Join the Greater Irvine Chamber Government Affairs Committee as  special guest, newly appointed Chief Michael Kent, Irvine Police Department, discusses his vision for the department, community and the biggest challenges and opportunities moving forward into 2022. Joining Chief Kent will be Darcy Jones, Crime Analysis and Crime Prevention Units who will share information about crime trends and crime prevention strategies. 
 
Chief Kent began as an Explorer for the Irvine Police Department in 1993, while attending Woodbridge High School.

As a longtime resident of Irvine, Chief Kent is fully invested in our City. He has poured his heart and soul into serving our community and our police department since he was hired in 2002.

His past assignments include Field Training Officer, SWAT Team member, Detective, Sergeant and Lieutenant. In the position of Commander and Assistant Chief, he provided leadership in Patrol, Traffic, Investigations, Internal Affairs, Recruitment and Training, Records, Dispatch, Property, Crime Scene Investigation, Public Safety Fleet Services and Animal Services. 

Chief Kent has earned numerous service awards including the Medal of Courage, Employee of the Quarter, Life Saving Award, Meritorious Service Award, three Unit Commendations, and the Colonel Laurence J. Stein Award for outstanding investigative work. In addition, in 2016, he received the 40-under-40 award from the International Association of Chiefs of Police for his overall contributions to the law enforcement profession.

Chief Kent is a graduate of the LAPD's West Point Leadership Program, the Golden West College's Leadership Program, the California POST Executive Development Course, the Senior Management Institute of Policing Course in Boston, and the California Police Chief's Executive Development Course.

Chief Kent holds a bachelor's degree from California State University Fullerton in Communications and a Master's degree from the University of California, Irvine, in Criminology: Law and Society.