A 21-year veteran of the Long Beach Police Department made history Thursday evening when she was promoted to become the department's first female deputy chief.
Laura Farinella, along with five other police employees, was appointed to her new post during a ceremony at the Long Beach City Council chambers, according to a department statement.
Farinella began her career in Long Beach as a patrol officer in 1990 and was promoted to corporal, sergeant and then lieutenant.
She supervised the North Patrol Division, then the Communications Division before rising to commander, according to the statement.
Farinella holds a bachelor's degree in communications from Chapman University and a master's degree from Cal State Long Beach University. She is a 2004 graduate of the Leadership Long Beach Program.
Farinella currently serves as liaison for the Chief's Gay & Lesbian Advisory Group.
She is a member of the Command Officers Assn., the National Assn. of Women in Law Enforcement and the Long Beach Police Officers Assn., among other groups.
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-- Ruben Vives
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Photo: Long Beach Police Chief Jim McDonnell and newly sworn Deputy Chief Laura Farinella. Credit: Long Beach Police Department
