Former Sheriff Candidate Dave Myers To Become Jewish Family Service's 1st Security Director

By Editor, Times of San Diego

March 4, 2023

Dave Myers, a former candidate for San Diego County sheriff, will be the first director of safety and security for Jewish Family Service of San Diego, the organization said Friday.

Myers will oversee security for all programs and services.

He is a retired sheriff’s commander who spent more than 35 years in law enforcement. While with the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, Myers worked in almost every division, moving up the ranks from patrol deputy to commander, before running for Sheriff.

Last year, he fell just short of making it past the June primary, and in 2018, he lost the general election to now-retired Sheriff Bill Gore.

“The safety of our community has always been a top priority,” said JFS CEO Michael Hopkins. “It is incredibly important to entrust that responsibility to someone who will protect the well-being of all who step foot on the JFS campus, while always meeting them with compassion and respect.”

While in law enforcement, Myers established the Sheriff’s Department Youth Advisory Group, so the department could hear directly from young people about their concerns and aspirations.

He also held the post of board president of the YES Program, a nonprofit organization in Barrio Logan that connects at-risk youth with social services such as remedial education, work readiness skills and connections to employment opportunities.

He served for 15 years as an elected trustee on the San Diego County Employees’ Retirement Association, overseeing nearly $15 billion in defined pension assets for nearly 44,000 public employees. He was twice elected board chairman.

Among his honors, Myers received the Medal for Lifesaving in 1994 after stopping a person from jumping off a bridge onto a busy roadway and an Excellence in Law Enforcement Research Gold Award in 2015 from the International Association of Chiefs of Police.

He also has authored several articles based on his experience in law enforcement, including topics relating to lone-wolf terrorism, law enforcement in Israel, LGBTQ issues in law enforcement and regional law enforcement collaboration.

The hire comes at a time when groups have recorded a rise in anti-semitism. According to an NPR report, the Anti-Defamation League said in 2021 that reports of harassment, vandalism and violence against Jews were at their highest level ever.

Two years before, a gunman killed one and left three others injured at a Poway synagogue.

JFS, based in Kearny Mesa, offers aid to individuals and families in need, while developing strategies in an attempt to break cycles of poverty and strengthen the San Diego community.

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