Former Seattle police chief highlights trends in the movement to defund the police
Seattle’s former police chief Carmen Best, who has resigned amid the struggle of the far left over law enforcement, said she was encouraged to see a nationwide trend in support of Blue Wednesday in Fox News Primetime.
Best, the first black police chief in Seattle history, left her post in September 2020, saying on her way out that city council police budget cuts had put her in a “position to fail,” according to a report at the time .
On Wednesday, Best told Fox News that she viewed the actions of lawmakers and activists against the Seattle Police Department as an “attack on me personally” for disagreeing with the guidelines they issued defusing the department; To dismiss officials so arbitrarily.
“Out of nowhere came the suggestion to cut my salary. I didn’t like that suggestion, but that’s not why I ended up leaving, “Best said.” It was that I just couldn’t stay in an organization where they’d take so many officials out of their jobs. “
Best of all, he alluded to the rise in crime in Washington’s largest city, which peaked when violent left-wing activists established a lawless “autonomous zone” – known as CHOP and later CHAZ – in an inner city neighborhood called Capitol Hill.
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, UNITED STATES – 6/23/2020: A poster posted outside the west wall of the Occupied Protest Zone (CHOP) in Seattle on Capitol Hill lists protesters’ demands. (Photo by Toby Scott / SOPA Images / LightRocket via Getty Images)
At the time, then-President Donald Trump criticized Washington Governor Jay Inslee for his inaction towards the residents of the zone, calling the activists “domestic terrorists”.
“I think that the pendulum swings more in a moderate and centrist position,” said Best of the time since CHAZ was adjusted.
“[Y]You don’t hear that much about police defunding. Because people want security. It doesn’t matter what race they are, they want to be able to call 911 and know if they are the victim of a crime that someone will show up and try to solve it. “
In New York, observers indicated that limited-term left-wing Mayor Bill de Blasio will be replaced by mayor-elect Eric Adams, a Brooklyn Democrat who is himself a retired NYPD officer. Adams, in turn, ran against Republican Curtis Sliwa, founder of the anti-criminal group Guardian Angels.
It was best said that some “issues” raised in relation to policing need to be addressed in a way that leads to a “fair and equitable response for all”.
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON – OCTOBER 22: Governor Jay Inslee speaks at the ribbon cutting ceremony ahead of tomorrow’s opening night for the NHL’s newest hockey franchise, the Seattle Kraken at Climate Pledge Arena on October 22, 2021 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Bruce Bennett / Getty Images)
“But people want a response from the police. I think we are now looking at how we can use other services to perhaps compound some of the problems that are occurring – but certainly not to relieve the police, “Best said.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
“Of course we know that there will be times when you will confront people who want to do harm, some people are afraid – you don’t know what to expect. Every single day, every traffic stop might be” nothing; could be someone who has only committed a minor offense and has a warning or quote involved. Or it could be someone who wants to do something bad or hurt the officers. So we give officers a lot of training on what to do about search. “
“We know the wrong has happened and now is the time to review policies and procedures and practices that will help us ensure we have fair and just practices for all.”