U.S. House of Representatives Honors Chief Neil Gang as Public Safety Hero of the Year
Chief Neil Gang was honored by the United States House of Representatives on February 15, 2020 as a Public Safety Hero of the Year. Chief Gang humbly accepted the award, which emphasized his leadership and focus on officer wellness, in honor of the 228 officers known to have died by suicide last year, in addition to everyone who is working to help improve outcomes for law enforcement nationwide.
Below is the text for Chief Neil Gang’s citation from Congressman Mike Thompson.
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Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Pinole Police Chief Neil Gang, whom I have named a Public Safety Hero of the Year.
After attaining a Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminal Justice from Wayland Baptist University, Chief Gang began his career in law enforcement as a patrol officer in West Windsor, New Jersey before moving on to the Pembroke Pines Police Department in Florida, and then to Surprise, Arizona, where he served as a K9 handler, patrol officer, and eventually as the acting Police Commander, before moving to Pinole, California.
As Chief of the Pinole Police Department, he has worked tirelessly to apply is diverse experience to bringing our community closer together, implementing a variety of public outreach programs such as Coffee with Cops and Pray with the Police, efforts which have greatly contributed to the positive public perception of local law enforcement.
Chief Gang contributes to our community in an invaluable way through his efforts to strengthen the department internally. He led the implementation of the Asher Model, the seven-point approach to a culture of wellness, named after Officer Asher Rosinksy who Chief Gang served with in the Pembroke Pines Police Department. Officer Rosinsky killed himself with his service weapon. This tragic event motivated Chief Gang to focused on officer wellness and improving access to mental health services for police officers. He has traveled across the United States to educate others on this model. His innovative leadership underscores the commitment he brings to the duties of his office.
Madam Speaker, Chief Neil Gang is the kind of public servant that our communities rely on to thrive, and his leadership, integrity, and drive to enact positive change distinguish him. It is therefore fitting and proper that we honor Chief Gang here today.
MIKE THOMPSON
Member of Congress
About Chief Neil H. Gang
Police Chief Neil H. Gang began his career with West Windsor, NJ Police Department in 1988. After several stops along the way to include Pembroke Pines, FL and Surprise, AZ, Neil was selected to become the Police Chief for the Pinole Police Department in 2014. With over 30 years of experience at all levels of a full service agency, Gang’s policing strategy is progressive and innovative. He is an action-oriented problem solver who believes that leadership is all about building relationships and relationships build trust; without a community-oriented focus and partnerships, success could not be achieved.
Gang’s philosophy toward community engagement is his main focus, most notably seen through his development and effective use of Community Outreach programs. His most relevant work focuses on innovation and community engagement, and in 2019 his agency was first in the Nation to create a Video Reporting program that allows citizens to utilize different platforms to report crimes remotely and still receive officer engagement. Neil also was the first in the Nation to partner with ThinBlueOnline for their online de-escalation technology and training software.
Neil has been involved in Special Olympics throughout his career and now in Northern California, where he is a member of the Northern California Executive Advisory Board. He also participates in the annual Torch Run kick-off Conference, Bike the Bridges, Law Enforcement Torch Run, Tip-a-Cop, the Bay Area Games and the opening ceremony for the Northern California Summer Games. In 2016, Neil was awarded the Special Olympics Northern California Chief of the Year.
Neil is a graduate of the prestigious Northwestern School of Police Staff and Command, where he was both the president of the class and the recipient of the Franklin M. Kremel Award for excellence in the field of leadership. Neil has a Bachelor’s of Applied Science Degree in Administrative Justice from Wayland Baptist University and is a graduate of the California POST Management School. He is also member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, Police Executive Research Forum, International Hostage Negotiators Association, California Police Chiefs Association and the National Association of Police. Neil was also a past Northern California representative on the California Peace Officer Memorial Foundation Board and the Chairman of the West County Police Chief’s Association.