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# Carmen Best sworn in as Seattle police chief
- URL: https://www.cascadepbs.org/politics/2018/08/carmen-best-sworn-seattle-police-chief/
- Published: 2018-08-22T11:49:03.000Z
- Updated: 2025-06-19T10:45:09.000Z
- Author: Cascade PBS Staff
- Tags: Politics, Law & Justice, Photo Gallery, Seattle & King County, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2025-04-14 08:04, #Import 2025-05-09 14:42, #article

Carmen Best finished a day of ceremonies at the Northwest African American Museum late Tuesday afternoon with one final swearing-in. [Following the example set by her boss](https://crosscut.com/2017/11/jenny-durkan-sworn-in-as-seattles-mayor?ref=cascadepbs.org), the mayor, the new permanent Seattle police chief turned the event into a tour of the community.

Best had already been sworn in at two other events earlier in the day — at City Hall and then at the South Park Community Center — when she arrived at the Central District museum for one final ceremony and reception.

After [months](https://crosscut.com/2018/05/emails-show-uproar-over-seattle-police-chief-picks?ref=cascadepbs.org) [of](https://crosscut.com/2018/07/another-twist-search-seattles-next-police-chief?ref=cascadepbs.org) [drama](https://crosscut.com/2018/07/after-dramatic-week-seattle-gets-meet-its-police-chief-candidates?ref=cascadepbs.org), Best is now officially the first person of color to permanently lead the Seattle Police Department. It should be a smooth transition for the 26-year veteran: Best became the number two ranking official in the department in 2014 and [took over as its interim chief](https://crosscut.com/2018/01/meet-seattles-new-police-chief-carmen-best?ref=cascadepbs.org) in January 2018.

Best inherits the department at a critical time. SPD needs to prove to a federal judge that it has made permanent and lasting reforms, while also addressing concerns about disparate policing, high-property crime and out-of-control overtime spending.  
  
—*David Kroman*

![Executive Director of the Northwest African American Museum Lanesha Debardelaben introduces the new police chief.](https://www.cascadepbs.org/content/images/sites/default/files/images/dsc09361_0.jpg)

![Carmen Best awaits her final swearing-in of the day.](https://www.cascadepbs.org/content/images/sites/default/files/images/dsc09415_1.jpg)

![Newly sworn-in, Chief Best addresses the crowd at the Northwest African American Museum.](https://www.cascadepbs.org/content/images/sites/default/files/images/dsc09076_1.jpg)

![](https://www.cascadepbs.org/content/images/sites/default/files/styles/max_992x992/public/images/dsc09331.jpg)

![Family of Police Chief Best watch as she recieves her honors.](https://www.cascadepbs.org/content/images/sites/default/files/images/dsc09824.jpg)

![Pastor Kenneth J. Ransfer speaks to a young office-in-training at the swearing in cereomony for Chief Carmen Best.](https://www.cascadepbs.org/content/images/sites/default/files/images/dsc09892.jpg)

![](https://www.cascadepbs.org/content/images/sites/default/files/styles/max_992x992/public/images/dsc09581.jpg)

Seattle Police Chief Carmen Best poses with friends and family after the ceremony.