LYNNWOOD—Lynnwood City Council candidate Brandon Kimmel decided he would run for local government when he heard police sirens outside of his Lynnwood apartment on July 3, 2024. Looking out the window, he saw several Lynnwood PD Officers rushing off to nearby Alderwood Mall—where he used to work as a loss prevention officer for Macy’s. He later learned the police were responding to the accidental shooting death of 13-year-old Jayda Woods-Johnson.
As a father of three daughters (18, 11, and 5), Kimmel was deeply touched by this fateful tragedy, promising himself he would get involved in local politics to make a difference fighting against increasing youth violence in a city he has called home for nearly a decade.
“I’ve always been an advocate for victims of violent crime,” said Kimmel. “Leading up into that moment I felt I had a lot to bring to the table. Safety and security have always been my expertise, and for Jayda she doesn’t have a voice anymore because it was taken. I want to be her voice and the voice of other victims of violent crimes. I’m running for Jayda, I’m running for my kids, and I’m running for everybody else’s kids.”
Kimmel applauded the Lynnwood Police Department for everything they do. If elected he hopes to continue partnering with them in these efforts. But it’s not just violent crime among youths, he added, it’s also the extreme mental health and substance abuse issues he sees daily while working as a security guard.
“I’ve picked them out of ditches. I’ve held their hands as they were overdosing. That’s not okay, I don’t care what universe you live in,” said Kimmel.
As far as mental health services go, Kimmel became acquainted with the mental health crises while working at the Monroe Correctional Facility. His solution is to prioritize city resources for mental health, and substance abuse, treatment while partnering with the Lynnwood PD on expanding the training they receive as far as responding to incidents of mental health crises.
Kimmel himself was temporarily homeless, which he said has granted him a unique perspective of the region’s housing insecurity.
“I know how to talk to these vulnerable individuals. I know how to communicate with them and help them out,” said Kimmel.
Kimmel would also like to restore the School Resource Officer positions, which were terminated in 2020, and get involved in cracking down on organized retail theft.
Though public safety, and health, is at the top of Kimmel’s priority list he also wants to maintain open government and transparency if elected. He would do this through leveraging social media outlets to give frequent updates on city actions, and to continue an open dialogue with residents to ensure their needs are being met by their elected officials.
Originally from Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, Kimmel relocated to Lynnwood 9 years ago – where the mother of his children is originally from. Since then, he has laid down roots even founding his own business, Asset Guard Solutions LLC, a security company specializing in the protection of local businesses.
Through that company, Kimmel has also adopted a street in Lynnwood, 168th off of Highway 99, so he has been “literally cleaning up Lynnwood’s streets” since, he said.
Though he does not have any elected official experience he says his experience stems from leadership, working in Washington State corrections, the Bureau of Federal Prisons, the U.S. Marshall service, and managing facilities that housed over 2,000 violent offenders all over the country.
As a local business owner, he also has experience with operating a budget, keeping costs low by making cuts. If elected he plans to keep taxes low for Lynnwood residents to offer residents “reprieve” during times of rising costs of living.
To prepare for Lynnwood’s projected growth, Kimmel hopes to work with his constituents to annex portions of unincorporated Snohomish County to grow the city, in addition to building more single-family homes and apartments for more housing options.
“I love Lynnwood, I love the layout, the community is great, and I have a good repour with the Lynnwood Police Department,” said Kimmel. “The growth is extraordinary here and I think it’s going to be great. It’s really the best place to be, especially for businesses.”
Kimmel informed the Lynnwood Times that running for Lynnwood City Council is a win-win for him. Whether he wins the election or not he said he still plans to make a difference in the City through cleaning up the streets and keeping people safe through his security guard business.
“The government entrusted me with their safety and security so I’m just asking the City of Lynnwood to entrust me like I’ve served other agencies,” said Kimmel. “It’s very important to put in a City Council member who has experience and leadership qualities. These people are making decisions that could ultimately harm people.”
You can meet Kimmel personally at the Fair on 44th where he’ll have a booth. He also plans to door knock, and sign wave throughout his campaign.
Author: Kienan Briscoe
