Leonard Lugo: Law Enforcement Professional and Community Advocate

Lieutenant Leonard “Leo” Lugo is a consummate law enforcement professional with a long and successful career. He serves as a Platoon Commander of the Westfield Police Department in Westfield, New Jersey. Over the course of his career, he has held numerous roles and has completed a wide range of professional certification programs. Today, he can be found providing supervisory support for the police department as well as serving as an instructor for the next generation of police professionals. 

Education

Leo Lugo is a graduate of William Paterson University in Wayne, New Jersey. After completing his Bachelor of Arts degree at the University, he was accepted to the City of Paterson Police Department academy. From there, he entered the law enforcement community as a patrol officer.

Mr. Lugo has had the opportunity to attend many professional development programs, giving him the tools and training he needs to make a difference in the communities in which he has served. In addition to his university education and police academy program, he has completed certification programs like:

• Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Basic SWAT Officer
• FBI Hostage Negotiator Certification
• National Tactical Officers Association SWAT Command
• Police Training Commission Firearms and Rifle Instructor Certification
• Department of Homeland Security Command-level Incident Command and Supervision Program

Professional Highlights

Leo Lugo worked with the City of Paterson Police Department until 2001, when he transferred to Westfield. In 2013, he was appointed as the Detective Bureau Commander for the Westfield PD, having worked as a Detective Sergeant in that Bureau prior to taking command. His role here was to supervise a wide array of juvenile and adult criminal investigations. In 2018, he left the Detective Bureau to focus on his new Platoon Commander role.

In addition to his supervisory positions with the Westfield PD, Leo Lugo has been called upon to provide his experience and skill for special programs. First, he served as the Counterterrorism Coordinator, then later as the Assistant Commander for the Department’s Emergency Response Unit. As a highly-trained graduate of the FBI SWAT Officer and hostage negotiations courses, he was selected for the Union County Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team as the team Leader for the Crisis and Hostage Negotiations unit. He served in this capacity for 10 years. As if these achievements were not enough, Lt. Lugo also worked as a supervisor School Resource Officer in local schools. Finally, he coordinated Megan’s Law registrations for sex offenders in the Union County region. 

Training the Next Generation of Law Enforcement Professionals

Backed by over 20 years in the law enforcement community and many professional certifications, Lt. Leo Lugo is an ideal candidate for training up-and-coming police officers. His primary role as an educator is as an instructor for the Methods of Instruction program at the Union County Police Academy. This program is part of the certification process for police instructors. He has also trained countless officers in firearms and rifle deployment at Westfield and at the Union County academy. 

Community Advocacy

Leonard Lugo has cherished his role as a protector of communities in and around Union County, New Jersey. He shares his insights with fellow officers and has contributed greatly to fostering a community-oriented policing model within the Westfield PD. Leo Lugo is a valuable member of his community; with his help and his professionalism, he has been instrumental in making Union County a safer place to live.