Humanitarian of the Year
Herbert F. Boeckmann II
Former Los Angeles Police Commissioner
Herbert Boeckmann served for nearly 17 years as a Los Angeles police commissioner. He was the only police commissioner appointed to serve four terms under the administrations of Mayors Bradley, Riordan and Hahn. During his tenure, he served alongside six chiefs of police. He served as both president and vice president while serving on the Police Commission
While serving on the commission, Boeckmann was instrumental in:
• Revising the Department-wide system of deployment to ensure that all areas of Los Angeles receive equal police response;
• Overseeing enforcement and police matters relative to Official Police Garages;
• Monitoring and approving major activities of the Anti-Terrorist Division;
• Reviewing and making recommendations on significant personnel matters and policies
Herbert was highly regarded by both rank and file and command staff officers for his fairness, willingness to consider all views and perspectives, and concern for the welfare and safety of police officers.
He is the owner and president of Galpin Motors, Inc. Under his leadership, Galpin Ford has achieved a record of success that is unparalleled in the retail automotive industry and constantly sets new industry standards for excellence. His integrity and concern for his customers, together with his innovation and management skills, have established Galpin Ford as one of the most recognized and respected businesses in the United States, one with continuing achievements and new benchmarks even beyond its own prior successes.
Bert Boeckmann and Galpin Ford have been named by Ford Motor Company as the world’s top volume retail sales leader for 18 consecutive years in both Ford car and Ford truck sales. Galpin Ford also has achieved the highest marks in leasing and financing with Ford Motor Credit – #1 in the world – again for almost two decades.
Today, Galpin Ford’s success is unprecedented.Operating facilities cover approximately 74 acres, with over 1,200 employees. In addition, Lincoln, Mercury, Mazda, Volvo, Jaguar, Honda, Saturn and Aston Martin have been added to the Galpin Motors lineup. All of these dealerships are industry leaders, and Galpin Jaguar is the #1 Jaguar dealer in the United States.
Bert Boeckmann has been honored with thousands of awards, citations, certificates, trophies and medals of honor from both the private and public sector, including the nation’s highest award for entrepreneurs, the Presidential Citation for Private Sector Initiatives, recognizing voluntary public service. Bert Boeckmann is the first automobile dealer to be twice honored with the National Retailer of The Year Award by the American Brand Names Foundation, as well as Time Magazine’s National Quality Dealer of the Year. He has also been entered into the Automotive Hall of Fame, where he stands alongside industry giants.
In addition to his entrepreneurial successes, Bert Boeckmann is lauded for his community service and leadership and has been honored with countless awards, both locally and nationally, including the Fernando Award, the first Business “Star of the Valley” from the Economic Alliance of the San Fernando Valley (the highest honor for community service); and the Horatio Alger Award as one of the 10 most outstanding individuals in the nation who personifies the principles and values of hard work, honesty and selfless service to others.
Bert Boeckmann, through his company and the Boeckmann Charitable Foundation, supports hundreds of worthy organizations and causes, including civic and charitable organizations, churches and synagogues, educational institutions and many youth programs. Ford Motor Company honored Boeckmann with their “Hero of The Planet Award” as a tribute to his commitment to make this world a better place to live, locally and globally.
Educated at the University of Southern California, Boeckmann’s contribution of a major collection of more than 80,000 volumes of Spanish language books to USC Library (including the complete history of Central and South America) is valued at $2,000,000. This major contribution enabled USC to establish The Boeckmann Center for Iberian and Latin American Studies. Boeckmann also created an annual endowment to catalog and maintain the collection.
Boeckmann is a man who honors God and puts family ahead of all earthly endeavors. He is a devoted husband of more than 40 years to his wife, Jane, and is a father who has instilled values in his five children – the same values, such as honesty, integrity, hard work and community service, that his father instilled in him.
For all the accomplishments listed above, and his unwavering support of the law enforcement community, we are proud to honor Bert Boeckmann with the Golden Badge Foundation’s Humanitarian of the Year Award.
