The first steps for how the King County Sheriff’s Office will address public safety was announced by Executive Dow Constantine and King County Sheriff Patti Cole-Tindall on Friday.

The updates will focus on four main areas of action: revising the mission of the office, reorganizing to improve service, implementing a strategic framework and creating an advisory board.

“The health of our community depends on the ability of every person to live a safe and productive life, and Sheriff Cole-Tindall’s new plan for the King County Sheriff’s Office shows exactly how we can rethink and reimagine the delivery of public safety for the people of King County,” Constantine said. “The Sheriff understands that we must move away from broken structures when they aren’t working for our community and toward sensible reforms that bring about systemic change, and her commitment to this is conveyed throughout these new ideas and actions.”

According to a media release, the Sheriff’s Office wants to renew a partnership with the community, by policing with compassion, grace, respect and kindness.

“Our work must always be centered around the vision and values of the communities we so proudly serve,” Cole-Tindall said. “I am honored to lead an organization of public servants who share my commitment to implement new and contemporary approaches that enhance trust and public safety.”

The plan looks to create two new divisions – Community Programs and Services, and Special Operations – “in recognition of both the evolution of the criminal legal system and the need to improve how public safety is delivered.”

The office also wants to ensure accountability and transparency with the creation of an advisory board, creating a forum for the community and law enforcement to advise on policy.

Sheriff Cole-Tindall plans on implementing these new changes by September 2022.

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