Max Santiago Bio

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Max Santiago
Senior Director of Law Enforcement Relations

Deputy Commissioner (Ret.), California Highway Patrol
Parliamentarian (2020-2021), IACP Executive Board
FBINA Session 214, FBI LEEDS Session 61
Secretary – 2018 – 2022, FBINAA, Inc., California Chapter
President - 2015, FBINAA, Inc., California Chapter 
Email: Max.Santiago@ecoatm.com

Senior Director Santiago brings over 32 years of law enforcement experience to ecoATM and leads a team of seasoned law enforcement executives who are committed to partnering with, supporting, and educating global law enforcement professionals on combating cell phone theft.

Director Santiago previously served as the Deputy Commissioner of the California Highway Patrol (CHP) and was a distinguished member of the CHP for 30 years. The CHP is comprised of over 11,000 personnel and is the largest state police agency in the U.S. and the fifth largest police organization in the country. As the second-in-command, Director Santiago was responsible for the day-to-day operations of the CHP and provided executive level oversight over a wide range of the CHP’s activities including criminal investigations; crime prevention; computer related crimes; information technology; information security; law enforcement performance inspections, audits, and program evaluations; CHP Academy training programs; counter-terrorism operations, and homeland security.

He was formerly recognized as a Certified Inspector General (CIG) by the Association of Inspectors General and a Certified Law Enforcement Auditor (CLEA) by the International Law Enforcement Auditors Association (ILEAA). He currently serves as a member of the Deadly Force Review Board for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

Senior Director Santiago was instrumental in creating several firsts for the CHP such as a nationally recognized computer crimes investigation unit, a joint CHP-FBI Cyber terrorism task force, a Special Weapons and Tactics Team, and was a key team member in implementing the Amber Alert system throughout the State of California which has resulted in the safe recovery of 337 abducted children.

In 2005, he served as a Special Officer of the Louisiana State Police (LSP) and as California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s representative to the LSP and Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco during emergency operations in the New Orleans region where he oversaw search and rescue and law enforcement operations.

Senior Director Santiago also served as the Chief of the Law Enforcement Division of the California State Lottery for over two years, which is the largest, most sophisticated law enforcement operation of any state lottery in the United States or Canada. As Chief, he was responsible for ensuring the integrity, honesty and fairness in the operation and administration of the California State Lottery, which generates over $5 billion in sales annually.

Senior Director Santiago earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice, Law Enforcement Management and Investigation from California State University, Sacramento. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy and FBI Law Enforcement Executive Development Seminar, Quantico, Virginia, and the Law Enforcement Command College of the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training. He served as the 2015 President of the California Chapter of the FBI National Academy Associates, and currently serves on the Executive Board as the California Chapter Secretary working closely with the FBINAA National Office and his peers internationally. He currently serves as the Parliamentarian (2020-2021) for the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) and is a member of the Executive Board.

Senior Director Santiago is a member of the IACP, Police Executive Research Forum (PERF), FBI National Academy Associates (FBINAA), FBI National Executive Institute Associates (FBI NEIA), and California Peace Officers Association (CPOA). He is also a lifetime member of the California Association of Highway Patrolmen and FBI Law Enforcement Executive Development Association (FBI LEEDA).

Senior Director Santiago is an author and law enforcement trainer on topics ranging from automated speed enforcement technology, emergency incident planning and operations, tactical operations, law enforcement auditing and conducting law enforcement investigations. He is currently working on attaining Certified eCommerce Fraud Investigator and Certified Cyber Investigative Expert certification from the McAfee Institute. He has received numerous awards and recognition for his service from retired FBI Director Robert Mueller; former California Governor Edmund Brown Jr.; Major General David Baldwin, Adjutant General of the California National Guard; the California Legislature, and the CHP.

Senior Director Santiago proudly served our nation in the California Army National Guard and in the U.S. Army Reserve for over 21 years as a Military Police Platoon Sergeant and a Special Agent in the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID) Command. He is a veteran of the Persian Gulf War and was awarded the National Defense Service Medal, Southwest Asia Service Medal (with 3 bronze campaign stars), Armed Forces Reserve Medal (w/Mobilization Device), California Federal Service Ribbon, Liberation of Kuwait Medal (Government of Saudi Arabia), and Kuwait Liberation Medal (Government of Kuwait). He is a graduate of the US Army MP School Basic Course, Special Agent Criminal Investigator Course, and Hostage Negotiations Course.