Dear City of Lynnwood,

My name is Brandon Kimmel, and for the past nine years, I’ve proudly lived and worked in this community. Over four years ago, I started my first business here in Lynnwood. My career spans 25 years in retail asset protection and as a correctional officer with the Washington State Department of Corrections, the Federal Bureau of Prisons, and U.S. Marshals Service detention centers — where I was entrusted with leadership roles and responsibility.

But like many others, the pandemic and the fallout from the defund-the-police movement turned my life upside down. After an abrupt departure from Monroe Correctional Facility, I found myself homeless, sleeping in a car parked in lots around Lynnwood. One night, two individuals tried to break into my vehicle while I was inside. I defended myself the best I could and scared them off. That moment was a turning point.  So I got to work building a business on a laptop in the backseat of a Honda Fit, parked near a local business I would one day serve. Today, I am the owner of Asset Guard Solutions, LLC, a company that provides protection services for businesses, property owners, and residential neighborhoods — many of which are here in Lynnwood. I’ve earned the trust of clients across the public and private sectors and turned that experience into a mission-driven business that helps keep our community safe. More importantly, I’m a father of four amazing children. My oldest attends college nearby. My second daughter loves everything Lynnwood — from the Fair on 44th and the Lynnwood Police Camp to any excuse to visit Dave & Buster’s. And my twin son and daughter are two of the most creative and hilarious little escape artists I have ever seen. Like every parent in Lynnwood, I want my children — and yours — to grow up in a safe, secure, and thriving community.

That’s why I’m running for Lynnwood City Council.

We are facing a growing crisis in public safety, driven by severe mental illness and chronic drug addiction. Property and juvenile crime are rising. Taxes and living costs are increasing. Meanwhile, working families are burdened with unfair penalties like red-light traffic tickets — while others drive dangerously through our city, often with broken headlights, missing taillights, or no lights at all, without receiving any citations or accountability.
These are the issues that affect real people — every single day.
I believe the solutions require transparency, accountability, and urgency. I didn’t make the decision to run lightly. I consider myself a reluctant leader — someone who steps up when the job isn’t getting done. That moment came for me the day I heard sirens outside my home. I looked out and saw Lynnwood Police speeding toward the Alderwood Mall food court. As someone who worked in retail security, I knew something serious had happened. I immediately called my daughters to make sure they weren’t there. They were safe — this time.
But later, I learned that a young girl named Jayda had lost her life — in a place I consider my backyard. That moment shook me. It reminded me of another tragedy that impacted me deeply.

Over five years ago, a young woman from Seattle named Marisela Botello went missing while visiting Dallas, Texas. After reading about her case, I saw there was no online presence to help search or share updates. So, my mother and I created a Facebook page to raise awareness and support her family. We helped organize a memorial when it was discovered she had been kidnapped and murdered. That experience showed me just how much communities need people who are willing to step up, even when they don’t have to.
I have empathy for victims and their families. I have a fire inside me that can’t be extinguished — a calling to help, to protect, and to serve.
Lynnwood deserves serious leadership from someone who understands our streets, values our families, and isn’t afraid to do the hard work. The City Council role is a serious job, and this letter is my application to serve.
Thank you for your time, your trust, and your support.

Sincerely,
Brandon Kimmel
Owner & Contractor
Asset Guard Solutions, LLC
Lynnwood, WA 98036