Chief Stephen Port Biography
He was the last of the old time Chiefs. In an era when police departments were run by larger than life figures, Chief Stephen R. Port stood out.
It was 1974 and Steve Port, a South Bay local, had just graduated from Northern Arizona University with his degree in police science. Having decided to pursue a career in local law enforcement, he began applying throughout the South Bay for a job. In that era, competition for any job in law enforcement was fierce, with literally hundreds of applicants applying for every opening. Unlike many applicants, having a college education, much less one in police science, was not as common as it would become in the post Millennial era. That education would serve Chief Port well, not only in his application to the Hawthorne Police Department, but in his steady climb to the top. Testing out extremely well, Port was brought on by the city of Hawthorne as a rookie officer in 1974.
In those years of intense political turmoil, even the small neighborhood City of Hawthorne had dabbled with infamy. In 1971 members of the infamous Manson Family shot it out with Hawthorne patrol officers while trying to burglarize a local gun store. That was followed by the 1974 Symbionese Liberation Army shooting at the nearby Mel’s Sporting Goods store, which led to the SLA shootout in Los Angeles two days later. Despite being the home of the Beach Boys, the city of Hawthorne could be a rough place to work.
When Steve Port landed on the scene in late 1974, it was an era of policing very much different than what you would find today. Back then, a young, 22 year old “boot” was expected to show up an hour before his shift (unpaid), make coffee for the entire shift, read all the reports from the previous night, get himself dressed and ready, then sit in the front row of the old station, keep his mouth shut and do whatever he was told. He was also responsible for every menial task on the department platter; fingerprinting new arrestees, feeding the prisoners, as well as working the front desk of the station (alone) where you both dealt with the public, answered the phone, took reports and dispatched officers as a result of calls for service.
There was no such thing back then as “Field Training Officers,” or any other system designed to diligently train new officers and help ease them into the world of policing. It was more of a “sink or swim, learn as you go” approach to policing. Partners were chosen based on whatever the senior officers wanted to do for the night. If they wanted to take a rookie out for the night, they did. If no one picked the rookie, then the junior officers were “saddled” with training the new guys or they went to the front desk to work. You got whatever training your partner for the night thought fit to pass on to you. Needless to say, learning to be a good cop back then required grit, determination, and an ability to tolerate whatever abuse was thrown at you by the public, or your fellow officers. Steve Port had those traits, and more, in abundance.
From that auspicious beginning, progress came quickly, as did changes to the formerly sleepy bedroom community of Hawthorne. The roaring 80’s brought redevelopment in force and construction was evident all over the city. Much of that development brought high density, low rent housing to the area, changing the landscape, and demographics, forever. The 105 freeway was started in 1982 and would eventually cut a swatch through the north end of the city as eminent domain uprooted homes. The cocaine epidemic reached Hawthorne in the 80’s, as did the growth and influx of gangs, including the Vagos Motorcycle gang. It was a time of great change, and not only on the those fronts.
In 1980, Stephen Port was promoted to Sergeant and took up the job of supervising officers on what was rapidly becoming the wild and wooly streets of Hawthorne. Steve Port recalls that rank, and those days, as some of the most exciting of his career. Much as he enjoyed those times, he was destined for greater things. At that time, there was a new entry in the world of technology that was slowly and painfully making its way into law enforcement. It was a fearsome beast known as the computer. In 1981, Sgt. Port was pulled from his much loved patrol assignment and given two new assignments that would force him to utilize every bit of his education in modern policing. The first task was to figure out how to computerize the entire police department! In an era where literally everything was done on paper, this adaptation into automation was a mind boggling change for law enforcement. Up for the challenge, Sgt. Port began the multi-year task of bringing the Hawthorne Police Department into the world of modern policing. With automation came the first Records Management System, soon followed by something known as “emails,” and eventually a host of computer servers which drew the interest of neighboring jurisdictions. Hawthorne soon became the computer host for our neighboring South Bay cities as they joined in with the automation process.
As if that one herculean task was not enough, the Chief at that time assigned him the tandem task of developing the departments first real Policy and Procedure manual (P&P). Unfathomable as it might seem today, the Hawthorne Police Department largely operated with a threadbare manual from the 50’s-60’s that mainly addressed how to fill out report forms. With the assistance of a retired Torrance Police Captain named Bob Hammond, Sgt. Port began his work.
Those two tasks would not only take up the next few years of his life, they would largely set the framework for Steve Ports future success. Computerization of a police department, as well as developing a Policy and Procedure Manual, required him to learn about every aspect of the department, from top to bottom, inside and out. When promotion time came along, it would be tough to compete against someone with that type of in depth knowledge. In 1983 he promoted to Lieutenant, in 1985 he completed the Delinquency Control Institute course at the prestigious University of Southern California and was promoted to Captain shortly after, in 1987 he completed the nationally renowned FBI National Academy, in 1988 he obtained his Masters of Arts degree in Communication, also from the University of Southern California, and in March of 1989 he became the youngest Chief of Police in the Los Angeles area at the age of 38. His lengthy 17 year tenure as Chief would be marked by a new era of innovation as well as the growth of a department culture that continues to this day.
As Chief Port explained it, being the first agency in the area to computerize led to Hawthorne becoming a statewide model for technology. That led to a reputation that Hawthorne PD was willing to try out new ideas, which led to more ideas, from both officers on the department and outside businesses eager to try out new concepts, technology and equipment. That reputation was embraced by Chief Port, who was always open to new presentations by either officers or outside interests. While some fell short, many other ideas ended up bearing fruit and becoming part of the department.
Chief Port looked for people who wanted to “work with him, rather than for him.” He held team building workshops, started process improvement teams to look for ways to improve the department, stressed the need for higher education in his officers and brought in “Total Quality Management.” Innovation on all fronts was the end result of his efforts. To view just some of his accomplishments over the next 17 years truly demonstrates the breath and scope of the change he brought to the Hawthorne Police Department.
He launched his tenure as Chief with a new and revitalized vision, values, mission statement and motto (“Service With Respect”) that remain at the core of who we are to this day. He moved officers to a 3/12 schedule and instituted mandatory rotation in job assignments. This not only closed holes in patrol assignments but also allowed for officers to diversify and broaden their overall knowledge of the department. He began the “HPD newsletter,” which gave a voice and platform to clearly lay out his thoughts, goals and objectives as well that of other department personnel, including line officers.
Looking to keep his officers as healthy in body as they were in mind, a “fitness incentive” was instituted, a first of its kind, where officers bloodwork was tested for health reasons, as was their cardiovascular fitness, on a twice yearly basis.
The highly regarded and much loved Motor units were brought back into action after the unit was disbanded in the late 80’s. Having been part of the Hawthorne Police Department since its inception, the loss of Motors had been felt deeply by the organization. Chief Ports return of Motors to the organizational chart increased moral and brought back a focus on traffic safety.
Never short on ideas, Chief Port created the “Metro Unit” with the mission of impacting and abating street level crimes that cause neighborhood deterioration and promote fear amongst the citizens. He introduced school resource officers (SRO’s) into the local high school and intermediate schools, much to the support and appreciation of the local school district and parent groups. Those SRO’s brought the much needed and nationally supported Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) and Gang Resistance Education and Training (GREAT) to the children in those schools.
Chief Port created and supported our first bike patrol, which allowed officers to interact with the community in a much more relaxed and casual fashion. He endorsed a local cable television show called “Hawthorne Police in Action” that profiled the officers and their daily activities. The show ran for five episodes and was a huge hit amongst the department and city personnel. Chief Port began a citizens academy here in Hawthorne; a thirteen week, intensive, law enforcement related course that introduced average citizens to the world of policing through weekly lectures and hands on demonstrations.
Although community orientated programs were always an integral part of department operations, the Chief was also a huge supporter of officer safety. To that end, he supported and approved the transition from the old six shot “wheel guns” carried by officers to the modern semi-automatics that have now become commonplace in law enforcement. He also was one of the first Chiefs to allow his patrol units to be outfitted with patrol rifle type weapons, weapons capable of taking on the emerging threats that officers might face, such as active shooters. The creation of the Tactical Entry Team (TET) under his watch eventually led to the evolution of that team into our modern day SWAT team.
While some programs and ideas were organically original, some new concepts implemented by the Chief were driven by the gangs and narcotics trafficking that soon began to plague not only Hawthorne, but all of the county. Selected officers from the department were sent out to professional training to become Drug Recognition Experts (DRE’s). Following the rigorous training and certification process, the DRE’s conducted hundreds of field examinations of individuals roaming the streets or driving while under the influence of illegal drugs. Special Enforcement Teams (SET) were constructed in an effort to drive down street crime and take back city parks and neighborhoods becoming infested with gang members and drug users. A Crime Free Multi Housing program was instituted to carefully monitor for criminal activity in government supplied housing. These programs were often usurped by the same gang members and drug users for their own ends. In a response to the surging drug epidemic, Narco Westnet was formed out of a collection of South Bay agencies, including Hawthorne. In the largest local seizures of all time, a staggering 17 million in cash drug proceeds was seized in one operation alone.
Regionalization of the war on drugs eventually morphed into LA IMPACT (Los Angeles Interagency Metropolitan Police Apprehension Crime Task Force), a regional narcotics task force working throughout Los Angeles county and beyond, with the Hawthorne Police Department playing a significant role by not only contributing personnel but also basing one of the regional teams out of its police station.
By 1992, only three years into his position, Chief Port was selected by the Los Angeles County Chiefs of Police Organization as their President. This appointment by such an accomplished group of individuals gave credence to the respect that Chief Port was accorded by his fellow chiefs. The LA riots of 1992 would be a tough year for everyone, but throughout those tough times Chief Port remained a bastion of leadership, for not only the other Chiefs of Police but especially for his own troops to rally around.
In 1992, the Chiefs of LA County had also realized that their needed to be some type of coordinating agency for all the drug operations going on throughout the region. To that end they collectively formed the Los Angeles County Regional information Clearinghouse, commonly known as LA CLEAR. They also selected the City of Hawthorne as chief administrator of grant funded projects with Chief Port being selected by Chiefs of Police as Project Director to oversee all operations. The standing up of LA CLEAR was a huge project which provided direct operational support to all federal, state and local agencies conducting drug enforcement operations throughout Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino Counties. It was the first of its kind and would serve as a model for other agencies throughout the country.
By 1994-1995 the city of Hawthorne and Chief Port would face another leadership challenge that would test his abilities as a department leader. With severe budget problems afflicting the city, the police department was forced to lay off a sizable number of officers. Despite the dark times, Chief Port proved his mettle by personally assisting every single officer who was forced to leave in finding work at another agency. Chief Port’s posting in the department newsletter says it all, “The message from me is that we have been through some very tough times and have lost some talented people, however, we still have and will continue to create that talent. Be patient with our community and we will come out of this on top.”
In 1996, Chief Port’s leadership was recognized at the state level when then governor Pete Wilson appointed him to the 37 member California Council on Criminal Justice, an august body of criminal justice experts which advises the Office of Criminal Justice Planning.
Also in 1996, Chief Port commissioned the Annenberg School for Communication at USC to write a history of the Hawthorne Police Department. Always looking towards the future and the next generation, the Chief realized that the departments history was slowly being lost, and unless something were done, it would disappear forever. The end result, “Policing Hawthorne” was published in 2000 and would serve as the definitive history of the department for future generations to review.
Proving that small departments can do big things, in 2000 the Hawthorne Police Department became the first, and only, South Bay police department with an air program of its own. With the purchase of a used Hughes MD500, the Hawthorne Police Department became part of a small, but exclusive, group of departments with dedicated air support. Flown in support of our department, as well as local, state and federal partners, the program has continued on to present day and serves as an example of what one Chief with vision and will can accomplish.
In late 2000, General Barry McCaffrey of the Office of National Drug Control Policy personally presented Chief Port with the “Directors Award” for his significant contributions towards the war on illegal drugs. This was the first time a local law enforcement Chief had won that prestigious award.
Never one to rest on his past accomplishments, the early 2000’s had Chief Port tackle his most ambitious projects; the design, funding and actual building of a long needed new police station. The 1950’s era station of the time was a largely dilapidated and crumbling facility that sorely lacked in a variety of modern day amenities. To that end, the Chief began the arduous collaboration with city administrators, architects, design crews and members of the department to come up with the funding and best ideas for the new station. This multi-year effort eventually culminated in 2004 with the impressive new station Hawthorne police officers now reside in.
While Chief Ports accomplishments over his 32 years at the department are truly staggering, the department would be remiss to his legacy if we did not mention the less corporal, but just as important, cultural changes that manifested under his watch. Aside from the spirit of innovation that has imbued the Hawthorne Police Department, it cannot be understated that their exists within the organization a spirit of hospitality, helpfulness and family that would not otherwise exist without his leadership. Through personal example, Chief Port continually made guests feel welcome, as if this were a visit to a family home. He taught all of his officers and staff to go out of their way to help others, develop new ideas, take personal initiative and most importantly, to do the right thing no matter what. When you live those ideals, as Chief Port did, the end result is a sense of family that permeates the department from top to bottom, a firm belief that we are all in this together, and that together, we can all succeed.
Chief Port will be the first to tell you, while he is proud of what he has accomplished at the Hawthorne Police Department, his pride and joy, and true legacy, lies with his family. His wife, Chris, is a retired El Segundo Police Officer while his sons Chris and Nathan are both highly successful law enforcement officers in their own right. A tradition of service that continues into the next generation.
Chief Stephen Port continued to serve as Chief of Police until his retirement in 2006. He walked the walk and talked the talk until his very last day.
by Lieutenant Ti Goetz in 2023.
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, Armored Rescue Vehicle, and state of the art Police Facility.
New Chief Named This Week : Hawthorne Priority Is More Police
By BARBARA BAIRD
MARCH 16, 1989
Finding a way to add more officers to the Hawthorne Police Department is one of the most important issues Capt. Stephen R. Port says he will face when he becomes police chief this summer.
The City Council chose Port during a closed session Monday night, following the recommendation of City Manager R. Kenneth Jue. Port will succeed Chief Kenneth R. Stonebraker, who will retire July 17.
Following a tradition of giving city employees the first crack at job openings, Jue said he also interviewed two other Hawthorne police captains, David Barnes and Richard Prentice, before recommending Port for the $82,380-a-year post.
Port, 37, said in an interview that it is “absolutely too early” to discuss possible changes in the department, whose $5.4-million budget represents about one-fifth of the city’s $28-million operating budget.
“This is a time just to enjoy the promotion,” Port said, adding that his early selection will give him several months to work alongside Stonebraker and learn about the job.
Last year, voters defeated a utility tax increase that would have raised $2 million a year to add 19 sworn officers to the existing 85. The Police Department has about 35 civilian employees. Stonebraker and members of the City Council campaigned for the measure, but it failed to win the necessary two-thirds majority.
Will Meet Leaders
Port said he will “meet with community leaders, the City Council and the city manager and find the best way” to raise money to hire more officers.
Port is seen as one of “a new breed of police officers” because of his expertise in the use of computers in law enforcement, said city spokesman Tom Quintana.
Port holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Northern Arizona University and a master’s degree in communications management from USC. He has also attended the FBI Academy and USC’s Delinquency Control Institute. A resident of Lakewood, he is married and has two children.
Stonebraker praised Port as an intelligent, fair-minded officer who will bring vitality to the department. “He’s still under 50--he’s got a lot of get-up-and-go, a lot of drive,” he said.
Stonebraker, 55, joined the department as a reserve officer in 1958 and became a sworn officer in 1961. He moved up through the ranks and was named acting chief in 1980 and chief in 1981.
After he retires, Stonebraker said, he will take a couple of months off and then pursue an interest in real estate investment.
In explaining his retirement, which he announced last July, Stonebraker said: “I’ve been at this police chief thing now for eight years, and it’s a rough job. . . . I guess you just get tired.”