'It needed to be done:' Seattle police chief doubles down on criticism of city council

In July, Seattle Police Chief Carmen Best took a rare dive into the political fray, accusing city council members of failing to support her officers at a time of already low staffing.

“We need them to stand up for the work that the officers and men and women have been doing in this organization,” Chief Best said during a press conference July 15. “We are losing good people and we know it’s because they feel like they’re not supported by public officials, and we need to have that done.”

In a lengthy interview, Chief Best spoke with Q13’s Brandi Kruse about what prompted her to speak out about the city’s political climate, and whether it could lead to a public safety emergency.