SEATTLE — Three finalists were named in the search for a new King County sheriff.
Patti Cole-Tindall, Charles Kimble, and Reginald Moorman were selected out of a total of 12 candidates that submitted applications to the nationwide search that began November 2021.
The candidates will meet with members of the Public Safety Advisory Committee, county employees, labor representatives, and participate in a series of public forums prior to a final interview with county Executive Dow Constantine.
The forums will be virtual, with the first on April 18 from 6-8 p.m. and the second on April 21 from 9-11 a.m. Information on how to participate can be found on the candidate bio page.
Cole-Tindall is currently the King County interim sheriff. Cole-Tindall has served in law enforcement for nearly 10 years and appointed interim sheriff on Jan. 1.
Kimble has more than 30 years in law enforcement. Kimble currently serves as police chief in Killeen, Texas.
Moorman has 21 years in law enforcement, all within the Atlanta Police Department.
“Using priorities and criteria set by the Public Safety Advisory Committee, I am pleased we have identified three highly qualified finalists to be the next King County Sheriff,” Constantine said. “Before I appoint the next Sheriff, I am eager to hear from the public and our KCSO employees as they meet the candidates and hear their vision for delivering high quality, professional, and equitable public safety.”
The next sheriff will be appointed, rather than elected, following the passage of a voter-approved charter amendment in November 2020. The change allows the county executive to appoint the sheriff, with approval from the King County Council.
The sheriff has been an elected position since 1996.
The change from an elected sheriff to an appointed one stemmed from recommendations made from the 2018-2019 King County Charter Review Commission's final report focusing on accountability and oversight. The Commission pointed to changes on why the sheriff role should be appointed, including the fact that the county is more diverse, as well as a shrinking unincorporated area where fewer voters are directly served by the sheriff.