On March 19, the City of Sunnyvale announced the retirement of the Department of Public Safety (DPS) Chief Phan Ngo after serving as chief since 2017. Ngo will retire at the end of April with 36 years of dedicated public safety experience. The City will conduct a nationwide recruitment to find his replacement.
“Our City will remember Chief Ngo for his resolute work in our community, vigorously supporting both our first responders, and fostering a culture of community partnership,” said Sunnyvale City Manager Tim Kirby. “Chief Ngo gave his heart to the job, helping to lead our City through a worldwide pandemic and standing as a fierce advocate for our extremely successful public safety model. On behalf of City employees and the residents of Sunnyvale, we wish him the best on his next chapter.”
During Chief Ngo’s tenure, Sunnyvale consistently ranked as one of the safest cities in the country, by SmartAsset. Chief Ngo also oversaw several positive new programs and Sunnyvale DPS improvements including:
- Successful Recruiting: Through a robust recruitment program, DPS has hired nearly 150 sworn personnel since 2017 to address a wave of retirements and maintain the department’s current budget of 204 sworn positions.
- Modernization: The completion of the new Emergency Operations Center (EOC) and remodel of DPS Headquarters, allowing DPS to modernize department operations.
- Drone Program: DPS became the first safety agency in Santa Clara County to start a drone program.
- Community programs: Created the Youth Leadership Academy and the Public Safety Citizens Academy, and increased the capacity of Sunnyvale’s CERT Program.
Chief Ngo started his career with the San Jose Police Department in 1989, where he rose to the rank of Deputy Chief of Police. Ngo is a member of the Santa Clara County Police Chiefs Association, California Police Chiefs Association, Police Executive Research Forum, and International Association of Chiefs of Police; has served on numerous public safety executive boards; served as President of the Santa Clara County Police Chiefs Association 2020-2021, and has been recognized by both the City of San Jose and Santa Clara County for dedication and service to the Vietnamese community.
“I am honored to have served as the Chief of the Department of Public Safety in Sunnyvale, where the many tireless men and women of our department strive daily to keep residents safe,” said Chief Phan Ngo. “Community engagement, dedication, and City pride have cemented my tenure in Sunnyvale—and I have always strived to amplify what it really means to be in law enforcement, working closely with our residents and embracing our diverse community.”
Sunnyvale will lead a nationwide recruitment for its next Director of Public Safety. The City is actively seeking community input through a survey, available for public participation at Sunnyvale’s Open City Hall. Details on the recruitment are forthcoming. Sunnyvale’s public safety model is one of the most longstanding fully integrated police, fire and emergency medical services in the United States, and each sworn officer is fully trained in all three disciplines. The new director will oversee a department of 293 sworn and non-sworn personnel providing a range of services including emergency response, fire prevention, animal control, vehicle abatement, crime prevention, and code enforcement.
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