Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan's police chief search committee announced three finalists Friday: Eddie Frizell, Minneapolis Police Department inspector; Cameron S. McLay, former Pittsburgh chief of police; and Ely Reyes, assistant chief of the Austin Police Department.
“At the end of the day I think we focused on who we thought had the leadership capabilities, the systems orientation, and the ability to change the culture of the police department,” said former Seattle Mayor Tim Burgess, who co-chaired the search committee.
Reyes has been with Austin Police for 22 years. Before that he served in the U.S. Army, earning a Purple Heart, Lifesaving Medal, and three Meritorious Service Medals.
“I am humbled and honored to be announced as a finalist for the Seattle Police Department Chief of Police,” Reyes said in a tweet on Friday. “I look forward to meeting with Mayor (Jenny) Durkan and community members as I continue in the process.”
WATCH THE ANNOUNCEMENT HERE:
Frizell, who has been with the Minneapolis Police for 25 years, also holds the rank of Colonel in the Minnesota Army National Guard.
McLay spent 29 years with the Madison Police Department before he went to Pittsburgh.
Durkan will interview each candidate in the coming weeks, and the candidate she nominates will be confirmed by Seattle City Council.
The mayor hopes to select a candidate by late June to early July, according to Burgess.
Burgess said there was a lot of consideration about whether the candidate should come from inside or outside the department.
“While the police department has made tremendous progress in reform, there is still a lot of work yet to do, including some of the foundational cultural reform that has yet to take root, and we felt that it was best at this point for an outsider to come in as chief of police,” Burgess said.
The Seattle Times reported interim police chief Carmen Best was in the running for the position before the finalists were announced.
Best took over as police chief following the departure of Kathleen O'Toole, who held the position since June 2014.
Mayor Durkan opened up a nationwide search for the department's next police chief. A 25-person committee began the search in January.
