Chief Holmes Announces Retirement, Will Serve Through June

March 13, 2024 - Mercer Island Police Chief Ed Holmes announced he will be retiring from the Mercer Island Police Department on June 14, 2024, after 30 years of service – 18 of them as Chief. He will continue to lead the department and serve as Chief until that date.

City Manager Jessi Bon will lead a process to select a new chief, working closely with Chief Holmes and City staff on this transition.

Holmes’ tenured career has been filled with service to the community and to the profession. First joining the department in 1994 as a fresh graduate of the police academy, Chief Holmes rose through the ranks. His experience as a counselor for incarcerated youth led to his role as the City’s first School Resource Officer, before a promotion to Sergeant in 1998, to Lieutenant in 2003, and a subsequent appointment to Operations Commander where he was responsible for Patrol, Marine Patrol, and the Special Operations Team. Three years later, he was appointed to serve as Police Chief.

Throughout his tenure, Chief Holmes has been an active advocate for the law enforcement profession at the regional, state, and national levels, including roles as the Past President of the King County Police Chiefs and Sheriff’s Association, the Past President of the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs (WASPC), and WASPC’s Past Representative to the International Association of Chiefs of Police. He’s also chaired numerous boards and committees and continues to be an active member of the Mercer Island Rotary Club.

“Serving as Chief has been the highlight of my career,” Holmes said. “The support I have enjoyed from police officers, City staff, the City Council, and the community has truly been special. While I will certainly miss the strong connections and friendships I have made, I’m ready to start a new chapter in my life and look forward to slowing down, traveling, and spending more time with my family. Thank you, Mercer Island, for a great 30-year career.”

City Manager Bon thanked Chief Holmes for his tremendous service to the community, remarking on his longstanding contributions to his staff, the City, and the Island community.

“Chief Holmes has led with exemplary service to this community and his colleagues,” Bon said. “His dedication to responsible, community-forward policing has earned the trust of his department and the Island over his 30 years of service, due in no small part to his integrity, professionalism, and kindness.  I’m proud of the work he’s done as we’ve navigated challenges and celebrated successes – his leadership has left a lasting mark and we wish him all the best in his well-earned retirement.”