FBI's LA chief moving on with D.C. promotion

WESTWOOD, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- The FBI's top man in Los Angeles is heading back to Washington, with a promotion after some challenging years dealing with terrorism and government corruption in Southern California.

David Bowdich has been assistant director in charge of the FBI's Los Angeles Field Office since 2014, serving as the face of high-profile investigations like the San Bernardino terror attack and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department corruption case.

Now he's heading to FBI headquarters in D.C., with a promotion to associate deputy director.

The move, announced in February, wasn't an easy one for Bowdich to accept given all the challenges remaining in Los Angeles.

"I had a hard time to be quite frank because we just were attacked in San Bernardino and to leave on the heels of that didn't quite feel right," he said. "But (the FBI director) said look you can do some good from here from Washington and support that effort."

Since joining the FBI as an agent in 1995, Bowdich has held various roles in San Diego and Washington and in 2012 became special agent in charge of the Los Angles Field Office's Counterterrorism Division.

He says he'll miss Southern California for many reasons, but at the top of the list is the people he's worked with.

"As far as how developed and professional the law enforcement are here, we're very, very fortunate," he said.

The new head of the FBI's Los Angeles Field Office, Deirdre Fike, is expected to start in May. She formerly served as head of the agency's Anchorage, Alaska Division.