Bellingham Police Deputy Chief Jason Monson retired after 37 years of service
June 30, 2025
After serving the Bellingham community for more than 37 years, Deputy Chief Jason Monson retired on May 28, 2025. He began his career at BPD as a warrant officer in 1988, was hired as an entry level police officer in 1990 and rose to the rank of Deputy Chief throughout the next three and a half decades.
Early Career
Deputy Chief Monson (Badge #158) was hired as a Warrant Officer by the Bellingham Police Department in November 1988. By October 1990, he had been hired as an entry level police officer and headed to the Basic Law Enforcement Academy (BLEA) at the Criminal Justice Training Commission in Burien, WA. After working as a patrol officer for three years, he was selected to be a K-9 Handler with Police Service Dog Major as his partner. He achieved Master Handler status during his time in the K-9 Unit. He and Major worked as a team until Major’s retirement in June 2001, which at the time was the longest serving K-9 team in BPD history. As a team, they captured 235 people.
In August of 2001, Deputy Chief Monson was selected as a DARE officer. He instructed the DARE curriculum in seven Bellingham School District elementary schools to over 1,000 students over three years. He returned to patrol duties until his selection as a Master Patrol Officer where he trained 15 new officers, spent 500 hours of acting sergeant time, and was the senior officer in charge of the Field Training Program.
In January of 2008, he was selected as a temporary detective in the Special Investigation Unit responsible for investigating street level narcotics cases, vice and gang cases, and other major crimes. He left this unit when he was promoted to sergeant in April 2009.
Deputy Chief Monson spent three years as a patrol team sergeant and then moved to the Investigation Division as the Major Crimes Detective Sergeant. In addition to supervising 9 detectives and three warrant officers, he spent time as the supervisor of the Law Enforcement Mutual Aid Response Team (LEMART) during his service as the Major Crimes Division Sergeant.
Late Career
In January of 2017, Deputy Chief Monson moved to the Administrative Services Group as their supervisor. He was responsible for the supervision of the training officer, range officer, senior volunteer program, BPD Explorer Cadet program and internships. In April of 2017, he was promoted to Lieutenant and assigned to the Patrol Division. In January 2018, he was selected as the Lieutenant of the Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) where he was the sole hiring entity for all positions within the Bellingham Police Department. He hired over 100 people in his time there.
In February 2022, he was promoted to Deputy Chief, Services Division at BPD, where he oversees the lieutenants of OPR, Administrative Services, the Records Manager, the Deputy Director of What-Comm 911, and Information Technology Manager. He is also the Director of What-Comm 911. This is the position from which is retiring.
Deputy Chief Monson also served on the SWAT Team for eight years, was the Crisis Negotiator Team supervisor, a Public Order Team Lead, and held Public Information Officer duties during his illustrious career at BPD.
“It is with deep respect and heartfelt gratitude that I celebrate the retirement of Deputy Chief Jason Monson,” said Bellingham Police Chief Rebecca Mertzig. “He honorably served this community with dedication, integrity and inspirational leadership.”
Deputy Chief Monson plans to travel, spend time with family, enjoy Pacific Northwest summers and watch Premier League Soccer (Go Tottenham!) and we wish him the very best in his well-deserved retirement.
Early Career
Deputy Chief Monson (Badge #158) was hired as a Warrant Officer by the Bellingham Police Department in November 1988. By October 1990, he had been hired as an entry level police officer and headed to the Basic Law Enforcement Academy (BLEA) at the Criminal Justice Training Commission in Burien, WA. After working as a patrol officer for three years, he was selected to be a K-9 Handler with Police Service Dog Major as his partner. He achieved Master Handler status during his time in the K-9 Unit. He and Major worked as a team until Major’s retirement in June 2001, which at the time was the longest serving K-9 team in BPD history. As a team, they captured 235 people.
In August of 2001, Deputy Chief Monson was selected as a DARE officer. He instructed the DARE curriculum in seven Bellingham School District elementary schools to over 1,000 students over three years. He returned to patrol duties until his selection as a Master Patrol Officer where he trained 15 new officers, spent 500 hours of acting sergeant time, and was the senior officer in charge of the Field Training Program.
In January of 2008, he was selected as a temporary detective in the Special Investigation Unit responsible for investigating street level narcotics cases, vice and gang cases, and other major crimes. He left this unit when he was promoted to sergeant in April 2009.
Deputy Chief Monson spent three years as a patrol team sergeant and then moved to the Investigation Division as the Major Crimes Detective Sergeant. In addition to supervising 9 detectives and three warrant officers, he spent time as the supervisor of the Law Enforcement Mutual Aid Response Team (LEMART) during his service as the Major Crimes Division Sergeant.
Late Career
In January of 2017, Deputy Chief Monson moved to the Administrative Services Group as their supervisor. He was responsible for the supervision of the training officer, range officer, senior volunteer program, BPD Explorer Cadet program and internships. In April of 2017, he was promoted to Lieutenant and assigned to the Patrol Division. In January 2018, he was selected as the Lieutenant of the Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) where he was the sole hiring entity for all positions within the Bellingham Police Department. He hired over 100 people in his time there.
In February 2022, he was promoted to Deputy Chief, Services Division at BPD, where he oversees the lieutenants of OPR, Administrative Services, the Records Manager, the Deputy Director of What-Comm 911, and Information Technology Manager. He is also the Director of What-Comm 911. This is the position from which is retiring.
Deputy Chief Monson also served on the SWAT Team for eight years, was the Crisis Negotiator Team supervisor, a Public Order Team Lead, and held Public Information Officer duties during his illustrious career at BPD.
“It is with deep respect and heartfelt gratitude that I celebrate the retirement of Deputy Chief Jason Monson,” said Bellingham Police Chief Rebecca Mertzig. “He honorably served this community with dedication, integrity and inspirational leadership.”
Deputy Chief Monson plans to travel, spend time with family, enjoy Pacific Northwest summers and watch Premier League Soccer (Go Tottenham!) and we wish him the very best in his well-deserved retirement.
Contact:
Claudia Murphy, Lieutenant
cmurphy@cob.org, (360) 815-2701
