Publishing with permission of letter writer.
Dear Edmonds City Council,
I am writing to you today to discuss your recent decision not to select Jim Lawless as Police Chief for the City of Edmonds.
I recently retired as the Police Chief for the City of Bothell. One of the things I came to deeply value while serving in that role, was the opportunity to work closely with neighboring police departments. I quickly came to recognize that the Edmonds PD was a very well run, respected law enforcement agency and deeply appreciated their regional partnership in many important initiatives. You have a police department that you should be very proud of.
Exceptional police departments don’t just happen. It takes strong, positive and consistent leadership where the core values of an agency are both demanded and demonstrated from the top down. Jim Lawless is an excellent example of that type of leader. He epitomizes what it means to have unimpeachable integrity, and commitment to service. Through my many years of working and observing him I became deeply impressed by his dedication to both the department and the city that he serves. If something needed to be done, Jim was there to do it, no matter what the issue, no matter what the hour. Jim Lawless is the type of leader who is responsible for both creating and maintaining excellence throughout an organization.
It is for these reasons that I was so shocked by the decision not to seize the opportunity to select Jim Lawless as the next Police Chief for Edmonds. The job of Police Chief is a very challenging one. Jim’s years of experience, his dedication to your city, and his unimpeachable character are qualities that would give him the ability, without any question to meet that challenge.
Over the years I have known many very competent law enforcement professionals who have applied for Police Chief positions. Some have been selected and some have not but I have never felt the need to send in a letter to question a Chief selection until now. Jim Lawless is such a respected, honorable, and dedicated law enforcement leader, the failure to select him as Edmonds Police Chief is a deep unnecessary loss to your city. I hope that you would consider reevaluating this decision.
Sincerely,
Carol Cummings
Bothell Police Chief (Retired)
Thank you Chief Cummings for your letter. There are many or us, and that is a majority, in Edmonds that feel as you do regarding Chief Lawless. The failure of our Mayor and 4 members of our City Council to appoint the most qualified candidate is a huge disappointment to many of the citizens of Edmonds. The government is voted in to support the community and part of that is the safety of the community. With this nomination/confirmation they have shown their agenda is more important to them than the citizens of Edmonds. The message it sends to the Police department is frightening; work hard, educate yourself, do the right thing for the community but we will not support you. I too encourage the Mayor to consider the impact of this decision and support the Police department and the citizens of this community.
This whole matter smells of Donald Trump……Let’s have this whole situation reviewed and appropriate action taken against our Mayor and all who support him…….I remember an article in this paper about Nelson’s history in California.
Thanks, Chief Cummings. If only the Council decision had been based upon all the important characteristics that you mention regarding Jim Lawless. Sort of makes you wonder what they were looking at, doesn’t it?
“We” elected the mayor, and the council…….it is politics
Except for the one councilman who who voted against the chief whowas never elected but appointed
Could a weaker chief be a first step to defunding/downsizing the force? Just wondering.
Cliff, yes. Mike plans on structural and philosophical changes to the EPD in the same fashion that Seattle and Portland changed their policing.
On being elected, note that even Mike was appointed before elected. Vacancy appointments is a valuable tool for drafting a Farm League. See Marco Liias for example; ran unopposed for City Council, vacancy appointment to the House by Brian Sullivan, then vacancy appointment to the Senate from Shin. It’s more difficult for an outsider to get elected against an appointed incumbent.
Edmonds is a Seattle lapdog.
Since the chief’s appointment is not 100% confirmed I would like to encourage the city council to reconsider their vote and affirm Lawless for Chief of Police. While the politics are one issue the safety of the community depends on strong proven leadership of a police department equal to the size of Edmonds. We should be protecting the continuation of strong community policing for Edmonds.
I hope our city council will see the obvious wisdom to choose Lawless as our chief of police.
A police department is a team effort that must respond to all manner of situations, when the team has strong leadership it functions at its very best. We are so very fortunate in Edmonds to have Jim Lawless heading up that team of men and women who every day come to work to keep us safe and are the very best of law enforcement
in these troubled times. When we have someone as good as Jim Lawless why turn away from his excellent experiences to someone who will first need to get a feel of what the department and Edmonds is all about.
As a citizen of Edmonds I want us to have the very best at the helm of our law enforcement, we already have that in Jim Lawless, please council members, let us keep him to continue making our police the very best that it is.
Ingrid Wolsk
This is what was said within a 10-minute interview by Fraley-Monillas –
“In this time frame in Edmonds, I think we could use Chief Pruitt,” she said. “With all the racism in Edmonds, we have somebody who has had that experience in their life. I think that’s important.” (Fraley-Monillas)
This seams pretty clear to me.
https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/questions-raised-over-abrupt-change-for-new-edmonds-police-chief/281-eb1c9351-34cb-438b-9bfb-83017e0dfcd3
That’s one comment from a 10 minute interview. I don’t think it’s fair to assume that’s the entire substance of why the council president supports Pruitt.
Did AFM really think King 5 was going to air 10 minutes of her blather? They are after sensational sound bites. It’s what they do. Her bad judgement alone, is good enough reason for her to be gone. Label your constituents a bunch of racists and wonder why they hate you? It’s a no brainer, just like making Lawless Chief was. Personally, I’m thinking Lawless for City Council or better yet Mayor.
King 5 was not airing in bad faith. Clint, dial in to a Edmonds Diversity Committee meeting, but wear a seatbelt. I don’t think there was any ambiguity in AFM’s (like AOC) opinions on Edmonds being racist. Even Heather Damron here in MEN said we’re all racist and that saying you’re not is in-part an implicitly racist act. This is the new world order.
Mary, she said that’s why she supports him. He’s clearly not qualified to be chief of police in a city the size of Edmonds, and clearly not the most qualified choice in terms of experience and education. She. along with Nelson said he was chosen because he is African American.
Racism is like cancer. It’s important that a doctor have experienced cancer themselves before being allowed to treat it.
Right on Matt. As long as you have had Cancer, you wouldn’t even need a medical degree to treat it. You could start treating it, and go get your credentials as on the job training. Heck, your clinic can even pay for your training costs. Why would you ever consider hiring a Dr. who is already fully and highly trained and certified to fight cancer; has a proven track record of results at your clinic; and is beloved by most of his patients when you can hire someone who’s actually had cancer? Thanks for helping me understand the brilliant logic used to choose our next Chief of Police.
You know who I really feel most sorry for here is Chief Pruitt who’s interview I watched and who appears to be a really great, intelligent and capable guy who most of us will really like and appreciate I think. Thank God for that. He has to work with and for those five mental giants that hired him (at least until we can recall or unseat them) and that will not be easy. Let’s get that reform city government committee going!
Only people with a psychological disorder could possibly understand psychological disorders too. Chief Lawless is incapable of understanding race because he doesn’t have one. It all makes sense if we just keep being sarcastic.
James Croake
Following Seattle’s lead can only result in a mess similar to that found in the Queen City where I spent my youth and early adult years. I’m thankful to be in Edmonds. Why our city would reject acting chief lawless as permanent chief only makes sense if we wish to take a negative route similar to that of Seattle.
The Council was never in the position to vote for Chief Lawless. Mayor Nelson appointed Chief Pruitt and the Council could confirm that or not. Not voting for Chief Pruitt would only put the whole matter back to the Mayor and may have required another search. I thank Chief Lawless for his fine service and I wish our new Chief well.
As long as we have a strong mayor / weak (part time) council form of government, things will continue as they are. The mayor has the power and the employees kiss his ring or they don’t work here long. Basically M.N. thumbed his nose at D.B. when she asked him to explain his choice to the citizens. She doesn’t count and we don’t count. The only way to change that is to change the entire system. We can vote Nelson out but we will just get another man who would be King, coming from another direction. A start would be to study some similar cities that seem to work and try to figure out why and how.
Clint, there was some discussion of this back in 2010. The following comes from City Records – please excuse the all caps as I don’t want to retype – the City uses all Caps for Motions made in City Minutes:
During the June 15, 2010 discussion regarding a city manager form of government the following motion was made:
COUNCILMEMBER PLUNKETT MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER BUCKSHNIS,
THAT THE COUNCIL SCHEDULE A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE JULY 20 AGENDA WITH
POTENTIAL ACTION REGARDING A COUNCIL-MANAGER FORM OF GOVERNMENT.
MOTION CARRIED (4-2) WITH COUNCILMEMBERS PETERSON AND WILSON VOTING NO.
The night of the Public Hearing, Council voted it off the agenda before holding the Public Hearing. Related information can be found in the July 20, 2010 City Council Meeting Minutes available on the City’s website. Many people made comments during open public comments and those comments are interesting to read.
Ken, yes I remember that effort failed and the Mayor and most of the City Council were down right opposed as I recall. I was so involved with caring for a very sick wife at the time that I did not pay much attention to it or get involved in the discourse about it. I remember then council person Peterson opposed it.
I don’t think any council as a whole or mayor – of a Conservative or Liberal stripe (I know we pretend that distinction doesn’t exist in city function but we all know it does) – will ever give this change any serious consideration. Such an effort would have to at least start as an ad hoc-citizens group of people who aren’t afraid to ruffle some feathers here and there.
Jim Lawless is the best man for the job. The fact that our mayor blatantly disregards what’s best for our city and citizens makes it clear he is not fit to be mayor of Edmonds. Those in our city council who chose to confirm his selection also are not fit to serve, as they do not listen to their constituents.