Commander Daniel Cohen

Commander Daniel Cohen is a lifelong resident of the central coast and attended the Allan Hancock College Law Enforcement Academy in Santa Maria in 1996. He began his 27-year law enforcement career with the Ontario Police Department in Southern California before he was able to transfer back home to the Santa Maria Police Department in 1998. Throughout his 25-year tenure with SMPD, he has held every rank the department offered: officer, corporal, sergeant, and lieutenant, and was most recently promoted to Division Commander in 2017.

Commander Cohen has held a variety of assignments to include; Patrol Officer, Field Training Officer, Gang Detective, Watch Commander, supervisor, and Administrative Aide to the Chief. As a commander, he has supervised all three divisions of the department: operations, investigations, and administration. Commander Cohen is a court-recognized expert in the area of criminal street gangs and narcotic sales and has testified in numerous hearings.

As a community outreach project, Commander Cohen produced the gang prevention documentary, Life Facing Bars.

Commander Cohen is a 2019 graduate of the FBI National Academy, Class 278. He holds an Associate of Arts Degree in Criminal Justice, a Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice, and a Master of Science Degree in Organizational Leadership. He currently serves as a board member on the YMCA’s Social Emotional Wellness Task Force.

Highlights