Councilmember Robert Kettle (District 7) released the following statement after Mayor Wilson announced launching a search for Seattle’s next police chief: 

“As Chair of the Public Safety Committee, the process of selecting the City’s next Chief of Police is of paramount importance. It is critical for our city to have a search that will bring a candidate with strong experience in policing, a commitment to reform efforts to include alternative response, and an understanding of our accountability partners and their roles, as set out in the search process for a police chief under the City Charter. 

“While Seattle is benefitting from efforts to tackle our public safety challenges, this city is at an inflection point — we continue to experience unacceptable tragedies from youth gun violence, drug dealers that target vulnerable neighbors, and neighborhoods in crisis from public disorder offenses that deny residents, businesses, and visitors safe sidewalks and public transportation, and safe enjoyment of our parks and other public spaces.  

“To successfully move forward from this point, the City — the Mayor’s Office and the City Council — need to work together in the best interest of the people of Seattle. Mayor Wilson states that the next chief of police will lead ‘development of SPD goals that align with the mayor’s public safety vision.’ The next chief of police, in order to gain confirmation, will also need to align with the council’s public safety goals as outlined in its Strategic Framework Plan for a Safer Seattle. Both the Mayor’s Office and the City Council, as two co-equal branches of government, need to bring leadership and direction to create a comprehensive approach to the public safety challenges that face us. The City Council passes and funds ordinances and the mayor implements them. This City Council has passed 40+ public safety laws since January 2024 for the protection and well-being of residents. We need the mayor to utilize all the tools in the City’s public safety toolbox, including use of our Technology-Assisted Crime Prevention Program, among other tools.  

“Community-centered policing policy and collaborations with the community are so important, but we need capacity in our police force to address the emergent public safety issues that are happening now, like solving the Bite of Seattle shooting and addressing the seemingly chronic public safety violence on Aurora Avenue, in south Seattle, and around our city. To do this, the City Council and the mayor need to be aligned at another crucial inflection point — the selection of our new police chief.” 

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