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 Daniel Ellis Saban was born July 25, 1956, in Miami, Arizona to Mitch and Thelma Saban. He was the youngest of three, with an older stepbrother and stepsister. His father was a Copper Miner and his mother was a homemaker. They moved from this small mining town, during his 5th grade, to Mesa, Arizona, and Dan attended Longfellow Elementary School. His first memories are of recess, his first love (Opal Rey) and dreams of being a professional football player. However, as with most of us, childhood has its challenges. Dan's challenge was dealing with extreme asthma. Nonetheless, Dan enjoyed fried potatoes, his dogs, and the TV show 'Lost in Space'. Dan attended Mesa Jr. High where he was active on the football team and band. He attended Mesa High School from 1970-1974 where he focused on in studies. He was active in DECA and Junior Achievement, and street football, or any other 'street game' in his spare time. He dreamed, at the time, of owning a 1965 T-Bird. He recalls camping in the White Mountains, near Show Low, Arizona on vacations with a special memory for when he caught his first rainbow trout. After High School, Dan decided to try law enforcement as a profession, working for the County Sheriffs office before attending college. Then in the mid-80's, Dan decided it was time to continue his education. Instead of leaving law enforcement, he pursued his education while continuing to work. He was a deputy in the Maricopa County Sheriff's department until 1979, and then transferred to the Mesa Police department to become a patrol officer and Part-time SWAT team member, all while pursuing his degree. He even experienced numerous promotions while pursuing his education, a credit to Dan's goal orientation. He chose Justice Studies as a major, and in 1991 he graduated, Cum Laude from Arizona State University with a Bachelors degree in Justice Studies. In 1999 he graduated, Summa Cum Laude, from Northern Arizona University with a Masters degree in Human Relations. Dan is married to his lovely wife Donna and they have a blended family of 5 daughters, 3 granddaughters, and a grandson. Dan's family has always been a constant support for him and where he draws his strength to survive the challenges he has faced. Today, Dan is active in his faith life, focused on his family, and enjoys NFL football, Team Roping, Baby Ducks, and a good old-fashioned rib eye steak. Professional Biography Dan's first professional aspirations were to be a Heavy Equipment Operator. However, his first job was as a short-order cook at Sandy's Hamburger Stand, in Mesa, Arizona, where he earned $1.10/hour. This job helped provide him money and experience through high school. After High School, Dan took a job in construction, operating a backhoe. Shortly thereafter, he was laid off due to a lack of business. In 1976 at the age of 19, Dan answered an ad in the paper for a jail guard and began his law enforcement career. He also volunteered as a Reserve Deputy Sheriff with the Maricopa County Sheriff's office. Then in 1977, he was hired as a full time Sworn Deputy. Dan was hired by the City of Mesa Police Department in 1979, where he became a patrol officer. In addition, he spent five years on the S.W.A.T. team while a solo motor officer in the Traffic Division. In 1985, he was promoted to sergeant where he alternately supervised patrol functions, motor officers, Patrol Administrative Services, and the Internal Affairs Division. In addition to these assignments, Dan served as S.W.A.T. Sergeant for four years. With his 1991 promotion to lieutenant, Dan served as S.W.A.T. Commander for one year and led the Special Investigations Division's Gang/Intelligence unit, the Community Policing Division's Human Resources unit, and served as Patrol Lieutenant/Watch Commander. Dan joined the Mesa Police Department's Command Staff in 1998 as Falcon Field District Commander. He has also served as Staff Resources Commander, Special Investigations Commander, and Public Safety Commander. Then in 2003 Dan became Superstition District Commander, a position with functional responsibility for over 1400 officers and employees. Dan retired from the Mesa PD in 2004, and in 2005 was recruited to be Chief of Police for the Town of Buckeye, Arizona, a town growing so fast that his experience in building teams was highly sought after for this role. To date, Dan has spent over 30 years in law enforcement. Some of Dan's awards are noted below:
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