Following today’s public safety briefings on policy considerations related to the proposed 2027-2028 city budget, Councilmember Bob Kettle (District 7), chair of the Public Safety Committee, released the following statement. “Mayor Wilson’s budget, with additional details, context, and analysis provided by the departments themselves and City Council Central Staff policy experts, makes it clear that...
Today Councilmember Bob Kettle (District 7), chair of the Public Safety Committee, released the following statement after two people were hurt and one person was arrested in a shooting at Kerry Park on Saturday night, according to Seattle Police. This morning, also in District 7, police reported a gas station clerk shot dead near Seattle...
SEATTLE – Today, Councilmember Bob Kettle (District 7) commended Mayor Katie Wilson for releasing a proposed budget without imposing additional taxes but raised concerns that potential cuts to public safety could hurt Seattle’s hard-fought progress. Councilmember Kettle, who chairs the Public Safety Committee, flagged these issues after Friday’s initial budget briefing to the council on...
Today Councilmember Bob Kettle (District 7), chair of the Public Safety Committee, released the following statement after receiving a response from Mayor Katie Wilson regarding his request to provide the City Council with reason for the removal of Police Chief Shon Barnes as required by the City Charter. On the afternoon of July 30, in the midst of an ongoing investigation, Mayor Wilson announced that Police Chief Shon...
Hello Neighbors, I wanted to share with you my opening remarks from our last Public Safety Committee meeting, following another weekend of gun violence — this time in Belltown. “We have neighborhoods in crisis. Earlier this year in April, I was speaking about Little Saigon, and then we had North Aurora Avenue. Today, it’s Belltown. This weekend...
Today Councilmember Bob Kettle (District 7), chair of the Public Safety Committee, released the following statement regarding his request that Mayor Katie B. Wilson provide the City Council with reason for the forced removal of Police Chief Shon Barnes on July 30. As of Sept. 8, the Mayor’s Office has yet to answer. “Despite our...
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...
Councilmember Bob Kettle (District 7) released the following statement on his constructed timeline the night of the July 26 mass shooting at Seattle Center. The timeline was discussed earlier today at the Public Safety Committee. “After receiving a call about the mass shooting from Deputy Mayor Brian Surratt, I immediately went to Seattle Center. I...
(Approximately 6 p.m. – preliminary reports of gunfire to SPD) 6:10 p.m. – Multiple notifications from the community (6:29 p.m. – First X/Twitter post from SPD investigating shooting at Seattle Center) 6:38 p.m. – First of series of texts to CMBK office staff 7:05 p.m. – Deputy Mayor (DM) Surratt call 7:09 p.m. – Councilmember...
On Monday, Councilmember Bob Kettle (District 7) delivered a letter to Mayor Katie B. Wilson, calling on her office to collaborate on a procedural review of the handling of last month’s Seattle Center mass shooting, including potential lessons learned. “The tragedy that recently unfolded during the Bite of Seattle at Seattle Center on July 26...