Episode #28 High Truth with HIDTA Director David King

What does law enforcement do beside arrest people for drugs?  You will be surprised about the collaboration of law enforcement with the medical community, drug treatment, and drug prevention. Listen to Dr. Lev talk with High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Director David King.

DAVID L. KING

Director of San Diego – Imperial Valley HIDTA

 David King is the Director of San Diego – Imperial Valley HIDTA (High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas). He brings more than 25 years of experience in law enforcement including positions with the California Department of Justice – Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement and Bureau of Investigations.

David was born in Philadelphia, PA to a family who values public service as his father, Dr. David O. King, served three terms in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. David grew up in Reno, NV, and then he moved to California where he earned his Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of San Diego. After graduating from the San Diego County Sherriff’s Academy, he worked as a Senior Police Officer for the San Diego Harbor Police Department. He was honored as the San Diego County Peace Officer of the Year in 1995.

In 1997 he became a Special Agent for California Department of Justice (DOJ) – Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement (BNE) and was assigned to the San Diego Regional Office Special Operations Unit and DEA Group Four Clandestine Laboratory Program. He also served as a Field Training Officer. David was a California Narcotic Officer’s Association (CNOA) Region Chairman from 1999 to 2000 and is a lifetime member of the CNOA.

As a Special Agent Supervisor-Task Force Commander for California DOJ – BNE, from 2001 to 2005, David served on several HIDTA initiatives including being a Task Force Commander for ICE San Diego Maritime Task Force and Task Force Commander for the BNE San Diego Regional Office Clandestine Laboratory Program. He worked with local police departments, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) on major cases.

From 2005 to 2010 David held several positions for California Department of Justice – Bureau of Investigations including Executive Director Imperial Valley Drug Coalition, Law Enforcement Coordination Center, Special Agent in Charge. He led the HIDTA initiative, directing the planning and implementation of a counterdrug strategy for 19 federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies operating along the southwest border. In this capacity he delivered high level briefings to executive level law enforcement personnel and public officials from U.S. Congress, U.S. Senate, and the California State Assembly. David graduated from the FBI National Academy (240th) Session.

As the Senior Special Agent in Charge (SSAC) for the California DOJ, BNE Riverside Regional Office from 2010 to 2012, David directed daily operations and 10 narcotic/gang task forces located in Riverside, San Bernardino and Imperial Counties. He also had executive oversight for a HIDTA initiative, Inland Crackdown Allied Task Force (INCA), comprised of special agents from DOJ/BNE, HSI, DEA, CHP, and local law enforcement investigators. The team was awarded the California Attorney General’s Award of Excellence for INCA in 2012.

From 2012 to 2017 David served as the Executive Director of L.A. IMPACT, the Los Angeles Interagency Metropolitan Police Apprehension Crime Task Force, which is the nation’s largest narcotic task force operating under a Joint Powers Authority (JPA), comprised of 48 federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. His talented team received numerous HIDTA awards for outstanding investigative efforts. Additionally, David is a Drug Abuse Recognition Expert and over the years has instructed thousands of parents, teachers, students and community members on the dangers of drug abuse.

David, his wife and two children live in San Diego where he is active in both professional and community organizations.

HIDTA 

Created by Congress in 1988, the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) Program coordinates and assists Federal, State, Local, and Tribal law enforcement agencies (LEAs) to address regional drug threats with the purpose of reducing drug trafficking and drug production in the United States.

The HIDTA program oversees 33 regional HIDTAs in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia. With HIDTA presence in over 600 counties across the country, an estimated two-thirds of Americans live in a HIDTA-designated county.

Each HIDTA is guided by an Executive Board that includes an equal number of regional Federal and non-Federal (state, local, and tribal) law enforcement leaders and is managed by an Executive Director who has previous experience in anti-drug law enforcement.