Police chief selection on hold; Nickels to defer to next mayor

Mayor Greg Nickels has decided to let Seattle's next mayor hire a new police chief, but he still might have a hand in the selection.

Nickels was set to announce a 24-member search committee last month to identify three finalists to replace former Police Chief Gil Kerlikowske, who left in May to head the Office of National Drug Control Policy, a position commonly known as "drug czar."

But when Nickels was ousted from the mayoral race in the Aug. 18 primary, he suspended the plan. The first meeting of the committee, scheduled for the following week, was canceled.

Nickels is now exploring ways to begin the search with the blessing of the two candidates in the Nov. 3 general election, Joe Mallahan and Mike McGinn, said Alex Fryer, the mayor's spokesman.

Nickels would leave the appointment of the next chief to the new mayor, who will take office in January, Fryer said.

But without an agreement, there would be no point in going forward, Fryer said.

McGinn, an attorney and environmentalist, said in an e-mail that he supports the idea, as long as the new mayor makes the ultimate decision.

Mallahan, a T-Mobile executive, is considering the possibility "because delaying that process is not something to take lightly," said Mallahan spokeswoman Charla Neuman.

Mallahan recognizes there are committee members chosen by Nickels who have good insight, and there have been discussions with some of them, Neuman said.

"It's a weighty decision ... Mayor Nickels has been very respectful of everyone," she said. "He has made staff and committee members available to the candidates."

Neither candidate has tipped his hand on whom he might pick as the next chief, but in interviews both said they would require a thorough search. And both said they would keep the city's diversity in mind when filling Cabinet positions.

For any mayor, the appointment of a police chief is a critical move, not only because it goes to the bread-and-butter issue of public safety but because it also touches sensitive matters such as community relations, officer conduct and dealings with the city's police union.

In-house hopeful

Since Kerlikowske's departure, the Police Department has been overseen by interim Chief John Diaz, a deputy chief who was chosen in March by Nickels to fill the position.

At the time of his appointment, Diaz said he intended to apply for the permanent job. In a recent interview, he reiterated he will seek the position but left open the possibility he could change his mind.

The 29-year veteran said he is applying because of his love for the department but wants to do what is best and discuss the job with the new mayor.

His selection by Nickels as interim chief made him an instant front-runner for the job, but Nickels' election defeat changed the landscape.

Still, Diaz would present the new mayor the opportunity to name the city's first Latino police chief and promote career development within the department. Seattle hasn't had a permanent chief who came from within the department since the late 1970s, when the hiring of Patrick Fitzsimons from New York City's police department ushered in an era of outside choices.

But it's probable some people will push for an outsider.

One name that has surfaced is Spokane Police Chief Anne Kirkpatrick. Her skills at community outreach and tackling tough disciplinary issues have attracted favorable attention since she took over that department in 2006 after serving as Federal Way's police chief.

Seattle has never had a female police chief, and Kirkpatrick's reputation as a no-nonsense leader might be viewed as a balm for officer-accountability problems that have dogged the department in recent years.

Candidates' thoughts

McGinn said he would look foremost for "somebody with the ability to listen to communities and build strong ties to communities."

He also wants someone who would have the "respect and support" of the Police Department and "is prepared to be innovative and creative in addressing" problems.

That person could come from within or outside the department, McGinn said.

Mallahan said he wants a "front-line leader" who will hold officers accountable for their conduct.

"But we also need to support them and recognize them for their contribution," said Mallahan, who has won the endorsement of the Seattle Police Officers' Guild in the general election.

As mayor, Mallahan said, he would ride with officers several times a year and would expect his chief to do the same.

His approach to hiring a chief would be the same he has followed in business: find the "very best candidate," with a "bias toward internal promotion."

Both candidates said it was too early to discuss whether they would hire Diaz.

Wide representation

The search committee assembled by Nickels covered a broad array of community members, including King County Prosecuting Attorney Dan Satterberg; Kathleen Taylor, executive director of the ACLU of Washington; Robert Boruchowitz, a Seattle University law professor and former director of the Defender Association in King County; and the Rev. Aaron Williams, of Mount Zion Baptist Church. Kate Joncas, president of the Downtown Seattle Association, and Hyeok Kim, executive director of the InterIm Community Development Association, were to serve as co-chairs.

City Councilmember Tim Burgess, a former Seattle police officer who chairs the council's Public Safety, Human Services and Education Committee, said he has "mixed feelings" about proceeding with a search at this time. He said he was impressed by the makeup of the committee but has reservations because normally a mayor should entirely oversee the complex process of finding candidates and selecting a chief.

He said the choice of a new chief gives the opportunity to make an excellent department even better.

"I'm very excited about the possibilities," he said.

Seattle Times researcher David Turim contributed to this story, which also includes information from Seattle Times archives.

Steve Miletich: 206-464-3302 or smiletich@seattletimes.com

Bob Young: 206-464-2174 or byoung@seattletimes.com