About the Captain

Captain Mike Washburn began his career with the Seattle Police Department in December 1986. As a police officer, Captain Washburn worked in the South Precinct in Patrol, as a Field Training Officer, and later in the Anti-Crime Team. In November 1993, he was promoted to Sergeant and served as a patrol supervisor, a Community Police Team supervisor, and finally as a Detective Sergeant in the Juvenile Unit. He was then promoted to Lieutenant in April 1999 and served as a watch commander at the East Precinct. In 2000, Captain Washburn took over the South Precinct's Weed and Seed program and eventually coordinated all three of Seattle's Federally-Designated Weed and Seed Sites while simultaneously being assigned to the Southwest Precinct as the Operations Commander. In September 2005, he was assigned to the North Precinct as the Precinct Commander. He was the first Acting Captain in Seattle Police Department history to be assigned a precinct command, which he retained after being promoted to the rank of captain in July 2006.

Captain Washburn graduated from Central Washington University with Bachelor of Arts degrees in both Law and Justice and Sociology. In 2003, Captain Washburn served a 6-month fellowship with the Department of Justice as the Safe Streets Executive Fellow at FBI Headquarters in Washington, D.C. Captain Washburn believes strongly in the effectiveness of community involvement in solving crime issues and has taught workshops on this subject throughout the country.

Captain Washburn has commanded the North Precinct since 2005.