SEATTLE (April 23, 2019) – Mayor Jenny A. Durkan announced today she has transmitted to the City Council her intention to appoint three new leaders to the City of Seattle’s Community Police Commission and to reappoint a current member to an additional term. All three appointments and the additional reappointment will now be considered by the members of the City Council. The appointments reflect collaboration with Councilmember Lorena González, the Chair of the Gender Equity, Safe Communities, New Americas & Education Committee.
“There is much work to do and we must continue the critical and difficult work of real, lasting reform. The Community Police Commission plays a vital role in helping ensure lasting reform at the Seattle Police Department and building trust between our officers and the communities they serve,” said Mayor Durkan. “All four of these leaders are deeply committed to safety, justice, and equity. I look forward to the City Council confirming these new and current members of the Community Police Commission so they can have the opportunity to serve Seattle.”
Mayor Durkan has appointed the following four leaders to serve as CPC commissioners, subject to Council confirmation:
Asha Mohamed, Executive Director of Somali Youth & Family Club. Ms. Mohamed has worked in the Seattle and greater Puget Sound region for over 20 years on the critical issues of housing, education, criminal justice, immigration, and equity. She currently serves as the Executive Director of the Somali Youth & Family Club, a nonprofit organization that is dedicated to fostering and building the capacity of civic leaders in housing in Seattle. If confirmed, her term would expire on December 31, 2019.
Erin Goodman, Executive Director, SODO Business Improvement Area. Ms. Goodman currently serves as the Executive Director of the SODO Business Improvement Area, which represents the business interests in the heart of Seattle’s industrial community. Prior to that, she was the Acting Executive Director of the U District Partnership/University District Business Improvement Area, where her role included representing the organization on the North Precinct Advisory Committee. She also serves as the chair of the South Precinct Advisory Council. If confirmed, her term would expire on December 31, 2020.
Esther Lucero, CEO, Seattle Indian Health Board. Ms. Lucero serves as the Chief Executive Officer for the Seattle Indian Health Board, an Urban Indian Health Program and Community Health Center in the Chinatown-International District. Ms. Lucero is also the co-chair for the HealthierHere governing board and a delegate to the American Indian Health Commission. If confirmed, her term would expire on December 31, 2020.
Rev. Harriet Walden was also reappointed to an additional term ending December 31, 2021. Rev. Walden has been a vocal advocate for better police-community relations since co-founding Mothers for Police Accountability in 1990. Rev. Walden has been appointed to and has served on a range of task forces and commissions focused on transparency and accountability in the criminal justice reform, including serving as co-chair of the Multi-Racial Police Accountability Task Force.
The CPC was created in 2012 as part of the City’s reforms under the federal Consent Decree that Mayor Durkan signed as the United States Attorney for the Western District of Washington. Under legislation adopted in 2017, the CPC was made permanent, its scope of responsibilities and authority broadened, and the number of commissioners increased. While responsible for obligations related to the settlement agreement, it is now mandated to provide ongoing, community-based oversight of the Seattle Police Department and the police accountability system.
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