Interim Seattle Police Chief Adrian Diaz applies for the permanent job
SEATTLE - Interim Seattle Police Chief Adrian Diaz has officially applied for the permanent job, FOX 13 has confirmed.
Diaz has been the interim chief of SPD since the fall of 2020 when former chief Carmen Best resigned.
Mayor Bruce Harrell says the next police chief must be able to handle a variety of public safety issues.
"Facing increasing crime, gun violence, and public safety issues, our next permanent chief must be able to respond to these challenges with urgency and innovation," said Harrell. "This comprehensive search will determine the leader best equipped to fill this challenging role and move our department forward."
Harrell will appoint a search committee to assess candidates and recommend up to five individuals for a competitive examination.
The top three candidates are rated by assessors and presented to Harrell for consideration. Once Harrell chooses a police chief, that person must be confirmed by the Seattle City Council.
Police chief: Seattle Police maintained 'full and effective' compliance with consent decree
The Seattle Police Department has maintained compliance with federal reform guidelines for two years, a major milestone for the department, according to police chief Adrian Diaz.
From January 2020 to March 2022, roughly 375 officers have left the department, many citing the lack of support of the city’s political leadership in their exit interviews.
A recent Seattle Safety Index put out by the Seattle Police Officers Guild says the department has 890 deployable officers, with a goal of 1,400. That goal reflects a department at its highest number of deployable officers and doesn’t reflect recent reallocation of officer positions now performed non-uniformed city staffers.
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