Police chief steps down

The Spokane Police chief told Mayor Jim West two years ago that he wanted to retire, but West talked him into staying.

Chief Roger Bragdon announced his retirement Friday during a press conference.

“If you are going to be the chief you have to give 100 percent, and you have to care 100 percent and you know as chief when you are incapable of doing that,” Bragdon said. “In the last several months, I’ve had the same good ideas, things that had to be done, but the energy level just wasn’t there. And I think I was doing an OK job, but I don’t think I was giving 100 percent and that’s when I said it was time to go.”

Bragdon’s decision means Spokane will have to replace both its top cops next year. Sheriff Mark Sterk announced in August that he will retire in March.

When asked if the Dec. 6 election to recall West had anything to do with the timing of his retirement announcement, he replied: “No, not at all.”

“I’ve been here 32 years and that’s enough,” said Bragdon, 57. “It’s time to go.

“It’s one of those bittersweet things. I’ve had the kind of career that you could only wish for. Loved every minute of it, except for the chief part. I’ve done every fun thing every cop ever wanted to do. I couldn’t have a better career if I’d designed it from the front end.

West, a former sheriff’s deputy, called Bragdon a “self-taught man.” “This is a cop’s cop,” he said. “I don’t think Spokane could have found a better police chief to serve in the time that Roger Bragdon has served.”

Bragdon’s last working day will be Dec. 16, which he plans to spend doing patrol. His retirement is effective Jan. 16, but he’ll be on vacation during for the final month.

“I’m going to miss the people. Everyone says that, but now I know why they say it,” Bragdon said. “The people here are incredible. I don’t think that the people of this department get the credit they deserve. I don’t think they know how good they are, even though I spent last night and this morning telling them that.”

West appointed Deputy Chief Jim Nicks interim chief. A search to fill the position permanently will begin in mid-January, West said.

Nicks has worked with the Spokane Police Department since 1982. He’s been deputy chief for the last five years.

“My role is to continue (Bragdon’s) good work and help build the department for the future,” Nicks said.

“This all evolved over the last few weeks,” Nicks said. “It has been a bit overwhelming and humbling.”

Bragdon called Nicks “a person who has a passion for the department. If you don’t have passion for the people who work here and a passion for the community you can’t be the chief.”

Spokane Police Detective Stacey Carr called Bragdon “the last of a generation” – a chief without a college degree. “He’s very bright, very well-spoken,” Carr said. “But I think it would be tough nowadays to get by without that degree.”

Bragdon joined the department when Spokane was gearing up for Expo ‘74, said Marlene Feist, public affairs officer for the city. He worked on the department’s SWAT team and became an instructor in patrol procedures, officer survival, SWAT procedure, and hostage and terrorism training. He was promoted to lieutenant by 1985. In 1988, he added a gang unit to the department’s Special Investigation Unit. He was promoted to captain in 1994 and deputy chief in 1998. He became acting police chief in 1999, and got the job permanently in 2000.

Bragdon said a proud moment for him was his department’s handling of the when three female students from the Mukagowa Fort Wright Institute were abducted from a bus stop. One was released, while the other two were taken to a home where they were handcuffed, blindfolded and sexually assaulted in early 2000.

“It’s a Japanese university and what happened wasn’t just a crime,” Bragdon said. “It was something with international overtones to it. If the department hadn’t handled it the way it did, Spokane might have lost that university.

“We brought every resource in that we had and solved it in three days.”

Controversy has come with the job.

Bragdon angered county commissioners by pulling five detectives off a serial killer case in 1999. He cited severe budget cuts as the reason.

The Spokane County Sheriff’s Office continued working on the investigation into Robert Lee Yates Jr., and eventually solved the case.

Budget cuts seem to have been the breaking point for Bragdon.

“The cuts hurt. They hurt me personally in that it’s hard to try and create the balance between keeping your people proud of themselves at the same time you’re laying off some of your best police officers and support people … I did nothing but think about the budget.”

Bragdon likely won’t have to worry about money in his retirement years. Under the state’s LEOFF One retirement plan, he’s eligible for about $89,000 a year.

The Spokane Police chief said he plans to travel, play golf and finally spend time with his wife, Amy, who retired from the West Valley School District last year. He will continue to teach terrorism and intelligence classes for the Bureau of Justice Assistance, he said.