SEATTLE — Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan convened a committee Monday to find a replacement for Police Chief Kathleen O'Toole, who resigned last month.
"Who the police chief is really sets the tone for public safety in our community," Durkan said.
The mayor said she wants someone of high integrity willing to have deep community ties.
She also wants a reformer.
As U.S. Attorney, Durkan drove the federal review of SPD's biased policing and use of force.
"It has to be somebody who is committed to the reform process and knows that reform is not a destination, that the consent decree is the baseline, but really what we're talking about is systemic and cultural changes," Durkan said.
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Reverend Harriett Walden of Mothers for Police Accountability said the best candidate is already on the job: Interim Chief Carmen Best.
"I don't think that they're going to find anyone better than Carmen Best," Walden said.
Best served as deputy chief under O'Toole, and has risen through the ranks at SPD.
"Not only the community but the rank and file has a lot of respect for her," Walden said.
Durkan's committee will interview candidates and give her finalists this Spring.
Mayors don't always follow search committee recommendations.
In 1993, Norm Rice chose Police Chief Norm Stamper, who was not one of the finalists provided by his search committee.
Durkan's committee has four co-chairs:
- Tim Burgess, former mayor, City Council president and police detective
- Colleen Echohawk, executive director of the Chief Seattle Club
- Sue Rahr, Former King County sheriff and director of Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission and former King County sheriff
- Jeffery Robinson, deputy legal director at the ALCU and the director of the ACLU Trone Center for Justice and Equality
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