Chief’s last day is an anniversary

Deepa Bharath

Chief Dave Snowden’s last day at work turned out to be a collage of

laughter, tears, hugs, memories, musings and a little bit of irony.

It was exactly 37 years ago, on June 13, that Costa Mesa’s chief

started his career as a young officer at the Montebello Police

Department.

Snowden, who called it a career Friday after serving as the city’s

chief of police for 16 years, said he hadn’t thought about the

coincidence until Friday morning when he went golfing with a few of

his buddies.

“These were the guys who went to the academy with me,” he said.

“And it wasn’t until one of them mentioned the date to me that I

realized how amazing it was.”

Snowden said that during the many goodbyes and thank-yous, he has

been thinking a lot about the two helicopter pilots who lost their

lives in a 1987 crash. Two Costa Mesa policemen and a civilian riding

along were killed when their helicopter collided midair over Irvine

with a Newport Beach police helicopter as they were pursuing a

burglary suspect.

Every day, it serves as a sad reminder for him about the dangers

of the job he and his officers love so much, Snowden said.

“I always think about my pilots,” he said. “I think about how some

officers get out of the business. And today, I feel so fortunate to

be able to end my career safe and sound.”

But Friday proved to be quite delightful for the chief. His

assistant and a few others took him out to a farewell lunch at the

Yard House, and his boss, City Manager Allan Roeder, paid him a visit

in his office.

On Thursday, Snowden was “surprised” by his colleagues at the

Airborne Law Enforcement unit, which operates the police helicopters

for Costa Mesa and Newport Beach. The agency was born of a

collaborative effort between the two cities, an accomplishment

Snowden and his Newport Beach counterpart, Bob McDonell, are proud

of.

McDonell presented Snowden with a plaque with the two cities’

badges on it. Snowden said he was thrilled with the presentation.

Even more exhilarating was the announcement by ABLE officers that

they are going to dedicate the unit’s newest helicopter to the

retiring chief.

“That was so emotional,” Snowden said. “It’s such an honor.”

Snowden will also celebrate the bittersweet occasion with

colleagues, friends and community members during a party at the Costa

Mesa Hilton on Saturday night.

That the chief will be gone hasn’t “quite sunk in,” Lt. Les

Gogerty said.

“Here’s been here 16 years,” he said. “He’s done a lot of great

things for the community and the department and he’s touched a lot of

people. And personally, he promoted me to sergeant and lieutenant. He

pinned those badges on me.”

Gogerty said he is happy for Snowden, who “won’t have to worry

anymore about anything here.”

“But until he walks out that door, it’s not really going to hit

me,” he said.

Gogerty said he, like others in the department, is eager to meet

the new chief John Hensley, who now heads the Cypress Police

Department. Hensley is set to take over Monday.

“With any change, there’s anxiety and excitement,” Gogerty said.

“I’m looking forward to meeting and working with the new chief.”

* DEEPA BHARATH covers public safety and courts. She may be

reached at (949) 574-4226 or by e-mail at [email protected].