Edward Clinton Stevens (1927-2014)

With great sadness and deep sense of loss, we must report the passing of Ed Stevens, former San Diego Police Department Homicide Lieutenant, Atlas Hotels Director of Corporate Security and most recently, Supervising Consultant for cold case investigations and hotel/resort security management with our group. Ed lost his battle with cancer on Tuesday, May 6, 2014, at his home in El Cajon, California. His family was near his side. His final wish was to throw a baseball to grandson Shane (age 8) one last time. He fulfilled that wish just a few days before his passing.

Ed was born on June 4, 1927, in his family home on Dewey Street in the San Diego neighborhood now known as Barrio Logan. While attending San Diego Vocational High School, Ed convinced his parents to allow him to enlist in the Navy in 1944 at the age of 17. There was a war to fight and he became an Aviation Ordnance man, serving in the Pacific Theatre during the final year of World War II. In 1950, Ed launched his first professional career, joining the San Diego Police Department as an officer. His first assignment was a walking beat in downtown, but as his career progressed, it became apparent that solving murder mysteries and providing closure for the families of murder victims was his passion and his calling. In an era preceding the advent of DNA evidence, Ed achieved a case cancellation rate of 96%, the kind of incredible accomplishment from which legends are made. Even in retirement, Ed was summoned to consult on some of San Diego County’s highest profile homicide cases by 7 different law enforcement agencies. In all, from 1964 to 2014, Ed was involved in more than 600 homicide investigations as an investigator, case manager and consultant.

After 28 years with the SDPD, Ed launched his second career in 1978, accepting the position of Director of Corporate Security for San Diego-based Atlas Hotels Corporation. For 15 years, he managed all security operations for 11 hotel properties in the U.S. and Mexico, which included as many as 52 armed security officers and supervisors. As security director, Ed was responsible for establishing all corporate security policies and procedures, conducting all corporate investigations, including interior and exterior criminal offenses as well as guest and employee accidents and injuries, hiring all supervisory personnel and maintaining liaison with national and local law enforcement agencies. He pioneered the application of K9 security operations and authored three operational manuals for Atlas Hotels.

Aside from the excitement and camaraderie of police and security work and spending time with his family, Ed loved baseball, tennis and German shepherds.

He is survived by his wife Sharon, son Jim (a SDPD K9 officer), daughter Gilda, son-in-law Jim Leslie, former wife Nancy, former daughter-in-law Martha Sainz (a SDPD Lieutenant), and three grandsons, Shane, Josh and Kris. Following a celebration of Ed’s life by friends, family and co-workers, Ed was laid to rest at Singing Hills Memorial Park, El Cajon, California, on May 12, 2014.