Sue Rahr steps down as Seattle Police Chief after 8 months of leadership
Interim Seattle police chief Sue Rahr steps down
Sue Rahr's role at Seattle Police has come to an end after eight months as the department's interim chief.
SEATTLE - After eight months as interim Chief of the Seattle Police Department (SPD), Sue Rahr is stepping down, bringing an end to a transformative chapter for the department.
Rahr, who was called out of retirement to help guide SPD through a period of uncertainty and transition, leaves the role with a mix of emotions, calling her time with the department both "invigorating" and "bittersweet." She leaves behind a department she has come to admire deeply and a city she believes is making strides in public safety.
Rahr’s appointment came after former Chief Adrian Diaz was reassigned and eventually fired. She was tasked with stabilizing the department and addressing key issues related to culture.
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Interim Seattle Police Chief Sue Rahr on her last day in office, Jan. 29, 2025. (FOX 13 Seattle)
Fixing the Seattle Police Department
Dig deeper:
"It’s been a very busy eight months, but I really fell in love with this place, and I’ve had so much fun," Rahr said with a smile. "There are parts that have been hard, but overall, it’s been a great experience. So it’s going to be hard to say goodbye."
Rahr stepped into the role as a self-described "fixer," expecting to overhaul major issues within SPD. Instead, she found a department eager for leadership.
"What I found inside of SPD is an incredible organization, and the people have been waiting for somebody to just say, ‘Let’s go do it. Let’s get out and get back into public safety. Let’s go out and get bad guys off the street,’" Rahr said.
Under her leadership, Rahr says the SPD has made significant progress in addressing crime and public safety. She highlighted one major achievement: in a city that saw over 6,000 rounds fired in 2024, not a single Seattle officer discharged their weapon in the line of duty.
"That’s astounding," Rahr said. "They have handled some extremely dangerous, complicated situations that 10 years ago, 20 years ago, would not have had a good outcome."
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Interim Seattle Police Chief Sue Rahr (FOX 13 Seattle)
The future of the Seattle Police Department
What's next:
With her last day officially in the books, Rahr is confident that the department will continue to evolve under the leadership of the department’s next chief, Shon Barnes. She and former SPD Chief Kathy O’Toole scoured their networks to find a leader with the right qualities for Seattle.
"What I was looking for, is somebody who’s brave and innovative and isn’t a status-quo person," Rahr said. "Seattle deserves and needs a chief that has that growth mindset."
Though she has never worked with Barnes, Rahr is confident in his ability to lead.
"His philosophy and mine are very similar. So I think the people in the department are going to be really happy to have a chief that’s going to carry on the momentum that we’ve started," Rahr said.
She advised Barnes to begin his tenure by focusing on the officers within the department.
"We have a workforce that’s been through a lot, and you know, I’ve been, like, the foster mom who came in for a bit, but I think the department needs to know that their chief is here to listen to them and to support them," Rahr said.
Cultural change and tough decisions at SPD
The other side:
During her tenure, Rahr dedicated time to bridging the cultural divide within SPD, spending countless hours in precincts and roll calls, listening to officers’ concerns.
"That was probably the most important thing I’ve done since I’ve been here, because I think the people working the front line need to have a voice in what’s happening," Rahr said.
Her time as chief also involved making difficult decisions, including the firing of Officer Kevin Dave, who struck and killed pedestrian Jaahnavi Kandula, 23, while responding to a 911 call.
"I knew that people were going to be really unhappy, because both officers are very popular and beloved by their fellow officers," Rahr said. "But the public needs to know that even if an officer’s actions are unintentional, when the impact is so catastrophic, that’s going to be taken seriously."
Big picture view:
Despite the challenges, Rahr remains a firm believer in the mission of law enforcement: to protect and serve. After 45 years in law enforcement, she’s leaving behind not just a badge and a gun but something more significant — hope.
"I really, I think that’s the thing that I’m beginning to see is, I see officers rallying again," Rahr said. "It’s been a tough four years, and they’re still here. They show up for work, they’re doing the job, and when they make an important arrest, when they help somebody work through a problem, they’re so proud of that."
Her final message to SPD officers was simple: "Keep with it. Keep showing up. Keep serving."
And to the community:
"I want them to really see what a good police department this is," Rahr said. "I want them to see how great these officers are, how dedicated they are. We’ve had a rough couple of years where the stories about police were not great, and in spite of that, they keep showing up and trying to protect the community."
Though her time as chief is ending, Rahr isn’t done yet. She’ll remain in Seattle for a few more weeks to assist with the transition, share ideas and make suggestions to Chief Barnes. But she knows she made the right choice by stepping into this role.
"Oh, hell yes," Rahr said when asked if she would do it all over again. "No hesitation."
The Source: Information comes from original reporting by FOX 13 Seattle reporter Alejandra Guzman.
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