Michael Claborn Hired As New Los Alamitos Chief Of Police

LOS ALAMITOS, CA — Los Alamitos found its new top cop in Santa Ana Police Commander Michael Claborn.

The City Council unanimously approved Claborn's appointment as the city's next chief of police during its Jan. 18 meeting.

City Manager Chet Simmons said during the selection process Claborn "demonstrated not only a keen ability to effectively leads this department but also an engrained calling to service and a steadfast desire to continue to build upon the trust that exists between our residents and their police department."

Claborn succeeds Chief Eric Nuñez, who retired from the agency after more than 30 years in law enforcement.

Before taking over the reins of the Los Alamitos Police Department, Claborn served as a commander for the Santa Police Department and got his start in policing with the Los Angeles Police Department, city officials said.

Mary Shelley Hasselbrink said city officials are confident in Claborn's appointment and that his experience in law enforcement will be beneficial to the city.

"I am excited about the leadership team that the city has put in place and look forward to seeing what they are able to accomplish for Los Alamitos," she said.

Claborn said it was a "great honor" to be the city's new police chief.

"I will work diligently to uphold the highest level of public safety," he said. "I look forward to working in partnership with the men and women of this organization, the residents of this city and the business community to establish a foundation of collaboration, making Los Alamitos the preeminent place to live, work and shop."