SEQUIM — The mayor said he isn’t going to ask City Manager Bill Elliott to reconsider hiring a police chief whose department in his last job faced nine civil lawsuits for police brutality. The department was also accused of racism, but no formal charges were filed.
“I have every confidence in our city manager,” Walt Schubert said last week.
Elliott is responsible for personnel decisions and the council has no confirmationm process.
Fifty-one-year-old Ken Burge was named the city’s next police chief last week. He succeeds Byron C. Nelson, who is retiring after six years as Sequim’s chief, culminating a 33-year career in law enforcement.
Elliott, in announcing the hiring, said he thought Burge was a “good fit” and that he was impressed with his integrity.
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