Seattle City Council honors Reverend Harriet Walden for decades of police-accountability work

The Seattle City Council on May 6 presented a proclamation honoring Reverend Harriet Walden for decades of advocacy on police accountability and community safety.

Council President Sarah Nelson read the proclamation, noting that Reverend Walden founded Mothers for Police Accountability in 1991 and served on the Community Police Commission from its 2017 expansion until stepping down on Sept. 30, 2024. Nelson said the proclamation is “a tad late” but aims to acknowledge Walden’s broader influence on policing policy and recruitment efforts in the city.

Council members across the dais offered personal reflections and endorsements of Walden’s work. Council member Chris Saka said, “Reverend Walden, I do appreciate you personally, always have, always will,” and credited her mentorship during the city’s police chief search. Council member Rob Hollingsworth, who noted Walden’s community programs including a Garfield Community Center book club, called her “a bridge in this community and such a beacon of hope and light.” Council member Oliver Solomon recalled meeting Walden about 30 years ago and said she compelled public officials to ask about their work in the community.

After council members signed the proclamation, the council suspended rules to present it to Walden and invited brief remarks. Walden recounted founding Mothers for Police Accountability following an incident in 1990 and described long-term organizing to make streets safer for children. She urged continued community engagement and noted Mothers for Police Accountability’s fundraising and volunteer opportunities.

The brief presentation preceded the start of a scheduled public-comment period and other agenda business.