Three current or former Seattle police officers are running for Seattle City Council citing a need to change from within.
Brendan Kolding resigned from the Seattle Police Department to run for the District 1 seat against Incumbent Lisa Herbold.
“It indicates how much our current city council has gone astray from the true values of the city, and mission of public safety,” said Kolding. “We can't continue to have people living on the streets of Seattle in conditions that are unsafe for them, unsafe for other people.”
Kolding is not alone in citing homelessness and public safety as key tenets of this election.
“It shows where we're at as a city, that we're fed up,” said Sergio Garcia, a current Seattle police officer.
Garcia is running in District 6, which encompasses Ballard. He believes the city should look at building out a hub for homeless services, like Long Beach California in particular, where homeless numbers dropped.
Kolding likes the idea of using FEMA tents to bring shelter to the unsheltered, which had little support in the council last year.
Former Seattle Police Chief Jim Pugel revealed he is running for the District 7 seat in January. Incumbent Sally Bagshaw announced in November she will not seek re-election.