Michael Ishii
Michael Ishii is a retired Police Chief who now works as a consultant, focusing on public safety and government technology. He brings over 30 years of law enforcement experience and helps agencies with leadership, culture, technology, and community policing efforts.
Leadership & Law Enforcement Experience
Chief Ishii currently works as an Executive Recruiter for Bob Murray & Associates. From August 2004 to January 2025, Chief Ishii served as Interim Chief for the Fountain Valley Police Department in Orange County, CA. Before that, he spent 32 years with the Hawthorne Police Department (HPD), where he advanced through the ranks and served as Chief from 2018 to 2022. Over the years, he held a wide range of roles, including Motor Officer, Traffic Investigator, Field Training Officer, Internal Affairs Sergeant, Public Information Officer, Watch Commander, and Detective Bureau Commander.
In 2010, he was promoted to Captain and led both the Administration and Operations Divisions, as well as the City’s IT Services Bureau. Under the leadership of Chief Robert Fager, he helped shift HPD toward a community policing-driven organization, centered on employee wellness, innovation, and trust.
As Chief, he launched the Hawthorne Safe Initiative, which focused on improving safety and engagement in parks, schools, traffic, neighborhoods, and businesses. He also established the Care for Blue program to support officer wellness in areas such as mental health, career development, financial stability, and physical well-being. These initiatives helped the department navigate critical incidents, the pandemic, and nationwide protests, fostering resilience within the organization.
One of the department’s most significant steps forward came with the hiring of the region’s first full-time Medical Director. This expanded EMT and paramedic training for officers, giving them lifesaving tools and setting a new standard in the profession. Today, many agencies have followed suit. Much of the credit goes to Chief Keith Kauffman, ret., who launched the program, and to Hawthorne Police Captain Eric Lane, who continues to run it.
Community Policing & National Programs
Chief Ishii worked alongside co-founders Chris Cognac and John Dixon to help launch Coffee with a Cop, a community policing program that started at HPD in 2011 and has since expanded to all 50 states and more than 40 countries. He built the program’s national website and helped establish National Coffee with a Cop Day, held each year on the first Wednesday in October. He continues to lead national and international outreach as the program’s manager.
Professional Affiliations
Chief Ishii has been involved with several professional organizations, including the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), the California Police Chiefs Association (CPCA), and the Los Angeles County Police Chiefs Association (LACPCA). He served on the Advisory Board for Carfax for Police and was a board member for the Richstone Family Center, which supports children and families affected by abuse. He’s also active in the National Association of Asian American Law Enforcement Commanders (NAAALEC) and the National Asian Peace Officers Association (NAPOA), where he mentors officers looking to grow into leadership roles.
Education & Background
Chief Ishii holds a master’s degree in Negotiation, Conflict, and Management from California State University, Dominguez Hills, and a bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies from California State University, Long Beach.
Born in Japan and raised on a U.S. military base near Tokyo, he is fluent in both Japanese and English.
Government Technology & Project Management
During his time with HPD, Chief Ishii oversaw major tech upgrades and helped lead the city’s IT operations. He has experience with CAD/RMS systems, drones, ALPR, crime mapping, and a variety of investigative software tools. Now, he advises both agencies and tech companies on how to build practical, user-friendly solutions for public safety.
He’s worked with early-stage startups and large GovTech firms alike, offering insight into how agencies adopt new tools—and how strong leadership can make or break the process. Under his leadership, HPD was one of the first agencies to pilot new technologies from companies like Mark43, Fusus, My90, and Sharp Performance.
Public Speaking & Instruction
Chief Ishii frequently speaks on topics such as leadership, community policing, and technology. He’s presented at organizations including Nextdoor, Axon, Mark43, LexisNexis, and CARFAX for Police. He also teaches leadership courses for police executives and private-sector leaders, focusing on data, trust, and culture.
For over a decade, he’s traveled the country teaching community engagement through Coffee with a Cop. He also serves as an Executive Instructor for the California Police Chiefs Association, helping train new chiefs and command staff on using data to guide their departments.
US DOJ COPS Office & Subject Matter Expertise
Chief Ishii has worked with the U.S. Department of Justice COPS Office on several projects, including Coffee with a Cop workshops and the “Implementing Change” initiative, which highlighted HPD as a national model for innovation. As a Subject Matter Expert with the Institute for Intergovernmental Research (IIR), he contributes to topics such as community engagement and police reform.
Web Design, Marketing & CRM Expertise
In addition to law enforcement expertise, Chief Ishii has designed and managed websites for multiple agencies and organizations, including:
hawthornepolice.com
ridetolive.com
southbaypolicetraining.com
hawthornebusinessexpo.org
He also worked with a design firm to develop the branding and websites for Coffee with a Cop (coffeewithacop.com) and Care for Blue (careforblue.com).
With experience in project management, branding, and CRM software, he is proficient in tools such as Trello, Basecamp, Mailchimp, and Squarespace, leveraging technology to enhance efficiency and outreach.
ABOUT HAWTHORNE PD
A progressively modern police agency with a renowned family-feel. Founded in 1922 and located in the heart of Los Angeles County, the Hawthorne Police Department provides services and innovations that sets a standard of what a medium-sized police department could achieve. Coffee with a Cop, Ride to Live, Tactical First Aid, and 'Scottie' are current examples of how HPD continues to push staff-driven ideas into programs that set the bar in innovative approaches to community policing.
With nearly 100 officers and 60 support staff serving an ever growing community of over 95,000 (home of the Beach Boys, Northrop Corporation, and more recently SpaceX and Tesla Motors Design), the department maintains its technical edge by being the only department in the South Bay with its own Helicopter, Medical Director, and state of the art Police Facility.