When Dave Hagar looks back on his 10 years with the Coeur d’Alene Police Department, he doesn't point to crime statistics, promotions or titles. 

Instead, he talks about people — the officers he mentored, the community that embraced change and the department he believes became stronger because of a collective effort.

Now, after serving as interim police chief and helping guide the agency through a decade of change, Hagar is retiring effective July 16.

“I really just want to thank the community and the men and women here at the department,” he said Tuesday. “We brought a lot of changes over the past 10-12 years and brought the police department into a different philosophy of policing, and we wouldn't have been able to do that without the great community support and the men and women here that bought into it.”    

From January to June, he served as interim police chief after Lee White retired.

Hagar was a candidate for police chief but was not selected, as the city opted for former Fort Collins Deputy Chief Greg Yeager after a series of tumultuous votes in April. 

"I am proud to have served in many capacities over my career,” said Hagar in a press release Tuesday.

After serving 20 years at the Mesa Police Department, Hagar moved to Coeur d’Alene in 2016. During his time in North Idaho, he advocated for and practiced data-driven policing, which dropped Coeur d’Alene’s crime rate by 75% over the past decade, according to a Coeur d'Alene police press release.

Hagar served as project manager for the department's $6.2 million headquarters expansion and remodel, represents the department on Kootenai County's 911 Advisory Board and serves as past chairman of the North Idaho POST Academy/North Idaho College Advisory Board, where he has taught Basic Academy classes.

Outside policework, Hagar served on the board of directors for St. Vincent de Paul in Coeur d'Alene since 2020 and as a commissioner on the city of Hayden Public Safety Commission since 2025.

"The city has been truly blessed to have Captain Hagar serve for the past 10 years," said Mayor Dan Gookin. "His extensive knowledge of police, protocol, and legal issues has benefited the city. Captain Hagar is one of the most hard-working, honest policemen I know."

Hagar said he will look back fondly on his time with his fellow policemen.

“I think we have more of that family feel to where there is a close-knit community, as opposed to you being just a number at a job. You actually have a name and a personality, and I think that is what’s really unique to this agency,” he said Tuesday. 

Hagar hopes his impact is felt through his mentorship.

“Anytime you see somebody that is wondering where they want to go in their career and they’re just kind of stifled and you help them get to the next level, those are the best things,” he said. 

Hagar believes the department has accomplished much and credits the men and women he works with for its success. 

“What we’ve done is won the Super Bowl, the World Series and the Stanley Cup with what we’ve been able to accomplish. It’s not me, it’s what the department has been, collectively, able to do,” he said.