(Edmonds, WA) Mayor Mike Nelson has appointed Michelle Bennett to serve as the City’s Acting Chief of Police, effective March 18th, to replace Acting Chief Jim Lawless who has resigned. She will serve as Acting Chief while the City conducts its recruitment for the next Police Chief, a period that per City Code can run for up to six months or until the next Chief is brought on, whichever is sooner.
“Michelle Bennett will bring a stability to the City of Edmonds during this transition period,” stated Mayor Nelson. “I am excited that Ms. Bennett has accepted the position of Acting Chief during a time when her knowledge, experience and insights will be of great value to the Edmonds Police Department.”
Ms. Bennett served the King County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO) from 1990 until 2021 in a series of increasingly responsible capacities, most notably serving as Chief of Police for the City of Maple Valley from 2004 to 2014 and the City of Sammamish from 2016 to 2019.
Bennett received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Law and Justice, a Master of Science degree in Psychology/Organizational Development and Behavior, and a Doctorate in Education, with an emphasis in curriculum and instruction. She is a graduate of the Northwestern University School of Police Staff and Command and of the FBI National Academy. In addition, Ms. Bennett has taught criminal justice classes since 1998 in local Washington State colleges, as well as for the School of Police Staff and Command for Northwestern University.
While Ms. Bennett is currently a fully commissioned officer with the Washington Criminal Justice Training Center, her role with Edmonds will be as a noncommissioned chief administrative officer for the department. In this capacity Ms. Bennett will have all the authority of the Chief of Police, with the exception of arresting authority.