3 out-of-state finalists announced for Seattle Police Chief

Three finalists have been announced for Seattle Police Chief, and acting Chief Carmen Best isn’t on the list. All three are from outside the Northwest:

After extensive community outreach and a thorough review of many highly qualified applicants, the Police Search Committee … forwarded to Seattle Mayor Jenny A. Durkan three candidates who best meet the community’s requirements for Seattle’s next Chief of Police. Mayor Durkan received the list of finalists for the next Chief of the Seattle Police Department this afternoon. In the coming weeks, she will interview each finalist and then nominate one for the position. The three finalists are: Eddie Frizell, Inspector, Minneapolis Police Department; Cameron S. McLay, Former Chief of Police, City of Pittsburgh; and Ely Reyes, Assistant Chief, Austin Police Department.

(Photos added by WSB – L to R, Frizell [Minneapolis city photo], McLay [Twitter photo], Reyes [Austin city photo])

“Our Police Search Committee, who has deep experience in criminal justice reform and policing, has worked relentlessly to ensure the voice of the community is a vital and powerful part of this selection process. The strong national interest in this position has led to several great candidates but tough decisions about how the City can best move forward to continue reform and accountability. As I begin the interview process, our next chief must be committed to public safety while continuing to build an accountable, diverse police department focused on meaningful and lasting reforms,” said Mayor Durkan. “I’m incredibly grateful for the work that Interim Chief Carmen Best has done and will continue to do as part of the Seattle Police Department. I have known Chief Best for years and her work has been invaluable to me as Mayor – she has been a strong leader as Interim Chief.”

The City of Seattle and the Police Search Committee conducted a robust community engagement process, hosting 14 community meetings and events and partnering with 50 community organizations. More than 2,600 community members completed the Community Input Survey, up from 191 in 2014. The survey and workshops were open to all Seattle community members and businesses and provided opportunities for people to share their thoughts about the characteristics and experience necessary for the next police chief.

The results of the survey show that Seattle residents want a Chief of Police who understands the importance of community, and is committed to developing lasting relationships and trust, particularly with communities of color. A majority of responders agreed that the next police chief should be a courageous leader dedicated to reform, especially in improving relationships with the public and training officers more rigorously in de-escalation and cultural sensitivity. The survey indicated that the next police chief should demonstrate an ability to set high standards within the department, understand the history of policing in the United States, build confidence with diverse communities, and make all Seattle neighborhoods safer. You can read the full Community Input Survey and Engagement Report here.

“As a member of the Police Search Committee, I’m proud of the work we did to find three superb candidates that have a vision for and commitment to ongoing reform and culture change within our police department. These candidates also understand the need to empower our neighborhoods through community policing and by delivering excellent public safety services,” said Councilmember M. Lorena González (Position 9, Citywide). “These candidates were identified by our diverse committee through a nationwide search after engaging over 2,000 people through an online survey and a series of community meetings. With the identification of the three finalists, I encourage our community to actively engage in getting to know each candidate.”

The 25 members of the Police Search Committee, many of whom have extensive experience in criminal justice reform, collaborated with a national search firm to attract many qualified applicants from across the country. At the end of the community input process in late March, the Committee worked together to narrow the field of applicants.

“Our next Chief of Police will shoulder the incredible responsibility of protecting all Seattle communities and building trust among those who have the greatest distrust of police and the criminal justice system, and who face the bias and institutional racism of our current system,” said Co-Chair Colleen Echohawk, Executive Director of the Chief Seattle Club. “Over the past several months, a diverse range of community members who are invested in criminal justice, police reform, and public safety have made their voices heard. I believe that any of our finalists could lead Seattle to a safer and more just future.”

“From dozens of applications, over many weeks, we carefully focused our efforts on three outstanding finalists. Each of the three remaining individuals understand – and can actualize – a critical truth: The Chief of Police must be both a steward of public safety and a champion for racial justice,” said Co-Chair Jeffery Robinson. “I look forward to Mayor Durkan’s decision and the next chapter in the Seattle Police Department’s continued reform.”

“As a former King County Sheriff, I believe that the three individuals announced today as finalists are people of deep experience, integrity, and seasoned leadership,” said Co-Chair Sue Rahr, Director of Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission and former King County Sheriff. “Each one would be a strong, effective steward of public safety, hold the trust of the rank-and-file and communities, and be a leader committed to lasting reform.”

The three finalists are:

Eddie Frizell, Inspector, Minneapolis Police Department. Eddie Frizell is an Inspector with the Minneapolis Police Department, which he has served for 25 years. Inspector Frizell also holds the rank of Colonel in the Minnesota Army National Guard, which he served for 28 years, including a deployment to Iraq.

Cameron S. McLay, Former Chief of Police, City of Pittsburgh. Cameron S. McLay is the former Chief of Police for the City of Pittsburgh. Prior to his service to Pittsburgh, Chief McLay spent 29 years at the City of Madison Police Department.

Ely Reyes, Assistant Chief, Austin Police Department. Ely Reyes is an Assistant Chief with the Austin
Police Department, which he has served for 22 years. He also served in the United States Army and performed six years of overseas service. He is a recipient of the Purple Heart, Lifesaving Medal, and three Meritorious Service Medals.

“The Mayor’s assignment to the Search Committee and the co-chairs was based on very clear principles. First, the next Chief must continue to build an accountable, diverse, and effective police department, focused on meaningful and lasting reforms. Second, the search process had to be based on input and leadership from the people of Seattle, especially those communities that face bias and institutional racism in our current criminal justice system,” said Co-Chair Tim Burgess, former Mayor of Seattle. “I believe our work met these principles and found finalists who are experienced leaders, seasoned law enforcement officials, and individuals committed to building trust in the communities they serve.”

The Mayor will review the qualifications of the three finalists, interview each, and nominate one individual for the position of Chief of Police in the coming weeks.

As mentioned above, the city has compiled a report on input during the search process. One of the community meetings was held in West Seattle in early March.

20 Replies to "3 out-of-state finalists announced for Seattle Police Chief"

  • CAM May 25, 2018 (5:11 pm)

    I guess I shouldn’t really be surprised that a nationwide search resulted in 2 of the 3 final candidates being older white men but I was really hoping for a little more diversity in the pool. 

    • WSB May 25, 2018 (6:30 pm)

      While the city announcement does not include specific race/ethnic descriptions: A member of the search committee, former mayor/councilmember Tim Burgess, commented to The Times that two of the three finalists are people of color.
      https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/crime/three-finalists-named-for-seattle-police-chief-job/

      Also, depends on your definition of “older,” but according to Reyes’ Linked-In page, he is 46 – graduated high school in 1989. McLay is in his late 50s. Frizell is 58.

    • Seattlite May 25, 2018 (7:15 pm)

      Does it matter what color the candidates are as long as they are qualified to lead the SPD?  Color should have nothing to do with picking a good-hardworking leader for the SPD.

    • WS Guy May 25, 2018 (7:40 pm)

      How would one acquire the necessary experience to run a large city’s police force without becoming “older” in the process?  To what degree is skin color a job qualification?  I guess I don’t understand the comment. 

      • heartless May 25, 2018 (8:13 pm)

        “To what degree is skin color a job qualification?”

        To the degree it’s white.

        Meta-analysis of field experiments shows no change in racial discrimination in hiring over time

        • Helpful May 26, 2018 (1:07 pm)

          Previous police chief was Irish American woman, interim cheif was African American woman, candidates are an African American man, a Caucasian American man, and a Latino American man. (Only assuming everyone is American..) Yet, we have an outcry of discrimination? How could this group be more diverse? 

          • heartless May 27, 2018 (5:08 pm)

            You seem very confused by what I wrote–or you seem to have read an awful lot into it. 
            Let me clarify:

            Somebody asked what skin color has to do with getting a job.  I responded that being white helps a person get a job.

            Did I cry out “discrimination”?  No.

            Did I say the contenders weren’t diverse?  No.

            Perhaps your comments were not intended for me?

    • Trustseeker May 26, 2018 (9:22 am)

      Reyes is Latino!

  • John Smith May 25, 2018 (6:29 pm)

    The job offer for Seattle Chief of Police was just posted to the City’s website today.  The posting seems like a mere formality if there are already finalists for the position.

    • Ws09 May 26, 2018 (9:39 pm)

      The job posting has been on the City and Governmentjobs.com website for a few months now…

  • John Smith May 25, 2018 (6:44 pm)

    My previous post regarding the job posting was incorrect.  The job offering was actually posted “more than 30 days ago.”  The browser I used sorted the job offers differently than the browser I usually use.  Sorry for the mistaken post.

  • West Seattle Hipster May 25, 2018 (7:21 pm)

    Hire the most qualified person regardless of their age or race.

    • RabidNemo May 25, 2018 (11:36 pm)

      Agreed. 

  • MJ May 25, 2018 (10:33 pm)

    West Seattle HipsterHiring the most qualified person is what needs to happen.  Race and age are not relevant.  Granted to get the experience a 24 year old rookie most probably lacks needed seasoning, thus the likely candidates are 40s and 50s.

  • anonyme May 26, 2018 (6:40 am)

    I’m for anyone who will actually enforce the law in Seattle. 

  • Cid May 26, 2018 (7:21 am)

    I was hoping that Carmen Best would be among the top three. I was very impressed with her and thought she knew this community, had earned the position and would be a good chief. I know nothing of these three men…hope one will prove to be a good fit for Seattle. (Minneapolis, Pittsburgh, and Austin??) 

  • flimflam May 26, 2018 (7:34 am)

    it won’t matter that much if the police will have their hands tied regarding actually enforcing all of our existing laws…

  • MJ May 26, 2018 (12:57 pm)

    Pick the most qualified candidate and allow the SPD to enforce the law equally across the board!

    • Helpful May 27, 2018 (8:29 pm)

      Haha! Good one, MJ- you should be a comedian..!

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