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June 18, 2015 - June 24, 2015

A
Weekly
Exclusive

Snowden
Hangs Up His
Badge
Retiring BHPD Police Chief
Dave Snowden looks back
on 49 years in
law enforcement

coverstory

SNOWDEN HANGS
UP HIS BADGE

By Mina Riazi
Forty-nine years is a long time in law
enforcement. What made you want to
first enter the police academy?
I first entered the police academy in my
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from high school. I had a great time in my
community and during that period of time I
got to know several of the police officers. So,
after getting out of active duty in the Army,
I applied because a friend of mine, who was
a reserve officer there, encouraged me to
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out number one in the examination process,
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promotional process six years later. And I
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young police officer in my hometown. Those
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friends: we have an annual reunion, we talk,
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has changed to the point where Beverly

Hills, which is probably the most technically
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automated license plate readers to red light
cameras, videos, everything from a British
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and other cities can come use it and time a
disaster from our place. I could go on and on
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Youve worked for four departments,
most recently Beverly Hills. How does the
BHPD stack up to other departments?
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have been very good departments, particuODUO\&RVWD0HVD,ZDVWKHWKLUG>SHUVRQ@LQ
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teamwork that was exhibited there was absoOXWHO\ SKHQRPHQDOWKH\UH JRRG SHRSOH
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that does police work better, that works more
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supports them more than any community in
the world, probably. I mean, the officers here
get to know the residents by first name, as

How has law enforcement changed since

you first started?
I would say that law enforcement officers
today have to know an awfully lot more
than you did when I went to the academy.
When I went to the academy, the academy
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months long. Officers have to be computer
savvy, they have to know more about different facets of law than they did. The training
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the political correctness of everything you
do. How do you tell a young officer to come
in and protect the community? And God
forbid he ever has to take a life in the line of
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put on trial for all those actions. As is his
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a police officer today than it ever has been.
And I only envision it getting worse as time
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our fingertips today is so much different. I
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GLGKDYHFDUV,OOJLYH\RXWKDW$OORIWKDW Dave and Ellyn Snowden

well as their children. They know the value proper clearance for, was totally legal and
of keeping themselves safe, the families safe of no particular significance. I did not realand the businesses safe. If you look at the L]H DW WKH WLPH WKDW SHRSOH RI LOO ZLOO FRXOG
response times of the police department, later twist that and use that against me for
WKH\UH XQGHU WKUHH PLQXWHV IRU WKH ODVW  their selfish purposes. At no time was there
years for emergency calls. The apprehen- anything inappropriate in any way with my
relationship with that
sion rate here is exceptional. Just the other
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Theres never been a
this was all completeday, we had a home
ly disclosed to the
invasion robbery and
community as far as
City as I proceeded.
within two days our
Im aware, that does
team had them all in
police work better, that Tell us about your
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works more cohesively family.
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as a team [than Beverly (OO\Q :H KDYH
pens all the time. They
catch people in the act Hills]. Maybe they do that two sons: Scott and
of committing crimes:
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because the community 'DYLG LV  7KH\UH
the other day they
stopped a guy right supports them more than both married: Scott
before he was able to
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any community in the
smash windows on
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world, probably.
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Angie have two little
caught him with his BHPD Police Chief Dave JLUOV 0D\D ZKRV
car with a sledge hamnine, and Audrey,
Snowden
mer and ready to operZKRV IRXU ,P YHU\
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proud of my sons, my
they pay attention
daughter-in-laws and
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WRZRUNIRU,GSXWWKH%HYHUO\+LOOV>SROLFH he does work as a PI and he does sub-rosa
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kinds of things; he does background checks
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ness called Pivotal.com and he does website
during your 11 years as BHPD Police
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Chief?
I am very proud of having created an envi- IRUDFRPSDQ\LQ$UL]RQD'DYLGDQG$QJLH
ronment in our department that has resulted MXVWERXJKWDKRPHLQ+XQWLQJWRQ%HDFKDQG
in such strong teamwork, innovation and 6FRWWDQG/LVDOLYHLQ&RVWD0HVD
service to the community. I have empowered
department members to think out of the box, Your wife Ellyn is an event planner with
to try innovative ideas to make the depart- FTA. Tell us about that.
She went to work for them many years
ment more effective and to encourage officers to become even closer to our residents. DJR DERXW  \HDUV DJR $W WKDW WLPH )7$
The result has been unequaled response was doing the Black and White Ball for the
times, the latest technology and the lowest police department, as well as the Backdraft
Ball and Tower Cancer and other things. In
crime rate in the region.
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the Grammy Awards week and Person of
Do you have any regrets about the EBI
the Year award. The POA went away, now
incident?
 :KHQ , ILUVW VWDUWHG ZLWK (%, LW ZDV they do Tower Cancer and many events,
strictly another business activity which I had including Person of the Year for Grammy
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coordinator and is responsible for not only
going out and finding donations, but making
sure those things are presented properly and
that the auctions go well. And she loves it,
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she used to help with the bookstore at the
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involved and help make things better.
Will you stay involved in Beverly Hills
post retirement?
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to stay on the Board as president until the
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and I are seriously thinking of moving into
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save for a future announcement.
June 18- June 24, 2015 Page 7