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 community safety services. “I commend...
Robert Kettle
Posts from Councilmember Kettle
Mayor responds to Public Safety Chair Kettle’s transparency request on Police Chief’s forced resignation
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 Barnes had resigned and stated the next day at...
Councilmember Kettle: My remarks on gun violence in this week’s Public Safety Committee
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 we had multiple gun violence...
Public Safety Chair Kettle presses Mayor for clarity on Police Chief’s forced resignation, cites continued lack of transparency and instability
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 requested deadline of August 28,...
Public Safety Chair Kettle on Mayor’s search for a new Seattle Police Chief
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...
Public Safety Chair Kettle shares his experience of the night of the Seattle Center shooting
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 did so, given my role...
Councilmember Kettle Bite of Seattle Timeline
(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 (CM) Strauss call 7:18 p.m....
Public Safety Chair Kettle calls for systematic review of Seattle Center shooting incident
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 has underscored the need for...
City Councilmembers react to Police Chief Barnes’ departure, voice major concerns
Today Council President Joy Hollingsworth (District 3), Councilmember Dan Strauss (District 6), Councilmember Debora Juarez (District 5), Councilmember Bob Kettle (District 7, Public Safety Chair), released this statement following an official announcement from Mayor Katie B. Wilson that Police Chief Shon Barnes has resigned. “Our city faces profound public safety challenges, from youth gun violence destroying lives to drug markets and human trafficking plaguing our neighborhoods. After the Seattle Center shooting, our focus should be on the lives lost and how we can address gun violence...
Public Safety Chair Kettle’s statement following Sunday’s mass shooting at Seattle Center
Today Councilmember Bob Kettle (District 7), chair of the City Council’s Public Safety Committee, released the following statement after gun violence at Seattle Center claimed the lives of three people during the Bite of Seattle annual food festival. “Last night’s shooting at the Seattle Center was a profound tragedy, and my thoughts are with the victims, their families, and loved ones. In the face of this...
Councilmember Kettle calls for realignment of city budget
Councilmember Bob Kettle (District 7) shared the following observations, following a letter he sent to Mayor Katie B. Wilson on Monday, July 20. As the City Council gears up for the upcoming fall budget process, the City of Seattle is facing a projected $175 million budget deficit next year. There’s a narrative that West Coast blue cities are incapable of being well run. We must push back on that narrative, starting with prudence around our budget, spending, and taxes. Every day, we must fulfill our charter...
Public Safety Chair Kettle urges Mayor to reconsider post-FIFA community safety camera shutoff
Today, Councilmember Bob Kettle (District 7), chair of the Public Safety Committee, released the following statement with respect to Mayor Katie B. Wilson’s announcement Tuesday that she has “turned off” cameras in the Stadium District and halted the previously approved expansion of the Real Time Crime Center program. “As local elected officials, we all take an oath to the Charter...