Former Kent Police Chief Ed Crawford has died.
Crawford served as chief from 1991 to 2006 after a long career with the Washington State Patrol, where he started as a trooper in 1964 and left as a deputy chief.
Kent Police announced the death of Crawford Wednesday on its Facebook page, which did not list an age for Crawford.
“The legacy of his leadership lives on today in many of the outstanding community based programs and services the department currently provides,” according to a Kent Police Facebook post on Wednesday. “It also lives on through the men and women who are better people and better leaders because of his teaching, coaching and mentoring. In the history of our department, Chief Crawford stands as a giant amongst many great chiefs who served the Kent community with duty, honor, pride and compassion.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with Chief Crawford’s wife Dorlene Crawford and the Crawford family.”
Crawford pioneered efforts to modernize the Kent Police Department that included, achieving National Accreditation, enhancing its Community Education Unit and having a regional presence in key areas such as Federal task forces, the Criminal Justice Training Commission, FBI National Academy and International Association of Chiefs of Police.
Then-Mayor Dan Kelleher selected Crawford as chief in 1991 to replace Rod Frederiksen, who left to become chief in Vancouver, Wash. Crawford earned a law degree from the University of Puget Sound, a master’s of public administration from Eastern Washington University in Cheney and a bachelor of arts from Fort Wright College in Spokane, which has since closed.
A year ago, Crawford attended the re-dedication of the renamed Chief Robert E. Lee Memorial Building at the Kent Police Department. City officials added the word chief to the building to try to eliminate any confusion with Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee. Crawford also attended the dedication in 1992 when the building was named after Lee, who died in 1985. Lee was the Kent chief from 1948 to 1966.
In 2006, Crawford, then of Auburn, ran unsuccessfully against Claudia Kauffman in the House District 47 Senate Democratic Party primary.
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