SEATTLE, Wash. — Thursday, Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson and Interim Police Chief Andrew Sayles put out a joint statement on the release of text messages between SPD and the Mayor’s Office during and after the Bite of Seattle mass shooting.
In their statement, Wilson and Sayles said the shooting showed the city’s internal and public communication during emergencies needed improvement.
“This incident made clear that faster coordination and clearer protocols are needed when sharing information with the public,” they wrote.
The statement comes as Wilson has issued an executive order to establish, among other things, a chain of command for emergency communication.
Text messages between SPD and other city officials show multiple people expressing confusion about who was responsible for alerting the public after the shooting.
The statement comes roughly a week after Sayles delayed the release of the messages, citing the ongoing investigation into the shooting.
Statement from Mayor Katie Wilson
“The people of Seattle deserve clear, timely, and accountable communication from their government, and that work gets better today. Interim Chief Sayles and I have updated how we and our staff communicate. Going forward, we will be in direct contact during any significant event, and he will provide stability and leadership for the department as we search for a permanent chief.”
–Mayor Katie Wilson
Statement from Interim Chief Andre Sayles
“It’s truly an honor to be called upon by the mayor to serve as Interim Police Chief, and I am deeply grateful for the confidence the people of Seattle have placed in me. Rest assured, I am committed to delivering meaningful results for everyone in our city.
To the community of Seattle: My focus is on ensuring this department is open and collaborative as we can possibly be. We are going to make sure we’re always here for you, working to build strong partnerships between officers and residents that will truly keep our community safe and thriving.”
— Andre Sayles, Interim Chief of Police, Seattle Police Department