On the Department since 1980, Chief Jack Ewell began his career with the Sheriff’s Department as a deputy at Men’s Central Jail in downtown Los Angeles. After a year in custody, Ewell transferred to the now-closed Firestone station to work as both a patrol deputy and a detective.
In 1985, Ewell began his legacy at Special Enforcement Bureau (SEB) when he transferred to their Special Weapons Team, where he would serve until his promotion to sergeant in 1988.
As a sergeant, Ewell served at Lynwood and East Los Angeles stations as a field sergeant and detective bureau sergeant. When he returned to SEB, he worked in various capacities, including Special Weapons Team leader, dive sergeant, and Crew Chief for rescue helicopter, Air 5.
When he promoted to lieutenant in 2009, Ewell served as the operations lieutenant at Aero Bureau and was in charge of overseeing Air 5 operations. Upon his return to SEB in 2010, his various duties included operations lieutenant, Emergency Services Detail lieutenant, and Special Enforcement Detail lieutenant.
When he promoted to the rank of Captain in 2014, Ewell maintained the helm of SEB until his next promotion in 2018. As Commander of Special Operations Division (SOD), Ewell assisted in overseeing not only SEB, but also Emergency Operations, Aero, Metrolink and Transit Services bureaus.
With his promotion to Chief in 2021, Ewell is now in charge of SOD and has the unique distinction of playing a vital role in the security of the upcoming 2022 Super Bowl and 2028 Olympic Games, both to be held in and around Los Angeles County. Special Operations Division operates county-wide and Ewell oversees many elite units that have become the gold-standard nationwide for law enforcement, emergency response and specialized tactics.
A graduate of Pepperdine University with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Ewell also has several advanced training certificates from the Commission on Peace Officers Standards & Training (POST).
Throughout his career, Ewell has earned many accolades for his service, including the Department’s Medal of Valor and Gold Valor medal, as well as the Distinguished Service Medal from the Los Angeles Police Commission for his actions in assisting LAPD during the North Hollywood bank robbery. A veteran of the United States Marine Corps, Ewell also received multiple Combat Action ribbons and the Bronze Star for his service and actions while in the military.
