About Cyndie Fajardo
Cyndie Fajardo is precisely the person we need to lead the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department into this new decade. A 32-year veteran of the Sheriff’s Department, Lieutenant Fajardo has an unequaled level of experience. Her leadership responsibilities and supervisory commands in patrol, narcotics teams, search and rescue, community programs and local precincts give her the knowledge and foundation to grow the Sheriff’s Department. Cyndie has earned the respect of her fellow officers as well as the community she has served. Lieutenant Fajardo has successfully worked closely with the community on issues surrounding mental health, homelessness, and crime.
Locally, Cyndie Fajardo manages the Sheriff’s Search and Rescue Program, a combination of deputies and dedicated volunteers who work tirelessly to bring home the missing.
Cyndie Fajardo’s leadership is not limited to the Sheriff’s Department. Her experience extends statewide as well as nationally. She is a Task Force Leader for Washington State Urban Search and Rescue WATF-1 and led a 70-person rescue team to assist in the recovery efforts in the OSO Landslide. Cyndie has brought her leadership skills to other national disasters: 9-11 NYC World Trade Center, Hurricanes Katrina, Ernesto and Sandy, the Boulder Colorado Floods, and the recovery of the Columbia Shuttle.
Search and Rescue efforts
at WTC ground zero
New York, NY
Search and Rescue
OSO, WA Landslide
Early Life and Career
Elected as President of her graduating Police Academy Class
Cyndie was born in Brooklyn, New York, and is the youngest of six children. As a young woman, Cyndie initially had intentions to be a forest ranger and attended the State University of New York in pursuit of that goal. She would have the opportunity later in her law enforcement career to use those skills when she was appointed to the Pierce County Parks and Recreation advisory board.
Cyndie moved from New York in 1979 to the Rocky Mountains of Colorado where she served as a deputy with the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Department. In 1988, Pierce County was hiring under their law enforcement levy. Cyndie and her husband Gabriel joined the department and made Washington State their home.
EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND
Masters of Arts – Organizational Management
University of Phoenix – Sacramento, CA (1998)
Bachelors of Arts – Criminal Justice Administration
St. Martin’s College – Lacey, WA (1993)
Concentrated Studies – Parks and Recreation Management
State University of New York – Delhi, NY (1978)
NW Law Enforcement Executive Command College (2008)
FBI National Academy – Session 213 Graduate (2003)
Bates Vocational Volunteer Fire Academy (2001)
Washington State Equivalency Academy (1988)
Colorado Basic Law Enforcement Police Academy (1985)
CERTIFICATIONS & ACHIEVEMENTS
Command and General Staff Certification- FEMA (2015)
Pierce County Sheriff’s Department, Medal of Merit (2015)
President, Pierce County Deputy Sheriff’s Independent Guild Local #1889 (2006-2015)
State of Washington Governor’s Award (2002)
Executive Certification, Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission (2002)
Pierce County Sheriff’s Department, Medal of Merit (2001)
Appointment – Pierce County Parks and Recreation Citizens Advisory Board (2000)
Pierce County Sheriff’s Department, Medal of Valor (1999)
Mid-Management Certification, Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission (1999)
Supervisor Certification, Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission (1998)
Washington State Supreme Court, Municipal Court Judicial Officer (1994)
Tradition
Cyndie Fajardo is fourth-generation law enforcement dating back to 1886!
Cyndie’s maternal great-grandfather, John, was a patrolman and traffic officer for the New York City Police Department from 1886 to his retirement in 1916. John’s footsteps were followed by his son Frances, who served the NYPD from 1911 until his death in 1933. Francis’s wife, Frances, (yes, they had the same name!) served as the precinct matron taking care of women prisoners. At age 72, Cyndie’s father, James, began working for the Orange County NY Probation Department. The tradition continued in the next generation with Cyndie’s nephews Ed and Jim joining the NYPD and later retiring from the department. Unfortunately, the family lost Ed recently to 9-11 related cancer. Currently, her great-nephew Mark is waiting to start the academy, which has been delayed by the COVID virus.
Great-Grandfather John Timmons, NYPD Patrolman 1886-1916
Chief of Police, Town of Steilacoom
The Town of Steilacoom approached the Sheriff’s Department with a request to provide an Interim Chief for their Public Safety Department. Cyndie Fajardo served in this position from 1999 through 2003. As the Director of Public Safety, she was responsible for not only managing police services but also fire and emergency medical services. Recognizing that she had no previous experience as a firefighter, Cyndie entered and completed the firefighter program at Bates Vocational.
“I thought it important to understand what it was I was asking of my staff. How could I ask them to do something without knowing the risks involved? I read manuals and articles, did research and leaned on others in the profession, but there is nothing better than hands-on learning. Yes, the fire academy is much more physically difficult than the police academy!”
Cyndie suiting up for Hazardous Material Training at Bates Vo-Tech College
Potentially the greatest Firefighter ever to run for Sheriff. You have my vote!
-T. Lyons, Instructor
FBI National Academy
Cyndie and her roommate from Romania
In 2003, Cyndie graduated from the FBI National Academy (FBI-NA) in Quantico, Virginia. The FBI-NA is a professional course of study for United States and international law enforcement managers. Participants with demonstrated leadership qualities are nominated by their respective agency heads to attend the invitation-only 10-week program. Cyndie completed rigorous coursework including intelligence theory, terrorism and terrorist mindsets, management science, law, behavioral science, law enforcement communication, and forensic science. In addition to graduating from this highly-recognized international program, Cyndie gained invaluable knowledge and skills to add to her significant law enforcement experience, with the direct intent to serve “to improve the administration of justice in police departments and agencies at home and abroad and to raise law enforcement standards, knowledge, and cooperation worldwide.” (FBI-NA)
Since the academy’s inception, of the total 52,795 graduates, 2,423 are women.
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Election Day - November 3, 2020
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