Wash. Police Force Gets New Chief for 1st Time in Over Decade
What to know
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Interim Gig Harbor Police Chief Tray Federici was appointed to the position permanently following a recruitment process and community and police union input.
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Federici, has been in law enforcement since 2002 and has served with the Gig Harbor Police Department since 2016.
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Rank-and-file officers strongly backed his selection, citing steady leadership, integrity and a focus on community safety during his interim tenure.
The city of Gig Harbor has chosen a new chief of police, following interviews, community feedback and a show of support from the department’s union.
Interim Police Chief Tray Federici has been selected to serve as the permanent head of the Gig Harbor Police Department, the city announced in a press release Monday morning. His new position is effective Monday.
“I’m looking forward to working more closely with Chief Federici and his team, and to seeing how he continues to make our police so integral in this wonderful community,” Gig Harbor Mayor Mary Barber said in the release. “Chief Federici’s passion and commitment to Gig Harbor are just two things that made him rise to the top in this process.”
Federici was one of four finalists in the recruitment process following the retirement of former Chief Kelly Busey, who led the department for over a decade. Busey concluded his law enforcement career of over 30 years in June, and the city chose Federici, then a lieutenant, to fill the role of interim police chief while the city sought a permanent replacement.
“I’m humbled and excited to carry forward the mission and vision of the City of Gig Harbor, the Gig Harbor Police Department, and our community,” Federici said in the city’s news release. “I’m grateful for the strong foundation built before me, and I’m committed to honoring and building upon that foundation as we continue our mission delivering the best possible public safety and service to our community.”
The annual salary for Gig Harbor’s police chief ranges from $182,561 to $228,353, according to the city’s 2025 wage schedule.
Federici has worked in law enforcement since 2002 and for the Gig Harbor Police Department since 2016. In Gig Harbor, ”he has advanced through every rank, serving as a patrol officer, detective, sergeant, investigative and administrative sergeant, and lieutenant,” the release says.
His law enforcement career has taken him across the country, including stints in Florida, South Carolina and Colorado, and he was honorably discharged and recognized for exemplary service following his service as a maritime enforcement officer with the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve. He has worked on multiple task forces with agencies including the U.S. Marshals Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, Secret Service, and is a commander with the Pierce County Force Investigation Team, according to the release.
Federici holds degrees in business and government administration, public safety, homeland security and disaster management, and certificates in police leadership from the Washington Association of Sheriffs & Police Chiefs and the FBI Law Enforcement Executive Development Association Executive Leadership Institute, the release states.
Rank-and-file officers of the Gig Harbor Police Department voiced their support for Federici to become the next chief, issuing a press release Sept. 5 on behalf of their union, Teamsters Local Union 117.
“I proudly support Tray Federici as the Chief of Police for the City of Gig Harbor,” Detective Sergeant Jarab Daniel, who has served the department for 10 years, said in the release. “During his interim tenure, Chief Federici has shown steady leadership, integrity, and a centered focus on community safety. His collaborative approach, strong community partnerships, and proven results have earned the backing and support of the officers who serve our agency. He is the right choice to lead the Gig Harbor Police Department as permanent chief.”
Officer Chet Dennis, a union representative, also spoke during public comment at a city council meeting Sept. 8, thanking the city for a selection process he described as a “brilliant job well done” and for inviting officers’ feedback in the search for a new chief.
“The members of the police department, after meeting all of the candidates, we took our own survey and talked amongst ourselves,” he said. “And we overwhelmingly support Interim Chief Tray Federici to be the next police chief for the Gig Harbor Police Department.”
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