Walter Allen III, Police Academy Director
Walter Allen has been in the law enforcement profession for more than 43 years and is a graduate of 172nd Session of the FBI National Academy. Walter began his law enforcement career as a police officer at Cal State Fullerton University Police Department and within a year and a half he was hired as a Police Officer for Chino Police Department. During his time at Chino PD, Walter served as a police Field Training Officer, patrol corporal and Sharpshooter for the Department’s SWAT Team.
In 1981, he continued his law enforcement career with the California Department of Justice, Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement as a Special Agent. He worked in an undercover capacity for seven years, was promoted and served as Special Agent Supervisor, Special Agent in Charge, Senior Special Agent in Charge and Assistant Chief for the Department over 22 years.
In 2003, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger appointed Walter as Director of the California Youth Authority (CYA), at that time, the largest juvenile correctional system in the nation, housing and supervising over 10,000 juvenile offenders throughout out the state and managing over 5,000 employees, with an operating budget of over four hundred million dollars.
In 2005, Governor Schwarzenegger appointed Walter Allen as the Assistant Secretary of the newly created Office of Correctional Safety (OCS) for the newly reorganized California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR). OCS provides oversight to all law enforcement, safety, and security issues in all state run youth and adult correctional prison facilities throughout the state. Additionally, OCS was also tasked with apprehending prison escapee’s and arresting criminal high-risk parolees in communities throughout California. In this role, Walt was also charged with consolidating virtually all law enforcement components within the department, which included major criminal investigative units, fugitive apprehension teams, criminal intelligence operations, gang interdiction, special investigations, and departmental safety and security operations within the California state prison system.
In November 2009, Walter was appointed to the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) by Governor Schwarzenegger and also served as a Deputy Commissioner for the Board of Parole Hearings through June of 2013. He is currently serving a fifth term on the Covina City Council and has served as the Covina Mayor on four separate occasions. Walter still finds the time to continue serving as a board member for Ettie Lee Youth and Family Services, as a former President and current Executive Board member of California Narcotic Officers’ Association, a Board member of the WeTip, Inc. He also currently serves as the Chairman of the Board of Directors for Citrus Valley Health Partners, which provides oversight of three not-for-profit hospitals: Queen of the Valley, Intercommunity, Foothill Presbyterian and the Citrus Valley Hospice facility in the East San Gabriel Valley. Walter also serves as a member of the Metrolink Board of Directors and the League of California Cities Public Safety Committee.
Walter possesses a Bachelor of Science Degree in Urban Planning and Master of Science Degree in Law Enforcement Executive Leadership. For leisure, one of Walter’s primary hobbies has been competitive Trap, Skeet and Sporting Clay shooting, which he’s done for more than forty years. Walt also enjoys snow skiing, golf, riding his road bike and his Harley.
Milt Hernandez, Academy Coordinator
Email: MHernandez@riohondo.edu
Milt is a retired LAPD Sergeant. He graduated from Azusa Pacific College where he earned his BA in Psychology then hired by the Los Angeles County Probation Department for approximately two years.
Milt then went on to get hired by the LAPD in 1982, spent 31 years serving the city. Milt was a Patrol officer and Training officer; worked gangs, narcotics, and was also assigned as an instructor for the LAPD academy as a Physical Training Self Defense Instructor.
Milt was promoted to Sergeant in 1998 and was assigned to the DARE program, the Rampart Investigation Team, and the Community Relations Officer in Charge for the Hollenbeck Area. He spent the last three years at LAPD Training Division as a Recruit Basic Course Sergeant prior to retiring.
As a Rio Hondo Police Academy Coordinator, he is responsible for overseeing everyday operations for the Police Academy and the 832 PC program. Milt ensures that the Academy and all its related programs are in compliance with POST Standards and Training. He has the responsibility to monitor and verify legislatively mandated training. His purview includes monitoring and reviewing of instructor lesson plans and all testing forms for completeness, random classroom observations, along with verification of legislatively mandated exercise tests.
David Miklos, Academy Coordinator
Email: DMiklos@riohondo.edu
David has been a Coordinator with Rio Hondo Police Academy since 2016 and as an Instructor since 2013. His primary duties include oversight of the day to day operations of the Academy and maintaining compliance with State of California Peace Officer Standards and Training requirements. David specifically manages Scenario Training and Force Training for the Rio Hondo Cadets
David is a retired Sergeant of 28 years from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department where he held assignments in Custody, Patrol and Training at the Sheriff’s Academy. David also serves as a subject matter expert conducting Basic Academy Curriculum Reviews for POST throughout California. He serves on the Board of Directors of the California Police Athletic Federation who facilitates the annual United States Police and Fire Championships and the bi-annual World Police and Fire Games.
David is a 5-time World Games Gold Medalist in the “Toughest Competitor Alive” event. David has a B.S. Degree in Recreation Administration from Fresno State university.
Jeremy Cross, Academy Coordinator
Email: JCross@riohondo.edu
Aside from being Academy Coordinator at the Rio Hondo Police Academy, Jeremy is currently a Detective Sergeant in Southeast Los Angeles. Jeremy also graduated from Rio Hondo Police Academy, then became a Recruit Training Officer. He is proud to be part of the team that trains the next generation of Law Enforcement.
He brings a lot of knowledge and experience to the academy; having served in various roles such as Motor Officer, Detective, Professional Standards, Drug Enforcement Administration, P.O.S.T. Training Manager, Honor Guard, Mobile Field Force, Active Shooter Instructor, Street Racing Task Force, Mental Health Supervisor, Patrol Supervisor, and he currently supervises his departments range.
Jeremy holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice, and a Masters Degree in Business Administration and Management.
