs’ and Sheriffs’ Association and as a commissioner on the Orange County Human Relations Commission.
Mike holds a Master of Public Policy and Administration from California State University, Long Beach, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminology from the University of California, Irvine. He is also a graduate of POST Command College, and the International Association of Chiefs of Police Leadership in Police Organizations.