After over seven years of serving the City of Murrieta as Chief of Police, Sean Hadden will retire from law enforcement effective December 30, 2020. It is a bittersweet change for him after a 34-year distinguished law enforcement career.
Hadden started his law enforcement career with the Perris Police Department in 1986 as a Community Service Officer, shortly after graduating from Perris High School. About one year later, and at the age of 19, he successfully tested for the Police Officer position and went through his training at the San Bernardino Sheriff’s Academy. He graduated from the academy four days after his 20th birthday and worked as a Patrol Officer in Perris for two years before being selected as their first Motorcycle Officer.
Hadden left the Perris Police Department in 1992 to help launch the newly formed Murrieta Police Department and became one of the first 25 original sworn police officers. Murrieta Officers began patrolling the Murrieta community on August 1, 1992. Today, the department employs 101 sworn officers, 55 professional staff members and a volunteer force of over 40 men and women.
During his service to the department, Hadden has held numerous special assignments and promoted through the ranks until reaching the rank of Police Chief in 2013. As a Captain, he served as both the Operations Division Commander and Support Services Division Commander.
Chief Hadden has received multiple awards and recognition during his time with the department, including a Chief’s Citation in 1998 for his expertise in traffic accident investigations and reconstruction. He received the department’s Distinguished Service Award in 1999 and helped establish the Traffic Bureau by successfully applying for a Motorcycle Traffic Enforcement grant.
Hadden holds a Master’s Degree from the University of Redlands in Management, and a Bachelor’s Degree from Azusa Pacific University in Organizational Management. He is a graduate of the PERF Senior Police Management Course at Boston University, the Los Angeles Police Department’s Leadership Program, and the Sherman Block Leadership program.
As long time Murrieta residents, Hadden has been married to his wife for 30 years and together they raised their two daughters in this community.
According to City Manager Kim Summers, “Creating a City-based Police Department nearly 30 years ago was a crucial factor in the development of Murrieta as a place everyone wants to call home. Chief Hadden was part of the team that helped form the department and his long-standing engagement with the community set the tone for the successful and respected department we have today. Along with the City Council, PD and City staff, I am sad he is leaving, but I thank Chief Hadden for his many years of service to the community and for helping to build the best Police Department possible. I wish him the best and have full confidence that as Acting Chief, Captain Conrad will continue the tradition of community-focused leadership that defines our safe and interconnected City.”
Summers will appoint Captain Tony Conrad as Murrieta’s interim Chief of Police. In the department’s history, Conrad will be the third internal promotion to Chief of Police and he comes ready to serve with 26 years of law enforcement experience. Conrad started his career with the San Diego Police Department in 1995 and served as a member of their SWAT team as well as a Field Training Officer. He worked San Diego’s Mid-City Division for several years before later transferring to Northern Division.
The Murrieta Police Department hired Conrad in November of 2003 and has held several special assignment positions and promoted through the ranks. He has spent the last two years as a Captain overseeing the Operations Division.
He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management from San Diego State University and a Master’s Degree in Leadership and Organizational Studies from Azusa Pacific University. Conrad is also a graduate of the PERF Senior Police Management Course at Boston University.
Conrad is married to Dana, a Murrieta Valley School District teacher for the last 22 years. They have a son, AJ, who is a Murrieta Valley HS graduate and is currently attending college in Oregon. He and his wife have been residents of the Murrieta/Temecula Valley for the last 26 years.