Quote:
Originally Posted by homoe
SEATTLE — Seattle Police Chief Carmen Best has announced that she will be resigning next month. The news of Best's resignation comes on the same day the Seattle City Council voted to cut spending for the Seattle Police Department.Best has been with SPD for 28 years. She was the first Black police chief in Seattle's history. She took on the role as chief of police on Aug. 13, 2018.
Excerpt from her letter:
"To the Women and Men of the Seattle Police Department –
I wanted to notify you that I will be retiring from the Seattle Police Department, effective September 2nd, 2020. I wanted you to hear this from me, but some media have reached this conclusion on their own.
This was a difficult decision for me, but when it’s time, it’s time.
https://www.king5.com/article/news/l...3-8f3d9787d0c3 |
Seattle police Chief Carmen Best’s decision to abruptly retire next month was driven by
City Council members who didn’t consult her as they sought to cut the Police Department’s budget this summer, and who showed a
lack of respect for the department’s employees, Best said Tuesday.
In a news conference with Mayor Jenny Durkan, who praised her leadership during a turbulent time,
Best said she realized she couldn’t bring herself to carry out officer layoffs the council had unanimously voted for Monday. T
he chief had opposed the move, warning that a rule mandating layoffs by reverse seniority would result in new officers, who are more likely to be officers of color, losing jobs. Council members had asked her to pursue a waiver allowing out-of-order layoffs, arguing cops with sustained misconduct complaints should be let go first.
https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle...ruptly-retire/