Seattle City Council rises up against mayor on SPD reforms

The mayor’s opposition to the top candidate to oversee reforms of the Seattle Police Department didn’t stop the Seattle City Council from passing a resolution to go with that candidate on Monday.

Mayor Mike McGinn came out against L.A. Police consultant Merrick Bobb last week saying he would not make a good monitor of SPD reforms because a member of his non-profit helped write the blistering Department of Justice report. McGinn didn’t think Bobb could be impartial.

Four members of the city council and the city attorney fired back with a letter, and on Monday the city council voted 8-to-1 to support Bobb for the job, despite the mayor’s opposition.

Councilmember Tim Burgess said Bobb is the best person for the job.

“Independent from my colleagues, independent from the city attorney, and independent from the chief of police and the mayor, I believe that he is exceptionally well qualified to serve in this role,” Burgess said.

Mayor McGinn released a statement after the vote saying he’s disappointed the council didn’t listen to his concerns, and he worries that making reforms will now be more difficult.

“Let’s not choose a divisive candidate,” McGinn told KING 5. “The council went a different direction. They felt Merrick Bobb was the best. They took an 8-1 vote. They said, that’s the city’s position. I think that’s a mistake, but it’s now the city’s position. So I’ll work on that.”

Seattle Police chief John Diaz and other top SPD leaders did not support Bobb either, sharing the mayor’s concerns about his impartiality.

The city and the Department of Justice have until Friday to submit Bobb’s name to federal judge James Robart. He plans to interview Bobb and decide by Nov. 12 if Bobb is the right person to oversee the reforms.