Patti Jackson’s first day as Tacoma’s interim police chief delayed, city says. Here’s why
Tacoma will have to wait until its Police Department’s interim chief, Patti Jackson, can be sworn in, the city announced Friday. Delays related to a background check mean acting chiefs will lead the department until Jackson can assume the role.
Jackson, 60, was expected to be sworn in Monday, Feb. 24, at police headquarters following last month’s resignation of former Chief Avery Moore. Now, the city said in a news release, she might not start until as late as March 10.
Deputy Chief Paul Junger, who has served as acting police chief in Moore’s absence, will continue in that position through Feb. 24, when the city said he is scheduled to be on leave. From there, Assistant Police Chief Frank Krause will be acting police chief.
“While the City is eager for her to assume this vital role, the completion of all necessary administrative processes has required additional time to schedule than initially projected,” the City of Tacoma’s news release said.
In a phone call, city spokesperson Maria Lee said she didn’t have more specifics, but that it had to do with the usual background checks everyone needs to complete before starting at the Police Department.
It wasn’t that anything had come up in Jackson’s background check that was causing the delay, Lee said, it had to do with scheduling delays.
“There are components of the background check that everybody needs to do, and the delay has to do with scheduling,” Lee said. “I don’t really have any specifics though on what exactly still needs to be done.”
Jackson, who previously worked as patrol chief in the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office and who oversaw the office’s Corrections Bureau for eight years, comes to the job after losing the 2024 election for sheriff to former Seattle Police Department Capt. Keith Swank.
The city announced Jackson as the interim police chief Feb. 4. After she’s sworn in, she’ll lead the department until the city manager identifies and the city council confirms a permanent chief. City officials have said the recruitment process will begin in March and will seek input from the community.
