SEATTLE _ Two years ago, being the police chief in Seattle was Carmen Best's dream job, a position she had worked toward _ and been groomed for _ for much of her 28-year career with the department.
Since May 25 _ the day a Minneapolis police officer killed George Floyd _ that dream has faded into something more of a nightmare, and on Monday, Best decided she'd had enough.
Her sudden retirement in the face of controversial budget cuts _ including her salary _ has surprised and angered Best's friends, colleagues, peers and mentors, who believe she got a raw deal or worse at the hands of the city she spent her career serving.
"She has got to be the most talented chief this department has ever had," said Jim Pugel, a retired Seattle Police Department interim chief and friend and mentor of Best. "Those people (the City Council) act like good chiefs just grow on trees."
