Arlene Salazar
Director of Police Services

Ms. Salazar has an impressive professional background in the public sector. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Organizational Leadership and a master’s degree in Business Administration, and is a recipient of several certificates in event management, grants management, transit operations, disaster preparedness, and human resources best practices. As a highly skilled executive-level manager, Ms. Salazar has proudly served in various leadership positions in her 30+ years of municipal government experience.

She started her career in 1990 with the City of Norwalk in the Public Safety Department, supervising and coordinating the development of community-based anti-crime and neighborhood services programs. In a supervisor capacity, she was responsible for hiring and supervising staff and preparing budgets for public safety officers, code enforcement, parking enforcement, park safety, overseeing contract law enforcement service billing, grants management and implementing youth anti-gang intervention and prevention services. The diversity of her experience in Norwalk provided her with the opportunity for professional growth, leading to increasingly higher-level management positions with the cities of Chino, Downey, Pico Rivera, and most recently as the Assistant City Manager for Montebello.  

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   Department of Police Services

The Department of Police Services is dedicated to public safety and working together for a safe community. Our mission is to provide high quality public safety and law enforcement services through innovative community-police partnerships. The Department of Police Services is responsible for the management of all law enforcement services in the City. Is is compromised of City Administrative Personnel, Public Safety Officers, Code Enforcement Officers, and the Homelessness Engagement Team that work alongside Whittier Police Department sworn personnel on developing effective solutions to address community defined law enforcement concerns and providing quality services. 

Administration: Administrative Assistants provide customer service to patrons and support all Department personnel. Administrative personnel also manage permits for secondhand dealers permits, mobile food trucks, sidewalk vending, solicitors, yard sales and RV Permits, and manage the Camera Rebate Program. 

Public Safety: Public Safety Officers provide citywide support and perform a veriety of public safety and law enforcement functions and serve as a liaison between law enforcement and the community. Their duties include but are not limited to responding to non-emergent/non-hazardous calls for service, preparing crime reports, traffic collision reports, securing parks, coordinating the removal of illegally dumped items and graffiti, assisting at City special events, community engagement/programs and enforcing parking/municipal code violations. 

Code Enforcement: The division works closely with all City departments to ensure community needs are met. Inspectors are responsible for enforcing Municipal Code violations related to commercial and residential property maintenance standards, illegal business operations, unpermitted land use, and illegal construction. Code Enforcement Inspectors also enforce building code violations, zoning violations, health and safety standards related to environmental protection, and neighborhood preservation. 

Homelessness Engagement Team: The team assist individuals experiencing homelessness or are on the verge of homelessness. A Social Services Case Manager and Housing Navigator are available to connect individuals with shelter, housing resources, and supportive services. 

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With the exception of jailing and dispatch, this Department is responsible for management of all law enforcement services within the City. The Department is staffed by both City personnel and officers of the Whittier Police Department, who provide services to Santa Fe Springs under contract.