Arlington police chief to retire

Published 9:00 pm Monday, May 14, 2001

By Brian Kelly

Herald Writer

ARLINGTON — Longtime Police Chief Steve Robinson is planning to retire in August.

Robinson joined the department as chief 11 years ago. He announced his retirement in a letter given to police department employees on Friday.

"My wife and I have come to the conclusion that the time has come for me to slow down and smell the roses," Robinson wrote.

"Chief Robinson has given the city 11 years of nothing short of exceptional service," Mayor Bob Kraski said in a statement. "The entire community will sorely miss him as chief. We wish him and his family all the best as he sets off into the world of retirement."

Robinson, 51, was hospitalized with pneumonia in February.

"It took a little bit of the energy out of me," Robinson said, but he added that there were other factors involved in deciding to retire. Another was that the city would be building a new police station in the years ahead, and he thought the new chief should be brought aboard early on in the process.

"There’s a fine young man or woman out there who’s going to step in here and continue this as an excellent department," Robinson said.

A tentative retirement date of Aug. 16 has been set.

"He’s agreed to stay on until we find a replacement; so that could be August, it could be September," said City Administrator Kristin Banfield.

For Robinson, it will be the end of 28 years in law enforcement.

Although there were no police officers in the family — his father was a career Marine — Robinson said he has known since he was an eighth-grader that he wanted to be a cop. He tested with the Tukwila department in 1972 and joined the force the next year. Robinson then worked his way up through the ranks as an officer, detective, patrol sergeant and assistant chief.

He said his career has meant many memories, many good ones, many not so good. Like the time he was called to the scene of an accident where a car carrying four teen-agers tried to beat a train in Tukwila. Three passengers, two girls and a boy, were killed. The driver, who had been drinking, lived.

Robinson recalled the arrest of a different drunken driver later that same night. From the back seat of the patrol car, the man asked Robinson why he wasn’t out arresting "real criminals."

"We had a little chat," Robinson said simply.

There are things he’ll want to remember, though. "I have such a great group of people to work with. I don’t think I could have ever imagined it would be this fun," he said.

The city will begin a search for Robinson’s successor immediately, Banfield said.

You can call Herald Writer Brian Kelly at 425-339-3422 or send e-mail to kelly@heraldnet.com.