Hermosa Beach police Capt. Landon Phillips will succeed Chief Paul LeBaron, who will retire next week, the city announced Wednesday.

Phillips joined the Hermosa Beach Police Department in 2002 and “held nearly every leadership role in the department before rising to the rank of captain in 2023,” according to a news release.

LeBaron has spent more than three decades in law enforcement and became chief in April 2020. LeBaron will officially retire on Monday to “spend more time with his family and new grandchild, who was born on April 28th,” the news release said.

Phillips will become the HBPD’s “first internal promotion to police chief since former Chief Michael Lavin’s appointment in 2001,” the release said.

“Serving as chief will be an opportunity for me to continue my commitment to this community that I love and to build on the many accomplishments the chief and city manager have implemented at the HBPD,” Phillips said in the news release. “I am honored to lead the officers and staff of the Department that I’ve grown with — all of whom I deeply respect.”

LeBaron also touted the soon-to-be chief.

Phillips is a “steady and respected leader with a deep dedication to serving the people of Hermosa Beach,” LeBaron said, “and a clear vision for the future of the department.”

LeBaron, in the news release, said he will enjoy his retirement after serving almost 33 years in law enforcement in Hermosa Beach and Long Beach.

“During my time as chief, I served with love,” LeBaron said. “My goal was to leave Hermosa Beach a better place than I found it. Any successes during my tenure are the result of the great work done every day by our amazing employees.”

Phillips grew up in the South Bay. His father, Bruce Phillips, was a Hermosa Beach police officer for 25 years.

During his career with the HBPD, Phillips has been a patrol officer, traffic officer, traffic investigator, field training officer and supervisor, patrol sergeant, Area G supervisor, background investigator, training manager and internal affairs investigator, according to the news release.

“Captain Phillips was promoted to the rank of lieutenant in 2016 and has managed all three divisions of the Police Department,” the city’s news release said. “He became acting captain in January 2022 and captain in January 2023. He also has served as the acting chief and will officially become Chief Phillips on Tuesday.”

In December, Phillips was one of more than 200 law enforcement officers who graduated from the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia, as part of the graduating class of the 292nd session of the National Academy.

City Manager Suja Lowenthal, in the news release, said Hermosa is “sad to see Paul retire,” but are “proud to have such a highly qualified officer within the department ready to lead.”

“Landon is a proven leader with extensive knowledge of Hermosa Beach who has earned the full respect of all of us at the city and among the members of our community,” Lowenthal said. “His promotion reflects our ongoing efforts to strengthen the Police Department and fulfills the commitment we made to our officers to invest in and promote strong leaders from within HBPD.”