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City of Seattle Launches Community Input Survey to Kick Off Public Outreach for New Permanent Police Chief

Seattle (Feb 20) – To help select a permanent Chief of Police to lead the Seattle Police Department, the City of Seattle is kicking off public outreach by launching an online Community Input Survey to allow Seattle residents to provide their input during the search process. Seattle community members can visit http://www.seattle.gov/policechiefsearch to complete the survey. In the upcoming weeks, a series of community events and workshops will be announced to allow Seattle residents to share their thoughts in person on the personal characteristics and professional experience that are most important for the individual leading our police.

“The next police chief must be able to lead our rank and file and be committed to an accountable, diverse police department focused on meaningful and lasting reforms and building trust in the community they serve,” said Mayor Jenny Durkan.  “To find our next police chief, our Police Search Committee is committed to listening to all our residents, including those in communities that have the greatest distrust of police and the criminal justice system. The input and leadership from Seattle neighborhoods and communities is critical to helping recruit the right Chief, so I hope our residents will take this quick survey to ensure their voice heard.”

“The next police chief will be critical to the City’s ability to continue advancing critical public safety initiatives and police reforms, as well as, continuing to build trust with historically underrepresented and over-policed communities. Members of the Chief of Police Search Committee care deeply about the public safety and reform priorities of our community members. I strongly urge people from all backgrounds to complete this survey and tell us what you want to see in your next police chief,” said Councilmember M. Lorena González (Position 9, Citywide).

The 25 member Police Search Committee is comprised of a broad range of community leaders, including many with extensive and unique experience in criminal justice reform and policing. Led by four co-chairs, this diverse Search Committee is leading a national search process to find the best candidate for Seattle’s next police chief and is working with a national search firm, Public Sector Search & Consulting, to gather and screen applications. Following the community engagement process, the Police Search Committee will conduct interviews with applicants, the Search Committee will submit their recommendations to Mayor Durkan.

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