01. Trust
Communities & institutions
How public institutions earn trust, lose it, and rebuild it. Drawn from leading a department through the collapse of public confidence.
Former Chief of Police, Seattle
Leadership. Accountability. The Future of Public Safety.
Carmen Best led one of America’s major police departments through its hardest modern test. Today she helps leaders and institutions build what comes next.
By the numbers
A record that speaks plainly.
Four facts that explain why Carmen Best is one of the most credible voices in the public-safety conversation.
- 0Years in public safetyRose through every rank of the Seattle Police Department.
- 1stBlack woman to lead Seattle PDAppointed Chief of Police in 2018, a historic first.
- 0Stepped down on principleResigned rather than carry out cuts she believed would unmake a diverse force.
- Authorof the best-seller Black in BlueHarperCollins Leadership, 2021. National news contributor.
Recognition
Honored for the work.
Carmen’s leadership has been recognized by communities and institutions across Washington State and the country.
2026
Washington State African American Achievement Award
Presented by Surviving Change / Shining Super Stars
April 25, 2026
An honor recognizing Carmen’s leadership, service, and contributions across Washington State.
- 2018
First Black Woman to Lead Seattle PD
City of Seattle
- 2021
Best-selling Author
Black in Blue, HarperCollins Leadership
- Ongoing
National News Contributor
NBC News, MSNBC, CNBC, KING 5
Additional confirmed honors will be listed as Carmen’s team supplies the citation details.
Board service & civic leadership
Where Carmen serves.
Beyond keynotes, Carmen is an active board member and civic leader, focused on education, workforce, and public safety.
United Negro College Fund (UNCF)
Leadership Council Member
Past Chair, Seattle Leadership Council
United Way of King County
Board Member
YWCA · King County
Board Member
St. Jude Advisory Council, Seattle
Member
Seattle University Criminal Justice Advisory Committee
Member
International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP)
Human and Civil Rights Committee Member
Seattle, 2018 to 2020
Why Carmen
A rare voice in a debate that usually demands a side.
For years, the conversation about policing has demanded a side. Carmen Best refuses the premise. She has spent her life inside the work: rising through every rank of a major police department, leading it through crisis, and ultimately stepping away from it on principle.
That experience taught her something the loudest voices often miss. Safety and justice were never opposing goals. They are the same goal. Carmen brings that conviction (and the candor to back it up) to every stage, newsroom, and boardroom she enters.
Recent stages
On the road, on the record.
Carmen is actively booking keynotes, panels, and fireside conversations across corporate, government, and association audiences.
In her own words
Seen, not just summarized.
Carmen is a composed, magnetic presence on camera, as a leader and as a national news contributor. Two moments that show why audiences and producers trust her.
What she speaks & writes about
Four questions she keeps asking.
02. Workforce
A team that reflects the public
Why recruiting and keeping a diverse team is a test of leadership, not an HR checkbox. And what it costs to get wrong.
03. Accountability
Leadership under pressure
Decision-making and accountability when the stakes (and the scrutiny) are at their highest, and every choice is public.
04. The future
The future of safety
Where public agencies, technology, and private-sector security are converging. And what every leader should understand.
The book
Black in Blue
Carmen’s best-selling book is an unflinching account of leadership, breaking barriers, and the long work of racial reconciliation, drawn from a 28-year career and one of the country’s hardest jobs.
- An honest look at leading an institution through crisis and change.
- Read by executives and public-sector leaders as a leadership text.
- Available in hardcover, paperback, and audiobook.
What hosts say
Voices from past stages.
Attributed testimonials in production.
Carmen’s team is collecting quotes from past hosts. Each testimonial will include a verified name, title, organization, and event year before it ships here.
Speaking & booking
Bring Carmen to your stage.
Keynotes, fireside conversations, and workshops for organizations ready to think harder about leadership and safety. Every talk is tailored to the audience and the moment.
Explore speaking- 01Leading When Trust Is Gone
- 02The Team You Build Is the Test
- 03Accountable: Leadership When Everyone Is Watching
- 04The Future of Safe
Speaking feesInvestment by region
Local
$10k to $20k
US West
$10k to $20k
US East
$20k to $35k
Europe
$35k to $55k
Asia
$35k to $55k
Ranges are a guideline and subject to change. Carmen travels from Washington State. Contact for an exact quote.
Frequently asked
Carmen Best, in brief.
Who is Carmen Best?
Carmen Best is the former Chief of Police of Seattle and the first Black woman to lead the department. A 28-year veteran of public safety, she is now a best-selling author, a national news contributor, and a keynote speaker on leadership and the future of public safety.
What does Carmen Best speak about?
Carmen speaks on leadership, accountability, and the future of public safety. Her keynotes focus on leading through crisis, rebuilding institutional trust, building a workforce that reflects the public, and what real reform looks like from someone who led it.
How much does it cost to book Carmen Best?
Speaking fees range from $10,000 to $55,000 depending on region and event. See the fee ranges in the Speaking section above. Carmen travels from Washington State. Contact her team for an exact quote.
What is her book, Black in Blue, about?
Black in Blue is Carmen’s best-selling account of leadership, breaking barriers, and racial reconciliation. It draws on her 28-year career leading a major police department through one of the most scrutinized periods in modern American policing.
How do I book or contact Carmen Best?
Use the contact form to reach Carmen’s team. Share your event date, audience, and goals for speaking inquiries, or your outlet and deadline for media requests, and the team will respond promptly.
Stay in touch
Stay close to the work.
Occasional notes from Carmen on leadership, public safety, and what she’s thinking about. No noise.