The Seattle Police Department is working tirelessly to rebuild community trust and restore pride in our organization. It’s unfortunate that behavior on social media by a few has contributed to the erosion of our collective efforts. Moving forward, I want to be certain that employees are clear regarding my expectations… [ Keep reading ]
On the heels of Mayor Ed Murray’s state of the city address where he promised continued reforms related to bias-free policing, the Seattle Police Department released a Request for Proposal (RFP) yesterday for a new business intelligence computer system, accomplishing a key milestone on the road to compliance with the… [ Keep reading ]
Until yesterday I was unaware of Officer Whitlatch’s Facebook posts. I was shocked and disappointed to read her comments. We are working to reform the Seattle Police Department, and behavior of this nature seriously undermines our efforts. Today, I have taken these immediate steps: I have ordered a comprehensive review… [ Keep reading ]
Today I heard many concerns from community members about the conduct of an SPD officer assigned to the East Precinct. These concerns are related to two incidents that occurred during the summer of 2014, one of which was detailed previously by our department. I have directed East Precinct commander Captain… [ Keep reading ]
When appointed chief in late June, I indicated that I would take five to six months to assess the existing leadership team and to determine how I will structure the SPD command staff going forward. Since then, I have recruited three civilian managers to fill the important positions of chief… [ Keep reading ]
Earlier this week, in response to an OPA Report, I sent a letter to the City Auditor requesting a review of overtime expenditures in the SPD Education and Training Section. After my initial letter, I also ordered a preliminary Department review of all overtime spending in 2014. Today, I sent… [ Keep reading ]
Use of force by police officers has been the subject of much discussion in Seattle and elsewhere in our country. As Chief, it is my duty to provide clear direction to my officers and to ensure that they have the training, equipment and support to do their jobs safely and… [ Keep reading ]
If you’re planning on attending or fleeing Thursday’s Seahawks game/Soundgarden and Pharrell kickoff concert at Centurylink Field, make sure you have a game plan to get to and from downtown! The Seahawks game, pre-game concert and other NFL events around Centurylink Field are expected to draw tens of thousands of people into downtown Thursday,… [ Keep reading ]
The Seattle Police Department is moving full speed ahead in implementation of the Consent Decree and will not be distracted in the process. During a hearing in federal court last week, the honorable James L. Robart, who is overseeing our department’s progress under the Consent Decree, said it best: “get… [ Keep reading ]
I am pleased to announce the appointment of Carmen Best to Deputy Chief of the Seattle Police Department. Since I was appointed, Carmen has shown me she cares deeply for this department and the community. She is a respected leader within the organization and has demonstrated, as the current Assistant… [ Keep reading ]
