White Bear Lake police chief to retire in August

The city of White Bear Lake will start looking for its next police chief soon after the current chief announced plans to retire this summer.

A release from the city says Julie Swanson will retire from her role as the police chief on Aug. 25.

Swanson has served the community for the past 23 years and led the police department since 2014.

“The White Bear Lake community has encapsulated every aspect of my life. We all agree that this is a community like no other, and I have had the fortune to serve it in a capacity that I never envisioned I would as a 12-year-old moving to the area,” Swanson said. “It is hard to imagine what life will look like when I no longer work in a role that I have loved and been proud of for half of my lifetime.”

The city credited Swanson with playing a major role in enhancing the department’s community outreach efforts, implementing a team approach to policing, and shaping morale.

“Chief Swanson is an example of what community policing means and should be,” City Manager Lindy Crawford said. “We are proud of the work she has done for our organization and service she has provided to the community. She has also been a dedicated contributor to the City’s leadership team.”

The city says it will start a formal hiring process to find Swanson’s successor in the coming weeks.