Dan was born in 1983 in Costa Mesa, Orange County, California. At the time his father was a Lieutenant in the Los Angeles Police Department. Dan's mother's parents were both extremely wealthy, her father having been the chief executive of one of LA's largest law companys. He passed away in 1980 leaving his entire estate to his only child, Beverley - Dan's mother. Dan's parents therefore chose to live in the affluent Orange County area, where Dan and his brother James, being born in 1984, grew up.

The two McKnight brothers went through school together in Newport Beach and soon developed their own interest in following in their fathers footsteps and joining the police. Their father was rapidly moving through the ranks and by 1999 was the Commander of Central District of LAPD.

In 2001 Dan went to Orange Coast College, Costa Mesa and studied Japanese and Russian with Czech, due to his skills with languages at High School. Adding to his excitement his father was promoted again in 2002 to Deputy Chief of Police.

During his college years Dan found he was lacking the confidence required to become a police officer. This was primarily due to him not accepting that he was attracted to other young men. He was somewhat shy and withdrawn around people. He started to attend various classes at college to bring himself out of his shell, but wasn't doing too well.

He graduated from college in 2004 and applied to join LAPD but was unsuccessful in the application process. He immediately rethought his options and decided that getting away from home would be a change and may make him a more confident person.

He applied to Sierra Falls PD and was successfully accepted into the Academy, graduating later that year and being assigned to the Metropolitan Division.

In August 2005 Dan completed his probation and immediately attended the Crime Scene Investigator's Initial Course. He graduated from the course on September 3rd, 2005 and was assigned to SFPD CSI the following day.

Dan is still somewhat quiet and reserved. Although his seperation from his homelife has brought him out of his shell. He is often regarded as the 'posh kid' on shift, he is young and often thought to be funded by his parents. Which to some extent is true, as they paid for his apartment in Sierra Falls' South Beach, which he now shares with Joe Brailsford.

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