Robert
Snaza

Sheriff Snaza leads an agency of roughly 110 across patrol operations, investigations, corrections and civil divisions, with executive responsibility for strategic planning, budgeting, policy development and personnel leadership. He came up through that same agency, serving as deputy, patrol sergeant, SWAT team member, SWAT team leader and SWAT team commander before election as Sheriff.

He established the county’s Motors Program, built a Regional SWAT Program to give neighboring agencies a coordinated tactical capability, and created a Regional Joint Narcotics Enforcement Team. He also built leadership development programs for sergeants and mid-level supervisors, and partnered with Region 3 sheriffs to establish Gold Leadership Training for executive and mid-management personnel.

For six years he served as a commissioner of the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission, the body that sets and delivers peace-officer training across the state. That perspective, on what officers are actually taught and what agencies are actually required to do, is the discipline he brings to the roundtable.

Focus areas

• Executive law enforcement command
• Agency policy development and review
• Supervision, discipline and accountability systems
• Tactical and SWAT program command
• Multi-agency coordination
• Peace-officer training standards