Council Honors Police Officer of the Year

Newark Police Officer Dan Anderson was named 2011 Officer of the Year and was honored by the Newark City Council Thursday.

It is an award in which his colleagues selected him.

Anderson, who joined the in 1986 and currently works in the department's detective division, has fulfilled many roles within the department and was described by Commander Michael Carroll as an "outstanding detective."

This is Anderson's fourth time being selected as Newark's Officer of the Year.

Carroll said Anderson's work ethic is one that is exemplary.

"He has an unlimited amount of energy and resolve when he is focused on a task. He is very goal oriented and detail oriented which drives him to be an excellent detective," said Carroll.

Carroll added that Anderson is even attentive to when it comes to writing police reports that he described as well written with "the perfect amount of details, without being cumbersome."

Anderson's work in complex investigations is impressive, said Carroll. He added that Anderson can maintain organization and structure to meet needs despite the department's limited resources.

This ability continues to be "an invaluable tool" in the investigation of the 2010 stabbing death of Justice Afoa a former Newark Memorial High School Student and several other high-profile cases, Carroll said.

"He is able to undertake several major tasks and complete them systematically without becoming overwhelmed," Carroll said.

Carroll said Anderson has played a major role in investigating the Afoa case, the 2011 killing of Evangeling Contillo, the residential burglary in January that led to the killing of Pleasanton resident Robert Cheney and the alleged February shooting and attempted murder of a federal officer that lives in Newark.

"In each of those high profile incidents, a suspect or multiple suspects have been arrested. While Detective Anderson clearly has taken on more than his share of the high profile cases, he has not once asked to be reassigned from the Afoa investigation," Carroll said.

The following is a biography on Anderson courtesy of the Newark Police Department in which his law enforcement career and achievements to date are outlined:

Officer Anderson has been with the Newark Police Department since 1986.

He is currently assigned to the Detective Division for the third time in his career (1990-1994, 1996-1999, and 2004-present).

In his early years, Officer Anderson developed an expertise in Fraud investigations. He is a court-recognized expert in 11 individual fraud areas, including cloned phones, counterfeit credit cards, and several check offenses,

In the last few years, Officer Anderson has primarily investigated homicide, robbery, and sexual assault cases, where he has developed an expertise in cellular telephone call and tower analysis.

 Officer Anderson has written over 300 search warrants in his career and has successfully investigated thousands of cases including multiple cases for allied agencies which have utilized his expertise in cell phone investigations.

Officer Anderson has been a longtime instructor in the Newark Police Department Citizen Academy, within the Department, and to various other community and Law Enforcement groups.

He is also a long time member of several professional associations including the California Financial Crime Investigators Association (CFCIA), the International Association of Financial Crimes Investigators (IAFCI), the California Homicide Investigators Association (CHIA), and the California Association of Hostage Negotiators (CAHN).

Officer Anderson holds several other specialized assignments within the Department, including as a Field Training Officer, a member of the Hostage Negotiation Team, and a Crime Scene Investigator.

Officer Anderson holds both A.A. and B.A. degrees and a Teaching Credential. He was previously selected as Officer of the Year in 1988, 2001, and 2005.