>>> We are recording.
>> Thank you and good morning
to the May 25th, 2021 meeting.
It IS 9:32 A.M.
I'M LISA HERBOLD.
CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE.
CHAIR GONZCEZ INFORMED MY
OFFICE SHE WOULD NOT BE IN
ATTENDANCE AND WE HAVE CHAIR
PEDERSEN ACTING AS ALTERNATE.
IF YOU CAN PLEASE CALL RULE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS.
>> PRESENT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MORALES.
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT.
>> PRESENT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN.
>> HERE.
>> CHAIR HERBOLD.
>> FIVE PRESENT.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
ON TODAY'S AGENDA, WE WILL BE
HEARING THE OFFICE OF POLICE
ACCOUNTABILITY'S 2020 ANNUAL
REPORT, HEARING FROM ANDREW
MYERBERG AND ANNE BETTESWORTH.
JUST WANT TO START WITH SOME
CHAIR'S REMARKS ON THE ONE-YEAR
ANNIVERSARY OF THE MURDER OF
GEORGE FLOYD BY MINNEAPOLIS
POLICE OFFICERS.
REFLECTING ON THIS DAY, I CAME
ACROSS A COLUMN WRITTEN BY K
CUMMINGS ON THE SEATTLE TIMES
RISK OF THE PENDULUM OF SUPPORT
FOR THE BLACK LIVES MATTER
MOVEMENT LEANING TOWARD THE
STATUS QUO BASED ON THE HISTORY
OF THAT OCCURRING WHEN PAST
GENERATIONS HAVE CALLED FOR
JUSTICE FROM LACK AMERICANS.
CUMMINGS SAID "LIKE FREEDOM,
SELFISHNESS IS A FOUNDATION
STONE OF THE AMERICAN
EXPERIENCE.
OUR HISTORY IS ONE LONG PATTERN
OF CERTAIN PEOPLE SATISFYING
THEIR SELFISH NEEDS AT THE
EXPENSE OF A SELECTED FEW
BEGINNING WITH THE INDIGENOUS
PEOPLES AND THE EXPLOITATION OF
ENSLAVED AFRICANS.
WE QUICKLY LEARNED RACIAL
JUSTICE IN AMERICA ARRIVES AND
RECEDES LIKE A PENDULUM TOWARD
JUSTICE FOR A TIME AND THEN
BACK AGAIN TOWARDS SELFISHNES
."
>> LAST SUMMER WE ASKED THE
COURT TO MAINTAIN A CONSENT
DECREE IN THE FACE OF POLICE
RESPONSE AND MOSTLY PEACEFUL
PROTESTS.
NOW WE ARE FACED WITH A CONSENT
DECREE THAT IS A BARRIER TO
PASSAGE OF POLICY, REGULATING
THE USE OF WEAPONS LIKE BLAST
BALLS AND TEAR GAS AND A
CONSENT DECREE THAT IS A
BARRIER AS WELL TO THE COUNCIL
FOR BILLING OUR COMMITMENT TO
REDUCE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT'S
BUDGET AND TO HOLD THEM
ACCOUNTABLE FOR UNAUTHORIZED
OVERTIME SPENDING BEYOND THE
BUDGET GRANTED BY THE COUNCIL
AND USING THOSE FUNDS FOR OTHER
PRESSING NEEDS.
JUST A FEW WORDS ABOUT THE
BLANKET BILL BECAUSE WE DID NOT
HEAR IT IN FULL COUNSEL TODAY.
THE BUDGET BILL MAY BE ONE SUCH
EXAMPLE OF THAT SWING OF THE
PENDULUM.
AND THE RISK OF OUR EFFORTS TO
WORK TO INCREASE FUNDING FOR
ALTERNATIVES TO POLICING AND
INCREASE THE NUMBER OF THINGS
THAT WE ASKED THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT TO DO.
THE BILL THAT WE HAVE DISCUSSED
IN COMMITTEE HAS BEEN INTENDED
TO BE A COMPROMISE THAT STICKS
TO OUR COMMITMENT TO HOLD SPD
ACCOUNTABLE FOR EXCESSIVE
OVERTIME SPENDING TO POLICE
PROTESTS.
IT INCLUDES $3 MILLION IN
REDUCTION IN SPD SPENDING AND
IT IS OPPOSED BY SOME ON THE
COUNCIL BECAUSE IT IS NOT THE
FULL 5.4 MILLION AND OPPOSED BY
OTHERS BECAUSE IT IS ANY CUT AT
ALL.
THIS DESPITE THE FACT THAT SPD
WILL HAVE 13 MILLION IN SALARY
SAVINGS AVAILABLE IN THE 2021
BUDGET.
TO ME, THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF A
WAY TO FIND WAYS TO REALLOCATE
FUNDS FROM THE SPD BUDGET
TOWARD OTHER PUBLIC SAFETY
INVESTMENTS.
AND I WORRY THAT IT SIGNALS
úTHAT THE PENDULUM IS SWINGING
BACK TO THE STATUS QUO AND AWAY
FROM THE UNITY THAT THE COUNCIL
HAS HAD OVER THE LAST YEAR ON
OUR EFFORTS.
ANOTHER EXAMPLE, YESTERDAY WAS
THE TEMPORARY, HOPEFULLY,
UNRAVELING OF THE COUNCIL'S
UNIFIED POSITION FROM THE FALL
ON MOVING THE SPD PARKING
ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS INTO THE
NEW COMMUNITY SAFETY AND
COMMUNICATION CENTER.
IN SUPPORT OF THE PEO100 WORKER
WORKFORCE VISION OF COMMUNITY
SAFETY AND MOSTLY IN RESPONSE
TO LOBBYING.
WE ALSO WERE ASKED LAST SUMMER
TO WITHDRAWAL THE CITY'S
LAWSUIT POSING KING COUNTY'S
NEW INQUEST PROCESS AND THE
CITY WAS ENGAGED IN OPPOSING
NEW PROCESS.
AND TODAY WE ARE WAITING FOR
ANSWERS.
WE WANT TO RECOGNIZE OUR
ACCOMPLISHMENT OVER THE LAST
YEAR AND BE ALLOCATED $30
MILLION FROM THE BUDGETING
PROCESS AND INFORM FUTURE
POLICY MAKING AND MAKING
INVESTMENTS TO BUILD COMMUNITY
SAFETY.
WE INVESTED $4 MILLION TO
LAUNCH THE SEATTLE COMMUNITY
SAFETY INITIATIVE WITH THREE
COMMUNITY SAFETY HUBS AND
WRAPAROUND SERVICES IN THE
CENTRAL DISTRICT, SOUTH EAST
AND WEST SEATTLE.
WE HAVE INVESTED 12 MILLION TO
BUILD THE CAPACITY OF COMMUNITY-
BASED ORGANIZATIONS WORKING TO
BUILD SAFETY FROM THE GROUND UP
IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS INCLUDING
VIOLENCE -- ENDING VIOLENCE
AND REDUCING CRIME.
WE MOVE THE ADVOCACY TEAM FOR
CRISIS RESPONSE TO THE HUMAN
SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
WE HAVE RESTORED A MILLION
DOLLARS TO THE OFFICE OF CIVIL
RIGHTS FOR GRANTS FOR
ORGANIZATIONS FULFILLING
ALTERNATIVES TO OR ADDRESSING
HARM CREATED BY THE CRIMINAL
LEGAL SYSTEM.
WE HAVE TALKED TO MENTAL HEALTH
PROFESSIONALS ON THE SPD
RESPONSE IN THE DEPARTMENT.
AND RESPOND TO HEALTH CRISES.
WE ALSO INVESTED IN MILLION
DOOR DOLLARS TO EXPAND
NEIGHBORHOOD BASED TEAMS OF
MEDICAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE
ABUSE AND PROFESSIONALS TO
RESPOND TO INDIVIDUALS
EXPENSING CHRONIC OR BEHAVIORAL
ISSUES AND PEOPLE EXPERIENCING
UNSHELTERED HOMELESSNESS AND WE
HAVE FUNDED A RESTORATIVE
JUSTICE PILOT PROGRAM IN THE
SEATTLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
WE PASSED THE YOUTH RIGHTS
ORDINANCE NAMED AFTER A
TEENAGER WHO IN 2017 WAS SHOT
AND KILLED BY PLAIN CLOTHING
DEPUTIES DURING A MISGUIDED
STING OPERATION THAT WERE ONLY
TARGETED TWO TEENAGERS.
WE ADDED A CRISIS COUNSELOR TO
THE SEATTLE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND
INCREASED INTERACTIONS WITH
PEOPLE IN CRISIS.
WE WERE REQUIRING WITH THE NEW
LAW THAT SEATTLE POLICE
OFFICERS GIVE BADGES AND BADGE
NUMBERS. WE HAVE EXPANDED
HEALTH ONE TO CREATE THREE NEW
RESPONSE TEAMS.
TWO OF THEM KNEW, FOR
FIREFIGHTERS AND POLICE
OFFICERS TO RESPOND TO MORE 911
CALLS.
THE COUNCIL CREATED COMMUNITY
SAFETY AND MEDICATION CENTER
WHICH JUST YESTERDAY. IT WAS A
BIG STEP FORWARD IN
RECALIBRATING OUR EFFORTS TO
NOT REQUIRE SWORN OFFICERS TO
RESPOND.
WE REACHED AN AGREEMENT FOR THE
FIRST TIME IN THE POLICE
COMMISSION TO HAVE A FORMAL
ROLE IN POLICE UNION CONTRACT
NEGOTIATIONS.
AND WE REDUCED OUR RELIANCE ON
INCARCERATION BY REDIRECTING $8
MILLION FROM THIS YEAR AND NEXT
IN THE KING COUNTY JAIL
CONTRACT, COMMUNITY BASED AND
HEALTH PROGRAM TO PROMOTE
UPSTREAM SAFETY AND HEALTH.
WE REMOVED OUTDATED DRUG LAWS
FROM THE SEATTLE MUNICIPAL CODE
RECOMMENDED BY THE REENTRY
WORKGROUP.
AND IN ADDITION, A NUMBER OF
COUNCIL MEMBERS ADVOCATED AT
THE STATE LEGISLATURE FOR
CHANGES AT THE STATE LAW IN
PURSUIT OF GREATER
ACCOUNTABILITY MEASURES.
>> THE COUNCIL TOOK THESE
VOTES THAT WERE MADE POSSIBLE
BY THE VOICES AND SUSTAINED
ACTION OF THOUSANDS OF
PROTESTERS THAT MADE IT CLEAR
THAT DAY AFTER DAY IN THE
MIDDLE OF THE PANDEMIC NO LESS
THAT COMMUNITY SAFETY CANNOT BE
ACHIEVED WITH THE RESTRUCTURING
OF OUR RESPONSE CRISIS CALLS
AND NON- POLICE ALTERNATIVES TO
PEOPLE IN CRISIS.
YOU FLUNG THE CITY'S PENDULUM
TOWARD JUSTICE.
AND WHEN I SAY YOU, I MEAN
EVERYONE IN HEALTHCARE WHO HAS
BEEN DOING THIS WORK.
I KNOW THESE CHANGES ARE YOUR
EFFORT AND THIS WORK IS NOT
DONE.
CLOSING, I JUST WANT TO SAY
BEFORE WE MOVE TO PUBLIC
COMMENT, THAT IT IS APPROPRIATE
THAT ON THIS DAY WE HEAR FROM
OUR OFFICE OF POLICE
ACCOUNTABILITY ABOUT THEIR WORK
OVER THE PAST YEAR.
AND ANDREW MYERBERG SAYS
CHANGES ARE NEEDED TO KEEP
IMPROVING THE SYSTEMS BOTH
LOCALLY AND STATEWIDE.
HEARING HIS REPORT, TOGETHER
WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE
OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL
AND THE COMMUNITY POLICE
COMMISSION, IT IS ALL PART OF
IMPROVING AN IMPERFECT SYSTEM
OF ACCOUNTABILITY.
WE WANT TO HONOR THE LIFE OF
GEORGE LLOYD THIS MORNING AND
ALSO RECOGNIZE THE DEPTHS DEREK
HAYDEN AND OTHERS AT THE HANDS
OF SEATTLE POLICE OFFICERS OVER
THE LAST YEAR.
I WANT TO TAKE A PAUSE.
I HAVE RECEIVED
(INDISCERNIBLE) AND RECEIVING
SOME OPENING REMARKS, COUNSEL
CALLINGS IF YOU FOLKS HAVE
POINTS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO
ADD.
YOU ARE CERTAINLY ENCOURAGED TO
DO SO.
OTHERWISE, I WILL MOVE INTO
APPROVAL.
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT.
>> THANK YOU CHAIR HERBOLD.
I APPRECIATE THE CHANCE TO MAKE
SOME OPENING REMARKS AND NOT
INTERRUPT THE PRESENTATION AT
DIFFERENT TIMES.
AND BECAUSE MY QUESTIONS ARE
MORE OVERARCHING ON SPECIFIC
SLIDE ITEMS.
I WOULD LIKE TO QUICKLY
FRONTLOAD THOSE QUESTIONS AS
WELL.
AS I'M SURE EVERYONE WHO IS
WATCHING WOULD KNOW, MY OFFICE
IS COMPLETELY CONVINCED THAT
THE SEATTLE POLICE
ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM, AS WE
HAVE IT, IS FUNDAMENTALLY
BROKEN ON A STRUCTURAL LEVEL
AND AS FAR AS ANY INDIVIDUAL
DECISION MADE IN THE OFFICE OF
POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY, ALTHOUGH
I HAVE A SUBSTANTIAL
DISAGREEMENT WITH THOSE
DECISIONS.
THE POINT IS THAT THE
OVERARCHING CONTEXT, AND I WANT
TO BE CRYSTAL CLEAR ABOUT THE
OVERARCHING CONTEXT BECAUSE
OTHERWISE THE POINTS THAT COME
FROM THE OFFICE, AND SOME OF
THEM I LAY OUT RIGHT NOW, BUT
WHY THE POLICE
WERE NOT HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR
THE MASS BRUTALITY OF THE BLACK
LIVES MATTER MOVEMENT LAST
SUMMER WILL BE LOST IN SECOND-
DEGREE DETAILS UNFORTUNATELY,
THIS HAS HAPPENED REPEATEDLY
FROM PRESENTERS WHERE THE
OVERARCHING CONTEXT OF THE
FAILURE AND POLICE
ACCOUNTABILITY IS NOT KEPT IN
CONTEXT.
WE NEED ELECTED OVERSIGHT BOARD
WITH FULL POWERS OVER THE
POLICE DE TO -- TO HIGHER
-- HIRE AND FIRE POLICE
OFFICERS AND CARRY OUT
INVESTIGATIONS.
DIRECTOR ANDREW MYERBERG AND
OTHERS ARE NOT SWORN OFFICERS.
THEY ARE NOT INDEPENDENT OF THE
MAYOR AND THE OVERALL POLITICAL
ESTABLISHMENT.
IT IS NOT JUST ABOUT THE
INDIVIDUAL POLICE OFFICERS.
ALL OF THOSE ARE CRUCIAL
COMPONENTS.
BUT THIS IS NOT IN THE VACUUM
OF THE OVERALL ESTABLISHMENT
THAT HAS FAILED IN ITS TASK ON
POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY.
THE MAYOR ORDERED THE POLICE TO
GUESS THE PEOPLE OF SEATTLE
LAST SUMMER, IN ADDITION TO
USING OTHER WEAPONRY, SO-CALLED
LESS LETHAL WEAPONS, ON
PEACEFUL PROTESTERS REPEATEDLY
NIGHT AFTER NIGHT.
SO HOW CAN THEY BE EXCITED TO
HOLD THE POLICE ACCOUNTABLE
AFTER THAT OVERWHELMING POLICE
VIOLENCE.
>> AND THE POLICE CONTRACT
THAT I WAS UNFORTUNATELY THE
ONLY REPRESENTATIVE ON THE
COUNCIL TO VOTE AGAINST,
EFFECTIVELY CREATES A 180
STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS ON
POLICE BEING HELD ACCOUNTABLE.
DOES THAT MEAN ALL OF THE
INVESTIGATIONS INTO THE POLICE
VIOLENCE ARE EFFECTIVELY OVER?
YOU DID NOT SUSTAIN THE
THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS AGAINST
THE OFFICERS -- AGAINST THE
OFFICER THAT PEPPER SPRAYED A
CHILD IN THE FACE.
HOW CAN YOU JUSTIFY THAT?
I HAVE ASKED THIS QUESTION IN
THE COMMITTEE BEFORE AND HAVE
NOT HAD ANY KIND OF
SATISFACTORY ANSWERS.
THE RESPONSE HAS BEEN THAT IT
IS REGRETTABLE BUT CONSISTENT
WITH THESE PROCEDURES.
THIS IS A RESPONSE WE HAVE HAD
FROM DIRECTOR ANDREW MYERBERG
AND OTHERS.
WE RESPOND WHEN OUR OFFICE VOTE
FOR LEGISLATION PUTTING A BAN
ON THE POLICE FROM USING THESE
CHEMICAL WEAPONS AGAINST
PROTESTERS.
YOU OPPOSED TO THAT.
SO YOU SAY IT IS REGRETTABLE
BUT IT IS SIMPLY NOT CREDIBLE
WHEN YOU OPPOSE EVERY EFFORT TO
STOP IT.
YOU EXONERATE THE POLICE
OFFICER SAYING THAT THE OFFICER
ACTED WITHIN THE LAW AND THEN
YOU OPPOSED CHANGING THE LAW.
WHY DO YOU THINK THE POLICE ARE
SO CONFIDENT THAT THEY CAN
BRUTALIZE BLACK LIVES MATTER
PROTESTERS WITHOUT CONSEQUENCE?
DO YOU THINK THE SEATTLE POLICE
WERE GENERALLY HELD ACCOUNTABLE
FOR THE VIOLENCE THEY UNLEASHED
ON OUR COMMUNITY DURING THE
BLACK LIVES MATTER MOVEMENT
LAST SUMMER?
THESE ARE MY QUESTIONS.
I HOPE THAT TODAY WILL BE
DIFFERENT AND WE WILL HAVE
DIFFERENT ANSWERS AND ON THIS
STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS.
UNFORTUNATELY, I'M NOT VERY
HOPEFUL BUT I DID WANT TO
REGISTER THOSE QUESTIONS
BECAUSE I THINK IT IS EXTREMELY
IMPORTANT FOR US AS ELECTED
REPRESENTATIVES TO CONTINUE
PUSHING ON THINGS, EVEN THOUGH
WE HAVE NOT HAD RESULTS YET.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER
SAWANT. SEEING NO OTHER HANDS,
I WILL MOVE TO APPROVAL OF THE
AGENDA.
THE AGENDA WILL BE ADOPTED.
HEARING NO OBJECTION, IT IS
ADOPTED.
AT THIS TIME, WE WILL
TRANSITION INTO PUBLIC COMMENT.
I WILL MODERATE THE PUBLIC
COMMENT PERIOD IN THE FOLLOWING
MANNER.
EACH SPEAKER WILL BE GIVEN
MINUTES TO SPEAK.
WE WILL CALL IN EACH SPEAKER BY
NAME AND THE ORDER FOR WHICH
THEY REGISTERED ON THE COUNCIL
WEBSITE.
IF YOU HAVE NOT REGISTERED TO
SPEAK WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO DO
SO, YOU CAN SIGN UP FOR THE END
OF THE PUBLIC HEARING AT THE
END OF THE COMMENT PERIOD BY
GOING TO THE COUNCIL'S WEBSITE.
A LINK IS ALSO LISTED ON
TODAY'S AGENDA.
WHEN I CALL A SPEAKER'S NAME,
YOU WILL HEAR A PROMPT AND WHEN
YOU HEAR A PROMPT, YOU NEED TO
PRESS STAR SIX AND UNMUTE
YOURSELF.
YOU CAN BEGIN BY STATING YOUR
NAME AND THE ITEM YOU ARE
SEEING ON THE AGENDA.
YOU WILL HEAR A TIME WHEN 10
SECONDS ARE LEFT.
WE ASK THAT YOU THEN WRAP UP
YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT.
SPEAKERS CANNOT END THE, SAID
THE END OF THE ALLOTTED MINUTES
PROVIDED.
THE SPEAKER MICROPHONE WILL BE
MUTED AFTER 10 SECONDS.
WHEN YOU HAVE COMPLETED YOUR
PUBLIC COMMENT, PLEASE
DISCONNECT FROM THE LINE.
AND IF YOU CAN, PLEASE FOLLOW
THE MEETING USING THE SEATTLE
PANEL OR THE LISTENING OPTIONS
ON THE AGENDA.
RIGHT NOW, IT LOOKS LIKE WE
HAVE 10 PEOPLE SIGNED UP FOR
PUBLIC COMMENT.
AND I WILL CALL ON THE FIRST
FEW SPEAKERS.
LET ME GET OVER TO MY SIGN-UP
SHEET.
WE FIRST HAVE HOWARD GAIL.
>> GOOD MORNING.
HOWARD DALE, DISTRICT SEVEN.
TODAY IS THE ONE-YEAR
ANNIVERSARY OF GEORGE WHITE'S
DEATH, A DAY WHEN OUR ARE ZONE
HEARTS AND EYES WERE OPEN TO
THE EXTENT AND BRUTALITY OF
POLICE ABUSE.
TODAY, THE OPA DIRECTOR ANDREW
MYERBERG WILL GO BEHIND AND
BLIND US AND HARDEN OUR HEARTS
WITH NUMBERS AND LIES.
THIS WILL BE DONE BY A MAN WHO
SPENT HIS ENTIRE PROFESSIONAL
CAREER, 13 YEARS, DEFENDING
POLICE INCLUDING DEFENDING THE
NEW YORK CITY POLICE AGAINST
ILLEGAL AND RIGHTEOUS CLAIMS OF
THE CENTRAL PARK FIVE.
YOU ARE THE ONLY NUMBERS THAT
MATTER TODAY.
THE NUMBERS THE DIRECTORS HERE
TO OBSCURE.
87.
THOSE ARE THE DAYS THAT TERRY
CAVERS MURDER WENT UNNOTICED
WITH ANDREW MYERBERG CLAIMING
THERE WERE NO COMPLAINTS BY OPA
DESPITE THE FACT THAT I DID
MAKE A COMPLAINT.
371 FOR THE DAYS THAT WE ARE
STILL WAITING FOR THE OPA
REPORT ON THE SPD MURDER OF
TERRY CAVERS.
27 FOR THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE
KILLED BY A SPEEDY IN THE FIRST
DECADE OF THE CENTURY BEFORE
JOHN WILLIAMS.
29 FOR THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE
KILLED BY A SPEEDY IN THE LAST
DECADE AFTER JOHN WILLIAMS AND
THE START OF THE POLICE REFORM
PROCESS.
BY THE WAY, 29 IS BIGGER THAN
27.
ALL THESE KILLINGS ARE RULED
LAWFUL AND PROPER WERE NEVER
INVESTIGATED OR THEY ARE STILL
WAITNG FOR THE INVESTIGATION
TO BE COMPLETED.
ONE IS A NUMBER OF SP OFFICERS
WITH ANYTHING MORE THAN A
REPRIMAND FOR ALL OF THE ABUSE
AND HARM UNLEASHED ON HUNDREDS
OVER THE LAST 12 MONTHS.
TWO IS A NUMBER OF DAYS
SUSPENSION WITH OR WITHOUT PAY.
SUGGESTED AS DISCIPLINE FOR THE
ONE SINGLE OFFICER RECEIVING
MORE THAN A REPRIMAND.
NINE IS THE NUMBER OF YEARS WE
HAVE PRETENDED TO HAVE POLICE
ACOUNTABILITY.
THERE ARE MANY HEART-WRENCHING
STORIES BURIED IN THE NUMBERS
THAT MYERBERG WILL PUT BEFORE
YOU TODAY TO STANDS OUT.
LAST JULY WHEN AN SP OFFICER
INTENTIONALLY THREW A BLESSED
BALL AT RENCE ROCKY, THE SAME
MONTH, OVER A DOZEN OFFICERS
STOOD PASSIVELY OVER SAMANTHA
SIX AS SHE SUFFERED EPILEPTIC
SEIZURES.
IN BOTH THESE CASES, MYERBERG
RULED THE ABUSE COMPLAINTS WERE
NOT SUSTAINED.
WE NEED TO HAVE CIVILIAN
OVERSIGHT.
I INVITE EVERYONE TO JOIN US AT
SEATTLESTOP.ORG.
>> THANK YOU, HOWARD.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS CODY BLUESKY
.
>> YOU HEAR ME?
>> WE CAN.
>> GREAT.
HELLO SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL.
I'M A RESIDENT AND DISTRICT AND
MEDICAL RESEARCHER IN SEATTLE.
I'M HERE REPRESENTING THE
ORGANIZATION, DECRIMINALIZE
SEATTLE.
IN THE WAKE OF THIS POSITION,
MANY LAWMAKERS ON THE STATE
LEVEL ARE WARY OF PURSUING
RECENT LAWS DRUGS LAWS IS
ANOTHER REGRESSIVE
CONTINUATION.
THE CITY OF SEATTLE ACTONEL AND
PASSES A RESOLUTION
DECRIMINALIZING AND PROTECTING
MEDICAL PRACTITIONERS WHO
PRESCRIBE THEM AND CAN
DEMONSTRATE THERE IS STILL
PUBLIC APPETITE FOR CHANGE IN
THE STATUS QUO.
A SIMILAR NINE WAS
-- SIMILAR LAW WAS VOTED ON
AND PASSED BY DOUBLE DIGITS IN
THE OVERWHELMING DEMOGRAPHIC
SIMILAR SITUATION.
THIS IS INCREDIBLE FOR A
POPULAR ISSUE.
THE ORGANIZATION HAS WON THE
ENDORSEMENTS OF MANY MEDICAL
PRACTITIONERS, INDIGENOUS
HEALERS AND ALL THE LOCAL
LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT WITHIN THE
CITY OF SEATTLE WE HAVE SPOKE
WITH.
PERSONALLY I THINK THE STREETS
SUBSTANCE ABUSE, DEPRESSION,
PTSD AND IN SOME PARALLEL
RELATIVE TO PHARMACEUTICAL
MEDICINE.
THE CITY OF SEATTLE SHOULD JOIN
A DOZEN OTHER MISLE BODIES SUCH
AS WASHINGTON D.C., OAKLAND,
AND DENVER IN PASSING THIS
REFORM.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
NEXT SPEAKER IS BEN HOLCOMB
FOLLOWED BY LILA BURNS.
>> HELLO.
MY NAME IS BEN HOLCOMB AND I'M
A RESIDENT IN DISTRICT THREE
AND I'M SPEAKING ON THE
CRIMINAL NATURE SEATTLE.
AND HOPE YOU WILL ADOPT THE
EQUALIZATION OF PSYCHEDELICS IN
SEATTLE.
I WOULD LIKE TO TALK TO YOU
ABOUT MY OWN EXPENSE WITH
PSYCHEDELICS AND HOW THEY
RELATE TO BROADER STUDIES OF
PSYCHEDELICS ACROSS THE
COUNTRY.
MY FIRST TIME TAKING IT WAS
OVER A DECADE AGO.
EXPERIENCE MOSTLY A SENSE OF
PEACE IS WITH MYSELF AND THE
WORLD.
I CAME OUT OF THE TRIP WITH A
CONFIDENCE IN MYSELF THAT MADE
ME A GENUINELY HAPPIER PERSON.
THERE HAVE BEEN MULTIPLE
STUDIES THAT HAVE SHOWN THAT
OVER 66% OF PATIENTS RECEIVING
PSYCHEDELIC TREATMENT, REGARD
THE SESSION IS THE MOST
SPIRITUAL EXPANSE OF THEIR
LIVES.
YOU HAVE HEARD FROM ME AND
OTHER VOLUNTEERS THAT THESE HAVE
HEALED ANXIETY.
MY QUESTION TO YOU, CITY HALL,
IS WHY WOULD WE WANT TO
CONTINUE INCARCERATING PEOPLE
FOR CONTINUING TO BETTER
THEMSELVES.
LIKE IT LOOKS HAVE SHOWN TO
HAVE INCREDIBLE MEDICAL
BENEFITS.
WOULD ANY OF YOU SAY THE SAME
ABOUT ALCOHOL OR TOBACCO?
I'M ASKING YOU TO TAKE A LOOK
AT THE FACTS AND TESTIMONIALS
WE HAVE GIVEN BEFORE YOU AND
ASK YOURSELVES HOW KEEPING
THESE SUBSTANCES CRIMINALIZED
BENEFITS ANYONE.
WE CANNOT LET SEATTLE GET LEFT
BEHIND PRACTICING ARCHAIC DRUG
LAWS THAT HAVE PROVEN TO NOT
WORK.
IT IS AN EQUITABLE AND SAFE
ACCESS JUST LIKE SO MANY CITIES
HAVE DONE BEFORE US.
WE CAN DO BETTER, SEATTLE.
SUPPORT OUR RESOLUTION.
I YIELD MY TIME.
>> NEXT SPEAKER IS LILA BURNS
.
>> HELLO.
CAN YOU HEAR ME?
CALLING REGARDING COUNSEL BILL
ONE 1981 WHICH GIVES MONEY TO A
SPEEDY THAT SHOULD GO TO
PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING.
AFTER YOU COMMITTED TO
DEFENDING LAST SUMMER.
I URGE COUNCIL TO REJECT THE
BILL AND FOLLOW THROUGH WITH
DEFUNDING A SPEEDY.
TODAY MARKS ONE YEAR SINCE
MURDER OF GEORGE FLOYD.
THE WAS POLICE HAVE KILLED AT
LEAST 1060 PEOPLE EVER SINCE.
414 JUST IN 2021 INCLUDING
SEATTLE POLICE WHO KILLED BOTH
GREGORY TAYLOR AND DEREK HAYDEN
IN THE SPAN OF A SINGLE WEEK.
POLICE DO NOT MAKE US SAFER.
SPD DOES NOT NEED MORE MONEY.
THE OPA FINDINGS CAN BE
OVERRULED BY THE POLICE CHIEF
AND THE CONSENT DECREE CLAIMS
TO BE AN OVERSIGHT BODY BUT IT
HAS BEEN USED TO EVADE THE
TEARGAS BAN LAST SUMMER AND
DELAY THIS BILL FOR MONTHS.
BLACK LIVES MATTER IS DIRECTLY
PUTTING DANGER INTO THIS BILL.
THE CONVICTION OF DEREK CHAUVIN
S NOT JUSTICE.
IT IS ONE RARE FORM OF POLICE
ACCOUNTABILITY THAT WAS
ACHIEVED THROUGH IMMENSE
PRESSURE.
SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL HAS POWER
OVER THE SPD BUDGET AND MUST
USE IT TO INTERVENE AND THE
CONTINUED KILLING AND
BRUTALIZATION OF YOUR
CONSTITUENTS.
HONOR GEORGE FLOYD AND CONSIDER
THE COMMITMENTS TO THE BLACK
LIVES YOU HAVE MADE OR BROKEN
IN THE YEARS SINCE HIS MURDER.
IT HAS BEEN ONE YEAR AND THE
DEMANDS OF THE PROTEST HAVE NOT
BEEN MET.
WE WANT TO DEFUND SP BY 50% AT
LEAST.
REALLOCATE THE FUNDS TO BY
COMMITTEES.
RELEASE ALL PROTESTERS WITHOUT
CHARGES.
FOR NO NEW YOU STILL.
AND JENNY DURKAN RESIGNED.
PLEASE REJECT THE COUNSEL BILL
BILL WHEN IT GOES TO FULL
COUNSEL. I YIELD MY TIME.
>> VALERIE FLOREZ.
>> GOOD MORNING.
I LIVE IN BEACON HILL.
ON TODAY'S AGENDA IS THE
PRESENTATION OF THE OPA'S
ANNUAL REPORT.
I HAVE READ IT.
IT REVEALS THE PRO- POLICE BIAS
BAKED INTO THE STAR CURRENT
SYSTEM POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY.
THERE ARE MULTIPLE POINTS WHERE
THE REPORT LANGUAGE ASSOCIATES
PROTEST AFTER THE MURDER OF
GEORGE FLOYD WITH COMPLAINTS TO
THE OPA, AS IF PROTEST WAS THE
CAUSE OF COMPLAINT.
LET'S BE CLEAR.
PROTEST IS THE EXERCISE OF THE
CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO FREEDOM
OF SPEECH.
IT IS POSSIBLE TO HAVE PROTEST
WITHOUT THE POLICE RESPONSE OF
ESCALATION, RETALIATION AND A
-- AN ATTACK ON CIVILIANS THAT
WE SAW LAST SUMMER.
THOSE ACTIONS BY SPD WERE
CLEARLY UNNECESSARY.
THAT WAS DOCUMENTED IN MANY
VIDEOS.
PROTESTS ARE NOT A REASON FOR
PEOPLE FILING COMPLAINTS TO THE
OPA.
THE ABUSIVE BEHAVIOR OF SPD AND
RESPONSE TO PROTEST IS THE
REASON FOR THE COMPLAINT.
HOW SPD HANDLES PROTESTS AND
HOW IT POLICES IT AT OTHER
TIMES ARE OBVIOUSLY RELATED.
THE PROBLEMS WITH POLICING IN
OUR CITY TAKE A HIGH TOLL YEAR
AFTER YEAR.
THAT IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM THAT
IS OBSCURED IN THE ANNUAL REPORT
THAT THE OPA IS PRESENTING
TODAY.
THE REPORT GIVES SOME METRICS
WITHOUT GIVING REAL INFORMATION
ABOUT COMPLAINTS OR
CONSEQUENCES.
AT SEVERAL POINTS, THE OPA SAYS
IT INCREASES (INDISCERNIBLE)
THIS YEAR IN RESPONSE TO PUBLIC
INTEREST.
MY JAW DROPPED WHEN I READ
THAT.
WHAT WE HAVE GOTTEN FROM THE
OPA IS NOT REAL TRANSPARENCY
BUT A HIGHER PROFILE IN
RESPONSE TO A SEASON OF CRISIS
AND CRITICISM.
LET'S NOT PRETEND WE HAVE REAL
TRANSPARENCY OR REAL POLICE
ACCOUNTABILITY.
WE NEED TO START OVER WITH A
FULLY CIVILIAN POLICE OVERSIGHT
BOARD THAT IS ELECTED BY THE
PEOPLE AND ACCOUNTABLE TO THEM.
GO TO SEATTLESTOP.ORG FOR MORE
INFORMATION.
>> THE NEXT SPEAKER IS ANDREW
CARNAHAN.
>> HELLO.
MY NAME IS ANDREW CARNAHAN.
CAN HEAR ME?
>> WE CAN.
>> I'M A LICENSED MENTAL
HEALTH COUNSELOR AND SUBSTANCE
ABUSE DISORDER PROFESSIONAL.
I HAVE BEEN WORKING IN THE CITY
OF SEATTLE FOR OVER 10 YEARS.
DURING THAT TIME, I HAVE SERVED
THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE,
PARTICULARLY AROUND SUBSTANCE
USE DISORDER.
OF THE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE I
WORKED WITH, EXACTLY ONE OF
THOSE PEOPLE HAD A PRIMARY
DIAGNOSIS OF PSYCHEDELIC
RELATED SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER.
I'M SPEAKING IN FAVOR OF THE
EFFORT TO DECRIMINALIZE NATURE
AND DECRIMINALIZE SUBSTANCES IN
THE CITY OF SEATTLE.
WHILE LOOK IN MY ANECDOTAL
EXPERIENCE, I HAVE HAD A
MINIMAL AMOUNT OF PROBLEMS
RELATED TO THESE SUBSTANCES.
AND WHEN WE LOOK AT THE
LITERATURE ON THE TOPIC, THE
SUBSTANCES HAVE INCREDIBLY LOW
PROFILE FOR ABUSE OR DEPENDENCE
AND, WHEN USED RESPONSIBLY, A
REALLY GOOD SAFETY RECORD.
THAT COUPLED WITH THE RESEARCH
ON THE MEDICAL EFFICACY OF THE
SUBSTANCE, FURTHERMORE WE LOOK
AT THE FACTS THAT MANY
SPIRITUAL TRADITIONS HAVE A
PROFOUND EFFECT ON THEIR
PARTICIPANTS OR THE PEOPLE IN
THEIR CONVERSATION AT REDUCING
ADDICTION AND MENTAL HEALTH
DISORDERS AS WELL AS THE NATIVE
AMERICAN. YOU CAN SEE THAT
CLEARLY THE HARM DONE BY THESE
SUBSTANCES WHEN BALANCED
AGAINST THE VERY LIKELY BENEFIT
TO INDIVIDUALS IN THE COMMUNITY
AS A WHOLE, IT MAKES NO SENSE
TO KEEP THE SUBSTANCES
CRIMINALIZED.
I'M NOT JUST SPEAKING ABOUT THE
MEDICAL USE OF THESE SUBSTANCES
BUT PARTICULARLY ABOUT THEIR
SPIRITUAL USE IN THE STUDIES
HAVE FOUND THE SPIRITUAL USE
AND THE USE OF THESE SUBSTANCES
--
>> THANK YOU.
THE NEXT PERSON WE HAVE SIGNED
UP TO SPEAK IS DOMINIC DAVIS.
BUT DOMINIC IS SHOWING NOT
PRESENT.
WE WILL COME BACK TO HIM IF
THAT CHANGES.
THE NEXT PERSON WE HAVE SHOWING
AS PRESENT IS KEN CONNOLLY.
AND THEN WE HAVE TWO OTHER
PEOPLE SHOWING UP NOT PRESENT.
BOB JOHNSON AND GEORGE SOTO.
IF WE GET TO THE END OF THE
NEXT COMMENTS AND NEITHER
DOMINIC DAVIS, BEN JOHNSON OR
GEORGE SOTO ARE SHOWING IS NOT
PRESENT, WE WILL CONCLUDE THE
PUBLIC COMMENT.
>> MY NAME IS KEN CONNOLLY
AND I RESIDE AT DISTRICT 1. I
AM A MERE CARPENTER.
I'M TAKING TIME AWAY FROM MY
DAY TO USE MY VOICE HERE AT
CITY COUNCIL AND ADVOCACY OF
DECRIMINALIZE SEATTLE AND WHAT
THEY WILL CALM WITH YOUR HELP.
WE ALL KNOW THE WAR ON DRUGS IS
AN INCOMPETENT OR MARGINALIZED
COMMUNITY.
DETERMINATION IS A GATHER GROW
PHILOSOPHY.
WE ALL CAN AGREE THAT THE
GOVERNMENT SHOULDN'T TELL
ANYONE WHAT THEY CAN OR CAN'T
GROW.
PSYCHEDELICS HAVE HELPED ME IN
MORE WAYS THEN I CAN EVER
IMAGINE.
AND I WANT THAT FOR EVERYBODY.
AS RESEARCH CONTINUES, THE
THERAPEUTIC BENEFITS BECOME
MORE AND MORE OBVIOUS.
THE THERAPIST YOU WILL HEAR FROM
WILL AGREE.
UNFORTUNATELY, IF IT WAS NOT
FOR THIS MOVEMENT, I WOULD HAVE
NEVER SPOKEN WITH OR COULD I
AFFORD TO SPEAK WITH THESE
BRILLIANT MINDS.
RETIREMENT, PROVIDING FOR A
FAMILY AND SPACE TRAVEL ARE ALL
LEGAL BUT THEY ALL SEEM EQUALLY
AS UNOBTAINABLE TO ME AND MANY
OF MY PEERS.
WE SEE HOW THIS IS WORKING OUT
IN OREGON.
KEEPING THIS IN A STRICTLY
MEDICAL REALM WILL SNUFF
REGULAR HARD-WORKING PEOPLE
LIKE ME FROM ALL THE BENEFITS
ASSOCIATED WITH PSYCHEDELICS.
DISCONTINUING A VICIOUS CYCLE.
BONDAGE OF CONSCIOUSNESS IS NOT
A GOOD LOOK.
AS FAR AS PSYCHEDELICS GO, I
AGREE WITH (INDISCERNIBLE) AND I
GIVE MY TIME.
>> I SEE THE LAST REPUBLIC
COMMENTERS ARE SHOWING IS NOT
PRESENT.
WITH THAT, WE WILL CONCLUDE
PUBLIC COMMENT.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY.
AND WE MOVE ON TO THE ITEM ON
TODAY'S AGENDA.
AND WE HAVE THE OFFICE OF
ACCOUNTABILITY BEFORE THE
COMMITTEE PRESENT THE 2020
ANNUAL REPORT.
AS MENTIONED EARLIER, POLICE
ACCOUNTABILITY IS ONE OF THREE
BODIES RESPONSIBLE FOR
ACCOUNTABILITY AND SEATTLE.
AND INVESTIGATING REPORTS OF
MISCONDUCT.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY.
I APPRECIATE YOUR FLEXIBILITY
ON SCHEDULING.
IN ADDITION TO THE
PRESENTATION, I WOULD
APPRECIATE IF YOU COULD ALSO
PROVIDE, AT ANY POINT DURING
THE PRESENTATION DOES PROVIDE
AN UPDATE ON THE INVESTIGATION
ON THE SIX OFFICERS IN D.C.
JANUARY 6th, THE TIMELINE FOR
COMPLETING THE INVESTIGATION.
AND I THINK IT IS TOP OF MIND
FOR A LOT OF FOLKS, THE
DESCRIPTION OF THE WORK THAT
THE OPA DID ON THE PINK
UMBRELLA CASE WOULD BE HELPFUL.
AT THIS POINT, I WILL TURN IT
OVER TO OUR PRESENTERS TODAY
AND ASK THAT THE PRESENTERS
FROM THE OFFICE OF POLICE
ACCOUNTABILITY INTRODUCE
YOURSELVES FOR THE VIEWING
PUBLIC.
>> REALLY QUICK, I'M GOING TO
READ THE ITEM INTO THE RECORD.
AGENDA ITEM NUMBER ONE, OFFICE
OF POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY 2020
ANNUAL REPORT.
>> GOOD MORNING.
I'M ANDREW MYERBERG FROM THE
OFFICE OF POLICE ACCOUNT
ABILITY.
I AM THE DIRECTOR.
>> GOOD MORNING.
MY NAME IS ANNE BETTESWORTH.
AND THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF
PUBLIC AFFAIRS AND POLICY AT
THE OFFICE OF POLICE
ACCOUNTABILITY.
>> GOOD MORNING.
I'M LAUREN CAPUTO.
AND THE DATE AND POLICY ANALYST
AT OPA.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, ALL OF
YOU, FOR JOINING US.
AND WITH THAT, LET'S JUST DIG
RIGHT IN AND PROCEED WITH THE
PRESENTATION.
>> I WILL LEAD US OFF.
LIKE EVERYONE ON THE COUNCIL, I
APPRECIATE, COUNCIL MEMBER
HERBOLD, YOUR WORDS THIS
MORNING.
I THINK WE WERE ALL HORRIFIED
BY WHAT WE SAW LAST SPRING AND
INTO THE SUMMER.
AND I THINK THE COUNCILMEMBER
DOES THE POINTS COUNCILMEMBER
SAWANT MAKES, I'M HAPPY TO
ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU
FEEL ARE NECESSARY TO ANSWER.
I THINK WHAT WE WILL TALK ABOUT
TODAY IS THAT WE WORKED
INCREDIBLY HARD AND IT OUR BEST
WITH A VERY DIFFICULT YEAR TO
TRY TO MOVE OUR SYSTEM FORWARD,
WHETHER THROUGH OUR
INVESTIGATIONS, THEIR POLICY
RECOMMENDATIONS TO TRY TO
MODIFY AND ALTER MANAGEMENT
POLICIES OR WORK WITH THE
LEGISLATIVE SESSION THROUGH THE
SPRING AND INTO THE SUMMER.
BUT TODAY, WHAT WE WANT TO DO
IS TALK ABOUT THE WHOLE OF OUR
WORK PRODUCT AND ANSWER
WHATEVER QUESTIONS WE CAN.
WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, I WILL
TURN IT OVER TO LAUREN TO START.
>> TO BE HAVE THE
PRESENTATION THAT WE CAN
DISPLAY ON THE SCREEN?
>> THAT WOULD BE IDEAL IF YOU
COULD DO THAT.
>> I'M SORRY.
I THOUGHT COUNCIL WAS SHOWING
THE PRESENTATION?
BUT WE CAN PULL IT UP HERE IF
WE NEED TO.
ALEX.
>> THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
USUALLY THE FOLKS PRESENTING
SORT OF RUN THE SHOW.
BECAUSE YOU KNOW THE CADENCE OF
THE PRESENTATION.
MY APOLOGIESIF WE DID NOT MAKE
THAT CLEAR.
>> THAT WAS NOT CLEAR.
>> LAUREN, CAN YOU PULL THAT
UP?
>> DO YOU MIND DOING IT?
>> I'M LOOKING FOR IT.
>> IT IS ATTACHED TO OUR
AGENDA.
>> OKAY, ONE MOMENT.
IS THAT SHOWING ON THE SCREEN?
>> IT IS NOT.
>> OKAY.
ONE MOMENT.
>> WHILE WE LOAD THIS UP, I
WILL GIVE A QUICK OVERVIEW OF
WHERE WE ARE.
>> THANK YOU.
>> SO WE HAVE BEEN GIVING
PERIODIC UPDATES AT THE CDC AND
LABELING WHERE WE ARE RIGHT
NOW.
WE HAVE INTERVIEWED ALL SIX OF
THE INVOLVED OFFICERS.
AFTER THE INTERVIEWS OCCURRED,
WE WENT TO THE SUPERVISORS AND
TO WASHINGTON D.C. TO DO
FURTHER ANALYSIS AND
INVESTIGATION. WE ARE TRYING
TO PULL RECORDS.
FOR EXAMPLE, HOTEL RECORDS AND
VIDEO AND OTHER EVIDENCE THAT
WOULD BE RELEVANT TO THE CASE.
WE ARE NOW IN THE PROCESS OF RE-
INTERVIEWING AT LEAST FIVE OF
THE SIX OR POTENTIALLY ALL SIX
OFFICERS PRIOR TO ISSUING THE
FINDINGS.
RIGHT NOW THE FINDINGS ARE DUE
IN EARLY JULY.
AND WE ARE ON TARGET TO GETTING
THAT DONE.
>> AND I THINK IT MIGHT BE A
GOOD SEGUE TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE
THAT COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT
RAISED ABOUT HOW YOUR OFFICE
DEALS WITH THE TIMELINES WHEN
THE INVESTIGATION IS BUTTING UP
AGAINST THE 180 DAYS AND SORT
OF THE TRACK RECORD AT GETTING
THOSE TIMELINES EXTENDED AS
NEEDED.
>> I'M NOT SURE I TOTALLY
UNDERSTAND THE INITIAL
QUESTION.
I'M NOT SURE -- SO A SIX-
MONTH DISCIPLINARY TIMELINE.
UNLESS THERE ARE SOME UNIQUE
FACTS.
IF WE DON'T KNOW THE OFFICER'S
NAME.
OBVIOUSLY THERE ARE NO
TIMELINES AND IT ONLY STARTS
MOVING FOR A MEMBER OF THE
BARGAINING UNIT AND IF AN
OFFICER IS AN UNIDENTIFIED
MEMBER OF A BARGAINING UNIT.
UNLESS WE SEEK AN EXTENSION FOR
EXAMPLE, IF SOMEONE IS ON
LEAVE, OR THE CASE IS PENDING
INVESTIGATION, ALL CASES HAVE
TO BE DONE WITHIN SIX MONTHS.
WITH REGARD TO THE PROTEST
CASES, WE WILL MOVE INTO THE
REPORT.
WE HAD ABOUT 145 CASES ROUGHLY
THAT STEMMED FROM 19,000
COMPLAINTS.
THESE COMPLAINTS CAME IN.
A LOT OF THEM CAME IN THE VERY
BEGINNING OF THE PROTEST BUT
THEY LASTED THROUGH THE FALL
AND INTO THE SPRING.
WE PERIODICALLY STILL GET
DEMONSTRATION CASES.
BUT USUALLY THEY ARE ONE OFFS
AS OPPOSED TO FIVE, SIX, SEVEN
OR EIGHT FROM ONE DAY.
EACH OF THE CASES IS GOVERNED
BY A 180 DAYTIME LANE.
IN REGARDS TO THE ONES THAT ARE
ALREADY OCCURRED WHERE THE
NAMED EMPLOYEE WAS KNOWN,
UNLESS THERE WAS SOME TOLLING,
THOSE CASES ARE COMPLETED.
SO FINDINGS HAVE BEEN ISSUED
AND THE TIMELINE IS COMPLETED.
AND SO THE CASES ARE NOT
OUTSTANDING.
I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE WHAT THE
QUESTION WAS.
BUT ANYTHING THAT IS STILL
PENDING THE 180 DAY TIMELINE IS
STILL AN OPEN INVESTIGATION AND
WE EXPECT WITH 99% OF THE OTHER
INVESTIGATIONS, THAT ALL CASES
WILL BE DONE WITHIN THE
TIMELINE.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
LET'S MOVE INTO THE PRESENTATION
.
>> ALL RIGHT.
IF WE CAN GO TO THE FIRST SLIDE
PLEASE.
WE WILL START WITH THE
EMPLOYEES THAT RECEIVED
COMPLAINTS.
40% OF SWORN OFFICER EMPLOYEES
RECEIVED A COMPLAINT LAST YEAR.
THIS GRAPH HERE IS SHOWING BOTH
SWORN AND CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES.
WITH THOSE TWO TOGETHER, IT IS
ABOUT 30% OF ALL SEATTLE POLICE
DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEES RECEIVED
AT LEAST ONE COMPLAINT, WHICH
IS PRETTY STANDARD IN 2019.
WHEELS REPORTED 30% OF ALL SP
EMPLOYEES RECEIVED A COMPLAINT.
AND THE MAJORITY OF THEM JUST
RECEIVED ONE COMPLAINT.
THERE WERE FIVE OFFICERS HE
RECEIVED SEVEN OR MORE
COMPLAINTS IN 2020.
>> I REQUESTED THAT ANDREW
MYERBERG DO SOME ANALYSIS ON
THE NUMBER OR THE PERCENTAGE OF
OFFICERS WHO HAVE VOLUNTARILY
LEFT THE DEPARTMENT OVER THE
LAST YEAR.
A PERCENTAGE OF THOSE OFFICERS
WHO ALSO HAD PENDING
COMPLAINTS.
AND I BELIEVE DIRECTOR
MYERBERG, YOU FOUND THAT
ANYTHING 20%-30% OF 200 OR SO
OFFICERS, AT THE POINT OF
URINALYSIS HAD MOMENTARILY LEFT
THE DEPARTMENT HAD RECEIVED A
COMPLAINT OVER THE LAST --
DURING THE PERIOD OF SUSTAINED
PROTESTS.
>> SO BASICALLY, WHAT I THINK
THE PURPOSE OF YOUR QUESTION
WAS, WAS TO FIGURE OUT IF THERE
IS A CORRELATION BETWEEN
úOFFICERS LEAVING AND HAVING
COMPLAINTS.
WERE OFFICERS TRYING TO LEAVE
SPD WITH PENDING COMPLAINTS IN
ORDER TO AVOID DISCIPLINE?
AND WHAT WE FOUND WAS THAT
WHILE SOME OFFICERS HAD
COMPLAINTS, THE RATE OF
COMPLAINTS WAS OVERALL LOWER
THAN THE REMAINING OFFICERS.
SO I DON'T THINK THAT PROVES
THE .1 WAY OR THE OTHER BUT IT
DOESN'T NECESSARILY CREATE AN
INFERENCE.
>> CORRECT.
BUT CAN YOU CONFIRM THAT IT WAS
20-30% OF OFFICERS?
>> YES.
>> AND THAT WAS OFFICERS THAT
LEFT AND IT WAS THE FIRST 200
OR SO OFFICERS THAT LEFT?
>> WE HAD RUN IT TO THE TIME
WHERE YOU MADE THE REQUEST
WHICH I THINK WAS ABOUT A MONTH
AGO.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> PERFECT.
>> SO THE MOST COMMON
ALLEGATIONS RECEIVED WERE
PROFESSIONALISM, USE OF FORCE
AND BIAS FREE POLICING.
THESE WERE THE SAME TOP THREE
WE SHOWED IN RECENT YEARS
ALTHOUGH SLIGHTLY REORDERED.
USE OF FORCE MOVED UP.
AND OPA LOGGED AT 58% INCREASE
IN TOTAL ALLEGATIONS RECEIVED.
AND IF HE MOVED TO THE NEXT
SLIDE, WE WILL GET A LITTLE
DEEPER INTO THIS.
SO EACH OF THESE FOUR
ALLEGATIONS INCREASED
SIGNIFICANTLY REGARDING THE SPD
RESPONSE TO THE PROTEST.
AS I MENTIONED, USE OF FORCE
INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY.
IT WAS UP 170% FROM 2019.
ALSO A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT
INCREASE IN SUPERVISORY
RESPONSIBILITY.
THAT IS BECAUSE A LOT OF THE
RESPONSIBILITY IN CROWD
MANAGEMENT FALLS IN THE CHAIN
OF COMMAND WITH SUPERVISORS AND
COMMANDERS.
EQUIPMENT AND UNIFORM
ALLEGATIONS IN A LOT OF CASES
RELATED TO THE MORNING BADGES
OF THE BLACK TAPE COVERING THE
OFFICER BADGE NUMBERS
INITIALLY.
AND THEN LATER ON, MASK WEARING
COMPLAINTS ALSO STEMMING FROM
PROTESTS.
SO OF COURSE DE-ESCALATION
INCREASED AND THAT IS KIND
RELATED TO USE OF FORCE AND
OFTEN ANALYZED TOGETHER.
>> SO QUESTIONS ABOUT SLIDES
FOUR AND FIVE.
WONERING IF YOU CAN GIVE US
SOME EXAMPLES OF
PROFESSIONALISM COMPLAINTS AND
THEN FOR THE TOP THREE
CATEGORIES, DO YOU HAVE A SENSE
OF HOW MANY OF THE COMPLAINTS
ARE FROM THE PUBLIC COMPARED TO
COMPLAINTS FROM WITHIN THE
DEPARTMENT ITSELF?
AND I ASK BECAUSE ANOTHER SLIDE
NOTES THAT 64% OF THE
COMPLAINTS WERE FROM THE PUBLIC
DURING 2020 AND 36% WERE FROM
WITHIN SPD.
SO INTERESTED TO KNOW WHAT THAT
LOOKS LIKE FOR THE TOP THREE
CATEGORIES OF COMPLAINTS.
ARE THERE CATEGORIES THAT ARE
MORE LIKELY TO REPORT -- TO
BE REPORTED BY THE DEPARTMENT?
OR BY THE PUBLIC?
AND THEN FINALLY, SUPERVISORY
RESPONSIBILITY COMPLAINTS WENT
UP SIGNIFICANTLY.
WHAT KIND OF ALLEGATIONS DOES
THIS TYPE OF A COMPLAINT DETAIL
?
>> I CAN START WITH THE
INTERNAL VERSUS EXTERNAL
COMPLAINTS COMING FROM THE
PUBLIC.
WE WILL GET TO THAT AND A
COUPLE OF SLIDES.
GENERALLY WE ANALYZE THAT ON A
CASE LEVEL BASIS WHERE YOU CAN
HAVE MULTIPLE ALLEGATIONS
WITHIN A CASE.
AND SO WE WILL TALK ABOUT
COMMUNITY MEMBER FILED
COMPLAITS IN A COUPLE OF
SLIDES.
ANDREW, DO YOU HAVE ANY
EXAMPLES?
>> SURE.
WHAT I WOULD SAY ABOUT
ALLEGATIONS --
GENERALLY, A COMMUNITY MEMBER,
EVEN AN OFFICER IS NOT ACTUALLY
DEFINING ONE OF THESE
CATEGORIES OF ALLEGATIONS THAT
WE USE.
THEY WILL SAY, -- WE
SHOULDN'T HAVE.
WE ARE ANALYZING THE CASE AND
SAYING, THAT IS EXCESSIVE USE
OF FORCE AND IT WAS DE-
ESCALATION AND IT WAS CROWD
MANAGEMENT.
YOU DIDN'T USE YOUR --
PRIVILEGE REALLY. I THINK THIS
IS SOMETHING CONFUSING AT
TIMES.
EACH CASE INCLUDES ONE OR MORE
ALLEGATIONS.
GENERALLY, MANY MORE.
USUALLY CASE HAS BETWEEN 2-6,
OR 7 ALLEGATIONS.
SO A GOOD EXAMPLE OF FORCE
WOULD BE EITHER UNDER TITLE
EIGHT WHICH IS THE GENERAL USE
OF FORCE POLICY OR TITLE 14
WHICH GOVERNS THE USE OF FORCE
AND WILL BE THE USE OF 40
MILLIMETERS GLASS BALLS.
THAT IS MUCH OF THE FORCE WE
ARE SEEING IN THE PROTEST
CONTEXT.
WE ARE ALSO SEEING PUSHES OR
OTHER TYPES OF FORCE DURING THE
COURSE OF AN ARREST THAT WOULD
FALL MORE UNDER THE GENERAL USE
OF FORCE POLICY WHICH IS 8.200.
>> THANK YOU.
REGARDLESS OF WHO DEFINES THE
COMPLAINT, I AM -- AND IF IT
IS COVERED LATER, THAT IS FINE.
BUT FOR THE TOP THREE COMPLAINTS
--
PROFESSIONALISM, FORCED USE AND
BIAS FREE POLICING, I'M
INTERESTED TO KNOW WHAT
PERCENTAGE OF THOSE COMPLAINTS,
ONCE DESIGNATED OR CATEGORIZED
BY THE OPA, WHAT PERCENTAGE
CAME FROM THE PUBLIC AND WITH
WHAT PERCENTAGE CAME FROM
WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT.
AND YES, I WOULD LOVE SOME
EXAMPLES OF PROFESSIONALISM,
ALLEGATIONS AND RESPONSIBILITY
ALLEGATIONS.
>> LAUREN WILL COVER YOUR
FIRST QUESTION LATER ON IN A
COUPLE OF SLIDES.
WITH REGARDS TO THE SECOND
QUESTION, PROFESSIONALISM IS
GENERALLY -- THERE ARE TWO
WAYS THAT WE LOOK AT
PROFESSIONALISM.
IT COULD BE THE USE OF
PROFANITY, DEROGATORY OR
CONTENTIOUS COMMENTS TO
INDIVIDUAL.
SO CASES WHERE PEOPLE MAY BE
MADE A STATEMENT OVER RADIO OR
THAT WERE CAPTURED WHEN THEY
WERE ASSIGNED TO PROTESTS THAT
WERE DEEMED TO BE PROFANITY OR
DEROGATORY AND RESULTED IN
SUSTAINED FINDINGS.
PROFESSIONALISM ALSO CAN BE
MORE BROAD AND CONDUCT THAT
UNDERMINES PUBLIC TRUST IN THE
DEPARTMENT.
FOR EXAMPLE, --
AND THIS IS NOT THE PROTEST
CONTEXT BUT YOU HAVE A CASE
WHERE YOU USED A DEPARTMENT
DATABASE TO LOOK UP INFORMATION
ABOUT YOUR NEIGHBOR.
THAT WOULD BE PROFANITY OR
SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES.
BUT IT WOULD BE CONDUCT THAT IS
IMPROPER AND IT UNDERMINES
TRUST AND CONFIDENCE IN
YOURSELF AND IN THE DEPARTMENT.
THAT IS GENERALLY
PROFESSIONALISM.
SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY IS
BASICALLY SUPERVISORS IN MOST
CASES MAKING THE DECISION TO
DISPERSE CROWDS IN THE DECISION
TO AUTHORIZE OFFICERS TO USE
LESS LETHAL TOOLS INCLUDING
BLAST BALLS, 40 MILLIMETERS.
SO IN THE PROTEST CONTEXT, IT
IS UNLIKE A NORMAL PATROL
INTERACTION WHERE AN OFFICER IS
MAKING THAT UNILATERAL
INDIVIDUAL DECISION TO USE
FORCE.
HERE, THERE IS SUPERVISORY
APPROVAL AND AUTHORITY PROVIDED
TO OFFICERS.
SO WE FOCUS VERY MUCH ON THE
SUPERVISORS.
AND I THINK ALMOST EVERYONE IN
THE BIG PICTURE INVOLVED THE
DISPERSAL AND INVOLVED A NAMED
EMPLOYEE WHO WAS A SUPERVISOR.
AND THE TRICKY THING AND THIS
IS SOMETHING WE HAVE DISCUSSED
WITH COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD,
THAT WE ARE REQUIRED TO
INTERVIEW THOSE INDIVIDUALS AND
INVESTIGATE THOSE INDIVIDUALS
ITH OUR SUPERVISORS AND WE
ONLY HAVE TWO OF THEM.
CERTAINLY THAT WAS A BIG
WORKLOAD ISSUE FOR US.
THAT IS AN EXAMPLE OF A
SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY.
>> THANK YOU.
>> IF YOU CAN GO BACK IN TWO
MORE SLIDES TO THE ALLEGATIONS,
MAIN TABLE.
I WOULD SAY THAT
PROFESSIONALISM AND BIAS FREE
POLICING OFTEN DO COME FROM
COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
HOWEVER, THERE IS THE
INVESTIGATION TEAM THAT
FORWARDS A LOT OF COMPLAINTS
INTERNALLY TO OPA REGARDING USE
OF FORCE AND THE SAME CAN
HAPPEN WITH BIAS FREE POLICING
THAT COME TO OPA INTERNALLY
FROM THE DEPARTMENT.
WHILE A MAJORITY COME FROM THE
COMMUNITY, THEY CAN BE
FORWARDED INTERNALY.
>> I THINK ALSO TO PIGGYBACK
ON THAT, A LOT OF THE INTERNAL
REFERRALS ON BEHALF OF THE
COMMUNITY MEMBER.
SO BY POLICY, OFFICERS ARE
REQUIRED TO PASS ON COMMUNITY
MEMBER COMPLAINTS.
SO THOSE MAY BE CLASSIFIED AS
AN SPD REFERRAL.
BUT IT IS SPD REFERRING
INFORMATION PROVIDED BY A
COMMUNITY MEMBER.
>> AND TWO MORE SLIDES.
PERFECT.
>> MORE THAN HALF OF CASES IN
2020 WERE CLASSIFIED FOR
INVESTIGATION WITH 2020 BEING
THE NAVY BLUE ON THE GRAPH.
WE HAD 432 CASES THAT WERE
CONDUCTING AN INVESTIGATION OR
ALREADY COMPLETED INVESTIGATION
RECEIVED IN 2020.
THAT IS AN INCREASE FROM
PREVIOUS YEARS.
>> THIS IS GENERALLY THE
RESULT OF AN ALLEGATION AND THE
NATURE OF THE CASES.
WE, BY OUR MANUAL, WE ARE
REQUIRED TO INVESTIGATE ANY USE
OF FORCE, BIAS ALLEGATION.
WE CAN'T PROCESS IT BACK TO THE
CHAIN OF COMMAND.
THIS I THINK IS A FUNCTION OF
THE INCREASE AND USE OF FORCE
ALLEGATIONS THAT I THINK WE
SHOWED IN THE PAST SLIDE.
>> MORE OF THE OPA
INVESTIGATIONS IN 2020 STEMMED
FROM COMMUNITY MEMBER OR
EXTERNAL COMPLAINTS.
THIS IS WHAT I WAS SAYING WHEN
WE MEASURE THIS ON A CASE LEVEL
BASIS.
THIS GRAPH FOR THE 2020
CALENDAR YEARS REFERRING TO
THOSE 432 INVESTIGATIONS I
MENTIONED IN THE LAST SLIDE.
NEARLY TWO THIRDS OF THEM WERE
FILED BY THE PUBLIC TO OPA.
SO THAT IS NOT EVEN INCLUDING
THE BIAS COMPLAINTS OR OTHER
ONES FORWARDED INTERNALLY FROM
SPD.
SO THE COMMUNITY IS
-- SO NOT ONLY ARE
INVESTIGATIONS INCREASING BUT
MORE OF THE INVESTIGATIONS ARE
COMING FROM COMMUNITY FILED
COMPLAINTS.
OPPOSED TO PREVIOUS YEARS.
>> I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT SO
WE CAN ADJUST THIS.
THIS CHART INDICATES THAT 72%
OF COMPLAINTS WERE INTERNAL IN
2018.
52% OF COMPLAINTS WERE INTERNAL
IN 2019 AND ONLY 36 COMPLAINTS
WERE INTERNAL IN 2020.
>> IT IS A LITTLE BIT
DIFFERENT.
>> AND AN IMPORTANT
DISTINCTION IS THAT THESE ARE
JUST COMPLAINTS CLASSIFIED FOR
AN INVESTIGATION.
SO NOT COMPLAINTS THAT WERE
CONTACT LOGGER WENT BACK TO THE
SUPERVISORS FOR ACTION.
>> IMPORTANT CLARIFICATION.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
SO JUST WONDERING, I THINK THE
REPORT NOTES THAT THE GROWING
NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS CLASSIFIED
FOR INVESTIGATION ARE FROM THE
COMMUNITY AND IN PART, DUE TO
THE UNSUBSTANTIATED MISCONDUCTS
SCREENING PROGRAM THAT DIRECTOR
MYERBERG, YOU HAVE INITIATED.
THE REPORT SAYS IN 2020, THE
SUPERVISORS SCREEN 187
ALLEGATIONS OF MISCONDUCT WITH
THE OPA DIRECTOR.
úAND REQUESTED REFERRAL IN 90%
OF CASES.
THE REST ARE INVESTIGATED AND
DOCUMENTED IN THE FIELD BY THE
CHAIN OF COMMAND RATHER THAN
REFERRED TO BY THE AYE
COMPLAINTS.
WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THE OFFICE OF
THE INSPECTOR GENERAL IN THE
NEXT QUARTERLY AUDIT OF THE
OPA'S DETERMINATION OF THESE
INCIDENTS -- WE WANT TO GIVE
YOU THE OPPORTUNITY, DIRECTOR
MYERBERG, TO SPEAK TO YOUR
EFFORT TO SPEARHEAD THIS
PROGRAM AND HOW YOU BELIEVE IT
IS WORKING.
>> TO YOUR FIRST POINT, I
THINK YOU ARE CORRECT THAT --
BACKING UP FOR SECOND, THIS IS
THE NUMBER
OF INVESTIGATIONS THAT COME
FROM COMPLAINTS.
SO THE NUMBER -- THE
PERCENTAGE OF COMPLAINTS
CLASSIFIED FOR INVESTIGATIONS.
I WILL SAY THAT YOU ARE RIGHT
AND THAT THE NUMBER OF INTERNAL
REFERRALS THAT WE RECEIVE, THE
PERCENTAGE HAS GONE DOWN
BECAUSE NORMALLY, LET'S SAY IT
WAS 150 POTENTIALLY, THEY WOULD
HAVE COME THROUGH OUR OFFICE
AND THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN
INVESTIGATED.
SO THE PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAM
WAS TO TAKE CASES -- AND WE
SAW THIS A LOT EARLY ON IN 2017
AND 2018, TO TAKE CASES THAT
COULD BE CLEARLY REFUTED AND WE
HAD ALLEGATIONS WHERE SOMEONE
SAID, YOU BROKE MY BACK OR MY
LEGS AND I CAN'T WALK AND THE
VIDEO SHOWS THEM WALKING AND NO
FORCE WAS USED OR ALLEGATIONS
OF SEXUAL ASSAULT THAT OCCURRED
IN PATROL VIDEOS AND THE IN CAR
VIDEO SHOWS IT DID NOT OCCUR.
THE PROGRAM PURPOSE WAS TO
STREAMLINE THE REVIEWS OF THAT
TYPE OF MISCONDUCT AND TO ALLOW
SUPERVISORS TO FIRMLY DISPROVE
IT, AND PROPOSE HOW THEY WANT
TO HANDLE THE CASE WITH OPA AND
WE WOULD DO OUR OWN REVIEW BY
LOOKING AT THE VIDEO AND
OBVIOUSLY OSU WOULD AUDIT IT.
THE PROGRAM STARTED AS A PILOT
IN 2018 AND THEN EXPANDED AND
THEN WAS APPROVED BY THE COURT
AND THE DOJ TEAM AND EXPANDED
OVER TIME.
SO GENERALLY, WHAT IT DOES IS
IT ALLOWS OPA TO FOCUS ITS
RESOURCES ON THE CASES THAT ARE
NOT EASILY DESCRIBABLE BY VIDEO
AND THEN ENSURES THAT THE CHAIN
OF COMMAND IS TAKING MORE
RESPONSIBILITY AND THEN
PROVIDING THAT INFORMATION TO
OPA.
>> THANK YOU.
>> 18% OF CASES COMPLETED IN
2020 RESULTED IN ONE OR MORE
SUSTAINED FINDINGS.
THIS PRESENTATION IS ABOUT 2020
DATA.
THERE WERE NO SUSTAINED
FINDINGS RETURNED OR REVERSED
BY THE CHIEF OF POLICE LAST
YEAR.
>> ON THAT SLIDE, I WANT TO
HIGHLIGHT THAT THE 18% OF
COMPLETED INVESTIGATIONS THAT
WERE CLASSIFIED BY
OPA THAT CONTAINED ONE OR MORE
SUSTAINED FINDINGS, THAT IS
VERY SIMILAR TO PREVIOUS YEARS
AND RATES OF SUSTAINED
FINDINGS.
IS THAT CORRECT?
>> YES.
IT GENERALLY HOVERS AROUND 18-
22%.
>> HELP ME OUT WITH MY MOUTH.
GIVEN THAT WE ARE TAKING OUT
CASES THAT FIT INTO THE
UNSUBSTANTIATED MISCONDUCTS
SCREENING PROGRAM, DIDN'T WE
EXPECT --
EVERYTHING BEING EQUAL, OVER A
NUMBER OF YEARS, SHOULD WE
EXPECT THE SUSTAINED FINDINGS
TO -- THE PERCENTAGE OF
SUSTAINED FINDINGS TO GO DOWN,
IF WE ARE TAKING OUT A LOT OF
THE CASES WHERE THERE IS NO
BASIS FOR THE COMPLAINT?
>> ACTUALLY, A LOT OF THOSE
COMPLAINTS, THE TRICKY PART
ABOUT THOSE COMPLAINTS IS SOME
OF THOSE CASES WERE HANDLED AS
CONTACT LOGS PREVIOUSLY WHERE
THEY WHICH IS CLEARLY
SO I DON'T KNOW WHETHER WE HAVE
ASSESSED THAT TO SAY WHETHER
THE RATE WOULD GO UP OR DOWN.
CERTAINLY WE -- THIS RATE HAS
BEEN CONSISTENT OVER TIME.
PERHAPS A LITTLE BIT LOWER.
AND MAYBE YOU ARE RIGHT.
MAYBE IT DOES CORRELATE
WITH THOSE CASES.
BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT WE HAVE
ALREADY ANSWERED THAT
COUNCILMEMBER.
>> THANK YOU.
68 EMPLOYEES WERE DISCIPLINED
FOLLOWING OPA INVESTIGATIONS IN
2020.
FOUR EMPLOYEES WERE DISCIPLINED
AND MORE THAN ONE CASE EACH.
THE MOST COMMON DISCIPLINE --
AND AGAIN THIS IS SHOWING THE
MOST COMMON DISCIPLINE REACTION
IS A WRITTEN REPRIMAND FOLLOWED
BY A SUSPENSION AND THEN
REPRIMAND. TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
>> SO DISCIPLINARY APPEALS
DROPPED 70% FROM 2019.
THERE WERE EIGHT APPEALS FILED
IN 2020. TWO THROUGH THE
PUBLIC SAFETY CIVIL SERVICE
COMMISSION AND SIX WENT THROUGH
THE ARBITRATION ROUTE OF
APPEAL.
THOSE OF THE TWO TYPES OF
APPEALS THAT OFFICERS CAN DO.
AND OPA NOW HAS DATA ON APPEALS
ON OUR WEBSITE FOR THE PUBLIC
TO VIEW AND DOWNLOAD.
IT IS IN OUR CASE DATA PAGE ON
OUR WEBSITE AND WE UPDATED THAT
OF A NEW APPEAL BEING FILED OR
CLOSED.
>> OBVIOUSLY THIS IS A BIG
DROP.
WE HAVE IDEAS AS TO WHAT MAY
HAVE CAUSED THIS BUT NOT A
DEFINITIVE ANSWER.
SO IT WILL BE A TON OF
DIFFERENT REASONS WHY THIS DROP
OCCURRED.
IF YOU LOOK AT COMPARING THIS
YEAR, 2020, TO 2019, WE HAD
MORE INVESTIGATIONS AND A
SIMILAR SUSTAINED RATE.
SO MORE SUSTAINED CASES.
SO THERE WERE MORE SUSTAINED
CASES TO BE APPEALED.
BUT THEY WERE NOT APPEALED.
WE SUSTAINED MORE USE OF FORCE
ALLEGATIONS IN 2020 THEN WE DID
IN 2019.
GENERALLY, THOSE ARE THE TYPES
OF ALLEGATIONS THAT ARE
APPEALED BY THE UNION.
BUT ALMOST ALL OF THEM ARE NOT
APPEALED.
SO IT COULD BE THAT THE UNION
WAS MORE JUDICIOUS ABOUT WHAT
THEY BROUGHT TO APPEAL.
IT COULD BE THAT THEY FELT THEY
DIDN'T HAVE THE GROUNDS TO
APPEAL THE DECISIONS ISSUED.
IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO SAY WHY
THIS DROP OCCURRED.
BUT IT IS A VERY SIGNIFICANT
DROP.
>> AND MOVING FORWARD, I'M
WONDERING IF YOU CAN SPEAK TO
HOW THE RESOLUTION -- OF
COURSE WE CAN'T ACCOUNT THE
FINDINGS OF THIS CASE FOR 2020
BECAUSE IT IS RELATIVELY
RECENT.
BUT FOR THE VIEWING PUBLIC, A
LOOK AT THE POTENTIAL IMPACT OF
THE ADLAI SHEPARD CASE ON
APPEALS MOVING FORWARD AND HOW
THAT AFFECTS THE ABILITY OF THE
ARGUMENT FOR APPEALS.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE REALLY
USEFUL.
>> I THINK IS MOST PEOPLE
KNOW, THE SHEPARD CASE WHICH
INVOLVES THE PUNCHING IN THE
BACK OF A PATROL VEHICLE
RESULTED IN MR. SHEPPARD'S
TERMINATION AND AN ARBITRATOR
UPHELD THE SUSTAINED FINDING
BUT REVERSE THE DETERMINATION
AND OPPOSED A DISCIPLINARY
PENALTY BUT BROUGHT MR.
SHEPHERD BACK IN THE CITY
APPEALED AND THE COURT AGREED
AND THEN IT WENT TO A HIGHER
COURT AND FUNDAMENTAL, TO YOUR
QUESTION, COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD, IS THE APPELLATE COURT
UPHELD THE SUPERIOR COURT AND
SAID THAT IN RECOGNIZING THIS
FOR THE FIRST TIME, A PUBLIC
POLICY AND ENSURING EXCESSIVE
FORCE IS NOT USED.
AND I THINK THAT WE VIEW THIS
AS AN INCREDIBLY SIGNIFICANT
-- MANY OF THE CASES PENDING
APPEAL ARE USE OF FORCE CASES.
EARLY ON AT OPA, I SUSTAINED A
FINDING IN AN OFFICER INVOLVED
SHOOTING IN OCTOBER OF 2017 AND
BOTH OFFICERS WERE TERMINATED.
THAT CASE IS UP FOR APPEAL AND
WE EXPECT IT WILL BE ONE OF THE
NEXT APPEALED.
I THINK THE CITY IS IN A
STRONGER POSITION TODAY, GIVEN
THAT RULING, INSOFAR AS
THINKING IT PROVIDES MORE
DEFERENCE TO THE DETERMINATION
OF THE DEPARTMENT THAT THE
TERMINATIONS AND SUSTAINED
FINDINGS WERE ISSUED IN
FURTHERANCE OF THE STRONG
PUBLIC POLICY TOWARDS EXCESSIVE
FORCE.
OBVIOUSLY, WE WILL SEE HOW THIS
IS APPLIED BY ARBITRATORS
MOVING FORWARD.
I THINK WE VIEW IT AS VERY
FAVORABLE FOR THE CITY,
PARTICULARLY IN THE CONTEXT OF
EXCESSIVE FORCE CASES.
>> I'M GOING TO TAKE OVER NON-
TALK ABOUT THE OPA PROTEST DATA
AND RESPONSE.
STARTING IN LATE MAY AND
THROUGHOUT THE REST OF THE
YEAR, THEY CALCULATED THE
NUMBER OF TIMES WE HAVE BEEN
CONTACTED ABOUT POLICE CONTACT
AND CONDUCT.
IT IS OVER 19,000 AND PROBABLY
CLOSER TO 20,000 CONTACTS THEY
RECEIVED.
AND A LOT OF THESE WERE ABOUT
SIMILAR INCIDENTS, ABOUT 13,000
I BELIEVE WERE ABOUT THE CHILD
PEPPER SPRAY INCIDENT.
SO WHAT WE DID WAS SORT THROUGH
THESE AND DETERMINE WHICH ONES
NEEDED TO BE INVESTIGATED AND
THAT RESULTED IN ABOUT 145
INCIDENTS THAT REQUIRED
INVESTIGATION.
SO THAT IS THE NUMBER OF
INVESTIGATIONS WE HAVE RIGHT
NOW.
THAT IS THE 145 NUMBER.
AND OF THOSE, 99% -- OR 99
TOTAL HAVE BEEN COMPLETED OR
SHOWN ON THE WEBSITE.
THE REMAINDER SHOULD BE DONE IN
THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS.
THEY ALL HAVE A 180 DAY
TIMELINE.
THOSE HAVE BEEN EXTENDED FOR A
COUPLE DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES
INCLUDING BASED ON COVID-19 AND
OTHER TIMELINE NECESSITIES.
OF THE 99 PIECES COMPLETED, 18
CONTAINED SUSTAINED FINDINGS.
SO OFTEN THERE ARE MULTIPLE
OBLIGATIONS WITHIN A CASE AND
SO OF THOSE, 18 OF THE CASES,
THERE ARE SUSTAINED FINDINGS IN
THEM.
THE ALSO -- THE OPA HAS THE
ABILITY TO MAKE SYSTEMIC POLICY
RECOMMENDATIONS.
THIS IS AN OPTION FOR DIRECTOR
MYERBERG WHEN HE FEELS LIKE THE
INDIVIDUAL DID NOT COMMIT
MISCONDUCT.
IT WAS MORE OF A DEFICIENCY IN
THE POLICY FOR THE TRAINING
BEING THE ISSUE.
SO WE MADE SYSTEMIC POLICY
RECOMMENDATIONS IN 12 UNIQUE
CASES.
THOSE RANGE FROM POLICY
RECOMMENDATIONS ABOUT BLAST
BALLS, TO PROVIDING MEDICAL AID
. THERE IS A RANGE OF THOSE.
THOSE ARE ALL SHOWN ON THE
WEBSITE AS WELL.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MORALES HAS
A QUESTION.
>> OKAY.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
IF WE CAN QUICKLY COME ON THE
SLIDE, YOU MENTIONED THAT OF
THE 19,000, ABOUT 13,000 WERE
RELATED TO THAT ONE INCIDENT
WITH THE CHILD.
ANY TALK ABOUT WHAT THE OTHER
6000 WAS AND HOW THIS GOT TO
145 THAT RESULTED IN
INVESTIGATIONS?
>> THERE WERE TONS OF
DIFFERENT INCIDENTS.
WE SORTED THROUGH AND TRY TO
FIGURE OUT WHICH ONES WERE
TALKING ABOUT THE SAME
INCIDENTS.
AND INITIATED INVESTIGATIONS
INTO THOSE.
WE GO THROUGH AND LIST EVERY
INDIVIDUAL CASE ON OUR WEBSITE.
WE CREATED A PROTEST ON THE
DASHBOARD AND WE TALKED ABOUT
SUMMARIZING EACH INDIVIDUAL
CASE ON THERE AND TALK ABOUT
THE PROGRESS AND WHERE IT IS IN
THE PROCESS.
>> TO ADD A LITTLE MORE
DETAIL, TO YOUR POINT,
COUNCILMEMBER MORALES, THE ONE
WE FOCUSED ON WHEN WE TALKED
ABOUT NUMBERS WAS THE CHILD
PEPPER SPRAY CASE AND THAT WAS
13,000.
THERE WERE SEVERAL OTHER
COMPLAINTS THAT OCCURRED EARLY
IN THE PROTEST THAT DID GO
VIRAL, THAT WE RECEIVED A
NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS ON.
WE PROBABLY COULD DO -- IT IS
A LITTLE DIFFICULT JUST BECAUSE
OF THE MASSIVE AMOUNT OF
INFORMATION.
WE COULD GO BACK TO THE CASES
AND GIVE YOU A BETTER IDEA OF
WHICH COMPLAINTS RESULTED IN
THE MOST CONCERN, OR THE MOST
COMPLAINTS.
BUT WE DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE
THAT READILY AVAILABLE RIGHT
NOW.
WE WORKED REALLY CLOSELY WITH
MICROSOFT EARLY ON AND THEY
HELPED US GO THROUGH SOME OF
THE COMPLAINTS.
AND SO WE WERE ABLE TO --
SOME OF THEM FOR EXAMPLE,
CONTAIN THE LANGUAGE AND IT WAS
THE SAME EXACT TYPE OF
COMPLAINT.
WE WERE ABLE TO DE- DUPE AND GO
THROUGH THE DIFFERENT CONTACTS
AGAIN ONE BY ONE BY ONE AND
COME UP WITH 145 UNIQUE CASES.
WHERE THERE WAS A QUESTION, WE
DEFERRED TO CREATING A UNIQUE
CASE AND DID NOT JUST LUMP
THINGS TOGETHER BECAUSE THEY
WERE CONNECTED.
WE WERE CAREFUL TO CREATE AS
MANY UNIQUE CASES AS WE DEEMED
APPROPRIATE.
DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION?
>> IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO GET
A SENSE OF THE OTHER
COMPLAINTS, OR OTHER ACTIONS
THAT DREW LARGE NUMBERS OF
COMPLAINTS.
I IMAGINE THE PINK UMBRELLA
CASE IS ONE SUCH CASE.
I IMAGINE THE PUNCHING IN THE
FACE OF THE PROTESTER ON THE
GROUND IS ANOTHER SUCH CASE.
I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO
GET A SENSE OF THAT BIG PICTURE
AND FOLLOW-UP AFTERWARDS.
>> I THINK IS FAIR TO SAY YOU
ARE CORRECT.
POST THE CASE WITH THE OFFICER
THAT PUT A KNEE ON SOMEBODY'S
NECK.
THE VAST MAJORITY OF COMPLAINTS
ARE RECEIVED JUST BY PERCENTAGE
OR BASICALLY FROM THE FIRST DAY
OF THE PROTEST UNTIL JUNE 1st.
THAT WAS THE VAST MAJORITY OF
CASES AND COMPLAINTS WE
RECEIVED.
WE CONTINUE TO RECEIVE THEM
PERIODICALLY.
THAT WAS THE MASSIVE AMOUNT
THAT CAME IN.
>> THANK YOU.
>> STRAIGHT FROM THE GET GO,
IN MAY, WE RECOGNIZED A NEED TO
INCREASE TRANSPARENCY.
THERE WAS A LOT OF PUBLIC
INTEREST AROUND THE PROTESTS
AND HOW OPA WOULD RESPOND TO
THEM.
SO WE PUT OUR HEADS TOGETHER
AND CAME UP WITH A FEW
DIFFERENT WAYS THAT WE COULD
GIVE THE PUBLIC MORE
INFORMATION.
WE CREATED A PUBLIC DASHBOAD
THAT SHOWS PROGRESS FOR THE
PROTEST CASES.
IT HAS DOUGHNUTS FOR EACH CASE
SIMILAR TO WHAT YOU ARE SEEING
ON THE SCREEN.
AND WE CREATED A LIST SHOWING
EACH OF THE 10 STEPS IN THE
INVESTIGATION PROCESS JUST
PROBABLY.
AND IT SHOWS, FOR EACH OF THESE
CASES, WHAT STEP OPA
INVESTIGATORS ARE ON FOR THAT
CASE.
EVERY THREE WEEKS -- AND IT
USED TO BE MORE FREQUENTLY, BUT
NOW WE ARE AT EVERY THREE
WEEKS, WE ROLL OUT A NEW BATCH
OF CASES THAT WE -- SO WE CAN
ROLL THEM OUT ON ONE DAY AND
SHOW THE PUBLIC AT ONCE INSTEAD
OF TRICKLING THEM OUT.
AND WE PUT OUT A TWEET ON
SOCIAL MEDIA, OFTEN TO A PRESS
RELEASE.
AND DR. NAY FOR DOES MEDIA
INTERVIEWS TO GIVE ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION.
SOMETIMES WE HAVE VIDEOS WE
STARTED DOING THAT SEEM TO BE
VERY HELPFUL FOR THE PUBLIC
WHERE WE HAVE SOMEONE ON OUR
STAFF GO THROUGH AND PULL
PIECES OF THE VIDEOS THAT HELP
TO EXPLAIN THE FINDINGS THAT
DIRECTOR MYERBERG HAS COME TO
THE CONCLUSION ABOUT THE CASE.
ALL THE VIDEO CLIPS ARE PUT
TOGETHER.
IT IS A MIX OF BODY WORN VIDEO
OR THIRD-PARTY VIDEO.
AND WE EITHER DO A VOICEOVER
NARRATION OR HAVE TEXT ON THE
SCREEN.
IT IS JUST A MUCH MORE SIMPLE
WAY FOR THE PUBLIC TO SEE WHAT
THE FINDINGS ARE RATHER THAN
READING, FOR EXAMPLE, A 10 PAGE
DOCUMENT THAT LAYS IT OUT IN
DETAIL.
SO THOSE WERE A FEW WAYS THAT
WE EXPANDED OUR PUBLIC PRESENCE
IN TRYING TO GIVE MORE
INFORMATION ON WHERE WE WERE AT
AND WHY WE WERE DOING WHAT WE
WERE DOING.
>> AND RELATING TO THE
SYSTEMATIC POLICY
RECOMMENDATIONS, I KNOW THAT
EACH REPORT FROM OPA INCLUDES
THAT INFORMATION WHEN
APPROPRIATE.
BUT AM WONDERING, IF IT IS
PULLED OUT AS WELL, I KNOW THE
CPC HAS, THE COMMUNITY POLICE
COMMISSION, CREATED A DASHBOARD
OF ITS RECOMMENDATIONS AND
TRACKING WHICH ONES ARE
IMPLEMENT IT AND WHICH ONES ARE
NOT.
WONDERING IF THE OPA HAS
ALREADY DONE SOMETHING LIKE
THAT.
I BELIEVE YOU HAVE BUT JUST
CHECKING.
>> WE HAVE A PAGE ON OUR
WEBSITE UNDER THE POLICY TAB
THAT LISTS EACH MANAGEMENT
ACTION THAT WE HAVE ISSUED AND
IT HAS A LINK TO THE ACTUAL
LETTER THAT WE SEND TO THE
POLICE DEPARTMENT AND
SUMMARIZES THE CASE AND THE
RECOMMENDATION AND LISTS THE
STATUS, WHETHER IT HAS BEEN
ACTIVE OR PARTIALLY IMPLEMENTED
OR FULLY IMPLEMENTED.
AND WE LINK, ON THAT SAME
STATUS, WE LINK DOCUMENTATION
THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT
SENDS BACK TO US WHERE THEY
DESCRIBE WHAT THEY DID TO PUT
THAT RECOMMENDATION INTO
ACTION.
>> DOES YOUR REPORT HAVE A
FINDINGS AROUND THOSE
RECOMMENDATIONS?
A NUMBER OF POLICY
RECOMMENDATIONS MADE, THE
NUMBER THAT SPD HAS, EITHER IN
PROGRESS OR HAS ALREADY TAKEN?
>> THIS PARTICULAR ANNUAL
REPORT DOES NOT GIVE A
BREAKDOWN OF THE NUMBER
IMPLEMENTED VERSUS NOT.
WE DO LIST IN AN APPENDIX,
EVERY RECOMMENDATION MADE.
BECAUSE THE SPD RESOURCES WERE
SO SLIM BASED ON STAFFING AND
PROTESTS AND A LOT OF
ATTRITION, THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO
ADDRESS A LOT OF THE
RECOMMENDATIONS ISSUED IN 2020
BECAUSE THEY WERE SO LATE IN
THE YEAR.
SO IT DIDN'T FEEL LIKE A FAIR
STATISTIC TO PUT IN THE REPORT
THAT WE HAD ISSUED ALL OF THESE
IN THE LAST MONTH OF THE YEAR
BUT THEY HADN'T IMPLEMENTED
THEM.
IT TAKES QUITE A BIT OF TIME TO
MAKE THE POLICY CHANGE.
>> UNDERSTAND.
THANK YOU.
>> I THINK WE DID KNOW WHERE
SOMETHING WAS DECLINED AND I
WANT TO SAY THERE WAS ONLY ONE
DECLINED ACTION WHICH MEANS WE
RECEIVED A BUT WE ARE NOT GOING
TO TAKE FURTHER ACTION.
MOST OF THEM HAVE EITHER BEEN
IMPLEMENTED OR ARE ACTIVE
EVALUATIONS BY A SPEEDY.
>> SO IN 2020, OPA CONDUCTED
A LOT OF STATE LEGISLATIVE
WORK.
THIS WAS THE FIRST FOR OUR
OFFICE.
WE CONDUCTED -- WE GOT A TEAM
OF STAFF
WHEN ALL THE PROTESTER
HAPPENING.
THERE WERE SO MANY VARIOUS
RECOMMENDATIONS FROM SOURCES IN
THE COMMUNITY, FROM CITY
COUNCIL, FROM LEGISLATORS.
WE WANTED TO, AND HOUSE, TAKE A
LOOK AT A LOT OF THESE
RECOMMENDATIONS AND EVALUATE
HOW THEY COULD BE IMPLEMENTED
AND WHAT KIND OF RESEARCH WAS
BEHIND THEM AND WHAT WAS DONE
IN OTHER AREAS FOR EXAMPLE.
SO WE STARTED EVALUATING THESE
RECOMMENDATIONS.
WE PUT THEM ALL ON A
SPREADSHEET AND LOOKED AT ABOUT
52 RECOMMENDATIONS AND FROM
THERE, WE DRAFTED PAPERS AND
DID A BUNCH OF RESEARCH AND
CRAFTED PAPERS FOR OURSELVES TO
JUST EDUCATE OURSELVES SO WE
COULD TALK MORE AND TALK ABOUT
THIS WITH LEGISLATORS AND
COUNCILMEMBERS ABOUT IT ON 23
OF THESE TOPICS.
AND FROM THERE, FROM THOSE 23,
WE DEVELOPED SEVEN PROPOSALS TO
HIGHLIGHT FOR THE STATE
LEGISLATURE.
THE SEVEN PROPOSALS WERE THE
THINGS THAT OPA FELT WOULD BE
THE MOST EFFECTIVE TO IMPLEMENT
AT THE STATE LEVEL.
SO THESE SEVEN, I WILL RUN OVER
THEM VERY QUICKLY.
THE FIRST WAS REFORMING
COLLECTIVE BARGAINING.
THE SECOND WAS IMPROVING THE
OFFICER DECERTIFICATION
PROCESS.
THE THIRD WAS CREATING AN
INDEPENDENT SPECIAL PROSECUTOR
TO MAKE CHARGING DECISIONS.
THE FOURTH WAS CREATING AN
OFFICE TO CONDUCT INDEPENDENT
INVESTIATIONS INTO DEADLY
FORCE BY POLICE.
THE FIFTH WAS REFORMING
OBJECTIVE REASONABLENESS.
THE SIXTH WAS CREATING A
STATEWIDE USE OF FORCE
DATABASE.
THE SEVENTH WAS TO CREATE
STATEWIDE DE-ESCALATION
POLICIES.
WE TRANSMITTED THOSE ONE PAGERS
TO STATE LEGISLATORS.
WE PARTICIPATED IN COMMITTEE
HEARINGS AND GAVE TESTIMONY.
WE ENGAGED IN DIRECT MEETINGS
TO PROVIDE FACTS AND ANSWER
QUESTIONS FROM LEGISLATORS.
AND WE HAD A STAFF MEMBER THAT
PARTICIPATED IN THE GOVERNOR
TASK FORCE ON INDEPENDENT
INVESTIGATIONS OF POLICE USE OF
FORCE.
WE DEFINITELY HAD A STRATEGY
AND ENGAGEMENT THAT WE STEPPED
UP WITH FOR THIS SESSION OF
STATE LEGISLATOR.
>> AND A QUESTION ON THE
SEVEN PRIORITIES.
FOR THE SEVEN PRIORITIES, WHICH
OF THEM -- I THINK THE
QUESTION I WOULD HAVE IS REALLY
FOCUSED ON IMPROVING SEATTLE'S
OWN POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM
. AND HOW MANY ARE IN SUPPORT
OF THE EFFORTS STATEWIDE, WHICH
OF COURSE ARE VERY IMPORTANT.
AND IS A LEADER HERE IN
SEATTLE, WE WANT TO SHARE THE
WORK THAT WE HAVE DONE IN
APPROVING THE STATEWIDE SYSTEM.
FOR INSTANCE, THE STATEWIDE DE-
ESCALATION POLICIES AND THE
STATEWIDE USE OF FORCE DATABASE
AND MANDATORY REPORTING.
JUST WONDERING HOW THOSE ITEMS
WOULD IMPACT SEATTLE CONDUCTING
OFFICE TO CONDUCT INDEPENDENT
INVESTIGATIONS INTO DEADLY
FORCE BY POLICE.
JUST TRYING TO GET A SENSE OF
HOW MANY OF THESE WERE REALLY
FOCUSED ON NEEDED SEATTLE
IMPROVEMENTS VERSUS THE
NECESSARY IMPROVEMENT OF
POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY
STATEWIDE.
>> I CAN JUMP IN THEIR.
I WOULD SAY IT IS BOTH.
I THINK MOST OF THEM WOULD
IMPACT SEATTLE FAIRLY
SIGNIFICANTLY.
FOR EXAMPLE, PUTTING IN PLACE A
REFORM FOR THE OBJECTIVE
REASONABLENESS STANDARD.
ONE THING I DISCUSSED -- I
DISGUSTED IN FRONT OF THE
COMMITTEE AT THE SENATE SIDE OR
THE HOUSE SIDE, THAT THE OPA
DECISION -- AND THIS IS
SOMETHING NOT WELL UNDERSTOOD
BUT THE OPA DECISIONS ARE BASED
ON THE APPLICATION OF A
REASONABLENESS STANDARD.
SO WE ARE REQUIRED UNDER CASE
LAW TO LOOK AT, WHAT WOULD A
REASONABLE OFFICER D█O WHEN THE
OFFICER IS PLACED WITH THE SAME
TRAINING EXPERIENCE AND NOT
APPLYING 2020 HINDSIGHT.
IT IS AN EXTREMELY DEFERENTIAL
STANDARD FOR POLICE OFFICERS.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE TALKED TO
THE LEGISLATURE ABOUT WAS, ARE
THERE REFORMS YOU CAN MAKE TO
THAT STANDARD, TO MAKE IT LESS
DEFERENTIAL AND MORE IN LINE
WITH ANY CHANGING EXPECTATIONS
AROUND POLICE FORCE.
ULTIMATELY, THEY DID NOT MAKE
CHANGES AT THE STATE LEVEL TO
THE REASONABLENESS STANDARD.
WHAT THEY DID DO AND WE WERE
VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THIS, IS
THEY DID CREATE A BASELINE
POLICY FOR BOTH DE-ESCALATION
AND USE OF FORCE THAT WOULD BE
APPLIED STATEWIDE, WHICH WE
THOUGHT WAS GREAT.
WE WERE VERY SUPPORTIVE OF IT.
WE WORKED WITH THOSE
LEGISLATORS TO DEVELOP THE.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE STATEWIDE
ENTITY THAT WOULD LOOK AT ALL
DEADLY FORCE -- RIGHT NOW,
SPD IS UNDER CONSENT DECREE BUT
ABSENT IS THE LEGISLATION WHEN
IT COMES TO THE CONSENT DEGREE
LIFTED.
IS PRETTY WOULD HAVE BEEN
INVESTIGATE A BY A TASK FORCE
OF OFFICERS FROM OTHER
JURISDICTIONS.
WE PUSHED FOR YEARS.
AND THIS IS NOT JUST OKAY BUT
IT IS OIG AND THE SEATTLE
DEADLY FORCE INVESTIGATION CAP
TASK FORCE THAT WAS CONVENED A
COUPLE YEARS AGO PUSHING FOR
EXACTLY THIS.
TO HAVE AN INDEPENDENT CIVILIAN
BLOOD, CIVILIAN STAFFED ENTITY
THAT INVESTIGATES DEADLY USE OF
FORCE STATEWIDE.
SO THIS IS A HUGE
ACCOMPLISHMENT.
IT IS SOMETHING WE WERE VERY
SUPPORTIVE OF AND VERY MUCH
MIRRORED WHAT OUR LIQUIDATIONS
WERE IN OUR PROPOSAL.
THE DATABASE IS SOMETHING WE
FEEL VERY STRONGLY ABOUT AND
FEELS VERY IMPORTANT.
WE DID NOT GET THE SPECIAL
PROSECUTOR.
THIS IS ANOTHER THING THAT OPA
FEELS IS VERY IMPORTANT.
THE CHARGING DECISION SHOULD BE
WITH SOMEONE TOTALLY
INDEPENDENT OF POLITICAL
PRESSURE AND SOMEONE THAT CAN
MAKE A DECISION WITHOUT
WORRYING ABOUT WORKING WITH THE
SAME OFFICERS THE NEXT DAY OR
THE NEXT MONTH.
AND NOT THAT WE ARE DOUBTING
THE ABILITY OF ELECTED
PROSECUTORS TO DO SO BUT IT
PUTS ANOTHER LAYER OF
ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY
TO HAVE A SPECIAL PROSECUTOR.
SO THESE ARE ALL THINGS THAT
WILL PROBABLY BE A FUTURE.
FOR EXAMPLE, COLLECTIVE
BARGAINING.
ONE THING WE DISCUSSED WAS THE
POSSIBILITY OF PUTTING IN AND
CREATING A LAW THAT WOULD SAY
THAT ACCOUNTABILITY BARGAINING
IS AFFECTS ONLY.
SO YOU WOULDN'T BARGAINABLE
MENTATION BUT JUST THE EFFECTS
OF THE BARGAINING.
THERE ARE CHANGES THAT STILL
NEED TO BE DONE FOR
ARBITRATION.
THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS OUT
THERE THAT WE CANNOT DO AT THE
CITY LEVEL NECESSARILY BUT THAT
GREATLY IMPACT CITY WORK.
>> EXACTLY WHY I ASKED THE
QUESTION, YOU AND I BOTH OFTEN
SAY THAT WE ARE HAMPERED BY THE
CONSENT DECREE AND MAKING
CHANGES TO OUR CURRENT SYSTEM
BECAUSE ANY CHANGES WE WOULD
MAKE WOULD HAVE TO BE APPROVED
BY THE COURT.
AND WE ARE ALSO LIMITED IN OUR
ABILITY TO MAKE CHANGES BECAUSE
OF OUR CURRENT CONTRACT WITH
SPOG SO I'M INTERESTED IN THE
CHANGES THAT WOULD, IN
REALTIME, MAKE IMPROVEMENTS TO
THE SEATTLE CURRENT SYSTEM THAT
WE WERE SUCCESSFUL IN MAKING
PROGRESS AT WITH THE STATE
LEVEL.
AND ALSO REALLY APPRECIATING
THE ADVOCACY THAT IS REALLY
IMPORTANT TO DO WITH OUR
PARTNERS ALL OVER THE STATE,
INCLUDING POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY
ADVOCATES FOR STATEWIDE REFORMS
WHICH MAY NOT DIRECTLY IMPACT
SEATTLE.
SO REALLY APPRECIATE THE DETAIL
THEY ARE.
>> I WOULD ALSO SAY THE
DECERTIFICATION BILL ALSO IS AN
EXTREMELY IMPORTANT BILL THAT
HAS COME OUT AND THERE WAS A
LOT OF WORK BY SEATTLE PARTNERS
ON THAT BILL.
WE WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH
SENATOR PETERSON PEDERSEN'S
OFFICE.
THERE WAS A LOT OF WORK THAT
WENT INTO IT.
AND THIS IS VERY MUCH A CHANGE
IN POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY TOO
THAT IT CAN NOW INVESTIGATE USE
OF FORCE.
IS ANOTHER CHECK ON LOCAL
JURISDICTION THAT DON'T HAVE
ANY INDEPENDENT INTERNAL
AFFAIRS.
BECAUSE SEATTLE, FOR ALL THE
CRITICISMS OF OUR SYSTEM, AS
FAR AS I'M AWARE, WE ARE THE
ONLY INTERNAL AFFAIRS SYSTEM
ACROSS THE STATE THAT IS
CIVILIAN LED AND CIVILIAN
STAFF.
SO AGAIN, EMPOWERING THE CJTC
TO TAKE MORE AFFIRMATIVE ACTION
AND MAKE SURE OFFICERS DON'T
GET EMPLOYED AGAIN IS ANOTHER
BIG CHANGE OCCURRING WITHIN THE
SYSTEM.
SO WE WERE VERY HAPPY WITH THE
RESULT.
OBVIOUSLY WE DID NOT GET
EVERYTHING WE SUPPORTED PAST
AND WE EXCITED THAT.
BUT THE PROGRESS MADE THIS LAST
LEGISLATIVE SESSION WAS
IMMENSE.
>> THANK YOU.
>> I WILL TALK BRIEFLY ABOUT
STAFF BEING THIS PAST YEAR.
THIS IS THE CURRENT
ORGANIZATIONAL CHART.
>> THIS IS ACTUALLY THE 2020
ORGANIZATION.
>> IT IS THE 2020 CHART.
AS YOU CAN SEE, WE FULLY
CIVILIAN EYES THE TWO OPEN
CIVILIAN SPOTS. AND WE ARE
STILL I BELIEVE IT EIGHT SWORN
TWO CIVILIAN INVESTIGATORS.
WE EXPECT THE -- I'M SORRY,
NINE AND TWO.
AGAIN, THAT IS A FUNCTION OF
THE CONTRACT.
AND I THINK PEOPLE ALWAYS SAY
THAT YOU SHOULD CIVILIAN EYES
HALF OF YOUR STAFF AND WE DON'T
HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO THAT --
SINCE THE FIRST CONTRACT WAS
PASSED, WE CIVILIAN EYES ALL
THE INVESTIGATION SUPERVISORS,
THE TWO LIEUTENANTS AND CAPTAIN
AND HAVE ADDED THOSE CIVILIAN
INVESTIGATORS.
OUR EXPECTATION AND THEY WERE
AGREED UPON BY ALL THE PARTIES
AND WILL MOVE FORWARD
ACCORDINGLY.
A COUPLE FUTURE AND STATE
ISSUES FOR 2021. ONE THING
MENTIONED EARLIER ABOUT
TRANSPARENCY IS ONE THING WE
FOUND VERY EFFECTIVE WHICH WAS
THE CREATION OF VIDEOS AND
PUTTING UP VIDEOS THAT EXPLAIN
NOT JUST WHAT OCCURRED BUT
SHOWING THE MULTIPLE ANGLES AND
GOING TO THE CONCLUSIONS AND
WHY WE REACH THOSE CONCLUSIONS.
MY HOPE IN 2021 IS TO BRING ON
A FULL-TIME VIDEO ANALYST THAT
WILL HAVE THAT BE THERE FULL-
TIME JOB AND THEY WILL BE
RESPONSIBLE FOR CREATING A
VIDEO IDEALLY FOR EVERY SINGLE
SUSTAINED AND NONSUSTAINED CASE
THAT WILL EXPLAIN THE FINDINGS.
THAT CAN BE PROVIDED BOTH TO
THE COMPLAINANT AND CAN BE
LINKED TO THE CLOSED CASE
SUMMARY WHEN IT GOES ONLINE.
IT IS PUTTING MORE INFORMATION
OUT THERE AND HAVING PEOPLE,
EVEN IF THEY DISAGREE,
UNDERSTAND HOW WE DECIDE WHAT
WE DECIDED AND HOW WE GOT TO
WHERE WE GOT.
WE ARE ALSO, AS WE TALKED
ABOUT, VERY FOCUSED ON DATA AND
DASHBOARDS.
ONE THING WE ARE WORKING ON FOR
EXAMPLE, WE ROLLED OUT THE
APPEALS DASHBOARD AND THE
PHYSICIANS OF THOSE APPEALS.
W WILL WORK ON PUTTING
TOGETHER A DASHBOARD GIVEN SOME
OF THE PUBLIC CONCERN WITH THE
CHIEF'S REVERSAL OF THE --
CASE.
A DASHBOARD THAT TALKS ABOUT
EVERY CASE THAT HAS BEEN
REVERSED BASED ON THE CHAIN OF
COMMAND DISAGREE WITH OPA AND
LINKS ALL THE RELEVANT
DOCUMENTS SO PEOPLE CAN SEE FOR
THEMSELVES WHAT THE RATIONALE
WAS AND WHAT THE REVERSAL WAS
AND WHAT THE RESULT OF IT WAS.
FOR EXAMPLE, WITH THE PINK
UMBRELLA CASE, THAT WOULD
INCLUDE LINKING LIKE YOU SAID
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD ABOUT
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS AS WELL AS
CORRESPONDENCE FROM THE CHIEF
AND THE UNDERLYING DECISION AND
A LETTER DISAGREEING AND ANY
DISCIPLINE EVENTUALLY IMPOSED.
HAVING THIS INFORMATION ALL IN
ONE PLACE, IT SEEMS LIKE A
SMALL THING BUT I THINK WITH
INFORMATION COMES POWER.
SO AS MUCH INFORMATION WE CAN
PUT OUT THERE IS SUPER
IMPORTANT FOR MOORE
PERSPECTIVE.
>> THANK YOU.
FOR THE INVESTIGATIVE UNIT,
COULD YOU, JUST FOR THE VIEWING
PUBLIC, -- TELL US, WHAT IS
THE LIMITING LANGUAGE OF THE
CONTRACT.
SPECIFICALLY.
IS IT SPECIFICALLY CIVILIAN
INVESTIGATORS ARE ALLOWED?
>> SO THE SPECIFIC LANGUAGE
THAT OPA CAN HIRE UP TO TWO
CIVILIAN INVESTIGATORS.
HE GAVE US A SPECIFIC NUMBER.
IF YOU ARE ACCOUNTABILITY
ORDINANCE FROM 2017 DID NOT
HAVE A SPECIFIC NUMBER BUT
BASICALLY WHAT IT SAID WAS, IT
SHOULD BE IN THE OPA DIRECTOR
DISCRETION TO DECIDE WHAT THE
STAFFING ARRANGEMENT WILL BE.
CERTAINLY THE MONITOR --
BEFORE HE LEFT WAS A VERY
STRONG SUPPORTER WITH A 50/50
SPLIT OF CIVILIAN VERSUS
INVESTIGATORS.
>> I'M NOT SURE AT THIS POINT
IF THERE ARE QUESTIONS ABOUT
WHAT WE DISCUSSED OR QUESTIONS
ABOUT CERTAIN CASES.
I KNOW COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT HAD
BROUGHT UP THE CHILD PEPPER
SPRAY CASE.
I'M HAPPY TO WALK TO THAT
FINDING.
I THINK I HAVE ALREADY GONE
THROUGH IT BUT I'M HAPPY AGAIN
TO DESCRIBE WHY WE ISSUED THE
FINDING WE ISSUED IN THAT CASE.
IF THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.
AND I'M HAPPY TO TALK ABOUT
SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS WE
HAVE MADE SPECIFICALLY AROUND
DEMONSTRATION MANAGEMENT, SOME
OF THE THINGS WE HAVE PUSHED
FOR AND WHAT WE HAVE SEEN AS
FAR AS CHANGES IN TACTICS AND
WHAT WE EXPECT THE TACTICS TO
LOOK LIKE LIKE IF PROTESTS
OCCUR AGAIN THIS SUMMER.
IT IS REALLY UP TO THE COUNCIL,
AS TO WHAT WE ANSWER, IF
ANYTHING.
>> I SEE COUNCILMEMBER
MORALES' HAND IS UP.
>> SORRY.
I WILL LOWER IT.
>> I THINK WOULD BE HELPFUL
TO -- ADDRESS, YOU ARE ON
RECORD AROUND THE CHILD PEPPER
SPRAY CASE.
FOR THE VIEWING PUBLIC THAT MAY
HAVE MISSED IT, GOING OVER THE
INVESTIGATION AND THE FINDINGS,
IT WOULD BE USEFUL.
I DO HAVE A QUESTION RELATED
TO, BACK ON SLIDE THREE FOR
EMPLOYEES WITH SEVEN, NINE, 11
AND 14 COMPLAINTS.
AND I'M JUST WONDERING, ON THAT
ONE, WHEN YOU WILL KNOW HOW
MANY, IF ANY, OF THE COMPLAINTS
WILL BE SUSTAINED AGAINST
OFFICERS WITH A LARGE NUMBER OF
ALLEGATIONS, AND WHETHER OR NOT
WE REPORTED OUT THAT WAY SO
THAT THE OTHER
COMPONENTS OF THE POLICE
ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM, THE OIG
AND THE CPC AS WELL AS THE
GENERAL PUBLIC, --
I UNDERSTAND THERE IS A
REQUIREMENT TO NOT BE INVOLVED
WITH THE IDENTITY OF THE
OFFICER COMPLAINTS AGAINST THEM
EVEN WHEN SUSTAINED.
AND WE KNOW FOR THOSE
PARTICULAR OFFICERS THAT HAVE A
LOT OF COMPLAINTS AGAINST THEM,
HOW MANY OF THOSE COMPLAINTS
WERE SUSTAINED.
AND ABSOLUTELY.
TALKING TO SOME OF THE POLICY
CHANGES THAT WERE MADE BECAUSE
OF YOUR WORK, ESPECIALLY IN THE
AREA OF CHANGES THAT THE
DEPARTMENT HAS MADE AROUND
CROWD CONTROL WEAPONS.
I'M SORRY, CROWD CONTROL, I
SHOULD SAY.
AND HOW THAT WAS IN RESPONSE TO
FEEDBACK RECEIVED BY SPD FROM
THE OPA WOULD BE USEFUL AS
WELL.
AND ALSO, OPENING UP TO THE
QUESTIONS OF OTHER
COUNCILMEMBERS HERE AS WELL.
>> I WILL START WITH THE
FIRST QUESTION.
THE COMPLAINT OF THE CHILD
PEPPER SPRAY CASE CAME FROM THE
VIDEO TAKEN IN THE AFTERMATH OF
THE PEPPER SPRAY OCCURRING
WHERE THE CHILD WAS IN THE
MIDDLE OF THE STREET AND WAS
CRYING.
WHAT WE DID WAS WE WENT
BACKWARDS.
WE WORKED TO ISOLATE WHERE THE
CHILD WAS IN THE CROWD.
BECAUSE THAT PART OF THE VIDEO
WAS TAKEN AFTER THE FACT AND
DID NOT SHOW THE USE OF FORCE
ITSELF.
WE WERE ABLE TO ISOLATE WHERE
THE PEPPER SPRAYING OCCURRED.
AS YOU ALL MAY RECALL,
INITIALLY, AN OFFICER WAS
IDENTIFIED BY NAME AS BEING THE
OPPOSITE OF THAT USED THE
PEPPER SPRAY.
AND WE DETERMINED PRETTY
QUICKLY THAT THAT WAS NOT THE
OFFICER THAT HAD DONE SO.
BUT WE WERE ABLE TO IDENTIFY
WHO DID.
LOOKING AT THE VIDEO AND
LOOKING AT THE BODY WORN VIDEO
BETWEEN 8-10 OFFICERS ON THE
LINE, WHAT WE WERE ABLE TO SEE
IS THAT AT SOME POINT, THEY
MADE AN ARREST AT THE RIGHT-
HAND SIDE OF THE LINE.
IT WAS AN INDIVIDUAL THAT HAD
THROWN PEPPER SPRAY AT AN
OFFICER EARLIER AND THEN HAD
DRAWN THE PEPPER SPRAY BOTTLE
AT THE OFFICER.
THAT WAS DISCUSSED AT ANOTHER
COMPLAINT.
WE EVALUATED AND SAW THAT THAT
INDIVIDUAL THAT WAS IDENTIFIED
AS DOING THAT WAS ARRESTED AT
THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE LINE.
WHEN THEY DID THIS, THE
OFFICERS MOVED OUT TO PUSH THE
LINE BACK TO ALLOW A BUFFER TO
MAKE THE ARREST.
WHAT HAPPENED WAS THAT PEOPLE
CONVENED INTO THE LINE AND
STARTED PUSHINGINTO THE
OFFICERS.
AT THAT MOMENT, A MALE WITH THE
úCHILD WAS VIEWED QUICKLY
WALKING TOWARD THE LINE AND
GOING TOWARD WHERE THE CONFLICT
WAS OCCURRING.
THE OFFICER AT THAT POINT
DEPLOYED PEPPER SPRAY AT A
WOMAN WHO WAS ACTIVELY GRABBING
ANOTHER OFFICER'S BATON.
THAT WOMAN TURNED AND DUCKED AT
THE TIME AND THE PEPPER SPRAY
WENT OFF OF HER SHOULDER AND
STRUCK THE FATHER AND THE KID
WHO WERE STANDING DIRECTLY
BEHIND THAT WOMAN.
SO WHEN WE EVALUATED THE
DEPLOYMENT OF PEPPER SPRAY,
WHAT WE LOOKED AT WAS FIRST OF
ALL, WAS THE PEPPER SPRAY OF
THE WOMAN PUSHING TO THE LINE
AND GRABBING THE BATON, WAS IT
JUSTIFIED?
FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, THE ANSWER
IS YES.
THE WOMAN WAS PUSHING THROUGH
THE LINE AND WAS GRABBING ON TO
THE OFFICER'S BATON.
THEY HAD OTHER PEOPLE PUSHING
THROUGH THE LINE AND IT WAS A
CHAOTIC SITUATION.
THEY ARE ENTITLED AS A MATTER
OF LAW TO MOVE THE CROWD BACK
AND PREVENT HER FROM DOING SO.
THE OFFICERS ASKED WHEN THEY
HAD A COUPLE OF OPTIONS
AVAILABLE.
THE USE OF A GLASS BALL WHICH
WOULD HAVE BEEN AN APPROPRIATE.
THEY COULD HAVE GONE HANDS-ON
AND PULLED THE WOMAN DOWN OR
PUSHED HER AWAY OR USED SOME
FORCE OR THEY COULD HAVE
DEPLOYED PEPPER SPRAY.
THEY FELT THAT PEPPER SPRAY
DIRECTED TOWARD THIS PERSON WAS
THE BEST OPTION FOR THE
CIRCUMSTANCES AND I AGREE.
THE QUESTION THEN WAS, WAS IT A
FORESEEABLE RESULT THAT THE
PEPPER STRAY, THAT THE WOMAN
WOULD DOCK AND THE PEPPER SPRAY
WOULD BOUNCE OFF OF HER BACK
AND HIT THE FATHER AND THE
CHILD WHO HAD MOVED BEHIND
THEM?
FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, THE ANSWER
WAS NO.
IT WAS NOT A FORESEEABLE RESULT
OF THAT USE OF FORCE THAT
TARGETED THE FEMALE.
SO THIS WAS A DECISION THAT
OBVIOUSLY WAS A DIFFICULT
DECISION TO REACH.
THERE WAS A LOT OF CRITICISM
REGARDING THE DECISION, WHICH I
EXCEPT.
THE REALITY IS, NO MATTER WHAT
I SAY ABOUT THIS, I HAVE
DESCRIBED MY FINDINGS ON THIS
MULTIPLE TIMES.
NO MATTER THERE WILL BE PEOPLE
THAT DISAGREE WITH THE FINDINGS
AND THAT IS TOTALLY ACCEPTABLE.
YOU CAN DISAGREE WITH ME AND
SAY I'M WRONG AND THAT'S FINE.
LOOKING AT THE POLICIES IN
PLACE AT THE TIME AND LOOKING
AT THE CONDUCT AND LOOKING AT
THE VIDEO AND ACCESSING THE
INTERVIEWS, THAT IS THE FINDING
WE REACHED.
WHAT IT WILL SAY IS THAT, I
THINK IS CORRECT TO SAY THAT
THAT CASE IN AND OF ITSELF DID
NOT RESULT IN A CHANGE OF
POLICY SURROUNDING PEPPER
SPRAY.
AND I THINK IT IS ACCURATE TO
SAY THAT I DID NOT SUPPORT THE
COUNCIL'S INITIAL BILL THAT
WOULD HAVE PUT A BAN ON ALL
DEVICES.
THAT WAS THE INITIAL ITERATION
THAT WAS CHANGED OVER TIME.
I'M SIGNIFICANTLY MORE
SUPPORTIVE OF THE BILL THAT
EXISTS NOW THAT I THINK IS MUCH
MORE TARGETED AND UNDERSTANDS
THAT WHILE WE NEVER WENT
ANYTHING LIKE THAT TO BE USED
IN A PROTEST, THERE MAY BE
TIMES IT IS REQUIRED.
SO THERE IS A BALANCE.
SO COUNCILMEMBER SUPPORT WITH
SAWANT -- I DON'T SUPPORT ALL
THE TOOLS BUT I DON'T THINK IS
REALISTIC.
I DO SUPPORT IN ONE OF THE
CHANGES AND LIQUIDATIONS MADE
OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF CASES
IS, MORE AND MORE, I TEND TO
SUPPORT A BLANKET BAN ON BLAST
BALLS FOR EXAMPLE.
I'M VERY CONCERNED WITH BLAST
BALLS AND THE FACT THAT EVEN IF
YOU DEPLOY A BAST BLAST BALL
PERFECTLY, IT CAN MOVE 10 FEET
IN ANOTHER DIRECTION AND
SHRAPNEL CAN COME OFF AND
AFFECT OTHER PEOPLE.
I THINK WHAT WE HAVE SCENE IS
THAT USING A BLAST BALL TO MOVE
CROWDS SHOULD NOT BE DONE AND
THE BLAST BALL, IF EVER USED,
SHOULD BE TO TARGET A SPECIFIC
AND DIRECT THREAT.
BUT AGAIN, I DON'T LIKE BLAST
BALLS.
THEY ARE THE LEAST TARGETED OF
TOOLS THAT IS.
OFFICERS HAVE AT THEIR
DISPOSAL.
I THINK THAT IT IS INACCURATE
TO SAY THAT WE HAVEN'T PUSHED
FOR CHANGES TO BOTH THE LAW AND
POLICY.
WE HAVE.
AND MANY OF THE CHANGES AS PD
HAS PUT INTO PLACE -- FOR
EXAMPLE, THEY WILL NOT USE
BLAST BALLS SIMPLY TO MOVE
CROWDS.
THEY ARE REQUIRED TO POINT TO
SPECIFIC IDENTIFIABLE THREAT OF
HARM WHEN YOU WILL BE USING THE
BLAST BALLS ON PEOPLE.
AND THESE ARE THE RESULTS OF
THE CASES WE HAVE INVESTIGATED
IN LIQUIDATIONS WE HAVE MADE
ALONG WITH THE WORK OUR
PARTNERS HAVE DONE IN THE CDC
AND THE OIG.
SO OTHER TACTICAL CHANGES THAT
HAVE GONE INTO PLACE.
ONE THING WE REALLY PUSHED FOR
AND THIS WAS A RESULT OF THE
REPORT COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD
ASKED US TO ISSUE EARLY ON, IS
WE HAD PUSHED FOR, IF THE
PROTESTS ARE ABOUT SPD TO STOP
INTERACTING DIRECTLY WITH
PROTESTERS, ONE OF THE BIG
TACTICAL MISTAKES THAT SPD WAS
ENGAGED IN -- AND THIS ISN'T
ROCKET SCIENCE.
SPD HAS ADMITTED THIS AND HAS
CONFIRMED THIS, IT IS CREATING
ARTIFICIAL LINES IN TRYING TO
MOVE CROWDS WHEN IT WAS
UNNECESSARY.
AGAIN, THERE IS ALWAYS A
BALANCE BETWEEN PREVENTING
PROPERTY DESTRUCTION AND HARM
TO PEOPLE.
BUT INTERFERING WITH PROTESTS
AND NOT ALLOWING PEOPLE TO WALK
TO THE CITY AND MAKE THEIR
VOICES HEARD.
I THINK WHAT THEY WOULD DO
DIFFERENTLY THIS SUMMER IS THEY
WILL NOT BE CREATING LINES LIKE
WE SAW AT THE EAST PRECINCT.
THEY WILL NOT BE TRYING TO
DICTATE WHERE EVERYBODY IS
MOVING AT ANY GIVEN TIME.
I THINK THEY WILL STAGE AND
RESPOND TO LIFE SAFETY ISSUES
AND INTERVENE WITH SPECIFIC
ACTS OF CRIMINALITY.
OTHER THAN THAT, THEY WILL LET
úPEOPLE EXERCISE THEIR FIRST
AMENDMENT RIGHTS WITHOUT
CAUSING CONFLICT.
I THINK THIS GOES TO DE-
ESCALATION AND REDUCING HARM
AND INCREASING PUBLIC TRUST AND
CONFIDENCE.
AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, I
APPLAUD SPD FOR MODIFYING THE
TACTIC AND DOING SO IN RESPONSE
TO WHAT THEY HEARD BOTH FROM
THE COUNCIL AND FROM THE
ACCOUNTABILITY
ENTITIES.
>> OTHER THINGS THAT WERE PUT
INTO PLACE AS WE PUSH FOR
BETTER COMMUNICATION WITH THE
OIG, A LOT OF WHAT WE SAW EARLY
ON IS THAT PEOPLE, FOR EXAMPLE,
IF YOU HAVE 5000 PEOPLE OF THE
CROWD, IT IS POSSIBLE PEOPLE IN
THE BACK AND I HEAR THE
DISPERSAL ORDER.
AND FOR PEOPLE CONCERNED, IT
CANNOT BE USED AS AN ACOUSTIC
WEAPON.
IT IS ONLY AN AMPLIFIER.
SO THAT IS USED TO AMPLIFY
WARNINGS.
AND YOU CAN HEAR FROM ALL AREAS
OF THE CROWD WHAT WAS BEING
ANNOUNCED.
AND YOU KNOW WHAT DANGERS MAY
BE PRESENT.
AND THIS CAN BE COMMUNICATED
BETTER WITH THE PROTESTERS THAT
SHOULD YIELD BETTER OUTCOMES.
WE ARE ANTICIPATING AND WE ARE
EXCITED TO SEE THE RESULTS OF
THE OIG REVIEW WHICH WE EXPECT
WILL HAVE EVEN MORE SYSTEMIC
RECOMMENDATIONS WITH MORE OF A
COMMUNITY LENS WE HAVE A VERY
SYSTEMATIC SYSTEM LENS.
AND WE THINK THAT THEY WILL BE
TALKING MORE ABOUT
COMMUNICATION AND EVEN HAVING
PEOPLE SPECIFICALLY GEARED TO
COMMUNICATE WITHIN CROWDS AND
COORDINATE WITH PEOPLE TO
COORDINATE GOALS AND TACTICS
AND DECISIONS BY THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT AND TRY TO BUILD
COMMUNICATION AND COOPERATION
WITH THEM.
WE EXPECT A VERY DIFFERENT
RESPONSE TO THESE PROTESTS AND
WHAT WE SAW LAST SPRING AND
INTO THE SUMMER.
AND WE HAVE BEEN TO THE
TRAINING.
WE HAVE SEEN ROLLOUTS OF THE
TACTICS.
THIS ISN'T JUST CONJECTURE.
THIS IS WHAT I HAVE SEEN.
AND WE WILL BE HOLDING SPD
ACCOUNTABLE TO THE NEW
STANDARDS.
AND AGAIN, WE EXPECT TO SEE
POSITIVE CHANGES.
LAUREN, THERE WAS ANOTHER
QUESTION I SKIPPED OVER.
IT WAS ABOUT THE NUMBER OF
COMPLAINTS AGAINST CERTAIN
INDIVIDUALS.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO
TALK ABOUT THE.
I WOULD GUESSTIMATE THAT SOME
OF THOSE ARE SUPERVISORS WHO
WERE NAMED IN MULTIPLE
COMPLAINTS FOR THE ONES THAT
HAD SEVEN OR 11 --
>> A LOT OF THEM WERE HEAVILY
INVOLVED IN THE PROTEST
RESPONSE LAST YEAR.
I REMEMBER WHEN WE PRESENTED
LAST YEAR, THE ANNUAL REPORT,
AT THE END OF IT, YOU ASKED FOR
A SIMILAR SET OF DATA.
I CAN RUN THAT DATA ON THOSE
OFFICERS WHO RECEIVED SEVEN OR
MORE COMPLAINTS AND THEY GIVE
YOU THE OUTCOME OF THAT.
AND WE DON'T IDENTIFY THE
OFFICERS BY NAME.
AND WE WOULDN'T REPORT
SPECIFICALLY ON THOSE CASES
BECAUSE IT INVOLVES THE
OFFICERS NOT IDENTIFIED.
>> AND I WOULD GUESS THAT
SOME OF THOSE WOULD BE
SUPERVISORS IN CHARGE OF
MULTIPLE PROTEST RESPONSES.
>> HIGHER UP THE CHAIN OF
COMMAND.
CORRECT.
>> THANK YOU.
>> I'M JUST WANTING TO MAKE
SURE THAT MY COLLEAGUES DON'T
HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS.
I HAVE ONE ADDITIONAL PROTEST
COMPLAINT RELATED QUESTION AND
THEN I WANT TO MOVE, SHIFT OVER
TO USE OF FORCE COMPLAINTS FROM
-- RELATED TO INDIVIDUALS IN
BEHAVIORAL AND MENTAL HEALTH
CRISES.
SO RELATED TO RECOMMENDATIONS
THAT YOU SEE AS POTENTIALLY
COMING OUT OF YOUR
INVESTIGATION OF PROTESTS
RELATED COMPLAINTS, I HAVE
NOTED THAT IT MIGHT BE USEFUL
TO MAKE CHANGES TO SEATTLE'S
BILL OF RIGHTS, AND RECOGNITION
BOTH OF THE COURAGE OF
OBSERVERS LIKE DARNELL FRAZIER
WHO USED HER RIGHTS TO OBSERVE
AND RECORD THE MURDER OF GEORGE
FLOYD, BUT IT OCCURS TO ME THAT
WE HAVE A LAW THAT IS OUR OWN
SORT OF CODIFICATION OF THE
RIGHTS OF PEOPLE TO OBSERVE AND
RECORD.
BUT IT MIGHT BE USEFUL TO MAKE
SOME CHANGES TO THAT LAW COMING
OUT OF POTENTIAL
RECOMMENDATIONS THAT YOU HAVE
FROM INVESTIGATIONS THAT YOU
HAVE
DONE.
I BELIEVE, DIRECTOR MYERBERG,
YOU HAVE REFERENCED SOME
CHANGES YOU MIGHT LIKE TO SEE
SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO THE
RIGHTS OF THE PRESS.
I HAVE NOTED THAT THERE WERE
CHARGES THAT OFFICERS OBSCURED
OBSERVERS VIEWING OF CERTAIN
ACTIONS THAT THEY WERE TAKING
IN INSTANCES WHERE THE
PROTESTERS WERE NOT -- A
DISTANCE IT WAS UNSAFE TO
OBSERVE.
THEY WERE A SAFE DISTANCE AWAY.
BUT YET IT APPEARED THAT
OFFICERS INTENTIONALLY WERE
BLOCKING THE VIEW.
JUST WONDERING WHETHER OR NOT
YOU MIGHT HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR US TO
STRENGTHEN WHAT I THINK IS A
REALLY IMPORTANT LAW HERE IN
SEATTLE.
>> I HAVE ONE RECOMMENDATION
THAT CAME OUT OF THE JULY 25TH
PROTEST.
IT WAS SURROUNDING THE INCREASE
OF PROTECTIONS FOR BOTH MEDIA
AND LEGAL OBSERVERS AND
CREATING DESIGNATED AREAS,
MAKING SURE THAT, UNLESS
ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY, THAT YOU
ARE NOT DISPERSING THOSE FOLKS
OUT OF AN AREA AND THEY ARE NOT
BEING SUBJECT TO FORCE.
THE COMPLICATED FACTOR IS THAT
THERE ARE TIMES WHEN MEDIA MAY
BE INTERSPERSED IN
DEMONSTRATIONS AND MAY BE IN
FRONT OF OR IN THE MIDST OF A
DEMONSTRATION AND IT WOULD BE
VERY DIFFICULT, IF FOR EXAMPLE,
THERE WAS A LIFE SAFETY ISSUE,
IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO NOT
AFFECT THE MEDIA.
WHERE THE MEDIA IS IN AN AREA
OFF TO THE SIDE, THEY NEED A
VANTAGE POINT.
AND ALSO THEY NEED TO BE
MINDFUL THAT THERE MAY BE A LAW
ENFORCEMENT NEED TO DISPERSE
THE CROWD.
IT IS CREATING THAT BALANCE.
IT IS SOMETHING WE HAVE ASKED
THE DEPARTMENT TO FURTHER
DEVELOP AND ITS TACTICAL PLANS
ACTION PLANS AND POLICIES.
I WOULD SAY FUNDAMENTAL,
MENTIONING PEOPLE THAT HAVE
TAKEN THE ROLE OF RECORDINGS
-- I WOULD ALSO GIVE CREDIT TO
LAMAR SAULSBERRY WHO IS
FUNDAMENTAL TO OUR
UNDERSTANDING OF SOME OF THE
THINGS THAT WENT WRONG IN THESE
PROTESTS.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE JUNE 1st PINK
UMBRELLA CASE.
THAT VIDEO CAUGHT THAT
FIRSTHAND AND SHOWED THE
EXPERIENCE OF SOMEONE IN THE
FRONT OF THE LINE AND WAS A
HUGE PIECE OF EVIDENCE THAT WE
RELIED UPON.
FOR THE ORDINANCE YOU HAD
CHAMPIONED, COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD, WITHOUT EVIDENCE.
WE FEEL LIKE IT IS VERY
IMPORTANT OBVIOUSLY AND WE HAVE
RECOMMENDED CHANGES.
AND I CAN UPDATE THE COUNCIL AT
A LATER POINT AND WE WILL
UPDATE THE COUNCIL TO LET YOU
KNOW WHAT CHANGES WERE PUT INTO
PLACE BY SPD.
>> THANK YOU DIRECTOR
MYERBERG.
ON THE ISSUE OF USE OF FORCE
AND INDIVIDULS AND THE
BEHAVIOR OR MENTAL HEALTH
CRISIS, I JUST WANT TO GET A
LITTLE BIT OF INFORMATION
SPECIFICALLY ON -- BECAUSE I
UNDERSTAND WE ARE -- THIS IS
A CASE THAT IS -- I DON'T
KNOW IF IT IS BUMPING UP
AGAINST THE DEADLINE, BUT IT IT
IS OF THE DEATH AT THE HANDS OF
POLICE LAST YEAR, I THINK IT IS
THE OLDEST ONE.
THE TERRY CAVE OR CASE.
JUST A LITTLE BIT OF A SENSE OF
WHAT THE TIMELINE IS FOR YOUR
DISPOSITIONAL NOT.
ANOTHER IS A LOT OF INTEREST IN
THAT.
IT IS A CASE THAT THERE IS A
LOT OF CONCERN WITH, WITH THE
OFFICERS AND THE DE-ESCALATION
TACTICS USED IN THAT
PARTICULAR, UNFORTUNATE CASE.
AND IF YOU COULD SPEAK A LITTLE
BIT TO SOME OF THE
RECOMMENDATIONS THAT I KNOW
THAT YOU, THE INSPECTOR
GENERAL, JUDGE AND MYSELF, HAVE
MADE TO SPD AROUND LESS LETHAL
FORCE TOOLS THAT CAN BE USED IN
THESE TYPES OF CASES.
I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO
PARTICIPATE WITH THE CPC AND
OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY
AND THE OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR
GENERAL WAS REPRESENTED AS
WELL.
AND ON A DEMONSTRATION OF A NEW
TOOL THAT THE DEPARTMENT IS
CONSIDERING PILOTING.
MAYBE YOU CAN TALK A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT THAT AS WELL.
>> I WANT TO BE, AS FAR AS
THE SHOOTING OF TERRY CAVE OR,
I WANT TO BE COGNIZANT OF THE
FACT THAT WHILE MY
INVESTIGATION HAS BEEN
COMPLETED, IT IS STILL AN OPEN
CASE.
I DON'T NECESSARILY FEEL
COMFORTABLE RIGHT NOW
COMMENTING ON THIS DISPOSITION
UNTIL THAT HAS GONE THREE FOR
THE RESOLUTION.
A BIG FOCUS FOR THAT CASE AND
CERTAINLY FOR THE SHOOTING OF
DEREK HAYDEN WAS LOOKING AT THE
TACTICS AND DECISION-MAKING OF
THE OFFICER AND WHETHER THE
FAILURE TO APPLY CERTAIN TOPICS
MAY HAVE INCREASED THE
LIKELIHOOD THAT THE HIGH-LEVEL
FORCE WOULD BE USED AND THAT
CERTAINLY IS THE FUNDAMENTAL
QUESTION FOR THOSE CASES AND
THOSE WILL LIKELY BE RELEVANT
TO EACH OTHER AND TO THE
DETERMINATION THAT WE REACH.
AND I THINK I WILL PROBABLY
HAVE AN UPDATE IN THE NEXT 30
DAYS ABOUT WHAT THE FINAL
DISPOSITION IS ON THAT CASE.
THAT I CAN SAY THAT THE OPA
WORK IS DONE AND WE ARE WAITING
FOR FURTHER PROCEEDINGS.
AS FAR AS RECOMMENDATIONS, ONE
OF THE THINGS WE HAVE SEEN FROM
THAT CASE AND FROM OTHERS --
THIS IS NOT NEW.
IT IS JOHN TEA WILLIAMS AS
WELL.
PLEASE OFFICERS OF PEOPLE ARMED
WITH KNIVES AND NOT ALL CASES
WITH KNIVES ARE CREATED EQUAL.
CERTAINLY THE ONES VERY
CONCERNING FOR US ARE THE ONES
WHERE YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO
PUT INTO PLACE TIME, DISTANCE
AND SHIELDING AND YOU DON'T.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE JOHN WILLIAMS
CASE, THE OFFICER WAS --
MULTIPLE FEET AWAY FROM MR.
WILLIAMS AND WHERE THERE WERE
OTHER STEPS HE COULD HAVE TAKEN
PRIOR TO FIRING HIS GUN.
THE CONSENSUS WAS THAT YES,
THERE WERE.
AND SAME WITH THESE OTHER
CASES.
THE PROBLEM IS RIGHT NOW THE
ONLY TOOL -- IF YOU GET TO
THE POINT WHERE YOU NEED TO USE
FORCE, THE ONLY TOOL THAT MAKES
A LOT OF SENSE IN THAT SCENARIO
IS A 40-MILLIMETER LAUNCHER
WHICH IS -- IT SHOOTS A ROUND
THAT CAN AND GIVE US TO A
PERSON WITH A KNIFE.
THE ISSUE WITH THAT IS VERY FEW
PEOPLE ARE TRAINED WITH A 40-
MILLIMETER.
AND MAYBE A COUPLE OF PEOPLE ON
THE SQUAD.
SO NOT EVERY OFFICER IS TRAINED
WITH A 40-MILLIMETER.
IN SOME CASES, IF THERE IS NOT
A 40-MILLIMETER TRAINED OFFICER
PRESENT AND YOU DON'T HAVE A 40-
MILLIMETER AT THE SCENE, IT
GREATLY LIMITS THE AMOUNT OF
STANDOFF DISTANCE YOU CAN HAVE.
ONE THING COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD
HAD MENTIONED AND THAT I
ACTUALLY HAD ISSUED A
RECLAMATION TO THE DEPARTMENT
TO CONSIDER IS, IT HAS
DIFFERENT TERMS BUT IT IS
CALLED BASICALLY A NET GUN.
WHAT IT WOULD DO IS, IT SOUNDS
KIND OF RIDICULOUS.
WHAT IT WOULD DO IS LITERALLY
SHOOT A NET.
IT SOUNDS -- IT SHOULD SAYING
THAT THAT WOULD GO AROUND AN
INDIVIDUAL AND PREVENT THE
INDIVIDUAL FROM MOVING AND
BECAUSE THE INDIVIDUAL TO FALL
DOWN TO THE GROUND.
I THINK WE ARE VERY OPEN TO A
LOT OF DIFFERENT POSSIBILITIES.
I THINK SPD HAS GOTTEN THE
APPROVAL TO GET ONE AND MAYBE
YOU SAW THE DEMONSTRATION OF IT
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD.
WE THINK THAT EVERYTHING NEEDS
TO BE OUT THERE.
THE OTHER BIG GAP IS JUST
TRAINING.
AND TRAINING IS EVERYTHING.
BOTH FROM ACADEMY, WHEN YOU ARE
TAUGHT THAT ANYONE WITH A KNIFE
REPRESENTS A MORTAL THREAT TO
YOU NO MATTER HOW FAR AWAY THEY
ARE.
MANY POLICE ACADEMIES ACROSS
THE COUNTRY TEACH THIS.
AND ALSO, THE TRAINING YOU GET
INTERNALLY.
VERY FEW OFFICERS -- SPD
DOESN'T HAVE THIS SORT OF A
FLUID AND MOBILE TRAINING WHERE
YOU ARE OUTSIDE AND YOU ARE
FOLLOWING SOMEONE DOWN THE
STREET AND ALL THE SUDDEN THEY
TURN TOWARD YOU AND RUN.
THAT IS NOT TRAINED IN SPD.
WE VERY MUCH FEEL LIKE IT WOULD
MAKE SENSE.
AND WE KNOW THE LIMITATIONS FOR
COVID-19 AND FOR RESOURCES.
BUT TO HAVE AN OUTDOOR FLUID
TRAINING METHOD PUTS OFFICERS
INTO THE SCENARIOS THEY ARE
GOING TO FACE IN REAL LIFE AND
NOT JUST TO RELY ON CLASSROOM
TRAINING.
IF YOU DON'T BUILD UP MUSCLE
MEMORY AND ABILITY TO
CONTEMPLATE THE SITUATIONS,
WHAT YOU THEN EXPECT IS YOU
WILL PUT SOMEONE IN A CLASSROOM
AND THEN OUT IN THE STREET AND
YOU ARE GOING TO EXPECT THEM TO
MAKE A PERFECT DECISION.
IT WILL HAPPEN IN SOME CASES
BUT IT WON'T HAPPEN IN OTHER
CASES.
AND HOW YOU ENSURE YOU HAVE
GOOD OUTCOMES, I THINK IT COMES
DOWN TO BETTER POLICIES, BETTER
TOOLS AND BETTER TRAINING.
AND THAT IS REALLY WHAT WE ARE
PUSING FOR SPD.
AND I THINK OIG IS ON THE SAME
PAGE.
AND SPD HAS BEEN A VERY WILLING
PARTNER.
I THINK THEY UNDERSTAND THERE
HAS BEEN A GAP.
THIS HAS BEEN A NATIONWIDE GAP.
I DON'T KNOW ANY OTHER
JURISDICTION THAT DOES THIS
WELL.
IT DOESN'T GIVE A SPEEDY AN
EXCUSE BUT IT MEANS THAT SPD
HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO INNOVATE
AND CREATE A BETTER WAY.
AND I THINK THE VISION FROM THE
CHIEF, THE ARTICULATED VISION
OF THE CHIEF'S WE NEVER HAVE
ANOTHER SHOOTING OF A PERSON
WITH A KNIFE.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, DIRECTOR
MYERBERG.
THOSE ARE ALL THE QUESTIONS
THAT I HAVE.
I APPRECIATE YOUR ONGOING WORK
AND YOUR RECOGNITION THAT OUR
SYSTEM OF ACCOUNTABILITY IS
EVOLVING AND SOMETIMES THE
CRITICISMS THAT WE RECEIVE
ABOUT OUR SYSTEM, THAT LEADS TO
ONGOING AND ENHANCED
IMPROVEMENTS TO THAT SYSTEM.
>> COUNCILMEMBER, IF I CAN
ADD ONE NOTE TO THE.
I WOULD CAUTION, ALL OF US WHO
THINK ABOUT THOSE QUESTIONS, IT
IS TO SAY, IT IS GOOD TO
SOMETIMES HAVE PERSPECTIVE AS
TO WHERE WE HAVE, AND WHERE WE
ARE.
I THINK IN 2017, WHEN THE
SYSTEMS WERE CREATED, THEY WERE
NOT CREATED TO SAY, THIS IS ALL
-- WE WILL NEVER CHANGE THE
SYSTEMS OR GET PAST THE
SYSTEMS.
THE REALITY IS THE SYSTEMS
CREATED IN 2017 WERE CREATED
BASED ON EXTENSIVE RESEARCH.
I WAS PART OF THE TEAM WORKING
AS THE COUNCIL AND ATTORNEY TO
WORK ON THE RESEARCH AND COME
UP WITH, WHAT ARE THE MODELS
ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND WHAT
úEXISTED?
I THINK WE WERE CONFIDENT
ACROSS THE BOARD THAT THIS WAS
THE BEST MODEL THAT EXISTED.
I THINK TO THIS POINT, I DON'T
KNOW THE MODEL YET THAT I THINK
IS A BETTER MODEL THAN WHAT WE
HAVE WITH REGARDS TO OUR SYSTEM
OF CHECKS AND BALANCES AND OUR
PRE-ACCOUNTABILITY ENTITIES.
IT DOESN'T MEAN THE SYSTEM WILL
BE PERFECT.
WHAT I THINK IS THAT OUT OF ALL
THE MODELS THAT EXIST, WE
PROBABLY HAVE THE BEST.
DOES THAT MEAN WE DON'T TRY TO
CHANGE IT?
NO.
OF COURSE IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT.
I WANT TO BE CAREFUL WITH THE
CHANGES WE CREATE BECAUSE THEY
SHOULD BE BASED ON EVIDENCE.
THEY SHOULD BE BASED ON
RESEARCH.
THEY SHOULD BE BASED ON CHANGES
THAT WOULD BE POSITIVE AND NOT
JUST COMING UP WITH A SYSTEM
THAT WILL HAVE ITS OWN FLAWS
AND ARE SYSTEMS WE MAY BE THOSE
-- REASONS WHY THEY WERE NOT
ADOPTED IN 2017.
AND SO I CAUTION TO RECOGNIZE
THAT WE HAVE AND THE BENEFITS
AND WORK COLLABORATIVELY TO
KEEP IMPROVING THEM SO WE WILL
BE WILLING PARTNER.
>> YOU ARE MUTED.
>> THANK YOU DIRECTOR
MYERBERG.
ON THAT SAME NOTE, I WANT TO
RECOGNIZE SOME OF THE WORDS OF
REVEREND HARRIET WALDEN IN A
RECENT LETTER SPECIFICALLY
FOCUSED ON THE NEED FOR ONGOING
AND CONTINUED IMPROVEMENT ON
REDUCTION OF THE USE OF FORCE
AND WITH A SPECIFIC FOCUS ON
INDIVIDUALS AND BEHAVIORAL
MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS.
SHE WROTE, IN 2012, THE CITY
ENTERED INTO A CONSENT DECREE
WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
THAT GUARANTEED AN EXPANSION OF
THE PROGRAM TO REDUCE THE USE
OF FORCE AGAINST INDIVIDUALS
AND BEHAVIORL OR MENTAL HEALTH
CRISIS.
AT THAT TIME, 70% OF ALL USE OF
FORCE ENCOUNTERS BETWEEN
CITIZENS AND SPD OFFICERS
INVOLVED PEOPLE IN A BEHAVIORAL
HEALTH CRISIS.
AT THIS POINT, AS OF THE LAST
ANALYSIS, IT WAS RECEIVED IN
2020, BASED ON 2019 NUMBERS.
BUT SPD HAS REDUCED THE
PERCENTAGE TO 23%.
SOLD FOR ONLY 3% OF ALL USE OF
FORCE ENCOUNTERS ARNELL AGAINST
INDIVIDUALS AND BEHAVIORAL OR
MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS.
SHE GOES ON TO SAY THAT SOME OF
THE 10,000 CONTACTS THE SPD
OFFICERS HAVE EACH YEAR IN
PEOPLE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
CRISIS, ONLY A FRACTION IS ANY
PHYSICAL CONTACT AT ALL.
RECOGNIZING THAT PROGRESS DOES
NOT MEAN WE CANNOT DRIVE
FORWARD AND ADDRESS THE ISSUES
THAT WE ARE IDENTIFYING AS
CONTINUED CHALLENGES AND I
THINK EVERYBODY RECOGNIZES THAT
POLICE CONTACTS WITH
ARMED, SPECIFICALLY ARMED
INDIVIDUALS AND BEHAVIORAL
HEALTH CRISIS CONTINUES TO BE A
CHALLENGE FOR OUR CITY.
>> WITH THAT, TOOK MORE OF
YOUR TIME THE NORMAL PERHAPS
FOR THE ANNUAL REPORT.
I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO DIG
INTO YOUR WORK ON THIS ONE-YEAR
ANNIVERSARY.
IF THERE ARE NO OTHER COMMENTS
OR QUESTIONS FROM MY COLLEAGUES
-- AND I SEE NONE.
THE NEXT PUBLIC SAFETY
COMMITTEE IS SCHEDULED FOR JUNE
8th.
AGAIN, IF THERE ARE NO OTHER
COMMENTS FROM MY COLLEAGUES, WE
ARE ADJOURNED.
THANK YOU.