Celebrating PVE People
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Articles - Interviews - Updates Our community is filled with volunteers, residents and leaders who are making our community safer and more connected.
Let's celebrate their contributions and get to know them better. |
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Welcoming Acting Chief Tony Best
Captain Tony Best will be serving in the position of Acting Chief for PVE Police Department. He will be leading day-to-day operations as Interim Chief Dreiling completes his allotted time in this role and focuses on completing the Police Department Report requested by the Police Ad Hoc Committee.
This was an expected change and our City will benefit from the experience and knowledge.
More About Tony Best
Captain Anthony Best (Tony) is a native of Southern California. After leaving the ranks of the U.S. Marine Corps in 1995, Tony began his career in law enforcement with this City as a Services Officer. In 1996, Tony accepted a police officer cadet position with the department and was assigned to attend the rigorous Orange County Sheriff’s Academy to become a police officer. After graduation, as class sergeant, Tony immediately began to distinguish himself. He was our department’s first motorcycle officer; he later became a canine handler; he was promoted to the rank of police corporal in 2006; in 2007 he rose to the rank of police sergeant, working as a watch commander, the department range master, and department’s training sergeant. All the while Tony continued his education ultimately obtaining a Bachelor of Science Degree from Cal State Long Beach and Master’s Degree from National University.
Tony was promoted to the rank of police captain in 2012 and served as the Patrol Division Commander until 2015. In 2016, Tony was selected to attend the FBI National Academy in Quantico, VA and graduated that same year. Tony currently serves as the Support Services Division Commander.
Photo Courtesy or KNX 1070
Officer Aaron Belda Nominated as KNX Hero (7/23/2020)
About Corporal Aaron Belda:
"I’m a third generation police officer. My grandfather flew the first helicopter for LAPD [Los Angeles Police Department]. He started their aero bureau. As a little boy, I grew up with my single Mom who followed in my grandfather’s footsteps. She was an LA County Deputy Sheriff. First, she was with LAPD, and then went to the Sheriff’s Department and lateralled to the DA’s office as a criminal investigator.
It’s always been in my family. It was a calling for me. It’s not a job or a profession—it’s the only thing I’ve wanted to do. It’s who I am. It’s been in the family and it’s just what I feel that I’m here to do.
My history has been devoted to service and helping others. Once I started, I was hooked. With everyone here at PVE, it’s like working with your family. We just want to say “Thank You” for your support."
Click here to view KNX AM 1070 Report and Audio
Corporal Belda's Interview with PVE Neighborhood Watch
July 27, 2020—A conversation with Corporal Aaron Belda of the Palos Verdes Estates Police Department and Merlin David, president of the PVE Neighborhood Watch:
What would the police officers like to see us as a community do in order to help you be more successful?
For us to be successful, keep promoting the campaign: if you see something—say something. We rely heavily on the community to be our eyes and ears. We are grateful when we get a call for service where it may stem from a set of suspicious circumstances or something just a little suspicious (or otherwise innocuous)—they call the police and report it so we can go out and make a contact—and it turns into an investigation. Very often, this results in making an arrest for property crime or other offense. A lot of times, if it looks like a duck and it sounds like a duck—it is a duck. If it looks funny, if you see something, please say something. It’s that partnership—that two-way line of communication is what we rely on in order to be successful in keeping the community safe. That’s our number one goal: to maintain the quality of life or improve the quality of life—and ensure the residents have a feeling of safety and tranquility in the city of Palos Verdes Estates.
What can we do to help you?
It always helps us when we know we have our community’s support. We realize that everyone has their own lives and not everyone can take time out to support their own law enforcement, but what I like to see doesn’t pertain to anything official, other than reporting things when you them. It always puts the fire back in our belly when we see a “We Support the Police” sign or a Thin Blue Line flag flying. We like to see “We Support Our Local PVE Police” stickers or lawn signs. Some people are into it and some people are not, but we have all those things available through our POA [Police Officers Association]. It makes a world of difference. There is so much negativity with law enforcement right now—that negative sentiment can make it difficult at times to have a passion for the job. For those of us who are still here, it really does reignite that flame of passion—to see support coming specifically from our community members.
It probably doesn’t have to be anything formal.
Any outreach, even someone waving and greeting us, “Hey Officer, how are you doing?” It just helps when someone engages with us. With all that’s happening around the country and the sentiment towards law enforcement, we’re all just thankful to have a job. We know a lot of people don’t like the police. Nobody likes the watchdog. We get used to people looking at us through a skeptical lens. But it feels nice when someone engages us and humanizes the experience. It helps when you’re not contacting them when you get a call for service or someone’s in trouble or you’ve witnessed them do a speeding violation or a stop sign violation—something out in the street. Just saying “Hi” or letting us know we are appreciated—that means the world to us. I love seeing you out in the field, Merlin. It’s always nice to see your smiling face or you waving at us and greeting us.
About Corporal Aaron Belda:
"I’m a third generation police officer. My grandfather flew the first helicopter for LAPD [Los Angeles Police Department]. He started their aero bureau. As a little boy, I grew up with my single Mom who followed in my grandfather’s footsteps. She was an LA County Deputy Sheriff. First, she was with LAPD, and then went to the Sheriff’s Department and lateralled to the DA’s office as a criminal investigator.
It’s always been in my family. It was a calling for me. It’s not a job or a profession—it’s the only thing I’ve wanted to do. It’s who I am. It’s been in the family and it’s just what I feel that I’m here to do.
My history has been devoted to service and helping others. Once I started, I was hooked. With everyone here at PVE, it’s like working with your family. We just want to say “Thank You” for your support."
Click here to view KNX AM 1070 Report and Audio
Corporal Belda's Interview with PVE Neighborhood Watch
July 27, 2020—A conversation with Corporal Aaron Belda of the Palos Verdes Estates Police Department and Merlin David, president of the PVE Neighborhood Watch:
What would the police officers like to see us as a community do in order to help you be more successful?
For us to be successful, keep promoting the campaign: if you see something—say something. We rely heavily on the community to be our eyes and ears. We are grateful when we get a call for service where it may stem from a set of suspicious circumstances or something just a little suspicious (or otherwise innocuous)—they call the police and report it so we can go out and make a contact—and it turns into an investigation. Very often, this results in making an arrest for property crime or other offense. A lot of times, if it looks like a duck and it sounds like a duck—it is a duck. If it looks funny, if you see something, please say something. It’s that partnership—that two-way line of communication is what we rely on in order to be successful in keeping the community safe. That’s our number one goal: to maintain the quality of life or improve the quality of life—and ensure the residents have a feeling of safety and tranquility in the city of Palos Verdes Estates.
What can we do to help you?
It always helps us when we know we have our community’s support. We realize that everyone has their own lives and not everyone can take time out to support their own law enforcement, but what I like to see doesn’t pertain to anything official, other than reporting things when you them. It always puts the fire back in our belly when we see a “We Support the Police” sign or a Thin Blue Line flag flying. We like to see “We Support Our Local PVE Police” stickers or lawn signs. Some people are into it and some people are not, but we have all those things available through our POA [Police Officers Association]. It makes a world of difference. There is so much negativity with law enforcement right now—that negative sentiment can make it difficult at times to have a passion for the job. For those of us who are still here, it really does reignite that flame of passion—to see support coming specifically from our community members.
It probably doesn’t have to be anything formal.
Any outreach, even someone waving and greeting us, “Hey Officer, how are you doing?” It just helps when someone engages with us. With all that’s happening around the country and the sentiment towards law enforcement, we’re all just thankful to have a job. We know a lot of people don’t like the police. Nobody likes the watchdog. We get used to people looking at us through a skeptical lens. But it feels nice when someone engages us and humanizes the experience. It helps when you’re not contacting them when you get a call for service or someone’s in trouble or you’ve witnessed them do a speeding violation or a stop sign violation—something out in the street. Just saying “Hi” or letting us know we are appreciated—that means the world to us. I love seeing you out in the field, Merlin. It’s always nice to see your smiling face or you waving at us and greeting us.