Clary Named Richland Police Chief

(Richland, WA) --Brigit Clary has been appointed Police Chief for the Richland Police Department. Clary has been serving in the Interim Police Chief capacity since January 28, 2022. Clary was asked to fill the interim role after the previous chief, John Bruce, resigned.  Clary will be the eleventh Chief of Police in Richland and the first female chief in Richland’s history.

Clary has been a police officer for over 24 years and brought previous leadership experience when she joined the City of Richland Police Department.  When Clary joined RPD in 2017 as an officer, she quickly rose through the ranks to Sergeant, then Lieutenant, then Captain. Clary has also served as a supervisor for the Special Investigations team. In November 2021, she was promoted to Deputy Police Chief.

“I have been very pleased with Brigit’s leadership and guidance in the handling of recent high profile events in our community,” states City Manager, Jon Amundson. “Our entire region was shocked and saddened after the incident at Fred Meyer and continues to mourn the casualties of tragic vehicular accidents. Despite the gravity of the circumstances, Brigit remained steadfast and led with the utmost professionalism and compassion. She has the respect of staff, the Police Guild, and the community, and I’m excited to have her continue in this role long-term.”  

Clary began her career as a Provisional Officer in Ellensburg, WA. She was with the Port of Seattle Police Department for several years before going to the Federal Way Police Department as a lateral, where she served for the majority of her career before coming to Richland. Clary holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Central Washington University, majoring in Law and Justice and Sociology. She has received hours of industry training and completed the FBI-LEEDA trilogy, a combination of the Supervisory Leadership Institute, the Command Leadership Institute, and the Executive Leadership Institute.

Chief Clary states, “I am proud to accept the role as Police Chief for Richland and I want to thank Jon for the trust placed in me. I look forward to meeting more residents in Richland and identifying additional opportunities for RPD staff to engage with our citizens.  I love what I do and despite the challenges in our industry, I hope to encourage others to join our mission of partnering with and protecting our community.”

Clary will lead a department of over 120 staff, including Commissioned Officers, Benton County Emergency Services, SECOMM Emergency Dispatchers, and Code Enforcement. Clary’s new role is effective April 18, 2022.