July 9, 2022

UW Political Economy Forum hosts former Seattle Police Chief Carmen Best

On July 14th, 2022 the UW Political Economy Forum hosts former Seattle Police Chief Carmen Best for an author meets critics event where we’ll discuss her new book, “Black in Blue: Lessons in Leadership, Breaking Barriers and Racial Reconciliation.”

 

The first African-American woman to hold the top policing job in Seattle, Washington, Chief Carmen Best (Ret.) served with the Seattle Police Department for twenty-eight years. In 2018, Chief Best was promoted to Chief of Police, a job she called “a dream of a lifetime,” managing approximately 2,000 sworn and civilian employees. She quickly began efforts to diversify the police force, which had long been less diverse than the city, recruiting more than forty new officers of color.

Chief Best has been recognized with dozens of awards for her contributions to community engagement, public safety, gender equity, diversity, and inclusion. Most notably, she received the “Newsmaker of the Year” award from the Seattle Black Press and was awarded the prestigious Ellis Island Medal of Honor, dedicated to recognizing individuals who selflessly contribute to society and uphold the ideals of America. She was also nominated for an Emmy Award for her work on public safety announcements “Safe in the Sound.”

In her new book, Black in Blue: Lessons on Leadership, Breaking Barriers, and Racial Reconciliation, Chief Best shares lessons learned as the city’s first Black woman police chief through some of the most critical events in policing history.