Microsoft has hired Carmen Best, former Seattle Police Chief from 2018 to 2020, to become Director of Global Security Risk Operations. Best served almost 20 years in the Seattle Police Department before becoming the city’s first black woman police chief, resigned that position after “defund the police” budget cuts in the wake of protests over the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, citing an “overarching lack of respect” for police officers by the Seattle City Council and others.
Best was known as a frequent guest on cable TV news shows, and was a finalist in late 2021 for the New York City Police Chief job, but didn’t feel she would directly answer to NYC Mayor Eric Adams.
Best has been serving as a global account director with Securitas Security Services since her retirement from the Seattle Police Department, and a member of the AI ethics board at Axon, a company that makes law enforcement body cameras and other technology.
On her LinkedIn page, Best describes her duties at Microsoft as “Responsible for global virtual security operations team, intelligence, executive threat intel, special asset security, event security, travel security, security risk operations, security program management office (PMO).”
Image credit: Seattle Medium
