For Immediate Release: Monday, March 19, 2012
Contact: Matt Rexroad, 916.648.1222
Former Police Chief Dave Snowden Endorses Leslie Daigle for State Assembly
Costa Mesa’s former “Top Cop” says Sacramento has failed to make Orange County safer
Costa Mesa, Calif. – Former Costa Mesa Chief of Police Dave Snowden today endorsed Newport Beach City Councilwoman Leslie Daigle for the newly drawn 74th Assembly District that includes his former city. Snowden was Costa Mesa’s police chief for 17 years (1986-2003). Today, Snowden serves as chief of police for the city of Beverly Hills.
Chief Snowden chose to endorse Leslie Daigle over her opponent, Alan Mansoor, who served on Costa Mesa’s City Council for several years.
“Chief Snowden is one of California’s most prominent and influential law enforcement officials. As a former President of the California Police Chief’s Association, he has a special understanding and familiarity of the law enforcement challenges facing the new assembly district and the state,” Councilwoman Daigle said in a statement. “I’m deeply honored to have earned his encouragement and support.”
“We have a Legislature full of partisan ideologues that have not made the streets of Orange County any safer,” stated Snowden. “Electing Leslie Daigle to the Assembly would be a huge step in changing the culture in Sacramento.”
Public safety has become a critical issue in the race for the 74th District after AB 109, enacted last year, shifted high-risk offenders from state prisons to local jails. Local jails face surging populations while local law enforcement struggles to keep criminals off our streets and away from our schools.
“Cities in the district want safe communities and our shared concerns include the level of funding, resources needed, housing of offenders, and the unknowns and impacts on the county and cities” Daigle said. “I will work with the police chiefs in the district to ensure the front line public safety net has adequate resources.”
The United States Supreme Court ordered California to reduce the number of inmates in prison by May, 2013. California’s solution AB 109, is intended to ease overcrowding at state prisons. Realignment system changes include the County assuming new responsibilities – supervision, custody and treatment of N3 (non-violent, non-serious, non-sex offenders) populations.
More than 40% of state prison inmates are re-incarcerated within three years of their prison release with a 67% recidivism rate.
There is a dedicated and permanent revenue stream to the counties through Vehicle License fees and a portion of the State sales tax. Funding will be available for county facilities expansion but this worries local communities who fear expansion of existing jails and the construction of new jails near residential communities.
Chief Snowden, a former Brigadier General in the State Military Reserve, served as Police Chief of both Costa Mesa and Baldwin Park. He is now the top cop for the City of Beverly Hills where he is responsible for preventing crime, protecting life and property, suppressing criminal activity, apprehending and prosecuting offenders and preserving the public peace. He is the recipient of numerous law enforcement honors including the 2007 Shomrim Award, the 2003 Sherman Block Law Enforcement Professional of the Year Award as well as the prestigious Jack Webb Award from LAPD. He has served on the board of directors for the California League of Cities and in several law enforcement organizations, including the League’s Police Chief Department, the California Police Chiefs Association and the Airborne Law Enforcement (ABLE). He was Orange County’s Volunteer of the Year in 2003 and was voted to the Costa Mesa Hall of Fame the same year.
Serving her second term on the Newport Beach City Council, Daigle is a driving force for sound fiscal policies, support of the city’s entrepreneurs and risk-takers, and effective service delivery including maintaining public safety response levels. When the City cut actual spending, it worked with police and fire services to maintain the city’s high service delivery levels.
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