This has been a difficult year for the men and women of our department and the Seattle community. As the anniversary of the death of John T. Williams approaches, I wanted to communicate directly to those we serve what the Seattle Police Department has done to act on the feedback we have received. I have attended many meetings and many of you have shared your perspectives with me, for which I am grateful. I want you to know that I have listened and made a commitment that the department would examine our training practices and prioritize Community Outreach.

I have been with this Department over 30 years, and have seen every day the incredible work that the men and women of the Seattle Police Department perform on a daily basis. I know that the Seattle Police Department is a great police agency, but I have not ignored the areas where we could improve or have fallen short. As this following update will show, we have already achieved a great deal in addressing many of these areas of concern. We are also currently still undergoing a Department of Justice review. As I have stated before I welcome the chance for an independent review – even the best police department can benefit from this, especially if the result is an increase in public trust.

Throughout the last year, the department also received a tremendous amount of support from people in the Seattle community who went out of their way to express how much they appreciate the work of our employees. Our Department is truly part of the community and we are here to serve the public. We remain as always, dedicated to fighting crime, reducing fear and building community.