| For Immediate Release
November 5, 2009 |
Susan Kang Schroeder Public Affairs Counsel Office: 714-347-8408 Cell: 714-292-2718 Farrah Emami |
DISTRICT ATTORNEY ANNOUNCES APPOINTMENT OF NEW CHIEF OF BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
SANTA ANA – Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas announced today the appointment of Acting Chief Michael “Mike” Major as the new Chief of the Bureau of Investigation (Bureau) for the Orange County District Attorney’s Office (OCDA). The Bureau is the 28-unit law enforcement division of the OCDA, operating as a police agency. The Bureau consists of nearly 200 sworn law enforcement investigators and 55 investigative assistants and technical support members, who provide trial support and investigate original jurisdiction cases.
“I am proud today to announce the appointment of Mike Major to Chief of the Bureau of Investigation for my Office. Since the retirement of our last Chief, and in the two decades of service prior to that, Chief Major has shown himself to be an ethical, efficient, and impressive leader,” said District Attorney Tony Rackauckas. “This Office is facing challenging times with a reduced budget and increased workload. It is essential that we have a Bureau Chief who can meet the challenges of the tough job ahead and I am confident that Mike is the best person for that job. He brings both institutional knowledge and innovative ideas to the organization.”
Chief Major joined the OCDA in 1989 after nine years with the Fountain Valley Police Department, where he served as a crime scene investigator, Special Weapons and Tactics team leader, and Senior Officer for the Patrol and Investigation Division. Since joining the OCDA two decades ago, Major has worked as an Investigator in the Homicide, Organized Crime/Grand Jury, Special Assignments, Felony Panel, and Welfare Fraud Units.
In 1996 he was promoted to Supervising Investigator of Central Court Services and the Career Criminals Unit. He went on to supervise the Homicide Unit and, beginning in 1999, was the first Supervising Investigator for the Task Force Review Aimed at catching Killers, Rapists, and Sexual offenders (TracKRS) Unit. Chief Major was promoted to Commander in 2000, overseeing 25 Supervising Investigators and the daily operations of nearly all of the Bureau’s criminal units as well as the Welfare Fraud and Family Support Divisions.
In 2002, Major was appointed Assistant Chief of the Bureau. For seven years he was responsible for monitoring and controlling the daily operations of the Bureau including addressing budgetary needs and priorities, developing and implementing Bureau policies and procedures, overseeing the operational and technical direction of the Bureau, and participating in personnel selection procedures. In March 2009, Major was asked to serve as Acting Chief, a role he has held until his official appointment today.
Chief Major’s honors include being recognized as the Honor Recruit for Class 50 from the Orange County Sheriff’s Academy, 1983 Officer of the Year for the Fountain Valley Police Department, 1992 Outstanding Investigator nominee for the OCDA, and receiving a Recognition Award from the American Society for Industrial Security in 1999.
Major received a Master of Science degree in Criminal Justice with an emphasis on Public Administration from California State University, Long Beach. He has taught at the Criminal Justice Training Center for Golden West College since 1983 on topics including homicide, interviews and interrogations, report writing, search warrants, preliminary investigations and sexual assaults.