(Courageous Leadership): I never had the chance to meet LAPD Commander Rudy De Leon, and you may not have heard of him either. Yet, without his influence, you probably wouldn’t be reading this today. In fact, I, along with countless others, might never have pursued a career in law enforcement without his lasting impact.
This is the true power of legacy
Rudy De Leon joined the LAPD Academy in 1947, one of only three minority recruits in a class of 135. Over the years, he shattered barriers, becoming the first Latino Commanding Officer, the first president of the Police Historical Society, and the inaugural president of the Latin American Law Enforcement Association. His name is forever honored as the first Latino to have an LAPD station named after him.
Yet before the accolades and recognition, Rudy De Leon was simply a dedicated LAPD supervisor who mentored my father and many others. My dad went to school with Rudy’s daughter, and he and his friends often found themselves engaged in conversations with him.
Why would a group of teenagers gravitate toward an authority figure like De Leon? Retired LAPD Detective Stan Nelson put it best: “Rudy was so charismatic that those who worked for him couldn’t help but strive for a higher level of professionalism.”
That charisma mattered. My father told me, “We couldn’t get enough of being around Rudy. We all wanted to be cops like him.”
That “we” included my dad, his friends, and countless others who later shaped my own path.
A Mentor Beyond the Badge
Rudy’s influence didn’t end with his mentorship of my dad and so many others. In 1973, as many of those he had inspired entered law enforcement, he founded a boxing club aimed at steering at-risk youth away from gang activity. That program changed lives—one of its participants, Paul Gonzalez, went on to win a gold medal in boxing at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.
This is what true legacy looks like.
My father, a Marine, Vietnam veteran, and career police officer, rarely talks about the past. He has always refused my requests to appear on my leadership podcast and share his insights. But with the recent passing of former LAPD Sergeant and author Joseph Wambaugh, I got a rare glimpse into his thoughts on legacy.
I grew up surrounded by Wambaugh’s books and listening to my father talk about Rudy De Leon without fully understanding the connection. It wasn’t until recently that I realized just how deeply De Leon’s influence ran. Wambaugh, who became a bestselling author while serving in the LAPD, worked under then-Lieutenant Rudy De Leon. When department administrators tried to stifle Wambaugh’s writing career, De Leon stood by him. A World War II veteran who fought at the Battle of Iwo Jima, Rudy was never one to back down from doing what was right.
The Ripple Effect of One Person’s Influence
It’s impossible to measure the full impact of a leader like Rudy De Leon. He may never have known the true extent of the lives he touched, but his influence continues to ripple through generations.
My father pursued a career in law enforcement, and I eventually followed the same path.
My father’s best friend in high school, Robert Espinoza, was so inspired by De Leon’s mentorship that he took criminal justice courses under him. Espinoza later joined the LAPD, retired, and then served as a district attorney investigator. His sons, Robert Jr. and Anthony, continue to serve in the LAPD today. Meanwhile, De Leon’s own son dedicated 37 years to the department.
The list of lives Rudy De Leon influenced is long, but the pattern is clear. His commitment to mentorship shaped young minds who, in turn, went on to impact countless others.
Would hundreds—perhaps thousands—of young people have taken a different path without his guidance? Undoubtedly.
Would my father have become the man I know today? Would I?
The answer isn’t for me to know, but I have no doubt that Rudy De Leon played a pivotal role in shaping the futures of those young kids in Torrance—kids who grew up to be Vietnam veterans, law enforcement officers, and family men. Men who, in their youth, simply wanted to be like Rudy, and who later inspired others to give back to their communities.
Leadership That Comes from the Heart
True leadership isn’t about titles, status, or authority—it’s about the heart. It’s about integrity, compassion, and the willingness to invest in others.
Rudy De Leon embodied this kind of leadership, and I, along with so many others, am grateful for his legacy.
Though he passed away in 2009, his name and influence live on. In 2010, the LAPD honored him by renaming the Hollenbeck Police Station as the “Rudy De Leon Hollenbeck Police Station.”
If you ever find yourself near the station, take a moment to pay your respects to a man whose leadership set an example for generations to follow.
By remembering his story, we help his legacy grow even stronger.
Dr. Travis Yates retired as a commander with a large municipal police department after 30 years of service. He is the author of “The Courageous Police Leader: A Survival Guide for Combating Cowards, Chaos & Lies.” His risk management and leadership seminars have been taught to thousands of professionals across the world. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy with a Doctorate Degree in Strategic Leadership and the CEO of the Courageous Police Leadership Alliance.
