After one of three finalists for Seattle Police Chief dropped out of the running, and with one of two remaining candidates under fire from critics who said he didn't have enough experience, Mayor Mike McGinn announced today that he is appointing interim police chief John Diaz as the department's permanent chief.

McGinn praised Diaz for seeking out "best practices" in law enforcement around the world, such as last year's "drug market initiative," which targeted 18 drug dealers in the Central District; focusing on "pattern robberies," which helped bring the robbery rate down 18 percent; and the redeployment of officers to Belltown on weekends announced yesterday.

However, Diaz has come under fire from the NAACP and City Attorney Pete Holmes for two recent incidents involving police use of force---one the infamous "Mexican piss" stomping, the other an altercation between three jaywalkers and a lone patrol cop. NAACP president James Bible has publicly called on Diaz to resign.

"Our relationship [with the NAACP] has been up and down over the years, and it's up to me to improve that relationship," Diaz said this morning. Diaz has been with the department since 1983.

Both McGinn and Diaz talked about the benefits of hiring a chief from within the department, rather than from another city. "One of the advantages to picking an internal chief," Diaz said, "is that when I'm done here I'm back at my office."

Of the three finalists for the position, one, Sacramento police chief Rick Braziel, dropped out. The other, East Palo Alto chief Ron Davis, was criticized by some on the city council as lacking the experience needed to run a big-city police department.

However, McGinn said criticisms from the council had "zero" impact on his decision to go with Diaz. "The issue here is who is, in my judgment, best prepared to deal with public safety issues," McGinn said. "That was the only decision for me."

Diaz will need to be confirmed by the city council. No council members were present at this morning's announcement. In a statement after the announcement, council public safety committee chairman Tim Burgess said, "Mayor McGinn faced a tough choice and he decided to stay the course under Chief Diaz’s leadership. The Council must now do its part to weigh what is best for the police department and the city as a whole. We will conduct a thorough confirmation process."