By The Seattle Medium
Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell announced last Friday that Bonnie Glenn will serve as the interim director of the Office of Police Accountability (OPA) following the resignation of current director Gino Betts, effective December 13, 2024. Glenn, who currently serves as OPA deputy director, brings more than 25 years of legal and judicial experience to the role and is a long-time advocate for accountability and community-centered justice.
“Bonnie Glenn is well equipped to lead the City’s Office of Police Accountability and to serve as a trusted voice for fairness and responsibility,” said Mayor Harrell. “I’ve known Bonnie for decades, which means I’ve seen firsthand her advocacy for accountability and for improved outcomes for our communities, as well as her commitment to procedural justice. As we seek to restore and further strengthen our Seattle Police Department, I am confident that Bonnie will bring a thoughtful approach to addressing misconduct focused on continuous growth, system improvement, and appropriate accountability for inappropriate actions.”
Glenn’s appointment comes as Seattle continues to focus on rebuilding trust between law enforcement and the community. With her extensive background in public service, Glenn is seen as a steady hand to guide the OPA during this transition. Before her role as deputy OPA director, she served for more than seven years as an administrative law judge with the Washington State Office of Administrative Hearings. Her career includes significant leadership roles such as deputy chief of staff at the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, acting director of the Seattle City Attorney’s Office Domestic Violence Unit, and assistant to the secretary of the Department of Social and Health Services on Juvenile Justice.
“It is my honor to serve as the interim director of Seattle’s Office of Police Accountability,” Glenn said. “I look forward to serving the people of Seattle in this important role, with the highest integrity, respect, and fairness to all. I know the importance of ensuring a well-functioning accountability system in strengthening community and police relationships. I will draw on my years of judicial and legal experience to lead the office forward with the incredible team at OPA.”
Her appointment follows the resignation of Gino Betts, who announced earlier Friday that he would step down from the role after two and a half years of service. Betts, appointed OPA director on August 1, 2022, was selected after a national search. Under his leadership, the OPA received national recognition, including Seattle’s first “Achievement in Oversight” award from the National Association for Civilian Oversight of Law Enforcement, the nation’s premier civilian oversight organization.
During his tenure, Betts prioritized community engagement and transparency, doubling the office’s outreach efforts and spearheading initiatives designed to strengthen public trust in police oversight. His work earned consistently high-performance ratings from the Office of Inspector General, and his leadership emphasized rigorous, independent investigations of police misconduct.
“I want to offer my sincere gratitude to Director Gino Betts for leading the Office of Police Accountability over the last two and a half years,” said Mayor Harrell. “Since his appointment and unanimous confirmation by the City Council, Gino has provided an essential service to our city and its communities through thoughtful oversight of the Seattle Police Department. As we’ve sought to build trust in the department and the City’s robust accountability
system, Gino has focused on delivering rigorous independent investigations and improving understanding of the accountability system with the community. I wish him the best as he enters this next stage in his career.”
Betts reflected on his time at OPA, highlighting the progress made during his leadership. “I am exceedingly proud of our contribution toward improving the Seattle Police Department and appreciative of the overwhelming support we received from community members and law enforcement throughout my tenure,” he said. “I sincerely wish Interim Director Glenn great success leading this essential office.”
Before coming to Seattle, Betts built a career centered on public service and accountability. A native of Chicago’s South and West Sides, areas heavily impacted by police misconduct, he worked as an attorney at Chicago’s police accountability agency, handling high-profile cases such as the investigations into former Police Sergeant Ronald Watts. Watts led a team of corrupt officers who extorted residents and falsely arrested those who resisted. Betts’ efforts contributed to administrative findings against these officers and the vacation of over 200 wrongful convictions.
Betts also served as a Cook County Assistant State’s Attorney, where he led the Southside Community Justice Center and collaborated with local leaders to address issues of violence and public safety. His leadership extended beyond the courtroom to academia and community engagement, teaching legal writing and trial advocacy at universities and serving on nonprofit boards focused on public safety and equity.
As Glenn prepares to take on the role of interim director, she is stepping into a position charged with ensuring accountability and fairness in policing, a critical component of Seattle’s ongoing efforts to strengthen community-police relations. Glenn expressed gratitude for the opportunity and reaffirmed her commitment to the principles that underpin the OPA’s mission.
“I know the importance of ensuring a well-functioning accountability system in strengthening community and police relationships,” Glenn said. “I will draw on my years of judicial and legal experience to lead the office forward with the incredible team at OPA.”