Page 11 - HRD Connect 2023: Edition 24

backyard in a fairly dense residential neighborhood, in violation of the zoning code. It was in my opinion very
cruel to the animal, and she would ride it around the neighborhood damaging the local park. I thought the
case would be fairly routine because the code prohibited the keeping of a “horse” in that residential zone. At
one point in the trial, however, the woman (who represented herself) argued that the definition of a “horse”
was a male and that she had a mare (female). Being caught somewhat off guard, I had to quickly urge the
judge that the zoning code use of the word “horse” was the generic term for the whole species and was not
specific to the gender of the animal. The judge agreed and convicted the woman, and she was ordered to
board the horse appropriately. One of my first experiences with staying calm when faced with adversity.

One other memory is attending the opening day of Petco Park in 2004 after 7 years of negotiations and
litigation delays. (Bruce Bochy was still the manager of the Padres at the time, and they beat the Giants in
extra innings.)

DANIEL GUTIERREZ
SUPERVISING CHILD SUPPORT OFFICER
RETIRING DECEMBER 30, 2023

What inspired you to pursue your career, and how has it evolved over the
years?

Prior to Child Support, I had worked at Household Credit Services. There I would
spend my day, exerting effort to improve the company’s bottom line and pad
the pockets of investors. I wanted something a bit more rewarding that would
actually help people. My wife had moved over to Child Support a few years prior
and she really enjoyed her job, so I did the same. Initially, I was assigned to an
enforcement team, collecting child support and skip tracing to find obligors and their assets. About six months
into working with Child Support I was selected to train on a new system, then come back and create and
present the training to all staff. That set the stage for my supervisory career with Child Support. Shortly
thereafter I accepted a position with General Services as a Management Analyst I, where I was responsible for
creating the County’s first energy conservation guide, evaluating County facilities, and providing options for
immediate energy-saving ideas. But I didn’t feel fulfilled, I wanted to go back to helping people, so I ended up
taking a Supervisory position at Child Support after about six months. Since that time, I’ve been inspired by
knowing each day I went to work I helped make a difference in someone’s life. That two-to-three-minute phone
call could end up in a $500 payment to a parent who was facing eviction or maybe didn’t know where their
child’s next meal was coming from. I’ve spent 24 years coming to work to do my best each day to either directly
work cases to help families or train new people to do the job I could do but do it better. I’m proud of the job I’ve
done, I’m proud of the 24-year investment I’ve made in helping people live their lives a little bit better.

Can you share some of the most significant professional accomplishments or milestones from your career
that you are particularly proud of?

I have a few proud moments that come to mind. One would be about 15 years ago I received a call from a
father living in Louisiana, who had not paid child support in over ten years. He had given up hope of trying to
see his daughter because he felt since he hadn’t paid, the mother would not let him see or talk with her. During

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