Major Alycia McKinney has left Bellevue Police Department for new shores, now ready to stand watch over the security at the Port of Seattle. Effective January 6, according to a press release from the Bellevue PD, McKinney is set to begin her tenure as deputy chief of police with the Port of Seattle Police Department.
Bellevue PD Chief Wendell Shirley, having watched over McKinney's career, heralded her departure with equally mixed measures of pride and sorrow. "The Bellevue Police Department is in a phenomenal position to serve this community, and it’s largely because of the contributions of Major Alycia McKinney," Shirley was quoted, "We have no doubt Alycia will shine in this new opportunity, her leadership and presence in this department will be sorely missed. Congratulations, Alycia!"
McKinney, who was promoted to Major in the year before, set in motion a transformation in how Bellevue’s police staff engage with the community they serve. Notably, she was instrumental in developing the Community Crisis Assistance Team (CCAT), which according to Bellevue PD, pairs officers with mental health professionals to help individuals during behavioral health crises without resorting to criminal charges or potentially aggressive interventions.
Overseeing the operations division, McKinney held the reins over the Patrol, SWAT, CCAT, and Traffic squads. Before her stint in Bellevue, beginning in 2015, she served with the Washington State Patrol, sharpening her skillset since 2011. McKinney is no stranger to academia either, boasting a dual master’s in business administration and management and leadership from Western Governors University. She serves as Vice President of the Bellevue Police Management Association, wielding her knowledge as a leadership instructor for the Criminal Justice Training Center.
