Born in Miami, Arizona, on July 25, 1956, Dan Saban is a native Arizonan and is the youngest of three children, with an older stepbrother and stepsister. His father was a Copper Miner and his mother a homemaker.
During Dan’s fifth grade, the Saban family moved from the small mining town of Miami to Mesa, Arizona, where Dan attended Longfellow Elementary School until going to Mesa Jr. High where he was active on the football team and band. Dan graduated from Mesa High School in 1974 and during his high school years was active in DECA and Junior Achievement.
After High School, Dan took a job in construction, operating a backhoe. He was laid off due to a lack of business and in 1976 Dan answered an ad in the newspaper for detention officers at the Maricopa Sheriffs Office. Although he didn’t know it at the time, answering that ad would change the course of his life and catapult him into what would grow to be an extremely successful law enforcement career.
During the 1980’s, Dan wanted to pursue his education, but instead of leaving law enforcement, he worked on his college degree while continuing to work. He chose Justice Studies as a major, and in 1991 he graduated, Cum Laude from Arizona State University with a Bachelors degree in Justice Studies. In 1999 he graduated, Summa Cum Laude, from Northern Arizona University with a Masters degree in Human Relations.
Dan and his wife Donna live in Gilbert and have a blended family of five daughters, three granddaughters and a grandson. After 32 years of public service, Dan continues to have a passion for serving his community. Eleven years ago along with his wife, Donna, and his daughters, he founded “Kops & Kowboys for Kids,” which is a non-profit organization that bolsters the services of various children's charities, such as the Child Crisis Center.
Also, each January, Dan dedicates the entire year to a charity (in addition to his Kops & Kowboys for Kids) in which to donate his time. This year, 2008, he is committed to helping the homeless and each Friday for the rest of the year, Dan will serve breakfast at the Phoenix Rescue Mission to help feed the homeless. Also, Dan and Donna for the past four years have participated in short-term missions for their church and travelled to the Dominican Republic to participate in the program, Food for the Hungry.
Dan Saban is devoted to his family, his career and his community. This devotion has earned him a reputation among his professional peers as a man of integrity who is committed to excellent policing. Through his community outreach and volunteer activities, Dan has gained a reputation for kindness and generosity among citizens.
* Dan Saban has 32 years of professional law enforcement experience to successfully lead the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office and is widely known among his peers for his integrity and commitment to excellent policing.
* Dan Saban has built a solid reputation as a leader in police services and management distinguishing himself as an expert in public safety and community partnerships.
* Dan Saban has a record of creating community partnership policing models which successfully incorporates businesses, schools and faith-based organizations in his efforts to reduce crime through targeted prevention efforts.
* Dan Saban’s innovative approach to police work has led to the successful integration of Police, Fire and Public Works services response to emergency situations. His efforts have been recognized on the state level with the Arizona Counter-Terrorism Center and the Arizona Department of Homeland Security as a model for other agencies to follow.
Dan Saban’s illustrious law enforcement career has prepared him to lead the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office:
* In 2005, Dan Saban was recruited to serve as Police Chief for the Town of Buckeye and since has transformed this growing department, raising the standards of professional achievement and performance among the officers in the department and gaining the trust of the community.
* In 2004, Dan retired from the Mesa Police Department as the Commander responsible for the Superstition District, which was a position with functional responsibility for more than 1,400 officers and employees.
* In 1998, Dan became a member the Mesa Police Department's Command Staff as the Falcon Field District Commander and also served as Staff Resources Commander, Special Investigations Commander, and Public Safety Commander.
* In 1991, Dan was promoted to Lieutenant and served as the Mesa Police Department S.W.A.T. Commander and led the Special Investigations Division's Gang/Intelligence unit, the Community Policing Division's Human Resources unit, and served as Patrol Lieutenant/Watch Commander.
* In 1985, Dan was promoted to Sergeant where he alternately supervised patrol functions, motor officers, Patrol Administrative Services, and the Internal Affairs Division. In addition to these assignments, he also served as S.W.A.T. Sergeant for four years.
* In addition, he spent five years on the S.W.A.T. team while a solo motor officer in the Traffic Division.
* In 1979, Dan was hired by the City of Mesa Police Department as a patrol officer.
* In 1977, Dan was hired as full-time sworn deputy for the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office.
* In 1976, at the age of 19, Dan answered an ad in the paper for a Detention Officer and began his law enforcement career with the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office.
* In 1975, Dan volunteered to serve as a reserve Deputy Sheriff for the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office.
Some of Dan's professional awards are noted below:
* Nominated for the 2001 Charles K. Luster Award (volunteerism).
* 2001 Town of Gilbert Community of Character Teamwork Award.
* 2000 Child Crisis Center Volunteer Award.
* Awarded 24 personal commendations for outstanding police work.
* Awarded distinguished service award for developing and implementing holiday East Valley D.U.I. Task Force.
* Awarded five unit citations, Traffic, S.W.A.T., Training, and SID (2).
* 2007 Living the Dream Award, Northwest Black History Committee
* 2007 Recognized by the Arizona Governor’s Office and the White House for Community Initiatives in a national forum for creating the Faith Builders Public Safety Partnership in Buckeye, Arizona.
I have my fingers and toes crossed for you Dan! The anticipation is killing me...Please no joe, Please no joe. (his name doesn't deserve to be capitalized)
Best of luck in the upcoming election! It will be so refreshing to have Dan and Tim Nelson running Maricopa County with integrity! What a breath of fresh air you will both be! Fingers crossed
Thanks for The add! It'll great to have someone with integrity and honor in office. For so long my trust and respect for the MCSO has been lost, but with you elected, that will change. I'm wearing my Dan Saban for sheriff pin and sporting your bumper sticker till the day you take office. Good work!
Congrats! Channel 15 ABC news appearance you coudn't have said it better! FANTASTICO!... I proudly drive around with my bumpersticker "sabanforsheriff. com"
KTVK, channel 3, is going to show a 5 minute candidate profile on Dan Saban this evening, August 15, 2008 , during the 9-10pm news hour with Beverly Kidd.
Please set your TiVo's or switch on Channel 3 to check it out.
