Public Safety Committee

After graduating from Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks, California, I attended California State University, Northridge, on a partial scholarship for music performance.  I played the oboe and English horn in all performance groups.  While completing my studies I worked as a freelance musician all over Southern California and managed a music store in Van Nuys.  In 1996 I was accepted by the California Highway Patrol.  After completing my training, I was assigned to the West Valley Area Office.  I ultimately became a departmental instructor, a felony investigator for the West Valley Area,  a field training officer, and a drug recognition expert and instructor, where I taught hundreds of officers from around the world.   I have received specialized training in accident reconstruction, violent crime analysis, latent fingerprint detection and comparison, and grant writing.

In 2005, my wife, Allison, and I were looking to move our family away from Los Angeles. I knew nothing about Bear Valley Springs or the Tehachapi area.  As an investigator, I was sent to Tehachapi to interview an inmate for an important case.  It was then that I discovered this wonderful place we've called our home for the last fourteen years.  In 2007 I transferred to the Mojave Area Office where I continued to train new officers, instruct, and serve as the Mojave Area school bus, vehicle identification number identification specialist, and tow company liaison officer. Our daughter and son went to Cummings Valley Elementary School and both graduated from Tehachapi High School.  Our son went on to serve in the United States Army and is working in law enforcement in Washington State.  Our daughter became a registered dental assistant and is working for a local dentist and living in town with her husband and our granddaughter.    

During our first eight years, I paid little attention to our local government; but after that things began to change.  Maintenance of our beautiful community was being neglected, our Boards were pursuing increased assessments and new fees, and I found several instances of wasteful spending that no government should be engaged in. It was then that I became more engaged in how our community is being run.  Upon my retirement after 24 ½ years with the California Highway Patrol, I ran for my current seat on the Board of Directors and was the leading candidate of five candidates running for two open seats.  

The oath that we take as Directors is similar to the oath I took as a peace officer; to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States of America and the Constitution of the State of California. To me, keeping this oath means maintaining a balance of your rights as a homeowner and taxpayer and ensuring our local government is run responsibly.

Chief Dan Suttles comes to us from the Glendale Police Department, where he served over 18 years.  He has a wide variety of experience ranging from operations to administrative responsibilities.  Chief Suttles has been with the Bear Valley Police Department since February of 2022.

We encourage citizen input and welcome opportunities to improve our service.  Chief Suttles makes himself available for the public to share their comments, concerns, or compliments with him directly.  You are welcome to meet with him any Wednesday morning at the Mulligan Room between 8:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m.

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