Assistant Chief Clark Kimerer’s well-earned reputation as a philosopher and academic earned him a spot in George Mason University’s Center for Evidence-Based Crime Policy Hall of Fame this week for his decades-long efforts to promote the use of scientific research to drive changes to SPD’s policies and practices.
It was well-deserved recognition for Chief Kimerer, who retired Friday after 31 years with SPD. He leaves behind a legacy as an innovator and a scholar. During his career Chief Kimerer served in SWAT, as Chief Negotiator of the Hostage Negotiation Team, as Commander of the West Precinct, Internal Affairs Captain and Vice and Narcotics Section Captain before rising to the rank of Deputy Chief of Operations and Chief of Staff.
Chief Kimerer was a leader in the development of the Neighborhood Policing Plan and the Department’s adoption of Procedural Justice initiatives. He was also instrumental in expanding the department’s role in partnering with agencies like the Downtown Emergency Service Center, UW and the Seattle Fire Department to study and mitigate public health issues like chronic alcoholism and excited delirium.
As Captain of the West Precinct, he also worked with the University of Washington to analyze where parolees and suspects lived and loitered, and when they were scheduled to be downtown for court appearances. Through the use of that data, the West Precinct saw a 30% reduction in crime over an 18 month span.