Lieutenant Daniel Saldana grew up in the city of Apache Junction and joined his hometown police department in 2005. He spent his first years as an officer on patrol and as a detective while also learning to assist the SWAT team as a crisis negotiator. During this time, he was also enrolled in classes to obtain his associate and bachelor’s degrees. He moved up the ranks to achieve his current position in July 2022. 

Lt. Saldana serves in Support Services, where he is responsible for planning and coordinating security and safety at special events such as parades, concerts, festivals, and other community events. He also provides oversight to the Professional Standards Bureau, positively influencing hiring practices, training, and community relationships. He has helped build and manage the agency’s social media accounts, and his bilingualism has been crucial in connecting with Spanish media outlets and Spanish-speaking community members.  

Throughout his career, Lt. Saldana has been a positive and well-respected role model and mentor to his peers and community members. This is most evident in his efforts to create a peer support team and his bringing the National Faith and Blue initiative to the City of Apache Junction. For this event, several hundred people from three different church congregations, representing multiple ethnicities from around the world, came together for a community event with the police department to share and celebrate their cultures. 

“My motivation grew from others who helped me, and now I hope to be that same motivation to those I interact with daily.”