King County Charter Amendments

5.
Making the King County Sheriff an Appointed Position

In 1996 the King County Sheriff became an elected position. This is unlike the other department heads in the county government who are appointed. The Sheriff's Office provides direct policing to unincorporated areas and contract cities - only 25% of voters.

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WHAT it does: This amendment makes the King County Sheriff an appointed position again. 

WHY we need it: Appointment gives those who are most impacted by the Sheriff a greater voice through their elected Council Members and the Executive since 7 of the 9 Council Members have constituents in areas policed by the Sheriff. Appointment of the Sheriff opens the applicant pool to qualified people outside of King County, and those who wouldn’t choose to campaign. Elections politicize the position and can cause internal strife when contested. An appointed Sheriff is easier to hold accountable between elections.

ACTION: Vote YES in November!

KCCA 5 sounds counterintuitive. Learn more below from King County Councilmember Rod Dembowski:

An appointed Sheriff allows for a greater pool of candidates, resulting in an ability to find the best qualified candidate .

An appointed Sheriff removes the conflict of interest, such as funding of a Sheriff’s campaigns coming from within the department.

An appointed Sheriff has the ability to give a voice to all stakeholders including individuals who have been disenfranchised or find themselves unable to vote for other reasons.

 

An appointed Sheriff allows for greater transparency and accountability with a civilian led department.

An appointed Sheriff in the County Cabinet can lead to an unbiased view toward reform of law enforcement.

 

 NOTE: The ACLU of Washington has not taken a position on any of the amendments. People Power is the grassroots arm of the ACLU - while we adhere to ACLU principles, we are volunteer-driven and do not work for or officially represent the ACLU. People Power activists work in and from their local communities to further civil rights and liberties for all.