Women’s History Month: Celebrating LAPD’s first Latina deputy chief

LOS ANGELES - For Women's History Month we highlight the LAPD's newest Deputy Chief Ruby Flores. She is the first woman to lead the department's Operations-Valley Bureau.

We talked to Flores at last Friday's recruit graduation where she said it was an honor to attend the graduation at the rank of Deputy Chief. She graduated herself almost thirty years ago.

In January. Flores became the LAPD's first Latina to hold the rank of Deputy Chief. She is a first generation Mexican-American and first in her family in law enforcement.

Flores grew up in Los Angeles and got her degrees from Cal-State Long Beach where she was a star pitcher on the softball team.

In the early days of women on the job, female officers wore skirts and heels and carried their gun in their purse. Flores says she was inspired by the one-time highest ranking woman in the LAPD, the late Peggy York. In 2022 the LAPD's Northeast station was named in her honor.

To inspire other women in law enforcement, Flores is president of LAWPOA, the Los Angeles Women Police Officers and Associates.

It was on the heels of civil unrest in 2020 that Chief Michel Moore appointed her as the first Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer. For Flores, this a season of tremendous highs, and heartbreaking lows.

On a joyous note, she got married last year and celebrates her one-year anniversary at the end of this month. She married LAPD colleague LaSalle Culpepper who recently retired as a bomb canine officer.

Extended family is also law enforcement. Her sister's husband is Deputy Chief Gerald Woodyard. Their son is a fairly new LAPD officer.   

Interim Chief Dominic Choi addressed this graduating class of 2024 as Moore retired in February and the search for a new chief will begin.

Flores declined to say if she's applying for that top job. She noted the sacrifice and said she's very happy with the job of Deputy Chief. She said she'd have to consult with family.

Flores is mom to Katlyn and Dominic. On a heartbreaking note, Dominic lost his life to Type-1 diabetes in October at the age of 24. This weekend, Flores will honor Dominic and raise funds in a walk to benefit the JDRF One Walk. Team name: Dom-inators! If you'd like to donate, click here.