Seattle has launched a national search for its next police chief, with Mayor Katie Wilson calling for a leader who can strengthen public trust, improve the Seattle Police Department’s internal culture and guide the city’s approach to public safety.
The search will include a public survey, neighborhood forums and an advisory committee of community leaders and law enforcement professionals. The city expects to narrow the field later this year, with Wilson anticipated to announce her selection by early 2027.
“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. Seattle’s next Chief of Police must be visible, accountable, and present in our neighborhoods, listening to residents, workers, and businesses across our city. We need a leader who will also be present and engaged within SPD, with a focus on operational excellence, leadership development, and internal culture, ensuring that SPD is a great place to work and that every employee does their part to build relationships with the communities this department serves,” Wilson said. “The next Chief will play an integral role in shaping not just the department’s culture, but the future of public safety in Seattle. This is a pivotal moment to design a public safety system that matches our city’s values and priorities, and I intend to get it right.”
The next chief will lead Washington state’s largest municipal law enforcement agency and will be responsible for developing SPD goals aligned with the mayor’s public safety agenda. The position also carries responsibility for the department’s budget and staffing, community-centered policy development and relationships with residents, businesses, advocates, City Council members and other law enforcement agencies.
The city is seeking candidates with significant executive-level experience in a complex law enforcement organization, an understanding of constitutional policing in a major metropolitan area and experience leading organizational change. The next chief will also be expected to build on reforms already completed or underway at SPD.
Seattle City Councilmember Robert Kettle, chair of the council’s Public Safety Committee, said choosing the next chief will be particularly important as the city confronts continuing public safety concerns despite broader declines in violent crime.
“As Chair of the Public Safety Committee, selecting the City’s next Chief of Police is of paramount importance to me. While Seattle is benefitting from a downturn in violent crime that is similar to the rest of the country, we continue to experience unacceptable tragedies from youth gun violence, drug dealing that targets vulnerable community members, and public disorder
offenses that deny residents, workers, and visitors safe use of our sidewalks and public transportation, and safe enjoyment of our parks, libraries and other public spaces.”
Wilson will establish a Chief of Police Search Advisory Committee to help evaluate candidates. Retired Washington Supreme Court Justice Mary Yu and Ian Warner, public policy director at Vulcan Real Estate, have been selected to co-chair the committee. Additional members are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.
Yu recently retired after 25 years of combined judicial service on the Washington Supreme Court and King County Superior Court. She has also served as co-chair of the state Supreme Court’s Minority and Justice Commission and the Washington Leadership Institute.
“As a Seattle resident, I am honored to serve our city as co-chair and support Mayor Wilson’s vision for a process that seeks extensive participation by all members of our community,” Yu said. “I am committed to ensuring that the search for the next Police Chief reflects the values of openness, transparency, and meaningful community involvement.”
Warner previously served as senior public policy director at Zillow and legal counsel to the Seattle Mayor’s Office. He also was a member of the monitoring team overseeing SPD’s implementation of its federal consent decree.
“Mayor Wilson understands how consequential this decision is for Seattle, and I appreciate the confidence she has placed in Justice Yu and me to help lead this effort. My experience with previous chief searches and long history working with SPD have shown me the value of strong leadership and meaningful relationships inside and outside the department,” Warner said. “Our goal is to find a chief who earns public trust, supports our officers, and can deliver the public safety results Seattle residents and businesses expect.”
Community input will play a formal role in the selection process. A public survey, open through Sept. 15, asks Seattle residents to identify the skills, experience and priorities they believe the next chief should bring to the job.
The Mayor’s Office will also partner with Seattle Neighborhood Group to hold public forums throughout the city. The first is scheduled for Sept. 26 from noon to 2 p.m. at Van Asselt Community Center in South Seattle. Additional forums are expected to be announced.
Under the timeline released by the city, public outreach will continue through September and October. The advisory committee will review candidates in October and November, followed by a competitive examination and finalist interviews with Wilson in November and December.
The selection process is governed by the Seattle City Charter. The advisory committee will consider candidates’ law enforcement executive qualifications and experience along with feedback collected through the survey and listening sessions. It will then recommend up to five candidates to move forward to a competitive examination.
Seattle’s business community is also watching the process. Jon Scholes, president and CEO of the Downtown Seattle Association, said the selection will have implications for downtown’s continued recovery and economic vitality.
“The selection of Seattle’s next police chief is critical to the future of our city. I support Mayor Wilson’s commitment to a thoughtful, community-focused process and am grateful to Justice Mary Yu and Ian Warner for co-chairing this important work. A safe and welcoming downtown is essential to Seattle’s economic vitality, and strong, trusted leadership at SPD is central to that success. We need a chief who can build trust, support our officers, and deliver results for Seattle.”
The city expects Wilson to make her final selection by the beginning of 2027. Until then, residents will have opportunities to influence what the city looks for in its next police chief through the survey and neighborhood forums.
