Deputy Everett Police Chief Mike Campbell to Retire After 38 Years

Deputy Chief Mike Campbell

Mike Campbell is retiring after 38 years in law enforcement.

I had a nice conversation this afternoon with Deputy Everett Police Chief Mike Campbell. He’s retiring at the end of the month after 38 years in law enforcement. Campbell told me his goal in life was to be a policeman and he started out at age 21 as a patrol officer in the city of Snohomish. He’s worked virtually every position that the Everett Police Department had to offer including serving as the Chief of Police in the early 1990s. I asked him what his favorite assignment had been. “Sergeant,” said Campbell. “You still get to do the police work you were hired to do but also have the opportunity to develop young officers.” He went on to say that the higher you go in rank the less police work you do and it becomes more administration. “I don’t believe you can’t do the latter without the former,” said Campbell.

He says the 5th wheel is on order and he and his wife plan to travel. They’ll remain in the area in order to enjoy their grown children and 5 grandkids.

Below is the official Everett Police press release announcing Campbell’s retirement…

Deputy Police Chief Mike Campbell announced today he will retire from the Everett Police Department after 38 years of service on Friday, March 29.

Deputy Chief Campbell began his career at Snohomish Police Department and was hired by the Everett Police Department 1976. During his nearly four decades in law enforcement, he has held every rank (to include Chief from 1992-1995) and worked in every division, including Narcotics, Traffic, Marine Patrol and on the SWAT team.

“On behalf of our Everett community, I thank DC Campbell for his years of service to our city,” Everett Mayor Ray Stephanson said. “He has been a valued member of our public safety team, and we are grateful for his commitment to the department.”

Deputy Chief Campbell has served in a command capacity with the Snohomish County Multi-Agency Response Team (SMART), served as a member of the Northwest Incident Management Team and was the Everett Police representative to the City of Everett Office of Emergency Management. He was also the past President and Secretary for the EPOA and past President of the EPMA.

His service to the community includes being a board member for Diversified Services, a non-profit organization that supports special needs adults, for over 20 years. He has also been a board member for the Everett Public Schools Foundation for the past 9 years.

“What I will miss the most is all of the great people I have had the opportunity to work with within the police department, surrounding law enforcement agencies, other city staff and numerous people and organizations throughout our community,” Deputy Chief Campbell said.
“Deputy Chief Campbell has dedicated his life to the Everett Police Department and has been an excellent public servant,” Chief Kathy Atwood said. “He will be missed.”

In retirement, he plans to travel with his wife, spend more time with his children and grandchildren and be outdoors to ski, golf, bicycle and garden.

Replacing Deputy Chief Campbell will be Washington State Patrol Assistant Chief Jim Lever. Lever is currently the Assistant Chief of the Technical Services Bureau at WSP in Olympia where he has been since 2009 after leaving his post as District 7 Commander in Marysville where he served for four years. Chief Lever will be retiring from the WSP after 25 years of service. He is highly respected in the law enforcement community. His start date is yet to be determined.

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