Seattle police chief resigns after budget cuts
Just a day after Seattle's city council approved a reduction in the budget of the city's police department, Seattle Police Chief Carmen Best - the city's first black police head - publicly announced her resignation Tuesday, effective September 2nd.
BEST: "For me personally, this was a decision I wrestled with, but it was time. I will always be a police officer. It's who I am. But ultimately, as I learned from a former boss, when you know it's time to go, you know it's time to go."
This comes on the heels of the city's police department in June struggling on what to do about a protest zone set up near downtown Seattle that became the scene of several shootings and a war of words between city leaders and President Trump.
By a vote of 7-1 Monday, the city council approved a revised 2020 budget that reduced the police department's budget by $3.5 million - less than 1% of the department's $409-million, though deeper cuts may be on the horizon.
The cuts also fall well short of the 50% demanded by protesters following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
The rebalanced budget reduces executive pay and eliminates 100 police officers.
Defunding advocates oppose the militarization of U.S. police forces and say officers are called on to deal with issues like addiction, mental illness and homelessness that could be better addressed by social services.Law-enforcement supporters say cuts to police spending will lead to more crime.
Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan:
DURKAN: "There is not a quick fix. There is no one size fits all solutions. This is just hard, painful work based on a willingness to see and to trust in our common humanity. The cause is urgent. The pain is deep and the need for ferocity is real."
Current assistant Police Chief Adrian Diaz will be taking over as interim Police Chief in September.
