We reported earlier today that Mayor Ed Murray's administration had finally succeeded in what appeared to be a months-long effort to push progressive former interim chief Jim Pugel into early "retirement." Pugel was a leader on reforms, a leader on progressive policing, and a leader of the resistance to the city's right-wing cop union. His ouster apparently is the latest tactic in the Murray administration's effort to hand over the SPD's reins to that conservative union (that endorsed Murray), an effort which has involved expunging misconduct verdicts from officers' permanent records and demoting commanders who were leading reform.

But unlike new Interim Chief Harry Bailey's ingratiating-yet-vacuous blog post, which announced the news, Pugel rises above the snake pit of politics with an eloquent letter that was sent to officers via SPD's Kim Kubie. Here's Pugel's entire classy goodbye:

As Assistant Chief Pugel is traveling, I was asked to send this message out on his behalf. This message was approved by Interim Chief Harry Bailey.

Dear Seattle Police Family Members:

It is with mixed emotions that I am announcing my retirement from the Seattle Police Department at the end of this month. There is sadness, because I will not be working daily with all of the great civilian and sworn employees of the Seattle Police Department in making Seattle even safer than it is today. Happiness, because after 31 years in policing, it is time to move into other areas of improving how police services are delivered. Curiosity, because I will be able to watch you within the Department accept the opportunities to continue moving the profession and the department forward in innovative and constitutional ways.

I joined the police department as a reserve officer while I was still a student at the University of Washington. Since then I have had the honor of serving in all of the precincts, in scores of different units and under some amazing commanders, as well as with incredible community members and elected officials. I have looked forward to going to work every day because of the unique challenges that we face at every level, regardless of our assignments. Serving the City of Seattle and its people is something that I will – and all of you should – always be proud of.

At the risk of forgetting some of the incredible times, I would like to say that this has been a very good and interesting 31 years. Policing the first crack house (the Lin Villa motel in the Rainier Valley) in 1984-85 with then Officer Clark Kimerer and fellow George Sector, 3rd Watch squad mates. Participating in the creation of the first fully staffed Emergency Response Team (known today as SWAT) and the preparation for the security of the 1990 Goodwill Games. Serving as sergeant, lieutenant and then acting commander of the State Police Academy, and getting to know and teach recruits from Washington. Working as a watch commander in the East Precinct and supporting then Lt. Harry Bailey as he implemented “Weed and Seed.” A very controversial and arduous assignment for both of us.

I will always be humbled by the opportunity when directed to command the Sexual Assault Unit, and to lead those who I still consider to be some of the most focused and caring detectives working on some of the most difficult and emotionally draining cases that exist. I worked with the King County Prosecutors office, Sexual Assault Center at HMC, VAWA, KSARC and other energetic organizations and people, to develop a first ever regional training initiative for frontline police officers from all of Western Washington for investigating sexual assault—and that was rewarding.

I will always remember being assigned as the West Precinct commander seven months before what was initially described to me as “…a small, international trade fair called the WTO.” The way the sworn and civilian members of the Seattle Police Department performed that week under the most trying of circumstances, and the way the people of Seattle took care of you during that trying event, still makes me proud. While knowing that we could have done better, the knowledge that many of you gained in preparing for and then working during that event, literally transformed that area of policing forever, and made internationally recognized experts of some of you. The profession continues to turn to you for advice.

While my years as assistant chief did not involve real police work, I did see how quickly this profession is evolving, not only with the many technological and investigative/crime prevention skills, but also in the immensely important area of ensuring that all of us make sure that we police in a respectful and constitutional manner. The heartbreaking experience of the murder of Officer Thomas Brenton was humbling. I watched the entire department, the communities of Seattle and scores of outside police agencies come together and, through the use of science, technology, community tips and old fashioned police work, you apprehended the suspect in less than a week.

It has been rewarding as well to have had the opportunity to be involved, four years ago, at the ground level in working collaboratively to develop a more humane drug enforcement policy through the Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion program (L.E.A.D.) Because of the efforts of the Seattle City Attorney, the King County Prosecutor’s office, the City Council, the Mayor’s office and of course the tireless efforts of very focused people from the Defenders Association, the ACLU, the Racial Disparity Project and Evergreen Treatment Services, the Seattle Police Department has literally become a worldwide model on how to deal with the issues of low level, non-violent drug use, subsistence level sales and addiction. None of this would have occurred without the leadership of the West Precinct day and night Bike and ACT sergeants and the officers assigned to them, and to the West Neighborhood Corrections Initiative.

I could go on and on about the admirable work and efforts and police innovations that you and this department are responsible for, but most of you readers have already deleted this, moved on to the next e-mail or assisting someone in need.

In closing: make sure you do your best in everything you are responsible for; make sure to take care of yourself, your friends and family and your extended police family, and make each contact count positively. Last, make sure to live the philosophy that Sir Robert Peel offered in his nine principles of policing in 1831.

“Police, at all times, should maintain a relationship with the public that gives reality to the historic tradition that the police are the public and the public are the police; the police being only members of the public who are paid to give full-time attention to duties which are incumbent on every citizen in the interests of community welfare and existence.”

Sincerely,

Assistant Chief Jim Pugel
Retired

Losing Pugel is a fuck-up for Seattle's history books.