>>> GOOD MORNING, EVERYBODY.
GOOD MORNING! ALL RIGHT. JOIN
ME IN THE PRESENTATION BY THE
COLOR GUARD.
>> COLOR GUARD! SET!
FORWARD, MARCH!
>> PERSONNEL, ARMS. FORWARD,
MARCH! COLORS. READY?
LEFT FACE. FORWARD. MARCH.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
PLEASE BE SEATED. I AM PRETTY
EXCITED FOR THIS MOMENT. I
HAVE A SCRIPT THAT I AM GOING
TO FOLLOW. I HAVE A BET THAT I
HAD TO PAY ONE DOLLAR EVERY
TIME I GO OFF SCRIPT. LET ME
SEE IF I CAN KEEP IT UNDER $10.
I THINK I ALREADY STARTED ONE
DOLLAR JUST BY SAYING THAT.
AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US
ON THIS MOMENTOUS DAY. SORRY,
CHIEF. WHEN I AM HAPPY, I GET
GIDDY.
>> IT HAS ONLY BEEN 125 WEEKS.
>> [ LAUGHTER ]
>> WE HAVE A FEW NOTABLES IN
OUR TENET. PLEASE DO NOT
APPLAUSE. IT MAY GO TO THEIR
HEADS. COUNCIL PRESIDENT SARA
NELSON. DIRECTOR , GINO BETZ.
LISA JUDGE. FIRE CHIEF. SEE
S.E.C. DIRECTOR, CHRIS LOMBARD.
AND MEMBERS OF OUR LEADERSHIP
TEAM ARE HERE. NOW, LET'S
APPLAUSE!
>> [ APPLAUSE ] THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. THE PEOPLE OF SEATTLE
HAVE CLEAR EXPECTATIONS FOR OUR
SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT. THAT
IS CLEAR. CONTINUOUS ATTENTION
IS GIVING TO ACHIEVING PUBLIC
SAFETY. THIS IS ONE OF OUR
HIGHEST PRIORITIES. THEY WANT
TO SEE SUSTAINED AND MEANINGFUL
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. THEY
DESERVE A POLICE CHIEF WHO WILL
WAKE UP EVERY DAY TO MAKE
THOSE EXPECTATIONS A REALITY.
I BELIEVE WE HAVE THAT
ACHIEVED WITH ADRIAN DIAZ ,
UNEQUIVOCALLY.
>> [ APPLAUSE ]
>> CHIEF DIAZ HAS SERVED OUR
CITY AS A DEDICATED MEMBER
SINCE 1997. HE HAS LEARNED
THIS DEPARTMENTS INSPIRATIONS
-- OPERATIONS INSIDE AND OUT AS
HE WORKED HIS WAY UP THE RANKS
AS AN OFFICER, LIEUTENANT,
SERGEANT , ASSISTANT CHIEF,
DEPUTY CHIEF, INTERIM CHIEF,
AND NOW AS OUR CHIEF. HE HAS
WORKED ON PATROL, THE MOUNTAIN
BACK UNIT -- TWO DOLLARS.
>> [ LAUGHTER ]
>> HE WORKED ON THE ANTICRIME
TEAM, THE COLLABORATIVE
POLICING BUREAU, AND THE
INVESTIGATION BUREAU. I GOT
TWO DOLLARS SO FAR. THROUGH
HIS SERVICE, HE HAS BUILT
RELATIONSHIPS EXTERNALLY AND
INTERNALLY WITH COMMUNITY, AND
WITHIN OUR CITY DEPARTMENT.
THAT BECOMES CRITICALLY
IMPORTANT IN THE WORK WE NEED
TO DO. HIS FIRSTHAND EXPERIENCE
WITH OUR SYSTEMS, AND KNOWS
WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO MOVE THE
DEPARTMENTS TO THE NEXT LEVEL.
DESPITE ALL OF THAT, HE
CONTINUES TO SOLICIT INPUT,
RECEIVE FEEDBACK, AND CONSIDER
THE WISDOM OF THOSE HE LEAVES.
THE VERY DEFINITION OF A
LEADER. MANY OF YOU ARE HERE
TODAY. NOT ONLY DOES THE CHIEF
RELY ON YOU, I DO, AS WELL.
AT HIS CORE, CHIEF DIAZ DOES
HIS WORK BECAUSE HE CARES ABOUT
PROTECTING OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
HE IS DEDICATED TO ARRANGING --
BRIDGING DEVISE . THE CHIEF
THAT I OPENLY TALK ABOUT, HOW
DO WE DEVELOP RIDGES? HOW DO
WE ESTABLISH TRUST? I TALKED TO
EVERYONE. HOW DO WE
RE-ESTABLISH TRUST? OFTEN IN A
CITY THAT HAS LOST TRUST IN
WHAT WE DO IS PUBLIC SERVANTS.
RECRUITMENT EXPERTS HAVE
ADVISED ME THAT THIS CHIEF
WOULD BE A TOP COMPETITOR TO
LEAD ANY POLICE DEPARTMENT IN
THE NATION. NEXT WEEK, I WILL
SEE LITERALLY HUNDREDS OF
MAYORS THROUGHOUT THIS COUNTRY
. I KNOW, HAVING TALKED TO THEM
ABOUT WHAT THEY ARE LOOKING
FOR, THAT THIS CHIEF COULD FIT
INTO ANY OF THOSE SHOES. NOW,
I DIDN'T MAKE THIS NOMINATION
LIGHTLY. WE DID A NATIONAL
SEARCH. I HEARD THE PROSPECTIVE
OF PUBLIC SAFETY ADVOCATES,
PARTNERS, KEY STAKEHOLDERS.
QUITE FRANKLY, I SAID, WE HAD
TO KICK THE TIRES. WE HAD TO
KNOW WHO ELSE IS OUT THERE. IT
WAS CLEAR THAT CHIEF DIAZ WAS
THE RIGHT CHOICE TO RESPOND TO
THE CRIMES ABOUT CONCERNS OF
CRIME AND SAFETY, AND TO DRIVE
THE AFFECTIVE RESPONSE THAT
WILL HAVE A REAL IMPACT FOR ALL
SEATTLEITES. I WOULD LIKE TO
TAKE THIS MOMENT TO PROFESS MY
GRATITUDE FOR THE SEARCH
COMMITTEE MEMBERS, WHO OFFERED
THEIR TIME AND VALUABLE
INSIGHT. MANY MEMBERS OF THE
SEARCH COMMITTEE ARE HERE WITH
US TODAY. THERE MIGHT BE ONE,
TWO, AND MIGHT BE ALL OF THEM.
I DO NOT KNOW. WE DID NOT
SCRIPT THAT PART. I WILL ASK
ALL OF THEM TO STAND AT THIS
MOMENT SO WE CAN GIVE YOU A
ROUND OF APPLAUSE AT THIS
MOMENT, PLEASE.
>> [ APPLAUSE ]
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THE
CHECK IS IN THE MAIL. THREE
DOLLARS, THAT WASN'T IN THERE.
I HAVE THE GOOD FORTUNE TO
WORK WITH CHIEF DIAZ WHEN I
BECAME A MAYOR A YEAR AGO. I
HAVE LEARNED, QUITE CANDIDLY,
THAT HE BRINGS AUTHENTICITY,
HUMILITY , INTEGRITY , AND
DEDICATION TO THE COMMUNITY.
WE HAVE A LOT OF CHALLENGES IN
FRONT OF US. THIS IS NOT A
VICTORY LAP. YOU HAVE HEARD ME
USE THAT EXPRESSION BEFORE.
WITH CHIEF DIAZ AT THE HELM ,
THESE CHALLENGES , THEY PALE IN
COMPARISON TO THE
OPPORTUNITIES. WE ARE WORKING
TO RE-ENVISION OUR APPROACH TO
PUBLIC SAFETY, ASSESSING HOW WE
DO MORE WITH LESS. ALWAYS WORK
TO EARN AND MAINTAIN THE TRUST
FROM OUR COMMUNITIES. CHIEF
DIAZ WILL CONTINUE TO BE AN
INSTRUMENTAL PARTNER AS WE
MOVE TO THE NEXT PHASE OF
REFORM ENHANCED OFFICER
RECRUIT EFFORTS,
ACCOUNTABILITY, AND DRIVE
EFFORTS TO DEVELOP DIVERSIFIED
EMERGENCY RESPONSES. I CANNOT
HAVE MORE CONFIDENCE IN CHIEF
DIAZ. TO LEAVE, AGAIN, WITH
DISTINCTION AND INTEGRITY. I'M
HONORED TO STAND BESIDE HIM AS
HE ASCENDS TO THIS PERMANENT
JOB. IN CLOSING , WE ALL
REALIZED WHEN WE SIGNED UP FOR
PUBLIC SERVICE THAT , NUMBER
ONE, YOU HAVE TO HAVE THICK
SKIN. THERE IS NOT A LOT OF ,
HE DID GREAT TODAY! MORE TIMES
THAN NOT, WE HEAR FROM PEOPLE
WHEN THEY ARE FEARFUL, ANGRY.
BUT WE DO IT ANYWAY. AT SOME
POINT, WE REALIZED THAT WE WERE
CALLED TO DO THIS KIND OF WORK.
LEADERSHIP IS NOT, OH, YOU ARE
GOING TO POUND YOUR FIST AND
TELL EVERYONE WHAT TO DO.
LEADERSHIP IS BASED ON
INSPIRATION. WHAT I HAVE
LEARNED ABOUT THIS CHIEF, HE
KNOWS HOW TO TAP INTO THAT
SPECIAL INSIDE INGREDIENT TO
PULL OUT THE BEST IN PEOPLE.
THAT IS WHY I CHOSE YOU. I KNOW
THAT YOU LOVE YOUR FAILY , YOU
LOVE COMMUNITY, AND YOU LOVE
THE CITY. AND FOR THAT, I AM
ABSOLUTELY HONORED THAT YOU
WILL BE OUR CHIEF OF POLICE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, CHIEF.
>> [ APPLAUSE ]
>> [ LAUGHTER ]
>> I JUST HAD TO GO OFF SCRIPT.
I AM UP FOUR DOLLARS NOW. I
SAID, IS THERE WALTER JONES IN
THE BACK? I SAID, MAN, DO THEY
HAVE A CHAIR BIG ENOUGH FOR
THAT DUDE. SORRY, WALTER.
THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THE
CHIEF, WHO I KNOW YOU ARE
PERSONAL FRIENDS WITH. DINKY
FOR SUPPORTING THIS CITY, AND
CONTINUE TO STAY HERE. THANK
YOU, WALTER JONES. I ALWAYS SAY
A JOKE ABOUT YOU, BECAUSE YOU
ARE A BIG GUY. WITH THAT, I
WOULD LIKE TO MOVE TO THE
MOMENT WE HAVE BEEN WAITING
FOR, THE OATH OF OFFICE TO BE
ADMINISTERED BY OUR INTERIM
CITY CLERK. THE CHIEF EDGE
WILL BE FIXED BY THE CHIEF'S
OLDEST SON, ALEX.
>> IN THE CITY CHARTER AND
MUNICIPAL COLD FOR THE
POSITION OF THE CHIEF OF
POLICE. THAT I WILL SUPPORT THE
CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED
STATES , THE CONSTITUTION OF
THE STATE OF WASHINGTON , AND
THE CHARTER AND ORDINANCE OF
THE CITY OF SEATTLE. AND THAT
I WILL FAITHFULLY CONDUCT
MYSELF AS CHIEF AS POLICE ,
OF THE SEATTLE POLICE
DEPARTMENT.
>> CONGRATULATIONS.
>> [ APPLAUSE ]
>> I AM LEFT-HANDED . I'M
GOING TO MOVE JUST A LITTLE
BIT.
>> LEFTY.
>> THERE ARE NOT MANY LEFTIES
AROUND. THAT IS WHAT HAPPENS.
>> [ LAUGHTER ]
>> NEXT, WE WILL HEAR FROM THE
CHIEF.
>> I HAD TO MOVE JUST A LITTLE
BIT.
>> IT TOOK HIM LIKE 10 TIMES IN
THE PRACTICE ROOM.
>> [ APPLAUSE ]
>> YOU KNOW AS I MENTIONED AT
THE VERY BEGINNING, I SAID 125
WEEKS. WHO IS COUNTING? WHAT
AN HONOR AND PRIVILEGE TO BE
STANDING BEFORE YOU. AS THE
CHIEF OF POLICE FOR THE SEATTLE
POLICE DEPARTMENT. I WANT TO
SAY THANK YOU TO EVERYONE AT
SPD FOR THEIR SUPPORT. THIS HAS
BEEN ONE OF THE MOST
CHALLENGING TIMES IN OUR
DEPARTMENT'S HISTORY. I WANT
TO THANK MAYOR BRUCE HARRELL
FOR SELECTING ME TO LEAD THIS
DEPARTMENT. AND I WANT TO
THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP,
AS WELL. IN OUR FIRST YEAR, WE
FOCUS ON THE MOST CHALLENGING
AREAS. THAT BEGINS WITH VIOLENT
CRIME. WHILE THERE IS STILL A
LOT OF WORK TO BE DONE, VIOLENT
CRIME HAS BEEN ON THE DECLINE.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE CITY
COUNCIL FOR CONFIRMING ME. I
LOOK FORWARD TO ADDRESSING THE
ISSUES BEFORE US. WE MIGHT NOT
ALWAYS AGREE, BUT WE WILL
CHALLENGE EACH OTHER TO DO WHAT
IS BEST FOR THE CITY. AND
THERE IS ONE THING YOU SHOULD
KNOW ABOUT ME, I LOVE A GOOD
CHALLENGE. THE WAY I TAKE THEM
ON IS SIMPLE. IT IS ON THE FACE
OF MY CHALLENGE COIN. IT
SHOULD NEVER BE REPLACED. THAT
IS WISDOM, JUSTICE, COURAGE,
AND TEMPERANCE. THEY ARE AT THE
HEART OF EVERY ACTION I TAKE.
SINCE THE SUMMER OF 2020, WE
HAVE INVESTED IN OFFICER
WELLNESS. WE HAVE RECOVERED
MORE GUNS IN NEARLY 20 YEARS ,
AND REDUCED OFFICER COMPLAINTS
BY NEARLY 50%. WE HAVE HIT THE
RECENT BUTTON ON THE DISSENT
DEGREE. DECREASED USE OF FORCE
BY 40% SINCE 2014, REVAMPED
THE CRIME MANAGEMENT RESPONSE,
INCLUDING ADDING A PUBLIC
OUTREACH ENGAGEMENT TEAM. WE
ARE ALSO IDENTIFYING
ALTERNATIVE RESPONSES TO
POLICING. I HAVE DEDICATED MY
26 YEARS AND CAREER AT SPD TO
BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS,
BRIDGING DIVIDES, ENSURING
EQUITY, AND HUMANIZING OFFICERS
WITH MANY OF YOU IN THIS ROOM.
I WILL CONTINUE AS THE CHIEF.
THROUGH INITIATIVES LIKE SPD
BEFORE THE BADGE, AND EQUITY ,
ACCOUNTABILITY AND EQUALITY,
ALSO KNOWN AS AEQ. THESE ARE
THE FIRST OF THEIR KIND IN THE
NATION. THAT IS THE NATION WE
ARE BUILDING. I CHALLENGE THEM
TO RISE TO THE EQUATION. I
WANT TO THANK MY FAMILY FOR THE
SUPPORT. MANY NIGHTS BEING
AWAY. I THANK YOU FOR YOUR LOVE
AND PATIENCE. AS WE WORK TOWARD
MAYOR HARRELL'S GOAL OF ONE
SEATTLE, I CHALLENGE EACH OF
YOU TO CONSIDER THE FOUR
VIRTUES. WISDOM, JUSTICE,
COURAGE AND TEMPERANCE. WE ARE
GOING TO GET TO THE HEART OF
PUBLIC SAFETY. WE WILL GET TO
THE ROOT OF CRIME. WILL MAKE
THIS CITY SAFE. AS YOUR CHIEF,
I AM UP FOR THE CHALLENGE.
THANK YOU.
>> [ APPLAUSE ]
>> THAT WILL CONCLUDE . WE
INVITE YOU TO SOCIALIZE AND SEE
FRIENDS YOU MIGHT NOT HAVE SEEN
FOR A WHILE. I WILL CLOSE BY
SAYING, THIS WEEK, I ISSUED A
PROCLAMATION ON LAW ENFORCEMENT
APPROPRIATION DAY. IT WAS
LONG OVERDUE. WE APPRECIATE
YOUR LEADERSHIP, THE RANK IN
FILE, THOSE COMMITTED TO
KEEPING OUR CITY SAFE. WITH
THAT, I THINK WE WILL ANSWER A
FEW QUESTIONS IN ANOTHER ROOM.
SOCIALIZE, CONGRATULATE THE
CHIEF AND HIS FAMILY. IT IS A
GREAT DAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH!
ONE SEATTLE.
>> [ APPLAUSE ]