By Dennis Box-The Courier-Herald
Dana Hubbard has been promoted from acting lieutenant to assistant chief of the Bonney Lake Police Department. It was made official during a swearing-in ceremony Aug. 28.
The 42-year-old Hubbard has been with the department for 15 years, coming from the Tacoma Police Department where she began her career in law enforcement. She worked in the Tacoma department for two years.
“This is amazing,” Hubbard said. “It's taken my whole career to get to this point. For me, you put your head down and work and do the best you can for the department you are working for.”
As assistant chief, Hubbard's duties will include working with detectives and patrol officers, coordinating with the Metro Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team and performing the duties of Chief Mike Mitchell when he is not available.
During her career, Hubbard worked with Drug Abuse Resistance Education program in 1992 and was instrumental with other officers in launching the department's marine service program. She also was a member of the Metro SWAT team.
According to Hubbard, the difficulties she has had in her career included learning to take tests.
“I had to overcome taking written tests,” Hubbard said. “Practical tests I can do. I'm fine with oral boards. The SAT or abstract tests I'm not very good at, but that just makes me work harder. If I get denied, I just work harder. I'm competitive.”
Hubbard was born in Puyallup and raised at Lake Tapps. She attended Sumner High School through the 10th grade and transferred to Wilson High School in Tacoma where she graduated.
She won the state swimming championship in the 50-yard freestyle and 100-yard butterfly in the 1982-83 season.
She attended the University of Nebraska on a swimming scholarship and was an All-American selection from 1983-87 competing in the 50 freestyle, 100 freestyle, 100 butterfly, 200 individual medley, 100 breast and relays.
Hubbard qualified for the Olympic trials in 1984 and 1988.
“I swam against Mary T. Meagher in the 100-meter butterfly,” Hubbard said. “I was right at her shoulder and lost by that much,” she said, holding a finger and thumb an inch apart.
“She was gold at the Olympics,” Hubbard said. “It was a incredible experience.”
After graduating from Nebraska with a degree in public relations and communications, she went to work for a short time for the King County Journal. But the newspaper business was not her calling. She worked briefly for the Kent Police Department as a jailer and then was hired by the Tacoma department.
Hubbard has been married for 17 years and has two sons, ages 14 and 11.
Dennis Box can be reached at dbox@courierherald.com.
