Landon Phillips grew up in the South Bay and has been a part of the Hermosa Beach Community since a very young age.  Chief Phillips began his career with the Hermosa Beach Police Department in 2002 and worked as a Patrol Officer, Traffic Officer, Traffic Investigator, and Field Training Officer.  Chief Phillips promoted to the rank of Sergeant in 2009 and worked as a Patrol Sergeant, Field Training Supervisor, Area G Supervisor, Background Investigator, Training Manager, and Internal Affairs Investigator.  He promoted to the rank of Lieutenant in 2016 and has managed all three divisions of the Police Department.  Chief Phillips promoted to the rank of Captain in 2023, where he managed the Investigative and Administrative Services Division.  In May 2025, he was selected to be the Chief of Police for the Hermosa Beach Police Department. 

Chief Phillips earned his master’s degree in Emergency Services Administration from California State University Long Beach.  He has graduated from multiple advanced training courses which includes the POST Executive Development Course, the California Police Chief’s Association’s Executive Leadership Institute, The Sherman Block Supervisory Leadership Institute, and the LAPD Leadership Program.  He recently graduated from the FBI National Academy late 2024. Chief Phillips has earned multiple POST certificates and is certified as a POST Academy Instructor.

Chief Phillips enjoys martial arts and is one of the departments defensive tactics instructors.  He believes in utilizing technology to assist officers in the performance of their duties and implemented the departments body worn camera and drone programs.  Chief Phillips is a member of multiple boards and committees of the Interoperability Network of the South Bay (INSB) which works to enhance police and fire radio communications. 

Eric Cahalan began his career with the Hermosa Beach Police Department in August 2003. Prior to joining HBPD he was employed as a Probation Officer with the Orange County Probation Department

Captain Cahalan was most recently the Detective Supervisor and has worked several assignments including Patrol, Field Training Officer, Watch Commander, and Detectives. He spent 5 years with a special investigations task force. Additionally, he has worked with South Bay’s vulnerable populations as part of the Homeless Outreach Services Team (HOST) and the Mental Health Evaluation Team (MET). In 2018, he received the Centurion Award for Excellence in Multi-Agency Investigations from the Peace Officers Association of Los Angeles for his lead investigative role in a fraud and identity theft case. 

Captain Cahalan was promoted to his current rank in August 2024 and currently oversees the Patrol Bureau.

Captain Joe Poelstra began his law enforcement career in 1993.  After attending Cal State Fullerton, he graduated from Orange County Sheriff’s Academy and started with the Costa Mesa Police Department where he served for 9 years, achieving the rank of Corporal. During his time there, Cpt. Poelstra gained extensive experience as a traffic investigator and worked at South Coast Plaza, focusing on fraud and burglary cases. He was selected to be a Field Training Officer and he trained 22 officers over a two year period, demonstrating a strong commitment to mentorship and leadership.

In 2008, Cpt. Poelstra joined the Hermosa Beach Police Department (HBPD), taking on roles such as Patrol Officer, Detective, and Acting Watch Commander. He won Police Officer of the Year in 2016 and was promoted to Sergeant - taking on additional responsibilities, including serving as an FTO Supervisor, creating the Community Police Academy, and establishing the Department's social media presence on platforms like Instagram and Facebook.

In May 2022, Cpt. Poelstra was assigned to the Professional Standards Unit, where he successfully recruited and processed over 600 applications to ultimately hire 26 new employees for various positions, earning recognition from regional agencies for his effectiveness in recruitment. Because of these efforts, he won the “Excellence in Innovation” award from POALAC in 2023.  Cpt. Poelstra was also featured as a Subject Matter Expert at a Hiring and Retention Symposium in Irvine in June 2023 and spoke at the IACP conference on Hiring and Retention in San Diego in October 2023. In September 2024, he promoted to Lieutenant. 

With a career spanning over 25 years, Cpt. Poelstra continues to be a driving force within HBPD, contributing to the department's growth and success. He has completed the Sherman Block Supervisory Leadership Institute and carries this knowledge over into mentoring and developing the next generation of Law Enforcement professionals. Cpt. Poelstra was promoted to his current rank of Captain in August of 2025.