Commander Darryl Qualls


Darryl Qualls has been with the Pasadena Police Department for twenty-five years. He started his career as a law enforcement explorer volunteering his time at age fifteen.

At age 18 he was promoted to police cadet where he worked in the Records Section of the police department until the age of 21 where he was promoted to the rank of police officer.

After being on the department for three years, Darryl was assigned to the Narcotics Division where he had an opportunity to be on loan to the Federal Drug Enforcement Administration in Los Angeles. He worked undercover combating major narcotics traffickers throughout California and the nation.

After returning from DEA, Darryl spent a short time in patrol and then transferred to Community Services where he worked as a School Resource Officer. In 1989 he was promoted to Police Investigator and worked street gangs. In 1991 Darryl was promoted to police sergeant.

As a police sergeant, Darryl worked the Training Section, Field Patrol and eventually he was transferred back to the Narcotics Section as the supervisor.

In 1998 Darryl was promoted to police lieutenant where he managed the Special Enforcement Section which houses S.W.A.T. unit. He currently has a collateral duty managing the department’s Hostage Negotiations Team.

In 2003 Darryl supervised of the department’s Counter Terrorism Section where he was responsible for disaster preparedness and terrorism prevention. He also sat on the Los Angeles County Homeland Security Grant Working Group which managed the allocation of Federal Terrorism Grant funds. In 2006 he had a tremendous opportunity to travel to Israel to study terrorism with the Israeli National Police.

In 2005 Darryl was transferred to the Administrative Services Section where he now oversees Professional Standards and Training.

In December 2008, Darryl was promoted to Acting Division Commander overseeing the Support Operations Division. He currently oversees the Field Operations Division.

Darryl Graduated from Azusa Pacific University with a Bachelors Degree in Business. He has a Master’s Degree from Cal State University Dominguez Hills in Behavioral Sciences. He is a graduate of the 43rd Session of The Senior Management Institute for Police at the Police Executive Research Forum.

Darryl is a member of the California Association of Hostage Negotiators. He is also the Vice President of the San Gabriel Valley Chapter of NOBLE. Darryl is also one of seven Police Commissioners for the City of Claremont. He sits as a board member of Day One a drug and alcohol prevention program in Pasadena.

Darryl lives in Claremont, California with his wife and two daughters.