Roberto Villegas

Police Captain

Captain Roberto “Bobby” Villegas oversees the Special Operations Division (SOD) responsible for various sworn and professional staff units including the Homeless Liaison Program (HLP), Traffic Enforcement, Traffic Services, and Public Services Officers, Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) and Mobile Field Force (MFF). 

He began his career with the Santa Monica Police Department in 1998 and attended the Los Angeles Sheriff Department Academy. He worked several assignments as a police officer in patrol, Pico Neighborhood Bike Unit, School Resource Officer and K9 Unit with his faithful partners Nero and Rambo. In 2013, he promoted to sergeant and supervised several assignments including Patrol, the Field Training Program, Downtown Services Unit (DSU), and the Community Affairs Unit. Additionally, for 18 years he was one of the advisors to the Department’s Explorer Post where he dedicated his time to the youth of the community. 

In 2019, he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant, where managed a Patrol watch and the Field Training Program Manager. He was then transferred to be the Executive Officer of the Operations Division. In 2022, he was transferred to Professional Standards where he managed Internal Affairs and Personnel and Training. In March of 2024, he promoted to the rank of Captain and transferred to SOD. 

Captain Villegas has a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Loyola Marymount University. He has also attended and completed professional development programs such as the Sherman Block Supervisory Leadership Institute and the Police Executive Research Forum’s Senior Management Institute for Police.