Frank Wills
Former WCPD Chief

By Sean C. Moore West Covina – June marked the end of an era in local law enforcement as one of the longest-serving police chiefs in Southern California retired. Frank Wills, who had helmed the West Covina Police Department for more than fourteen years, announced his retirement last month. A 1978 graduate of the Rio Hondo Police Academy, Wills spent fifteen years as a member of the Pasadena Police Department before being appointed Chief of Police for the City of San Marino. He was sworn in as the West Covina Police Department’s tenth chief in November, 1998. Wills implemented a number of successful programs during his tenure in West Covina, including Community Service Area Policing, the GREAT anti-gang youth program, and citywide anti-graffiti efforts. He also earned several honors, including the Badge of Courage Award in 2002, and served as the president of the San Gabriel Valley Police Chiefs. Meanwhile, former Assistant Chief Paul LaCommare, who retired from active duty with the police department in March of this year, has been appointed Interim Police Chief by City Manager Christopher Chung. LaCommare spent his entire 31-year career as a law enforcement officer with the West Covina Police Department, where he began as a cadet in 1981. Mayor Shelley Sanderson called Wills’ retirement “bittersweet,” saying, “He’ll truly be missed, but I’m happy that he’s reached a point in his life where he’ll be able to spend more time with his family. He’s an amazing man, and he did a fantastic job with the department for many, many years.”