EDITOR’S NOTE: This article has been updated with a response from the King County Sheriff ‘s Office.
Burien City Manager Adolfo Bailon on Wednesday, April 10, 2024 sent a request to the King County Sheriff’s Office, officially seeking the replacement of Burien Police Chief Ted Boe.
Bailon cited a loss of trust in Boe, who currently serves as Police Chief to the Burien Police Department through the King County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO) through an interlocal agreement (ILA).
In a letter sent to Sheriff Patti Cole-Tindall on Wednesday, Bailon said he could no longer express confidence in Chief Boe’s ability to fulfill the terms of the agreement. He added that Boe’s actions no longer fostered trust between the city and the sheriff’s office.
“I can no longer state that I trust Chief Boe to fulfill the requirements listed within the Interlocal Agreement (i.e. the conditions listed under Exhibit C, Section B, Paragraph 3, Subparagraphs (c) and (f)) between the City of Burien and King County,” Bailon wrote. “More specifically, efforts to address specific issues of concern within the City of Burien have led me to determine that Chief Boe’s actions no longer represent the City of Burien best interests, vision, and goals, in a manner that supports trust between the City and King County Sheriff’s Office.”
Bailon requested to work with Sheriff’s Office staff to initiate the recruitment process for a new Burien police chief. There have also been rumors about creating a new, independent police department for the city.
“Please let me know at your earliest convenience with whom from your staff I should work with to commence the recruitment process,” he wrote.
Boe was selected as Burien Police Chief in April, 2018, and City Manager Bailon previously praised him, most recently in November, 2023:
“Chief Boe has cultivated tremendous success in leading his team, and we look forward to his continued success for many years to come,” Bailon said.
As we have previously reported, the City of Burien has been in a war of lawsuits, countersuits, press releases, press conferences and more with the KCSO since early March. They have not made ILA payments for KCSO police services since then, and Bailon directed Burien’s financial staff to “place a hold on any invoices received from the King County Sheriff’s Office until further notice.”
This ongoing conflict all started on Mar. 11, when the Sheriff held a press conference announcing that police would not enforce Ordinance 832, which includes a controversial map that showed where camping would and would not be allowed. A court hearing was held on April 5, but a decision has not yet been announced.
Just before the Sheriff’s announcement, Chief Boe communicated with KCSO leadership and made the decision to keep police from enforcing the new camping ordinance until its constitutionality could be resolved. This decision was met with tension from City Manager Bailon, culminating in threats to Chief Boe’s position within the department.
Sheriff’s Office Responds
Here’s full text of KCSO’s April 11, 2024 response to Bailon’s request:
“On April 10, without providing any supporting facts, Burien City Manager Adolfo Bailon sent Sheriff Patti Cole-Tindall a letter demanding the removal of Major Ted Boe of the King County Sheriff’s Office as Burien’s chief of police. Sheriff Cole-Tindall responded with a request for examples of any factual incidents that might support Bailon’s request, as well (as) details on why the city manager has reached this conclusion. Bailon has yet to provide this requested information.
“The request was surprising because, approximately two hours prior to Bailon’s letter, Burien was given detailed statistics on the first three months of 2024 that demonstrate the high level of police service in Burien. Under Chief Boe’s leadership, Burien PD has made 439 arrests, led by 82 arrests for public use or possession of drugs and 70 arrests for assault. Auto theft, residential burglary, vandalism and assault are all down from last year over the same time period. An increase in robbery was tied to a specific crime spree where the suspects are now in custody. These results were consistent with preliminary 2023 stats, which showed a 7% decrease for Burien in both crimes against persons and crimes against property.
“These results demonstrate excellent policing and do not show that there is a failure of leadership in the Burien Police Department. Indeed, at a February 12, 2024, special meeting of the Burien City Council, Councilmember Akey thanked Chief Boe for his work and noted the great amount of respect in the community for the Burien Police Department. Councilmember Andrade echoed these remarks, pointing out that Burien holds its police department in high regard. Councilmember Matta said that Chief Boe had ‘done a great job as the executive head of the police department.’
“Because the facts show that Chief Boe is doing a great job leading the Burien Police Department, Sheriff Cole-Tindall told City Manager Bailon that the timing of his request to remove the chief raised its own concerns. Chief Boe has provided sworn testimony in a lawsuit regarding the constitutionality of Burien’s current public camping ordinance. State law prohibits any local government from retaliating against a person for raising concerns with the constitutionality of government action. King County cannot be party to retaliatory action against the chief.
“Moreover, in response to Bailon’s unsupported demand to remove Chief Boe, the sheriff pointed out that Burien was withholding all payment for police services at the city manager’s direction, even though those services continue to be provided every day to the residents of Burien. Until the city resolves this breach of its agreement with the Sheriff’s Office, there is little need to account for the city manager’s undisclosed concerns.”
Below is full text of Bailon’s letter:
April 10, 2024
Patti Cole-Tindall
Sheriff King County Sheriff’s Office
516 Third Avenue, W116
Seattle, WA 98104Subject: Intent to Recruit New Chief of Police
City of Burien
400 SW 152nd Street Suite 300
Burien, WA 98166-1911“Dear Sheriff Cole-Tindall:
“This letter is to inform you of my decision to seek a new Chief of Police for the City of Burien.
“I can no longer state that I trust Chief Boe to fulfill the requirements listed within the Interlocal Agreement (i.e. the conditions listed under Exhibit C, Section B, Paragraph 3, Subparagraphs (c) and (f)) between the City of Burien and King County. More specifically, efforts to address specific issues of concern within the City of Burien have led me to determine that Chief Boe’s actions no longer represent the City of Burien best interests, vision, and goals, ni a manner that supports trust between the City and King County Sheriff’s Office.
“Please let me know at your earliest convenience with whom from your staff I should work with to commence the recruitment process.
“Thank you in advance for your assistance in this matter.
“Sincerely,
Adolfo Bailon
City Manager”
Read our extensive previous coverage of this issue here.
This is not the first time that Bailon has destroyed a city’s police force. He did this in a previous job back east. Seems like there’s a pattern here! I say we ask the City Council to replace Bailon for cause – he has made Burien a laughingstock in King County and has harmed all of us in the process!
I can no longer state that I trust Burien City Manager Adolfo Bailon and would like to know how we go about getting a replacement for him.
I don’t know about you, but I’ve pretty much had it with Bailon’s actions. Despite his complaints regarding the KCSO not having initiated the ILA any negotiation with the city, it is actually the city’s job to initiate the negotiation.
“Exhibit C, (I), (B), (4), (a), (ii):
In the event a contracting entity’s [in this case Burien] procedure, policy, goal, or operation differs from that of the KCSO, that entity shall negotiate with the KCSO to reach a final determination.”
Also, the police chief has already communicated to both entities (Burien and KCSO) of the changes. Burien has initiated no negotiations.
“Exhibit C, (I), (B), (4), (a), (iv):
The police chief shall maintain communication between command structures to ensure that changes in the KCSO are agreeable to the contracting entity and that changes in the entity are agreeable to the KCSO.”
Also, the police chief is responsive to the public safety of EVERYONE in Burien…including homeless. That map, especially, is in no way seeing to the public safety of homeless people. In fact, since this map is not meant for the education of the homeless, it ENCOURAGES confrontations, including violent ones, between the housed and unhoused.
“Exhibit C, (I), (A), (1):
Contract service police chiefs, as well as other commissioned personnel, will be responsive to the public safety needs of the contracting entity, as well as its officials, residents, and/or population served.”
Lastly, removing Police Chief Boe will not change a single thing, because Burien’s policy is different from KCSO policy.
“Exhibit C, (I), (B), (1), (a), (ii):
[City police chief for contract cities] Works at the discretion of the City Chief Executive Officer…and in compliance with KCSO policy, procedures, and directives.”
City Manager Bailon seems to have a goal of removing KCSO as the policing unit for Burien. To do so, however, will take a MINIMUM of 63 days (over two months) according to the ILA. And the city does NOT have the money to fund our own police services.
I think it’s time to remove City Manager Bailon before he does more harm.
The Chief is under the manipulative thumb of the Sheriff but his assignment is to serve Burien, the Sheriff also glossed over the crime report and didn’t tell all the facts that not all is well.
I not only don’t trust Ted Boe, but I don’t trust Burien P.D. in general. They NEVER respond when asked, and in my opinion, it seems like the ONLY thing they care about is drug busts! That’s all good and fine, but what about all us Burien residents who need help and never get it?!? Heck. Just calling 911 OR non emergency numbers, we get put on hold for a LONG TIME, as the problem is already on the freeway, half way to Oregon! Ridiculous!!!
Thank you to our city manager who speaks for a lot of us in the Town Square area. The Sheriff can give whatever facts she wants to give, but many of us fldon’t feel safe and are exhausted by the shenanigans of a certain group that continues to fill the streets with drug addicts in tents.
I rarely see a police car and I live near the station. It is inhumane to us who have to walk around tents and observe out of control drug filled behavior and mania. These people need help and that means treatment and off our streets.
The Sheriff has absolutely no regard for our local businesses. Why in the world would we pay King County for abuse! I am personally disgusted with what I see every day and can’t believe this is how we treat law abiding, tax paying citizens in America. We are being mistreated and duped.
Enough with the so called statistics and other baloney; it is a mess and I don’t feel protected!
I do hope that citizens immediately attend the next council meeting and one after another address the council and demand specific evidence supported reasons, until the city manager cites SPECIFIC,EVIDENCE supported reasons.
If no reasons are given then citizens should again one after another demand resignation of the city manager. And city council should move immediately to remove the city manager or themselves.
CHIEF BOE has continuously received the highest praises from the city council and citizens of Burien!
This is retaliation, unprofessional, and deserves the termination of the city manager.
Blue Flu
Under the abusive retaliation towards chief Boe and Burien PD; Burien is likely to see a Blue Flu. And under this City Manager it’s well deserved
Burien can see exactly how they fair with KCSO on their streets.
Burien has threatened replacing KCSO, so DO IT.
See how that goes. Form your own PD, find experienced officers.
KCSO should cut their losses and wave goodbye.
So sad