Captain Nieto was born in San Gabriel California and raised in West Covina, California. Captain Nieto has a Masters Degree in Leadership and Management, from the University of La Verne, and a B.S. in Criminal Justice from California State University, Fullerton. She is a graduate of the Senior Management Institute of Policing through PERF. She is also a Certified Fraud Specialist and a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE).

Captain Nieto has an extensive teaching background in leadership. She was on the original design team for the West Point Leadership Program, has taught diversity at the LAPD Academy, has been a guest speaker at Women’s Leadership Conferences, and has facilitated at LAPD’s Supervisory School. Currently she is a facilitator for POST’s Supervisory Leadership Institute, a program designed to teach California law enforcement front-line supervisors personal growth, leadership, and ethical decision-making.

Captain Nieto served eight years with the United States Army Reserve (USAR) attaining the rank of Captain. She served in various leadership roles including Assistant to the Provost Marshall, commander of a military police company of 100 military police officers, a member of Nuclear Weapons Logistic Element, and a squad leader of Ordnance specialists.

Captain Nieto is a member of several organizations including CFE’s Association; International Law Enforcement Auditor’s Association; Los Angeles Women’s Police Officer Association; Law Enforcement Gay and Lesbians International; National Women Law Enforcement Executives; La Ley; Hispanic Law Enforcement Administrators and the Fraternal Order of the Police. She has served as a board member for ILEAA, LAWPOA, and GALLEP.

Currently she is the Patrol Commanding Officer at Olympic Division serving 217,000 residents of the City of Los Angeles. Prior assignments include Patrol Commanding Officer at Newton Division and Hollenbeck Division, an Officer-In-Charge at Audit Division, a District Lieutenant in Hollywood Division; a Watch Commander in Pacific Division where she was also charged with the Venice Beach Unit; an Assistant Watch Commander in a Traffic Division and Communications Division; Training Group; Training Division; Background Investigations and various patrol assignments. Upon promotion to Captain in 2008, she became the first Hispanic Female Captain in LAPD’s history.

Captain Nieto lives with her domestic partner in Orange County with their two dogs.