-Without further ado,
it is my honor as I sit on the public safety team
in the mayor's office.
I've selected multiple mayors to work with,
yet I keep growing with this one.
Okay.
And so without further ado,
it is my honor to bring out my boss, our 57th mayor of Seattle,
Mayor Bruce Harrell.
[ Applause ]
-She said, I asked what did she say multiple mayors?
She said I was her favorite.
That's what I, that's the only thing I heard.
This is a good day today. I'm pretty happy.
Have a few things to say and I want to recognize, first,
that it's very appropriate
that we're in the Northwest African-American Museum.
I want to recognize the president and CEO Brandon Bird.
Please raise your hand. Brandon, if you may, please.
Is Brandon where? Wait. Come on, Brandon.
Come on up here front, Brandon.
Brandon, let us see you a little bit.
I need to showcase you for these cameras.
Come on up here, Brandon.
Because at a time, Brandon sprinting to the mic.
I didn't say grab the mic, Brandon.
I said come up here.
I wanted you to see this beautiful young man because,
Brandon, we're making history, right now.
We're making history with this quality chief
that we're about to swear in.
We're making history and
more nowhere more appropriate than having it right here.
So, thank you for letting us into your fine establishment.
Thank you very much, Brandon.
[ Applause ]
So, I'm going to go off script for the first time in my life
and say that I noticed there were some red jackets here.
And for those that I want to,
not all people are familiar with what's called the divine nine.
And so the divine nine back in the early 1900s
were African-American fraternities and sororities
that began on campuses to have part of the fraternal life.
Because many of them were not included
into the white fraternities and sororities.
And so, some visionaries had the forward-thinking
ability to start it.
That was a fraternity known as Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity.
There might be some members here.
I don't know, if there are just raise your hand.
There's a few. There's usually a few.
I see there's a few here. See brother Walker there.
And, but the one that our chief Shon Barnes
belongs to Kappa Alpha Psi.
They clearly, they have the lock on being on second place.
I mean there's no, there's no debates there.
They are, they have it on lock.
[ Laughter ]
I know brother Proctor is going to get back at me and his,
I'm going to go to his church,
he's going to get back at me for that one.
Here's a quote for us to ground us.
Leadership is not defined by the exercise of power,
but by the capacity to increase the sense
of power among those led.
The most essential work of the leader
is to create more leaders.
Chief Barnes exemplifies this in every city that he has touched,
in every life that he has touched.
He's the type of leadership
that inspires and empowers others in the department
to be compassionate guardians, trusted partners,
and committed problem.
And I want to talk about trust just for a minute.
Earlier today I spoke to some high school students
in Bertha and Atlantis in city hall.
And I asked them a question. I said, how do you earn trust?
There's no right or wrong answers.
In fact, my director of office of civil rights,
Derek Wheeler Smith,
it was a an excellent program that you ran today.
And you heard me ask the question,
how do you develop trust?
And they said, well, by your actions, takes time.
And I said, well, if you meet a stranger,
do you just project trust in this person or are you distrust?
I said, and how do you have distrust?
What causes distrust?
And they talk about being burned and being lied to
and being cheated, that kind of stuff.
And once trust is broken, it's oh so hard to reestablish.
Very hard.
Sometimes you can't reestablish it.
We could talk about personal relationships
that have gone awry.
I am lucky to have my bride of going on four decades here
that who I trust with all of my heart.
And I trust that she trusts me with all of her heart.
But once trust is broken, it's so hard to repair.
So in our country,
we saw police departments mistrusted
all around the country.
We witnessed in 2020, March 25th, a African-American,
George Floyd, killed with an officer on his neck.
Well, you all saw that.
And it resonated in every city, in every town.
And officers wearing that union,
wearing that uniform became mistrusted.
Our own Seattle Police Department
that weren't even involved with that became mistrusted.
And so what we wanted to find is this kind of leader
that could come here to an African-American museum.
And to go to communities that want to be safe,
to re-establish trust.
That's what this is about today.
In his first few months as chief,
he's acted with a strong sense of urgency.
To build relationships,
to rebuild the trust that I'm talking about
and to lay a vision for the Seattle Police Department.
And I will defend the Seattle Police Department,
among all others. You probably read in this,
in the newspaper we filed for terminating the consent decree,
because if you look at the data on
when we are using force and when we are not using force,
we created a national standard.
Are we perfect? Of course not. Nobody's perfect.
But we are setting a trajectory under this fine leader,
on who we can be and most importantly why.
Because we love the people around us.
We love our communities. We're hopeful,
even when we hear the rhetoric coming from Washington DC.
The nasty rhetoric, the hateful rhetoric,
we are hopeful here in Seattle.
And we fight for it. We're hiring new officers.
I need to talk about that just a little bit.
To date, this year, we've hired 94 new hires,
a net positive gain of 50 officers so far this year.
And if this current trends continues, and we expect it to,
SPD will be on track to hire 150 officers in 2025,
which will be the largest number of hires
in any year in recent history.
[ Applause ]
And we need this to investigate crimes, to keep people safe.
To establish the trust that I am passionate about.
And our crime data is trending in the right direction.
The fact of the matter
is that in the first five months of 2025,
violent crime is down 13%, property crime is down 9%,
total crime is down 6% compared to 2024.
So, we're heading in the right direction.
But most importantly, we have hope.
Chief.
The fact of the matter is is, I searched high,
far and wide for you.
Many of you are people of faith, as am I.
And not a day or night
goes by where I don't say something in prayer.
And I want to give a shout out to Charlie Scoma,
that was, am I saying it right, Charlie Scoma?
That he's a chaplain for the Seattle Police Department.
That's a wonderful prayer.
And you're standing next to my pastor, Pastor Carey Anderson.
Who's inspired me on more times than I could count on my hands.
Because for some strange reason, this job gets sort of hard.
I haven't figured that out yet.
I thought it was going to be a walk in the park
and I didn't read the fine print, apparently.
So, I rely on faith. We're excited, Chief,
that you're going to continue to meet neighbors
throughout Seattle Invite.
And we invite everyone to come to these community safety forums
that are hosted this summer.
The first forum is actually tomorrow
at Rainier Beach Community Center at 6 PM.
I'll repeat that.
Rainier Beach Community Center at 6 PM.
And it will be a time
for the South Seattle community to engage
with all public safety departments, police, fire,
and our care department.
And we know there's a lot of work to do.
And before I relinquish the microphone
to Dr. Stephanie Dance-Barnes, his lovely partner, wife,
who's a very talented leader and owner,
I'll just read a little bit of her bio.
I wanted to give a quick plug. Where did Dominique go?
I'm always afraid of, you know, I'm afraid of you half the time.
You know, I'm she's, I feel you looking over.
Okay, mayor, you only had three minutes.
You're about six now. I love Dominique.
This Saturday is the day of service.
And so on seattle.gov, day of service, you get a cool t-shirt.
We're going to be all over the city.
You can still sign up.
We have, we're going to be all over the city
for these work parties. So I need you there.
You got some of your cronies going to be out there doing it.
And the reason why we do this not so much
that we need graffiti abatement, although we do.
It's not so much that we need litter picked up,
although we do.
We need flowers planted. Yes, we do.
But it's just showing that we will put in the work.
We're not afraid of hard work.
Nothing's come easy for this chief.
His PhD didn't come easy.
Becoming chief didn't become easy.
No one in this room is afraid of hard work.
Building trust is going to take hard work.
So we are in it. I got a lot of dignitaries here.
I don't know if I was supposed to announce them.
I'm just going to do this in one fell swoop.
I'm going to do it the lazy mayor's way.
If you are an elected official, stand up right now, please.
All right. All right. All right.
Our elected officials, our elected officials.
[ Applause ]
And Sue Roar, I want to publicly thank you for stepping in,
for helping us find this chief as well.
You are an outstanding leader
and I know that guy next to you, Captain Ward.
He's one of my favorites.
But thank you for your leadership as well.
[ Applause ]
Okay. Speaking next is Dr. Stephanie Dance-Barnes,
a leader in higher education, and expert in cancer biology,
serving as the dean of the College of Science and Health
at DePaul University.
I think many of you know they have three children here,
only two are here today.
And we're excited to welcome them to the Seattle community.
And so,
I was told that Dr. Barnes is going to sing
the national anthem again when she, no, I'm just kidding.
Dr. Barnes, we love that you are here in Seattle.
Please share a few words with us, please.
[ Applause ]
-Okay.
So, I'm a little bit nervous now
that he said he only had three minutes.
Because I wasn't told the time limit.
So, I only have 20 minutes prepared for you all today.
And, you know, I want to apologize to my husband,
because I'm not gonna read all his credentials.
Because hopefully at some point in time
you had a chance to learn about how well qualified he is.
Thank you.
But I really want to take an opportunity to really brag
and let you know the person that I know him to be.
But first and foremost,
I want to begin by expressing my sincere thanks to all of you
for being here to support my husband today.
To Mayor Bruce Harrell,
thank you for your visionary leadership
and the confidence that you've placed in Shon.
And to the first lady of Seattle,
thank you for your grace and your strength.
And your presence is felt and so very appreciated.
To the members of the city council
and the dedicated officials that engage in such a thoughtful
and rigorous confirmation process, thank you.
Your work and discernment, it definitely matters.
These processes are not simply procedural.
They reflect the weight and the trust
that our communities place in our leaders.
And we honor that.
To the officers and staff
of the Seattle Police Department, thank you.
Yours is a profession of courage and service.
And as it's already been mentioned,
it's a profession that's always or in a lot of instances
under intense pressure and scrutiny.
And my husband does not take lightly the opportunity
to work alongside you, to learn from you
and support the important work that you do each and every day.
And to our family and friends,
loved ones, many who have traveled a long way
to be here to support Shon today.
Thank you for your love, your prayers,
and your unwavering support.
When Shon asked me to give some remarks today to introduce him,
it actually gave me a bit of pause.
But it was in the best way.
It was kind of unexpected, but so deeply meaningful.
And yes, of course, I did say yes.
Because I believe, I know him better than anyone else.
Sorry, Miss Barnes. We've built a life together.
We've raised children. We've weathered a lot of storms.
We've chased a lot of dreams together.
And through it all, I've watched him lead.
Not just in public, but at home.
And he's done so with steady, integrity and quiet compassion.
I may not wear a badge or report to precincts,
but in my own role,
as was mentioned, I'm a university dean.
I'm a mother and I'm a woman of deep faith
as my husband is as well.
And in my own role,
I also lead, serve,
and work to shape purpose driven people
who make a meaningful difference in the world.
So, I understand the work that you do each
and every day and appreciate that so very much.
And in many ways, I feel Shon and I,
despite being in different fields,
we're still driven by the same values.
Service, integrity, equity.
And the belief that leadership is about not just authority,
but it's about building trust, lifting others up,
and leaving people and communities
better than the way we found them.
Whether working with students, in my own regard,
or standing alongside our officers and community members,
we both believe that real relationship is measured
not by position,
but by the positive difference we make in people's lives.
So while I may not hold a title in the this department,
I stand here because I know the heart behind the uniform.
And it feels both fitting
and deeply meaningful to have the opportunity
to share a few words about who he truly is.
We have been so deeply moved by the tremendous outpouring
of support that Shon and our family
have received during this transition.
From kind words, to thoughtful gestures and heartfelt prayers,
to warm welcomes.
Please know, that every message, every moment,
every show of encouragement has meant so very much,
more than I can probably even say today.
It has reminded us that leadership is
not a solitary journey.
It is a shared commitment.
And in the same spirit of honesty,
and Shon will tell you, sometimes I'm too transparent.
I want to acknowledge something else.
We know that not everyone may have been
or felt immediately confident in this appointment.
And that is okay.
Public service should invite honest questions
and thoughtful accountability.
And Shon understands that trust is not something
that comes with a title.
It is something that must be earned, over time,
through action, transparency, and consistency.
He is not stepping into the role of chief for some.
He is stepping into the role of chief for all.
And that's a responsibility he embraces with humility,
seriousness, and absolute resolve.
He is ready to listen,
to learn, and to lead with both courage and compassion.
If you want to understand who Shon is,
you should know how he shows up for his family.
He's steady. He's thoughtful.
He's rooted in faith, driven by principle, and grounded in love.
And those are the same values
that I know he will bring to this job each and every day.
And of course, our children are a huge part of our why.
Our daughter Ashley,
who unfortunately is not here today because like me
and her dad, she believes in hard work
and she needs to keep her job.
So, she is working.
But she's a gifted dancer and choreographer
who brings light and depth to every space she enters.
We have our son Aiden here,
who's a high school football player with the heart
of a athlete
and the culinary instincts of a young master chef.
He's got vision in the kitchen and on the field.
And then we have our youngest Addison,
who is here, starting her first year of high school.
And she is an absolute powerhouse.
She's a wrestling district champion,
a up and coming DJ and a soccer player.
So she's fierce, focused, and full of life.
But, I say all this to say, these three,
they remind us every day
why strong principle leadership matters.
Not just for today, but for the future we're helping to build.
A future that belongs not only to them,
but to every child growing up in this city.
They're watching, learning, and imagining what's possible.
And my husband is definitely playing a part
in helping them imagine what is possible.
And so today, it's not just my honor,
it is my absolute joy to introduce to you someone
I know deeply and believe in fully.
A man who will lead once again with integrity,
listen with compassion, and serve with purpose.
Seattle, please join me in welcoming your new chief
of police, my husband, Shon Fitzgerald Barnes.
[ Applause ]
[ Applause continues ]
-Okay. -Yes. Okay.
So, this is the official moment that we've been waiting for.
I am honored to be standing here with our city clerk
and actually I'm going to ask the family
to stand right on the side of the stairs.
And then we're ready for the next portion.
So thank you Dr. Dance-Barnes for your remarks
and thank you mayor for your remarks.
And we're ready for the oath of office.
-Does this one work? Okay.
Testing, testing.
Okay, I'm gonna ask you to hold this,
so that we can hear you.
-Okay.
-You're going to raise your right hand.
-Okay. You ready? -You ready?
Okay, just repeat after me, please.
-Okay.
-I, Shon F. Barnes. -I, Shon F. Barnes.
-Affirm that I possess all of the qualifications.
-Prescribed in the Seattle City Charter.
-And the Seattle Municipal Code.
-For the position of chief of police.
-That I will support the Constitution
of the United States.
-That I will support the Constitution
of the United States.
-The Constitution of the State of Washington.
-And the charter and ordinances
of the city of Seattle.
-And the charter and ordinances
of the city of Seattle.
-And that I will faithfully conduct myself.
-As chief of police for the Seattle Police Department.
-Congratulations. -Thank you.
[ Applause ]
Thank you so much for being here,
taking time out of your busy schedules
to be here with me today.
It is truly an honor and a privilege to be here.
Thank you, Mayor Harrell, for your kind words.
I think we may be second place,
but it's a strong second, I think.
I'm not messing this money up, y'all.
So, just, --
[ Laughter ]
Thank you for the incredible opportunity and responsibility
to lead the Seattle Police Department.
It is with humility and with a grateful heart
that I accept this role.
Abraham Lincoln once stated, All that I am,
all that I hope to be, I owe to my mother.
And I know why he said that.
I have an amazing mother who is responsible for me being here.
Because of her love, support and Christian discipline of her
and my father, the late Thornton Boon, I can stand before you.
To my wife and my three children, I owe you everything.
You have sacrificed so much nearly 30 years
in public service.
My wife has been my greatest inspiration.
And my north star.
My children have endured many important moments, without me,
but they've always done it with understanding and support.
Their strength is my strength.
And I stand here today because of their love,
patience, and belief in the work that I do.
I want to acknowledge the African-American Museum.
And hopefully you had an opportunity to see the exhibit
of the march from Selma to Montgomery, the 54 mile march.
Those marches were organized by members
of the nonviolent activists.
To demonstrate the desire of African-Americans
to exercise their constitutional rights.
Constitutional rights that I now am responsible for protecting.
They highlighted racial injustice
and contributed to the passage of the Voting Rights Act,
which was a federal landmark in civil rights.
Because, that act passed, there is a mayor Bruce Harrell.
And because there is a mayor Bruce Harrell,
there is a Shon Barnes.
That was such an important moment
in the history of our country.
In 2020, three police leaders, Dr. Tarrick McGuire,
who is now the chief of police in Arlington,
I'm excuse me, Alexandria, Virginia.
And Dr. Obed Magny, along with one other, Dr. Shon Barnes,
who is now the chief of police in Seattle.
Retraced the steps of the historic 54-mile civil rights
march from Selma to Montgomery.
We documented our experiences
and it led to a powerful documentary,
which we explored what it means to be a public servant.
And what it means to be a police leader in the United States.
Titled The 54 Mile Project,
it was a call for a collective action
to enhance police community relationships.
And as a result, the National Policing Institute,
with support from the Bureau of Justice Assistance,
launched a national training initiative based
on our documentary.
It was designed to strengthen the collective action
between police and communities of color.
However, the Department of Justice
terminated support of this project in April of this year.
Citing, quote,
realignment with Department of Justice priorities.
To the dedicated men and women
of the Seattle Police Department,
the elected officials present,
the community members who've joined us today,
your presence is a reminder
that public safety is still a collective action
and it's still a priority for our community.
I accept this role with deep respect
and a profound appreciation for this city's rich
and vibrant culture.
And an unwavering commitment to the shared mission
of keeping Seattle safe.
Collective actions means
that our police department is now recommitted
to supporting the community.
We are renewed in our commitment to supporting
our residential community,
those who call Seattle a place to live,
our business community, both small businesses,
which I have a huge heart for.
My father was a small business owner.
And of course, our corporations.
As well as our schools.
The safety and security of our students
is of utmost importance to me.
We must prevent the tragic loss or the greatest loss,
which I believe, is the loss of human potential.
We are renewed in our commitment to supporting those
in the margins of society.
Those who must now choose between
whether to pay their rent
or to purchase their prescription drugs.
Those who must live on our streets
as members of our unsheltered populations,
those who are suffering from the effects of illegal drugs
or mental health.
We must be a police department committed
to advancing the safety and security of our Seattle streets,
through the collective actions
that are proven to reduce crime and disorder.
We do this by being proximate to our community.
Proximate enough so that we know the difference
between who needs help and who is not here to help.
And we must be proximate enough to offer compassion,
love, prayer,
and support regardless of the decisions
that led them to live on the streets in the first place.
We must work together to restore the safety,
the presence, and pride in our public spaces.
We are renewed in our commitment to work
with our union brothers and sisters.
Who protect the historical interest of their memberships.
For those who need a reminder, units,
unions ended child labor laws.
Unions created the 40-hour work week.
Unions created the eight-hour workday,
provided unemployment benefits, workman's compensation,
and even retirement benefits.
Now, while I may be new or somewhat new to this department,
I am not new to the dedication, professionalism, and sacrifice
that the profession demands.
I understand the weight of this badge.
I also know the courage it takes to put on this uniform
every single day.
I am here to lead. I am here to listen.
And I am here to ensure that you have the support, the resources,
and training necessary to succeed in your roles
and return home safely at the end of each day.
My executive team will model the values.
My executive team will model the values of integrity,
respect, and accountability.
These are not just buzzwords.
These are my foundational principles.
We owe this commitment to everyone who calls Seattle home,
and we owe it to each other as a police department.
To the people of Seattle,
what we learned from our 54 mile walk, from Selma to Montgomery,
that took about two and a half days, is that I see you,
I hear you, and we are accountable to you.
I promise to lead with urgency, empathy, and courage.
Together, we will set a new standard
for what public service looks like,
rooted in selfless public service, innovation,
and an unwavering commitment to love,
or what legal experts refer to as justice.
Let us not shy away from the difficult work that lies ahead.
Let us acknowledge our challenges
while uplifting the many things that our department
and our city does well.
I chose Seattle because I believe in it.
I believe in its people.
I believe in its possibilities
and I believe in the pursuit of progress.
I believe in the officers
and the professional staff of this department.
And I know that together we can achieve great things.
Let us share our progress,
celebrate our achievements,
and address our ongoing challenges with humility
and with clarity.
And above all,
let us demonstrate to our nation the power of collective action.
It is with a grateful heart that I do accept.
I do, I am so appreciative of the opportunity to be here,
seeing all of these faces, the support that we have.
Thank you so much for the trust that you have placed in me
and in my family to be here
and thank you for welcoming me as a part
of the Seattle community.
Thank you.
[ Applause ]
-Thank you.
[ Applause continues ]
Congratulations again, Chief.
We are happy to have you here in Seattle.
And without further ado,
is my honor to welcome Pastor Carey Anderson,
who will give us the benediction.
You can go ahead and take your seat.
-Before we offer the benediction,
can you just put your hands together for what we have seen
and what we have heard here today?
[ Applause ]
Gracious God,
we thank you for this moment of sacred responsibility
and public trust.
As we have engaged in the celebration of ceremony,
we lift up to you our new police chief for the city
of Seattle, Shon F. Barnes, PhD.
His loving wife, Dr. Stephanie Dance-Barnes,
their three lovely children,
and our chief's mother and extended family.
Grant wisdom that will rise above politics.
Courage that will transcend fear.
Compassion that disarms hostility.
Let this new leadership be shaped
not by mere titles or badges,
but by service and integrity.
And a deep sense of commitment to justice
for all people of this city.
Bless the officers, the men and the women and staff
of this department.
Protect them as they protect the rest of us.
Make them instruments of your peace, fairness,
and accountability.
May the bonds that tie the police community
with the public community together
be strengthened in transparency, empathy, and shared purpose.
We pray for the city of Seattle.
That every neighborhood, every family,
every child may know safety, dignity, and hope.
What it looks like and what it tastes like.
Let this be a new season and a fresh wind
where bridges once broken can be rebuilt.
Trust that has been damaged can be restored.
And now God, as we leave this place,
let your favor rest upon this new chapter,
this new chapter in a book destined with hope,
filled with pages of promise and opportunities
for growth and development.
And may our new chief walk with courage,
lead with humility, and serve with honor.
Hear our prayer this afternoon and grant us your peace.
Amen.
-Amen.
-We are in for a treat.
Entering their 20th season,
the award-winning Dolls & Gents Drill Team and
Drumline is a nonprofit organization from right here
in Seattle, Washington. Okay.
They are based on and stem from etiquette, humility,
professionalism, respect, and a pride and achievement.
It is my honor and my pleasure to introduce to you all
and recognize the rest to some
Dolls & Gents Drill Team and Drumline.
[ Cheering ]
[ Band playing ]
♪♪
[ Whistle blows ]
-SPD!
[ Woman shouts indistinctly ]
[ Band plays ]
♪♪
[ Whistle blowing ]
[ Music stops ]
[ Woman shouts indistinctly ]
[ Music resumes ]
♪♪
[ Music ends ]
[ Cheers and applause ]
-At this portion, we will take a few minutes, I mean, a few.
The mayor told you, don't let this little one come get you.
All right.
We will have a few minutes of questions.
Just a few minutes of questions.
Ben, where are you? All right. Questions.
-Good.
Thank you very much and have a one.
-Are you excited to be here, sir?
-I am overly excited to be here.
This is one of the greatest honors
of my 26 year policing career,
but I've been in public service for a very, very long time.
I'm honored that I am a public servant.
My parents raised three children.
Two are police officers,
my brother is here who's a detective down
in North Carolina.
And my sister, is a daycare provider.
So that is who we are in our hearts.
And so, whenever you get to do what you love every single day,
you never get to go to work.
-Chief, I love how you mentioned you wouldn't shy
away from the past.
Can you speak to how you plan to move this department forward,
seeing as what happened under your predecessor?
-Sure.
We have already moved forward.
We have policing forward written almost everywhere
in our police department.
You see that in everything that we do.
We are shared in our priorities. Those priorities,
every person in the department understands crime prevention,
community engagement, employee safety and wellness,
recruitment and retention,
and most importantly, continuous improvement.
Those are the priorities
that will move the Seattle Police Department forward.
-Yes. Hand up the back. You sir.
-I heard you talk about how you plan to do things.
And how the Department of Justice
has said this is what we want you to follow.
But you said you're willing to follow the Constitution
of Seattle and of the state of Washington.
How are you going to mesh those things?
Or will you fall in line with what's going in Washington?
I need to ask a question.
-Justice is not mutually exclusive to any person,
any rank or any position.
No one in this country is above the United States Constitution.
And I am sworn, you just saw that,
that I will uphold the Constitution of the State
of Washington,
our country, as well as the laws and ordinances
of the city of Seattle. That's my promise to you.
-What foresee,
what challenges do you feel you might have to overcome
in this new position in this new era of law enforcement?
-Yeah, you know, I think there's always new eras
of law enforcement.
I look at law enforcement like timing and season.
What is the time that we're in now?
What is the season that we're in now?
I think the challenges that we face are challenges
that we have faced before.
But the things that have gotten us through before
will get us through now.
And that is collaborating with our community,
making sure, as I spoke about, that we're approximate,
that people know who we are
so that we can tell the difference between people
who need our help and people who don't.
And I think those are the things
that will move us past any challenges that we may have.
And also, we have to work together,
not just a police department.
Public safety is not a solo sport.
Public safety is a sport
that's done with the collaboration of a lot
of people, beginning with the leadership
and our city mayor's office, our city council's office,
and all the people who call Seattle home.
-We're going to take one more media question.
If you're not with media,
I invite you to join us for our public safety forums
that start tomorrow at Rainier Beach Community Center at 6 PM.
Or, have a separate conversation with the chief and his team,
or us in the mayor's office.
But I'm going to take one more question from media.
Thank you so much. No, thank you.
We will do pull aides in a second.
Thank you, chief.
-Okay. I have a question of the chief.
-Okay. Go ahead, sir.
-Can you come to every press conference that I have?
Because.
Because I didn't get asked one question and I love it.
So, thank you, Chief.
[ Applause ]