Mr. Johnson had risen through the ranks from patrol officer to sergeant, lieutenant, captain, major and finally Assistant Chief and Chief of Detectives. He had been retired seven years when Mayor Schell asked him to come out of retirement and become the Chief of Police.

Herb Johnson graduated from Ballard High School in 1953. He entered the U.S. Army, serving in Germany with the 1st Infantry for three years. After finishing the University of Washington, he traveled to Paris, France, majoring in French studies at the University of Paris.

After working two years for the federal government in Washington, D.C, he returned to Ballard High School, teaching French from 1962 to 1964. He was regarded as a demanding but fair teacher.

In 1964 he joined the police department and graduated near the top of his academy class. During his 30 years in police work, he worked in every major division of the police department. As a Major, he commanded the Inspections and Planning Division (the Department’s think tank) and then the Patrol Division (the largest division in the department). His last assignment prior to retirement was Chief of Detectives.

During his tenure as Chief of Police, his goals were to bring stability to the department, to raise morale, to refocus the department’s attention on crime fighting and to work with community groups to keep Seattle a wonderful place in which to live. He was so successful in meeting these goals in his six months’ time as Chief that he was encouraged by many of the rank and file police officers to remain as Police Chief.

He enjoys frequent trips to France to continue his studies of the French language and to visit with friends from his university days at the Sorbonne.