New Leadership for Port of Seattle Police Department

Tim Kimsey, a 30-year veteran of the Port of Seattle Police Department, has been named the agency's new Chief.

The announcement was made by Port of Seattle Deputy CEO Tom Tierney at the Port Commission's regular meeting yesterday.

Kimsey has served as Deputy Chief of the Port's Police Department since 1981, and has been Acting Chief since September, 2002. He joined the Department in 1973.

Kimsey holds a Bachelor's Degree from the University of Puget Sound, in Tacoma, Washington. He is a graduate of the Law Enforcement Executive Management Institute at the University of Washington's Graduate School of Public Affairs, and of the FBI's National Academy in Law Enforcement Management.

"Tim has made tremendous contributions to our organization," said Tierney. "He has built strong partnerships throughout the Port and has the respect of those he leads."

Kimsey has a broad range of international knowledge in law enforcement issues. He currently serves as Vice President of the Airport Law Enforcement Agencies Network and as Secretary of the International Association of Airport and Seaport Police. He is also President of the Board of Chaplaincy International, which provides chaplaincy services to local area police and fire departments as well as Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

Tierney also announced that John Batiste, formerly the Assistant Chief of Police in the City of Tacoma, Washington, has been named Deputy Chief of the Port's Police Department.

Batiste has 27 years of law enforcement experience. Before joining the Tacoma Police Department he retired as a Captain with the Washington State Patrol where he gained experience in human resource management, internal affairs, and command and supervision oversight of field operations, including criminal and traffic investigations, communications and administration of rules and regulations.

Batiste is a graduate of the Northwestern University Center for Public Safety and the Northwest Law Enforcement Command College. He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Law Enforcement and Administration from City University.

"We have some excellent opportunities ahead of us to make positive changes in the department," Kimsey said. "I look forward to working with John to make those changes in support of the Port's broader mission."