Tampa’s Top Cop Turns In Badge For USF Classroom Gig

Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw is trading in his badge for a lectern, announcing he will retire after more than 30 years with the department and head to the University of South Florida to teach. In a formal letter submitted today, Bercaw set his retirement date for Aug. 6, and the department held a news conference the same day to discuss the move.

As reported by Tampa Bay 28, Bercaw told the city in writing, "Leaving this organization is the hardest decision of my career." The station posted the full text of his letter, which explains that he will join USF's College of Behavioral and Community Sciences to teach and help coordinate a master's program in criminal-justice administration. The complete letter is available on Scribd.

His tenure in Tampa

Bercaw joined the Tampa Police Department in 1997 and climbed the ranks to lead the city’s largest law-enforcement agency. As chief, he oversaw initiatives the city credits with recent drops in violent crime and expanded training for officers, according to his biography and performance overview on the City of Tampa website.

New role at USF

In his retirement letter, Bercaw says he will serve as an associate professor of instruction at USF and help coordinate the Master of Arts in Criminal Justice Administration program. He frames the move as a chance to teach and mentor future criminal-justice professionals, a theme that runs throughout the document. Readers can review the specifics in the full text posted on Scribd.

Department context

The announcement lands after months of internal strain inside the department, including the abrupt removal of Assistant Chief Ruth Cate this spring, as reported by the Tampa Bay Times. Axios' Tampa Bay desk also examined friction among senior staff and the personnel moves that followed earlier this spring.

USF ties and experience

Bercaw is a USF alumnus who has previously lectured at the university, a connection USF highlighted when he was named chief in 2023. USF notes that he holds degrees in criminology and has prior teaching experience with the department.

What comes next

City officials said they would address succession plans and next steps during the department's news conference. Tampa Bay 28 streamed the event and assigned a reporter to cover it. Officials have not yet named a successor, and the department and mayor's office are expected to lay out a transition timeline in the coming days.