BRYAN, Texas — The Bryan Police Department has chosen their new Chief of Police: Interim Chief Donald "Dean" Swartzlander Jr.
He will officially replace former Chief Eric Buske, who announced he would be retiring in June.
A 27-year veteran of the Bryan Police Department, Swartzlander joined the force in 1997 as a part of the patrol, serving for four years. During his time in the patrol, he was assigned a drug detection dog, K9 "Ranger." After his four years with the patrol, he was transferred to the newly formed K9 Unit to work with his new partner "Rudi" who was trained to sniff out drugs, find certain items, and assist in taking down suspects that required K9 force usage.
Swartzlander was promoted to Sergeant in 2008, supervising the patrol and K9 units until 2009, when "Rudi" retired. That same year, he was transferred to the Training and Recruiting Unit and worked there until 2014, when he was promoted to Lieutenant over Support Services. Swartzlander also helped with planning and implementing the Bryan PD Police Academy into its regular operations.
The police academy graduated its first class on Nov. 15, 2018.
Two years later, in 2020, Swartzlander was promoted to Assistant Chief, a role that he remained in until being named Interim Chief following the official retirement of former Chief Eric Buske.
Some of Swartzlander's achievements during his 27-year tenure with Bryan PD include:
- Departmental Citation for his work on Church burglaries in 1999
- Departmental Citation for responding to a call where he attempted to revive a child who later died in 2000
- Officer of the Year by the Bryan Police Department in 2000
- Medal of Valor for the Robbery at Western Union in 2003
- Officer of the Year by the Texas Municipal Police Officers' Association in 2003
- Proclamation from Mayor Watson for courage in the line of duty in 2004
- A Gold Medal Award from the VFW Law Enforcement in 2005
- Medal of Valor for the Taqueria Arandes Robbery in 2006
- Commendation for the Palasota Grocery Armed Robbery in 2009
- Supervisor of the Year by the Bryan Police Department in 2009 and 2011
Swartzlander was also a Class 285 graduate of the FBI National Academy, which he accomplished in 2023. He will be sworn in as Chief of Police by City Secretary Marry Lynn Stratta in the Secondary Courtroom of the Bryan Municipal Court building located at 401 South Tabor Road in Bryan on Friday, Sept. 6 at 3 p.m.