Snowden Retires, Lands A New Gig

RETIRES AND MOVES TO PRIVATE SECTOR
Earlier this week it was announced that Dave Snowden - who served Costa Mesa with distinction as Police Chief for almost seventeen years, then retired and moved on to become Police Chief of the Beverly Hills Police Department until he recently retired from that position - has accepted a new senior advisory position with Englander Knabe & Allen, a Los Angeles-based Public Relations agency.

A PERFECT FIT
We here at A Bubbling Cauldron wish our friend, Dave Snowden, all the best in this new job.  From the description provided, this seems to be a perfect fit for him.  You can learn more about that organization HERE.  The following is the text of their press release.

 

Retired Beverly Hills Chief Dave Snowden joins 

Englander Knabe & Allen

Los Angeles, July 27, 2015 - Retired Beverly Hills, Costa Mesa, and Baldwin Park Chief of Police Dave Snowden has joined Englander Knabe & Allen as a senior advisor and will head up the firm's new Law Enforcement Executive Search and Training Practice.  Mr. Snowden will also work in the firm's existing law enforcement practice group as well as work on crisis management, media training, and consulting on pension issues.

 

Mr. Snowden grew up in Montebello and attended California State University Fullerton. He began his law enforcement career in Montebello in 1966. For the past eleven years, Mr. Snowden had been Police Chief for Beverly Hills, and on June 13 he retired from law enforcement.  Throughout his distinguished career, Mr. Snowden has been a valuable public safety asset for the cities of Montebello, Baldwin Park, Costa Mesa, and Beverly Hills.  After only six years into his law enforcement career Mr. Snowden attained the rank of sergeant.  In 1980, Mr. Snowden was selected Chief of Police for Baldwin Park and served as Chief until 1986 when he was selected as Chief of Police for Costa Mesa.

"Dave's extensive experience as a law enforcement veteran and as head of several police departments brings a unique perspective to our firm.  His expertise and knowledge are a welcome addition to our team. Although he will not be involved in anything in Beverly Hills, Dave is uniquely suited to head up our newly created Executive Search and Training Practice and work on various pension and crisis management issues and provide media training for our clients.  I am delighted he joined the team at EKA", said Managing Partner Harvey Englander.

With over 38 years of experience in leadership management and public safety, Mr. Snowden is a respected member of the Southern California law enforcement community.  Mr. Snowden was President of San Gabriel Valley and LA County Chiefs Association, Orange County Chiefs and Sheriff's Association, California Police Chiefs Association, the League of California Cities Police Chiefs Department, and Beverly Hills Police Foundation, and director for California Police Chiefs Association and Los Angeles County Peace Officers Association.

For 12 years in a row, Mr. Snowden was voted as among the top 103 most influential people in Orange County by the Daily Pilot newspaper and voted volunteer of the year in Orange County, 2003. Mr. Snowden is a recognized public figure who works within his community on several charitable organizations such as USO Metro, PenFed Foundation, Hoag Hospital, Orange County Blind Children's School, and the Beverly Hills Active Adult Club. Mr. Snowden has several years of leadership volunteer experience for groups such as the Hoag Hospital. Mr. Snowden served as President for the Hoag Hospital's 552 Club and the President's Circle and as director for the Hoag Hospital Foundation.  Lastly, he is an active volunteer for New Directions for Veterans.  

Dave can be reached at dave@ekapr.com or (213) 741-1500 Extension 595.

About Englander Knabe & Allen

Englander Knabe & Allen is a strategic communications firm specializing in Lobbying, Public Affairs, and Issues and Crisis Communications and Litigation Support. The Los Angeles Business Journal consistently ranks EKA as among the largest Los Angeles Based Independent Public Relations Agency. For more information visit www.ekapr.com

Contact: Eric W. Rose (805) 624 - 0572 eric@ekapr.com

Chief Dave Snowden Calls It A Career

SNOWDEN RETIRES JUNE 13, 2015 

By the time most of you read this it will already be Saturday, June 13, 2015 and our great friend, Dave Snowden, will offically be retired as the Chief of Police for the Beverly Hills Police Department, ending - to the precise day - a 49-year law enforcement career.  He hoped to stick it out to a nice round "50", but life intervened and his recent back surgery accelerated his decision.

HIS GOOD-BYE LETTER
With his permission, I've posted the letter he wrote earlier today on Facebook describing his career and his feelings upon retirement.  Please take a minute to read it.

Tomorrow, June 13th, I will be retired. 49 years to the day from when I was sworn in as a police officer in my home town of Montebello. I wanted to make it an even 50 years, but my doctor had a different opinion after my recent back surgery. Well, I have had quite a run, having served with four great agencies (Montebello-1966-1977, Baldwin Park-1977-1986, Costa Mesa-1986-2003 and Beverly Hills-2004-2015). I was first appointed chief (Baldwin Park) on November 1, 1980. 

All of this time my beautiful wife Ellyn has been by my side and supported both me and the communities we have served. I met her when I was, an officer in Montebello, which is also Ellyn's home town, 44 years ago. Ellyn is amazing and has received volunteer awards every year for her work with various causes in BH. 

I wish we could do it all to do over again. 

I have served with the finest and most dedicated people in the business during my career. I feel very proud of the great protection we have provided to the communities in which I have been privileged to serve. I am also proud to have watched many people that I have hired over the years succeed in their careers.. Some have even become chiefs themselves. I salute them all and thank them for their service.

Sadly and most regrettably, I have lost three great officers in the line of duty on my watch: Dave Ketchum, Mike Libolt and Gabe Coyoca. They will never be forgotten and I think of their sacrifice daily. I am proud to say I hired Gabe twice. First at CMPD and later BHPD.

I am very proud of BHPD. Among so many accomplishments, we have the lowest crime rate in the region, a consistent response time for the past 11 years of under 3 minutes and some of the best technology available is now operational. All of this in a city with 127 sworn officers and daily population estimated at 295,000. BHPD does a fantastic job of keeping our city safe!

There will be a City Council recognition for me Tuesday evening at 7:00 PM at the Beverly Hills City Hall and a retirement party is being planned for early August. I hope to see you all there. More info to follow.

Thank you for your support and your friendship.
God bless.

FORWARD-THINKING LEADERSHIP

During his tenure as Chief of Police for Costa Mesa Dave was an extremely effective leader.  Many of the men and women he hired are still with the department and form the solid core of the organization.  He took the organization that Roger Neth, shown here with Dave and former Chief Tom Gazsi, built with such care and expanded and refined it and helped make it one of the premiere law enforcement organizations in the state.  For that, the residents of this city should be eternally thankful. 

THANKS, AND GOOD LUCK
I, personally, want to thank Dave Snowden, not only for his dedication to my city and his steadfast leadership, but also for his friendship and wisdom.  I value his patient encouragement and his enthusiastic support.   Our friend will now ride off into the sunset.  Well, maybe "hobble into the sunset" is a more accurate term, until he fully recovers from his back situation.  Susie and I wish Dave and Ellyn the very best in his retirement.  Happy Trails, my friend....

 

Saying Good-bye To Jess Gilman - Again

ONE MORE TIME...
It was with great sadness that I learned today that my friend, Officer Jess Gilman, a stalwart within the Costa Mesa Police Department for decades and a legendary School Resource Officer, has found it necessary to depart Costa Mesa - again.

SOME HISTORY
Some will recall that Jess retired a little over a year ago.  I wrote about it HERE.  Then, he found a way to come back on a part-time basis a few months later and I wrote about that HERE.

BACK AGAIN
During the summer the decision was made to cancel the Costa Mesa School Resource Officer program, but Jess returned for this semester on a temporary basis.

HIS LAST DAY
Today is his final day and this time it looks like he's gone for good.  His new business interests - which now will be providing School Resource Officers to every school in Beverly Hills - demand more of his time.

VAYA CON DIOS, AMIGO...

One more time, thank you to Jess Gilman, who has defined the role of School Resource Officer in our area.  He was more than a cop just doing his job.  He became a trusted friend to many of the kids he encountered every day and a strong partner in the education process in the schools he served.  Adios, amigo... you will be missed.