Carmen Best, the Seattle police chief, emailed her resignation letter to police officers in the department late Monday hours after the city council approved its promise to approve sweeping proposals that would cut about 100 officials and the budget of the department cut.
The email from Best, which was received by Jason Rantz, a radio host in the city, said her retirement Sept. 2 will be effective.
“I wish you had heard this from me, but some media have reached this conclusion on their own,” she wrote. “This was a difficult decision for me, but when it’s time, it’s time.”
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She thanked Mayor Jenny Durkan for her “continued support” and said that the department “is truly the best police department in the country, and please trust me as I said, the vast majority of the people in Seattle support and appreciate you yes. ”
Durkan and Best urged the council to carry out their talks on police budgets, saying the issue could be taken seriously when the 2021 city budget is considered.
They also said dismissals would disproportionately focus on newer officers, often hired from minority communities, and would inadvertently lead to lawsuits.
Brandi Kruse, a reporter for Q13 Fox, tweeted that a press conference has been set for 11 a.m. Tuesday. She said two sources told her the announcement was difficult.
The city council also cut Best’s roughly $ 285,000 annual salary and the salaries of other top police leaders, although the final cuts to Best’s salary were significantly more modest than those approved last week. The council plan also takes officers off a team that removes homeless camps.
On Monday, only councilor Kshama Sawant voted against the budget package, saying it does not do enough to defuse the police.
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Best, who has served in the department for 28 years, ended her email looking forward to “seeing how this department progresses through the process of re-promoting public safety. I love the work done by all of you will be done. “
The Associated Press contributed to this report
