Ronal Serpas

Chief Ronal Serpas, Ph.D. (Ret.), is a Professor of Practice in the Criminology and Justice Department at Loyola University New Orleans, where he teaches both undergraduate and graduate courses. After a distinguished 34-year career in law enforcement, he joined the faculty at Loyola in 2014.
Throughout his career, Chief Serpas held senior leadership positions, including Superintendent of the New Orleans Police Department (2010-2014), Chief of the Nashville Metro Police Department (2004-2010), and Chief of the Washington State Patrol (2001-2004).
Chief Serpas began his police career by joining the New Orleans Police Department in June 1980, following a family tradition of service with the NOPD that dated back to the 1940s. He served in all civil service positions, including Officer, Sergeant, Lieutenant, Captain, and Major. His assignments included Foot and Mounted Patrol on Bourbon Street, Motorcycle Patrol, Patrol Area Command, Detective Command, and Commander of the SWAT Team. He was appointed the first Assistant Superintendent-Chief of Operations of the NOPD, serving from 1996 until 2001. He policed and commanded responses to significant events, including Mardi Gras, two NFL Super Bowls, NCAA Final Fours, and numerous other significant events. Throughout his career at the NOPD, he served for over 9 years as Chief of Operations and Superintendent, overseeing these uniquely New Orleans events during his more than 25 years of service.  
During his 13-year tenure as Police Chief, Serpas has been a successful agent of change in three major law enforcement agencies. He strongly advocates for the principles of community-oriented policing, justice, and legitimacy. He has introduced innovative and effective crime-fighting strategies and developed leadership and accountability measures that have significantly improved citizen satisfaction, transforming the departments he has led. Notably, each department under his leadership achieved and maintained a substantial increase in community support and consistent reductions in crime, as evidenced by independent and academic analyses.
In October 2017, Chief Serpas was honored for his significant contributions to law enforcement by being named the fifth Honorary President of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) since its founding in 1893. The IACP is the world’s largest and most influential professional organization for police leaders, with over 35,000 members across more than 170 countries. His extensive service to the organization includes roles such as elected Vice President, founding Co-Chair of the Research Advisory Committee, Chair of the Community-Oriented Policing Committee, and Parliamentarian. Serpas also continues to serve on the IACP Policy Center Advisory Group (PCAG), which provides subject-matter expertise to guide the development of Policy Center documents, identify leading practices, and offer sound guidance to police agencies in creating their own policies.
Chief Serpas is a former chair of the National Policing Institute's (NPI) Board of Directors. Established in 1970 by the Ford Foundation, the NPI, formerly known as the National Police Foundation, is a nonpartisan, independent, and nonprofit research organization dedicated to improving policing through science and innovation. He is also the founding Co-Chair of Law Enforcement Leaders to Reduce Crime and Incarceration, founded in October 2015. He has served as Advisory Board Chair since its inception and stepped down from that role in January 2026.
Chief Serpas offers expert consulting in law enforcement and criminal justice reform. His work includes analyzing staffing, deployment, and operational efficiency for numerous police departments. Additionally, he has played a key role in high-profile investigations and reform initiatives, including the Department of Justice's Collaborative Reform program and after-action reviews of major incidents. 
Chief Serpas is a former high school dropout who earned a GED, followed by a bachelor’s degree, a master's degree, and ultimately a PhD in Urban Studies from the Louisiana State University - New Orleans, with a specialization in urban crime.