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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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,...
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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...
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Councilmember Kettle proposes transit measure alternative with sharpened focus on service needs and affordability
Reduces sticker shock while also investing critical transit needs Today, Councilmember Bob Kettle (District 7) announced that he’s introducing an affordable alternative to the Seattle Transit Measure renewal, CB 121226, proposed by the mayor and currently being considered by the City Council. The mayor’s proposal would increase the sales tax by 0.15% to 0.3%, while...