Dan Templeman, Everett’s new police chief, rose through the ranks

EVERETT — There’s a wistfulness in Dan Templeman’s voice when he thinks back to 1992.

That was the spring he graduated from college in criminology, the summer he worked at a city golf course and the fall he hired on with the Everett Police Department.

His first assignment was on patrol, the graveyard shift in the Riverside neighborhood.

Back then, he didn’t know who was on the City Council.

His beat stretched from Broadway to the Snohomish River north of Pacific Avenue. It was an exciting place. The rookie grew close to his fellow officers, took a variety of calls and worked with neighborhood leaders on hot spots and chronic nuisances.

“If I ended up on patrol tomorrow, I would love it,” he said.

That’s not going to happen. Templeman, 44, has taken the reins as chief of the department and is now responsible for a $31.8 million annual budget. He was sworn in last week to oversee 248 employees, including 201 uniformed officers. His annual salary is $149,292.

Templeman replaced Kathy Atwood, who retired as chief June 19. He became the 37th chief in the city’s 111-year history. “I had hoped all along he would be my successor and was thrilled that the mayor supported that and he got appointed,” Atwood said. “He is an amazing worker, and he is just very balanced and fair and together with the deputy chiefs they are just a wonderful team.”

Templeman climbed the ranks quickly over 22 years. After patrol, he became a detective, learning the math and science of reconstructing car crashes. He’s been a patrol and administrative sergeant, a lieutenant overseeing patrol and later the special investigations unit, a captain of the investigations unit, and, most recently, a deputy chief. Along the way, he was commander for a countywide task force that investigates officer-involved shootings.

Despite the quick ascent, Templeman says he didn’t set out to be police chief and that he’d be plenty content back on the road.

He said he still enjoys his chosen profession for many reasons: the chance to help people, problem-solve and make order out of disorder. In pursuing the bad, he has seen lots of good.

“You can never lose sight of the good in people,” he said.

At the same time, social issues, such as homelessness and mental illness, offer no easy solutions but have a major impact on the police.

Templeman considers himself fortunate. With each position, he was surrounded by experienced supervisors and veteran detectives.

Templeman, the son of an Everett attorney, grew up in Lake Stevens.

It was at Lake Stevens High School, where he was co-editor of the student Valhalla newspaper, that Templeman became interested in police work. He began riding along with state troopers and county deputies while writing about the impact of drunken driving.

Dan Lorentzen, interim Lake Stevens police chief, attended high school with Templeman.

“The great thing about Danny is he is very methodical,” Lorentzen said. “He likes to have really good discussions. He’s very open and engaging with people. He’s quiet. He likes to take in the information and think about the steps. He doesn’t rush to judgment.”

Everett has always seemed like an ideal-sized place to work, a department large enough to learn new skills but small enough to know everyone by name, Templeman said. He also liked the idea of getting to work close to where he grew up.

Templeman served under three police chiefs: Mike Campbell, Jim Scharf and Atwood.

He learned from them the importance of paying attention to details and working with the community, as well as the need to hold people accountable and make tough decisions.

He said he is a “numbers-driven” leader who’ll look to the department’s two crime analysts to provide information to guide resources. He said he is open-minded to pooling resources with other agencies, as Everett police and the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office recently did in reorganizing SWAT operations, but he doesn’t see anything new on the horizon.

Templeman said he wants to make his expectations clear and be visible in the community.

“I really think as police chief it is important to be out there,” he said.

Eric Stevick: 425-339-3446, stevick@heraldnet.com.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Local News

A firefighter stands in silence before a panel bearing the names of L. John Regelbrugge and Kris Regelbrugge during the ten-year remembrance of the Oso landslide on Friday, March 22, 2024, at the Oso Landslide Memorial in Oso, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
‘Flood of emotions’ as Oso Landslide Memorial opens on 10th anniversary

Friends, family and first responders held a moment of silence at 10:37 a.m. at the new 2-acre memorial off Highway 530.

Julie Petersen poses for a photo with images of her sister Christina Jefferds and Jefferds’ grand daughter Sanoah Violet Huestis next to a memorial for Sanoah at her home on March 20, 2024 in Arlington, Washington. Peterson wears her sister’s favorite color and one of her bangles. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
‘It just all came down’: An oral history of the Oso mudslide

Ten years later, The Daily Herald spoke with dozens of people — first responders, family, survivors — touched by the deadliest slide in U.S. history.

Victims of the Oso mudslide on March 22, 2014. (Courtesy photos)
Remembering the 43 lives lost in the Oso mudslide

The slide wiped out a neighborhood along Highway 530 in 2014. “Even though you feel like you’re alone in your grief, you’re really not.”

Director Lucia Schmit, right, and Deputy Director Dara Salmon inside the Snohomish County Department of Emergency Management on Friday, March 8, 2024, in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
How Oso slide changed local emergency response ‘on virtually every level’

“In a decade, we have just really, really advanced,” through hard-earned lessons applied to the pandemic, floods and opioids.

Ron and Gail Thompson at their home on Monday, March 4, 2024 in Oso, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
In shadow of scarred Oso hillside, mudslide’s wounds still feel fresh

Locals reflected on living with grief and finding meaning in the wake of a catastrophe “nothing like you can ever imagine” in 2014.

Everett mall renderings from Brixton Capital. (Photo provided by the City of Everett)
Topgolf at the Everett Mall? Mayor’s hint still unconfirmed

After Cassie Franklin’s annual address, rumors circled about what “top” entertainment tenant could be landing at Everett Mall.

Everett
Everett man sentenced to 3 years of probation for mutilating animals

In 2022, neighbors reported Blayne Perez, 35, was shooting and torturing wildlife in north Everett.

Dorothy Crossman rides up on her bike to turn in her ballot  on Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2023 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Everett leaders plan to ask voters for property tax increase

City officials will spend weeks hammering out details of a ballot measure, as Everett faces a $12.6 million deficit.

Starbucks employee Zach Gabelein outside of the Mill Creek location where he works on Friday, Feb. 23, 2024 in Mill Creek, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Mill Creek Starbucks votes 21-1 to form union

“We obviously are kind of on the high of that win,” store bargaining delegate Zach Gabelein said.

Lynnwood police respond to a collision on highway 99 at 176 street SW. (Photo provided by Lynnwood Police)
Southbound lanes on Highway 99 reopen after crash

The crash, on Highway 99 at 176th Street SW, blocked traffic for over an hour. Traffic was diverted to 168th Street SW.

The view of Mountain Loop Mine out the window of a second floor classroom at Fairmount Elementary on Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
County: Everett mining yard violated order to halt work next to school

At least 10 reports accused OMA Construction of violating a stop-work order next to Fairmount Elementary. A judge will hear the case.

Imagine Children's Museum's incoming CEO, Elizabeth "Elee" Wood. (Photo provided by Imagine Children's Museum)
Imagine Children’s Museum in Everett to welcome new CEO

Nancy Johnson, who has led Imagine Children’s Museum in Everett for 25 years, will retire in June.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.