Director Bernard K. Melekian welcomes guests to the 2011 COPS Office Conference

Bernard K. Melekian, Director, COPS Office

Bernard Melekian is the Director of the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office), elected by Attorney General Eric Holder on October 5, 2009. As Director of the COPS Office, Melekian leads an organization responsible for working closely with the nation's state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies to enhance the safety of our communities by advancing com­munity policing. Melekian is committed to using COPS Office programs and resources to help law enforcement build relationships and solve problems, which are the basic building blocks of community policing. Melekian was the police chief for the City of Pasadena, California, for more than 13 years before assuming leadership of the COPS Office. Prior to that he served with the Santa Monica Police Department and the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office for 23 years. While serv­ing with Santa Monica Police Department, he was awarded the Medal of Valor in 1978 and the Medal of Courage in 1980.