Candidates
Candidates
2017 general election
Sheriff
Mitzi Johanknecht
P.O. Box 20664
Seattle, WA 98102
(206) 470-9836
In my 32 year career, I have served in every division, at every precinct, and at almost every rank within the King County Sheriff’s Office. With nearly 20 years of managerial and command expertise, an unparalleled depth and breadth of experience, I will use every tax dollar to improve our service to you.
I am running for Sheriff, because law enforcement is at a crossroads. To earn the community’s trust, we must reimagine our role in society. I want to do that with you. You deserve a leader who will listen, collaborate and deliver results – a professional, ethical leader worthy of your trust.
As your Sheriff, I am committed to recruiting and hiring a workforce reflective of the communities we serve. Those deputies will receive ongoing de-escalation and anti-bias training, and increased access to less-lethal policing tools. This is why I was the first law enforcement official to endorse I-940. I will create a Community Outreach unit whose job will be to listen to you, answer your questions and work with you to improve public safety for everyone.
I am running to restore integrity to the Sheriff’s Office. We should not be spending our limited County budgets settling sexual harassment and discrimination lawsuits; we should be modeling positive work environments that value all people. I am committed to fairness and equity for our community at all times, not just when the media is watching.
The Municipal League rated me “Outstanding” – the only top rating in this race. I have been endorsed by leaders from both political parties as well as the 31st, 43rd and 48th District Democrats, and the National Women’s Political Caucus.
I am a leader worthy of your trust, and I would be grateful for your vote. Thank you!
John Urquhart
PO Box 9100
Seattle, WA 98109
(209) 535-6166
John Urquhart is honored to serve as your Sheriff. He has a passion for justice, integrity, and is fiercely dedicated to protecting our communities.
Democrats, Republicans, police officers, firefighters, unions and community leaders all agree: John Urquhart should be re-elected! He has a proven record as your sheriff since 2012.
Under his leadership, the Sheriff’s Office has reduced the number of claims and lawsuits against King County by over 10% and the amount of payouts went down by over 66%.
With his business experience, John has carefully managed taxpayer money. The Sheriff’s Office returned $5 million to taxpayers during the first four years of his administration. Yet the number of life-saving defibrillators (AED’s) in patrol cars rose from 53 in 2012 to 450 today, and many deputies are equipped with Narcan to reverse opioid overdoses, again saving lives. He reinstated the Domestic Violence Investigations Unit to make sure domestic violence gets the time and detail it needs for successful prosecution.
John’s policies are literally changing the face of the Sheriff’s Office to better reflect the community. He instituted preference points for second language skills and adjusted recruiting policies to ensure all applicants have an equal chance. More women and people of color are being hired than ever before.
Perhaps most importantly, he has brought transparency and accountability to the Sheriff’s Office, to ensure that all residents of King County are treated with dignity and respect, while protecting their constitutional rights.
A Seattle Times editorial praised John’s work to reform how force by deputies is investigated. Additionally, John has mandated de-escalation training for all deputies, as well as 40-hour classes on how to handle those in a mental crisis.
You’ve overwhelmingly elected John Urquhart as Sheriff twice before. Now he’s asking for your support to continue the tremendous progress already made.
Contact Elections
Email: elections@kingcounty.gov
Phone: 206-296-VOTE (8683)
TTY: Relay 711
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