The Political Shuffle of Seattle's Police Chief
In a closed-door meeting, the police commissioners demoted Chief Willard and installed Bolton Rogers, citing a desire for 'better standards of service.'
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
At a special meeting of the police commissioners, Chief of Police D. F. Willard was reduced to the ranks at his own request and Bolton Rogers elected to succeed him. The election was by the vote of Mayor Phelps and Commissioners Wallingford and Niggle, the two Democrats refraining from voting. Mayor Phelps stated that the change was necessary to insure a better standard of service and the better to regulate the conduct of the police department. He asserted that after undivided thought, he found Mr. Bolton Rogers to be the best-qualified applicant. Commissioner Niggle moved that the office be declared vacant and Rogers be appointed. Commissioners Relfs and Cheasty asked to be excused from voting, noting they were not prepared for the sudden move, though they did not oppose it. Bolton Rogers was born in San Francisco and has been connected with the customs department, the U.S. Marshal’s office, and the police department previously.
“The object of the meeting is to make a change in the office of the chief of police... in no way casts any reflections on Chief Willard, who has been an efficient officer.”
The practice of using police leadership changes as a tool for mayoral political control remains a persistent tension in Seattle governance. Today, this 'political shuffle' is debated through the lens of oversight and accountability, though the era of local business leaders signing petitions to hand-pick the Chief of Police has largely been replaced by public, albeit often contentious, selection processes.
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