Public Safety Performance & Strategy Intern
About The Position
The Public Safety Performance & Strategy Graduate Intern will play a foundational role in building data and performance management capacity for the King County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO), one of the largest law enforcement agencies in the Pacific Northwest. Your performance strategy research and recommendations will directly shape performance management tools and meetings. KCSO is starting from the ground up on performance metrics, data collection, and Monthly Business Review (MBR) practices. While a Senior Business Analyst has been hired to lead implementation, that position is not expected to begin until July or August 2026 due to an extensive background check process. The intern will work ahead of that hire to conduct the foundational research and landscape analysis needed to hit the ground running – including identifying industry best practices, mapping relevant audit and oversight findings, and developing a recommended metrics framework grounded in a clear theory of change. Depending on project needs, the intern may also conduct parallel research for the Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention (DAJD) and the Department of Public Defense (DPD), departments they may benefit from similar benchmarking across peer agencies. The intern will gain experience working with Executive and department clients through the delivery of a structured landscape analysis and accompanying metrics recommendation memo that will serve as the foundation for an implementation plan covering performance metrics selection and data collection priorities. This is the kind of work that analysts embedded inside government and management consultants routinely do when shaping recommendations. Interns will have the opportunity to be part of a high-performing team and take advantage of County training and learning opportunities. Opportunities to engage as part of an intern cohort, network with leaders across the organization, and participate in outings to various County operations add to the intern experience on the Executive Office team.
Requirements
- Graduate students currently enrolled and continuing in the fall of 2026 in full-time status at an accredited university or college.
- Candidates with coursework or concentration in public administration (MPA), public safety, public policy, urban planning, organizational management, or related fields are strongly encouraged to apply.
- Flexibility and the ability to adapt to new situations while working in a multi-faceted and sometimes ambiguous environment.
- Demonstrated work ethic, ability to get things done, and independent time management skills.
- Experience with Microsoft Office 365.
- Strong research, strategic thinking, and writing skills are essential.
- Ability to travel throughout King County in a timely manner is required.
Nice To Haves
- Public safety expertise is not required.
Responsibilities
- Research best practices in law enforcement and public safety performance management, with particular focus on how peer sheriff’s offices (in comparable jurisdictions) have built metrics frameworks and MBR processes
- Identify and analyze relevant findings from the King County Auditor’s Office and the Office of Law Enforcement Oversight (OLEO) to understand existing accountability gaps and data needs at KCSO
- Conduct outreach and information-gathering from similar sheriff’s offices and public safety agencies that have implemented performance management systems, documenting lessons learned and transferable models
- Develop a theory of change for KCSO performance management – mapping how specific inputs (staffing, training, resources, process changes) connect to measurable outputs and community outcomes
- Draft a recommended set of input and output metrics that could realistically be tracked, reported, and used by KCSO management to set business targets and hold the department accountable
- As capacity allows, conduct parallel research for DAJD and DPD, focusing on peer agency benchmarking and metrics frameworks relevant to their functions
- Compile findings into a structured landscape analysis and metrics recommendation memo that will serve as the foundation for the Senior Business Analyst’s implementation plan
- Present findings and recommendations to King County Executive Office leadership at the close of the internship
Benefits
- County training and learning opportunities
- Opportunities to engage as part of an intern cohort
- Network with leaders across the organization
- Participate in outings to various County operations
Stand Out From the Crowd
Upload your resume and get instant feedback on how well it matches this job.
What This Job Offers
Job Type
Part-time
Career Level
Intern
