By Isha Trivedi
The Peninsula Gateway (Gig Harbor, Wash.)
TACOMA, Wash. — Tacoma’s interim police chief will take on the role permanently after a unanimous City Council vote on Feb. 3.
Patti Jackson has served as the Tacoma Police Department’s interim police chief since March 2025. She was appointed to the interim role after former chief Avery Moore resigned in the wake of controversies over his use of a city-issued cell phone and a lawsuit filed by his former chief of staff.
Jackson’s annual salary as interim police chief was $326,934 – the same as Moore’s salary before he resigned. Her appointment will go into effect on Feb. 9, according to the city.
Council members and city leaders lauded Jackson’s abilities, saying she has been a “proactive” leader and has worked hard to build trust with Tacoma residents, city leaders and officers in the department.
“Patti has served our department with distinction over the past year as interim chief of police, providing steady leadership, continuity and thoughtful direction during this critical time of transition for the department and the city,” interim city manager Hyun Kim said at the city council meeting.
Jackson described her promotion as “an honor” and at times got emotional during her remarks. The vote confirming her appointment resulted in a standing ovation from in-person attendees.
“The men and women that are here that are standing with us, with the agency, I would work for them any day of the week,” she said. “And I fully support each and every one of our community members.”
The vote came after Jackson spent weeks meeting with Tacoma residents and city leaders to outline her vision and goals for the department. She emphasized in those meetings that she doesn’t practice “headline-driven leadership” and hopes to be a “proactive” leader.
Jackson came to the Tacoma Police Department from the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office’s Patrol Operations where she worked for over 35 years, largely in the Corrections Bureau. She oversaw the Pierce County Jail for eight years and lost the election for Pierce County sheriff to Keith Swank in 2024.
Jackson’s work in law enforcement in and around Pierce County has not been without controversy. The Corrections Bureau’s guild held a vote of no confidence in Jackson in March 2024 over concerns at the time over a lack of training for guild members.
A review that Swank requested last fall of an independent investigation also found that Pierce County officials hired people for corrections jobs who might not have been qualified – though the review found that Jackson didn’t violate any department policies.
© 2026 The Peninsula Gateway (Gig Harbor, Wash.). Visit www.thenewstribune.com.
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
