Seattle Police Appoints New LGBTQ+ Liaison
The Seattle Police Department has appointed a new LGBTQ+ liaison officer in an effort to rebuild community trust, particularly with marginalized groups. The move signals a broader city-wide focus on cultural competence and inclusive public service. This emphasis on community engagement is relevant to all city agencies, including the Seattle Fire Department, which values candidates who can contribute to an environment of respect and trust.
- The new LGBTQ+ liaison is Officer Haden Barton, who joined the Seattle Police Department in November 2019 and previously worked as a patrol officer in the East Precinct. - Barton is succeeding Sergeant Dorian Korieo, who had held the role since 2019 and was recently promoted and reassigned. Korieo, an openly gay officer with over 18 years of service, was the department's second LGBTQ+ liaison and took over the administration of the SPD Safe Place program. - The position of a full-time LGBTQ+ liaison was first established in 2014 with the appointment of Officer Jim Ritter. Ritter conceptualized and launched the SPD Safe Place initiative in 2015 to address the underreporting of anti-LGBTQ+ crimes. - The SPD Safe Place program partners with businesses and schools to provide a secure location for victims of hate crimes to wait for police. The initiative has since expanded to include all victims of bias crimes and has been adopted by nearly 300 police agencies in the U.S., Canada, and Europe. - This appointment follows a period of strained relations, including a controversy over the promotion of an officer with a history of department violations to East Precinct commander, a decision that was later reversed. - The new liaison, Officer Barton, has acknowledged community disappointment with the department and stated that all new recruits undergo individual bias and LGBTQ+-specific training. - The LGBTQ Advisory Council to the Seattle Police Department was created in 1997 to improve public safety and build trust between the community and the SPD. - This liaison appointment is part of a broader departmental effort to rebuild community trust, which includes the "Our City, Our Safety 2026" series of monthly community conversations designed to gather neighborhood-specific feedback on safety.
