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Rancho Santa Margarita welcomes new police chief Duane Chapel
Summary
City introduced Captain Duane (Dwayne) Chapel as the city's new chief of police services; staff summarized his 16 years with the Orange County Sheriff's Department, training roles and stated priorities for community engagement and safety.
Rancho Santa Margarita officials introduced Captain Duane Chapel as the city's new chief of police services and invited him to speak briefly to the council and public.
The city manager summarized Chapel's background: he has a bachelor's degree in sociology and a master's degree in education from the State University of New York, about 16 years of service with the Orange County Sheriff's Department in roles that included custody operations, investigations, internal affairs, auto theft and training. The manager cited awards including the American Legion Patrol Officer Merit (2014) and a Veterans of Foreign Wars deputy recognition (2018) and noted Chapel's role as an associate instructor at Santa Ana College.
Chapel thanked the city and said his top priority will be to keep Rancho Santa Margarita safe through community engagement, transparency and visible involvement with residents and businesses. "My plan is to be involved in the community...you'll see me a lot around the city," he said.
The council welcomed the new chief and expressed appreciation for his commitment to continued community engagement. No council action was required.
