Chief Serves His Last Week Mangan To Leave Spokane Police Force For Fbi Job; Deputy Chief Roger Bragdon To Fill In

After 11 years leading the Spokane Police Department, Chief Terry Mangan is going national.

Mangan announced Monday that he will leave the department at the end of the week to accept a job with the FBI.

The 60-year-old Mangan will remain on the city payroll through July 15, burning up accrued sick and vacation time.

But his last day in charge will be Saturday.

“I am honored to be offered this opportunity by the bureau,” Mangan said in a statement. “I have also enjoyed my 11 years as chief in Spokane and hope that our department’s evolution and development have made real contributions to the quality of life in our community.”

City Manager Bill Pupo has appointed Deputy Chief Roger Bragdon to serve as acting chief until Mangan’s replacement is found. The city is accepting applications for the $90,000-per-year job through March 20.

In July 1987, Mangan became the first man from outside the department to be appointed chief.

It was a job for which he never applied. Former City Manager Terry Novak recruited him from the Bellingham Police Department after Novak wasn’t satisfied with the people who had applied to replace Bob Panther.

Mangan took over an organization considered behind the times and built it into a professional agency known worldwide for innovative programs, Pupo said Monday.

“Chief Mangan has spent countless hours, both on the street with his officers and with community groups, to develop true community-oriented policing in our city,” Pupo said.

Mangan said one of his proudest accomplishments was creating partnerships with the City Council and people of Spokane, including the community-oriented policing program.

“We really have found a way to co-create public safety,” he said at a news conference. “The kind of policing we do works.”

The department has added 56 full-time officers and more than 50 civilian employees since Mangan took over. There are currently 288 officers on the force and 121 civilian workers.

“I truly believe that the men and women of this department - both commissioned and civilian specialists, paid and volunteer - are gifted and dedicated professionals in the very best sense of those words,” Mangan said.

In his new job, Mangan will work as an instructor and consultant. He will be based at the FBI Academy in Quantico, Va.

He will train FBI supervisors in leadership and management techniques and will represent the Bureau at seminars in the United States and abroad.

“The FBI has been after me to do this since about 1995,” Mangan said. “I’m half excited and half terrified at the transition.”

Bragdon said he is “100 percent terrified” at taking over the department. “I don’t have to sit at this desk alone, that’s the only reason I agreed to do this,” he said. “We have a tremendous command staff.”

Still, the 25-year veteran announced plans to apply for the permanent job, even though he doesn’t have a four-year college degree - required of all the city’s department heads.

“I think my gray hair and 25 years should count for something,” Bragdon said.

Pupo, who called Bragdon a “very capable administrator and manager,” said Monday he hasn’t ruled out changing the bachelor’s degree requirement to give Bragdon a shot at the job.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color Photo