Gig Harbor taps interim replacement for longtime police chief who is retiring
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Gig Harbor appointed Lt. Tray Federici as interim chief following Busey’s retirement.
- Federici joined the department in 2016 and was promoted to lieutenant in January 2025.
- City officials launched a competitive search for a permanent police chief.
The city of Gig Harbor has selected an interim police chief to serve after Chief Kelly Busey’s retirement from the role on June 23.
Gig Harbor Police Lieutenant Tray Federici will lead the department as the city works to identify a permanent replacement for Busey, who has served in the department since 1991 and announced his retirement in March. He became chief of the Gig Harbor Police Department in 2014.
“Lt. Federici has demonstrated steady, service-minded leadership within the department, earning the confidence of his colleagues, city leadership, and the broader community,” the city press release said the evening of June 17. It also thanked Chief Busey for his leadership and service to the Gig Harbor community.
Meanwhile, the city of Gig Harbor has begun its search for the next permanent police chief. The process “will be open, competitive, and guided by community and staff input,” Mayor Mary Barber said in a statement included in the release.
The city will release more details about this process and how to participate “soon,” according to the release.
Federici was officially promoted to lieutenant at the Jan. 14 Gig Harbor City Council meeting. He joined the police department as an officer in 2016, The News Tribune reported. The city also recognized his promotion to lieutenant in a post on LinkedIn several months ago, including a statement from Chief Busey saying that “you won’t find an employee more devoted to the department mission and to the city he serves.”
This story was originally published June 18, 2025 at 5:15 AM.
