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Whether through his three decades spent in law enforcement, his work during the COVID pandemic as the county’s public information officer, or his leadership in strengthening the San Benito County Saddle Horse Show & Rodeo, David Westrick’s life exemplifies the title of the TedTalk he delivered in 2017: Serving and Loving Mankind.
Rob Nino, who has served on the rodeo board of directors with Westrick for the last three years, describes him as a “phenomenal man and an incredible leader.”
“I don’t think you can find a more stand-up, straight-up person,” he said. “David is honest, straightforward and treats everyone well. You can’t beat his character. He’s just a great human being.”
Westrick grew up in North Fork, CA, a town with a population of about 1,500. With family in the military and law enforcement, he looked to journalism. By the time he enrolled in college, he was already writing sports articles for newspapers and briefly worked in radio.
There were two turning points. The first was that journalism “doesn’t pay that well.” The second came when, at 19, the video store he managed was robbed at gunpoint. When the police arrived, Westrick recognized his cousin as one of the sheriff’s deputies.
“They looked cool,” he said. “They were so professional, and there was zero bravado. They calmed down the employee who had the gun on him. It was awesome. I’m thinking, ‘I’m pretty sure I could do this.’’’
With the help of his uncle, Westrick was accepted to the Fresno Police Academy and fell in love with law enforcement, saying he enjoyed the idea that he could make a positive change with people.
Following his graduation, he was chosen from 1,700 applicants for a position with the Los Banos Police Department, where he stayed for 10 years before joining the Redwood City Police Department.
Westrick said his experiences in police work began to make him into the person he is today, sharpening his understanding of the human condition.
“You’re holding a tough guy at 3 a.m. who’s been shot three times,” he said. “He’s weeping and asking for his mom. You’re just trying to give him comfort in those last few seconds of his life. That’s where you’ve got to be empathetic.”
In 2003, he joined the Hollister Police Department, becoming interim police chief in 2012 and assuming the role of chief in 2013, two days before that year’s motorcycle rally. He made two significant changes: he had his officers move out of fixed locations to engage more with the crowds, and he added cameras, which he said provided active monitoring and proactive intervention.
Chief David Westrick with dog Lola at the 2019 Lights On parade. Photo courtesy of David Westrick. 
Former Hollister Police Department Chief David Westrick participating in the Spartan Race in 2022. Photo courtesy of David Westrick. 
Supervisor Jim Gillio, Sandie Weis, Lisa Sears, Melanie Scherer, Susan Hilden, Adrian Sanchez, Barbara Rubio, Hollister Police Chief David Westrick, and Mayor Ignacio Velazquez. Photos by Karie Stephens. 
Officer Melgoza stands with K-9 Freeze while Police Chief David Westrick speaks. Photos by John Chadwell. 
David Westrick at his TED Talk. Video capture. 
Capt. Carlos Reynoso presents Westrick with a retired officer ID. 
State Assemblyman Robert Rivas presents Westrick with a state proclamation. Photos by John Chadwell. 
Nathan and David Westrick at the Special Rodeo. Photo by Robert Eliason.
Westrick was an early adopter of online communication with the public, starting in 2010 when he was a captain, and holding online town halls as early as 2015.
“My contemporaries thought I was insane,” he said. “The mistrust was there because no one had ever done it before. But I think communication and transparency are important in a leadership role.”
In December 2019, Westrick retired after 30 years in law enforcement. His tenure as chief saw a reduction in the city’s crime rate, the establishment of Hollister’s first Neighborhood Watch and Park Watch programs, and six consecutive years of balanced budgets.
But his retirement was short-lived. Two months later, while dining on a steak at a Newport Beach restaurant, his meal was interrupted by a call from a member of the San Benito County Board of Supervisors offering him the job of public information officer.
“They told me they had this whole thing going on with the coronavirus,” he said. “I’d seen something about it on the news, but I had no idea. They asked me if I could help them out for a couple of weeks with messaging.”
He flew back to Hollister the next day and had his first briefing from San Benito County Public Health Officer Dr. Marty Fenstersheib. An hour later, the county’s first death from the virus was reported.
Westrick held the job for two years, becoming frustrated with the politics of the public health issues, which he said clouded his ability to convey his message.
“It didn’t matter what I was saying,” he said. “I was going to be wrong either way. However, I was comfortable that I was receiving good information from our health officer. I thought he was doing a good job.”
Throughout his years of government service, Westrick was also deeply involved in the San Benito County Saddle Horse Show & Rodeo, where he currently serves as the organization’s president.
His interest began in 2003 following his three-year-old daughter Hailee’s response to a pony ride at the San Benito County Fair. His wife, Liz, a “cowgirl from way back,” suggested buying a horse.
“I didn’t do rodeo in high school,” Westrick said, “I liked the sport, but it wasn’t ingrained in me. We kept going to rodeos, and at one, they didn’t have an announcer. I said, ‘Sure, I’ll do whatever I can to help.’”
For Westrick, announcing at youth rodeos became an exciting thing to do while his wife and daughter took part in the events. And that is when he fell in love with the sport, he said.
Westrick became involved in the local High School Rodeo Association district, serving on the board of directors. It was a short leap to becoming involved in the Saddle Horse Show, where he also joined the board, and in 2022 was asked to become its president.
“I don’t think they knew what to do with me,” he said, “because I wasn’t going to be out in the arena anywhere else. So I told them, ‘I’ll do my own thing, right? And it’ll be cool, right?’ So, I started to get involved with production.”
Blane Strohn, a member of the rodeo board of directors, said that Westrick’s lack of a rodeo background offered a different perspective that helped revamp the rodeo, in part by introducing more events and making it more family friendly.
“He’s been able to bring a new light that we’ve needed for many years,” Strohn said. “He has a different view on a lot of things, a more open mind, and he’s always able to sit down and listen to what everybody has to say.”
Westrick said he applied the same philosophy he’d developed as police chief—that leadership is not about power, but about empowerment.
“I would help folks get empowered to do their job,” he said, “by giving them opportunities to do their job. Being a good leader is having listening ears and no ego. Just stay out of the way. Let them do their work.”
Westrick’s talents at organizing and communication helped to pull the rodeo out of a slump that began in 2015 and lasted four years, during which as few as 200 contestants faced half-full stands. He gives much of the credit to Liz, who serves as the office manager.
“I’m a workaholic,” he said, “but she is 100 times worse than I am. She’d do 14-hour days, come home and work more. She inspires people around her, and it allows us to do a lot of cool things by just kind of using that energy.”
The Bolado Park facility has seen significant upgrades over the last few years, including site improvements, a big screen in the arena, increased seating and renovated stands. Participation has increased and, for the first time in recent memory, the 2025 event was completely sold out.
“I thought that was an amazing super accomplishment,” Westrick said. “It was an incredible team effort from every person involved. Everyone was just really motivated to do it. And there is still a lot of cool things we can do.”
Somehow, Westrick still finds time to volunteer with organizations like the Boy Scouts and the Rotary Club, and works for Knowledge Saves Lives, which trains schools and businesses on how to survive active shooter incidents.
“I’m always the first person to get anywhere,” he said, “and I’m always the last person to leave. If I’m asking people to volunteer, then I need to be out there volunteering myself, right? I want to do the best I can for this community.”
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