Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn and Police Chief John Diaz walked in front of the Torchlight Parade, rather than appearing in the parade riding in cars, as first planned.

The change of plans came in light of Friday's landmark agreement between the city and the U.S. Department of Justice, a spokesman told KIRO 7 Eyewitness News.

"I wanted to make sure I had the opportunity to walk up to  police officers, thank them for their work," McGinn told Steve Raible and Angela Russell during live pre-parade coverage on KIRO 7.

"We've had a rough few weeks. We've had a rough few months," McGinn said, "and I just wanted to let them know how much they're appreciated, and also connect with the public, too."