SEATTLE — Three finalists to be the next King County Sheriff agree on body cameras, but say they have different approaches to how they each would lead the department in a question and answer session with area reporters.
"I'm not the status quo," said Patti Cole-Tindall, who is the Interim Sheriff, and has been with the department for the past six and a half years. She stressed her diverse 30-year background in public service.
Her position, as a finalist, however, came as a surprise given she said she did not want the job full-time when King County Executive Dow Constantine appointed her at the start of the year.
"I did not mislead the public," she told reporters, noting that she had been encouraged to seek the position, which had 11 other applicants.
This is the first such appointment process since King County voters decided to change the position from an elected official to an appointee, which the final decision coming from the Executive and Council. Proponents had argued that such a change would provide better oversight.
Kimball Texas Police Chief Charles Kimble suggested he could handle a bigger department, and his history in multiple departments was a plus.
"It's always good to have an outside look, someone that has a different perspective, I think I bring a different perspective, having been a police chief and the police executive on the East Coast."
Atlanta Police Major Reginald Moorman spoke about how he wanted to reach out to youth, through social media, and that his big city experience was a plus.
"Nothing against any other candidates, we all are very well qualified, but I just see some opportunities," he said.
All three candidates agreed that the department should have body cameras, and Kimble said "It's a modern police tool that all progressive law enforcement agencies should have I believe in, I'm kind of surprised that the King County Sheriff's Office isn't wearing body cameras."
Cole-Tindall also acknowledged, in what appeared to surprise most reporters, that she would have to be re-certified if she was appointed Sheriff.
She said that it would require her to train at the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission for 19 weeks, and that the Executive would have to appoint a replacement during that time. But she seemed to shrug off that the issue was significant, pointing to the role of Sheriff being largely administrative.
There will be a pair of public forums involving the three candidates before Constantine makes a final recommendation to the King County Council next month.