Seattle police chief search: Nonprofit plans public listening sessions instead of Mayor Katie Wilson

Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson said she wants the public to help shape the search for the city’s next permanent police chief.

The first opportunity for Seattle residents to weigh in comes this weekend, but the meetings are being organized in partnership with a nonprofit rather than directly by the mayor’s office.

In an Aug. 25 blog post, Wilson’s communications team said, “the Mayor’s Office will partner with the Seattle Neighborhood Group to host public forums throughout Seattle” and, on their website and social media, the nonprofit posted that it will host three public forums beginning Saturday, then share their findings and “report back to allow for an intentional and informed decision with valuable community insight.”

The arrangement raises questions about how public feedback will be collected, summarized, and reflected in the final report when the process is being managed by a nonprofit rather than the city. And, while previous mayors have used similar approaches, they held considerably more meetings than Wilson.

Mayor Wilson’s 3 forums are fewer than any recent police chief search

In 2018, Mayor Jenny Durkan announced 10 workshops across every Seattle Police Precinct, plus an online survey. In 2022, Mayor Bruce Harrell hosted five conversations facilitated by Empower Initiative. Two more meetings involved city staff and several other community organizations. In 2024, Harrell cited input from six earlier “Safer Seattle” public-safety forums and an online survey as helping shape the job description.

Wilson’s team said she will seek community engagement through October, and an advisory committee will then begin to review candidates. The mayor will interview finalists in November and December and is expected to make a final selection by early 2027.

Wilson announced the national search for a permanent chief in August, saying the next leader should be visible in Seattle neighborhoods and focused on public trust, accountability, and police department leadership.

“I am looking for a leader who understands that public safety starts with public trust. It is a trust that is earned every single day,” Wilson said in the Aug. 25 blog post. “The next Chief will play an integral role in shaping not just the department’s culture, but the future of public safety in Seattle.”

Out of the 16 staff and board members listed on Seattle Neighborhood Group’s website, two list criminal justice experience in their bios. Tienney Milnor said she is a Managing Assistant Attorney General in the Criminal Justice Division of the Attorney General’s Office. Mergitu Argo said she works as a community engagement specialist at the Seattle Community Police Commission and formerly worked as a community service officer with the Seattle Police Department (SPD).

Staff experience includes vast experience in community outreach and engagement, and serving under-resourced and vulnerable communities across the city.

Seattle Neighborhood Group’s meetings are scheduled for:

• Saturday, Sept. 26, noon to 2 p.m. at the Van Asselt Community Center
• Monday, Sept. 28, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Seattle University
• Wednesday, Sept. 30, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at North Seattle College

Why the search matters now

The search comes as Wilson’s administration is making public safety a major focus.

Last week, Wilson announced a new gun violence reduction strategy that includes increased bicycle patrols in several neighborhoods, moving community violence intervention into the Community Assisted Response and Engagement Department, additional youth programs and mental health services, and formal reviews of homicides to identify where city systems may have failed.

The mayor also recently signed an executive order aimed at improving Seattle’s response to major emergencies, citing lessons from the deadly Bite of Seattle shooting, including problems with coordination and public communication.

Wilson accepted former Police Chief Shon Barnes’ resignation in July and appointed Andre Sayles as interim chief while the national search is underway.

The Bite of Seattle response has remained a significant part of that transition. Newly released communications showed confusion within police leadership about who was in charge during the shooting, while the mayor’s office and SPD have acknowledged the need for faster coordination and clearer communication during major incidents.

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