Seattle's search for next police chief involves public input, community outreach
SEATTLE - Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson gave an update on the city's ongoing search for a new police chief, saying they are just a "few months" away from filling the position.
The Mayor's Office says that, by the end of the first consideration date of October, more than 40 qualified applicants put their names forward.
"When I look at the biggest challenges facing Seattle, our next police chief will play an indispensable role in making Seattle a great place to live. Seattle deserves a chief who is ready to help build a public safety system that matches our city’s values and priorities, who is present in our community and in this department, and who cares deeply about both," said Mayor Wilson. "I want to thank everyone who shared their feedback during this search process for helping to define the parameters for our search, everyone that applied, and our advisory committee for their outstanding work so far. Staff who have been involved in multiple searches described this as the strongest candidate pool in years, and I am confident that we will arrive at a great selection at the end of this process."
Seattle conducting public outreach ahead of police chief hire
Local perspective:
As part of the search process, the city is holding public discussion and outreach, connecting with community groups and cultural organizations.
"We went to the people. Together, we built a safe environment for neighbors and community partners to focus on constructive feedback," said Seattle Neighborhood Group executive director Aaron Yoon. "Different cultures and diverse communities came out and broke bread as one. When people feel safe and heard, new belief in one another becomes possible."
What they're saying:
According to the city's findings, those public hearings revealed that people want a police chief who is:
- From or connected to Seattle
- Interested in engaging with Seattle's communities
- Focused on accountability, transparency and community trust
- Ready to improve 911 response time, patrols and department coordination
- Collaborative, data-driven, culturally competent, emotionally intelligent and willing to work with city partners
The backstory:
Former police chief Shon Barnes was ousted by Mayor Wilson in July, just days after a deadly mass shooting at the Bite of Seattle event.
Since then, Deputy Chief Andre Sayles has been serving as interim chief.
Mayor Wilson is now meeting with the Seattle Police Department to conduct an internal survey on the search for the next police chief.
The city anticipates they will be ready to appoint a new police chief in the coming months.
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The Source: Information in this story comes from the Seattle Mayor's Office, as well as previous coverage from FOX 13 Seattle.