Official announcement is coming tomorrow that Ojai Police Chief Bruce Norris is moving on to another assignment in the Sheriff’s Department. His official last day will be Sunday, September 21. Captain Chris Dunn is taking over as the Ojai Police Chief, starting Monday the 22nd. Best of success to Captain Norris and welcome to Captain Dunn – you can read a letter from him following the jump…
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My name is Chris Dunn and I am a Captain with the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department. I have been in law enforcement for over 20 years, 14 years with the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department and over 6 years with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. During my career with the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department, I have held numerous assignments, including but not limited to, Camarillo Patrol, Headquarters Patrol, Fillmore Patrol, Camarillo Special Enforcement, Court Services Bureau, and Major Crimes Bureau. My most recent assignment has been that of Watch Commander in the Sheriff’s Communication Center.
I was born in the City of Los Angeles and spent several of my childhood years living in a very rural area of Northern Idaho, Sandpoint. When I was 13 years old, I returned to Southern California, taking residence in the City of Camarillo. I attended and graduated from Camarillo High School. I obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management from the University of Phoenix in 2004 and have been working towards a Masters Degree in Emergency Services Management at California State University Long Beach.
I married my high school sweetheart, Gina, and we have two teenage sons, Blake and Austin. We still live in Camarillo and have no intentions of leaving the Ventura County area. Gina and I have been active in our community through coaching youth sports and being active in the Boy Scouts of America program.
My strong desire to contribute to my community and country lead me to enlist in the United States Navy Reserves at 17 years old. I continue to be an active member with the Navy Reserve and received a commission in the Navy on June 1, 2007. I currently hold the position of Executive Officer for Navy Reserve Security Forces at Naval Base Ventura County. I will be taking over as the Commanding Officer of that reserve unit in November of 2008.
I look forward to serving the City of Ojai and the surrounding communities in the Ojai Valley area. My wife and I look forward to spending more time in Ojai and taking advantage of the numerous events, festivals, and activities Ojai has to offer.
{ 11 comments }
Shouldn’t Ojai have a police chief from Ojai? I understand many of the officers come here from Simi. What’s the incentive to fairly serve your community when you don’t even live here?!
If you had a police chief from Ojai, he’d be part of this community and accountable to acting in a fair and neighborly way – and that is very tough for a cop! They’re trained to be suspicious and over-react. I’ll give this guy a try, but my run-in with the cops in Ojai so far has been dismal and I’m a nice/green/animal loving law abiding citizen…so we’ll see, but I’m doubtful…
Correct me if I’m wrong, but I don’t think Ojai has its own police force ,they contract from the Ventura sherriff do they not?In my experience the town is either sparesley equipped or inundated with deputies.I have been told that Ojai is a training ground for new deputies and this is the reason for constant influx.Did they ever catch the guy that was involved in the Fox street shooting?Do they do anything about the gang members that graffiti anything that stands still?Or do anything about loitering street urchins and loiterers in the arcade?Maybe if the city had it’s own police force they would care more about the community but it sounds to me like Ojai has the equivalent of a mall rent-a-cop police farce.
Well Mario, I agree with you that we should have our own police force. But the reason for our own police force is not to go after “loiterers” in the arcade for crying out loud.
Not to attribute any conclusions regarding what you would like, as your post is too sparse for that, but still, it is remarkable and worth keeping in mind that sometimes two sides of an issue can want the same thing, for radically different reasons. A local police force is a case in point. For some, the problem with contracting out to a larger force is that they can’t be bothered to bust up parties, harass loiterers and homeless people and taggers and gang members and Earth Friend Jen, and “clean up the riffraff.” Let’s get our own police force so we can do that!
For others, we need our own police force so we can implement community policing, stop harassing our friends and neighbors and kids and the nonconformists among us, and redirect law enforcement energy toward a more productive, less repressive attitude.
Which is it for Ojai? Which is it for our new gentleman in command?
I hope the latter, and wish him luck however he proceeds.
Isn’t Sandpoint Idaho home of the Aryan Brotherhood?
Isn’t Sandpoint Idaho home of the Aryan Brotherhood?
Why not ask Chris Dunn face-to-face?
Suza,
As you are running for City Council, tell us exactly what you see as enforcement priorities for the new chief.
dear plz,
I believe there are several candidates running for City Council. Why don’t you address your question to all of them?
because none of read this blog..
because none of them read this blog..
they all read this blog, whether they like it or not!
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