Eugster Backs Bragdon As Permanent Police Chief Proposal Tosses Degree Requirement

Spokane city Councilman Steve Eugster is proposing the city find a way to make Roger Bragdon its permanent police chief.

Bragdon has been acting chief since late May when Alan Chertok resigned after only nine months on the job.

Eugster is introducing a resolution requesting that the city do away with the educational requirements that prevent Bragdon from holding the job permanently.

Currently, the city requires the police chief to hold a four-year bachelor’s degree, which Bragdon lacks.

Eugster said the Police Department has been in limbo long enough.

“The city needs a certain level of certainty in the police department,” he wrote in an e-mailed statement. “I have listened to the comments of a number of people in the community I respect and to a person, they have nothing but good things to say about (Bragdon). I see no reason why he should not be the chief.”

The resolution may be placed on the agenda for the City Council’s Jan.

24 meeting.

Bragdon, a 27-year veteran of the department, said he had not been contacted about being hired permanently and had not seen the resolution.

“This is totally the purview of City Hall,” he said. “Until someone from the city said this is what the situation is, it would be totally inappropriate for me to comment.”

Eugster’s resolution would also direct acting City Manager Pete Fortin to hire Bragdon as police chief, which might not be in the council’s powers, City Attorney James Sloane said.

“The charter is very specific that neither the mayor nor the City Council shall direct the appointment or removal of any person by the city manager,” Sloane said.

The council could certainly discuss the matter at its meeting, Sloane said.

Eugster said that he would change his resolution if necessary.

Councilman Steve Corker also favored modifying the education requirements for the Police Department. On-the-job experience should be considered, he said, as should the requirements for chief that existed when a candidate entered the police force.

“For people who came up through the force, they should be grandfathered,” Corker said. “I think Roger Bragdon should be considered without prejudice.”

This is Bragdon’s second stint as acting chief. He first performed the task for five months in 1998, while the city searched for a replacement for Terry Mangan, who left the force after 11 years to take a job with the FBI. That replacement was Chertok, who resigned under a cloud of controversy.

A search for Chertok’s replacement has been delayed by the July resignation of City Manager Bill Pupo and by the passage of the strong-mayor initiative in November. The new mayor will be able to hire a police chief when he or she takes office in 2001.