Richard S. Mitchem currently serves as the Supervisory Protective Security Advisor (SPSA) for Southern California and Arizona. In this role he ensures all Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security (CISA) programs and services `are delivered to state, local, and tribal stakeholders and private sector owners and operators.

SPSA Mitchem brings 19 years’ experience to his position as the Supervisory Protective Security Advisor for SoCal/Arizona, having first served from 2005-2015 as the PSA for the Honolulu District, which includes Hawaii, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas islands, and American Samoa, where he supported homeland security efforts, and was an advisor to four State and Territorial Homeland Security Advisors, before transferring to the Los Angeles District in 2015.

SPSA Mitchem has been actively involved in security planning for several SEAR rated special events throughout Region 9, most recently was designated as the Federal Coordinator (FC) for the 2024 SEAR 1 Tournament of Roses Parade/Rose Bowl Game, and also served as the Deputy Federal Coordinator (DFC) for this event in 2020, and as the DFC for the SEAR 2, 2018 Huntington Beach 4th of July Parade & Fireworks, and has supported a number of other individual or recurring special events including: the 2023 USGA Open, Los Angeles Dodgers MLB World Series, the Los Angeles Marathon, The Long Beach Grand Prix, the NBA All Star Game, The Academy Awards, The Golden Globes Awards, Super Bowl 50, and was the lead PSA and CISA (then NPPD) representative for the 2011 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) in Honolulu HI – an NSSE event, as the co-chair of the Critical Infrastructure Subcommittee.

As a retired Air Force Special Agent and certified Technical Surveillance Countermeasure (TSCM) investigator, Mr. Mitchem has over 30 years’ experience and training in the fields of criminal, counterintelligence, and counterespionage investigations; risk and threat assessments, analysis of security requirements, security management and program development.

SPSA Mitchem holds a Bachelor of Science in Occupational Education (BSOE) from Wayland Baptist University, a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) from Chaminade University, and is also Board Certified as a Certified Protection Professional (CPP) and a Physical Security Professional (PSP) by ASIS International.