The Irvine Police Department has a new police chief in town, but Michael Kent is anything but new to the city of Irvine.

Kent, an Irvine resident, and a member of the Irvine law enforcement community since 2002, is Irvine Police Department’s first police chief to have entered law enforcement as a police explorer in the city of Irvine. The Orange County Police Explorers program is available to teenagers ages 14 to 18 years old and offers the opportunity to work alongside law officers, which includes training and comprehensive exposure to real-world police work.

Kent joined the Irvine Explorers in 1993 while attending Woodbridge High School in Irvine.

Kent was sworn in to his new post on Tuesday, Oct. 12. The same day, IPD welcomed Chief Kent on Twitter, with a few insights into Kent’s near two-decade career as a police officer.

In a statement, Kent said he is looking forward to interacting with the community in the years to come.

“It is an absolute honor to become Irvine’s Chief of Police. I am grateful for the men and women of the Irvine Police Department who are dedicated to the safety of the Irvine community, for the City’s leadership who consistently make public safety a priority, and for the residents and businesses in our community who are truly committed to working in partnership with us to keep Irvine safe,” Kent said.

Kent enters after former Irvine Police Chief Mike Hamel retired after 27 years of service with the Irvine Police Department, on Thursday, Oct. 7.

“As a resident of this community, I will work tirelessly to serve our residents by maintaining the high level of public safety our community has come to expect, and keep Irvine one of the best places to live, work, and play,” said Kent. “I also look forward to new opportunities for our organization to engage and connect with our incredibly diverse community.”

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