SEATTLE — One year in office as Seattle's Mayor, Bruce Harrell is optimistic about the direction the city is headed.
In an exclusive interview with KING 5's Jake Whittenberg and Mimi Jung at Seattle's Northlake Tavern and Pizza House, Harrell insisted he's making headway in the effort to hire more police officers and tamp down on crime in the city where he was raised.
Harrell replaced Jenny Durkan as mayor after she decided not to seek re-election. He officially took office on Jan. 1, 2022.
Harrell campaigned on a slate of issues, including economic recovery, addressing the housing crisis, enhancing public safety and police reform.
During his campaign, Harrell promised police reform and also police funding while setting a goal of getting 911 response times down to 7 minutes.
Before his role as mayor, Harrell served three terms on Seattle City Council, including as president for three years at the end of his time on the council.