Brian Dugan, Chief of Police (Ret.), Tampa Police Department
Brian Dugan served with the Tampa Police Department for 31 years, his final four years he served as the 32nd Chief of Police. Throughout his career, Chief Dugan recognized the value of community relationships. He quickly rose through the ranks leading to his appointment of Chief of Police in 2017. This appointment came after a very dark period for the City of Tampa. In the fall of 2017, a serial killer targeted the Seminole Heights community. Chief Dugan led a coalition of local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies as the unwavering voice of calm and strength for the city, until the suspect was brought to justice. Under his command, the Tampa Police Department was the lead agency among 70 other law enforcement partners for Super Bowl LV in 2020, as well as the lead agency for security during back-to-back Stanley Cup championships. The Tampa Police Department also coordinated security for the celebratory boat parades which, due to the pandemic, were the first of its kind. Brian Dugan is best known for the innovative ways he cultivated police-community relationships through outreach and engagement. He created a integrated approach to fighting crime by developing a sustainable methodology of enhancing public trust and building community partnerships. This was evident through his creation of the Community Investment Grant program, popular podcase series, modern citizen police academies, and his commitment to officer trainings focused on treating all citizens with dignity and respect. Under Dugan’s leadership, citizens could learn first-hand about their agency through a series of half-day citizens academies. Dozens of community leaders, local business owners, activists, and professional athletes have experienced real-life scenarios experienced by offices through this engagement program. Chief Dugan invited the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Tampa Bay Lightning players to participate in the working for social justice program. This partnership created a productive environment for an exchange of ideas, concerns, and challenges. Chief Dugan will always be proud of his officers for driving down crime, but he is most satisfied with the community policing that takes place in Tampa every day. Officers and employees work side-by-side with citizens to solve and prevent crimes. Determined to put bad money to good use, Chief Dugan implemented a Community Investment Grant program with the use of drug forfeiture funds. The department invested in local non-profits whose missions ranged from empowering underprivileged children through education to providing ex-offenders with employability skills to reduce recidivism. During his tenure, Dugan launched Role Call with Chief Brian Dugan a unique podcast series highlighting the diverse roles of community members in public safety. Each week he traded in his police radio for a microphone to host the 30-minute show alongside a featured guest. With a reach of more than 1,000 listeners, these candid conversations helped draw important parallels between community service and police work. Chief Dugan earned a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice form 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. He is a graduate of the FBI’s National Executive Institute and Leadership Tampa. Chief Dugan is also a member of several professional associations, including the Tampa Bay Area Chiefs of Police Association, Florida Police Chiefs Association, International Association of Chiefs of Police, National Association of Women Law Enforcement Executives, National Association of the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), and Police Executive Research Forum. As a cancer survivor, Brian is grateful for each day he can make a difference in the community of law enforcement. However, his most important role is his role as a husband and father of two children.