Leaders & Legends – John Perez – Securing the Rose Parade/Bowl & Authentic Leadership

Description My guest today is Chief John Perez. John recently retired as the Chief of Police for the Pasadena California Police Department. In his nearly 37 years of service to Pasadena, John served at literally all ranks in the department. During his career, John worked patrol, narcotics, counter-terrorism, and as a SWAT sergeant, lieutenant, and commander, John helped to form the first generation of Pasadena’s tactical team which had the challenge of deploying as a full-time gang enforcement team and a SWAT team for many years. John was twice awarded the Chief’s medal of excellence and received several commendations for his service over the years. Timestamps 1:00 – His childhood and upbringing 2:35 – How the murder of his 14-year-old cousin drove his desire to be a policeman 4:41 – The beginning of his career and training 6:20 – The crimewaves of the 80s and 90s and police response 10:00 - How the Rampart scandal and war on drugs negatively impacted policing 13:12 – The origins of Pasadena PD SES (SWAT) 15:07 – 9/11 and the profound effects it had on Pasadena PD 19:20 – Securing the Rose Parade and Rose Bowl 22:45 – The impact of 9/11 on the Rose Parade and Rose Bowl 25:55 – Returning to SES as the unit Lieutenant 29:50 – Promoting out of SES to Commander 34:00 – Synthesizing being a “meat eater” with the politics of command 37:15 – How education changes your understanding and beliefs 39:15 – How losing teaches you more than winning 41:35 – Authentic leadership 45:30 – Responding to Occupy Pasadena 54:35 – Leading from your principles in a conflicted environment 1:02:00 – Balancing the tension between lawful protest & protecting the city 1:04:15 – The need to be a student of the profession 1:06:05 – Self-examination and learning from your critics 1:09:35 – How a near-death experience reshaped his views 1:18:00 – Rapid Fire Questions Books Recommended 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote for Chaos – Jordan Peterson – ISBN 0345816021 Discover Your True North – Bill George – ISBN 0787987514 Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win - Jocko Willink and Leif Babin - ISBN 1250067057 Man’s Search for Meaning – Viktor Frankl - ISBN 080701429X Quiet Strength: The Principles, Practices, and Priorities of a Winning Life – Tony Dungy – ISBN 1414318022 Contact Info Chief John Perez (Ret) johnperez34@me.com