MALIBU—Captain Salvador “Chuck” Becerra of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Malibu/Lost Hills Station, announced his resignation effective Friday, February 25. Becerra is moving on to become the unit commander of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Norwalk station, The Acorn first reported.
“My skill set is such that I have always found myself in a unit in distress,” Becerra, 53, told the publication. “Lost Hills was no different when I arrived two years ago,” he added. “Now I leave to address another station facing similar challenges.”
According to The Acorn, since Becerra accepted the position at LASD Malibu/Lost Hills Station two years ago, he worked to quell the tainted image the station was known for at the time. Back in 2009, the station came under fire for releasing a Mitrice Richardson, a mentally unstable 24 year-old woman, unsupervised and late at night from the Lost Hills jail. Richardson was later found dead in the local mountains after wandering around alone.
As Becerra became the Malibu/Lost Hills captain in the summer of 2020, the Black Lives Matter protests erupted. He was successful in calming the situation in the communities of Calabasas, Hidden Hills, Malibu, Agoura Hills and Westlake Village, by invoking an “effective public outreach and community policing program,” The Acorn reported.
In 2021, a year following the death of Kobe Bryant, deputies under Beccera’s command were scrutinized for sharing photos of the Bryant crash scene. As a result, Bryant’s widow Vanessa Bryant, sued Los Angeles County for negligence and invasion of privacy.
Becerra’s departure came as a surprise to local leaders. The LASD Malibu/Lost Hills Station, is known for a rapid turnover rate as it begins its search for a new leader.
