Daniel Hahn
Chief of Police (Retired), Sacramento Police Department
& Course Instructor
Retired Chief Daniel Hahn was raised in the Oak Park neighborhood of Sacramento after being adopted at three months old. When he was nine years old, he witnessed gun violence, including a murder, and at age 16, he was arrested for resisting an officer. His younger brother was murdered by gun violence in downtown Sacramento in 1992.
Although he never considered a career in law enforcement growing up, Hahn was persuaded to apply for the Sacramento Police Department while attending Sacramento City College. He was hired as a community service officer in 1987 and rose to the rank of captain. He served in numerous assignments at Sacramento PD, including public information officer, high school criminal justice academy coordinator, watch commander, special investigations commander, patrol commander, and commander of the Personnel Division.
In March 2011, Hahn was selected and sworn in as chief of police in the nearby city of Roseville. In August 2017, after six years at the helm in Roseville, he returned to his hometown to become the Sacramento Police Department’s 45th chief of police. He is also the first African American to hold the office in Sacramento. Eclipsing a distinguished 34-year career in policing, Hahn retired in December 2021. He now serves as dean of the Sacramento Regional Public Safety Center at American River College.
Chief Hahn demonstrated model leadership through several high-profile crises, all the while being focused on the vitality of the Sacramento community and the fidelity of the police department to be at its professional best. He led with genuine belief that by working in true partnership with the community, Sacramento would remain a great city in which to live, work and play.
Throughout his career, Chief Hahn was honored with numerous awards. He is a member of several professional organizations, including the California Police Chiefs Association and the International Association of Chiefs of Police, and he has perpetually volunteered his time on boards and committees throughout the region. He serves as an adjunct professor at California State University, Sacramento, and he regularly teaches a history and bias course that he developed through years of research.
Hahn holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from California State University, Sacramento and a master’s degree in Public Administration from National University. He is also a graduate of the FBI National Academy, P.O.S.T. Command College, Sierra Health Foundation Leadership Program, American Leadership Forum (ALF), and Stanford University’s Local Governance Summer Institute.
Chief Hahn is also a committed and proud father of two incredible daughters, and dedicated husband to his beautiful and always supportive wife, Katrina.