Just one week into his new role as Police Chief of Atascadero, Daniel Suttles shared his backstory, as well as his top priorities for the City of Atascadero and plans for addressing key issues.
Chief Suttles has worked in law enforcement for decades, holding two positions as Chief of Police in both Glendale and Bear Valley Springs. He specifically chose to come to Atascadero next, saying it felt “like coming home”.
“It reminded me very much of the atmosphere that I found myself in when I was in the Glendale Police Department. The culture here in this department is one that cares about the community but one that also cares about their personal growth,” Suttles said.
When asked about some of the issues facing Atascadero, like caring for its homeless population, he said, “It’s not something that can be handled solely by police departments… It’s not a law enforcement fix. It’s not something that you can arrest people for and fix the problem.”
Chief Suttles added that the police department currently works with organizations like ECHO, which specialize in helping the homeless. He suggested that by strengthening those relationships, his department can ensure that the city’s homeless are being cared for.
“We’re developing partnerships that actually have a meaningful impact to these issues,” Suttles said.
After discussing the issue of property crime in Atascadero, Suttles suggested ways the police department could approach the issue strategically.
“Understanding what the crime trends are, where they’re happening, using data-driven type of intelligence to tell us where to be and when to be there,” he said.
