TAMPA, FL. – At a press conference on Monday, Tampa Police Chief Brian Dugan announced his retirement.
“I wanted to share some news that I shared with my dedicated team here at Tampa Police Department just a few hours ago. Today, I’m announcing my retirement from my role, as chief of police for the Tampa Police Department, My retirement will be effective September 10th,” said Police Chief Dugan.
“For 31 years, and the last four of them as your chief of police, I’ve been proud of to serve this city,” said Dugan. “It has been an honor of a lifetime to help lead this department and to serve and protect our great community. I am so proud of the way, the uniform of the Tampa police officer.”
Dugan has also served in every facet of the department at some point in his career, developing a diverse background of experience.
He is very active in the community and he’s on the Board of Directors for the Police Athletic League. He is a Leadership Tampa graduate and belongs to several professional associations, including the Tampa Bay Area Chiefs of Police Association, the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the National Association of Women Law Enforcement Executives, and the Police Executive Research Forum.
“Brian Dugan has confidently led TPD through what has been the most challenging time to serve as police chief in a generation. We have always appreciated his dedication to our community, the strong partnership between our offices, and everything he’s done to help make Tampa the safest city in our state, ” said State Attorney Andrew Warren following Chief Dugan’s announcement this morning.
In July 2017, with the retirement of Chief Eric Ward, Mayor Bob Buckhorn named Dugan as Interim Chief. Dugan was later named the 32nd Chief of Police.
During his tenure, Chief Dugan reassured the safety of Tampa residents as the city prepped for Hurricane Irma.
He also led the department through an intense search for the Seminole Heights serial killer in 2018.
After four people were murdered, Howell Donaldson III was finally arrested.
During the time when athletes were protesting sports, Chief Dugan reached out to several athletes with the Buccaneers and Tampa Bay Lightning and invited them to take part in the department’s Citizens Academy to gain a better sense of what law enforcement deals with on a daily basis. The story was featured on NFL networks.
In 2020, during the height of a pandemic, Chief Dugan worked with health leaders around the city on ways to protect officers on the front lines from COVID-19.
Following the murder of George Floyd, Chief Dugan advocated for better transparency at the department by implementing and overseeing several key initiatives.
He worked with the Mayor’s Task Force to hold discussions with community leaders about race relations and policing, he created his own advisory team to address issues throughout the community and he requested the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to investigate officer-involved shootings.
Demonstrations across the country and locally prompted Chief Dugan to require additional training for the department. Officers took part in courses such as ICAT, COHORT, and Implicit Bias.
He also implemented and expanded the Body-Worn Camera program, updated department policies, and procedures, and worked with the Citizens Review Board to find a better way to streamline complaints from citizens.
He’s been instrumental in the planning process for public safety during major events in the city, such as Super Bowl and Stanley Cup Finals.
Most recently, Chief Dugan carried the department through the untimely death of MPO Jesse Madsen, killed in the line of duty on March 9th, 2021.
Dugan earned a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from West Liberty University and a Master of Public Administration degree from Troy State University. He is a graduate of the prestigious Southern Police Institute’s
Command Officers’ Development Course. In 2014 he attended the Senior
Management Institute for Police. Dugan is married with two children.
“Chief Dugan has had a remarkable career as an innovative leader, with a passionate focus on community engagement and interaction. Our community l owes him a debt of gratitude, as his steady guidance and leadership of America’s finest police department has been nothing short of outstanding. I am grateful for his service and friendship through the years,” said Tampa Mayor Jane Castor.
Interim Chief Ruben “Butch” Delgado has served the citizens of Tampa in a number of capacities during his 23-year career with the Tampa Police Department.
In his current role, Delgado oversees investigations and support.
He is a strong leader who has worked in a variety of settings in both patrol and administrative roles. As the major in District One, and previously as a captain in the District, Delgado effectively partnered with community members and businesses to reduce crime and enhance the department’s relationship with the community. He also served as the Captain in charge of the Criminal Investigations Division.
Interim Chief Delgado served as the lead role for the Public Safety planning efforts of Super Bowl LV in 2021.
A Tampa native, Delgado graduated from Jefferson High School and holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of Florida.
He is married and has two children.
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