OUT
OUT OF
OUT OF THE CONVERSATION. >> CARMEN BEST HERSELF. TONIGHT WE ASK HER.
WAS IT BECAUSE SHE'S BLACK?
>> BACK ON THE TRACK.
WELCOME BACK TO WEEKEND.
>> I KNOW THIS IS AMAZING.
IT BRINGS CARMEN BEST RIGHT
BACK TO HIGH SCHOOL WHERE SHE
LEARNED EARLY WINNING ISN'T
EVERYTHING.
IF YOU'RE NOT GOING TO WIN, DID
YOU GET A LITTLE BETTER?
SHE DIDN'T JUST GET BETTER AT
THE AGE OF 17 SHE WAS AMONG THE
BEST.
BREAKING THE GIRL'S STATE
RECORD IN THE SIXTEEN HUNDRED
METER RELAY.
IT WAS THE CULMINATION
OF PRACTICE, DISCIPLINE,
DISAPPOINTMENT AND
DETERMINATION ALL LESSONS SHE
CARRIES WITH HER NOW.
WELL, WHEN TIMES ARE TOUGH WE
KNOW THAT YOU HAVE TO KEEP
TRYING.
>> BEST KNOWS A THING OR TWO
ABOUT TOUGH TIMES AND TO WIDE
RANGING INTERVIEWS.
SHE TALKED TO US ABOUT HER RISE
TO THE TOP OF THE SEATTLE
POLICE DEPARTMENT, RACISM THAT
SHE'S ENCOUNTERED ALONG THE WAY
AND WHAT LED TO HER DEPARTURE.
IN MAY.
PROTESTS ERUPT IN SEATTLE
AGAINST POLICE BRUTALITY AND
SYSTEMIC RACISM.
GABRIEL AFTER THE POLICE DEATH
OF JORGE FLOYD PROTESTERS TOOK
OVER SIX CITY BLOCKS LEAVING
THE PRECINCT WAS NOT MY
DECISION BEST LASHED OUT AFTER
HER OFFICERS WERE FORCED TO
VACATE THE EAST PRECINCT,
POLICE WERE CALLED OUT
CRITICIZED FOR USING TEAR GAS
AND BLAST AGAINST
DEMONSTRATORS.
>> AS DEMANDS TO DEFUND THE
POLICE GREW LOUDER, THE COUNCIL
RESPONDED VOTING TO SLASH FOUR
MILLION DOLLARS FROM THE SPDR
BUDGET, PUTTING A 100 OFFICERS
JOBS ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK AND
CUTTING THE CHIEF'S SALARY BY
40 PERCENT.
>> DO YOU THINK THE CITY
COUNCIL WOULD BE TREATING YOU
THIS WAY IF YOU'RE A WHITE MALE
POLICE CHIEF?
HAVE YOU EVER SEEN A WHITE MALE
POLICE CHIEF SIDELINE ATTITUDE?
THE WAY THAT I'VE BEEN TREATED
?
I CAN'T SAY THAT I HAVEN'T SEEN
IT.
I BET YOU HAVEN'T.
SO AFTER TWO YEARS IN THE TOP
JOB, THAT WAS IT.
>> I'M DONE.
CAN'T DO IT.
IT WAS HER WAY, SHE SAYS
OF GETTING OUT OF THE WAY.
>> THANK YOU ALL FOR ALL THE
WORK.
>> I THINK IT'S DIFFICULT FOR
PEOPLE OF COLOR TO LOOK AT WHAT
HAPPENED TO YOU AND NOT SEE
THAT IT'S PARTLY ABOUT RACE.
>> IT'S HARD FOR PEOPLE NOT TO
MAKE THAT ASSUMPTION BUT OFTEN
I SAY I DON'T KNOW.
I FOUND IT VERY DISHEARTENING
THE WAY THAT THEY WENT ABOUT
SINGLING ME OUT.
>> WE REACHED OUT TO THE
SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL CHAIR LISA
HERBOLD.
SHE PROVIDED A STATEMENT
POINTING OUT THAT SHE REACHED
OUT TO CORRECT BEST SALARY CUT
AND ADDED I DO WISH I'D KNOWN
HOW TO BE MORE INTENTIONALLY
SUPPORTED CHIEF BEST IN
RECOGNITION OF HER EXTREMELY
DIFFICULT POSITION AS A BLACK
WOMAN LEADER IN A TRADITIONALLY
MALE DOMINATED EMPLOYMENT
SECTOR WHILE STILL FULFILLING
MY RESPONSIBILITY AS AN
ELECTED.
>> DO YOU THINK IT WAS THEIR
WAY OF PUTTING YOU CARMEN BEST
IN HER PLACE?
I ABSOLUTELY THINK THAT WITH
SOME OF THEIR INTENTION YOU
KNOW, I CHALLENGED THEIR
THOUGHTS.
I SAID WHAT I BELIEVE THEIR
DECISION MAKING WAS NOT
INCLUSIV AND THAT IT WAS QUITE
FRANKLY RECKLESS AND I HONESTLY
JUST DID NOT WANT TO CONTINUE
IN THAT VEIN TO HAVE OTHER
PEOPLE'S JOBS AND LIVES
AFFECTED BY THE MEAN GIRL
ATTITUDE.
>> THE TIMING OF THIS DEPARTURE
COMES AS THOSE CRYING OUT FOR
JUSTICE ARE LOSING PATIENCE.
>> COURSE WE DON'T WANT
OFFICERS TO ABUSERS TO BEAT.
YES.
TO TREAT US WRONG AND UNFAIRLY
AND UNJUSTLY.
NOBODY WANTS THAT.
BUT WE DO WANT SOMEBODY TO
RESPOND IF WE'RE VICTIMIZED AND
CRIME IS OCCURRING.
>> AND YET SHE HAS SOME OF THE
SAME CONCERNS AS MANY OF YOU.
THAT'S RIGHT.
THIS CAREER OFFICER AND FORMER
CHIEF HAS HAD TO WARN HER
FAMILY MEMBERS ABOUT HOW TO
BEHAVE AROUND POLICE.
SHE'S GIVEN THEM THE TALK TO IS
AT A TALK THAT YOU EXPECT YOUR
DAUGHTERS WILL HAVE WITH THEIR
CHILDREN.
IT IS MY GREATEST HOPE AND PRAY
THAT THEY DON'T NEED TO HAVE
THAT TALK.
IT REALLY IS.
THEY WILL.
DON'T YOU THINK THEY MIGHT?
YOU KNOW, I IF I IF I JUST SAY
THAT THEY'RE GOING TO AND
THAT'S THAT THAT I JUST CAN'T
OPERATE IN AN AREA WHERE I JUST
DON'T HAVE ANY HOPE FOR THE
FUTURE.
I REALLY DO HOPE FOR THE FUTURE
THAT WE GET TO A POINT WHERE
YOU KNOW, INSTITUTIONAL RACISM,
RACIST ADS BIAS THAT WE GET TO
A PLACE WITH THAT IS SO WHERE
IT'S NONEXISTENT.
YOU KNOW, IF WE DON'T WORK
TOWARD THAT, WE DON'T HAVE HOPE
FOR THE FUTURE.
WHAT'S THE POINT?
HOPE FOR THE FUTURE INFORMED BY
HER PAST.
>> ANY OF US WHO LIVED HERE
WENT TO SCHOOL HERE STILL STAY
IN TOUCH BEST TOOK US BACK TO
HER OLD NEIGHBORHOOD.
YOU HAVE FOND MEMORIES.
I DO.
BEST BELIEVES IT'S IMPORTANT TO
LEARN FROM THE PAST.
IT'S WHY SHE'S A BELIEVER THAT
BLACK LIVES MATTER.
>> PEOPLE HAVE ASKED ABOUT
BLACK LIVES MATTER BLUE LIVES
MATTER.
ALL LIVES MATTER.
AND WHAT I SAY TO THEM IS I
THINK THE REASON THAT PEOPLE
POINT OUT SPECIFICALLY BLACK
LIVES MATTER IS BECAUSE
AFRICAN-AMERICANS HAVE OVER THE
HISTORY HAD A LONG HISTORY
OF BEING OPPRESSED AND HAVE HAD
PARTICULARLY WITH LAW
ENFORCEMENT HAVE HAD LAW
ENFORCEMENT BE A PART ABOUT
OPPRESSION IN MANY WAYS AND
NEEDS TO MAINTAIN THE STATUS
QUO.
SHE'S LOOKING AHEAD
NONCOMMITTAL BUT NOT RULING OUT
A RETURN TO UNIFORM.
FOR NOW SHE PLANS TO ENJOY HER
NEWEST ROLE OF GRANDMOTHER.
IF THERE IS ONE THING THAT
YOU'D LIKE TO SEE CHANGE WITHIN
THE LIFETIME OF YOUR
GRANDCHILD, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
JOYCE WE HAVE TO STRIVE FOR
EQUITY AND I ABSOLUTELY BELIEVE
WE SHOULDN'T IGNORE THE FACT
THAT WE ALL HAVE OUR
DIFFERENCES.
BUT WHEN WE CHANGE THE MINDSET
TO WE EMBRACE AND APPRECIATE
THOSE DIFFERENCES.
AND THAT'S THE KEY THING AND I
WANT TO HOPE.