Seattle Police Chief Search Draws More Than 40 Qualified Applications; Mayor to Decide in Coming Months
Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson on November 6 provided an update on the search for the city's next permanent police chief. The initial application period has closed and community feedback collection has wrapped up: there were over 40 qualified applications by the first consideration date at the end of October, including both internal and external candidates, and the search is on track for the mayor to make her selection in the next few months.
"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. She thanked everyone who shared feedback, everyone who applied, and the advisory committee, noting that staff who have been involved in multiple searches described this as the strongest candidate pool in years.
Since the search launched in August, the Mayor's Office has conducted extensive outreach: a public survey drew over 1,300 respondents; public listening sessions facilitated by Seattle Neighborhood Group were held in South, Central and North Seattle; there was a translated session with Asian communities; and more than 400 Seattleites participated in small community roundtables and listening sessions.
Recurring themes from the public engagement included wanting a chief who is deeply connected to Seattle and proactive in engaging its diverse communities; who emphasizes accountability, transparency and rebuilding community trust; who is ready to improve operational performance, including 9-1-1 response time, visible patrols, coordination across departments and measurable safety outcomes; who takes a balanced approach pairing enforcement with prevention; and who leads with cultural competence, emotional intelligence and collaboration.
The Police Chief Search Advisory Committee, co-chaired by retired Justice Mary Yu and Ian Warner, public policy director at Vulcan Real Estate, will advance the top candidates to a competitive examination later this month, with final interviews with Mayor Wilson in December and a final selection in the next few months. Once selected, the nominee will be required to undergo City Council confirmation. The mayor has begun meeting with Seattle Police Department staff this month and has launched an internal survey of employees.
(Source: Office of the Mayor of Seattle)
Source: Office of the Mayor of Seattle
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：西雅图市政厅。Seattle City Council 摄，CC0，经 Wikimedia Commons。 / Photo: Seattle City Hall. Photo by Seattle City Council, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.
