Summary

The Public Safety Advisory Committee, appointed in March 2021, has shared with the King County Executive and Council its recommendations and guidance on next steps for the King County Sheriff’s Office, including core values and priority outcomes for improving public safety and a recruitment process for the next Sheriff.

Story

On September 30, 2021 the Public Safety Advisory Committee (PSAC) shared its recommendations and priorities for improving public safety in King County, sending its full report to King County Executive Dow Constantine and the King County Council.

The committee presented a set of core values, priority outcomes, and recruitment process considerations, all with the goal of ensuring racial equity, collaboration, and community healing. This includes the future Sheriff’s office approaching “public safety as a partnership grounded in community relationships” and an office where “Sheriff’s deputies should be seen – and see themselves – as integral members of the communities they serve”. Additionally, the report recommends improvements to public safety be addressed as a countywide responsibility with a focus on race and social equity and “authentic participation by impacted communities.”

Thanking the PSAC members and all those that supported their efforts, the Executive and Councilmembers will now review the recommendations and continue to engage the public. The King County Council will hold a set of briefings on the report, after which the Executive will begin recruitment for the next Sheriff.

“The Public Safety Advisory Committee has worked diligently over the last six months to produce a set of thoughtful recommendations for our consideration,” said Executive Constantine. “I want to thank each member for their commitment to this process, their engagement with impacted communities, and their guidance on how we can move toward shared responsibility for improved public safety.”

“I want to thank each of the participants for their work in this community-centered process,” said King County Councilmember Girmay Zahilay. “This report will serve as an essential grounding in our collaborative work to find a new Sheriff and create a better system of public safety and crisis response in King County.”

In November 2020, King County voters approved two charter amendments related to public safety. The first, Charter Amendment No.5, made the King County Sheriff position an appointed one with a requirement for consideration of community stakeholder input during the process. A new sheriff will be appointed on January 1, 2022. The second, Charter Amendment No.6, allows for the structure and duties of the Sheriff and the Sheriff’s office, also known as the department of public safety, to be established through county ordinance.

The PSAC was established through a King County Council ordinance in March 2021 and was asked to conduct community stakeholder engagement and produce a report that would inform the selection process of the newly appointed sheriff, as well gather community and stakeholder input on the values that lead how law enforcement services are provided and how delivery of those services could be improved to enhance public safety in the county.

Relevant links

• Public Safety Advisory Committee
• Public Safety Advisory Committee Report
• King County Charter Amendment No. 5
• King County Charter Amendment No.6
• King County Council Ordinance 19249 – Establishing PSAC
  
  

Quotes

The Public Safety Advisory Committee has worked diligently over the last six months to produce a set of thoughtful recommendations for our consideration. I want to thank each member for their commitment to this process, their engagement with impacted communities, and their guidance on how we can move toward shared responsibility for improved public safety.

I want to thank each of the participants for their work in this community-centered process. This report will serve as an essential grounding in our collaborative work to find a new Sheriff and create a better system of public safety and crisis response in King County.

For more information, contact:

Chase Gallagher, Executive Office, 206-263-8537