Joseph A. Cortez

Joseph A. Cortez serves as a Professor and Police Lieutenant in Los Angeles, California, currently holding the position of Executive Officer in the Office of the Chief of Police. He concurrently acts as Co-Chair of the Research Advisory Committee for the International Association of Chiefs of Police, providing strategic direction for law enforcement policy research and evaluation initiatives.

His academic credentials include:

• BS in Criminal Justice from Upper Iowa University
• MA in Emergency Management and Homeland Security from Arizona State University's College of Public Service and Community Solutions
• Doctorate in Education from the University of Southern California

Dr. Cortez specializes in evidence-based policing methodologies with emphasis on juvenile justice reform, criminal procedure optimization, and emergency response systems. His research directly informs police training curriculum development and public safety policy frameworks, bridging operational law enforcement practices with academic scholarship through practical policy benchmarking.

A decorated combat veteran actively engaged with military support organizations, his professional profile integrates special operations expertise with leadership development and instructional coaching across diverse law enforcement scenarios.