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Rancho Santa Margarita honors retiring Police Services chief Mihaela Kennedy
Summary
The city council presented a certificate and public thanks to Captain Mihaela Kennedy for 31 years in law enforcement and four years as Rancho Santa Margarita’s chief of police services, highlighting initiatives including a business watch and citizens academy and noting the city’s safety rankings during her tenure.
The Rancho Santa Margarita City Council presented Captain Mihaela Kennedy with a certificate of recognition and public thanks as she retires after a 31-year law-enforcement career and four years with Rancho Santa Margarita Police Services.
Mayor said Kennedy was selected to lead the city’s Police Services in February 2021 and praised programs she championed, including the business watch and the city’s citizens academy. "Her dedication and loyalty to law enforcement is evidenced by her varied and accomplished assignments," the mayor said while introducing the recognition.
"As I prepare to retire as chief of Rancho Santa Margarita Police Services, it is incredibly humbling and an emotional moment for me," Captain Kennedy said in remarks to the council. She described efforts to build trust with the community, noted the department’s low crime rates and said the emphasis on community partnership guided the department’s work.
The mayor and several council members thanked Kennedy for her leadership during high-profile incidents, including the airport fire response, and noted that the city had been ranked among the safest in California during recent years. City Manager Jennifer Cervantes and the city attorney’s office also offered public thanks for Kennedy’s collaboration.
Kennedy said she will remain available to support the department and the incoming chief during the transition. The council held a short photo opportunity and several colleagues offered personal remarks about her impact on the community.
