On July 8, King County Executive Dow Constantine and King County Sheriff Patti Cole-Tindall announced changes the Sheriff would be implementing as the law enforcement agency rethinks the deliverance of public safety across the county.

Executive Constantine mentioned how the health of the King County community depends on the ability of every individual to live a safe and productive life.

“The Sheriff understands that we must move away from broken structures when they aren’t working for our community and toward sensible reforms that bring about systemic change, and her commitment to this is conveyed throughout these new ideas and actions,” said Executive Constantine.

The impending changes to the King County Sheriff’s Office focus on four main areas of action: revising the mission, vision and values of the agency; reorganizing the structure to improve service; creating a strategic framework; and establishing a community advisory board.

“Our work must always be centered around the vision and values of the communities we so proudly serve,” said King County Sheriff Cole-Tindall. “I am honored to lead an organization of public servants who share my commitment to implement new and contemporary approaches that enhance trust and public safety.”

The core of the agency’s new strategy includes partnerships with the community, and according to King County, this commitment to the community is reflect in the revised missions, vision and values which now incorporate policing with compassion, showing and leading with grace, and treating everyone with respect and kindness.

The reorganization of KCSO will allow for the creation of two new divisions, which are the Community Programs and Services division and the Special Operations Division. According to King County, both divisions are in recognition of the evolution of the criminal legal system and the need to improve how public safety is delivered.

KCSO hopes that with the adoption of this new framework and advisory board, that they will be able to ensure accountability, increase transparency, encourage innovation, and have a forum for trust-building between law enforcement and the community, according to King County.

The new changes will be implemented by Sheriff Cole-Tindall in September.