Seattle City Councilmember Bob Kettle (District 7, Chair of the Public Safety Committee) issued the following statement after Mayor Bruce Harrell announced that Sue Rahr will become interim Chief of the Police Department: “I respect Mayor Bruce Harrell’s decision and look forward to working with Interim Chief Rahr on our public safety challenges. Further, we...
The Seattle City Council unanimously approved legislation sponsored by Council President Sara Nelson (Position 9) and Councilmember Bob Kettle (District 7) to accelerate police hiring in Seattle. “One of our most fundamental responsibilities as a city government is to provide public safety. Right now, we are losing too many officers to achieve that goal. This...
Today, Mayor Bruce Harrell signed a new contract with rank-and-file police officers into law following its passage by the City Council. The agreement is an important step to addressing Seattle’s police staffing crisis, expanding civilian public safety responses, and strengthening police accountability. “The new police officer contract is a needed step forward to advance our vision...
Seattle City Councilmembers Bob Kettle (District 7, Chair of the Public Safety Committee) and Cathy Moore (District 5, member of the Public Safety Committee) announced their support for Mayor Bruce Harrell’s independent review into allegations made against Seattle Police Department leadership. Additionally, Councilmember Moore has sent a letter to SPD about the 30×30 Report, asking...
Seattle City Councilmember Bob Kettle (District 7) released the following statement after the Council passed the Seattle Transportation Plan. That plan included an amendment, sponsored by Councilmember Kettle, setting up a collaborative process to evaluate future uses of the Pike Place thoroughfare: “As the councilmember that represents the district Pike Place is in, I am...
As the new Seattle City Council passes its 100th day in office, Councilmember Bob Kettle (District 7, Chair of the Public Safety Committee) is issuing an open letter to all Seattleites. In it, he urges the community not to become resigned to the current state of the city’s public safety challenges and lays out his...
The most consequential moment of Mayor Bruce Harrell’s recent public safety forum was at the beginning. As moderator Enrique Cerna started his conversation with Mayor Harrell, he mentioned how he was struck while watching a news report on two recent shootings in the Central District. A resident in the report said, “I hate to say...
Last Friday, February 2nd, Councilmember Kettle and his staff visited the Museum of History and Industry. This was the first in-district “field trip” for the Councilmember, and while he was there, he was greeted by the Executive Director Leonard Garfield, Director of Education Sondra Snyder, Ben Straley, Mike Stanley, and Maureen Frisch. The MOHAI...