Today Chief Best sent a message to officers to convey the financial outlook of the City and address any future cuts that may happen within SPD. While no decisions have been made yet, we wanted the community to be aware of the situation. Laying off 50% of the department would be catastrophic for public safety in the city… [ Keep reading ]
June 22, 2020 To the Seattle Community: The last few weeks in Seattle – beginning on May 25th, 2020, when George Floyd was murdered by a City of Minneapolis Police Officer – have been the most transformative and challenging moments, in my lifetime, for our City, and for the Seattle… [ Keep reading ]
Please watch this video for an update about the situation at the East Precinct and my message to each and every one of you. Stay safe and take care of one another. Carmen Best Chief of Police 6/11/20 11:05am *Point of clarification. We are only releasing this publicly after hearing… [ Keep reading ]
I want to update you on events of today and tonight. Currently, we are still addressing a number of groups of offenders who continue to assault officers and loot the downtown core, indiscriminately. The National Guard is assisting in controlling the situation downtown. At last update we had arrested 27… [ Keep reading ]
To the Men and Women of the Seattle Police Department: I wanted to take a moment to address the tragic murder of George Floyd by the Minneapolis Police Department officer. In the video, we hear Mr. Floyd’s repeated calls for help. We hear him say over and over again that… [ Keep reading ]
In the Editor’s Notes column of The Guardian, there are several claims that are false. Because false information unchecked will soon take on a life of its own, I am writing to address two key points in immediate need of correction. I AM NOT A CANDIDATE FOR ANOTHER POLICE CHIEF… [ Keep reading ]
As we approach a new era of our organization, it is critical that our leadership aligns with our priorities. ln keeping with this vision, I am making the following Command Staff announcements. I sincerely appreciate the contribution of Marc Garth Green stepping into the role of Deputy Chief. However, we… [ Keep reading ]
Since my public swearing in one year ago today, the focus of the Department has been on five guiding principles in service to our community: Reduce Crime and Disorder Service Excellence Honor and Professionalism Business Efficiencies Data-Driven Policies and Practices Equally important, we have been listening to all levels of… [ Keep reading ]
I was recently made aware of a campaign advertisement issued by a political action committee that features my image and quotes words I spoke concerning the state of support, or lack thereof, for police officers in this city. My statement is as true today as it was when spoken, but… [ Keep reading ]
The mission of police is to protect our communities and keep them safe. Major Cities Chiefs is committed to protecting all our residents, both documented and undocumented. We have taken a solemn oath to serve the public, regardless of immigration status. This includes providing protection, responding to calls for service,… [ Keep reading ]
