Command Staff

Interim Chief Sue Rahr

Sue Rahr

Interim Chief of Police

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Sue Rahr began her 45-year law enforcement career as a deputy with the King County Sheriff’s Office in 1979 and worked her way up through the ranks until she was elected Sheriff in 2005. She served as Sheriff for another seven years, retiring in 2012. She was responsible for over 1,000 employees that provided police services in unincorporated King County, and 12 cities, and transit policing for the Seattle/Puget Sound region. She led the Sheriff’s Office to CALEA National Accreditation in 2010 and was awarded “Elected Official of the Year” by the Municipal League in 2010.

In 2012 she was appointed Executive Director of the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission where she served for nine years and was responsible for training all city and county law enforcement and corrections officers in the state, as well as many other criminal justice professionals.

She has served as:

  • A member of the “Executive Session on Policingat the Harvard Kennedy School from 2011-2014
  • A member of the “President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing” in 2015
  • A subject matter expert with the NYU Law School Policing Project to Reimagine Policing
  • An advisor to many national police reform programs and organizations including:
    • The Council on Criminal Justice,
    • Law Enforcement Action Partnership,
    • Law Enforcement Leaders to Reduce Crime and Incarceration
    • Innovative Policing Program at Georgetown University
    • ABLE (Active Bystandership for Law Enforcement)
    • 30 X 30 Initiative – Advancing Women in Policing

She served on many non-profit, community, and professional boards holding the following offices:

  • President - Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs
  • Commissioner - Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission
  • Executive Board - National Sheriffs Association
  • Board of Directors for the National Policing Institute

She graduated Cum Laude with a BA in Criminal Justice from Washington State University and is a graduate of the National Sheriff’s Institute and the FBI National Executive Institute.  She co-authored the seminal academic paper about transforming the training culture at the WA State Criminal Justice Training Commission - published in 2015 by the Harvard Kennedy School and the National Institute of Justice - initiating the national dialogue advocating a shift in police culture toward a guardian mindset.

A/C Eric Barden

Eric Barden

Deputy Chief

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Deputy Chief Eric Barden has served with the Seattle Police Department for 36 years. He began his career in patrol, working in the West and South Precincts. D/C Barden was a Field Training Officer and one of the founding members of the original Mountain Bike Squad. In 1993, he was promoted to Sergeant and supervised the Property Inspection Unit, East Precinct patrol squads, Community Police Team, Narcotics Investigations and served as both the lead Defensive Tactics instructor and Field Training Coordinator. 

In 2008, D/C Barden was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant and was assigned the Criminal Intelligence Section where he was responsible for investigations related to Organized Crime, Public Corruption, Cyber Crimes, Threats to Public Officials, Crime Analysis, Murder for Hire and Dignitary Protection.  During his tenure in the Section, D/C Barden proposed, developed, and piloted the units responsible for Cyber Crimes Investigations, Technical and Electronic Support, in addition to creating the Department's Real Time Crime Center (RTCC).  

D/C Barden was assigned to the Narcotics Section in 2017 and helped further the Department's collaboration with local, state, and federal partners to combat unprecedented overdose deaths, primarily related to the proliferation of Fentanyl.  D/C Barden led several large-scale, multi-agency drug investigations resulting in record-setting seizures of drugs and guns.  He has also helped coordinate the Department's response to many high-profile events across the city.   

In 2021, D/C Barden was promoted to Assistant Chief and was the commander of the Special Operations Bureau, responsible for the Department’s K9, SWAT, Hostage Negotiations, Harbor Unit, Arson/Bombs Squad, Mounted Unit and Traffic Sections.  In July of 2023, he was promoted to Deputy Chief.

D/C Barden is a graduate of the University of Washington, earning a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice.  He has completed leadership training from the DEA Commanders Academy and Seattle PD's own Command Leadership Program.  D/C Barden is the son of immigrants and is proud of his Lebanese-American heritage.  He is a long-time martial artist and a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He's also an accomplished competitive equestrian and youth sports coach.

Chief Operating Officer Brian Maxey

Brian Maxey

Chief Operating Officer

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Brian G. Maxey serves as the Chief Operating Officer of the Seattle Police Department, overseeing Professional Standards, Budget and Finance, Administrative Services, Information Technology, and Intergovernmental Relations. Previously, he worked as a Supervising Assistant City Attorney at the Seattle City Attorney’s Office, where he was lead attorney for the Police Action Team, specializing in 42 U.S.C. 1983 litigation and general advice to the Seattle Police Department; as an Assistant City Attorney in Government Affairs; as Assistant Corporation Counsel in the Special Federal Litigation Unit of the New York City Law Department, representing the New York City Police Department; and as Assistant Attorney General in the Criminal Justice Division of the Washington State Attorney General’s Office, representing WA Department of Corrections and the Criminal Justice Training Commission. Brian also previously served on Federal monitoring teams in Cleveland and Baltimore and worked as a consultant driving best policing practices nationally.

Brian also worked for the Vera Institute of Justice, concentrating on jury and juvenile court reform; as Director of the Citizens Jury Project at the Fund for Modern Courts; and as Executive Director of Friends of Hudson River Park.

Brian holds a JD from Fordham University, an MPA in Policy from New York University, and a BA from Occidental College, and attended the Police Executive Research Forum’s Senior Management Institute for Police. He is licensed to practice law in Washington, New York, and California.

A/C Todd Kibbee

Todd Kibbee

Assistant Chief - Operations

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Assistant Chief Todd Kibbee joined the Seattle Police Department in 1993. A/C Kibbee spent the first part of his career on patrol in the North Precinct, where he served as an Officer and a Sergeant. In 2013, He transferred to the Human Resources Section, where he was the Early Intervention Coordinator and worked on SPD's response to the DOJ Settlement Agreement. A/C Kibbee was promoted to Lieutenant and served as a watch commander at the West Precinct. He later became Commander of the West Precinct Bike Unit, where he coordinated and led the Bike Unit's response to demonstration management, narcotics enforcement, and special events. Upon promotion to Captain in 2019, A/C Kibbee became Commander of the South Precinct, where he worked diligently to ensure collaboration between SPD and the community.

In 2021, he was promoted to Assistant Chief and oversaw the Metropolitan Bureau, which includes the Traffic Section, the Seattle Police Operations Center, homeland security functions and federal grant administration. In July 2023, A/C Kibbee became Patrol Operations Chief, overseeing five SPD precincts and all uniformed personnel responsible for 911 call response and crime reduction.

A/C Kibbee has served as Incident Commander for a variety of parades, rallies, and demonstrations within the City of Seattle. A/C Kibbee has worked extensively on city events including Seafair, Bite of Seattle and as the overall incident commander for the 2023 MLB All-Star Game. 

A/C Kibbee holds a B.A. in International Studies from Norwich University and has completed the Department of Homeland Security Leadership Academy, (DHSLA). He is a graduate of SPD's Command Leadership Program and the Senior Management Institute for Police. (Boston, MA)

A/C Kibbee is an avid golfer, a long-time youth sports coach, and currently serves on the managing board of a non-profit Little League Baseball complex.

Thomas Mahaffey

Assistant Chief - Investigations

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Assistant Chief Tom Mahaffey joined the Seattle Police Department in 1992. He started his career working with the many diverse communities of the East Precinct as a Patrol, Mountain Bike, Anti-Crime Team, and Field Training Officer. As a Sergeant, he served in the Southwest Precinct before moving on to Investigations Bureau assignments. A/C Mahaffey served in Narcotics and later Criminal Intelligence Sections where he supervised the investigations of complex criminal organizations, to include working in cooperation with local, State, and Federal Law Enforcement partners.

On promotion to Lieutenant, he returned to the Patrol Division in the West Precinct. There he served as a Watch Commander, Bike Squad Commander and the Operations Lieutenant. He planned and lead numerous crime reduction initiatives, response to significant protest, and large festivals and events while serving at the West Precinct.

In 2017, he was promoted to Captain, and remained at the West Precinct, working diligently with our community, businesses and city leadership to address some of the most critical issues in one the busiest precincts. This included an initiative to address property crime in the precinct that led to a significant reduction in Car Prowls and addressed organized retail theft in the Central Business District. As West Precinct Commander, he served on numerous community councils and committees such as the West Precinct Advisory Council and Chinatown/International District Public Safety Steering Committee. As Captain, he championed the involvement of district patrol officers in engagement and problem solving with community stakeholders.

Assistant Chief Mahaffey is a graduate of the University of Washington. He has also completed the Senior Management Institute for Police, DEA Leadership Academy and Washington State Law Enforcement Leadership Course.

A/C Tyrone Davis

Tyrone Davis

Assistant Chief - Special Operations

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Assistant Chief Tyrone Davis joined the Seattle Police Department in 1999. He began his SPD career at the East Precinct, where he worked assignments in Patrol, Pro-Act Bicycle Squad, Community Police Team, and Anti-Crime Team.

In 2014, A/C Davis was promoted to Sergeant and spent three years as an investigator with the Office of Police Accountability. In 2017, he was assigned to the Domestic Violence and Elder Abuse Unit. In the Summer of 2020, he worked as an Acting Lieutenant responsible for operations in the Special Operations Center, during an extended mobilization period, in response to large scale demonstrations.

A/C Davis was promoted to Lieutenant in 2021 and served as a Watch Commander at the South Precinct. In 2022, he was assigned to the Community Service Unit where he managed the Community Service Officers focused on community engagement, juvenile outreach, and patrol support.

During his tenure as a Sergeant and Lieutenant, A/C Davis served in secondary roles focused on police reform, compliance, and accountability. He worked as an Adjunct Tactics Instructor in the Education and Training Section where he taught patrol tactics, rapid intervention, and de-escalation. He served as standing member on the Force Review Board and was a panelist during the Office of Inspector General’s Sentinel Event Review.

In 2023, A/C Davis was promoted to Assistant Chief of the Special Operations Bureau, which includes SWAT, Hostage Negotiations Team, Arson/Bomb Squad, Harbor Unit, Canine Unit, and CBRNE. He also remains active in the community, attending community meetings, events, and advisory councils in support of building trust and community engagement.

A/C Davis is a US Navy veteran and served on the USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) while deployed during Operation Southern Watch. Prior to joining SPD, he worked three years as a Patrol Deputy with the Washington County Sheriff’s Office in Hillsboro, Oregon. A/C Davis completed the Department of Homeland Security Leadership Academy and is a graduate of the FBI National Academy Session 282.

Daniel Nelson

Daniel Nelson

Assistant Chief - Metropolitan

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Assistant Chief Dan Nelson has served with the Seattle Police Department for 18 years. He began his career in Patrol, working in the East Precinct. A/C Nelson was a Field Training Officer and served as part of the East Precinct Mountain Bike Squad. After his time in Patrol Operations, A/C Nelson moved to the Crisis Response Unit, where he worked as part of the inaugural co-responder team. A/C Nelson and his MHP partner responded to in-progress incidents involving community members in behavioral crises, investigated crisis-related incidents with criminality elements, and assisted with care coordination for the community’s most vulnerable individuals.

In 2014, he returned to Patrol Operations and served as an Acting Sergeant in the East Precinct. In 2015, A/C Nelson was promoted to Sergeant and returned to the Crisis Response program to serve as the department’s first Crisis Intervention Coordinator. As the Crisis Intervention Coordinator, A/C Nelson worked with community partners to revise policy, train, and improve the department’s response to those experiencing behavioral crises.

A/C Nelson was promoted to Lieutenant in 2020 and was assigned to Patrol Operations, where he served as a Watch Commander in the West Precinct. From there, A/C Nelson was assigned to the Alternative Response Team, tasked with assisting with care coordination and community resource referral for Seattle’s unhoused community. In late 2020, A/C Nelson was re-assigned to the Seattle Police Operations Center, where he led a team responsible for planning the department’s response to significant community events, demonstrations, and departmental emergency management.   In May 2022, A/C Nelson was given command of the Community Response Group (CRG) and led the department’s response to facilitating the department’s content-neutral response to 1st amendment community action.

As a Sergeant and Lieutenant, A/C Nelson served as the chair of the SPD Crisis Intervention Committee and vice-chair of the King County Behavioral Health Advisory Board and has spoken nationally on Police Use of Force, De-Escalation, and Crisis Intervention.

In 2023, A/C Nelson was promoted to Assistant Chief for the Metropolitan Safety Services Bureau, responsible for the Department’s Traffic Section, Crisis Response Team, Alternative Response Team, Community Response Group, and Operations Center.

A/C Nelson is a US Army Veteran, serving with the 25th Infantry Division at Schoefield Barracks, HI.

A/C Nelson is pursuing a Business Management and Administration degree from Western Governors University.

Assistant Chief Yvonne Underwood

Yvonne Underwood

Assistant Chief - Professional Standards Bureau

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Assistant Chief Yvonne Underwood began her career as a Seattle Police Officer in 1997.  She was assigned to a variety of positions as a patrol officer and was promoted to the rank of Sergeant in 2014.  As a Sergeant she was assigned to the Training Unit and supervised the Field Training Officer Program.  During this time, she was responsible for approximately 60 Field Training Officers, who worked with new recruits after they completed their training at the State Police Academy. 

In 2016 Yvonne was promoted to Lieutenant.  Her first assignment was as the Watch Commander in West Precinct (downtown core of Seattle.)  In this capacity she supervised personnel assigned to the precinct and was called upon to be the Incident Commander for demonstrations, mass shooting, major crime scenes, bomb threats, mass casualty incidents and large-scale pre-planned events. 

In 2018 Yvonne took command of the Internal Investigations Section in the Office of Police Accountability.   She managed and supervised all criminal and police misconduct investigations, requiring her to oversee a caseload of close to 1,000 cases per year.  She also facilitated departmental relationships, wrote policy revisions, management actions and best practices to address issues that came out of the investigative work.  

From 2019 to 2022 Yvonne led a team of 30 Sergeants, Detectives, and non-sworn staff in the Domestic Violence and Special Assault Section.  The Section is responsible for investigating all Domestic Violence, Elder Abuse, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse cases in addition to managing the Court Order and Firearms Surrender Unit and Sex Offender Detail.  Among her responsibilities were oversight of all investigations, which numbered close to 800 cases per year.  She reviewed, approved, and coordinated tactical operations, search warrants and data analysis to address real time crime trends, and collaborated with community partners and advocates to ensure crime survivors needs were addressed as their cases were being investigated. 

In 2022 Yvonne was promoted to the rank of Captain and was assigned to the Force Investigation Unit.  This Unit is comprised of a team of skilled investigators who respond to all serious police uses of force, including all officer involved shootings, in custody deaths to conduct an administrative investigation to determine the circumstance that led up to the use of force.  As the Commander of this Unit, Yvonne was responsible for working directly with the Office of Police Accountability and the Office of Inspector General to ensure community transparency and provide guidance on best practices for investigations, training, and management of Use of Force issues.

In 2024, Yvonne was promoted to Assistant Chief of the Professional Standards Bureau which was created under the Department of Justice Consent Decree.  As the Commander she is responsible for the Department’s adherence to the accountability structures that were put into place.  Included in those are the Training Section, Firearms Range, Audit, Policy and Research Section, Force Review Unit, and the Force Investigation Unit.

Yvonne holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice Studies from Ohio State University.  She is a member of PERF, IACP, Washington Homicide Investigator Association, and is a member of the Advisory Council for Stronger Families and the Domestic Violence Prevention Council.

Director Mike Fields

Mike Fields

Executive Director - Human Resources

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Mike Fields serves as Executive Director of Human Resources. Reporting directly to the Chief of Police, Director Fields leads all human resource initiatives for the department, including recruiting/hiring, labor and employee relations, leadership development, performance management, EEO investigations, classification/compensation, benefits and payroll.  In addition, Director Fields will advise the Chief on aligning strategic human resource efforts with the overall mission of the department.

After working as a litigator in the private practice of law, Director Fields joined the Seattle Police Department in 2002 as the Employment Risk Manager, where he provided legal advice on a wide range of employment matters. In 2004, he became the Department's labor negotiator, serving as chief spokesperson in all negotiations involving the department's labor organizations. In 2014, he was promoted to Human Resources Director. Director Fields received his law degree from The University of San Diego.

Attorney Rebecca Boatright

Rebecca Boatright

General Counsel and Executive Director of Analytics and Research

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Rebecca Boatright serves as General Counsel to the Chief of Police and as the Executive Director of Analytics and Research.  She oversees units responsible for audits, litigation support, public disclosure, performance analytics, research, and data-driven policing.   

Becca received both her Ph.D. (Psychology, 1999) and J.D. (2002) from the University of Washington. She has completed executive leadership courses in driving government performance at the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, and is a 2018 graduate of the Police Executive Research Forum's Senior Management Institute for Police.  She is a member of the Legal Officers Sections of the International Association of Chiefs of Police and Major Cities Chiefs Association and chairs the Legal Advisors Section of the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs.  She also serves as a member of the steering committee for the Law Enforcement Knowledge Lab, a program sponsored by the United States Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance, that assists law enforcement agencies, communities, and researchers in improving constitutional policing, public safety, and trust in communities by providing access to policies, training, research, and best practices. 

Executive Director Angela Socci

Angela Socci

Executive Director - Budget and Finance

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Angela Socci serves as Executive Director of Budget and Finance leading a team focused on budget development and monitoring, program management, fleet and facility administration and jail coordination. Prior to her current role, Angela spent over 7 years in SPD Finance and Planning, advising Command Staff on issues related to finance, strategic planning, intergovernmental affairs, project management and program development. She first joined the department in 2010, working as a paralegal on civil litigation, risk management, labor relations and other employment matters. Angela graduated from the University of Washington with a B.A. in Political Economy.

CAO Valarie Anderson

Valarie Anderson

Executive Director - Administration

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Valarie Anderson is the Executive Director of Administration and oversees the Fiscal, Property and Fleets, Research Grants & Corporate Support, and Records & Public Requests Sections.

Valarie Anderson began her career with the Seattle Police Department in September 1990 as the Fiscal Manager where she managed accounts payable, accounts receivable, grants accounting, forfeiture accounting, cash accounting, and departmental purchasing. In May 2001, she was promoted to Director of Fiscal Property & Fleet where she continued her leadership and management role in all aspects of accounting and purchasing and worked closely with the departmental budget.

In addition, she was responsible for the effective and efficient management of all departmental vehicles and motor pool operations; as well as for the provision of logistical support, equipment, and supplies for all departmental employees during routine and special events. Valarie was promoted to CAO effective April 2008.

Education

Valarie graduated from Northeast Louisiana University with a BA in Accounting in 1979 and from City University in 1998 with a Masters of Public Administration. She has been a Certified Public Accountant in the State of Washington since 1985 and is a current member of the Washington State Society of Certified Public Accountants. Valarie is an alumnus of City of Seattle's Advanced Management Program and a 2010 graduate of the Senior Management Institute for Police at Boston University.

Police

Sue Rahr, Interim Chief of Police
Address: 610 5th Avenue, Seattle, WA, 98104-1900
Mailing Address: PO Box 34986, Seattle, WA, 98124-4986
Phone: (206) 625-5011
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The Seattle Police Department (SPD) prevents crime, enforces laws, and supports quality public safety by delivering respectful, professional, and dependable police services. SPD operates within a framework that divides the city into five geographical areas called "precincts".