TAMPA, Fla. — Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw has submitted a formal letter of resignation to the city, announcing he is stepping down and retiring from his post.
His letter, released on June 9, reads in part: "Leaving this organization is the hardest decision of my career."
WATCH: Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw to retire after 30 years, to teach at USF
Chief Bercaw will be with the Tampa Police Department until Aug. 6.
Read Chief Bercaw's full statement here:
Police Chief Lee Bercaw Retirement Letter 6-9-26 by Tampa Bay 28
Chief Bercaw said he will be taking a teaching post at the University of South Florida.
During a news conference at the Tampa Police Department, Mayor Castor said Assistant Police Chief Brett Owen will become the interim police chief following Bercaw's resignation.
"This has been an honor of a lifetime," Bercaw said. "The Tampa Police Department has been more than a career to me, it's been a family."
Assistant Chief Brett Owen has been named acting chief. Castor said she will not name a permanent chief, leaving that decision to the next administration ahead of the 2027 mayoral election.
"I believe wholeheartedly that the position of chief of police is the most important position in the entire administration," Castor said. "That decision needs to be left up to the next administration."
Crime reduction and department growth
Under Bercaw's leadership, Tampa saw a 17% reduction in violent crime in 2025, a 53% drop in homicides, and an overall crime reduction of more than 21%. Castor said Tampa led the nation.
"Our homicides last year were down 53%, and yes, they were down across the entire nation, but we were two times the average of the nation in our reduction," Bercaw said.
Bercaw also oversaw the addition of more than 40 officers to the department. He said the department is on track to be fully staffed by fall and in a position for an over-hire by the end of the year.
Technology and community outreach
Bercaw prioritized the adoption of new technology, including artificial intelligence tools, drone implementation, body-worn cameras and license plate readers. He said the department worked to balance the efficiencies those technologies bring with maintaining community trust.
He also implemented a software system that prompts individuals who call for service to rate the responding officer's level of service after the call. Castor said the responses have been overwhelmingly positive.
Bercaw expanded community outreach programs, including the department's Police Athletic League and a midnight basketball program. He also added neighborhood watch programs and focused on leadership development and succession planning.
"What makes me most proud isn't any statistic, it's the people in the organization," Bercaw said. "We intentionally built a culture of professionalism, integrity, innovation, service and accountability."
Transition to USF
Bercaw said an opportunity to join USF's faculty opened up, and he felt the department's leadership was strong enough to move forward without him.
"If I wasn't confident in the leadership to continue this department forward, then I wouldn't be making this decision now," Bercaw said.
At USF, he will lead the Criminal Justice Master's Degree Program. Dr. Julie Serovich, Dean of USF's College of Behavioral and Community Sciences, said Bercaw's depth of experience made him an exceptional fit.
"He has the type of experiences and the length of depth of knowledge that is beyond anybody that we could possibly have considered for this role," Serovich said.
Bercaw said teaching has long been a passion, from his time as a field training officer to serving as an adjunct professor at USF. He said one of his mentors, the late Dr. Max Bromley, had previously coordinated the program, and that he had gone through it himself.
"Helping that next generation of police officers and future police leaders is something that I couldn't be more proud of," Bercaw said.
When asked whether his retirement was connected to his firing of Assistant Chief Ruth Cate two months ago, Bercaw said the two decisions have no correlation.
"You have to make tough decisions, and sometimes the unpopular decisions in an organization," Bercaw said.
Acting Chief Brett Owen
Owen began his law enforcement career with Manatee County and joined the Tampa Police Department in 2002. He has served at every level of the organization since the department changed its policing model in 2003.
"I've been very fortunate over the 24 years of my career here to serve with some great supervisors and leaders," Owen said. "The team we have in place here has done a tremendous job of getting us to where we are, and I feel confident that they will get us to the future."
Castor said Owen has a strong relationship with the community and will carry forward the department's mission of reducing crime and improving the quality of life through partnerships with residents and businesses.
Among the department's ongoing priorities, Bercaw cited the construction of a new evidence and forensics building, an expansion of the training facility, and the search for a new headquarters.
Mayor Castor said she will not appoint a new police chief because she is the outgoing mayor. Castor will leave that responsibility to the newly appointed mayor, who will be elected in March 2027.
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This is a developing story. Tampa Bay 28 reporter Jada Williams will provide more details as they become available.
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