ARE WE ROLLING?
>> WE ARE RECORDING.
>> GOOD MORNING, THE MARCH
23rd, 2021 MEETING OF THE
PUBLIC SAFETY AND HUMAN
SERVICES COMMITTEE WILL COME TO
ORDER.
IT IS 9:32 A.M.
I'M LISA HERBOLD.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE CALL THE
ROLL.
>> COUNCILMEMBER GONZALEZ.
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS.
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT.
>> HERE.
>>
>> FIVE PRESENT.
>> WE'LL HAVE THE PRESENTATION
FROM THE OFFICE OF EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT ON THEIR 2021
REPORT.
AND WE'LL DISCUSS COUNCIL BILL
119981 AGAIN, AND CONSIDER A
SUBSTITUTE VERSION OF THAT
BILL.
BEFORE WE GET STARTED, I WOULD
LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THAT
YESTERDAY THE COUNCIL BEGAN ITS
MONDAY MORNING MEETING WITH
RECOGNITION OF OUR COLLECTIVE
SADNESS AND ANGER OVER LAST
WEEK'S MASS SHOOTING IN
ATLANTA.
A HATE CRIME, WHERE EIGHT SOULS
LOST THEIR LIVES.
SIX OF THEM, ASIAN-AMERICAN
WOMEN.
TODAY WE START OUR MEETING WITH
YET ANOTHER RECOGNITION OF OUR
COLLECTIVE SADNESS AND ANGER
OVER YESTERDAY'S SENSELESS MASS
SHOOTING IN BOULDER, COLORADO,
THAT LEFT EIGHT PEOPLE DEAD,
INCLUDING POLICE OFFICER ERIC
TALLEY.
A FATHER OF SEVEN.
GUN VIOLENCE IS DISCOURAGED IN
THE UNITED STATES, PARTICULARLY
IN THE FACE OF SO MANY SENSIBLE
POLICY OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO
POLICYMAKERS.
THESE SHOOTINGS ARE ABSOLUTELY
HEARTBREAKING, AND WE GRIEVE
WITH THE PEOPLE OF BOULDER.
WE'LL NOW APPROVE OUR AGENDA
WITH COMMITTEE MEETING.
IF THERE IS NO OBJECTION,
TODAY'S AGENDA WILL BE ADOPTED.
HEARING NO OBJECTION, TODAY'S
AGENDA IS ADOPTED.
AT THIS TIME, WE WILL
TRANSITION INTO PUBLIC COMMENT.
I'LL MODERATE THE PUBLIC
COMMENT PERIOD IN THE FOLLOWING
MANNER.
EACH SPEAKER WILL BEGIN ONE AND
A HALF MINUTES TO SPEAK.
NORMALLY, IT WOULD BE TWO.
BUT BECAUSE WE HAVE 51 PEOPLE
SIGNED UP, WE ARE LIMITING THE
INDIVIDUAL SPEAKERS TO ONE AND
A HALF MINUTES.
I WILL CALL ON EACH SPEAKER BY
NAME, AND IN THE ORDER IN WHICH
YOU'VE REGISTERED ON THE
COUNCIL'S WEBSITE.
IF YOU HAVEN'T REGISTERED TO
SPEAK, BUT WOULD LIKE TO, YOU
CAN SIGN UP BEFORE THE END OF
THE PUBLIC HEARING, BY GOING TO
THE COUNCIL'S WEBSITE.
WE'LL TRY TO GET YOU IN.
THE LINK FOR PUBLIC COMMENT IS
LISTED ON TODAY'S AGENDA.
ONCE I CALL A SPEAKER'S NAME,
YOU WILL HEAR A PROMPT.
ONCE YOU'VE HEARD THAT PROMPT,
YOU NEED TO PRESS STAR 6.
PLEASE BEGIN SPEAKING BY
STATING YOUR NAME AND THE ITEM
WHICH YOU ARE ADDRESSING.
SPEAKERS WILL HEAR A TIME WHEN
10 SECONDS ARE LEFT OF THE
ALLOTTED TIME.
ONCE THE SPEAKER HEARS THE
CHIME, WE ASK THAT YOU BEGIN TO
WRAP UP YOUR PUBLIC COMMENTS.
IF SPEAKERS DO NOT END THEIR
COMMENTS AT THE END OF THE
ALLOTTED TIME PROVIDED, THE
SPEAKER'S MIC WILL BE MUTED
AFTER 10 SECONDS TO ALLOW US TO
HEAR FROM THE NEXT SPEAKER.
ONCE YOU'VE COMPLETED YOUR
PUBLIC COMMENT, PLEASE
DISCONNECT FROM THE LINE.
AND IF YOU PLAN TO CONTINUE
FOLLOWING THE MING, PLEASE DO
SO, BUT DO SO VIA THE SEATTLE
CHANNEL OR THE LISTENING
OPTIONS LISTED ON THE AGENDA.
AGAIN, THERE ARE 51 PEOPLE
SIGNED UP FOR COMMENT THIS
MORNING.
IN ORDER TO ALLOW AS AS MANY
SPEAKERS AS POSSIBLE, IF THERE
ARE NO OBJECTIONS, I WILL AMEND
TO ALLOW FOR 20 MINUTES OF
SPEAKING PUBLIC COMMENT.
WE'VE AMENDED THE AGENDA TO
ALLOW FOR AN ADDITIONAL 30
MINUTES OF PUBLIC COMMENT IN
ADDITION TO THE 20 THAT ARE
LISTED ON THE AGENDA.
SO WITH THAT, WE WILL MOVE INTO
PUBLIC COMMENT.
AND THE FIRST SPEAKER WHO HAD
SIGNED UP IS HOWARD GALE.
HOWARD GALE WILL BE FOLLOWED BY
KALEY CONDIT.
GOOD MORNING.
>> GOOD MORNING.
HOWARD GALE, DISTRICT 7,
COMMENTING ON CONTINUING POLICE
ABUSE AND FAILED
ACCOUNTABILITY.
THE PANDEMIC HAS AFFORDED ME
THE OPPORTUNITY TO VIRTUALLY
SIT IN ON THE MEETINGS OF
POLICE COMMUNITY OVERSITE
BOARDS IN OTHER CITIES.
IN NASHVILLE I HAVE ATTENDED
MEETINGS WHICH ARE NOTABLE IN
THAT BOTH THE MAIN BOARD
MEETINGS AS WELL AS WORK
MEETINGS ARE ALL STREAMED LIVE,
AND PRESERVED FOR LATER
VIEWING, IN COMPLETE
COUNTERDISTINCTION TO OUR
POLICE MEETING WHICH PRESERVES
VERY FEW MEETINGS ONLINE AND
INTENTIONALLY BLOCKS PUBLIC
ACCESS TO WORK GROUP MEETINGS.
NASHVILLE, SAN DIEGO, LONG
BEACH, CALIFORNIA, NEWARK,
PORTLAND, OREGON, COLUMBUS,
SALT LAKE CITY, ATLANTA,
HONOLULU, PHILADELPHIA,
PITTSBURGH.
THESE ARE 14 OF THE MANY CITIES
THAT HAVE RECENTLY ESTABLISHED
ROBUST POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY,
BUILT ON THE FOUNDATION OF 100%
CIVILIAN INVESTIGATION, POLICY
DEVELOPMENT, AND DISCIPLINE.
ALMOST ALL OF THESE SYSTEMS
HAVE COME ABOUT IN THE LAST FEW
MONTHS VIA CITIZEN INITIATIVE,
BECAUSE POLITICIANS IN THESE
PLACES FOUND IT FAR EASIER.
AS WE APPROACH THE ONE YEAR
MARK POST GEORGE FLOYD, IT IS
AABUNDANTLY APPARENT THAT THE
COUNCIL WILL NOT DELIVER ON ITS
50% OR ANY LEVEL OF DEFUNDING
OR IT'S PROMISES TO LIMIT THE
ABUSE OF US.
GIVEN THE REALITY WITH THE
COMPLETE LACK OF POLICE
ACCOUNTABILITY WILL GUARANTEE
MORE DEATH AND ABUSE AT THE
HANDS OF SPD IN THE COMING
MONTH, DOES SEATTLE AT LEAST
NOT DESERVE FULL OVERSIGHT OF
POLICE OVERSITE, MOVING BEYOND
POLICE --
>> THANK YOU, HOWARD.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS KALEY
CONDIT, FOLLOWED BY MAYOR CANA.
>> MY NAME IS KALEY CONDIT.
I'M CALLING BECAUSE I WANT TO
ENCOURAGE CITY COUNCIL TO PASS
THE ORIGINAL VERSION OF
CB119981, TO REDUCE THE 2021
POLICE BUDGET BY THE FULL $5.4
MILLION THAT WAS OVERSPENT IN
2020 BY THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
I BELIEVE THESE FUNDS SHOULD BE
ALLOCATED TO PARTICIPATORY
BUDGETING.
LAST YEAR, CITY COUNCIL MADE A
COMMITMENT TO SHIFT RESOURCES
TO COMMUNITY SOLUTIONS.
PART OF THIS COMMITMENT WAS
RESOLUTION 31962, WHICH SAID
CITY COUNCIL WOULD NOT GRANT
SPD ANY MORE FUNDING TO COVER
EXCESS OVERTIME.
SPD DEFIED THIS BY OVERSPENDING
THE OVERTIME, AND ASKING CITY
COUNCIL FOR MORE MONEY, WHICH
CITY COUNCIL GRANTED.
I BELIEVE CITY COUNCIL NEEDS TO
HONOR ITS COMMITMENT TO HOLD
SPD ACCOUNTABLE.
THIS MEANS TRANSFERRING THE
FUNDS TO PARTICIPATORY
BUDGETING.
WE NEED POLICE BUDGET
ACCOUNTABILITY NOW.
ANYTHING LESS THAN 5.4 GOING
TOWARD PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING
WOULD BETRAY THAT COMMITMENT.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
SAMIR ANA WILL BE FOLLOWED BY
PETER CONDIT.
>> HI, MY NAME IS SAMIR TAN.
I'M ALSO AN EMPLOYEE OF AMAZON,
THANK YOU FOR THE TIME.
I'M ALSO CALLING TO ASK CITY
COUNCIL TO PASS THE ORIGINAL
VERSION OF 11981, AND REDUCE
THE IS SPD BUDGET BY $5.4
MILLION THAT IT OVERSPENT IN
2020.
PERSONALLY, IT'S VERY
DISAPPOINTING THAT WE'RE EVEN
TALKING ABOUT GOING BACK ON
THIS COMMITMENT.
NOTHING HAS CHANGED SINCE THE
ACLU, INTERNAL AUDITORS HAVE
INDICATED SPD OVERSPENDING,
SIGNIFICANT GAPS IN CONTROLS
AND FRAUD.
IT DOES NOT EVEN COME CLOSE TO
THE FRUSTRATION THAT WE'RE
GOING BACK ON PART OF THE
COMMITMENT WE MADE TO ON THE
GROUND ORGANIZATIONS AND
COMMITTEES.
REITERATED THE NEED FOR
FUNDING.
CITY COUNCIL NEEDS TO HOLD SPD
ACCOUNTABLE AND TRANSFER THESE
FUNDS TO PARTICIPATORY
BUDGETING.
ANYTHING ELSE WOULD BETRAY THAT
COMMITMENT.
IT WOULD ALSO BETRAY THE TRUE
NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
PLEASE, I'M SOMETHING THE CITY
COUNCIL TO SHOW LEADERSHIP
HERE.
THIS IS OUR CHANCE, AND HELP
BUILD BACK TRUST FROM OUR
COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
PETER CONDIT WILL BE FOLLOWED
BY WALKER THOMAS.
PETER.
>> HELLO, MY NAME IS PETER
CONDIT.
I USE HE HIM PRO NOUNS AND I'M
A SMALL FARMER ABOLITIONIST IN
DISTRICT 4. SPEAKING THE TRUTH
MATTERS, EXPRESSING INTENT
MATTERS.
IF YOU INTEND TO HOLD SPD
ACCOUNTABLE TO ITS OVERTIME
BUDGET, WHICH YOU EXPRESSED IN
31962, YOU MUST THEN HOLD SPD
ACCOUNTABLE TO ITS OVERTIME
BUDGET.
TODAY IS THE DAY THAT YOU MUST
PROVIDE BUDGET ACCOUNTABILITY.
IF SPD DOES NOT RESPECT THE
BUDGET YOU SET FOR THEM, HOW
WILL YOU EXPECT THEM TO RESPECT
ANY OF THE OTHER ASKS YOU HAVE
MADE OF THEM?
THERE IS NO POLICE
ACCOUNTABILITY WITHOUT BUDGET
ACCOUNTABILITY.
PASS THE ORIGINAL VERSION OF
SB119981, AND REDUCE THE
SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT'S
2021 BUDGET BY THE FULL $5.4
MILLION THAT IT OVERSPENT IN
2020.
SEND THOSE FUNDS TO
PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING, WHERE
IT CAN BE USED BY POPULATIONS
MOST LIKELY TO BE HARMED BY
POLICE VIOLENCE.
THE FULL TIME PARTICIPATION OF
SUCH INDIVIDUALS ON THE PB
STEERING COMMITTEE WILL PROVIDE
SUCCESS AS A TRUE ALTERNATIVE
TO POLICING, AND AS AN
EFFECTIVE STRUCTURE FOR
PROVIDING PUBLIC SAFETY THAT
SERVES EVERYONE.
DEFUND SPD.
THERE'S NO POLICE
ACCOUNTABILITY, WITHOUT BUDGET
ACCOUNTABILITY.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, OUR NEXT SPEAKER
IS WALKER THOMAS, FOLLOWED BY
BJ LAST.
WALKER.
>> HELLO, MY NAME IS WALKER
THOMAS.
I LIVE IN A HOME SHELTER RIGHT
NOW.
IT IS REKICK LOSS THAT WE HAVE
TO CALL YOU TO MAKE DEEPER
PROMISES.
OF COURSE YOU NEED TO DEFUND
THE POLICE BY $5.4 MILLION.
THEY SHOULD NOT GET MONEY FOR
OVERTIME TO ABUSE AND HURT
PROTESTERS.
AGAIN, I WORK AT A HOMELESS
SHELTER.
WE DON'T HAVE MONEY TORE
OVERTIME.
WE ARE SO STRESSED FOR MONEY,
AND TO WORK RIGHT NOW, WE JUST
DON'T HAVE ENOUGH RESOURCES.
AND THE REASON WE DON'T HAVE
ENOUGH RESOURCES, IS Y'ALL
WON'T TAKE THE RESOURCES FROM
THE MOST USELESS UNIT IN OUR
CITY, THAT IS THE SPD.
THEY CAN'T JUST DO WHATEVER
THEY WASN'T.
THEY CAN'T JUST TAKE OVERTIME,
AND REPAY IT FOREVER.
THAT IS A COMPLETELY RIDICULOUS
SYSTEM.
ALL OF YOU MADE VARIOUS
PROMISES LAST SUMMER, WHEN IT
WAS POPULAR TO DO SO.
AND YOU START BY TAKING $5.4
MILLION OUT.
AND YOU PUT THAT MONEY INTO
PARTICIPATORY BUDGETS.
BUDGETING SO THE COMMUNITY CAN
ACTUALLY SPEND IT.
AGAIN, WE NEED THIS MONEY FOR
REAL THING.
WE NEED IT FOR HOMELESS PEOPLE.
WE NEED IT FOR OUR SCHOOLS.
THE SPD DOES NOT NEED IT.
GET SERIOUS, DEFUND THEM.
>> THANK YOU.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS BJ LAST
FOLLOWED BY LAURA LOWE
BURNSTEIN.
>> HELLO MY NAME IS BJ LAST,
I'M A BALLARD RESIDENT, AND A
BUSINESS OWNER.
I'M CALLING ON COUNSELOR TO
PASS THE ORIGINAL SPD11981.
THESE FUNDS INSIDE TO GO TO
PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING.
LOWERING SPD'S 2021 BUDGET BY A
SMALLER AMOUNT BE WOULD BE A
FAILURE TO HOLD SPD
ACCOUNTABILITY.
THIS ACTUALLY INCREASES SPD'S
SPENDING AUTHORITY.
SECTION 2 REMOVES LESS THAN $3
MILLION FROM SPD.
SECTION 3 IMMEDIATELY GIVES
SOME OF THAT MONEY BACK TO SPD,
AND SECTION 5 AFFECTFUL GRANTS
SPD $5 MILLION SPENDING
AUTHORITY THAT IT DID NOT
PREVIOUSLY HAVE.
I CAN SEE WHY COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD KEPT THE BILL FROM THE
PUBLIC UNTIL LAST NIGHT.
WHY WILL SPD EVER COME INTO
COMPLIANCE WITH THE CONSENT
DECREE?
IF CITY COUNCIL REFUSES TO HOLD
THEM ACCOUNTABLE FOR SPENDIN,
WHY SHOULD ANYONE EVER EXPECT
CITY COUNCIL TO HOLD SPD
ACCOUNTABLE FOR ANYTHING?
PASS THE ORIGINAL WITHOUT
AMENDMENT.
WE DON'T HAVE BUDGET
ACCOUNTABILITY, WE DON'T HAVE
ANY ACCOUNTABILITY.
THANK YOU.
I YIELD MY TIME.
>> THANK YOU.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS LAURA LOWE
BURNSTEIN FOLLOWED BY JACOB
SHEER.
LAURA.
>> HELLO, EVERYBODY.
I'M LAURA LOWE.
I'M A NORTHWEST QUEEN ANNE
RESIDENT AND RENTER.
I'M CALLING ON BEHALF OF THE
CITY'S ACTION FUND.
WE HAVE MEMBERS IN OUR
CMMUNITY FROM EVERY COUNCIL
DISTRICT, AND MANY OF THEM ARE
NOT ABLE TO CALL IN AND SO I
REPRESENT THEIR VOICES AS WELL.
WE ASKED COUNSEL FOR A YES VOTE
ON 11981.
WE NEED TRUE ACCOUNTABILITY FOR
SPD SPENDING.
WITHOUT A YES VOTE, SEATTLE
CITY COUNCIL, YOU'RE STEPPING
BACK FROM ASSURANCES MADE.
DEFUNDING SPD BY 50% ISN'T A
SLOGAN, IT'S A POLICY PROPOSAL.
A YES VOTE GETS US THE
INVESTMENT FROM PUBLIC SAFETY
THAT IS MAKING PEOPLE FEEL LESS
SAFE.
WE NEED INVESTMENTS INCLUDING
CREATING A PATH TO REAL SAFETY.
A BLACK DESIGNED, BLACK LED,
REAL PARTICIPATORY PROCESS IS A
STEP WE SUPPORT TOWARD A BETTER
SEATTLE FUTURE.
PLEASE TAKE THE PROMISES THAT
YOU'VE MADE TO SO MANY SEATTLE
RESIDENTS AND TURN THEM INTO
ACTION.
PLEASE VOTE YES.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JACOB
SHEER, FOLLOWED BY ERIN
MANNEDLE.
>> THANK YOU, HI.
MY NAME IS JACOB SHEER.
I'M AN ORGANIZER FOR REAL
CHANGE.
I'M CALLING TO STAND WITH OUR
COMMITTEE AND DEMAND THAT ALL
CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS PASS THE
ORIGINAL VERSION OF COUNSEL
BILL 119981, AND MAKE GOOD BY
REDUCING THE SPD BUDGET BY $5.4
MILLION THAT SPD OVERSPENT IN
2020.
SPD'S OVERSPENDING CAN BE
TRACED DIRECTLY TO THEIR
HANDLING OF THE UPRISING FOR
BLACK LIVES THIS SUMMER, WHERE
WE SAW A BRUTAL MILITARIZED
POLICE RESPONSE TO RESIDENTS.
SPD'S OVERTIME BUDGET WAS USED
TO TARGET PROTESTERS WITH TEAR
GAS, PEPPER SPRAY, AND RUBBER
BULLETS.
TO REDUCE SP B'S BUDGET BY
ANYTHING LESS THAN THE [
INAUDIBLE ] WILL SEND A DIRECT
MESSAGE TO SPD THAT THERE WILL
CONTINUE TO BE NO ACTIONS FOR
THEIR REP REHENCABLE ACTIONS.
EACH OF YOU MADE A COMMITMENT
TO REDUCE THE BUDGET BY NO LESS
THAN $5.4 MILLION.
IT WILL SHOW THAW ARE
COMMITTING TO TRUE PUBLIC
SAFETY WITH THE DISINVESTMENT
OF POLICING OUR CENTER.
PLEASE PASS THE ORIGINAL
CB19981 WITHOUT AMENDMENT.
THANK YOU, I YIELD MY TAME.
>> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ERIN
FOLLOWED BY JESS WALK.
>> HI.
MY NAME IS AARON MANDEL.
I'M A LIFE LONG D6 RESIDENT,
AND I'M CALLING TO ASK CITY
COUNCIL TO PASS THE ORIGINAL
VERSION OF CB119981.
AND REDUCE THE SEATTLE POLICE
DEPARTMENT'S 2021 BUDGET BY THE
FULL $5.4 MILLION THAT SPB
OVERSPENT IN 2020.
AS I'VE HEARD EVERYONE ELSE
SAY, LAST YEAR CITY COUNCIL
MADE A COMMITMENT TO SHIFT
RESOURCES FROM SPD TO COMMUNITY
SOLUTIONS.
PART OF THIS COMMITMENT WAS
RESOLUTION 31962, WHICH STATED
THAT THEY WOULD NOT GRANT
FUNDING FOR OVERTIME.
CITY COUNCIL NEEDS TO HOLD SPD
ACCOUNTABLE BY REDUCING SPD'S
2021 BUDGET BY THE FULL $5.4
MILLION, AND TRANSFERRING THE
FUNDS TO PARTICIPATORY
BUDGETING.
WE NEED POLICE BUDGET
ACCOUNTABILITY NOW.
ANYTHING LESS THAN $5.4
MILLION, OR GOING ANYWHERE ELSE
THAN PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING
WOULD BE TRY THAT COMMITMENT
AND THE COMMUNITY, WHO HEARD
THE COMMITMENT OF ALL OF THE
CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS TO DO THIS
AND THE $5.4 MILLION AS I
RECALL WAS ALL FOR OVERTIME,
WHICH WAS SO MUCH TIME OF
POLICE BRUTALIZING PROTESTERS
DURING THE UPRISING THIS
SUMMER.
AND THIS MONEY NEEDS TO GO TO
PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING.
THANKS.
>> THANK YOU.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JESS
WALLOCK, FOLLOWED BY DEANDRE
DOAKES.
JESS.
DO WE HAVE JESS WITH US?
>> REMEMBER TO PRESS STAR 6.
>> THANK YOU, ALEX.
>> HELLO?
>> THERE WE GO, THANK YOU.
>> THANKS FOR YOUR PATIENCE,
AND GOOD MORNING, COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS JESS WALLACK.
WE BUILD GRASSROOTS FOR JUSTICE
IN SEATTLE'S GREEN NEW DEAL.
WE KNOW A HEALTHY CLIMATE
STARTS WITH TAKING CARE OF
PEOPLE NOW, WHICH INCLUDES
DEVESTING FROM HARMS LIKE
POLLUTION AND MILITARY
POLICING.
THAT'S WHY WE SUPPORTED
COUNSEL'S COMMITMENT THIS FALL
TO NOT GRANTING EXCESS
OVERTIME, AND INSTEAD SHIFT TO
COMMUNITY LED PUBLIC SOLUTIONS.
THAT'S WHY I'M CALLING TODAY,
TO URGE YOU TO PASS COUNCIL
BILL 11981 WITHOUT COMMENT.
S PD SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE
TO ITS BUDGET.
SO CONTINUING TO FACILITATE
GROSS OVERTIME BUDGET IS JUST
FISCALLY IRRESPONSIBLE.
AFTER POLICE BRUTALIZED
PROTESTERS LAST YEAR, INCLUDING
FOLKS I LOVE, HOLDING THEM
ACCOUNTABLE FOR THIS OVERTIME
SPENDING THAT PAYS FOR THIS IS
THE BARE MINIMUM.
TAKING $5.4 MILLION OUT OF
SPD'S 2021 BUDGET SHOWS COUNCIL
IS SERIOUS ABOUT POLICE BUDGET
ACCOUNTABILITY.
AND SHIFTING THIS MONEY STORED
PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING, SHOWS
THAT COUNCIL IS SERIOUS ABOUT
SHIFTING.
>> THANK YOU, THE NEXT SPEAKER
IS DeANDRE DOKE, FOLLOWED BY
YANNA BUTLER.
>> THANK YOU.
DEANDRE DOKES, DISTRICT 6.
YOU'RE DOING THIS BACKWARDS.
I'VE WORKED IN PUBLIC SAFETY
FOR THE BETTER PART OF A
DECADE, AND ONE OF THE ODD
THINGS YOU DO, IS YOU DO TRY TO
CREATE A WORLD IN WHICH YOU'RE
NO LONGER NEEDED.
I'D LOVE TO LIVE IN A WORLD
WHERE THE POLICE ARE NO LONGER
NEEDED, BUT THAT IS NOT SEATTLE
TODAY.
YOU TOOK IT UPON YOURSELVES TO
OFFER AN ALTERNATIVE.
IN THE WORDS OF COUNCILMEMBER
GONZALEZ, COMMUNITIES SUPPORTED
PUBLIC SAFETY CENTERED ON HARM
REDUCTION.
IF THERE'S NO REHABILITATION
PROGRAM FOR THE PERSON
INJECTING HEROIN AND THE
ALCOVES FOR BUSINESS TO GO TO,
THEN I DON'T SEE A REDUCTION.
SOMEONE HAVING A BEHAVIORAL
ACTION CERTAINLY PROMPTS A 911
CALL TO THE CITY.
BUT WHEN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT
WON'T GO, PARAMEDICS WON'T GO,
AND INSTEAD THE POLICE ARE
EXPECTED TO GO TO ADDRESS A
NONCRIMINAL ISSUE.
THE ONLY PEOPLE RESPONDING TO
THESE CALLS ARE THE PEOPLE
YOU'RE DRIVING AWAY WITH YOUR
POLICIES, AND RHETORIC.
YOU ARE NOT REPLACING THEM.
YOU ARE HURTING THE VERY
COMMUNITIES YOU ARE TRYING TO
HELP.
HE HAIR CALLS FOR FAIR, NONBIAS
POLICING, ANTIRACIST POLICIES,
EQUITY, EMPATHY, TRANSPARENCY,
AND JUSTICE, NOT NO POLICE.
I HOPE YOU WERE LISTENING TO
DEPUTY WASHINGTON LAST WEEK.
WHEN I CALL911, I EXPECT
SOMEONE TO SHOW UP, AND TO BE
TREATED WITH RESPECT AND
INTEGRITY.
I'M SIMPLY ASKING YOU TO FIND A
SOLUTION FIRST, NOT LAST.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS JANA
BUTLER, FOLLOWED BY ERIC GREEN.
>> GOOD MORNING.
THIS IS JANA BUTLER, THANK YOU
FOR YOUR TIME TODAY.
I REPRESENT THE U DUB PARENT
SAFETY ALLIANCE, AND U DUB
STUDENTS ARE SONS AND
DAUGHTERS.
THEY FACE UNSAFE CAMPUS AND OFF
CAMPUS STREETS.
THEY HAVE BEEN VICTIMS OF RAPE,
HOUSE BREAK-INS, THEFT,
BATTERY, STALKING HARASSMENT,
AND MUCH MORE, AND THIS HAPPENS
DAILY, GUYS, AND THESE CRIMES
ARE RISING.
911 RESPONSE RATES ARE
TERRIBLE, IN FACT, OFTEN
STUDENTS CALL 911 AND NO ONE
APPEARS.
THE U DUB PRESIDENT BOARD OF
REGENTS ALL AGREE THERE ARE
SAFETY ISSUES, AND THE SAFETY
ISSUES SEEM TO BE GROWING
STEADILY WORSE.
TODAY YOU DECIDE ON FURTHER
CUTS TO THE SEATTLE POLICE
DEPARTMENT TO THE TUNE OF $5.4
MILLION.
WE HAVE ALREADY LOST OVER 200
OFFICERS.
THEY ARE OPEN POSITIONS ALL
OVER THE CITY FOR CRIME
INVESTIGATORS.
SPD AND THE MAYOR HAVE ALREADY
WARNED OF THE DIRE IMPACT ON
PUBLIC SAFETY, SHOULD THESE
CUTS BE ENACTED.
SPD IS IN A STAFFING CRISIS.
AS AN ALLIANCE, WE DO NOT
SUPPORT THIS DEFUNDING
INITIATIVE.
IN FACT, WE BELIEVE THAT
DEFUNDING THE POLICE IS WHAT
HAS GOTTEN US TO THE
EXTRAORDINARY EGREGIOUS PUBLIC
SAFETY POSITION THAT THE U DUB
STUDENTS FACE TODAY.
WE FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT IT WILL
RESULT IN FURTHERING THE PUBLIC
SAFETY CRISIS, AND IS
TANTAMOUNT TO MALPRACTICE.
THERE ARE NOT PRACTICES AS IT
IS --
>> THANK YOU.
PLEASE SEND IN YOUR COMMENTS SO
WE COULD RECEIVE A FULL [
INAUDIBLE ] OF YOUR MESSAGE.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS KIRK GREEN.
KIRK WILL BE FOLLOWED BY
VAUGHN.
KIRK.
KIRK, IF YOU CAN HIT STAR 6.
THANK YOU.
YES.
>> OKAY, THIS IS KIRK GREEN.
I'M A RESIDENT IN DISTRICT 7,
AND PART OF WHAT I THINK IS A
SILENT MAJORITY OF DOWNTOWN
RESIDENTS WHO DISAGREE WITH
DEFUNDING THE POLICE.
THERE WAS A DOWNTOWN SEATTLE
ASSOCIATION STUDY DONE THAT
INDICATED 60% OF SEATTLE
RESIDENTS NOT JUST DOWNTOWN
RESIDENTS, DISAGREE WITH
DEFUNDING THE POLICE.
I WORK AND LIVE DOWNTOWN.
I'M PART OF A GROWING NUMBER OF
DOWNTOWN RESIDENTS AND BUSINESS
OWNERS WHO ARE SICK AND TIRE OF
WATCHING OUR GREAT CITY
DECLINE.
WE PAY TAXES.
WE WORK HARD TO MAKE THIS A
GREAT CITY.
WE USED TO WALK THE CITY DAY
AND NIGHT WITHOUT WORRY.
NOW EVERYONE IS FEARFUL OF EVEN
WALKING DOWNTOWN.
WE WATCHED PROTEST MARCHERS
FOLLOWED BY VANDALISM, THEFT,
AND CHAOS.
STORE WINDOWS ARE BOARDED UP.
SHOPS ARE CLOSED WHERE OWNERS
HAVE SIMPLY THROWN IN THE
TOWEL.
WE HAVE TO WALK OVER HOMELESS
SLEEPING AT OUR FRONT DOORS.
WE WATCH PEOPLE URINATE, AND
DEFECATE ON THE SIDEWALKS.
DOWN ACROSS THE STREET, AND NOW
YOU WANT TO DEFUND THE POLICE.
WE HAD A BLACK WOMAN MAYOR WHO
YOU FORCED OUT AND YOU'RE
MAKING A MOCKERY OF THE WORK
THAT THE POLICE DO, BECAUSE YOU
RELEASE EVERYBODY THAT GETS
ARRESTED.
NO WONDER THE POLICE HAVE A
HARD TIME.
THE NORDSTROM WINDOWS WERE
BROKEN AGAIN BY A MAN WHO HAD
78 PRIOR ARRESTS.
SO WE'RE ASKING YOU TO STEP UP,
FUND THE POLICE, AND GIVE THEM
THE SUPPORT --
>> THANK YOU.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JOHN JEN
FOLLOWED BY GEDNY BARCLAY.
>> MY NAME IS JOHN GEN,
RESIDENT OF SEATTLE SINCE 1980.
I BELIEVE OUR CITY IS AT A
CRITICAL CROSSROAD.
I'M STATING MY OPPOSITION TO
FURTHER CUTS IN 2021.
THE DATA ON THE JANUARY 6th
MEMO FROM THE BUDGET MANAGER
SHOWED SEVERAL DISTURBING
TRENDS.
FIRST, THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT
INCREASE IN THE DEPARTURE OF
OFFICERS AND ASSOCIATED ACCEPT
RAISE CAUSE.
OTHER IMPACTS INCLUDED
DIVERSION OF STAFF, DELAYED
CALL HANDLING, AND OTHERS.
THE BUDGET MEMO OUTLINES NEXT
STEPS, RECOMMENDING REDUCING
CUTS TO SEVERAL USES FOR THE
FUNDS.
THE RECOMMENDATIONS SEEM
PRUDENT AND THOUGHTFUL.
THIS PROPOSED ORDINANCE DOES
NOT ACKNOWLEDGE ANY OF THE
RECOMMENDATIONS, OR THE
CONSEQUENCES TO PUBLIC SAFETY.
I ALSO BELIEVE THE COUNCIL IS
PURSUING AN APPROACH THAT IS AT
ODDS WITH MOVES TOWARDS THE
GOALS THAT I, AND HOPEFULLY
MOST OF SEATTLE RESIDENTS
SHARE.
I ACKNOWLEDGE THE NEED FOR
POLICE REFORM, INCLUDING
ADDITIONAL TRAINING, WHICH
ACTUALLY MAY BE NEGATIVELY
IMPACTED BY BUDGET
RESTRICTIONS.
WITH NOTABLE EXCEPTIONS, I
TRUST THAT MOST OFFICERS TAKE
TO HEART TO MONITOR, SERVE, AND
PROTECT, AND WE NEED TO SUPPORT
THOSE EFFORTS.
I BELIEVE NOW IS THE TIME FOR
ALL PARTIES TO SIT TOGETHER.
EMPATHY, AND VISION, AND WORK
FOR POSITIVE METHODS TO RESOLVE
THE VERY REAL CHALLENGES FACING
OUR CITY.
THANK YOU.
>> BARCLAY WILL BE FOLLOWED BY
SEAN GLAIVE.
>> HI, EVERYONE.
MY NAME IS GABBY BARCLAY AND
I'M A RESIDENT OF VASHON,
WASHINGTON, BUT I WORK ON
CAPITOL HILL.
I'M URGING TO REDUCE THE SPD'S
BUDGET BY THE FULL $5.4
MILLION.
SPD OVERSPENT THAT $5.4
MILLION.
THEY ALSO BRUTALIZED PEACEFUL
PROTESTERS.
OUR CITY CANNOT REWARD THIS
BEHAVIOR WITH MORE FUNDING, AND
WE HAVE TO DO THE OPPOSITE, AND
HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE.
TO A POINT, I AM SYMPATHETIC TO
MY FOLLOWING SPEAKERS WHO ARE
CONCERNED ABOUT OUR CITY, BUT
MY CONCERNS ARE SLIGHTLY
DIFFERENT.
WE NEED TO STOP APPLYING
VIOLENT FORCE TO ISSUES, LIVING
WAGE WORK, ENVIRONMENTAL
REFORMS, AND A STRONG SOCIAL
SAFETY NET.
SATURDAY COMMUNITIES ARE
STRONG.
THEY ARE VIBRANT, AND THEY KNOW
WHAT THEY NEED.
THAT'S WHY THE PARTICIPATORY
BUDGET COMPONENT IS SO
IMPORTANT.
PEOPLE DON'T NEED TEAR GAS WHEN
THEY'RE MARCHING FOR BLACK
LIVES.
SHOW THE SUPPORT FOR
COMMUNITIES OF COLOR AND KEEP
YOUR INVESTMENT TO THE
COMMUNITY.
TRANSFER THE FULL $5.4 MILLION
FROM THE SPD TO PARTICIPATORY
BUDGETING.
>> THANK YOU, SEAN GLAZE WILL
BE FOLLOWED BY KAREN POMQUIST.
>> HELLO, THIS IS SEAN GLAZE.
BLACK, CLEAR, DISTRICT 2
NONBINARY.
CALLING FOR YOU TO GO FORWARD
ON YOUR COMMITMENT TO SUPPORT
THE 119981, AND ENCOURAGE YOUR
FELLOW COUNCILMEMBERS TO DO THE
SAME.
WE CAN TALK ABOUT BUDGET
ACCOUNTABILITY, AND THAT SPD
ISN'T EXPECTING YOU TO FOLLOW
THROUGH ON YOUR COMMITMENT TO
BLACK COMMUNITY.
WE CAN TALK ABOUT YOUR
COMMITMENT TO PROTESTERS, AND
WE CAN TALK ABOUT COMMUNITY
THAT HAS BEEN ORGANIZED FOR
DECADES FOR THIS EFFORT.
I'M REALLY HOPING THAT YOUR
COMMITMENT TO BLACK COMMUNITY
LASTS LONGER THAN HALF A BUDGET
CYCLE.
THE RESEARCH THAT WE DID
LITERALLY TALKED TO THOUSANDS
OF IMPACTED COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
IT WAS CLEAR.
YOU MUST FOLLOW THROUGH ON YOUR
COMMITMENT TO DEFEND THE
SYSTEMS THAT HARM US, AND TO
INVEST IN PARTICIPATORY
BUDGETING.
INVESTING IN COMMUNITY
EXPERTISE, SO WE CAN FINALLY
START TO VIEW THE HARM DONE.
AND WE KNOW COMMUNITIES WON'T
WAIVER IN THE FACE OF POLITICAL
EXPEDIENCY.
IF YOU CARE ABOUT BLACK LIVES,
BLACK LEADERSHIP, YOU'LL LISTEN
TO THE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE THAT
WE TALK TO, AS WELL AS PEOPLE
WHO ARE IN THE LARGER SEATTLE
COMMUNITY ABOUT HOW SEATTLE
NEEDS TO MOVE.
YOU'LL LISTEN TO BLACK PEOPLE,
AND THAT MEANS FOLLOWING
THROUGH ON YOUR COMMITMENT TO
US, AND SUPPORTING YOUR
ORIGINAL BILL.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS KAREN
PALMQUIST, FOLLOWED BY CALEB.
>> THIS IS KAREN PALMQUIST.
I'M A DOWNTOWN RESIDENT,
DISTRICT 7 OF OF 14 YEARS.
I'VE LIVED IN SEATTLE MY ENTIRE
61 YEARS.
I AM 100% FOR POLICE
ACCOUNTABILITY.
I AM 100% AGAINST THE DEFUNDING
OF OUR POLICE.
AS SAID I'VE LIVED DOWNTOWN FOR
14 YEARS.
MY HUSBAND AND I CAN NO LONGER
RUN.
I LIVE ON FOURTH AVENUE.
I WORK ON FIRST AVENUE.
I HAVE TO HAVE MY HUSBAND WALK
ME TO WORK, AND FROM WORK EACH
DAY.
AS YOU'VE HEARD FROM OTHERS,
I'VE WATCHED SEVERAL BUSINESSES
CLOSE DOWNTOWN.
WINDOWS BOARDED UP.
IT'S DANGEROUS.
IT'S AWFUL.
WHEN WE RUN NOW, WE RUN THROUGH
THE AMAZON BUILDING.
KNOWING THAT THERE'S GOING TO
BE SECURITY, AND THAT WE WON'T
STEP ON NEEDLES.
THREE OR FOUR WEEKS AGO,
WALKING HOME FROM WORK, WE WERE
ACCOSTED BY A MAN WITH HIS
PANTS DOWN AND A SHARP OBJECT
IN HIS HANDS.
WE TURNED RIGHT TO GO DOWN
THIRD AVENUE, HITTING THIRD AND
STEWART, WE WERE AGAIN ACCOSTED
BY SOMEONE ELSE.
MY SON LIVES IN WEST SEATTLE.
HE HAS RAMPANT DRUG DEALING,
AND PROSTITUTION GOING ON IN
HIS CONDO BUILDING.
THEY HAVE CALLED POLICE SEVERAL
TIMES, WHILE THE POLICE HAVE
COME, THEY'VE MADE IT CLEAR,
THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO DEAL WITH
THE SITUATION BASED ON THE
NUMBER OF CALLS THEY ARE
GETTING.
MY NIECE RECENTLY MOVED TO
BALLARD.
SHE'S NEW TO THE CITY.
WE HAD TO WORK WITH HER SO THAT
SHE WOULDN'T GET ACCOSTED.
IT'S DANGEROUS, IT'S UNSAFE,
AND WE ABSOLUTELY SHOULD NOT BE
DEFUNDING OUR POLICE.
WE HAVE TO GET THE CITY --
>> THANK YOU.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS CALEB
KIERNAN, FOLLOWED BY FLORA
WRIGHT.
>> HELLO.
I'M CALEB KIERNAN.
A U DUB STUDENT.
I JUST WANT TO SAY, NEVER HEARD
THE U DUB PARENT SAFETY
ALLIANCE, NOR DO I AGREE WITH
THEIR ANALYSIS.
IN OUR U DISTRICT, MOST OF OUR
CONCERNS COME FROM THE
HOUSELESSNESS CRISIS, WHICH
POLICE ARE NOT THE SOLUTION
TOO.
ALL THEY DO, SPENDING OVERTIME
ON THIS, IS SWEEP CAMPS FROM
POINT A TO POINT B TO POINT C,
RATHER THAN FUNDING SHELTERS OR
SOLVING THE PROBLEM.
SO I SUPPORT CB119981 TO
TRANSFER $5.4 MILLION OUT OF
SPD, INTO PARTICIPATORY
BUDGETING, AND I DO NOT SUPPORT
A WATERED DOWN VERSION OF THIS
BILL.
THIS $5.4 MILLION IS NOTHING IN
THE FACE OF THEIR TOTAL
OVERTIME SPEND.
LOOK, SEATTLE IS HOOKED ON ITS
POLICE BUDGET.
WE ARE ADDICTED TO INCREASING
IT YEAR OVER YEAR, USING
WHATEVER FLIMSY EVIDENCE.
NO ONE WOULD SAY, YOU CAN
INCREASE OUR BUDGET, NO.
THEY CAN MAKE IT LOOK LIKE
EVERY PENNY OF THESE DOLLARS
ARE JUSTIFIED.
WE ARE ADDICTED TO INCREASING
THE BUDGET, EVEN WHEN WE ARE
NOT EVEN SURE THAT IT WILL SOME
OUR PROBLEMS.
SO LET'S ALLOCATE THOSE FUNDS
TO PARTICIPATORY BUDGET, SO
THAT WE AS A COMMUNITY CAN GET
TOGETHER, AND FIGURE OUT HOW TO
SOME THESE CRISES THAT ARE BEEN
FACING OUR COMMUNITY --
>> THANK YOU.
FLORA WRIGHT WILL BE FOLLOWED
BY ALICE.
>> HELLO.
I'M FLORA WRIGHT.
A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT 3. I'M
CALLING TO ASK CITY COUNCIL TO
PASS THE ORIGINAL VERSION OF
CB119981 TO REDUCE SPD'S 2021
BUDGET BY THE FULL $5.4 MILLION
THAT THEY OVERSPENT IN 2020.
THESE FUNDS SHOULD BE ALLOCATED
TO PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING.
LAST YEAR, YOU PROMISED YOU
WOULD TAKE THE SAME $5.4
MILLION OUT OF THE BUDGET TO
HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE.
IF YOU BACK DOWN NOW, AND VOTE
FOR COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD'S
SUBSTITUTE VERSION, IT WOULD BE
A SLAP IN THE FACE TO THE OVER
150 ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE
FOUGHT FOR PARTICIPATORY
BUDGETING, INCLUDING BLACK
RESEARCH, WHICH HAS WORKED TO
MAKE IT A REALITY IN SEATTLE.
THIS COMES AFTER COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD QUOTE THE BEST WAY I
CAN THINK OF, UNQUOTE, TO HOLD
SPD ACCOUNTABLE FOR ITS
OVERRUN.
HONOR YOUR COMMITMENT, AND PASS
COUNCIL BILL 118981.
TO REDUCE ANY LESS THAN $5.4
MILLION, OR TRANSFER THE FUNDS
WOULD BETRAY YOUR PROMISE.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, OUR NEXT SPEAKER
IS ALICE FOLLOWED BY TRUWANA.
>> MY NAME IS ALICE.
I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT 2.
I'M CALLING ALL TO SUPPORT
CB119981, IN THE ORIGINAL
VERSION THAT GRANTS $5.4
MILLION TO PARTICIPATORY
BUDGETING.
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD, YOU
HIGHLIGHTED THAT SPD'S REQUEST
HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THEIR
STAFFING SHORTAGE, AND YOU
POINTED OUT THE HIRING HAS BEEN
FUNDED SINCE NOVEMBER.
SO I'M HEARING A LOT OF PEOPLE
WERE CONCERNED ABOUT DEFUNDING
THE POLICE AND WHAT THAT MEANS,
BUT ACTUALLY THIS MONEY WOULD
NOT RESOLVE THAT SITUATION, AND
IT'S ACTUALLY ABOUT BUDGET
ACCOUNTABILITY.
THE SITUATION IS REALLY CLEAR-
CUT.
SPD HAD A BUDGET.
THEY DECIDED TO OVERSPEND IT.
THE COUNCIL NEEDS TO HOLD THEM
ACCOUNTABLE.
IF YOU DON'T HOLD THEM
ACCOUNTABLE, THIS WILL CONTINUE
EVERY YEAR.
THAT'S LARGE THAN THE WHOLE
DEPARTMENT FOR THE
NEIGHBORHOODS.
1.8 TIMES THE BUDGET OF
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND
NEARLY THREE TIMES THE BUDGET [
INAUDIBLE ] THE LIST GOES ON.
ALSO TALKING ABOUT THE BUDGET
FOR OVERTIME ALONE, WHICH IS
10% LESS THAN THEIR BUDGET.
>> LOOKS LIKE WE LOST YOU A
LITTLE BIT HERE.
ARE YOU STILL WITH US?
>> HI, I'M TRAWANA.
I'M HERE AS A VOICE OF THE
BLACK COMMUNITY FOR CHANGE.
IT IS TIME SEATTLE INVEST IN
COMMUNITY NEEDS AND HARM
REDUCTION PROGRAMS.
I'M CALLING ON THE COUNCIL TO
PASS THE ORIGINAL VERSION TO
REDUCE THE SEATTLE POLICE
DEPARTMENT'S BUDGET BY THE FULL
$5.4 MILLION THAT SPD OVERSPENT
IN 2020.
THOSE FUNDS NEED TO BE
REALLOCATED TO COMMUNITY NEEDS.
LAST YEAR, CITY COUNCIL MADE A
COMMITMENT TO REDUCE.
PART OF THE COMMITMENT WAS
RESOLUTION WAS STATED THAT THE
CITY COUNCIL WOULD NOT GRAND
SPD ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO COVER
EXCESS OVERTIME.
SPD DEFIED THIS RESOLUTION,
WHICH CITY COUNCIL GRANTED.
CITY COUNCIL NEEDS TO HOLD SPD
ACCOUNTABLE, BY REDUCING THE
BUDGET BY THE FULL $5.4 MILLION
AND TRANSFER THAT INTO
PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING,
ANYTHING LESS THAN THE $5.4
MILLION IS A BETRAYAL.
IT WOULD BETRAY THAT
COMMITMENT.
AND I YIELD THE REST OF MY
TIME.
>> THANK YOU.
NEXT IS DIANA GLAZE FOLLOWED BY
KWAN LOU.
>> I'M DIANA GLAZE FROM
DISTRICT 2. REFORM IS SIMPLY A
CODE WORD FOR MORE MONEY FOR
THE UNACCOUNTABLE POLICE.
LAST YEAR, A SUPER MAJORITY OF
COUNCIL AGREED TO DEFUND THE
POLICE BY AT LEAST 50%.
THE USE OF SUPER MAJORITY TO
OVERTURN MAYOR DURKAN'S VETO TO
DEFUND THE BLACK LIVES MATTER
PROGRAM THAT LED TO CB119981 IS
FUNDING.
PASS THE ORIGINAL BILL TO
INVEST $5.4 MILLION INTO
PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING FOR
TRUE COMMUNITY SAFETY.
THANK YOU.
I YIELD MY TIME.
>> THANK YOU.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS SHOWING AS
NOT PRESENT, BUT I'M GOING TO
MAKE A CALL FOR KWAN LOU.
AND FOLLOWING KWAN IS HARRIET
WALDEN.
LET'S MOVE ONTO REVEREND
HARRIET WALDEN, AND I'LL WATCH
TO SEE IF KWAN SHOWS UP AS
PRESENT LATER.
REVEREND WALDEN.
REVEREND WALDEN, IF YOU COULD
HIT STAR 6, PLEASE.
>> GOOD MORNING.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY
TO SPEAK.
I'D JUST LIKE TO SAY I'M BLACK,
AND I WAS NEVER SURVEYED BY
ANYONE.
[ INAUDIBLE ] THAT VIOLATES THE
CITY CHARTER AND THE
CONSTITUTION.
EVERY COUNCILMEMBER TOOK AN
OATH TO PROTECT THE CITIZENS BY
ENHANCING HEALTH, SAFETY,
ENVIRONMENT AND THE GENERAL
WELFARE.
AND ALSO THAT EACH SECTOR
SHOULD HAVE ADEQUATE POLICE
PROTECTION.
WE'VE LOST OVER 200 POLICE
OFFICERS HERE.
A LOT OF THE SPECIAL UNITS HAVE
HAD TO BE DISBANDED, AND IT'S
NO FOLLOW UP FOR DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE, NARCOTICS OR ANY OF
THE OTHER TRAFFIC CASES THAT'S
OUT THERE.
BUT MORE OVERLY, NO ONE IS
TALKING ABOUT THE ESCALATION OF
CRIME, AND ALSO ALL THE MOTHERS
CRYING BECAUSE THEIR CHILDREN
WERE KILLED THIS YEAR.
LAST YEAR, 21 CHILDREN WERE
KILLED IN SEATTLE, AND THERE'S
NO MOVEMENT TO TRY TO SOLVE ANY
OF THOSE CRIMES.
SO YOU TOOK AN OATH TO PROTECT
THE CITY, NUMBER 1, AND NUMBER
2, WE ACTUALLY DO AGREE WITH
THE JUDGE AND THE JUDGE HAS
ALREADY WARNED [ INAUDIBLE ]
THE CONSENT DECREE.
I THINK A LOT OF THIS COULD
HAVE BEEN AVOIDED SAYING SOME
OF THE THINGS THE COMMUNITY
WANTS CAN BE DONE NOW, AND SOME
OTHER THINGS CAN'T BE DONE.
A LOT OF THE COUNCILMEMBERS
KNEW THAT SEATTLE WAS STILL
UNDER THE CONSENT DECREE.
>> THANK YOU, REVEREND WALDEN.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER THAT WE HAVE
SIGNED UP HERE IS PENNY
O'GRADY.
AND AFTER PENNY O'GRADY WE HAVE
NAIM.
>> GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE.
CITY COUNCIL MEMBER HERBOLD.
MY NAME IS PENNY O'GRADY,
LIVING IN DISTRICT 36 FOR
YEARS.
I TOOK YOU AT YOUR WORD WHEN
CITY COUNCIL UNANIMOUSLY PASSED
31962 IN SEATTLE, YOU MADE A
PROMISE TO THE CITY OF SEATTLE.
A RESOLUTION MEANS THAT A
COURSE OF ACTION IS DECIDED
UPON FIRMLY.
YOUR RESOLUTION REFLECTS THAT
YOU WERE PREPARED FOR THE
SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO BE
OVER BUDGET.
THEY WERE.
THE POLICE REQUIRE FIRM
GUARDRAILS.
IT'S THE BEST WAY I CAN THINK
OF TO HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE IS
HOW WE HOLD THE LINE.
KEEP YOUR WORD, AND PASS THE
ORIGINAL CB118981.
REDUCE THE SPD2021 BUDGET BY
THE FULL $5.4 MILLION THAT IT
OVERSPENT IN 2020.
IT WILL ADDRESS SOME OF THE
PROBLEMS IN OUR CITY THAT SOME
OF THE CALLERS HAVE DESCRIBED.
WE NEED A BETTER SOLUTION,
WHICH IS PARTICIPATORY
BUDGETING.
WHAT OTHER CITY DEPARTMENT HAS
GIVEN US HAVE TO SPEND WITHOUT
ACCOUNTABILITY.
POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY MEANS
ACCOUNTABILITY IN EVERY MANNER.
HOLD THE POLICE ACCOUNTABLE IN
ALL OF THEIR ACTIONS.
DENY SPD SPECIAL PRIVILEGES.
HOW DOES THE POLICE DEPARTMENT
ESTABLISH TRUST WITH THE
COMMUNITY?
IF THERE'S ANY HOPE, IT MUST
BEGIN WITH HONOR AND AGREEMENT.
TO COVER EXCESS OVERTIME, THEN
IT'S ON CITY COUNCIL --
>> THANK YOU.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MARI
DELANEY FOLLOWED BY KENNETH.
>> HELLO.
MY NAME IS MAURI DELANEY.
I'M IN DISTRICT 3. I'M CALLING
IN SUPPORT OF DEFUNDING SPD BY
100%.
NOTHING ELSE IS ACCEPTABLE.
I YIELD MY TIME.
>> THANK YOU.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS KENNETH
GERBLE, FOLLOWED BY GRACE
CHRIST.
KENNETH.
>> REMEMBER TO PRESS STAR 6,
JANET.
>> HELLO?
>> HELLO.
>> MY NAME'S JANET.
I LIVE IN DISTRICT 4. I'M A
LIFE LONG RESIDENT OF SEATTLE.
I'M APPALLED AT THE DIRECTION
THIS CITY HAS TAKEN.
I'M NOT FOR DEFUNDING THE
POLICE.
I'M 100% FOR ACCOUNTABILITY.
I WORK DOWNTOWN.
I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO LOOK
DOWNTOWN, WATCH A MENTALLY ILL
PERSON SCREAMING AND SHOOTING
UP HEROIN ON MY WAY TO WORK.
DEFUNDING THE POLICE IS NOT
GOING TO HELP THE SITUATION.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS GRACE
CHRIST FOLLOWED BY EMMA LOWER.
GRACE.
GRACE, IF YOU COULD HIT STAR 6,
PLEASE.
GRACE?
YOU'RE STILL SHOWING AS MUTE.
I THINK PUSHING STAR 6 WILL
HELP.
WE MIGHT NEED TO COME BACK TO
GRACE.
ALL RIGHT, LET'S HEAR FROM EMMA
LOWER THEN.
>> GOOD MORNING, COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS EMMA LOWER AND I'M
CALLING IN FROM DISTRICT 1 AS A
LONG TIME RESIDENT OF SEATTLE.
I BELIEVE THAT PASSING THE
ORIGINAL VERSION OF CB119981 IS
AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEAD SEATTLE
IN TRANSFERRING FUNDS TO
COMMUNITY LED SAFETY PROGRAMS.
WE KNOW SPD HAS BEEN FULLY
FUNDED SINCE NOVEMBER, AND HAS
$7.7 MILLION IN ADDITIONAL
SAVINGS FROM 2020.
WE ALSO KNOW THAT 911 RESPONSE
TIMES IN 2020 ARE CONTINUOUS
WITH TRENDS OVER THE PAST TWO
DECADES.
EVERYONE CALLING IN TODAY IS
ASKING FOR THE SAME BASIC
úPRINCIPLES.
SAFE COMMUNITIES AND LIVABLE
NEIGHBORHOODS FOR WORKING,
PLAYING, AND RAISING THEIR
FAMILIES.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DISCUSSING.
BUILDING OUT SUSTAINABLE, WELL
RESEARCHED COMMUNITY RESPONSE
SYSTEMS WILL TAKE TIME, BUT
$5.4 MILLION WILL NOT
SIGNIFICANTLY CHANGE SPD'S
CAPACITY.
THESE FUNDS WILL BE MUCH BETTER
SPENT ADDRESSING SEATTLE'S
HOUSING INCOME AND RACIAL
INEQUITY CRISES THAT ARE MAKING
PEOPLE UNSAFE.
THIS VOTE IS THE STEP FORWARD
THAT WE NEED NOW.
THANK YOU.
>> BEFORE WE MOVE ONTO THE NEXT
SPEAKER THAT IS SIGNED UP, I
WANT TO SEE IF WE CAN GET GRACE
CHRIST ON THE LINE.
STILL SHOWING UP AS PRESENT.
GRACE, I SEE YOU'RE WITH US,
CAN YOU HIT STAR 6?
ALL RIGHT, OTHERWISE, WE'RE
GOING TO HAVE MOVE ON TO
WILLIAM, FOLLOWED BY CAT
FERGUSON.
WILLIAM.
WILLIAM, THERE YOU GO.
>> YES, THIS IS WILLIAM JUSTIN.
I LIVE IN DOWNTOWN, BY PIKE
PLACE MARK.
I'VE LIVED DOWNTOWN SINCE 1977
IN PIONEER SQUARE AND THE
MARKET NEIGHBORHOOD.
THE LAST FOUR YEARS I'VE
EXPERIENCED A DRAMATIC LOSS IN
PUBLIC SAFETY BE AND OUR
NEIGHBORHOOD IS JUST A
DISASTER.
FOR TRUE COMMUNITY SAFETY, YOU
DON'T GET THAT BY REDUCING
POLICE RESOURCES.
YOU REFORM THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT.
YOU GIVE THEM THE RESOURCES
THAT THEY NEED.
PASSING THIS COUNCIL BILL WILL
BE JUST GOING THE WRONG
DIRECTION.
WE SHOULD BE INCREASING
CAPACITY FOR THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT RATHER THAN REDUCING
IT.
BUT MAKING REFORM WITHIN THE
DEPARTMENT.
A DEPARTMENT THAT HAS PROPER
RESOURCES.
WE SHOULD ALSO BE DEALING WITH
THE CITY AND COUNTY PROSECUTORS
TO TAKE CRIMINALS OFF THE
STREETS.
RIGHT NOW THEY ROAM FREE ON THE
STREETS.
MY WIFE AND I ARE NOT SAFE IN
OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, AND IT'S, AS
TAXPAYERS, THIS IS NOT WHAT WE
SHOULD BE PAYING FOR.
PLEASE VOTE NO ON THIS COUNCIL
BILL, AND CONSIDER A BETTER WAY
TO REFORM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT
BY GIVING IT THE PROPER
RESOURCES, BUT THE PROPER
REFORM EDUCATION, AND
DISCIPLINE THAT IS ALSO NEEDED.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS CAT
FERGUSON MAHON, FOLLOWED BY
CALICO GOODRICH.
CAT.
>> HI, GOOD MORNING
COUNCILMEMBERS.
MY NAME IS CAT LATAY.
SHE HER PRONOUNS.
I'M A MEMBER OF THE SOUTH PARK
COMMUNITY.
A COMMUNITY THAT IS
UNDERRESOURCED, AND
OVERPOLICED.
BUT WE HAVE GREAT ASSETS THAT
WE NEED TO TAP THROUGH THIS
PROCESS.
I'M CALLING TO ASK CITY COUNCIL
TO PASS THE ORIGINAL VERSION OF
CB119981 TO REDUCE THE SEATTLE
POLICE DEPARTMENT'S 2021 BUDGET
BY THE FULL $5.4 MILLION THAT
SPD OVERSPENT IN 2020.
THESE FUNDS SHOULD BE ALLOCATED
TO PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING, AND
PLACING DECISION MAKING ON
THOSE IMPACTED BY VIOLENCE.
PUBLIC SAFETY IS NOT CREATED BY
POLICE AND PRISON SYSTEMS.
REMEMBER, DEFUNDING IS NOT THE
END GOAL.
IT IS A STRATEGY TOWARD A
REIMAGINED WORLD.
LAST YEAR, CITY COUNCIL MADE A
COMMITMENT TO SHIFT RESOURCES
FROM SPD TO COMMUNITY
SOLUTIONS.
PART OF THIS COMMITMENT WAS
RESOLUTION 31962, WHICH STATED
CTY COUNCIL WOULD NOT GRANT
SPB ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO COVER
EXCESS OVERTIME.
ASKING CITY COUNCIL FOR MORE
MONEY, WHICH CITY COUNCIL
GRANTED.
CITY COUNCIL NEEDS TO HONOR ITS
COMMITMENTS TO THE PEOPLE OF
SEATTLE AND HOLD SPD
ACCOUNTABLE BY REDUCING SPD'S
2020 BUDGET BY THE FULL $5.4
MILLION.
WE NEED TO KEEP OUR COMMITMENTS
TO OUR BLACK AND BROWN
COMMUNITIES.
>> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS CALICO
GOODRICH, FOLLOWED BY DEBORA.
>> GOOD MORNING, CITY COUNCIL
MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS CALICO GOOD RICH,
AND I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT
6. I'M ASKING THE CITY COUNCIL
TO PASS CB119981 WITHOUT
AMENDMENT, AND DEDICATE THE
FULL $5.4 MILLION TO
PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING PROCESS
AS YOU PROMISED LAST YEAR.
THE SPD HAS PROVEN OVER AND
OVER AGAIN THAT THEY DO NOT
PROVIDE ANY KIND OF MEANINGFUL
PUBLIC SAFETY.
TRUE PUBLIC SAFETY COMES FROM
COMMUNITIES HAVING THE
RESOURCES TO ADDRESS THEIR
PROBLEMS IN A SAFE, AFFECTIVE,
AND CULTURALLY MEANINGFUL WAY.
WE NEED SAFE HOUSING,
CHILDCARE, AND EDUCATION, NOT
MORE COPS.
THEY HAVE PROVIDED COPEIOUS
PAGES OF EXPLANATIONS.
TO REWARD SPD'S EGREGIOUS USE
OF OVERTIME IS A COMPLETE
BETRAYAL.
PLEASE HAVE THE COURAGE TO
REJECT THE SYSTEM THAT IS NOT
WORKING.
THIS SYSTEM MAIMS AND MURDERS
PEOPLE.
IT'S RACIST TO ITS CORE, AND
HAS BEEN FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS.
KEEP YOUR WORD.
VOTE IN PUBLIC SAFETY DESIGNED
BY PEOPLE MOST IMPACTED BY THE
VIOLENCE IN THIS COUNTRY.
PASS CB119981 UNAMENDED, THANK
YOU.
>> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS DEBORA
COHEN, FOLLOWED BY MARCUS.
>> REMEMBER TO HIT STAR 6. ARE
YOU THERE WITH US?
YOU CAN HIT STAR 6, PLEASE?
THERE YOU GO.
>> DEBORA COHEN, DISTRICT 7. I
REPRESENT A POPULATION YOU
CHOOSE TO FORGET.
I'M AN 84-YEAR-OLD WOMAN, LIVE
DOWNTOWN, PAY MY TAXES, AND
OBEY ALL THE LAWS.
I'M AFRAID TO WALK OUTSIDE MY
APARTMENT.
THIS IS NOT DUE TO COVID-19, OR
THE RIOTS OF LAST SUMMER.
IT IS BECAUSE THERE IS NO
POLICE PRESENCE DOWNTOWN.
I DO NOT BELIEVE I WILL EVER
AGAIN GO TO AN EVENING LECTURE
AT THE SEATTLE ART MUSEUM, OR
TO A CONVERT AT BENAROYA HALL.
I AVOID THIRD AVENUE, THUS
MAKING WALGREENS OFF LIMITS.
IT IS TOO RISKY TO GO TO MY
BANK.
MY SON OCCASIONALLY TAKES ME TO
AN ATM THAT IS FAR FROM
DOWNTOWN.
I AM PRETTY MUCH A PRISONER IN
MY APARTMENT.
THIS HAS ALL HAPPENED ON YOUR
WATCH.
YOU HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY
TOWARDS VOTERS LIKE ME.
THE ANSWER IS NOT TO CUT THE
POLICE BUDGET.
IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO
PUT A ROBUST POLICE PRESENCE ON
DOWNTOWN'S STREETS.
>> THANK YOU.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MARCUS
PUCKETT.
MARCUS.
>> HI MY NAME IS MARCUS
PUCKETT.
I LIVE IN DISTRICT 3. I HEARD
SOME WEIRD THINGS BROUGHT UP.
SOLUTIONS EXIST BUT CAN'T GET
FUNDING BY SOMEONE THAT CLAIMS
TO WORK IN THE PUBLIC SAFETY
CENTER.
THERE ARE PLENTY OF SOLUTIONS
THAT EXIST THAT CAN'T GET
FUNDING BECAUSE POLICE HOG LIKE
ALL OF THEIR FUNDING.
WITHOUT DEFUNDING THE
APPLICATION WE CAN'T ADEQUATELY
ADDRESS THE ISSUES THAT
EVERYONE IS COMPLAINING ABOUT
IN HERE.
SOMEBODY BROUGHT UP THAT
DEFUNDING THE POLICE HAS LED TO
THESE PROBLEMS.
WE HAVEN'T DEFUNDED THE POLICE
EVER IN THIS CITY, SO I DON'T
KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
THIS ALL COMES DOWN TO YOUR DO
YOU THINK THAT THE SEATTLE
POLICE DEPARTMENT OWNS YOU?
OR DO YOU CARE ABOUT WHAT YOUR
CONSTITUENTS WANT.
SO THAT'S REALLY WHAT IT COMES
DOWN TO.
LIKE THE SEATTLE POLICE
DEPARTMENT RECKLESSLY ABUSES
THEIR OVERTIME POLICIES.
THERE IS A LOT OF EVIDENCE AND
YOU KNOW, IF THIS IS WHAT Y'ALL
CARE ABOUT, WHY DO YOU BOTHER
BEING CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS?
I YIELD MY TIME.
>> THANK YOU.
AND I THINK WE HAVE TIME FOR
ONE MORE SPEAKER.
I DO APOLOGIZE THAT I SEE WE DO
HAVE SOME OTHER FOLKS THAT ARE
SIGNED UP, AND PRESENT.
A NUMBER OF PEOPLE ARE NOT
PRESENT.
BUT WE DID EXTEND THE TIME
SIGNIFICANTLY TODAY.
I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY BEING
HERE.
WE WILL END WITH MADISON
BOWDEN.
>> HI, CAN YOU HEAR ME?
>> YES.
>> GOOD MORNING, PUBLIC SAFETY
AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE.
MY NAME IS MADISON, AND I'M A
RESIDENT OF DISTRICT 5 AND I'M
A MEMBER OF SEATTLE SOCIALIST
OF AMERICA.
I WILL BE DISCUSSING POLICE
VIOLENCE AND MURDER.
I URGE THE COUNCIL TO PASS THE
ORIGINAL VERSION OF THE
BUDGETARY BILL WITHOUT THE
AMENDMENTS AND TO DEFUND SPD BY
THE FULL $5.4 MILLION THAT THEY
OVERSPENT IN 2020.
A FEW WEEKS AGO ON THE
ANNIVERSARY OF THE MURDER OF
BREONNA TAYLOR BY POLICE.
THEY RODE ON THE SAME STREET
WHERE NOT WEEKS BEFORE, AN SPD
OFFICER PULLED UP ON A RIFLE ON
A PERSON EXPERIENCING A MENTAL
CRISIS, AND MURDERED THEM
WITHIN SECONDS OF THEIR
ARRIVAL.
WE CANNOT CONTINUE TO REWARD
THIS ABHORRENT BEHAVIOR OF THE
POLICE DEPARTMENT.
WHAT DOES IT SAY TO MINORITY
GROUPS WHEN THE CITY CONTINUES
TO CONSIDER THIS ACCEPTABLE.
AS A TRANS WOMAN, I DO NOT FEEL
SAFE WHEN SPD OFFICERS ARE
AROUND.
I FEAR FOR MY PERSONAL SAFETY.
THIS FEAR WOULD BE ALLEVIATED
IF I KNEW OUR CITY WAS WORKING
TO ENSURE THE ACCOUNTABILITY OF
THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
I URGE YOU TO PASS CB119981
UNAMENDED TO REDUCE THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT BUDGET BY THE FULL
$5.4 MILLION THAT IT OVERSPENT
IN 2020.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
WITH THAT, WE WILL CONCLUDE
PUBLIC COMMENT.
AGAIN, THANK YOU, EVERYBODY FOR
JOINING US TODAY.
I'M SORRY WE WEREN'T ABLE TO
GET TO ALL SPEAKERS.
THE COMMITTEE SESSION AND
POSSIBLE ACTION TODAY WILL NOT
BE THE END OF DISCUSSION.
PLEASE DO GET YOUR COMMENTS
INTO THE COUNCIL IF YOU DO NOT
HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK
TODAY.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE READ INTO
THE RECORD AGENDA ITEM ONE?
>> AGENDA ITEM ONE.
OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
2020 ANNUAL REPORT.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH., ALEX.
WHO DO WE HAVE WITH US TODAY,
TO PRESENT THE OFFICE OF
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT REPORT?
I BELIEVE WE HAVE DIRECTOR
CURRY WITH US?
>> YES.
>> FANTASTIC.
THANK YOU.
ANYBODY ELSE FROM YOUR TEAM?
>> YES.
MY DEPUTY DIRECTOR LAUREL
NELSON IS ALSO ON.
>> GREAT.
WELL THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
JOINING US.
I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW
YOUR ANNUAL REPORT WHEN IT CAME
OUT ELECTRONICALLY, AND SAW A
NUMBER OF THINGS THAT CERTAINLY
INTEREST ME.
YOU KNOW, NOT JUST THE RESPONSE
TO THE PANDEMIC, BUT SOME OF
THE OTHER THINGS THAT YOU'VE
BEEN DOING AND THOUGHT IT WOULD
BE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE
YOU COME AND PRESENT TO US.
SO THANKS FOR BEING HERE.
>> YEAH, YOU BET.
FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU COUNCIL
PRESIDENT GONZALEZ, AND
CHAIRPERSON HERBOLD.
I SO APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY
TO BE HERE WITH YOU TODAY.
CURRY MAYER, OFFICE OF
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DIRECTOR.
AND I'M ALSO SUPER EXCITED THAT
YOU WANTED TO HEAR ABOUT OUR
ANNUAL REPORT BECAUSE NOT ONLY
HAS EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT BEEN
INVOLVED IN, OF COURSE,
RESPONSE TO THE PANDEMIC, WHICH
HAS, YOU KNOW, IMPACTED OUR
LIVES IN SO MANY CRAZY WAYS,
ALL AREAS OF OUR LIVES, BUT
REALLY EVERYTHING ABOUT THE
CRAZY THINGS THAT HAPPENED ALL
OVER THE CITY FOR THE LAST YEAR
OR SO, AND THE THINGS THAT WE
DO ON A REGULAR BASIS TO ENGAIN
THE COMMUNITY, WORK WITH OUR
BUSINESS PARTNERS AND ALL OF
THOSE COMMUNITIES THAT MAKE UP
THE DIVERSE PLACE THAT SEATTLE
IS.
SO I'VE ASKED MY DEPUTY
DIRECTOR TO JOIN ME TODAY, AND
SHE WILL BE DOING THE BULK OF
THE PRESENTATION, BECAUSE SHE
SPENT THE MAJORITY OF LAST YEAR
ACTUALLY INVOLVED IN THE WORK.
I DIDN'T COME ON UNTIL
DECEMBER.
EVEN THOUGH I WAS A NEIGHBOR
AND KNEW WHAT WAS GOING ON, I
THOUGHT IT BEST TO HAVE HER
SPEAK WITH YOU DIRECTLY ABOUT
THE ENGAGEMENT.
BUT I'M ALSO HERE FOR QUESTIONS
OR ANYTHING ELSE I CAN HELP
WITH MAYBE THAT'S NOT IN THE
REPORT THAT YOU'D LIKE TO HEAR
AFTER THAT.
SO I WILL MUTE, BUT I'LL STAY
HERE.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AGAIN,
FOR THE OPPORTUNITY, AND THEN
I'LL PASS IT TO LAUREL.
>> GREAT, THANK YOU, CURRY.
THANK COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD,
AND FELLOW COUNCILMEMBERS AND
THE COMMUNITY.
APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO
BE HERE THIS MORNING TO SHARE
AS WE HAVE DONE IN THE PAST.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE GIVEN INSIGHT
TO THE OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT FOR
YEARS.
FIRST OFF, I NEVER MANAGED
MYSELF BEING IN THE POSITION
THAT I WAS LAST YEAR.
WE WERE ON THE HEELS OF LOSING
A VERY SEASONED WELL
RESPECTEDMENTAL MANAGEMENT
DIRECTOR, BARB GRAPH AND THE
HOPES OF HAVING A NEW DIRECTOR
AT THE POINT.
WHEN SHE DEPARTED,
UNFORTUNATELY, THAT DIDN'T
HAPPEN WHEN SHE RETIRED IN
FEBRUARY, SO HERE I AM, AND
JUST WANT TO REFLECT ON A YEAR
THAT TO ME CREATED A LOT OF
ADVERSITY AND ALSO LEARNED THAT
THERE'S STRENGTH IN ADVERSITY,
AND YOU PROBABLY PICKED UP SOME
OF MY PERSONAL THINGS THAT I
DEALT WITH MYSELF LAST YEAR,
THAT WERE JUST AS CHALLENGES AS
MANY OTHER COMMUNITY MEMBERS
AND MANY OF YOU HAVE
EXPERIENCED.
SO I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND
SHARE MY SCREEN HERE TO GET THE
REPORT UP ON THE SCREEN.
OKAY.
HOPEFULLY YOU SHOULD SEE THAT.
SO I WANT TO JUST KICK OFF, YOU
KNOW LAST YEAR WAS A YEAR I
KNOW WE HEAR THIS TERM
UNPRECEDENTED, BUT IT CLEARLY
WAS A YEAR THAT, IN MY 25 YEAR
CAREER IN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT,
I NEVER MANAGED WE WOULD BE
FACING WHAT WE FACED LAST YEAR,
AND THERE ARE LOTS OF THINGS
THAT WE HAD TO FACE PERSONALLY,
AND PROFESSIONALLY, AND I KNOW
EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US HAD TO
EXPERIENCE THAT IN SOME WAY OR
FORM.
SO IT WAS A YEAR THAT, YOU
KNOW, ALSO WE WERE DEALING
WITH, AS I MENTIONED, THE
RETIREMENT OF OUR DIRECTOR,
BARB GRAPH.
SO IT'S NEVER EASY TO FACE
CHANGE, AND THAT HAD AN IMPRINT
ON A NUMBER OF US, MYSELF
INCLUDED, WHO I'D WORKED WITH
BARB FOR 13 YEARS, AS WELL AS
THE REST OF OUR TEAM, AND OUR
COLLEAGUES THAT HAVE BEEN IN
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.
SO I WANT TO KICK OFF, FIRST
OFF, THANK YOU TO THE COUNCIL
AND TO MAYOR DURKAN.
THERE WERE MANY THINGS THAT
CAME UP LAST YEAR WITH ALL THE
EVENTS THAT OCCURRED, AND ONE
OF THOSE WAS THE FORT TO MOVE
THE OFFICE OF EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT OUT OF THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT.
I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE DIDN'T
REALIZE WHEN HE WERE IN THE
POLICE DEPARTMENT, BECAUSE WE
TRY TO SEE OURSELVES
NONDENOMINATIONAL, WHERE WE TRY
TO LOOK AT PARTNERSHIPS AND
LOOKING AT ALL FUNCTIONS AND
DISCIPLINES.
WE ARE NOW OFFICIALLY OUR OWN
DEPARTMENT, WHICH IS IN ITS
FIRST TIME HISTORY FOR THE
OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT IN THE
CITY OF SEATTLE.
THIS WILL BE THE FIRST TIME
THAT WE ARE ACTUALLY OUR OWN
INDEPENDENT OFFICE.
SO AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR THE
SUPPORT.
WE'RE STILL WORKING THROUGH ALL
THE IDIOSYNCRASIES OF WHAT THAT
LOOKS LIKE FOR US TO BE AN
INDEPENDENT OFFICE AS YOU CAN
IMAGINE, BUT APPRECIATE THE
SUPPORT ON THAT.
>> LAUREL, CAN YOU JUST GIVE US
SORT OF A SENSE OF A FLAVOR OF
WHAT YOU MEAN WHEN YOU REFER TO
THE STEPS THAT YOU'RE TAKING TO
BECOME AN INDEPENDENT OFFICE?
WHAT STEPS HAVE ALREADY BEEN
TAKEN, AND WHAT ARE THE NEXT
STEPS IN THE HORIZON?
>> YEAH, I APPRECIATE THAT
QUESTION, COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD.
FOR US, WE HAD BEEN IN THE
POLICE DEPARTMENT AT LEAST, I
THINK THE LAST '90s, AND
SUBSEQUENTLY WITH THAT CAME ALL
OF THE FISCAL BUDGETARY, HR
SUPPORT, ET CETERA.
SO ONCE WE BECAME INDEPENDENT,
WE HAD TO LOOK AT WAYS TO
CONTINUE HOW WE DO THOSE TYPES
OF NORMAL BUSINESS FUNCTIONS ON
A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS.
SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE
FINANCE ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES
DEPARTMENT AND THE SEATTLE
DEPARTMENT.
WE GET A LOT OF GRANTS TO HELP
SUPPORT RESILIENCY IN THE CITY
OF SEATTLE AND IN THE
COMMUNITY.
THEREFORE THAT MEANS THAT WE'VE
GOT A LOT OF GRANT MANAGEMENT
THAT WE NEED TO DO.
SO WHEN WE LOST THAT TYPE OF
SUPPORT WITH SPD, WE HAD TO
BOLSTER THAT UP WITH WHAT WE
NEED TO DO.
WE ARE STILL NAVIGATING THAT,
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD.
WE'RE LOOKING TO ADD A POSITION
ON BOARD, SO WE CAN GIVE THAT
BODY OF WORK, FULLY FLEDGED
INTO A GRANT MANAGEMENT TYPE OF
BODY OF WORK.
SO WE'RE A LITTLE THIN RIGHT
NOW, BUT WE'RE NAVIGATING THAT,
AND WE'RE MAKING SURE WE HAVE
RESOURCES IN ORDER TO DO THAT.
ALL OF OUR HR SUPPORT IS
THROUGH THE SEATTLE DEPARTMENT
OF HUMAN RESOURCES.
THAT TOO, HAS BEEN A BODY OF
WORK AS YOU KNOW.
WE'RE WORKING WITH A LOT OF
FEMA REIMBURSMENT WORK, WHICH
OUR OFFICE HAS ALWAYS DONE, BUT
OUR WORK HAS BEEN
UNPRECEDENTED, MONUMENTAL, AND
VERY COMPLEX AND DYNAMIC.
WE'RE WORKING THROUGH A LOT OF
STEPS TO GET STAFF ONBOARD TO
HELP US THROUGH THAT PROCESS.
THE OTHER THING, I AM SO
TICKLED THAT WE NOW HAVE A NEW
DIRECTOR ON BOARD, CURRY MAYER,
WHO I HAD KNOWN THROUGH THE
CITY OF BELLEVUE, AND THROUGH A
NATIONAL SEARCH, IT WAS GREAT
TO GET SOMEONE ON BOARD THAT WE
KNOW FROM THE REGION, AND CURRY
HAS AN INCREDIBLE BACKGROUND IN
CITY MANAGEMENT.
IN ADDITION, WE HAD TO HIRE A
STAFF IN A VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT,
WHICH IS VERY DIFFERENT, AND WE
WERE VERY FORTUNATE TO COME ON
IN THE MIDDLE OF LAST YEAR,
KATE HUTTEN, SHE COMES FROM THE
CITY OF LOS ANGELES, AND HAS
BEEN AN EXTRAORDINARY ASSET FOR
US.
IT WAS NICE TO GET ADDITIONAL
TEAM MEMBERS ONBOARD, AND
SOMEONE WHO HAS EXTENSIVE [
INAUDIBLE ]. SO AS SOME OF YOU
KNOW FROM PAST BRIEFINGS THAT
BARB HAD DONE, A TYPICAL YEAR
IS THAT WE WOULD ACTIVATE THE
EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER 6
TO 8 TIME AS YEAR.
LAST YEAR PROVED TO BE QUITE
DIFFERENT, AND REALLY HAD SOME
HURDLES AND CHALLENGES ON HOW
WE DO THAT IN A PUBLIC HEALTH
EMERGENCY.
FROM THE VERY GET-GO, AND I'LL
TALK A LITTLE BIT HERE IN A BIT
ABOUT COVID SPECIFICALLY, BUT
EARLY ON, WE HAD OUR ACTIVATION
FOR COVID-19, THE CORONAVIRUS
ON MARCH 2nd IS WHEN WE
OFFICIALLY OPENED UP THE
EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER.
AS YOU'LL SEE, WE ALSO HAD TO
FACE THE SEATTLE BRIDGE, WEST
SEATTLE BRIDGE THAT HAD SOME
COMPLICATIONS.
WE DEALT WITH THE ACTIVITIES IN
MAY THROUGH JULY, AND
SUPPORTING THE CITY-WIDE
COORDINATION ON THAT.
WE ALSO THIS TO DEAL WITH
SMOKE, WHICH WE'VE HAD FOR
NUMEROUS YEARS NOW, AND WE ALSO
DEALT WITH ELECTION ACTIVITIES
IN NOVEMBER, BECAUSE A LOT OF
THE ISSUES THAT WERE HAPPENING
NATIONWIDE.
I'M GOING TO DIVE INTO EACH OF
HESE TO GIVE YOU A LITT
PERSPECTIVE.
SO ON TOP OF COVID IN EARLY
MARCH AND ACTIVATING FOR THAT,
WE LEARNED FROM THE DEPARTMENT
OF TRANSPORTATION THAT THERE
WERE CRACKS THAT WERE SHOWING
UP ON THE WEST SEATTLE BRIDGE.
VERY QUICKLY, WE JUMPED IN TO
COORDINATION MODE WITH SDOT AND
OTHER CRITICAL CITY DEPARTMENTS
AS WELL AS THE COMMUNITY AND OF
THE PRIVATE SECTOR.
OUR MAIN ROLE DURING THIS EVENT
WAS REALLY TO ENSURE THAT WE
HAD ACTION PLANS IN PLACE TO BE
ABLE TO RESPOND IF, FOR ANY
REASON, THAT BRIDGE TOOK MORE
SIGNIFICANT MOVEMENT THAN WE
ANTICIPATED.
AND WE ALSO WERE RESPONSIBLE
FOR ENSURING THAT WE COULD GET
ALERT, AND WARNING INFORMATION
OUT TO THE COMMUNITY,
ESPECIALLY THOSE BUSINESS AREAS
THAT WOULD BE IN DIRECT IMPACT
OF THE BRIDGE INFRASTRUCTURE
ITSELF.
SO WE ENDED UP RECRUITING AND
UTILIZING OUR ACS, OR AUXILIARY
COMMUNICATION SERVICES.
YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT THEM
PROBABLY IN THE PAST.
THEY'RE A GREAT GROUP OF FOLKS
FOR THESE TYPES OF MISSIONS WE
ACTUALLY DEPLOY THEM OUT TO THE
SITES AROUND THE SEATTLE BRIDGE
IMPACT AREA THERE ON HARBOR
ISLAND AND THE BUSINESSES TO
MAKE SURE THAT WHEN WE DO ALERT
AND WARNINGS TO THAT AREA,
THOSE BUSINESSES COULD GET
THOSE ALERTS ON THEIR CELL
PHONES.
SO THERE'S A SYSTEM CALLED THE
WIRELESS EMERGENCY ALERT
SYSTEM, WEA.
AND THROUGH THE TEST IN JUNE,
AS WELL AS DOING A TEST IN
JULY, THE FIRST TEST?
IN JUNE GAVE US INDICATION THAT
NOT EVERYONE WAS GETTING
NOTIFIED THROUGH THE WEA SYSTEM
ON THEIR CELL PHONES.
SO WE HAD FOLKS WITH DIFFERENT
SERVICE PROVIDERS LIKE VERIZON
AT&T, T-MOBILE, ET CETERA TO
MAKE SURE WHEN WE PUSH OUT A
TEST LIKE THAT, THAT THOSE
FOLKS WERE RECEIVING IT.
OUR FIRST TEST ON JUNE 26th, WE
REALIZED WE HAD SOME HOLES AND
GAPS.
SO WE REMEDIED THAT, AND MADE
THE POLYGON A MUCH BIGGER
FOOTPRINT.
WE DID A SECOND TEST ON JULY
25th, WHICH GAVE US SUCCESS, TO
MAKE SURE IF WE HAD TO DO A WEA
TEST, THAT PARTICULAR FOOTPRINT
WOULD GET NOTIFIED THAT THERE
WAS AN EMINENT CONCERN WITH THE
WEST SEATTLE BRIDGE.
SO THE OTHER ACTIVITIES THAT WE
DEALT WITH LAST YEAR WAS I
THINK, PERSONALLY, AND
PROFESSIONALLY, A VERY
CHALLENGING TILE, AND IT WAS
PERSONALLY, AND PROFESSIONALLY
CHALLENGING FOR A NUMBER OF US,
WHO WERE IN THE EMERGENCY
OPERATIONS CENTER, ENSURING
THAT WE WERE DOING THE CITYWIDE
COORDINATION AND HELPING TO
SUPPORT THE EFFORTS AND THE
PUBLIC SAFETY OUT THERE.
SO WE SAW THE EVENTS
UNFORTUNATE, YOU KNOW, WITH
GEORGE FLOYD BEING KILLED, AND
ALL THE ACTIVITIES THAT
HAPPENED WITH THAT, SO WE ALSO
SAW THE EVENTS ON MAY 30th,
THAT CAUSED US TO BE IN A
POSITION TO HAVE THE EMERGENCY
OPERATIONS CENTER OPEN FOR
SEVERAL WEEKS IN RESPONSE TO
THOSE ACTIVITIES.
WE WERE OPEN FOR 15 DAYS AND
YOU'LL SEE WE DID A NUMBER OF
COORDINATED ACTIVITIES DURING
THAT TIME WITH THE VARIOUS CITY
DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES IN
THAT TIME.
I WILL MAKE A NOTE, WHEN WE
WERE IN THE EMERGENCY
OPERATIONS CENTER, WE WERE
PHYSICALLY THERE.
WE WERE, OF COURSE, PRACTICING
THE APPROPRIATE SOCIAL
DISTANCING, AND THE MASKING.
WE HAD NO ONE GET SICK OUT OF
THAT ACTIVITY, SO THANK
GOODNESS FOR THAT.
THERE WAS A NUMBER OF
COORDINATED ACTIVITIES THAT WE
DID DURING THAT TIME.
THERE WAS A LOT OF BUSINESSES
THAT WERE BEING IMPACTED.
SO WE DEALT WITH DEBRIS, AND
GRAFFITI CLEAN UP.
WE ALSO LOOKED AT WEIGHS AND
DID A LOT OF COLLABORATION WITH
THE PRIVATE SECTOR, AS WELL AS
A NUMBER OF DEPARTMENTS TO MAKE
SURE THAT WE'RE SECURING
DAMAGED STOREFRONTS DOWNTOWN,
AND ALSO IN THE INTERNATIONAL
DISTRICT.
WE TRIED TO ENSURE THAT WE HAD
EVERYTHING, INFORMATION WISE WE
COULD SHARE WITH THE OFFICE OF
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, WHO WAS
THE MAIN POINT OF CONTACT TO
THE BUSINESSES OUT IN THE
IMPACTED COMMUNITIES, AS WELL
AS WE PROVIDED LOGISTICAL
SUPPORT, SO THERE WERE PORTA-
POTTIES THAT WERE PROVIDED.
WE HAD DUMPSTERS THAT WE HAD TO
DEAL WITH, AND BEING ABLE TO
SUPPORT OTHER ACTIVITIES,
ESPECIALLY IN THE CAL ANDERSON
PARK AREA.
SO IT WAS NOT AN EASY TIME AS I
MENTIONED.
AND I KNOW, YOU KNOW, THERE
WERE EXTRAORDINARY IMPACTS
DURING THAT INCIDENT.
BUT THAT WAS ONE OF THE
ACTIVITIES THAT WE DEALT WITH
DURING THAT TIME.
LASTLY, I'LL JUST SAY ON THIS,
ALL OF US SAW THE INCREDIBLE
MARCH THAT HAPPENED ON JUNE
12th, WHICH WAS A FRIDAY.
AND WE WERE IN THE EMERGENCY
OPERATIONS CENTER DOING OUR
BEST TO MAKE SURE THAT IT WAS A
SAFE MARCH, AND YOU KNOW, THERE
WAS WELL OVER, I THINK 60,000
PEOPLE THAT PARTICIPATED IN
THAT PARTICULAR MARCH.
AND SO THE RESULT IN A NUMBER
OF LESSONS LEARNED FROM THIS
PARTICULAR EVENT AS WELL.
>> LAUREL, IF WE COULD JUST
PAUSE.
I SEE THAT COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT
HAS HER HAND RAISED.
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT.
>> THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD.
IF LAURA COULD GO BACK TO THE
PREVIOUS SLIDE.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S A
QUESTION, IT DEPENDS ON THE
OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT,
IF YOU WANT TO TAKE A QUESTION
AND PROVIDE A RESPONSE, THAT
WILL BE DEFINITELY APPRECIATED.
BUT I JUST WANTED TO NOTE,
OBVIOUSLY THIS IS A REPORT FROM
THE OFFICE OF EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT, NOT FROM THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT PER SE.
BUT THE OFFICE OF EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT WAS HOUSED IN THE
SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT AT
THE TIME.
EVERY TIME MAYOR DURKAN
DECLARED AN EMERGENCY, AND IN
THOSE DAYS, IF THE FIRST DAYS
OF THE PROTEST, IT WAS
PRACTICALLY DAILY.
OBVIOUSLY YOU'VE NOTICED
SEVERAL TASKS THAT YOU WERE
RESPONSIBLE FOR.
BUT I HAVE TO SAY, THIS IS NOT
SURPRISING TO ME, BUT IN THE
INTEREST OF THE PUBLIC, I WANT
TO NOTE HOW IT'S A SANITIZED
VERSION OF WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPEN
AT THAT TIME, YOU'RE TALKING
ABOUT COORDINATION OF DEBRIS,
AND GRAFFITI CLEAN UP.
AND DUMPSTERS WERE REFUSED.
BUT I THINK THE MOST GLARING
THING IN THOSE DAYS WAS THE
AMOUNT OF PUBLIC RESOURCES,
PUBLIC REVENUE THAT WAS SPENT
ON POLICE OVERTIME POLICING AND
VIOLENTLY POLICING PEACEFUL
PROTEST.
SEATTLE PAID $6.9 MILLION IN
OVERTIME TO THE POLICE DURING
THE FIRST 12 DAYS OF THE
PROTEST, AND THAT WAS NOT THE
ONLY EXAMPLE.
IN THE SAME 12 DAYS, NEW YORK
CITY SPENT $115 MILLION ON
POLICE OVERTIME.
LOS ANGELE SPENT OVER $40
MILLION IN THAT SAME TIME.
SO THIS WAS HAPPENING IN CITIES
ACROSS THE NATION, WHERE WE HAD
THE MOST HISTORIC STREET
MOVEMENT IN AMERICA, AND WHAT
WAS HAPPENING WAS THE CITIES
WERE SPENDING MILLIONS OF
DOLLARS OVER POLICING THESE
PROTESTS.
SO I FEEL LIKE THIS VERSION
REALLY DOES NOT CAPTURE THE
ACTUAL EVENTS OF THOSE DAYS, IF
YOU'RE PROVIDING A REPORT, I
THINK THAT SHOULD BE THE
HIGHLIGHT, NOT THESE THINGS.
BUT I JUST WANTED TO NOTE THAT.
OBVIOUSLY I RECOGNIZE THAT THE
CURRENT DIRECTOR MUCH OEM HAD
BEEN HIRED SINCE THEN.
SO IT'S NOT A QUESTION OF
INDIVIDUAL, IT'S NOT MY
COMMENTS TOWARDS ANY
INDIVIDUAL, BUT JUST TO NOTE
THAT THESE REPORTS REALLY DO
NOT CAPTURE THE REALITIES THAT
WERE FACED BY ORDINARY PEOPLE
AND THE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF
SEATTLEITES THAT WERE
PROTESTING AGAINST POLICE
VIOLENCE.
>> SO IF I COULD JUMP IN HERE
REALLY QUICKLY, I THINK, SO
FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR
YOUR COMMENTS,COUNCILPERSON.
I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU
BRINGING THAT UP.
IT REALLY, I THINK, EMPHASIZES
THE MISUNDERSTANDING PEOPLE
HAVE ABOUT WHAT IMAGINE
MANAGEMENT DOES.
IT WAS REALLY INCREDIBLY FOR US
TO BE SEPARATED FROM THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT.
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT IS REALLY
A CITY WIDE RESOURCE, AND OUR
MAIN FUNCTION IN ANY EVENT, IS
TO PROVIDE SITUATIONAL
AWARENESS OF WHAT ALL CITY
DEPARTMENTS ARE DOING, AND ALL
CITY RESOURCES, WHERE THEY'RE
LOCATED, WHAT THEY'RE ENGAGED
IN, AND THEN THAT CROSS
DEPARTMENTAL COORDINATION, AND
MOVEMENT OF RESOURCES TO HELP
PEOPLE.
SO BEING IN THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT CLOUDED THAT TO SOME
DEGREE, BECAUSE PEOPLE, THEY
THOUGHT, OH, THAT'S PART OF
POLICE, OR THEY'RE DOING POLICE
WORK IN SOME FASHION, WHEN
REALLY, THAT'S NOT, THAT'S
REALLY NOT WHAT WE DO.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S
HELPFUL OR NOT.
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER OTHER
QUESTIONS, OR GIVE IT BACK TO
LAUREL.
I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT
TO NOTE, THAT WE'RE NOT A
POLICE FUNCTION.
>> I UNDERSTAND THAT, AND I
APPRECIATE THE RESPONSE, BUT
IT'S LIKE YOUR TALKING ABOUT
ALL CITY DEPARTMENTS EXCEPT THE
POLICE DEPARTMENT.
I MEAN, WHO EMPTIES THE
DUMPSTERS, IT'S NOT THE
EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT DIRECTLY I
ASSUME.
IT'S NOT THE POLICE.
BUT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT OTHER
DEPARTMENTS.
BUT WHAT'S MISSING IS THE ROLE
OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
THAT'S JUST WHAT I WANTED TO
NOTE.
THANK YOU.
>> ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU.
LAUREL.
>> OKAY.
SO THE OTHER EVENT THAT WE HAD
TO DEAL WITH LAST YEAR WHICH
WE'VE SEEN OVER THE LAST NUMBER
OF YEARS IS THE SMOKE THAT
COMES FROM THE WILDLAND FIRES.
AND UNIQUELY LAST YEAR WITH
COVID-19, IT REALLY CAUSED,
AGAIN, OTHER ISSUES AND DOMINO
IMPACTS, I GUESS.
SO VERY EARLY ON, EVEN BEFORE
SEPTEMBER, PULLED TOGETHER THE
DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE INVOLVED
IN THIS TYPE OF PLANNING, SUCH
AS THE PUBLIC HEALTH
DEPARTMENT, THE HUMAN SERVICES
DEPARTMENT, THE PARKS
DEPARTMENT, THE FIRE, PUBLIC
UTILITIES, ET CETERA, AND WE
REALLY LOOKED AT, WHAT COULD WE
DO WHEN SMOKE IMPACTS THE CITY
OF SEATTLE?
SO IT CLEARLY, THROUGH THE
CONVERSATIONS THAT OUR PLANNER
HAD WITH PUBLIC HEALTH, IT WAS
DETERMINED THROUGH THE
ADVISEMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH,
THAT REALLY COVID HAD FAR MORE
HEALTH RISKS AND IMPACTS THAN
SMOKE.
SO KNOWING THAT WE COULDN'T DO
THE COOLING CENTERS.
KNOWING THAT WE COULDN'T DO THE
CONGREGATE SHELTERING SET UPS,
WE FELT THAT WE WOULD APPROACH
IT AS IF WE NEEDED TO GO DOWN
THAT ROUTE, WE WOULD LOOK TO
PUBLIC HEALTH TO GIVE US
GUIDANCE, AND BE ABLE TO PIVOT
OUR OPERATIONS APPROPRIATELY SO
THAT WE COULD DO ANY SHELTERING
IF NEEDED, BUT THOSE WERE
SENSITIVITIES THAT WE HAD TO
KEEP IN MIND FOR THAT
PARTICULAR PLANNING EFFORT.
>> THEN MOST OF LAST YEAR AS
YOU ALL KNOW REALLY FOCUSED ON
THE COVID RESPONSE.
AND A COUPLE THINGS, LAST, I
BELIEVE,JANUARY,OR FEBRUARY,
WE WERE IN FRONT OF THE COUNCIL
PROVIDING A BRIEFING TO
EVERYONE ABOUT THE INITIAL
PREPAREDNESS STEPS, THAT WE AS
A CITY WERE TAKING.
BACK IN 2008, 2009, THE CITY
HAD PUT TOGETHER WHAT WE TERM A
PANDEMIC INFLUENZA PLAN.
THAT PANDEMIC INFLUENZA PLAN
HAD A NUMBER OF PLANNING
ASSUMPTIONS.
IT WOULD ADDRESS SOME OF THE
HUMAN RESOURCE ISSUES.
HOW WOULD WE DO THE OVERALL
COMMUNICATION?
HOW WOULD WE MAINTAIN OUR
SERVICES IN THE CITY OF
SEATTLE?
I THINK VERY QUICKLY, WHEN WE
SAW THE FIRST CASE COME IN TO
THE UNITED STATES UP IN
SNOHOMISH COUNTY IN LATE
JANUARY, AND WE STARTED TO
STAND UP OUR VISIT INTO THAT
PLAN IN FEBRUARY, WE STARTED TO
BRUSH IT OFF.
WE STARTED TO LOOK AT OUR
CONTINUITY OPERATIONS PLAN, WE
LEARNED THAT PANDEMIC FLU PLAN
HAD A LOT OF PLANNING
ASSUMPTIONS THAT WEREN'T LINING
UP WITH COVID.
SO WE SPENT THE MONTH OF
FEBRUARY SPENDING TWICE A WEEK
PLANNING SESSIONS WITH ALL THE
CITY DEPARTMENTS AND SOME OF
OUR CONNECTING AGENCIES.
TRANSIT WAS ONE OF THOSE.
PUBLIC HEALTH OBVIOUSLY WAS ONE
OF OUR SUBJECT MATTERS.
AND STARTED TO FIGURE OUT AS
THE CASES INCREASE IN THE PUGET
SOUND REGION, AND IN THE CITY
OF SEATTLE, HOW WOULD WE USE
SOME OF THE CORE ELEMENTS OF
THAT PLAN TO BE ABLE TO
RESPOND?
BEFORE WE KNEW IT, THE CASES,
AS WE ALL SAW ON THE NEWS, WE
MADE THE DECISION TO ACTIVATE
THE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER
ON MAY 2nd.
THE SAME THING.
WE WENT THROUGH THE SAME
PROCESS OF WE WERE SOCIAL
DISTANCING.
WE WERE MASKING APPROPRIATELY
IN THE EOC, AND THEN WE HAVE
THE GOVERNOR'S STAY AT HOME
ORDER 18th MARCH 18th, AND WE
ALL WENT VIRTUAL.
I NEVER IMAGINED WE WOULD BE
DOING A VIRTUAL ACTIVATION,
BECAUSE IT'S SO IMPORTANT ON
HAVING FACE-TO-FACE
COMMUNICATION.
THAT'S WHY WE HAVE A SPACE LIKE
AN EOC, SO WE PIVOTED VERY
QUICKLY, AND HAD TO ALSO PIVOT
OUR PROCEDURES IN HOW WE
FUNCTION IN A VIRTUAL
ENVIRONMENT.
THANKFULLY, WE HAVE HISTORY IN
DOING VERY SUCCESSFUL
COORDINATION CALLS LIKE WHEN
THE VIADUCT SHIFTED A NUMBER OF
YEARS AGO, AND WE HAD TO DO
SPONTANEOUS COORDINATION ON
THAT.
WHEN THE VIADUCT WAS TAKEN
DOWN, WE DID COORDINATION
CALLS.
WE HAD A HISTORY OF DOING THAT,
SO WE WERE ABLE TO STEP INTO
DOING A VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT.
I WOULDN'T SAY IT WAS STILL
EASY, BUT WE WERE ABLE TO PUT
THE PROCEDURES AND THE
PROTOCOLS IN PLACE.
ALSO, DURING THE MONTH OF
FEBRUARY WE WERE LOANING A
COUPLE OF OUR STAFF DUTY
OFFICERS TO PUBLIC HEALTH.
THEY WERE GETTING HAMMERED.
WE WERE ALL, I DON'T THINK EVEN
IMAGINED COVID WOULD BE WHAT IT
WAS, AND OUR STAFF DUTY
OFFICERS WERE SERVING IN THE
HEALTH AND AREA MEDICAL
COMMAND, TO HELP THEM IN ANY OF
THEIR PLANNING PROCESSES, AS
WELL AS THAT SITUATIONAL
CONNECTION WITH OUR COLLEAGUES
IN PUBLIC HEALTH.
WHEN WE ACTIVATED THE EMERGENCY
OPERATIONS CENTER FROM THE VERY
GET GO, AS WE WERE PLANNING AND
GETTING IT SET UP BEFORE MARCH
2nd, WE HAD ESTABLISHED FOUR
FUNCTIONS.
AND THOSE FOUR FUNCTIONS
ACTUALLY STAY IN PLACE TODAY.
BUT WE ESTABLISHED A PUBLIC
SAFETY BRANCH.
WE ESTABLISHED A CITY
INFRASTRUCTURE BRANCH.
WE ESTABLISHED A HOMELESSNESS,
AND HUMAN SERVICES BRANCH.
WE ALSO ESTABLISHED A COMMUNITY
NEEDS BRANCH.
THOSE BECAME KIND OF OUR
FUNCTIONAL ARRAY OF HOW WE
ORGANIZED OUR SELF IN OUR
EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER, OR
VIRTUALLY.
THOSE HAVE STUCK WITH US TODAY,
SO MANY OF OUR MEETINGS STILL
FOCUS ON THESE FOUR BUCKETS, AS
THEY'RE KIND OF TERMED AND HOW
WE'RE MANAGING SITUATIONAL
AWARENESS.
YES.
>> I WAS WONDERING IF YOU COULD
INCLUDE IN YOUR COMMENTS A
LITTLE BIT OF AN EXPLANATION OF
WHAT WAS MOST CHALLENGING
ABOUT, YOU KNOW, YOU SPOKE TO
HISTORICALLY, ALTHOUGH
SOMETIMES YOU WILL CONFERENCE
IN INDIVIDUALS OR CALLS.
BUT HISTORICALLY, IT'S BEEN
VERY IMPORTANT FOR FOLKS TO
MEET FACE-TO-FACE.
IF YOU COULD JUST SORT OF
IDENTIFY, WHAT WAS MOST
DIFFICULT ABOUT NOT MEETING
FACE-TO-FACE AND HOW YOU
ADDRESS THAT.
>> YEAH, THANK YOU
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD FOR THAT
QUESTION.
SO WHEN YOU'RE FACE-TO-FACE,
AND YOU DO STAND UP BRIEFINGS,
YOU CAN GET EVERYONE, AND YOU
CAN GO AROUND THE HORN AND ASK
FIRE WHAT'S GOING ON FOR YOUR
PARTICULAR FUNCTION, PUBLIC
HEALTH, ET CETERA, AND YOU CAN
GET THAT INFORMATION VERBALLY
WITH ONE ANOTHER.
BECAUSE WE'RE IN A VIRTUAL
ENVIRONMENT, THERE WERE MORE
PROCESSES THAT WE HAD TO PUT IN
PLACE TO BASICALLY REPLICATE
THAT.
SO WE ENDED UP STARTING TO DO
CONFERENCE CALLS AS PART OF OUR
MIX ON HOW WE WERE PHYSICALLY
IN THE EOC, AND CONFERENCE
CALLS ON THOSE BRIEFINGS AND
THE STAND UP.
TECHNOLOGY WORKS SOMETIMES.
TECHNOLOGY DIDN'T WORK
SOMETIMES.
AND WE REALIZED WE HAD TO HAVE
A VERY CLEAR RHYTHM OF HOW WE
ORCHESTRATED THE FEEDBACK AS WE
KNOW IN THE VIRTUAL
ENVIRONMENT, IT'S SOMETIMES
CHALLENGING.
YOU DON'T SEE FACES.
YOU DON'T HEAR PEOPLE.
PEOPLE CAN HAVE COMMENTS THAT
THEY CAN ADD IN AT DIFFERENT
TIMES AND IN A VIRTUAL
ENVIRONMENT, OR COORDINATION
CALLS, THAT MAKES IT A LITTLE
BIT MORE CHALLENGING.
NOT ONLY WERE PEOPLE PRACTICED
ON HOW TO DO THAT, BUT WE HAD
TO BASICALLY TAKE OUR
PROCEDURES, AND ADJUST THEM FOR
THOSE IDIOSYNCRASIES AS WE DID
THOSE TYPES OF CALLS AND TRIED
TO DO THAT, REPLICAE THAT
WITHOUT BEING PHYSICALLY IN THE
EOC.
A COUPLE OTHER THINGS.
THERE WERE CONFERENCE CALLS, I
GUESS, TO YOUR POINT,
COUNCILMEMBER.
THERE WERE CONFERENCE CALLS
THAT WE HAD WELL OVER 200
PEOPLE ON THOSE CALLS.
AND YOU KNOW, IT MADE
COMMUNICATION A LITTLE BIT MORE
CHALLENGING WHEN YOU'RE NOT
ABLE TO HAVE PEOPLE IN THE SAME
SPACE, SO WE HAD TO MAKE SURE
THAT WE WERE VERY THOUGHTFUL
ABOUT HOW COLLECT THAT
INFORMATION, AND PUSH IT OUT
INTO OUR NORMAL SNAPSHOT
REPORTS, OUR SITUATIONAL
REPORTS, ET CETERA.
HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE
CONVENING THE RIGHT PLANNING
SESSIONS WITH PEOPLE, AND
BRINGING THEM TO THE TABLE, TO
MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PLANNING.
A TERM THAT I USED LAST YEAR,
THAT PROBABLY SOME OF YOU HAVE
PROBABLY USED IS I FELT LIKE WE
WERE BUILDING THE AIRPLANE AS
WE WERE TRYING TO FLY IT.
AND IT WAS VERY CHALLENGING.
THERE WERE LOTS OF POLICY
ISSUES THAT HAD TO BE MADE ON
THE FLY.
THERE WERE A LOT OF ADAPTATIONS
THAT WE HAD TO DO ON THE FLY.
I THINK IT WAS SUCH A NOVEL
SITUATION, THAT EVERYTHING THAT
YOU GROUND ON, WHEN IT COMES TO
POLICIES AND PROCEDURES ALMOST
WENT COMPLETELY OUT THE WINDOW,
AND WE HAD TO START AFRESH ON
EVERYTHING.
THE OTHER THING WITH COVID LAST
YEAR, IS COVID IS A VERY UNIQUE
FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
RESPONSE.
FEMA, AS FAR AS I KNOW, IN MY
HISTORY, AT LEAST 25 YEARS, AND
POSSIBLY FOR ITS ENTIRE
HISTORY, FEMA TYPICALLY DOESN'T
DEAL WITH PUBLIC HEALTH
EMERGENCIES.
SO THIS WAS SUCH AN ANOMALY.
EVERYTHING THAT WE, AS TRIED
AND TRUE OFFICERS ARE USED TO
WORKING WITH FEMA ON FLOODING
HAZARDS, EARTHQUAKES,
HURRICANES, ALL OF THOSE
NATURAL HAZARDS, THIS ONE ALSO
CAUSED UNIQUE CHALLENGES, AS
WELL AS REALLY CAUSED A
SIGNIFICANT BODY OF WORK.
SO WE HAVE A TEAM MEMBER ON
STAFF WHO NORMAL DAY-TO-DAY,
NORMAL WINTER WEATHER EVENTS
HANDLES THE FEMA REIMBURSEMENT
PROCESS, AND THE PUBLIC
ASSISTANCE PROCESS.
VY NEVER SEEN IN MY ENTIRE
CAREER, AGAIN HOW COMPLEX, HIGH
DYNAMIC, AND HOW CHALLENGING
THIS WHOLE FEMA PROCESS HAS
BEEN.
SO EARLY ON, YOU KNOW, WE HAD
TRIED TO MAKE CONNECTIONS WITH
OUR COLLEAGUES.
WE GO THROUGH STATE, WE GO
THROUGH COUNTY, AND WE GO
THROUGH STATE MANAGEMENT, AND
THEY TOO WERE JUST AS
OVERWHELMED.
IT WAS LIKE THIS NEXUS THAT CAN
BE CHALLENGING AND DYNAMIC ALSO
HAPPENED ON THE FEMA
REIMBURSEMENT SIDE.
SO AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, WE
WERE WORKING TO GET ADDITIONAL
STAFF ON HAND.
WE'VE BEEN GETTING SOME STAFF
TO HELP US OUT IN THAT PROCESS.
BEYOND ERIC, BROUGHT MILLIONS
OF DOLLARS INTO THE CITY OVER
THE YEARS.
I THINK ALMOST $41 MILLION THAT
WE'VE BROUGHT INTO THE CITY
OVER THE YEARS FOR PUBLIC
ASSISTANCE, REIMBURSEMENT FROM
FEMA.
THIS IS PRETTY MONUMENTAL, SO
WE'RE LOOKING TO MAKE SURE
WE'VE GOT RESOURCES TO HELP
SUPPORT THAT.
ALSO LAST YEAR, WITH COVID, WE
KNEW THAT WE WERE GOING TO BE
FACING A SHORTAGE WITH HOSPITAL
STATUS.
AND SO WE, EARLY ON WORKED WITH
STATE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, AND
THROUGH FEMA, ESTABLISHED A
FIELD HOSPITAL.
I CAN'T SPEAK LOUDLY ENOUGH OF
ALL THE ASSETS THAT CAME INTO
PLAY FOR THAT THROUGH FEMA, AND
THE NATIONAL GUARD, WHO HELPED
SUPPORT GETTING THAT SET UP.
I'M SO IMPRESSED BY THAT.
THANKFULLY, YOU KNOW, WE DID
NOT NEED TO USE THAT FACILITY,
AND WE STOOD IT UP PROACTIVELY,
AND THANKFULLY DIDN'T NEED TO
ACTUALLY PUT PATIENTS IN BEDS
FOR THAT FIELD HOSPITAL.
THE OTHER THINGS WITH COVID, AS
I MENTIONED EARLIER, WE DID DO
THE PIVOTING OF OUR OPERATIONS.
ALL OF US.
EVERY SINGLE PERSON HAD TO LOOK
AT HOW WE DO THINGS VIRTUALLY
IN A BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT.
ADDITIONALLY, WE DID A LOT OF
COMMUNITY OUTREACH.
AND OUR COMMUNITY OUTREACH TEAM
WHO MANY OF YOU HAVE HEARD US
TALK ABOUT IN THE PAST OF ALL
THE ACTIVITIES THAT THEY DO IN
NORMAL BUSINESS DAYS, AND
NORMAL DISASTERS WERE VERY
INSTRUMENTAL IN OUR ACTIVITIES
LAST YEAR.
SO WE HAVE A TEAM OF WHAT WE
CALL COMMUNITY SAFETY
AMBASSADORS, AND THEY SPEAK
DIFFERENT LANGUAGES.
EARLY LAST YEAR, WE HAD THEM
ACTUALLY TEAM UP WITH THE
OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
AND THE DEPARTMENT OF
NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND NINE OF THOSE CSA'S,
ACTUALLY WENT OUT TO 94
BUSINESSES, ENSURING THEY WERE
PROVIDING FACE COVERINGS TO
SMALL AND MINORITY OWNED
BUSINESSES.
WE LEVERAGED THAT TEAM TO MAKE
SURE WE'RE PROVIDING
INFORMATION OUT THERE.
WE'RE ALSO, FOR YOUR AWARENESS,
DOING AN AFTER ACTION ITEM
AWARE FRONT.
WE WERE SPECIFICALLY FOCUSING
ON OUR COVID AFTER ACTION.
IT'S BEEN A YEAR LONG ACTIVITY.
WE THANKFULLY STARTED EARLY
LAST YEAR DOING SURVEYS ON A
BIWEEKLY BASIS TO GET FEEDBACK,
SO PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, AS
OVERTIME, YOU FORGET THINGS.
WE'RE COLLECTING THOSE.
AND TOWARDS THE END OF THIS
YEAR, WE WILL HAVE A FINAL
REPORT THAT GUIDES US ON WHAT
DID WE LEARN FROM ALL OF OUR
RESPONSE FOR COVID, FROM LAST
YEAR, TO THIS YEAR.
THEN THE LESSONS LEARNED FROM
THAT WILL ALSO INFORM WHAT WE
NEED TO DO TO UPDATE OUR
PANDEMIC PLAN THAT WE'VE GOT IN
PLACE.
ANOTHER THING I'VE VERY HAPPY
ABOUT.
LAST YEAR, AMONGST ALL THE
THINGS THAT WE HAD TO DO, WE
ALSO ARE REQUIRED TO UPDATE OUR
ALL HAZARDS MITIGATION PLAN.
IT'S A FIVE YEAR PLAN THAT GOES
THROUGH STATE, EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT APPROVEMENT, AS WELL
AS FEMA APPROVEMENT.
THIS PARTICULAR PLAN ALLOWS US
AND IMMEDIATES TO BE IN PLACE
TO ALLOW US TO ACCESS
MITIGATION FUNDS.
SO LAST YEAR, WE WERE WORKING
THROUGH THE PROCESS OF UPDATING
THAT PLAN.
WE ALSO ENGAGED THE COMMUNITY
TO GET THEIR FEEDBACK.
WE USED OUR OUTREACH TEAM AND
OUR COMMUNITY SAFETYAMBASSADORS
TO MAKE SURE WE WERE GETTING
FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY.
WHICH IS BASICALLY TRYING TO
LESSON THE IMPACTS OF DISASTERS
ACROSS THE COMMUNITY.
THAT PARTICULAR PLAN WILL COME
TO COUNCIL.
JUST A HEADS UP, IT WILL
PROBABLY COME TO COUNCIL IN
PROBABLY THE MAYISH TIMEFRAME.
SO DO KNOW WE'RE DOING THE
TOUCH UPS ON THAT PARTICULAR
PLAN, AND YOU'LL SEE IT
SHORTLY.
A COUPLE OTHER THINGS LAST YEAR
AND CONTINUE THIS YEAR IS THERE
IS A BUILDING RESILIENT
INFRASTRUCTURE, AND COMMUNITY
GRANT THAT HAS BEEN IN PLACE
THROUGH FEMA.
IT'S BEEN RENAMED.
IT USED TO BE CALLED A PRE-
DISASTER MITIGATION GRANT
PROGRAM.
IT'S NOW CALLED BRICK.
WE WERE ABLE TO SUCCESSFULLY
APPLY FOR THAT.
THIS IS A UNIQUE THING.
WE ACTUALLY APPLIED ON BEHALF
OF A PRIVATE ENTITY.
THIS IS IN THE SPACE, AS I KNOW
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD WILL BE
HAPPY ABOUT.
THERE IS A PARTICULAR BUILDING,
IT'S THE BREMER APARTMENTS.
THROUGH THIS GRANT WE WERE ABLE
TO GET $5 MILLION THAT IS GOING
TO ENABLE THEM TO DO SEISMIC
RETROFIT, AS WELL AS THE
ABILITY TO RELOCATE THOSE
OCCUPANTS DURING THAT TIME, SO
THEY CAN DO THE PROMOTE SEISMIC
RETROFIT WORK.
THIS IS FOR THE OFFICE OF
HOUSING.
WE'RE TICKLED THAT WE GOT THIS
GRANT.
I THINK IT GIVES US INSIDE INTO
WHAT HOPEFULLY THE FUTURE WILL
LOOK LIKE FOR US IN TAPPING
THESE TYPES OF GRANTS IN THE
FUTURE..
ADDITIONALLY, WEES ALSO GOT A
GRANT TO DO S DOT WORK.
THERE IS A BRIDGE.
IT'S IT'S EIGHTH AVENUE
NORTHWEST BRIDGE THAT NEEDS TO
BE SEISMICALLY STRUCTURED AND
SEISMICALLY RETROFITTED.
THANKS TO ERICA, FOR YEARS WE
HAVE SUCCESSFULLY GOTTEN HAZARD
MITIGATION GRANTS OVER THE
YEARS.
I THINK WE'VE GOTTEN OVER $16
MILLION THROUGH THE YEARS.
SO WE'VE GOT GOOD RECORD ON
THIS, AND WE'RE CONTINUING TO
GET THESE FUNDS.
>> GIVEN THAT THIS GRANT, AS IT
RELATES SPECIFICALLY TO THE
BREMER APARTMENTS IS SORT OF AN
INAUGURAL APPROACH TO
PARTNERING WITH A NON-PROFIT
HOUSING PROVIDER, IS THIS
SOMETHING THAT WE CAN EXPECT TO
SEE REPLICATED IN FUTURE GRANT
CYCLES?
AND I JUST WANT TO NOTE THAT
YOU KNOW, THE SURVEYS THAT THE
CITY HAS DONE, AND THE
ENGAGEMENT THAT THE CITY HAS
DONE WITH THE DEVELOPMENT
COMMUNITY HAS REALLY FOCUSED ON
PRIORITIZING CERTAIN TYPES OF
UNREINFORCED MASONRY BUILDINGS,
AND HAS RECOMMENDED A MANDATORY
SEISMIC UPGRADE APPROACH THAT
AGAIN, FOCUSES ON PARTICULAR
CHARACTERISTICS OF UNREINFORCED
MASONRY BUILDINGS, AND I'M VERY
SUPPORTIVE OF WHAT YOU'VE DONE
WITH THE BREMER.
BUT I DO WANT TO NOTE, SOME OF
THE HIGHEST PRIORITY
INVESTMENTS FOR URM AND UNDER
THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT HAVE
BEEN MADE IN THE PAST, FOR HOW
WE SHOULD IMPLEMENT A MANDATORY
SEISMIC UPGRADE PROGRAM IS TO
REALLY FOCUS ON BUILDINGS THAT
ARE PLACES OF PUBLIC
GATHERINGS.
AND I JUST, YOU KNOW, AGAIN,
THIS IS NOT, AND I'M NOT
THROWING SHADE AT THE WORK THAT
YOU'VE DONE WITH THE BREMER,
FANTASTIC WORK, BUT I DO WANT
TO NOTE THAT WE STILL DON'T
HAVE THIS MANDATORY URM PROGRAM
IN PLACE, MEANS THAT WE REALLY
LOST AN OPPORTUNITY, I THINK TO
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE FACT THAT
A LOT OF THESE SEISMICALLY
VULNERABLE BUILDINGS THAT WERE
PLACES OF GATHERING WERE EMPTY
THIS YEAR.
HAD WE HAD A PROGRAM IN PLACE
FOCUSED ON THOSEBUILDINGS, I
THINK THERE'S A LOT OF WORK
UPGRADING THOSE BUILDINGS THAT
COULD HAVE BEEN DONE IN THE
PAST YEAR.
GIVEN THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE A
PROGRAM IN PLACE, AGAIN, I'M
REALLY GRATEFUL FOR OEM IN
BEING CREATIVE, AND WORKING
WITH THE COMMUNITY TO APPLY FOR
THIS GRANT, AND INTEREST IN
KNOWING HOW YOU PLAN TO
REPLICATE THAT APPROACH WITH
OTHER NONPROFITS, AND COMMUNITY
PARTNERS WHO OWN URM
PROPERTIES, MOVING FORWARD.
ONE, REPLICATING THE EFFORT ON
THESE FEMA GRANTS.
BUT ALSO, WHAT YOU BELIEVE ARE
THE NEXT STEPS FOR WORKING TO
DEVELOP A MANDATORY URM PROGRAM
FOR THE CITY.
>> I'LL JUST SPEAK ON AT LEAST
THE BRICK PIECE.
I CAN'T GUARANTEE,
COUNCILMEMBER, THAT THIS IS
GOING TO BE A CONTINUED
PRACTICE, BUT I THINK WE'VE
MADE HEADWAY.
AND SO THE SUCCESS OF US
GETTING GRANTED FOR THE BREMER
APARTMENT, THE ABILITY FOR US
TO DO COSTING RELOCATION I
THINK IS A VERY POSITIVE THING.
I CAN'T SAY, YOU KNOW, 100%,
THAT THAT WILL CONTINUE IN THE
FUTURE, BUT I THINK EVERYBODY'S
GOING TO BE WATCHING HOW THIS
GOES, AND SEEING HOW IT
POSSIBLY COULD BE REPLICATED IN
THE FUTURE.
I THINK YOUR QUESTIONS ON NEXT
STEPS, I KNOW YOU'VE HAD
CONVERSATIONS WITH CURRY, OUR
DIRECTOR ON THIS.
AND I THINK SHE'S GOT SOME
INSIGHTS ON HOW SHE SEES FOR
NEXT STEPS AND LOOKING FORWARD
TO A CONVERSATION WITH YOU, ON
WHAT THOSE NEXT STEPS ARE GOING
TO LOOK LIKE.
>> THANK YOU.
>> ALL RIGHT, I'M GOING TO MOVE
THROUGH THE NEXT ITEMS HERE
FAIRLY QUICKLY, BECAUSE I THINK
WE'RE PROBABLY GETTING PUSHED
TO TIME HERE.
SO JUST FYI, A LOT OF WHAT WE
DO AS I MENTIONED, DAY-TO-DAY,
IS IN THE SPACE OF OUTREACH.
SO WE WILL ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN
WEEKLY MEETINGS LAST YEAR.
AND AS I MENTIONED, WE WERE
ACTIVELILY INVOLVED WITH OUR
PARTNERS AT DOM.
WE'VE DONE A LOT OF TRANSLATION
OF OUR MATERIALS INTO OTHER
LANGUAGES.
SO I ENCOURAGE YOU, WE DO HAVE,
IF YOU SEARCH ON YOUTUBE,
SEATTLE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT,
YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A NUMBER OF
YOUTUBES THAT HAVE BEEN
TRANSLATED INTO OTHER
LANGUAGES.
WE CONTINUE TO BUILD ON HAVING
A BETTER LIBRARY.
ALL OF THOSE DIFFERENT LANGUAGE
MEMES.
YOU YOU'LL SEE A SPOT ON THERE,
WHERE YOU GET TO BE INTRODUCED
TO A COUPLE OF OUR CM A'S.
THEY'RE JUST FABULOUS, AND THEY
MAKE A CONNECTION TO OUR
COMMUNITY, AND ACTUALLY
SPEAKING IN THOSE NATIVE
LANGUAGES, THAT OF COURSE, I
CAN'T SPEAK, NOR AM I PART OF
THOSE COMMUNITIES, SO WE REALLY
VALUE ALL OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS.
ALSO, WE CONTINUE TO ASK FOR
PEOPLE TO SIGN UP FOR ALERT
SEATTLE, SO WE'RE CURRENTLY AT
58,435 SIGN UPS.
SO LAST YEAR, WE MADE A
MILESTONE, WHERE WE INCREASE BY
14,000.
SO IT'S GREAT THAT WE CONTINUE
TO INCREASE PEOPLE ACCESSING
THAT SYSTEM.
THE OTHER THING THAT WE HAVE IN
THE OFFICE OF EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT, IS WE TAP INTO
VOLUNTEERS, IN THAT THERE'S SO
MANY PEOPLE THAT WANT TO DO
GOOD THINGS FOR THEIR
COMMUNITIES, AND WE'RE SO
APPRECIATIVE OF THOSE
INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE WILLING TO
VOLUNTEER WITH US.
LAST YEAR, DURING A COVID YEAR,
WE STILL HAD LOTS OF PEOPLE
THAT WERE WILLING TO GIVE THEIR
TIME TO HELP IN THE OFFICE OF
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.
WE'RE ALSO DOING A LOT OF WORK
IN THE SPACE OF WORKING WITH
YOUTH.
SO WE'VE GOT A PRETTY GREAT
YOUTH PROGRAM THAT WE'RE
STARTING TO DEVELOP.
THERE WERE FOUR TO FIVE SCHOOLS
THAT WE'RE CONTINUING TO EXPAND
THAT PROGRAM.
THESE INDIVIDUALS ALSO ARE
HELPING US TO PROMOTE ALERT
SEATTLE, AND GET THE
INFORMATION OUT TO THE
COMMUNITY ON HOW THEY CAN SIGN
UP FOR ALERT SEATTLE.
I'D MENTIONED THIS GROUP
PREVIOUSLY.
OUR AUXILIARY SURFACES TEAM.
SAME THING.
THERE'S 145ISH, OR SO OF THEM,
THAT CONTINUE TO HELP US
THROUGH THE YEAR.
THEY DO ALSO PIVOTED THEIR
OPERATIONS TO BE ABLE TO
PROVIDE SUPPORT LAST YEAR
DURING COVID.
THEY CONTINUE TO DO SO THIS
YEAR.
WHEN THE BIG EARTHQUAKE DOES
HAPPEN, THEY REALLY ARE GOING
TO BE OUR EARS FOR US, BUT WE
MAY NOT HAVE NORMAL RADIO
SYSTEMS, NORMAL COMMUNICATION
TELEPHONE SYSTEMMENT WE REALLY
ARE GOING TO BE RELIANT TO MAKE
THOSE COMMUNICATION LINKAGES
FOR US.
LASTLY, I'LL JUST SHARE A
COUPLE MORE SLIDES HERE.
THE STOP THE BLEED PROGRAM.
SO TICKLED ABOUT STOP THE BLEED
PROGRAM.
THROUGH THE YEARS, WE'VE BEEN
ABLE TO GET GRANT FUNDING THAT
HAS ALLOWED US TO INSTALL STOP
THE BLEED KITS AT DIFFERENT
LOCATIONS.
SO WE HAVE SPENT ALMOST $21,000
FROM A GRANT TO BE ABLE TO
PROVIDE LICK ACCESS STOP THE
BLEED KITS.
WE'RE LOOKING TO EXPAND THAT
WITH ADDITIONAL GRANT FUNDS
WE HAVE KITS AT THE COMMUNITY
CENTERS.
WE ALSO HAVE KIT AS THE SEATTLE
CENTER.
WE'RE HOPING TO EXPAND THOSE
OUT TO THE PUBLIC LIBRARY
SYSTEM, AS WELL AS WORK WITH
THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM AND
COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE 14 VOLUNTEERS
THAT HELP US TO DO THIS
TRAINING.
THEY ARE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE
EITHER EMT'S, OR THEY'RE
NURSES, BUT WE PARTNER WITH THE
HARBORVIEW MEDICAL CENTER WITH
THEIR PHYSICIANS AND VOLUNTEERS
WHO ACTUALLY DELIVER AND MAKE
SURE THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO
KEEP THE PUBLIC ON HOW THEY CAN
DO AFFECTIVE STOP EFFECTIVE
STOP THE BLEED.
WE NOW HAVE 17 HERE IN 2021.
THEY SPEAK 13 DIFFERENT
LANGUAGES.
WE USE THEM, AND WILL CONTINUE
TO USE THEM, NOT ONLY TO
PROVIDE THE PREPAREDNESS
MESSAGE, BUT WE'RE ALSO USING
THEM TO HELP US COMMUNICATE OUT
TO THE PUBLIC ON HOW WE RESPOND
AS A COMMUNITY, AND HOW WE
RESPOND AS A GOVERNMENT.
WE'VE GOT A PLETHORA OF PLANS
THAT YOU'VE HEARD BARB TALK
ABOUT IN THE PAST.
WE NEED TO GET ACCOUNT
COMMUNITY INPUT INTO THAT, AND
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE
COMMUNITY CAN SUPPORT US, WHEN
WE DO FACE THE LARGE
EMERGENCIES THAT WE NEED TO
RESPOND TO.
THEN WE ALSO ARE, BESIDES THE
COMMUNITY AMBASSADOR, THE CITY
IS CREATING ENTITIES WITH THE
CBO'S OUT THERE.
WE'RE ENSURING THAT WE'VE GOT
OUTREACH TO THE REFUGEE
POPULATION.
WE'VE GIVEN THEM $5,000 LAST
YEAR TO HELP DO THAT
PREPAREDNESS EDUCATION.
WE ALSO HAVE THE VILLA
COMUNITARIA, THAT WE'VE ALSO
GIVEN $5,000 TO, THAT REACHES
OUT TO THE LATINX COMMUNITY.
WE'RE HOPING TO EXPAND INTO THE
PACIFIC ISLANDER POPULATION AS
WELL FOR THIS YEAR.
I THINK THAT THAT'S IT.
I THINK THAT'S IT FOR THE
OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.
I APPRECIATE THE TIME TO BE
ABLE TO DO THE BRIEF TO ALL OF
YOU.
THERE'S LOTS GOING ON, AND I
APPRECIATE AGAIN, ALL THE
SUPPORT THAT THE COUNCIL HAS
DONE FOR THE OFFICE OF
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, LAUREL.
I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU BEING
WITH US HERE TODAY.
I APPRECIATE THE CHALLENGES OF
THE PREVIOUS YEAR THAT YOU
FACED, AND THE FACT THAT, YOU
KNOW, YOU AND YOUR STAFF WERE
ON THE GROUND IN THE FACE OF
MANY OF THESE CHALLENGES AND
THE DIFFICULTIES I KNOW THAT
PRESENTED, AGAIN, TO YOU AND
YOUR STAFF.
I APPRECIATE HAVING THE
OPPORTUNITY TO LIFT UP YOUR
IMPORTANT WORK HERE, WITH US
TODAY.
AND BELIEVE WE WILL SEE YOU
AGAIN FOR A DISCUSSION OF THE
ALL HAZARD MANAGEMENT PLAN.
I THINK THAT'S COMING UP NEXT.
SO THANKS AGAIN.
>> THANK YOU.
>> BYE NOW.
ALL RIGHT, ALEX, CAN YOU READ
INTO THE AGENDA, THE NEXT ITEM
PLEASE?
>> AGENDA ITEM2, AND ORDINANCE
AMENDMENTING 12637, WHICH
ADOPTED THE 2020 BUDGET,
CHANGING APPROPRIATIONS TO
VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS AND BUDGET
CONTROL LEVELS AND FROM VARIOUS
FUNDS IN THE BUDGET AND ADDING
OR MODIFYING.
>> YES.
SO I'M GOING TO QUICKLY HAND
THIS OVER TO GREG TO GIVE US
SORT OF AN UPDATE ON WHAT IS IN
THE PROPOSED SUBSTITUTE BILL.
BUT I WANT TO JUST MAKE SOME
QUICK INTRODUCTIONRY REMARKS
MYSELF FIRST.
THIS IS THE THIRD MEETING THAT
THE PUBLIC SAFETY AND HUMAN
SERVICES COMMITTEE HAS HAD ON
THIS PARTICULAR BILL.
WE DID HAVE TWO PREVIOUS
MEETINGS SCHEDULED PRIOR TO THE
THREE MEETINGS THAT WE HAVE
HAD.
IT WAS ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED FOR
THE MEETING OF THE 26th.
IT WAS NOT HEARD DUE TO TIME
CONSTRAINTS.
WE SCHEDULED IT FOR
PRESENTATION ON FEBRUARY 9. ,
BUT WE HELD THE DISCUSSION OF
THE BILL, WE HELD EVEN
DISCUSSION OF THE BILL BASED ON
THE REQUEST OF THE CITY
ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, AFTER
COMMENTS IN EARLY FEBRUARY FROM
JUDGE ROBARD.
SO NO DISCUSSION ON THE 26th.
THOUGH SCHEDULED ON FEBRUARY
9th.
WE DID BEGIN DISCUSSION ON
FEBRUARY 23rd.
ON FEBRUARY 23rd, WE HAD A HIGH
LEVEL OVERVIEW OF THE BILL
ITSELF AND WHAT HAD BROUGHT US
TO PROPOSING THE BILL.
AND I AT THAT POINT INDICATED
SOME OF MY INTERESTS IN MAKING
AMENDMENTS TO THE BILL
CONSISTENT WITH THINGS THAT I
HAD SAID AT THE TIME OF
PROPOSING THE BILL, WHICH WAS
ALTHOUGH I DID SEE THIS AS A
WAY TO HOLD SPD ACCOUNTABLE FOR
ITS OVERTIME SPENDING, THAT I
WAS NOT GOING TO BE RIDGED, AND
WHEN IT CAME TIME TO HEAR THE
BILL ITSELF, THAT I WOULD
CONSIDER NEEDS FOR SPD
SPENDING.
IN THE SECOND MEETING THAT WE
HAD, I INVITED SPD TO PRESENT
ON ITS RECOMMENDATIONS.
THESE ARE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT
IT HAD MADE IN PREPARATION FOR
THE JANUARY 26th MEETING.
SO THESE RECOMMENDATIONS HAD
BEEN PUBLICLY AVAILABLE SINCE
JANUARY 26th.
AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT DID
COME AND PRESENT ON MARCH 9th
TO DO THE OVERVIEW ON THEIR
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUNDING,
ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR 2021
SPENDING.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE, THAT
THE BILL BEFORE US NOW IS NOT
ABOUT FUNDING FOR POLICE
OFFICER STAFFING.
AND THAT IS BECAUSE THE 2021
SPD STAFFING AND HIRING PLAN
IS, AND ALWAYS HAS BEEN FULLY
FUNDED SINCE NOVEMBER.
AGAIN, THE 2021 HIRING PLAN, SO
THESE ARE THE FUNDS THAT ARE
AVAILABLE TO SPD TO HIRE NEW
OFFICERS FOR 2021 HAS BEEN
FULLY FUNDED, SINCE NOVEMBER,
BASED ON THE ASSUMPTIONS ON THE
MAXIMUM NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT
SPD CAN HIRE.
WE DID NOT VOTE FOR A 2021
HIRING FREEZE AS WAS DISCUSSED
AT THE END OF 2020 DURING THE
BUDGET PROCESS, AND I THINK
FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF SOME, I
CAN SAY, FOR MYSELF, I DO NOT
SUPPORT A HIRING FREEZE,
BECAUSE I WAS CLEAR, AS WELL AS
THROUGHOUT THE 2021 DISCUSSION
THAT I WAS COMFORTABLE WITH
MAKING REDUCTIONS IN SPD'S
BUDGET THAT WOULD REALIZE NO
MORE THAN 100 REDUCTIONS IN
POLICE OFFICERS.
NOW NONE OF OUR BUDGET CUTS
ACTUALLY RESULTED IN LAYOFFS OF
POLICE OFFICERS.
BUT NEVERTHELESS 186 OFFICERS
LEFT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IN
2020.
THE COUNCIL WE HEARD TODAY IN
PUBLIC COMMENT THE CALL FOR
FOLKS ON THE COUNCIL TO
REALLOCATE FUNDS FROM SPD TO
SCALE UP ALTERNATIVES.
THE COUNCIL HAS DONE THAT.
I BELIEVE WE WILL CONTINUE TO
DO THAT.
WE DID SO IN THE 2021 BUDGET.
AND THE SUBSTITUTE BILL THAT
WE'RE ABOUT TO DISCUSS
CONTINUES THAT COMMITMENT OF
REDUCING THE SPD BUDGET AND
USING THOSE FUNDS TO FUND
COMMUNITY ALTERNATIVES.
LAST WEEK, THE COUNCIL APPROVED
$10.4 MILLION FOR COMMUNITY
ALTERNATIVES.
THE HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT
LAST YEAR MOVED QUICKLY TO
AWARD $4 MILLION IN FUNDS TO
THE COMMUNITY SAFETY
INITIATIVE.
AGAIN THESE ARE FUNDS THAT WERE
PROVIDED BY THE COUNCIL TO
SUPPORT COMMUNITY INVESTMENT,
SO THAT WE CAN MOVE AWAY ON
RELIANCE ON POLICING.
FINALLY, OF COURSE, THE COUNCIL
ALSO IN LAST YEAR'S BUDGET
ALLOCATED $30 MILLION FOR
PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING TO BE
SPENT IN 2021.
THE WORK IN THE INNER
DEPARTMENTAL TAS, FORCE WITH
THE MAYOR'S DEPARTMENT OF THE
TASK FORCE PROMPTED BY THE
MAYOR'S EXECUTIVE ORDER ON
REIMAGINING POLICING AND
COMMUNITY SAFETY.
SO THAT WORK CONTINUES AS WELL,
AND I'VE BEEN WORKING TO TRY TO
GET SOME UPDATES FROM THE
EXECUTIVE IN THIS COMMITTEE TO
HEAR MORE ABOUT THAT WORK.
AS I'VE MENTIONED ON NUMEROUS
OCCASIONS, EVERYTHING THAT WE
DO AS IT RELATES TO PUBLIC
SAFETY HAS TO BE PUT WITHIN THE
CONTEXT OF A CONSENT DECREE
WITH THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF
JUSTICE.
JUDGE ROBARD HAS STATED CONCERN
ABOUT SIGNIFICANT CUTS TO THE
POLICE DEPARTMENT BUDGET, AND
EMPHASIZED THE IMPORTANCE OF
SCALING UP POLICING
ALTERNATIVES.
THE FEDERAL MONITOR, WHO WAS
APPOINTED BY THE JUDGE HAS
EXPRESSED INTEREST IN THIS
ORDINANCE.
AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, WE
DELAYED A DISCUSSION ON THIS
ORDINANCE IN FEBRUARY BECAUSE
OF CONCERNS THAT WE HAD HEARD
FROM THE JUDGE.
WE TOOK SOME TIME.
THE COUNCIL AND EXECUTIVE
WORKED WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S
OFFICE TO SEND A MEMO TO THE
MONITOR THAT EXPLAINS THE CUTS
THAT WERE MADE IN THE 2021
BUDGET, AND THE NATURE OF THE
BILL BEFORE US SO WE KIND OF
HIT PAUSE IN ORDER TO HAVE THAT
TIME TO EXPLAIN TO THE MONITOR
THE IMPACTS OF THE REDUCTIONS
THAT THE COUNCIL HAD MADE IN
THE PAST.
AND THE MONITOR CONTINUES TO
EXPRESS INTEREST IN THIS
ORDINANCE.
YESTERDAY THE POLICE DEPARTMENT
RECEIVED A LETTER FROM THE
MONITOR THAT COUNCIL WAS COPIED
ON, AND I'M GOING TO QUOTE FROM
THIS LETTER AGAIN, LIKE I DID
YESTERDAY MORNING.
IT SAYS THE MONITORING TEAM
ASKS THAT THESE QUESTIONS BE
ANSWERED AS EXPEDITIOUSLY AS
POSSIBLE, AND PRIOR TO FURTHER
ACTIONS BY THE CITY ON THE
BUDGET OF THE SEATTLE POLICE
DEPARTMENT.
UPON RECEIPT OF THE ANALYSIS,
THE MONITORING TEAM WILL CONFER
WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
AND ADVISE THE COURT.
I WANT TO AGAIN RECOGNIZE THAT
THESE ARE QUESTIONS THAT THE
MONITORING TEAM IS ASKING OF
THE SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
AND YOU KNOW, JUST SO THE
INTENT IS THAT THE SEATTLE
POLICE DEPARTMENT ANSWER THE
QUESTIONS THAT THE MONITORING
TEAM IS ASKING, AND THEN THE
MONITORING TEAM CONSIDER THE
ANSWERS TO THESE QUESTIONS
BEFORE THE COUNCIL, AND WE
WOULD LIKELY HEAR FROM THE
MONITORING TEAM AND THE JUDGE,
BASED ON THEIR CONSIDERATION OF
THE POLICE DEPARTMENT'S ANSWERS
TO THE QUESTIONS.
AND WE'D LIKELY HEAR FROM THEM
BEFORE THE COUNCIL TAKES FINAL
ACTION.
SO IF THERE WERE TO BE ANY
COMMITTEE ACTION TODAY, IT'S
LIKELY THAT, WELL IT'S NOT
LIKELY, WE WOULD HAVE TO DELAY
FULL COUNCIL ACTION UNTIL THE
MONITOR AND THE DEPARTMENT OF
JUSTICE HAVE RECEIVED THE
RESPONSES TO THE QUESTIONS FROM
THE SPD AND ADVISE THE COURT.
SO AGAIN, THIS IS SOMEWHAT
SIMILAR TO THE COUNCIL'S
CONSIDERATION OF LEGISLATION.
AND TO BE CLEAR IT CAN END UP
BEING A ELIMINATION ON THE
COUNCIL'S AUTHORITY AS LISTED
IN THE CHARTER.
IT'S TRUE THAT THE LEGISLATION
ORIGINATED WITH THE COUNCIL
STATEMENT IN RESOLUTION 31926,
WHICH STATED THAT THE COUNCIL
WILL NOT SUPPORT ANY BUDGET
AMENDMENTS TO INCREASE THE
SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT'S
BUDGET ABOVE THE FUNDS BUDGETED
IN 2020 OR 2021, THE ADDITIONAL
$5.4 MILLION DID NOT ALIGN WITH
THIS RESOLUTION.
WE RECOGNIZE THAT.
AND BECAUSE IT DID NOT ALIGN
WITH THIS RESOLUTION, WE
PROPOSE THIS BUDGET BILL THAT'S
BEFORE US NOW TO REDUCE THE
POLICE DEPARTMENT'S BUDGET BY
$5.4 MILLION.
AGAIN, AS PROPOSED, THE
REDUCTION WOULD COME FROM FUNDS
APPROVED FOR SALARIES THAT ARE
NOT EXPECTED TO BE SPENT.
SO AGAIN, THE ORIGINS OF THE
REDUCTION ARE FROM SALARY
SAVINGS BECAUSE OF OFFICERS WHO
HAVE LEFT THE DEPARTMENT.
SO WE HAD BUDGETED FOR THOSE
OFFICERS TO BE IN THE
DEPARTMENT, THEY'VE LEFT THE
DEPARTMENT, AND THERE ARE MORE
OFFICERS WHO HAVE LEFT THE
DEPARTMENT THAN THE DEPARTMENT
CAN HIRE FROM.
THE COUNCIL PREVIOUSLY PLACED A
PROVISO ON FUNDS FROM 2020.
THAT WERE NOT INCLUDED IN THE
MAYOR'S 2020 BUDGET, SO THE
MAYOR DID NOT PROPOSE THESE
ITEMS IN HER BUDGET.
IN ADDITION, JUDGE ROBART HAS
MADE HIS COMMENTS AT THE STATUS
CONFERENCE.
I WANT TO NOTE, SINCE IT'S AN
ISSUE OF CONCERN, THAT COUNCIL
HAS AUTHORIZED FUNDING SEVERAL
TIMES FOR PUBLIC SAFETY IN THE
CHINATOWN INTERNATIONAL
DISTRICT AFTER THE 2016
CHINATOWN INTERNATIONAL
DISTRICT PUBLIC SAFETY REPORT
THAT I UNDERSTAND THAT THE
CHIEF OF POLICE IS WORKING TO
FUND SOME OF THOSE POSITIONS,
OR AT LEAST ONE OF THOSE
POSITIONS THAT HAVE BEEN
AUTHORIZED INDEPENDENT OF OUR
ACTION TODAY, I KNOW THAT
COMMUNITY MEMBERS HAVE INTEREST
IN SEEING THAT THAT POSITION
GETS FUNDED.
I THINK THERE ARE STILL SOME
QUESTIONS ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT
THAT POSITION IS FUNDED THROUGH
SPD OR ANOTHER DEPARTMENT, BUT
I UNDERSTAND THAT THOSE
CONVERSATIONS AREONGOING.
HIGH LEVEL BEFORE I HAND IT
OVER TO GREG, DEPENDING ON
WHERE YOU SIT, THIS BILL HAS
SOMETHING THAT EVERYBODY HAS
BEEN ASKING FOR.
IT INCLUDES A CUT TO SPD TO
HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE FOR
OVERTIME SPENDING.
IT INCLUDES A CUT OF $3
MILLION, APPROXIMATELY, AND
SENDS TWO OF THESE
APPROXIMATELY $3 MILLION TO BE
SPENT ON PARTICIPATORY
BUDGETING.
IT ALSO, WHERE THE PLACE WHERE
YOU SIT IS TO RECOGNIZE THAT IN
LIGHT OF REDUCTIONS IN POLICE
DEPARTMENT STAFFING OF
OFFICERS, THAT THERE ARE THINGS
THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT CAN
DO TO MITIGATE THE IMPACTS OF
THE LOSS OF OFFICERS.
AND IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN
FUNDING SOME OF THE CIVILIAN
COMMUNITY POSITIONS THAT WERE
FROZEN IN THE MAYOR'S PROPOSED
2021 BUDGET THAT THE COUNCIL
APPROVED, THERE ARE ABOUT $4
MILLION WORTH OF CIVILIAN
POSITIONS FROZEN.
THAT THIS BILL HAS SOMETHING IN
IT FOR YOU AS WELL.
OTHER ITEMS THAT I HAVE
IDENTIFIED AS PRIORITIES,
BECAUSE I'VE HEARD FROM THE
CITY AUDITOR.
I'VE HEARD FROM MEMBERS OF THE
PRESS ABOUT CONCERNS OF PUBLIC
DISCLOSURE.
I HAVE INVESTMENTS IN THIS BILL
RELATE TODAY THAT.
AND THEN ALSO INVESTMENTS IN
THE BILL RELATED TO
RECOMMENDATION COMING OUT OF
THE OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR
GENERAL.
WITH THAT, LET'S HAND IT OVER
TO GREG DOSS TO RUN US THROUGH
THE MORE DETAILED OVERVIEW THAT
I KNOW HE'S PREPARED FOR US.
>> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
GOOD MORNING MEMBERS OF THE
PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE.
VERY THOROUGH INTRODUCTION BY
THE CHAIR.
AND THAT LEAVES ME WITH NOT AS
MUCH TO DO.
WHAT I'M GOING TO DO TODAY IS
TO WALK YOU THROUGH THE
PROPOSED AMENDMENT.
AMENDMENT NUMBER 1. IT IS A
VERY COMPLICATED AMENDMENT.
SO I HAVE A POWER POINT
PRESENTATION THAT I WOULD
SHARE.
AND WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF FOLKS
CAN CONFIRM THAT THEY CAN SEE
IT?
>> WE CAN SEE IT.
>> EXCELLENT.
SO I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND
WALK YOU THROUGH THE AMENDMENT.
I'M GOING TO START WITH A TABLE
THAT HAS ALL THE ELEMENTS OF
THE SPENDING THAT ARE REQUESTED
IN THE AMENDMENT.
AND JUST TO ORIENT YOU TO THIS
TABLE, WHAT YOU'RE SEEING HERE
IS AT THE VERY TOP LINE,
PROJECTED SALARY SAVINGS, AS WE
HAVE TALKED ABOUT IN THE PAST,
COUNCIL CENTRAL STAFF ANALYSIS
FOUND THAT THE UNPLANNED
SEPARATIONS IN 2020 COULD
RESULT IN AS MUCH AS $7.7
MILLION IN SALARY SAVINGS IN
2021.
AGAIN, THOSE ARE FOR OFFICERS
THAT HAVE ALREADY LEFT THE
DEPARTMENT AND THE TOTAL OF
THEIR SALARIES FUNDED IN THE
ADOPTED BUDGET, BUT THAT WILL
NOT BE NEEDED WILL BE $7.7
MILLION AS ESTIMATED.
THEN, THE BILL PROCEEDS TO
DIRECT SPENDING FOR THE $7.7
MILLION.
IT DOES SO IN TWO WAYS.
THE FIRST WAY IS TO REDIRECT
$4.85 MILLION OF THAT SALARY
SAVINGS FOR SPD'S USE.
WHEN I SAY REDIRECT, WHAT I
MEAN IS THERE IS LEGISLATIVE
INTENT THAT IS SPELLED OUT IN
THE LEGISLATION ALTHOUGH IT IS
NOT, THERE IS NO PROVISO THAT
SAYS THE DEPARTMENT HAS TO DO
THESE THINGS.
RATHER IT LEAVES FLEXIBILITY TO
THE DEPARTMENT TO DO WHATEVER
IT'S TOP PRIORITIES ARE.
JUST RECOGNIZING THAT THE FIRST
FOUR LINES ON THIS SPREADSHEET
ARE THE DEPARTMENT'S TOP
PRIORITIES AS THEY HAVE
ARTICULATED THEM IN A MEMO BOTH
TO THE MONITOR AND TO THE
COUNCIL IN JANUARY.
SO AS YOU CAN SEE, THE FIRST
FOUR ITEMS, THE SPD REDIRECTED
4.85.
THEN THE SECOND FOUR ITEMS,
THAT IS COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD
TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THOSE
INVESTMENTS.
I'M GOING TO GO INTO THEM IN
MORE DETAIL.
THAT MONEY IS MOVED INTO OTHER
DEPARTMENTS FOR THE FUNCTIONS
THAT SHE SPOKE ABOUT.
GO AHEAD AND JUMP INTO IT.
I'M SORRY, SPD HAS EXPRESSED
INTEREST IN A USING SALARIES TO
MITIGATE THE LOSS OF OFFICERS
TO RESPOND FOR MORE
TRANSPARENCY, AND
ACCOUNTABILITY, AND TO ALLOW
THE AGENCY TO CONTINUE ITS
COMPLIANCE WITH THE CONSENT
DECREE.
SOME OF THEIR REQUESTED
EXPENDITURES INCLUDE THE $1.8
MILLION FOR SEPARATION PAY.
THAT IS FOR 2021, THE TOP LINE.
THE SECOND LINE, $2.18 MILLION
FOR TECHNOLOGY INVESTMENTS.
AND THERE'S THREE THINGS THERE.
THE FIRST IS MAINTENANCE, AND
EXPANSION OF THE DATA ANALYTICS
PLATFORM.
THE SECOND IS PURCHASE OF THE
CAPACITY THAT WILL ALLOW SPD TO
EVALUATE DEMAND FOR 911
RESPONSE AND TO CALCULATE
STAFFING REQUIREMENTS FOR
ALTERNATIVE 911 RESPONSE
SCENARIOS.
LASTLY, THERE IS FUNDING TO
PURCHASE AN EARLY INTERVENTION
SYSTEM, THAT WOULD GUIDE
INTERVENTION FOR EMPLOYEES THAT
ARE EXHIBITING SIGNS THAT THEY
NEED SUPPORT.
SPD HAS SAID THE TECHNOLOGY
INVESTMENTS WOULD SUPPORT ITS
ABILITY TO COMPLY WITH THE
CONSENT DECREE.
SPD HAS ALSO ASKED FOR SOME
CIVILIAN FUNDING.
THEY ASKED FOR A TOTAL OF $1.4
MILLION.
AS YOU CAN SEE HERE IN THE
TABLE, THE CIVILIAN FUNDING
LINE, LINE NUMBER 3, PROVIDES
$795,000.
THAT'S ABOUT HALF A YEAR'S
WORTH OF FUNDING FOR CIVILIAN
POSITIONS.
RECOGNIZING THAT IT TAKES SOME
TIME TO GET THEM ONBOARD
THROUGH RECRUITMENT AND
BACKING.
HALF A YEAR FUNDING THERE.
FOUR COMMUNITY SERVICE
OFFICERS.
ONE COMMUNITY SERVICE
SUPERVISOR, ONE MANAGE THEY'RE
WOULD WORK WITH THE DATA
MANAGEMENT GROUP.
ONE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS ANALYST
THAT WOULD WORK ON THE BUDGET
SECTION.
AND A COUPLE AN ADMIN STAFF
ANALYSTS FOR PUBLIC DISCLOSURE.
MOVING ONTO THE FIFTH LINE,
THERE'S A POSITION FOR ANOTHER
PUBLIC DISCLOSURE.
THIS POSITION WOULD BE
DEDICATED TO FULFILLING PUBLIC
REQUESTS RELATED TO THE
ACCOUNTABILITY.
THERE IS ALREADY ONE THAT WORKS
FOR THE OFFICE OF POLICE
ACCOUNTABILITY, THAT POSITION
AND THIS NEW ONE WOULD BE
REQUESTED TO BE DEDICATED FOR
OPA SUPPORT.
THAT IS BECAUSE AS THE CHAIR
SAID, THE CITY AUDITOR FOUND
THERE WERE STAFFING ISSUES IN
THE PUBLIC DISCLOSURE UNIT, AND
THAT THIS WOULD ALLOW FOR MORE
TIMELY RESPONSE.
THEN LASTLY, ON THE PUBLIC, ON
THE SUBJECT OF PUBLIC
DISCLOSURE, THERE'S DISH OF
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
SPECIALIST, THAT'S FUNDED IN
THE SEATTLE INFORMATION
TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT.
BUT WOULD WORK WITH SPD PUBLIC
DISCLOSURE TO HELP FACILITATE
EMAIL SEARCH FUNCTIONS.
THAT'S A FUNCTION THAT IS DONE
BY SEATTLE I.T.
THROUGHOUT THE CITY, WITH THE
EXCEPTION OF SPD, AND THEY
DON'T CURRENTLY DO SPD BECAUSE
OF VARIOUS CRIMINAL JUSTICE
REQUIREMENTS AROUND SYSTEMS.
THIS PARTICULAR POSITION THAT'S
FUNDED IN SEATTLE I.T.
WOULD NEED TO BE GIVEN
CLEARANCE TO DO THIS, AND THE
DEPARTMENTS WOULD HAVE TO WORK
OUT HOW THAT WOULD HAPPEN, BUT
THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT IT
WOULD PROVIDE ADDITIONAL
CAPACITY FOR THAT FUNCTION.
AND HERE AGAIN, IT'S THE
$100,000, IT REPRESENTS A HALF
YEAR OF EXPENDITURE ON THAT
POSITION, AND I SHOULD MENTION
THE SAME THING WITH THE
POSITION OF A HALF YEAR OF
EXPENDITURE.
>> GREG, CAN YOU PAUSE FOR A
SECOND?
THANK YOU.
I SEE COUNCILMEMBER MORALES HAS
HER HAND RAISED..
NO?
>> I DO, THANK YOU.
SORRY, MY SCREEN'S OPEN.
IF WE COULD STAY ON SLIDE ONE
FOR A MOMENT.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I'M
UNDERSTANDING THIS.
SO THERE'S $4.85 MILLION IN
PRIORITIES.
WE PULL OUT THE SEPARATION PAY,
WHICH I CAN UNDERSTAND PERHAPS
WAS UNANTICIPATED, THE SCALE OF
IT ANYWAY.
THERE'S $3 MILLION LEFT FOR
THINGS THAT PRESUMABLY HAVE
PRIVATES BEFORE.
THE TECHNOLOGY PDR HAS BEEN AN
ISSUE.
I THINK THAT WAS IDENTIFIED IN
2015.
SO IT'S NOT LIKE THESE ARE NEW
ISSUES THAT THE DEPARTMENT HAS
JUST BECOME AWARE OF.
>> SO I THINK WHAT I WOULD SAY
IS THAT WHEN THE DEPARTMENT HAS
TALKED ABOUT THIS, THEY HAVE
RECOGNIZED THAT THEY, THROUGH
NORMAL COURSE OF MANAGING THEIR
BUDGET HAVE SALARY SAVINGS THAT
AT SOME LEVEL THAT THEY'RE ABLE
TO DEDICATE TO THESE KINDS OF
ISSUES.
THE CHALLENGE THEY'RE HAVING
THIS YEAR IS THAT THERE IS AN
EXPRESSED DESIRE BY THE COUNCIL
THROUGH AT LEAST ONE PROVISO TO
HOLD SALARY SAVINGS FOR
POTENTIAL REDISTRIBUTION FOR
PAR TIES PA TORE BUDGETING.
SO THE DEPARTMENT DOESN'T
NECESSARILY KNOW THAT IT CAN
COUNT ON ITS SALARY SAVINGS TO
PURCHASE THESE THINGS.
SO WHEN THEY'RE PUTTING
TOGETHER THE BUDGET AND THEIR
PLAN FOR 2021, THEY MAY HAVE
THOUGHT THEY COULD COVER SOME
OF THESE SALARY SAVINGS, AND
NOW THEY'RE SAYING THAT THEY
DON'T HAVE THAT FLEXIBILITY.
ADDITIONALLY, THEY'VE SAID THAT
SOME OF THESE THINGS ARE
MERGING THAT WOULD COME UP THAT
WOULD PROBABLY BE MORE RELEVANT
FOR THE I TEAM.
>> AS IT RELATES SPECIFICALLY
TO THE PUBLIC DISCLOSURE ISSUE
AND THE EVIDENCE STORAGE ISSUE,
THESE ARE ITEMS THAT I'VE
IDENTIFIED AS MY PRIORITIES,
BECAUSE THERE ARE
RECOMMENDATIONS THAT DATE BACK
TO 2015 AND 2016 FROM THE CITY
AUDITOR.
I RECOGNIZE THAT THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT HAS TAKEN SOME
ACTIONS, AS IT RELATES TO
PUBLIC DISCLOSURE REQUESTS, BUT
THE REVELATIONS THAT, OF THE
AMOUNT OF TIME IT TAKES FOR
PUBLIC DISCLOSURE RESPONSES,
THE CONCERN OF STATE OFFICIALS
WHO HAVE OVERSITE ON PUBLIC
DISCLOSURE HAS MADE THIS A
HIGHER PRIORITY INVESTMENT AREA
FOR ME AND SO THAT'S, AS IT
RELATES TO PUBLIC DISCLOSURE,
AS IT RECEIPTS TO EVIDENCE
STORAGE.
THIS IS COMING OUT OF A
RELATIVELY NEW SET OF
RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE OFFICE
OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL.
THESE DOLLARS DO NOT GO TO SPD.
THEY WOULD GO TO FAS.
AND THEY ARE TO ADDRESS A
PROBLEM THAT IS RESULTING, OR
HAS IN THE PAST RESULTED IN THE
DESTRUCTION OF EVIDENCE BY THE
POLICE DEPARTMENT AND YOU KNOW,
THE VERY CLEAR NEED FOR ANOTHER
LOCATION FOR EVIDENCE TO BE
STORED.
SOME OF THE, AGAIN, SOME OF THE
PUBLIC DISCLOSURE FUNDS ARE NOT
GOING DIRECTLY TO SPD.
SOME OF THEM ARE GOING TO
SEATTLE I.T., AGAIN IN
RECOGNITION THAT THE SEATTLE
POLICE DEPARTMENT IS ONE OF THE
ONLY DEPARTMENTS IN THE CITY
THAT DOES NOT HAVE SEATTLE I.T.
DOING THEIR EMAIL SEARCHING FOR
COMPLIANT RECORDS.
SOME OF THE FUNDS ARE GOING,
THOUGH, YOU KNOW, OPA IS STILL
WITHIN SPD, IT IS BEING
BUDGETED CONDITION OPA FOR THE
OPA FUNCTIONS.
>> YEAH, I GUESS, THE POINT I
GUESS I'M REALLY TRYING TO MAKE
HERE IS THAT THE DEPARTMENT CAN
CHOOSE TO PRIORITIZE ITS BUDGET
HOWEVER IT WANTS, WHENEVER
BEFORE WANTS.
LAST YEAR, IT FOCUSED ON
OVERTIME PAY.
>> FULLY AGREE.
FROM MY PERSPECTIVE.
THAT'S WHY THE DECISION OF THE
COUNCIL TO PROPOSE THIS
LEGISLATION LAST YEAR, THIS CUT
CREATES, I THINK A DIALOGUE
WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT THAT
MAYBE WE DIDN'T HAVE BEFORE
ABOUT RATHER THAN JUST LIVING
UP IN THE AIR THEIR SALARY
SAVINGS, THEY CAN USE IF FOR
THINGS THAT ARE THEIR
PRIORITIES.
MY HOPE IS WE CAN STILL TAKE A
STRONG POSITION AGAINST
OVERTIME SPENDING THAT EXCEEDS
THEIR BUDGET, WHILE ALSO HAVING
A SHARED CONVERSATION ABOUT OUR
SHARED OBJECTIVES USING THIS
BUDGET BILL AS A TOOL TO DO SO.
>> SO I DON'T HAVE TOO MUCH
MORE TO ADD, COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD IS AGAIN, QUITE
THOROUGH IN HER EXPLANATIONS.
I WOULD COVER THE LAST LINE.
$225,000 THAT IS ADDED FOR HSD
TO ADD FIVE ADDITIONAL CRISIS
RESPONDERS TO THE SPD CRISIS
RESPONSE TEAM THAT THAT
PARTICULAR CONTRACT FOR THE
MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
THAT ARE ON THE CRISIS RESPONSE
TEAM IS FUNDED THROUGH HSD, AND
THE 225,000 AGAIN REPRESENTS A
HALF YEAR OF FUNDING FOR FIVE
ADDITIONAL MENTAL HEALTH
PROFESSIONALS.
SO IF THERE'S NOT ANY QUESTIONS
ON THIS SLIDE, I'LL GO ONTO THE
NEXT.
OKAY SO, THERE IS A PROVISO
CHANGE IN THIS LEGISLATION.
IT TAKE AS PROVISO THAT WAS
ADDED TO THE 2021 BUDGET, AND
THAT WAS SPD011B002, AND IT
MODIFIES IT.
THE ORIGINAL PROVISO WITHHELD
$5 MILLION AND EXPRESSED AN
INTENT TO SALARY SAVINGS, SO
THAT IF MORE SALARY SAVINGS
BECAME AVAILABLE DUE TO
ADDITIONAL SEPARATIONS OR TO
FEWER HIRES, THEN THAT SALARY
SAVINGS MIGHT BE REDIRECTED TO
PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING.
WHAT THIS DOES IS IT WOULD
MODIFY THAT PROVISO, SO THAT IT
NO LONGER HOLDS THE $5 MILLION
IN PERPETUITY, BUT REQUIRES SPD
TO SUBMIT STAFFING REPORTS EACH
MONTH, AND FOR EACH STAFFING
REPORT THAT THEY SUBMIT, A
PORTION OF THE PROVISO WILL BE
RELEASED.
THE WAY IT WORKS OUT, IS THERE
WOULD BE EIGHT MONTHS THAT
OCCUR BETWEEN NOW AND THE END
OF THE YEAR.
THE $5 MILLION DIVIDED BY 8
COMES TO $625,000.
SO BASICALLY, EVERY TIME THE
DEPARTMENT SUBMIT AS REPORT, IT
WILL RECEIVE 625,000 OF
AUTHORITY RELEASED FROM THIS
PROVISO.
THE POINT OF THIS PROVISO IS TO
REQUIRE STAFFING REPORTS
INCLUDING PROJECTS FOR BOTH
HIRING AND SEPARATION, SO THAT
THE COUNCIL CAN CONTINUE TO
MONITOR SALARY SAVINGS AND CAN
CONTINUE, IF IT WISHES TO
INVOLVE ITSELF IN THE SPENDING
OF THOSE SAVINGS OR NOT.
BUT AT LEAST GIVES THE
DEPARTMENT, OR THE COUNSEL, THE
ABILITY TO MONITOR IT, WHEREAS
THE STATEMENT OF LEGISLATION,
STATEMENT OF INTEND ON THE 2021
BUDGET LEGISLATION DIDN'T
REQUIRE THESE REPORTS, IT JUST
REQUESTED THEM.
THIS PARTICULAR PROVISO WOULD
REQUIRE THEM, AND RELEASE SOME
OF THE PROVISO.
IT INTENDS THAT IN AMENDING THIS
PROVISO, THAT SPD STAFF WOULD
HAVE ACCESS TO FUTURE SALARY
SAVINGS TO FUND THE SPD
STAFFING PLAN.
>> I'M SORRY, I HAVE MY
PARTICIPANT SCREEN UP.
I DID NOT SEE YOU THERE.
>> I CAN'T FIGURE OUT HOW TO
RAISE MY HAND.
I'M SORRY.
THE FUNCTION IS LIKE
DISAPPEARED FROM MY SCREEN.
SO I'M GOING OLD SCHOOL HERE,
MY APOLOGIES.
GREG, ON THIS PARTICULAR, THIS
WAS A BUDGET ACTION THAT I
SPONSORED IN LAST YEAR.
AND I'M STILL BECOMING FAMILIAR
WITH THE IMPACT OF THIS
PROPOSED PROVISO.
SO IF I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE
SAYING CORRECTLY, THIS
SUBSTITUTE BILL WOULD AMEND THE
PROVISO THAT THE CITY COUNCIL
ADOPTED IN 2020, TO BEGIN
SLOWLY RELEASING THE SAVINGS OF
THE $5 MILLION, THE SALARY
SAVINGS UNDER, IN THE $5
MILLION PROVISO BACK TO SPD.
>> YES.
>> THAT'S THE EFFECT OF THIS.
>> YEAH.
THE ADDITIONAL SALARY SAVINGS,
RIGHT?
BECAUSE THE BILL THAT WE HAVE
BEFORE US WAS $5.4 MILLION
BILL, AND THERE WAS A $5
MILLION PROVISO IN ADDITION TO
THIS.
WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW IS WE'RE
WORKING FROM A $7.7 MILLION
BASE.
SO WE'RE ALREADY SCOOPING SOME
OF THE SALARY SAVINGS, AS
CONTEMPLATED UNDER THE $5
MILLION PROVISO.
SO I THINK IT'S REASONABLE TO
ASSUME THAT THERE MAY BE
ADDITIONAL SALARY SAVINGS.
THIS WOULD ONLY GO INTO EFFECT
IF THERE WERE ADDITIONAL SALARY
SAVINGS.
>> COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD, THIS
WOULD ACTUALLY BE IN EFFECT,
REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THERE
WERE ADDITIONAL SALARY SAVINGS.
IT IS THE CASE THAT THIS WOULD
HOLD UP $5 MILLION OF AUTHORITY
THAT WOULD RELEASE DEPENDENT ON
REPORTS.
THAT WOULD HAPPEN IN RESPECT OF
WHETHER OR NOT THERE WERE
SALARY SAVINGS.
YOU WOULD KNOW THERE WERE
SALARY SAVINGS BECAUSE OF THIS
PROVISO AND BECAUSE OF THE
REQUIREMENT THAT THEY SEND
STAFFING REPORTS.
>> SO I AM A LITTLE CONFUSED
HERE.
IT'S TITLED THE $5 MILLION
SALARY SAVINGS PROVISO.
>> THAT WAS THE ORIGINAL
ACTION.
THE SPD11B002 IS HOLDING ON $5
MILLION ON SALARY SAVINGS.
THE REVISED VERSION HOLDS 5
MILLION STILL, BUT RELEASES IT
BASED ON THE REPORTING
REQUIREMENTS.
>> GOT IT, SO THIS IS A WAY FOR
US TO MAKE SURE THAT THE
COUNCIL IS AWARE IF THERE ARE
ADDITIONAL SALARY SAVINGS, A WE
MOVE THROUGH THE YEAR.
>> CORRECT.
>> THANK YOU.
>> BUT I THINK I WANT TO GET
BACK TO THE POINT I WAS TRYING
TO MAKE, WHICH IS IT DOES THAT,
BUT IT ALSO RELEASES IN
INCREMENTS THE SALARY SAVINGS
THAT ARE PART OF THAT $5
MILLION BUCKET, CORRECT?
>> WELL IT'S RELEASING THE 5 5á
MILLION DOLLARS PROVISO.
RIGHT NOW, WE DON'T NECESSARILY
KNOW THERE'S GOING TO BE AN
ADDITIONAL $5 MILLION IN SALARY
SAVINGS.
WE KNOW THERE'S THE $7 MILLION
IN SALARY SAVINGS THAT OCCURRED
FROM 2021.
I CAN SAY THAT IF CURRENT
TRENDS CONTINUE, IT IS LIKELY
THAT THERE WILL WIND UP BEING
$5 MILLION OF SALARY SAVINGS IN
2021.
BUT IRE RESPECTIVE OF THAT IT
WOULD JUST RELEASE IT SLOWLY.
SO IF THERE WAS OTHER SALARY
SAVINGS IN THE DEPARTMENT, THE
COUNCIL WOULD NEED TO ACT TO
GRAB IT.
>> I DON'T MEAN TO BE DENSE,
BUT I REALLY DON'T UNDERSTAND
WHAT'S HAPPENING ON THIS ONE.
I'M JUST NOT GRASPING WHAT THE
IMPACT IS, AND I THINK MAYBE
I'M STRUGGLING WITH
UNDERSTANDING, YOU KNOW, SORT
OF THE CROSSWALK BETWEEN THE
UNDERLYING COUNCIL BUDGET THAT
WE ADOPTED IN 2020, AND WHAT
THIS NEW AMENDMENT DOES, AND
I'M JUST NOT FULLY
UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE EFFECT
OF THIS PROPOSAL IS ON THE
UNDERLYING PROVISO.
AND THAT'S PROBABLY JUST ME,
BUT I'M STRUGGLING TO
UNDERSTAND IT, SO I WILL, IF
THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE YOU CAN
SORT OF POINT ME TO TO HELP
ORIENT ME, THAT WOULD BE SUPER
HELPFUL.
AND WHILE THE DISCUSSION
CONTINUES, I CAN DO A LITTLE
BIT OF READING UP IN THE
BACKGROUND.
>> I DO HAVE THE ACTUAL PROVISO
LANGUAGE HERE AT THE END.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS
HELPFUL OR NOT.
BUT THIS SHOWS HOW THE PROVISO
IS, IT HAD BEEN HELD UNTIL
AUTHORIZED BY FUTURE ORDINANCE,
SO $5 MILLION WAS BEING HELD
UP.
AND THEN THAT $5 MILLION IS NO
LONGER HELD UP.
INSTEAD IT IS RELEASED PURSUANT
TO THESE REQUIREMENTS HERE THAT
IT BE RELEASED 1 MONTH AT A
TIME WITH THE REPORT 625,000
EACH REPORT.
I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT
NECESSARILY HELPS YOU.
BUT THAT'S THE ACTUAL LANGUAGE.
>> I SEE.
THIS IS ACTUALLY HELPFUL.
SO WHAT WE'RE DOING, I THINK
WHAT I'M STRUGGLING WITH, IS
HOW WE DEALT WITH THESE KIND OF
PROVISOS, HISTORICALLY IN THE
PAST, BECAUSE I THINK THAT THE
ORIGINAL INTENT WAS REALLYING
TO ABLE TO CAPTURE THE SAVINGS
FOR COUNCIL PRIORITIES THAT MAY
BE OUTSIDE OF THE AREA, THAT
MIGHT BE OUTSIDE OF SPD'S
BUDGET.
I THINK WHAT I'M STRUGGLING
WITH IS JUST A SHIFT IN HOW WE
ARE EXECUTING AT THIS POINT,
AND I UNDERSTAND, IT'S A POLICY
CHOICE, AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE
HAVING THIS CONVERSATION.
THIS IS HELPFUL, AND I
APPRECIATE THE ADDITIONAL
CLARIFICATION.
>> YEAH, I THINK ONE LAST THING
I'D SAY ON THIS.
IT WOULD BE CLEANER, PROBABLY
IF THE LEGISLATION ELIMINATED
YOUR ORIGINAL PROVISO, AND PUT
INTO PLACE A NEW PROVISO THAT
DOES WHAT THIS DOES, BECAUSE AS
YOU POINT OUT, THIS IS
DIFFERENT.
>> CAN I REPHRASE THE WAY THAT
MAKES SENSE TO ME?
>> MEMBER MORALES, YES.
>> I THINK MY UNDERSTANDING IS
THE ORIGINAL INTENT OF THAT
PROVISO FROM LAST YEAR WAS TO
AFFECTIVELY BEGIN TO LIMIT
BUDGET AUTHORITIES SO THAT WE
COULD ADDRESS OUR LONGER TERM
GOAL OF SLOWLILY REDUCING THE
BUDGET OF SPD AND DOING
SOMETHING ELSE WITH THOSE
PUBLIC DOLLARS.
THIS AMENDMENT ERASES THAT
GOAL.
THAT'S HOW I'M SEEING THIS.
AND IT BASICALLY JUST GIVES THE
FUNDING BACK, ASSUMING IT'S A
REPORT.
IF THAT'S A MISINTERPRETATION,
SOMEBODY PLEASE HELP ME
UNDERSTAND THAT.
>> I THINK THAT THE CONTEXT IS
A LITTLE DIFFERENT AS FAR AS I
CAN TELL FROM THE CONVERSATION
IN THE SENSE THAT WHEN WE
PASSED THE $5 MILLION PROVISO
ORIGINALLY, IT WAS IN THE
CONTENTION OF NOT HAVING THE
$5.4 MILLION ADDITIONAL
PROPOSED BILL.
AND SO NOW, NOW THERE'S A
QUESTION ABOUT WHAT TO DO WITH
THE $5 MILLION PROVISO, WHICH
AS I UNDERSTAND, WAS ALWAYS TO
PROTECT POTENTIAL SALARY
SAVINGS FOR OTHER COUNCIL
PRIORITIES THAT ARE OUTSIDE OF
THE SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
BUT NOW WE'RE HAVING A
CONVERSATION WHERE WE CONSIDER
THIS ORIGINAL $5.4 MILLION
BUDGET BILL, AND ADDED TO THAT
IS $5 MILLION WHICH AGAIN, IS A
LAYERING THAT I'M NOT SURE
EXISTED WHEN WE ACTUALLY
DEBATED, CONSIDERED, AND VOTED
ON THE ORIGINAL $5 MILLION
PROVISO, BUT I UNDERSTAND NOW
WE ARE FACED WITH THE POLICY
QUESTION OF WHETHER WE WANTED
$5 MILLION PROVISO TO BE
ADDITIVE TO THE $5.4 MILLION,
OR IF WE ARE EFFECTIVELY
SWAPPING THOSE OUT FOR A NET
NEUTRAL EFFECT.
>> THAT'S WHAT I'M TRACKING.
>> I THINK IT'S, I THINK I'M
REMEMBERING A SENTENCE IN THE
LETTER TO THE MONITOR THAT
EXPLAINS SOME OF THESE THINGS.
I THINK THE THING THAT A
SENTENCE THAT RESONATED WITH
ME, AS IT RELATES TO THE
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE $5.4
MILLION BILL, AND THE COUNCIL
PRESIDENT GONZALEZ'S PROVISO,
IS THAT THEY HAD THE SAME
SOURCE OF FUNDS, RIGHT?
THE SALARY SAVINGS.
AND WE DIDN'T, AND I THINK THAT
IS WHAT WE'RE GRAPPLING WITH
RIGHT NOW IS THIS QUESTION OF
THE USE OF SALARY SAVINGS NOW
VERSUS THE CONTROLS THAT WE
WANT TO PUT ON THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT'S BUDGET AS IT
RELATES TO OTHER PRIORITIES
THAT WE HAVE IN THE FUTURE.
COUNCILMEMBER IS A SAWANT, I
SEE YOUR HAND UP.
>> I THINK A LOT OF THE
EXPLANATION HERE IS, IN MY
VIEW, UNNECESSARILY
COMPLICATED.
AND I FEEL THAT ESSENTIALLY
WHAT COUNCILMEMBER MORALES JUST
SAID IS WHAT MAKES SENSE TO ME.
I SEE THIS ESSENTIALLY AS THE,
AS THIS PROVISO CHANGE
ESSENTIALLY GIVING POLICE THE
ACCESS TO THE $5 MILLION
WITHOUT COUNCIL ACTION, IN THE
ADDITIOAL PROVISO IT SAID THAT
IT WOULD REQUIRE A COUNCIL BILL
TO RELEASE THE $5 MILLION TO
THE POLICE.
THIS BILL WOULD REMOVE THE
REQUIREMENT FOR A COUNCIL BILL
AND I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT AT
THAT TIME, I HAD PUBLICLY
WARNED THAT TO REDUCE THE
POLICE BUDGET WOULD NOT COME TO
FRUITION AND THE 5 MILLION IS
AN EXAMPLE OF THAT, BUT I THINK
WHAT IS HAPPENING NOW IS THAT
THIS AMENDED VERSION, THAT THE
POLICE DEPARTMENT DO NOT EVEN
NEED A FUTURE BILL TO GET
ACCESS TO THE $5 MILLION, THAT
THEY JUST NEED TO PROVIDE SOME
REPORTS.
THAT'S WHAT I SEE IS HAPPENING.
THANK YOU.
>> COUNCILMEMBER, JUST TO ADD
CLARITY, THIS DOES REDUCE BY $3
MILLION, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT
BUDGET.
YOUR AND COUNCILMEMBER
MORALES'S ASSESSMENT OF SALARY
SAVINGS GOING FORWARD IS
ACCURATE.
THERE WOULD NOT NEED TO BE
ANOTHER COUNCIL BILL TO RELEASE
THAT FUNDING.
AND I MOVED ONTO THIS SLIDE,
BECAUSE THERE IS INTENT
LANGUAGE IN THIS LEGISLATION
THAT SPEAKS TO FUTURE SALARY
SAVINGS.
THE INTENT OF THE COUNCIL IS TO
PROVIDE FLEXIBILITY TO SPD TO
MITIGATE RECENT OFFICER
DEPARTURES AND TO PRIORITIZE
OBLIGATIONS UNDER THE FEDERAL
CONSENT DECREE.
THIS WOULD ALLOW THE DEPARTMENT
TO BE ABLE TO PLAN TO USE
FUTURE SALARY SAVINGS BEYOND
THE 7.7 MILLION THAT THE
COUNCIL IS REDIRECTING TODAY,
TO THEIR PRIORITIES.
EVERYTHING FROM PATROL
AUGMENTATION TO SPECIAL EVENTS,
THERE'S ALSO IF THERE'S
ADDITIONAL SALARY SAVINGS THEY
SHOULD TRY TO MAXIMIZE THEM BY
ENSURING THERE IS A MIX OF
STAFFING THAT MAKES THE MOST OF
ANY ADDITIONAL NEW SALARY
SAVINGS, BUT ULTIMATELY, YES,
YOU ARE CORRECT IN YOUR
ASSESSMENT, THE IDEA GOING
FORWARD IS THERE WOULD NO
LONGER BE A LOCK ON SALARY
SAVINGS REQUIRING A FUTURE
APPROPRIATION.
THOSE SALARY SAVINGS WOULD BE
RELEASED OVER TIME.
>> GREG, IS IT ACCURATE TO SAY
THAT BASED ON THE REPORTING
THAT THIS PROVISO REQUIRES, IF
WE FIND THAT CONDITIONS HAVE
CHANGED, BASED ON THAT
REPORTING, WHETHER OR NOT IT
RELATES TO FUTURE SALARY
SAVINGS OR SOME OTHER TOPIC
THAT THE REPORTING REQUIRES,
THAT WE COULD, THE COUNCIL
THROUGH THIS COMMITTEE COULD
TAKE ACTION?
SO FOR INSTANCE, IF WE FIND OUT
THAT THERE'S FUTURE SALARY
SAVINGS AND WE HAVE CONCERNS
THAT THEY ARE NOT GOING TO USE
THOSE FUTURE SALARY SAVINGS TO
FUND SHARED COUNCIL SPD
PRIORITIES, WE COULD TAKE SOME
ACTION THEN?
>> THE COUNCIL HAS THE POWER OF
THE PURSE, AND ABSOLUTELY, IN A
SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET THEY COULD
DO THAT.
AND IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT
THAT WAS YOUR INTENT WITH THIS.
>> THANK YOU.
>> SO THE ONLY OTHER THING THAT
I HAD TO SAY ABOUT THIS IS
THERE IS LANGUAGE AROUND INTENT
FOR THE CURRENT SALARY SAVINGS.
THE 7.7 MILLION.
WE HAVE ALREADY COVERED ALL
THESE ITEMS SO I'M NOT GOING TO
GO BACK INTO IT.
WHAT THIS IS ASKING IS THAT SPD
USE ITS SALARY SAVINGS TO
ADDRESS ITS ON REQUESTS THAT
THEY HAVE NOTED BOTH IN MEMOS
TO THE MONITOR, AND MEMOS TO
THIS COMMITTEE.
REQUEST THAT, AND PRIORITIES
THAT COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD HAS
NOTED, AND AS WE DISCUSSED,
FUTURE SALARY SAVINGS WOULD
BECOME AVAILABLE FOR THEM TO
ADDRESS EMERGING ISSUES,
CONSENT DECREE ISSUES, AND
MITIGATION FOR OFFICER LOSSES.
SO WITH THAT, I WOULD ASK IF
THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS.
>> OKAY.
SO ORIGINALLY, I HAD HOPED THAT
WE COULD DISCUSS MOVING THE
SUBSTITUTE, AND POTENTIALLY
MAKE A COMMITTEE
RECOMMENDATION, AGAIN WITH THE
UNDERSTANDING THAT WE WOULD NOT
MOVE ANY COMMITTEE
RECOMMENDATION TO FULL COUNCIL
UNTIL AFTER SPD ANSWERS THE
MONITOR'S QUESTIONS.
THE MONITOR CONSIDERS THOSE
ANSWERS TO SPD'S QUESTIONS, AND
ALLOWS, PROVIDES FEEDBACK TO
THE COURT AND ALLOWS THE COURT
TO COMMENT ON THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT'S ANSWERS TO THE
MONITOR'S QUESTIONS AS WELL AS
THE NEW BILL THAT WE ARE
CONSIDERING NOW.
AND I SHOULD SAY I HAVE ALSO
SHARED WITH THE MONITOR THAT A
COPY OF THIS BILL, OF THIS
PROPOSED SUBSTITUTE, I SHOULD
SAY, AND HAVE EXPRESSED TO THE
MONITOR MY INTENTIONS TO NOT
TAKE FINAL ACTION IN COUNCIL ON
THE BILL.
THERE HAVE BEEN SOME CONCERNS
EXPRESSED TO ME THAT EVEN
MAKING A COMMITTEE
RECOMMENDATION MIGHT CREATE
SOME CONFUSION WITH THE
MONITOR, AND MIGHT CREATE SOME
CONCERN FROM THE JUDGE AND THAT
MAY BE A DIFFERENT APPROACH
WHERE WE COULD MOVE THE
CONVERSATION FORWARD WITHOUT
SENDING A SIGNAL TO THE COURT
AND TO THE MONITOR THAT WE ARE
NOT PAUSING TO CONSIDER THE
SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT'S
RESPONSES TO THE MONITOR'S
QUESTIONS, AND THAT PERHAPS A
WAY TO MOVE THE CONVERSATION
FORWARD IN A SMALL WAY TODAY IS
TO MOVE THE SUBSTITUTE, BUT NOT
TO ACTUALLY TAKE ACTION ON THE
SUBSTITUTE DAY.
SO I JUST WANT TO GET A SENSE
AND THIS IS LESS ABOUT, LIKE
WHAT YOUR POSITION IS ON THE
SUBSTITUTE, IT'S MORE A
QUESTION OF WHETHER OR NOT THAT
SEEMS LIKE A REASONABLE NEXT
ACTION TO TAKE TO HAVE A VOTE
ON SUBSTITUTING THE ORIGINAL
BILL FOR THE EXISTING BILL
REGARDLESS OF WHAT YOUR
POSITION IS ON THE SUBSTITUTE,
WHETHER OR NOT THAT SEEMS
PROCEDURALLY A REASONABLE NEXT
STEP TO TAKE.
OPENING UP FOR THOUGHT.
>> JUST ON THE PROCESS THAT
YOU'VE OUTLINED?
>> YES, PLEASE.
>> YEAH, WHY SIGNAL MY SUPPORT
FOR THAT APPROACH.
I HAVE CONTINUED TO LIKE, YOU
COUNSELOR MEMBER HERBOLD HERE,
SOME EXPRESSIONS OF DESIRE TO
WANT TO SPEND A LITTLE BIT MORE
TIME WITH THE LEGISLATION.
FRANKLY I'VE HEARD THAT FROM
THE EXECUTIVE AND THE FEDERAL
POLICE MONITOR, BUT I'VE ALSO
HEARD IT FROM FOLKS IN THE
COMMUNITY WHO ALSO WOULD
APPRECIATE A LITTLE BIT MORE
TIME WITH THE SUBSTITUTE BILL
BEFORE WE FORM A COMMITTEE
RECOMMENDATION.
SO I THINK I'M SEEING AN
AGREEMENT IN HOLDING OFF A
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION, AND I
WOULD BE SUPPORTIVE OF PUTTING
THE SUBSTITUTE BILL BEFORE US
AS THE THING THAT WE CONTINUE
TO DISCUSS, BUT HOLDING OFFON A
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION SEEMS
TO MAKE SENSE TO ME AT THIS
POINT.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT
GONZALEZ.
OTHER THOUGHTS IN THE PROCESS
I'M PROTESTING WITH THE
ENCOURAGEMENT FROM THE COUNCIL
PRESIDENT?
OKAY.
WELL SEEING NONE, I'M GOING TO
TAKE THAT AS AGREEMENT, AGAIN
NOT ON THE SUBSTANCE OF EITHER
THE ORIGINAL BILL OR THE
SUBSTITUTE, BUT I'M GOING TO
TAKE THAT AS CONSENT ON THE
RECOMMENDED PROCESS.
SO I WILL PROVE THE PROPOSED
SUBSTITUTE AS LISTED ON THE
AGENDA.
IS THERE A SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>> THANK YOU.
WOULD THE CLERK PLEASE CALL THE
ROLE ON THE PROPOSED SUBSTITUTE
REPLACING THE BILL THAT'S ON
THE AGENDA.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT GONZALEZ.
>> I'M SORRY.
AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS.
>> YES.
>> I'M SORRY, THIS IS, SORRY.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT, I
THINK I'M ABOUT TO ASK MAYBE
THE SAME QUESTION.
>> WE NEED TO DEBATE.
>> WE NEED TO DISCUSSION THE
POLICY, MY APOLOGY.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT, IS
THAT WHAT YOU WERE GOING TO ASK
AS WELL.?
>> YES, AND FROM THE BEGINNING,
I COULDN'T FIGURE OUT HOW THE
POSITION ON THE SUBSTITUTES IS
DIVORCED FROM THIS VOTE,
ANYWAY, YEAH, IT'S THE SAME
QUESTION.
>> LET'S HEAR FROM FOLKS ON THE
MOTION BEFORE US.
MY APOLOGIES.
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS.
>> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, AND
THANK YOU FOR BRINGING FORWARD
THIS SUBSTITUTE BILL TODAY INTO
THIS CONVERSATION.
I KNOW THAT A LOT OF WORK HAS
GONE INTO CRAFTING THIS, AND
CONSULTING WITH A VERY BROAD
CONSTITUENCY.
I JUST WANT TO COMMENT ON A
COUPLE OF THINGS THAT I LIKE
ABOUT THE SUBSTITUTE, AND A
COUPLE OF THINGS THAT I'M STILL
FRUSTRATED ABOUT REGARDING
BROADER PROCESS.
NOT NECESSARILY CONFINED TO THE
WORK OF THIS COMMITTEE, BUT
JUST A BROADER SITUATION WE
FIND OURSELVES IN, WITH THE
BROADER PUBLIC SAFETY
CONVERSATION.
BECAUSE WE HEARD A LOT IN
PUBLIC COMMENT THAT I DON'T
REALLY DISAGREE WITH ON ANY END
OF THE SPECTRUM.
WE HEARD FROM A LOT OF DOWNTOWN
RESIDENTS THAT ARE INCREDIBLY
FRUSTRATED, THAT THERE'S A
MASSIVE CONCENTRATION OF PEOPLE
IN SEVERE URBAN POVERTY, WITH
SEVERE NEEDS THAT ARE GOING
UNADDRESSED, AND THAT IS
MANIFESTING IN PUBLIC SAFETY
CHALLENGES THAT ARE
DRAMATICALLY IMPACTING
LIVEABILITY.
WE HEARD FROM A NUMBER OF
PEOPLE TESTIFYING THAT WHEN
CERTAIN LINES ARE DRAWN FROM
THE COUNCIL, IN TERMS OF THE
EXPECTATION OF WHAT THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT WILL DO IN RESPONSE
TO MANDATES FROM THE COUNCIL,
THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE A HARD
AND FAST ENFORCEMENT OF THOSE
RULES.
AND I THINK IN A LOT OF
RESPECTS, THIS BILL BALANCES A
LOT OF THOSE CONSIDERATIONS.
I WANT TO GO INTO TALKING ABOUT
HOW I THINK THEY DO.
I ALSO JUST WANT TO TAKE THIS
OPPORTUNITY, SORT OF OUTSIDE
THE FOUR CORNERS OF THIS, TO
OUTLIE SOME OF THE PLACES I
HOPE THIS CONVERSATION GOES,
MOVING FORWARD FROM HERE.
SO FIRST, I WANT TO SPEAK TO
SOME OF THE THINGS I REALLY
LIKE IN THE BILL IN TERMS OF
INVESTMENTS TO IMMEDIATELY
RESPOND TO SOME OF THE ISSUES
WE ARE SEEING IN THE COMMUNITY.
FIRST, MADAM PRESIDENT, AS YOU,
OR SORRY, MADAM CHAIR, AS YOU
MENTIONED EARLIER IN THIS
CONVERSATION, EITHER WAY THAT
WE GO, BE IT THE ORIGINAL BILL
OR THE SUBSTITUTE, THERE IS NO
IMPACT WHATSOEVER ON THE POLICE
STAFFING PLAN THAT WAS ADOPTED
BY THIS COUNCIL LAST FALL.
THIS BILL WILL NOT RESULT IN
FEWER PATROL OFFICERS.
THIS BILL WILL NOT RESULT IN
MORE PATROL OFFICERS.
ON THAT TOPIC, THIS BILL IS
NEUTRAL.
THAT IS A SEPARATE ISSUE.
AND I APPRECIATE YOU ADDRESSING
THAT AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS.
I THINK THERE IS WIDESPREAD
CONFUSION AMONGST MEMBERS OF
THE PUBLIC.
AMONGST CERTAIN EDITORIAL
BOARDS IN VARIOUS SOURCES OF
THE MEDIA THAT WE'RE DEBATING
WILL HAVE AN IMPACT ON PATROL
MEMBERS AND IT WILL NOT.
THAT IS WHAT I WANT TO POINT
OUT.
BUT IT WILL HAVE AN IMPACT ON
ON THE GROUND SERVICES THAT ARE
CIVILIAN, AND PUBLIC HEALTH
ORIENTED THAT CAN COME IN AND
HELP SMOOTH OUR TRANSITION TO A
PUBLIC SAFETY SYSTEM THAT
EMPHASIZES THOSE KINDS OF
SERVICES MORE.
I THINK SOME PEOPLE FORGET THAT
THE COMMUNITY SERVICE OFFICERS,
WHICH ARE CIVILIAN ESSENTIALLY
SOCIAL WORKER UNIT, THAT THIS
COUNCIL HAS WANTED TO MOVE INTO
A CIVILIAN DEPARTMENT.
I CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THAT KIND
OF A MOVEMENT AND THAT WE
ALMOST DID LAST BUDGET CYCLE,
BUT IT WASN'T QUITE READY FOR
THAT KIND OF A TRANSFER.
THE CSO'S, EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE
STILL HOUSED UNFORTUNATELY, IN
THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, HAVE A
COMMUNITY ORGANIZING, AND
COMMUNITY SERVICE FUNCTION THAT
IS SEPARATE FROM A CARCERIAL
LAW ENFORCEMENT METHOD.
JUST TO GIVE A BIT OF AN
OVERVIEW, AND PEOPLE CAN READ
THE BIOS ONLINE, WHICH ARE A
GROUP OF TALENTED, THE
ORGANIZERS OR THE OFFICERS IN
THE COMMUNITY SERVICE OFFICER
CORPS CURRENTLY ARE FORMER
OFFICERS FOR ONE AMERICA,
FORMER PRACTICING SOCIAL
WORKERS, A WORKER THAT
COLLECTIVELY SPEAKS FLUENT IN
NINE LANGUAGES.
FORMER UNION ORGANIZERS.
THESE ARE THE FOLKS THAT UNDER
YOUR SUBSTITUTE BILL, MADAM
CHAIR, WE'RE GOING TO GET MORE
OF, AND WE'RE GOING TO EXPAND
THE SERVICE FOOTPRINT OF THE
SERVICE OFFICERS AND SEE THAT
TANGIBLE IMPACT IN THE
COMMUNITY IN SHORT ORDER.
AND I THINK INVESTING MORE IN
COMMUNITY SERVICE OFFICERS IS A
GOOD IDEA, AND THAT INVESTMENT
WE MAKE INTO COMMUNITY SERVICE
OFFICERS HOPEFULLY WILL BE
TRANSFERRED INTO A CIVILIAN
CONTROL DEPARTMENT, EVEN THOUGH
AREN'T AT THIS TIME.
EVEN THOUGH TECHNICALLY THAT IS
STILL IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT,
IT IS NOT IN A SERVICE THAT WE
WOULD TRADITIONALLY ASSOCIATE
WITH TRADITIONAL POLICING, AND
CERTAINLY IS MORE IN KEEPING
WITH THE MODEL WE ARE TRYING TO
TRANSITION TO.
THIS IS ALSO GOING TO FUND, AS
GREG LAID OUT, FIVE CIVILIAN
MENTAL HEALTH RESPONDERS FROM
THE HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
THAT IS MONEY STILL BEING TAKEN
OUT OF SPD AND REDIRECTED.
THEY'RE GOING TO BE STOOD UP ON
A FASTER TIMELINE THAN SOME OF
OUR OTHER THAT FOLKS FOR PUBLIC
COMMENT WILL BE ADDRESSING,
THEY'LL BE ADDRESSED ON A WAY
TO INTERVENE IN PUBLIC HEALTH
CHALLENGES, IT'S GOING TO BE
FOCUSED ON SENDING APPROPRIATE
-- THAT IS CRITICAL.
IT'S GOING TO ADDRESS THE
PUBLIC RECORDS BACKLOG.
SOME OF THIS WE SHOULD CALL THE
PUBLIC MEDIA RELIEF PACKAGE,
BECAUSE I KNOW FROM TALKING TO
JOURNALISTS FOR YEARS THAT
THERE IS MASSIVE CONSTERNATION
ABOUT THE SLOW TRICKLE OF
CRITICAL INFORMATION FOR THE
PUBLIC TO BE AWARE OF THE
ACTIVITIES OF ONE OF THE
LARGEST LAW ENFORCEMENT
AGENCIES OF THE PACIFIC
NORTHWEST.
SO THAT INVESTMENT IS GOING TO
BE MADE.
ON TOP OF ALL OF THIS, WE'RE
GOING TO FREE UP $2 MILLION FOR
PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING TO
BRING THE TOTAL TO $32 MILLION.
SO THERE IS STILL A SIGNIFICANT
INVESTMENT THAT IS ADDITIVE TO
THE PAR TIES PARTISIPATORY
BUDGETING, BECAUSE OF THE
TANGIBLE ALTERNATIVES TO
POLICING THAT ARE GOING TO GET
FUNDED AND MOVE AS A RESULT OF
THE SUBSTITUTE, I'M GOING TO
SUPPORT THE SUBSTITUTE TODAY,
AND I WANT TO SPEAK A LITTLE
MORE BROADLY AT THIS POINT,
JUST TO EXPRESS THAT WE NEED TO
KEEP OUR DISCUSSION AND DEBATE
FOCUSED ON WHAT I THINK THE
TO REALLY EMPHASIZE AND
DESCRIBE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC
WHAT SOME OF THE ALTERNATIVES
ARE GOING TO BE TO POLICING AS
WE REDUCE POLICING AND SCALING
IT UP, AND WHAT THE PLAN IS
GOING TO BE TO SCALE THOSE
THINGS UP.
WE HAVE SET UP A VERY
COMPREHENSIVE AND CONSULTATIVE
PROCESS TO DO THAT WHICH IS
APPROPRIATE.
WE'RE GOING TO BE MAKING
GENERATIONAL PARADIGM CHANGING
AND SHIFTING INVESTMENTS IN OUR
PUBLIC SAFETY SYSTEM.
THOSE INVESTMENTS
UNFORTUNATELY, TO BE
CONSULTATIVE TO THE POINT THAT
THEY SHOULD BE, TO BE LASTING
TO HAVE THE FEEDBACK AND THE
GUIDANCE OF LEADERS TO FULLY
SHAPE AND BUILD THOSE SYSTEMS
TAKES LONGER THAN A COUPLE OF
MONTHS, AND WE HAVE RECEIVED
SOLID WORK THROUGH THE FLAT
BRILLIANCE RESEARCH PROJECT.
WE'RE WORKING ON SETTING UP A
PARTICIPATORY BUDGET PROCESS TO
SCALE AND FUND A LOT OF THOSE
INTERVENTIONS, AND I WANT TO
JUST TAKE A SECOND TO MAYBE
HIGHLIGHT IF WE COULD PURSUE
RELATED TO THAT WORK OR ON A
SEPARATE TRACK, OR MAYBE
RESOURCES THAT AREN'T THE
PARTICIPATORY BUDGET RESOURCES,
INVESTING AND SCANNING SOME
KIND OF LOW ACUTE RESPONSE
SYSTEM, LIKE STAR.
THE REASON I BRING THIS UP
SEPARATELY IS BECAUSE YOU KNOW,
I THINK THE OTHER DAY IN HIS
COLUMN, DANNY WESTNEED HAD A
LITTLE BIT OF A POINT THAT I
THINK AS FAR AS THE PUBLIC SEES
WHEN THEY SEE THESE
DISCUSSIONS, THEY'RE CONSTANTLY
SEEING CONVERSATIONS AROUND
CUTTING THE POLICE, WHICH I
THINK THERE'S BROAD AGREEMENT
THAT THE POLICE ARE NOT THE
BEST PRACTICE FIRST RESPONDER
FOR MENTAL HEALTH, FOR URBAN
POVERTY, FOR LOW ACUITY CRIMES
OF SURVIVAL THAT CAN BE
ADDRESSED BY ADDRESSING POVERTY
AND THE SOURCE AS A POVERTY,
AND INVESTING IN COMMUNITY.
AND WE DON'T REALLY NEED TO
LOOK THAT FAR TO FIND SOME
FIRST RESPONSE SERVICES THAT
ARE IN A LOT OF RESPECTS, BEST
PRACTICES THAT HAVE BEEN PROVEN
BY THE ANALYSIS AND DATA OF
SOME OF THESE CITIES.
I JUST WANT TO BRIEFLY TALK A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE STAR
PROGRAM, AND JUST ADVOCATE
PUBLICLY HEAR THAT MAYBE ON A
SEPARATE TRACK, WE TRY TO CARVE
OFF SOME RESOURCE FOR HSD TO
CONDUCT A STAR PROGRAM WITHIN
OUR PROVIDER COMMUNITY.
I JUST WANT TO RAISE THAT STAR,
FOR THE FOLKS FROM DOWNTOWN
THAT CALLED IN DURING PUBLIC
COMMENT RESPONDS AFFECTIVELY,
AND PROACTIVELY TO THE TYPES OF
PUBLIC HEALTH RELATED INSTANCES
THAT HAVE BEEN DESCRIBED BY A
LOT OF PEOPLE, PEOPLE AT THE
DOWNTOWN COURT, PEOPLE WHO ARE
INTOXICATED, PEOPLE WHO ARE
TRESPASSING.
PEOPLE WHO ARE ENGAGED IN
INDECENT EXPOSURE.
ALL THAT HAVE VERY HIGH
CORRELATIONS TO SUBSTANCE
ADDICTION OR BEHAVIORAL MENTAL
HEALTH CHALLENGES, INSTEAD OF
SENDING POLICE, DENVER IS
SENDING THIS PROGRAM CALLED
STAR.
SUPPORT TEAM ASSISTED RESPONSE.
JUST TO PUT OUT THERE, THE COST
OF STAR, FOR $1.4 MILLION,
DENVER ESTIMATES THAT THEY'RE
GOING TO BE ABLE TO HAVE FOUR
VANS, CURRENTLY ONE VAN IS A
PILOT, THEY RELEASED THEIR 6
MONTH REPORT AT THE BEGINNING
OF THIS YEAR FOR EXAMPLE $1.4
MILLION, DENVER IS GOING TO GET
FOUR VANS, SO THEY'RE GOING TO
INCREASE IS FROM ONE VAN TO
FOUR.
THAT.WOULD INCLUDE SIX TEAMS,
THAT'S AN EMT AND A MENTAL
HEALTH CLINICIAN.
THAT'S SIX MEDICS, SIX MENTAL
HEALTH CLINICIANS FOR $1.4
MILLION A YEAR TO ALLOW SEVEN
DAY A WEEK COVERAGE TO
IMMEDIATELY RESPOND WITH
PROFESSIONALS ON THE GROUND, TO
DEAL WITH THESE LOW ACUITY
ISSUES, AND GET PEOPLE THE
ASSISTANCE AND THE HAPPY THEY
NEED.
TO PUT IT IN PERSPECTIVE WITH
THE 5.4 MILLION WE'RE
DISCUSSING.
I ONLY RAISE THAT TO SAY THAT
THE COST OF A LOT OF THESE
REPLACEMENTS RELATIVE TO THE
COST OF POLICE IS SOMETHING
THAT'S REALLY WORTH
CONSIDERING, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE
LOOK AT WHAT THE RESULT HAS
BEEN IN THE STAR PROGRAM IN
DENVER, IN HOW THAT HAS
ACTUALLY RESPONDED TO A LOT OF
THESE ONGOING CHRONIC ISSUES ON
THE STREET IN A MORE EFFECTIVE
WAY, EMPHASIZING PUBLIC HEALTH,
AND EMPHASIZING LOW ACUITY
FIRST RESPONSE.
THAT'S TERTIARY.
THAT'S UNRELATED TO OUR
DISCUSSION OF THE BILL HERE,
BUT I DO THINK WE NEED TO
EMPHASIZE AS THE COUNCIL ON
PART OF OUR EFFORT THAT THERE
ARE GREAT ALTERNATIVES OUT
THERE THAT ARE GOING TO BE ABLE
TO FILL THE VOID OF WHAT A LOT
OF FOLKS IN THE COMMUNITY ARE
EXPRESSING CONCERN ABOUT, AND
SEEING IN TERMS OF SOME OF THE
PUBLIC HEALTH, AND PUBLIC
SAFETY CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE
AS A CITY.
AND THAT ACTUALLY IN A LOT OF
WAYS WITH THE CSO'S AND WITH
THE MENTAL HEALTH RESPONDERS,
WE CAN GET SOME OF THOSE
RESOURCES OUT THERE FASTER, BUT
WE NEED TO KEEP BUILDING TOWARD
SOMETHING LIKE A STAR RESPONSE
PROGRAM THAT, YOU KNOW, IS
COMMUNITY BASED, PROVIDER
BASED, AND CAN RESPOND TO THE
TYPES OF ISSUES THAT WE ARE
SEEING.
SO I'M GOING TO SUPPORT THE
SUBSTITUTE TODAY.
WITH THAT, I DON'T HAVE
ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD, AND I'LL
TURN IT BACK OVER, MADAM CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER
LEWIS.
I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
I KNOW COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT HAS
SOME COMMENTS.
I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THE
BLACK BRILLIANCE RESEARCH DOES
HAVE A SECTION DEVOTED TO
CRISIS RESPONSE AND I DO HAVE A
COUPLE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT
THEY'RE GOING TO CONTINUE
LOOKING INTO, FOR EXACTLY THOSE
TYPES OF PROGRAMS.
WE CAN CONTINUE TO HAVE A
CONVERSATION HAD WHETHER OR NOT
IT NEEDS TO BE A SEPARATE
TRACK.
I APPRECIATE THAT THE COMMUNITY
HAS IDENTIFIED THIS AS A NEED,
AND EXPRESSED IT AS A PRIORITY
FOR FUNDING THROUGH
PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING.
BUT I'M LOOKING, YOU KNOW, I'M
HAPPY TO HAVE THOSE
CONVERSATIONS OF WHETHER OR NOT
WE NEED TO MORE DIRECTLY FUND
THIS.
>> JUST TO RESPOND TO THAT,
MADAM CHAIR, THAT IS WHY I
DUALLY WANT TO RECOGNIZE THE
PROJECT IN MY REMARKS.
VY READ THE REPORT IN THE PART
WHERE THEY DELVE INTO THAT, AND
APPRECIATE THAT ENTIRELY, AND
STAND READY TO WORK WITH THEM
IN DOING WHATEVER SMALL PART I
CAN TO HELP SHAPE THAT ULTIMATE
INVESTMENT.
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT.
>> I'M OPPOSING THE
SUBSTITUTION AMENDMENT,
WHICHBETRAYS THE PROMISES MADE
TO THE BLACK LIVES MATTER
MOVEMENT.
I WENT ONTO SEE MY COMMENTS
WHEN I WAS THE ONLY
COUNCILMEMBER TO VOTE NO ON THE
BILL TO GIVE THE SEATTLE POLICE
DEPARTMENT AN ADDITIONAL $5.4
MILLION TO ESSENTIAL COVER THE
MILLIONS THEY ILLEGALLY SPENT
ON OVERTIME THEY WERE NOT
AUTHORIZED TO SPEND WHEN THEY
FILLED THE STREETS WITH RIOT
COPS TO FILL THE STREETS WITH
BLACK LIVES MATTER PROTESTERS.
IT GIVES THE SEATTLE POLICE
DEPARTMENT AN ADDITIONAL $5.4
MILLION TO SPEND THE EXTRA
OVERTIME THEY USED INTIMIDATING
THE BLACK LIVES MATTER
PROTESTERS.
THOSE ARE THE FUNDS THEY HAVE
AVAILABLE TO DO WHATEVER THEY
NEED TO DO.
HERE WE ARE, IN THE LAST
COUNCIL MEETING OF THE YEAR,
THE SAME YEAR WE HAD A HISTORIC
BLACK LIVES MATTER MOVEMEN, A
YEAR IN WHICH UNDER PRESSURE
FROM THE STREET HEAT THE
DEMOCRATIC ESTABLISHMENT MADE
SWEEPING PROMISES TO DEFUND THE
POLICE BY 50% WE NOW HEAR THAT
THE POLICE HAVE SPENT $5.4
MILLION MORE THAN THEIR BUDGET.
$5.4MILLION THAT DID NOT BELONG
TO THEM AND ARE REQUESTING
RETROACTIVE PERMISSION.
THEY ARE FILLED SEATTLE WITH
TEAR GAS AND OTHER WEAPONS AND
HAVE TAKEN THIS MONEY WITH
INDIVIDUAL OFFICERS AMASSING
HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS IN
OVERTIME PAY.
IMAGINE A CAR THIEF WHO TELLS
YOU THAT IF YOU JUST
RETROACTIVELY GIVE THEM YOUR
CAR, THEY WOULD NOT HAVE STOLEN
IT.
THE SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT
DOES THIS ALMOST YEAR TO THE
POINT WHERE THE COUNCIL EVEN
PAST A RESOLUTION IN THE SUMMER
PLEDGING TO SAY NO, IF THE
POLICE MADE THIS REQUEST AT THE
END OF THE YEAR.
NOW IS THE TEST WHERE
COUNCILMEMBERS HOLD THE LINE OR
BACK FILL THE ALREADY BLOATED
POLICE BUDGET TO HOLD THE LINE
NEXT YEAR, UNFORTUNATELY IN THE
FINANCE AND HOUSING COMMITTEE
LAST WEEK, COUNCILMEMBERS ON
THE COMMITTEE UNANIMOUSLY VOTED
TO APPROVE THIS FROM LAST YEAR.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO TAKE THE
MONEY FROM NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET,
IF COUNCILMEMBERS PROVE THEY
HAVE NO INTENTION OF HOLDING
THE POLICE TO THAT BUDGET?
WHAT IF THE POLICE GO OVER THE
BUDGET BY $5.4 MILLION AGAIN IN
2021 IN WILL THE COUNCIL HOLD
THE LINE THEN OR PUSH IT BACK
ANOTHER YEAR?
WHAT IF THEY GO OVER BY $20
MILLION IN 2021, OR $15
MILLION?
WHAT WILL MAKE COUNCILMEMBERS
MORE WILLING TO HOLD THE POLICE
TO THEIR BUDGET NEXT YEAR,
GIVEN THAT THIS YEAR THE
COUNCIL PLEDGED TO HOLD THEM TO
THEIR BUDGET.
DOES THE COUNCIL NEED TO PASS
TWO RESOLUTIONS SAYING NO, BUT
FOR REAL THIS TIME?
IN COMMUNITY PUBLIC COMMENT,
COMMUNITY ORGANIZERS DEMAND THE
COUNCIL HOLD THE LINE.
THIS IS NOT HOLDING THE LINE.
IT IS MOVING THE LINE BACK A
YEAR WITH NO GUARANTEE IT WILL
MOVE AGAIN, AND AGAIN, AND
AGAIN.
OF COURSE THE REALITY IS, IT'S
NOT ABOUT LINES OR PROMISES OR
RESOLUTIONS OR EVEN THE
GOODWILL OF ELECTED OFFICIALS,
IT'S ABOUT THE POWER OF THE
MOMENTS IN THE STREETS.
AT HEIGHT OF THE JUSTICE FOR
GEORGE FLOYD MOVEMENT,
COUNCILMEMBERS WERE FORCED TO
DEFUND THE POLICE BY 50%.
A COUPLE OF MONTHS LEADER, WHEN
THE MOVEMENT HAD RECEDED, IT
WAS REDUCE TODAY JUST A COUPLE
PERCENT, THEN A PROMISE NOT TO
ADD THAT FUNDING BACK AT THE
END OF THE YEAR.
A COUPLE OF MONTHS LATER, HERE
WE ARE.
THE LESSON FOR OUR MOVEMENTS IS
WE MUST DEPEND ON OUR OWN
STRENGTH.
ENQUOTE.
NOW DO COUNCILMEMBERS REMEMBER
THAT THEY CANNOT DEFUND BY 50%
IN 2020 BECAUSE REDUCING THE
NUMBER OF POLICE OFFICERS WOULD
TAKE UP TO FOUR MONTHS, BUT
THEY PROMISE TO DO SO IN 2021
THEN DO COUNCILMEMBERS REMEMBER
SAYING THEY WOULD NOT INCREASE
THE POLICE BUDGET IN 2020?
THEN DO COUNCILMEMBERS SAY THEY
WOULD INCREASE THE POLICE
BUDGET IN 2020 BY $5.4 MILLION,
BUT THEY WILL SUDDENLY CUT THAT
FROM THE BUDGET IN 2021?
AT THIS POINT, ANYONE WHO IS
SURPRISED BY THIS BILL IS
UNFORTUNATELY, WOEFULLY NAIVE.
I HAVE NO DOUBT, THERE WILL BE
SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGETS THIS YEAR
TO ADD EVEN MORE TO THE POLICE
FUND.
OUR MOVEMENT DEMANDED THE
POLICE BE DEFUNDED BY 50%, TO
CUT THE POLICE RESOURCES USED
TO VIOLENTLY POLICE PEACEFUL
BLM PROTESTS, BUT NOT ONLY
THAT, TO HARASS AND ABUSE
COMMUNITIES OF COLOR ON AN
ALMOST DAILY BASIS.
I OPPOSE THIS SUBSTITUTION, AND
URGE COUNCILMEMBERS TO PASS THE
ORIGINAL BILL, FOLLOWING
THROUGH ON AT LEAST THIS ONE
PROMISE MADE TO THE BLACK LIVES
MATTER MOVEMENT.
I ALSO WANT TO ADDRESS THE
ISSUE THAT WAS DISCUSSED DURING
GREG DOSS'S PRESENTATION.
THIS SAME SUBSTITUTE BILL
RELEASES AN ADDITIONAL $5
MILLION IN THE POLICE BUDGET
THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY BOUND BY A
PROPOSAL.
THAT MEANS THAT THE SUBSTITUTE
BILL AS WHOLE GIVES THE POLICE
ACCESS TO $5 MILLION, SO IT
INCREASES THE AVAILABLE POLICE
BUDGET BY OVER $2 MILLION.
AS MALCOLM X FAMOUSLY SAID IF
YOU STICK A KNIFE IN MY BACK 9
INCHES AND PULL IT OUT 6
INCHES, THAT'S NOT PROGRESS.
I THINK THEME WILL NEED TO GET
ORGANIZED AND FIGHT FOR A BOARD
WITH FULL POWERS OVER THE
POLICE, INCLUDING HIRING, AND
FIRING SUBPOENA POWERS.
MY OBSERVATION FROM HAVING
TALKED TO HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE IN
THE POLITICALLY BROAD SPECTRUM
IS EVEN THOSE WORKING PEOPLE
WHO ARE NOT SURE ABOUT
DEFUNDING, ALSO STRONGLY
SUPPORT AN ELECTED COMMUNITY
OVERSITE BOARD WITH FULL POWERS
OVER THE POLICE, SO IT'S
ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL THAT
COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND
PROTESTERS AND WORKING PEOPLE
AND PROGRESSIVE LABOR UNITS
UNDERSTAND THAT RELYING ON THE
POLITICAL ESTABLISHMENT DOES
NOT WORK, WE WILL HAVE TO BUILD
AN INDEPENDENT FIGHTING
MOVEMENT FOR THIS.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER IS
A WANT.
COUNCILMEMBER MORALES, PLEASE.
>> THANK YOU.
I'LL BE QUICK.
I KNOW SOME OF US ARE LATE FOR
ANOTHER MEETING.
I WANT TO SAY THAT I DO, I'M
STRUGGLING WITH THIS SUBSTITUTE
BILL.
I FEEL LIKE THIS IS REALLY
GIVING THE DEPARTMENT BACK
EVERYTHING THAT THEY'RE ASKING
FOR AND WE REALLY SHOULD HOLD
THE LINE ON BUDGET
ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THE BUDGET.
AS I SAID BEFORE, THERE WERE
DECISIONS MADE.
THE DEPARTMENT MADE CHOICES
LAST YEAR TO SPEND, TO
OVERSPEND ON THEIR OVERTIME
BUDGET.
SO I THINK WE NEED TO MOVE THAT
$5.4 MILLION OUT OF THE
DEPARTMENT, AND LEAVE SPD TO
BUDGET WITH THE REMAINING
SAVINGS THAT THEY HAVE.
RATHER THAN SENDING A MESSAGE
THAT OVERRUNS ARE ACCEPTABLE.
MADE THE BUDGET CHOICES AND
LIKE EVERY OTHER DEPARTMENT,
SHOULD OPERATE NOW WITHIN THOSE
CONSTRAINTS.
SO I THINK THE ORIGINAL BILL
WAS ABOUT HOLDING THE
DEPARTMENT TO SOME BUDGET
ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THEIR
OVERSPENDS LAST YEAR, AND I
THINK THAT REMAINS THE ISSUE.
SO I WILL NOT BE SUPPORTING THE
SUBSTITUTE.
>> THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER
MORALES.
IF THERE ARE NO FURTHER
COMMENTS ON THE BILL, I JUST
WANT TO BRIEFLY SAY, THIS IS
NOT A $5.4 MILLION CUT.
IT IS A $3 MILLION CUT.
IT DOES MAINTAIN A PROVISO, AND
ALLOWS THIS COMMITTEE TO STAY
IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT AS WE
RECEIVE FUTURE REPORTS FROM SPD
ON STAFFING AND OVERTIME
ISSUES.
AND SO FOR ME, THIS IS
MAINTAINING ACCOUNTABILITY
WHILE ALSO LISTENING TO A BROAD
SECTOR OF THE COMMUNITY ABOUT
WHAT COMMUNITY NEEDS, COMMUNITY
SAFETY MEANS FOR THEM AND I
LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUE WORK
WITH THIS COMMITTEE IN DRIVING
FORWARD THOSE DISCUSSIONS.
WITH THAT, WILL THE CLERK
PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT GONZALEZ.
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS.
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MORALES.
>> NO.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT.
>> NO.
>> COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD.
>> AYE.
>> THREE IN FAVOR, TWO OPPOSED.
>> OKAY.
WELL THANK YOU ALL.
SO WE WILL CONTINUE OUR
DISCUSSION AROUND THE BUDGET
LEGISLATION BEFORE US.
UNDERSTAND THAT WE SHOULD
EXPECT TO HEAR MORE FROM THE
MONITOR AND POTENTIALLY FROM
THE COURT AS THIS MOVES
FORWARD.
APPRECIATE THE CONTINUING
CONVERSATION WITH THE COMMITTEE
MEMBERS.
AS WE'VE HAD TODAY AND AS I
KNOW WE WILL CONTINUE.
I WOULD LIKE TO ADJOURN THE
MEETING AND THE NEXT PUBLIC
HUMAN AND SERVICES COMMITTEE
ISON APRIL 13th.
WE ARE ADJOURNED.
THANK YOU.