Mark Koller to be sworn-in Monday, Aug. 21, as Hayward’s 14th Chief of Police

Hayward, Calif., Aug. 17, 2017—Mark Koller will be sworn in as Hayward’s 14th Chief of Police in a public ceremony starting at 3 p.m. Monday, Aug. 21, in the City Hall rotunda.

Koller, 54, has been serving as chief of the Hayward Police Department (HPD) on an acting and interim basis since last August and through a period in which HPD earned reaccreditation with “excellence” from the nation’s leading law enforcement accreditation body.

In preparing to take the oath, Koller said he is fully aware that he is taking the helm of HPD at a time when police-community relations are being tested by events nationally and concern locally about the enforcement practices of U.S. immigration officials.

“I have a great appreciation for community engagement, inclusiveness and transparency in law enforcement,” he said.  “As chief, I am committed to expanding outreach efforts and working every day to build the partnerships and trust that are essential to effective community-oriented policing.”

City Manager Kelly McAdoo announced last month her choice of Koller.  The selection followed a national search and competitive application process that included interviews with panels of Hayward community members, police brass, rank-and-file officers and municipal government department heads.

“Mark Koller has earned the confidence and admiration of his colleagues within HPD, across city government and in the community at large by being approachable, forthright and honest, being adaptable, open to change and ready to confront new challenges,” McAdoo said in making the announcement.

Koller is a second-generation career Hayward police officer.  Born in Hayward, he started his work in law enforcement at age 14 when he became a police Explorer in nearby Newark, and then a Newark police Cadet four years later.  In 1981, he joined HPD as a Police Assistant (now called a Community Service Officer).  He was assigned to work as a jailer and later as a crime scene technician.  In 1984, he was promoted to police officer, serving as a patrolman, narcotics investigator, and child abuse investigator, as well as a member on the Police Department’s Special Response Unit (SWAT team).  As a patrolman, he was awarded the distinguished service medal for diffusing a situation, without a shot fired, in which he came face-to-face in close quarters with an armed suspect who was pointing a loaded firearm at him.

In 1995, Koller was elevated to Inspector.  He served as a general crimes, burglary, and homicide investigator.  In 1998, he was appointed Sergeant and supervised patrol squads, Internal Affairs and SWAT.  In 2002, he became Lieutenant and oversaw day-to-day patrol operations as a Watch Commander and also served as SWAT Commander, Personnel and Training Manager and as Northern District Commander.  In 2013, Koller made the rank of Captain, and was assigned to the Field Operations Division.  In 2014, the Field Operations Division was divided, and Koller took command of the newly created Special Operations Division and oversaw district stations, personnel and training, traffic, canine and Special Response units.  In August 2016, he was appointed Acting Chief of Police, and on Dec. 15, 2016, Interim Chief of Police.

Koller earned a Bachelor of Science degree from California State University, Long Beach.  He is a graduate of the 238th session of FBI National Academy, the Los Angeles Leadership Program (formerly West Point Leadership), the 64th session of the Police Executive Research Forum Senior Management Institute for Police (SMIP), as well as the 2014 Local Government Leadership Academy of Alameda County.