Police chief to retire

June 18, 2006

By MARY AMES

Frontiersman

WASILLA - After more than 32 years in law enforcement, Wasilla Police Department Chief Don Savage has plans for his own, personal Independence Day.

Savage, who first was hired by former Wasilla mayor Sarah Palin, announced Friday in a mass e-mail that he was heading into retirement. His last day of work with the Wasilla cops will be July 6, he said.

The Wasilla department was organized in 1993, and Savage was the

department's third chief.

For Savage, this is a second retirement. He first retired from the Alaska State Troopers after 27 years, serving all around the state, but mostly in this area, he said.

Looking back over the changes in the department since he took the helm, Savage didn't see any accomplishments for which he would take sole credit.

&#8220None of it is something that I personally got done,” Savage said. &#8220It was all a team effort.”

Some of the changes brought about by that team effort include the dispatch center, which allowed the department to double in size, the motorcycle patrol, code compliance and the Child Abuse Investigative Unit, he said.

Since he stepped into the chief slot in November 2001, Savage said he hasn't seen much change in crime in Wasilla.

&#8220I'm pleased to say our crime stats are quite flat, in spite of growth in traffic and population,” he said.

There have been no homicides during his time, although there have been a few armed robberies and sexual assaults, he said.

Now is a logical time for Savage to step aside, he said, with most of the work complete on the technological upgrades in the department. Next up on the agenda is mobile computing units in patrol cars.

&#8220It would have been nice to have the time or energy to stay through the entire process,” he said.

John Glass, deputy chief, will assume the duties of chief until Mayor Dianne M. Keller appoints a new permanent chief, according to Savage's e-mail. The mayor was not available for comment Friday.

Wasilla's sales tax was initiated to support the police department, and city council member Mark Ewing remembered sitting through all the meetings.

&#8220They've come a long way,” Ewing said. &#8220I like Don Savage, and I'm glad to hear that John can step in.”

In his time remaining as chief, Savage has a few projects he wants to complete, and Glass will take over the day-to-day operations, he said.

Savage plans to remain in the Valley and stay active in the community.

He has no plans to celebrate his retirement, other than to take a long camping trip, he said.

&#8220Maybe I'll mow the lawn,” he said.

Contact Mary Ames at 352-2284 or mary.ames@

frontiersman.com.