Mayor Harrell announces finalists for Seattle police chief

Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell has announced three final candidates to be Seattle’s permanent chief of police.

Interim Seattle Chief of Police Adrian Diaz, Seattle Assistant Chief of Police Eric Greening, and Tucson Assistant Chief of Police Kevin Hall will appear before the public in a televised question and answer session on Sept. 15 before the mayor announces his selection — a choice that must be approved by the Seattle City Council.

Rantz: Seattle mayor privately blasts homelessness groups, ‘inexperienced’ council

“This comprehensive process now brings us three highly qualified candidates, each with the requisite resume, skills, and value set to elevate our One Seattle vision for a city where every resident has a right to feel safe,” Mayor Harrell wrote in a news release.

“Our search committee and assessors have advanced candidates with our community’s expectations at the forefront – accountability, community-centered leadership, and innovation.”

15 candidates applied for the position. In recent days, a panel of four public safety experts administered written and oral examinations, narrowing the candidate pool. The selection process dates back to April.

14 city and community leaders constitute the search committee that fielded police chief candidates. Members of the committee range from elected officials to legal representation for some of the region’s largest employers.

Adrian Diaz has served as the interim police chief since Carmen Best’s retirement in August of 2020, days before the Seattle City Council approved a handful of cuts to the department.

The Seattle Police Department deployed tear gas throughout protests that erupted in the city over the death of George Floyd, for which Best was publicly criticized.

Diaz was quickly tagged to serve as interim police chief by then-Mayor Jenny Durkan.

Follow @http://twitter.com/Mynorthwest