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Bernard K. Melekian
Chief of Police
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Welcome From Chief Melekian
Bernard K. Melekian has served as the Police
Chief for the city of Pasadena since April 30, 1996. Prior to his
appointment, he served with the Santa Monica Police Department for 23 years
where he was awarded the Medal of Valor in 1978 and the Medal of Courage in
1980. In addition, he was appointed as the acting Fire Chief for Pasadena
for 6 months in 1998 and served as the Interim City Manager from January 8
to September 30, 2008.
A national spokesperson involving issues affecting the mentally ill, Chief
Melekian testified in September, 2000 before the House of Representatives
Committee on the Judiciary in Washington, D.C. He also served on the
National Criminal Justice/Mental Health Consortium in 2002.
Chief Melekian served as the President of the Los Angeles County Police
Chiefs’ Association from January 1, 2000 to December 31, 2001. The Chief is
the first Vice-President of the California Police Chiefs’ Association and
will assume the Presidency of that organization in March 2009. He served on
the National Board of Directors for the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF)
from 2002 until 2006. He is also a senior advisor for the Police Assessment
Resource Center in Los Angeles.
Chief Melekian served as Chair of the California Attorney General’s Blue
Ribbon Committee on SWAT Policy from 2000-2002. He authored the final report
from that Commission. He was also selected by Los Angeles Chief of Police
William Bratton to serve on a blue-ribbon panel to assess SWAT operations
with the LAPD.
Chief Melekian has been the recipient of numerous leadership and service
awards, including the Anne B. Kennedy Award from the Pasadena Mental Health
Association, the Salvation Army “Others” Award, and The Excellence in
Leadership Award from Leadership Pasadena. In January 2005, he received the
Lewis Hine Award for Service to Youth from the National Child Labor
Committee and in May, 2007 was awarded the Sherman Block Leadership Award
from the California Peace Officers’ Association. He is currently a member of
the Board of Directors for the National Child Labor Committee.
Chief Melekian holds a Bachelor’s degree in American History and a Master’s
degree in Public Administration, both from California State University,
Northridge. He is a graduate of the 150th session of the FBI National
Academy and the 20th class of the California Command College, where he was
selected as class valedictorian. He is currently a Doctoral candidate in
Public Policy at the University of Southern California.
Chief Melekian served in the United States Army from 1967 to 1970. A member
of the United States Coast Guard Reserve since 1984, he was called to active
duty in 1991 during Operation Desert Storm and served overseas. Chief
Melekian served a second tour of active duty in February, 2003 when he
served for eight months with the Coast Guard’s Marine Safety and Security
Team, in the Pacific area. He continues to serve in the active Reserves.
September 2008
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