A message to all motivated, qualified and wise leaders considering whether to apply to be the next Seattle Police Chief: This is the right time to bring together a truly united city when it comes to public safety.
Mayor Bruce Harrell won re-election in 2021 in stark contrast to those who support law enforcement. Last year, successful candidates for the City Council respected the concerns of residents about crime and recognized the need for a well-funded, functioning Seattle Police Department.
A long-running police contract finalized by the City Council on May 14 makes Seattle officers the highest paid in the nation.
There is a problem to be sure. The latest SPD staffing report shows that recruitment continues to be delayed, the department remains understaffed, and response times to emergency calls are unacceptable. Last week, Harrell was moved to replace Chief Adrian Diaz when the department threatened to devolve into division and acrimony.
Diaz deserves credit for doing so many positive things. One of them is the “Before the Badge” program, which started.
Before new SPD recruits move on to formal police training, they attend a five-week, Seattle-only course where they meet with community organizations and gain a better understanding of “the racist history of the police profession, gender responsiveness and the science of relationship-based policing.” according to the site. the program web.
Ultimately, however, Diaz and the department he oversees faced a lawsuit against him for misconduct.
Last month, the Seattle police captain filed a civil complaint alleging Diaz retaliated against him for raising concerns about discrimination. A few weeks ago, four women filed a tort claim for $5 million alleging wrongdoing by Diaz and other department heads.
The tort claim follows legal action in January by Deanna Nollette, a 27-year veteran of the department who alleges gender, wage and employment discrimination against SPD. Another lawsuit against the SPD was filed by Detective Denise “Cookie” Bouldin, alleging she faced racism and gender discrimination during her 43 years with the department.
The statement of the SPD’s response to the tort claim is very good in its defense: “The department will not respond to personal attacks based on crude estimates of hearsay that reflect, in essence, individual perceptions of the victim that are not supported and – in some cases – denied by a full investigation that will certainly be recorded.
That misplaced bellicosity played a role in Harrell’s decision to make the change.
“The quotes in the paper about the people making the allegations are completely inconsistent with the way I want the department to respond to the allegations,” Harrell told the editorial board after the May 29 announcement to call for a new chief. “And yes, that was definitely a strategic decision that I made – words matter, and how you respond to those accusations.”
Some contend Diaz was not given due process before being reassigned — Harrell announced an official outside investigation into the complaint about four weeks ago. There is some truth to that. But here it is: The police chief cannot effectively serve without the confidence of the Mayor, and Harrell has the duty to act if he believes the department is in danger of turning himself in with allegations and countercharges.
Harrell tapped Sue Rahr, a former King County sheriff and former head of the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission, to serve as interim leader, a smart move. So it also asked former Seattle Police Chief Kathleen O’Toole to help recruit candidates.
This is one of the best law enforcement jobs in the country. The Mayor and City Council should have high hopes as they sell the city and police department to the next potential permanent chief.
