Stephen Hogue - Chief of Police - Tampa Police Department

Tampa's crime rate has dropped more than 42.5% since Stephen Hogue took over as Chief of Police. He reorganized the department, reassigned resources and set up a system to analyze crimes on a daily basis. This made it possible for commanders to track the crimes in the their newly designed areas on a daily basis then assign the necessary resources to stop the crime pattern. This innovative system coupled with a strong emphasis on community oriented policing has produced impressive results. In 2004, Tampa enjoyed its first double-digit decrease in two decades. Crime dropped 12.2% followed by a 16.8% decrease in 2005. This trend continued in 2006 and 2007 with another 9.4% and 10% drop in the crime rate. These numbers translate into fewer people falling victim to crimes. Tampa is a truly a safer place to live since under the leadership of Chief Steve Hogue.


Chief Hogue draws on 35 years of law enforcement experience to produce his creative solutions to crime problems. He served the first 23 years of his career with the Tampa Police Department (TPD). Hogue rose steadily through the ranks, becoming a Major in 1994. Three years later, he retired from TPD to become the Chief of the Fort Walton Beach Police Department. He returned home to Tampa as Chief in September of 2003 to lead a department with more than 1300 employees and a budget that exceeds 120 million dollars.

The Tampa native is a graduate of Plant High School and the University of South Florida. Chief Hogue is married to Charlotte Hogue and they have two children.