>>> GOOD MORNING.
TODAY IS JUNE 14th, 2022,
MEETING OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY
AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE
WILL COME TO ORDER.
IT IS 9:33 A.M.
WE'LL CALL THE ROLE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN.
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS.
COUNCILMEMBER NELSON.
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA.
>> PRESENT.
>> [ INAUDIBLE ]
CENTRAL STAFF WILL PRESENT THE
FIRST ORDER, AND WE'LL HAVE A
SECOND DISCUSSION OF
LEGISLATION TO ESTABLISH A
PROCESS FOR INVESTIGATING
NAMING THE CHIEF OF POLICE.
WE'LL NOW APPROVE OUR AGENDA
FOR OUR COMMITTEE MEETING.
IF THERE IS NO OBJECTION,
TODAY'S AGENDA WILL BE ADOPTED.
SEEING AND HEARING NO
OBJECTION.
TODAY'S AGENDA IS ADOPTED.
AT THIS TIME, WE WILL BE
TRANSITIONING INTO PUBLIC
COMMENTS.
I'LL MODERATE THE PUBLIC
COMMENT PERIOD IN THE FOLLOWING
MANNER -- LET'S SEE.
WE HAVE ABOUT THREE PEOPLE
SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT
TODAY, SO FOLKS WILL BE GIVEN
TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK.
I WILL ALTERNATE BETWEEN
VIRTUAL AND IN PERSON PUBLIC
COMMENTS, AND I'LL CALL ON EACH
SPEAKER BY NAME, AND IN ORDER
IN WHICH THEY REGISTERED ON THE
COUNCIL'S WEBSITE, AND ON THE
SIGNING FORM.
IF YOU'VE NOT YET REGISTERED TO
SPEAK BUT WOULD LIKE TO DO SO,
YOU CAN STILL SIGN UP BEFORE
THE END OF THE PUBLIC COMMENT
SESSION.
ONCE I CALL A SPEAKER'S NAME,
YOU'LL HEAR A PROMPT, AND THE
REMOTE PUBLIC COMMENTS, WHEN
YOU HEAR THAT PROMPT YOU'LL
NEED TO HIT STAR 62 UNMUTE
YOURSELF.
PLEASE BEGIN SPEAKING BY
STATING YOUR NAME AND THE ITEM
WHICH YOU ARE ADDRESSING.
SPEAKERS WILL HEAR A TIME WHEN
THE 10 SECONDS ARE LEFT OF THE
ALLOTTED TIME AND ONCE SPEAKERS
HEAR THE CHIME, WE ASK THAT YOU
BEGIN TO WRAP UP PUBLIC
COMMENTS.
IF YOU DO NOT END YOUR PUBLIC
COMMENT AT THE END OF THE
ALLOTTED TIME PERIOD PROVIDED,
THE SPEAKER'S MIKE WILL BE
MUTED AFTER 10 SECONDS, TO
ALLOW US TO HEAR FROM THE NEXT
SPEAKER.
AND ONCE YOU'VE COMPLETED YOUR
PUBLIC COMMENT, FOR THOSE OF
YOU COMMENTING VIRTUALLY,
PLEASE DISCONNECT FROM THE
LINE, AND IF YOU PLAN TO
CONTINUE FOLLOWING THE MEETING,
YOU CAN DO SO VIA THE SEATTLE
CHANNEL OR THE LISTENING
OPTIONS LISTED ON THE AGENDA.
AGAIN, THERE ARE THREE PEOPLE
SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT AT
THIS TIME, AND I WILL FIRST
CALL ON HOWARD GILL.
HOWARD?
>> GOOD MORNING, HOWARD DALE
WITH SEATTLE STUB.WERE YOU,
COMMENTING ON OUR FAILED POLICE
ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM.
DURING THE NINE YEARS PRIOR TO
THE FIRST MEETING OF THE
COMMUNITY POLICE COMMISSION IN
2013, THE SPD HAD KILLED SIX
PEOPLE EXPERIENCING A
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CRISIS WHO
WERE NOT WIELDING A FIREARM.
DURING THE NINE YEARS AFTER
THAT, THAT IS THE LAST NINE
YEARS, THAT NUMBER IS NOW 12.
12.
ONE OF THOSE WAS CHARLENA
LILES, THE PREGNANT MOTHER OF
FOUR MURDERED WEEKS AFTER
SEATTLE POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY
LEGISLATION WAS PASSED.
FIVE YEARS AGO THIS SATURDAY.
HER MURDER, LIKE THE 11 OTHERS
UNDER SIMILAR CIRCUMSTANCES
OVER THE LAST NINE YEARS, WAS
DEEMED BY THIS ACCOUNTABILITY
SYSTM TO BE START LAWFUL AND
PROPER, AND QUOTE.
CHAIR HERBOLD, FIVE YEARS AGO
AFTER CHARLENA WAS KILLED, YOU
SAID, QUOTE, WE ARE ALREADY
SHAMED.
WHAT I AM PLEDGING TO YOU IS TO
WORK ON FINDING A NEW WAY OF
DOING THINGS SO THAT WE
ACTUALLY GET DIFFERENT RESULTS.
I WILL USE THE POWER THAT I
HAVE ON THE CITY COUNCIL TO
CHANGE WHAT IS HAPPENING IN OUR
CITY TODAY,".
GET OUR CITY WENT ON TO KILL
ALBERT FREDERICKS JR., DANIEL
RODRIGUEZ, RYAN SMITH, TERRY
CAIDEN, AND THE PERSON STILL
UNNAMED ON BEACON HILL IN
JANUARY.
ALL, QUOTE, LAWFUL AND PROPER
UNQUOTE.
YES, CHAIR HERBOLD, THE RESULTS
HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT THESE LAST
FIVE YEARS.
THEY HAVE BEEN WORSE.
IF YOU WANT TO PAY JUSTICE TO
THE MEMORY OF HELENA LILES ON
THE FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF HER
MURDER BY THE SPD, AND EMBRACE
THE FUTURE OF POLICE
ACCOUNTABILITY THAT DOZENS OF
OTHER U.S. CITIES HAVE POST
GEORGE FLOYD BY CREATING DIRECT
COMMUNITY CONTROL OF INVESTOR
PATIENCE, DISCIPLINE, AND
POLICY.
LOOK FORWARD TO A FUTURE OF
JUSTICE, NOT BACKWARDS TO A
MYTHICAL PAST.
AND FOR GOD SAKES, DO NOT
CONGRATULATE YOURSELVES TODAY
FOR LIVING IN THE PAST WHEN YOU
VOTE FOR ANOTHER POLICE UNION
CONTRACT THAT ALLOWS POLICE TO
INVESTIGATE POLICE.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ALEX
ZIMMERMAN.
ALEX?
>> [ INAUDIBLE ]
[ INAUDIBLE ]
I DON'T SEE IT HERE.
[ INAUDIBLE ]
FOR MY UNDERSTANDING, FOR $1
MILLION PER YEAR, I AM HERE,
WHY YOU DON'T SHOW ME NOW?
YOU SEE I'M SHAKING RIGHT NOW
BECAUSE YOU MAKE ME SICK FOR
THE LAST 20 YEARS, EVERY DAY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SUSAN
WRIGHT.
SUSAN IS SHOWING AS NOT
PRESENT.
WE'LL JUST PAUSE FOR A SECOND,
SEE IF THAT CHANGES.
STILL NOT SEEN SUSAN WRIGHT AS
NOT PRESENT, SO WE'LL MOVE ONTO
THE NEXT SPEAKER.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MS.
MARGUERITE SHARDA.
>> GOOD MORNING.
I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT IN
MEMORY OF MY COUSIN, ANGELO
DUGGINS, THAT SERVED THE FIRE
DEPARTMENT MANY, MANY YEARS,
YEAH, HE PASSED ON.
BUT YOU KNOW WHAT?
I'M STILL HERE, ANGELA, AND I'M
STILL FIGHTING THESE DEVILS,
THE SAME ONES YOU PROBABLY HAD
TO FIGHT AND GET ON BOARD WITH
THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
BUT NONETHELESS, I HAVE TO MAKE
IT PLAIN LIKE MALCOLM X SAID,
BECAUSE YOU ALL GET READY FOR
JUNETEENTH, BUT I'M NOT
CELEBRATING.
ALL THIS STUFF IS A LIE.
IF I HAVE TO BE COMING UP IN
HERE AND PEOPLE COMMIT
FRAUDULENT ACTS OKAY, AND THEN
WHEN WE KNOW HOW YOU USED TO
DO, IN SLAVERY, IF YOU DIDN'T
DO WHAT THE MASTER SAID DO, YOU
GET A WHIPPING.
NOW THE SECURITY UP HERE,
LOOKING LIKE WHO'D HAVE THOUGHT
IT, BECAUSE OVER THERE IN
BELLEVUE, THEY DON'T PLAY THAT
MESS.
YOU GET UP HERE AT THE PODIUM.
YOU SAY WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY,
AND YOU LEAVE, OR YOU COULD
EVEN STAY IF YOU LIKE.
BUT THERE AIN'T NO CIRCUS LIKE
OVER HERE.
SO NOW IT'S REPARATIONS TIME.
AIN'T NO DANCING WITHOUT THE
CHECK, OKAY?
IT'S TIME TO MAKE THE PAYMENT.
DON'T TELL ME OTHER FOLK ARE
NOT ENGAGING IN IT, BECAUSE
BOSTON HAS NOW COME ON BOARD.
THEY AIN'T GONNA WIN.
THE WARRIORS ARE GOING TO KNOCK
THEM DOWN.
LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING,
YOU'RE NOT GOING TO KNOCK ME
DOWN UP IN HERE.
I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN
SEATTLE.
UNLESS HE WAS WONDERING WHY I
CAME FROM.
AND I DON'T PLAY WHEN IT COMES
TO STUFF LIKE THAT.
I HAVE TOO MANY PEOPLE THAT I
KNOW, FRIENDS THAT DONE DIED
FROM RACISM AND DISCRIMINATION
IN THIS TOWN.
AND I'M SAYING RIGHT NOW, FOR
ALL GEORGE FLOYD'S FAMILY, ALL
THE LITTLE FOLK, THEY TALK
ABOUT THE POLICE AND WHATNOT.
GET A CHECK IN HAND BECAUSE WE
AIN'T GOING THROUGH IT NO MORE.
THIS YEAR YOU AND IT'S AND YOU
FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET THE
SETTLEMENT GOING INTO EACH AND
EVERY INDIGENOUS BLACK HOME.
>> OUR NEXT SPEAKER, WE'LL GO
BACK TO SUSAN WRIGHT TO SEE IF
SUSAN IS WITH US.
SHE'S STILL SHOWING AS NOT
PRESENT.
AND THAT IS NOT CHANGING.
SO WE WILL, WITH THAT, CLOSE
PUBLIC COMMENT AND MOVE TO THE
ITEMS ON OUR AGENDA.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE READ IN
AGENDA ITEM NUMBER ONE?
>> AGENDA ITEM NUMBER ONE,
COLGATE AFTER ACTION REPORT FOR
BREATHING AND DISCUSSION.
>> THANK YOU, ALEX.
FIRST WELCOME DIRECTOR CURRY
AND APPRECIATE HER TAKING THE
TIME TODAY TO PRESENT THE
OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
AFTER ACTION REPORT.
I'D LIKE TO NOTE THAT COVID AND
ITS VARIOUS STRAINS ARE STILL
VERY ACTIVE AND THIS REPORT
SHOULD NOT BE MISCONSTRUED AS A
DECLARATION OF THE END OF THE
PANDEMIC.
THE OFFICE OF EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT IS REPORTING ON
LESSONS LEARNED FROM HOW THE
CITY MANAGED THE PANDEMIC.
IN FACT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO
DIRECTOR CURRY.
THANK YOU.
>> HI, GOOD MORNING.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHAIRPERSON
HERBOLD AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
IT'S GREAT TO BE WITH YOU THIS
MORNING.
IS IT ALL RIGHT IF I SHARE MY
SCREEN?
DOES THAT WORK FOR THE
PRESENTATION?
THANK YOU.
PERFECT.
THANK YOU.
YOU'D THINK WE'D HAVE THIS DOWN
BY NOW, RIGHT?
SO I'M VERY EXCITED TO SHARE
THIS REPORT WITH YOU TODAY.
HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET IT IN
PRESENTATION MODE.
ARE YOU SEEING IT IN
PRESENTATION MODE NOW?
OKAY, LOOKS LIKE WE ARE --
OKAY, COOL.
ALL RIGHT, GREAT.
THANK YOU AGAIN.
I THINK IT'S ALSO REALLY
IMPORTANT TO NOTE WHAT
CHAIRPERSON HERBOLD SAID, AND
THAT IS, WE ARE STILL IN COVID.
SO THIS IS REALLY ABOUT THE
FIRST YEAR AND A HALF, IF YOU
WILL, OF THE RESPONSE FOR THE
CITY, AND WE ARE STILL
RESPONDING.
THIS WAS THE MOST INTENSE
PERIOD.
I ALSO WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT
WE DID HIRE A CONTRACTOR AS A
FACILITATOR TO BE THE ENTITY
THAT WAS A NEUTRAL PARTY, TO
GATHER ALL THE INFORMATION FROM
EVERYONE THAT WAS INVOLVED IN
THE PROCESS.
SO THE AFTER ACTION PROCESS
THAT WE WENT THROUGH TO GATHER
INFORMATION, BOTH WRITTEN, BY
SURVEYS, AND IN PERSON, WAS
VERY LENGTHY.
JUST A REMINDER HERE, AN AFTER
ACTION PROCESS IS DONE AS A
MATTER OF COURSE AFTER ANY BIG
INCIDENT OR EXERCISE, AND IT'S
A WAY FOR US TO LOOK AT WHAT
DID WE DO WELL, HOW DID THINGS
GO, ARE THEIR IMPROVEMENT AREAS
THAT ARE NEEDED?
ARE THERE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR
NEXT TIME?
IT'S ALSO SUPER IMPORTANT TO
NOTE THAT IT'S NOT SOMETHING
THAT'S GRADED, AND IT'S ALSO
NOT A GOTCHA PROCESS.
IT REALLY DOES HELP US CONTINUE
TO IMPROVE WHAT WE ARE DOING
AND DO THE BEST THAT WE CAN FOR
THE COMMUNITY, AND EVERYONE
THAT WORKS FOR THE CITY.
SO IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE
THAT WE ARE AHEAD OF OUR
JURISDICTION PARTNERS, THAT
MOST PEOPLE IN THE REGION HAVE
JUST STARTED THERE AFTER ACTION
PROCESS AND HOURS HAS ALREADY
BEEN FINISHED.
SO OVERVIEW OF THE ENTIRE
PROCESS WAS THAT COORDINATION
FOR THE RESPONSE BEGAN IN
JANUARY OF 2020.
WE DIDN'T ACTUALLY SEND
EVERYONE HOME UNTIL A LITTLE
BIT LATER, BUT WE STARTED
COORDINATING WITH PARTNERS AND
LISTENING TO THE CDC AND PUBLIC
HEALTH IN JANUARY.
WE THEN HAD SURVEYS BIWEEKLY
WITH RESPONDERS DURING THE EVENT
. SO ALL THROUGH SPRING AND
SUMMER OF 2020, WE WERE
CHECKING IN WITH FOLKS ALL THE
TIME.
PART OF THE FUNDING FOR WHAT WE
NEEDED TO DO FROM COVID CAME
FROM SOMETHING CALLED THE
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
PERFORMANCE GRANTS, OR THREE
MPG, WHICH IS A GRAPH THAT WE
USE QUITE OFTEN IN EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT.
BURKE IS THE COMPANY THAT HELP
US FACILITATE THE AFTER ACTION
REVIEW PROCESS, AND THEY WORKED
FOR US FROM SEPTEMBER 2020 ALL
THE WAY UNTIL DECEMBER OF '21.
THE FIRST ASSESSMENT THAT WE
DID OF FORMAL ASSESSMENT WAS IN
NOVEMBER OF 2020.
ALSO THE FINAL REPORT, WHILE IT
WAS IN DECEMBER, IT WAS NOT
OFFICIALLY APPROVED BY ALL OF
THE COMMITTEES THAT NEEDED TO
LOOK AT IT WITHIN THE CITY,
UNTIL MARCH OF 2022.
THAT FINAL COMMITTEE WAS THE
EMERGENCY EXECUTIVE BOARD,
WHICH CONSISTS OF OPERATIONAL
DEPARTMENT HEADS, DEPARTMENT
DIRECTORS HERE IN THE CITY.
SO THAT HAPPENED IN MARCH.
I ALSO WANTED TO POINT OUT THE
UNIQUE NATURE OF COVID.
WE HAD NEVER RESPONDED TO
ANYTHING LIKE THIS BEFORE, AND
THAT WAS TRUE ACROSS THE
NATION, AND EVEN THOSE OF US
THAT HAD PANDEMIC RESPONSE
PLANS, NO ONE HAD PLANNED FOR
AN EVENT THAT WAS THIS LONG.
SO IT REALLY WAS UNIQUE IN SO
MANY WAYS, AND REALLY PUT A LOT
OF STRESS ON THE CITY, OUR
ABILITY TO PROVIDE SERVICES,
AND TO DO EVERYTHING THAT WE
CAN POSSIBLY THINK OF OR
IMAGINE FOR THE COMMUNITY, AND
ALSO IN RESPONSE TO WHAT THEY
WERE TELLING US WERE THINGS
THAT WERE MOST NEEDED.
PUBLIC HEALTH WAS THE LEAD
AGENCY.
THIS WAS ALSO UNIQUE.
WE NEVER HAD A PUBLIC HEALTH
EMERGENCY OF THIS MAGNITUDE,
WHERE PUBLIC HEALTH WAS THE
ENTITY THAT WAS REALLY IN
CHARGE, IF YOU WILL, OR WAS
GUIDING EVERYTHING ELSE WE DO,
WAS FROM THE PUBLIC HEALTH
GUIDANCE.
THAT HAD NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE,
EITHER.
AND IT ALSO INVOLVED ALL LEVELS
OF GOVERNMENT AND IMPACTED
EVERYTHING THAT WE DO IN OUR
PERSONAL AND PUBLIC LIVES AND
OUR WORK LIVES.
SCHOOL WAS IMPACTED.
JUST EVERYTHING YOU COULD
POSSIBLY IMAGINE.
OPERATIONS MOVED TO VIRTUAL,
WHICH WE ALSO HAD NEVER DONE AS
COMPLETELY AS WE DID THIS TIME.
THERE ARE SOME DEFINITE
CHALLENGES WITH THAT.
AS YOU MIGHT IMAGINE, THE
GLOBAL SCALE ALSO MEANT THAT
RESOURCES FOR PERSONAL
PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT, WHICH IS
PPE, VACCINES AND CLEANING
SUPPLIES, ALL OF THAT WAS
EXHAUSTED FAIRLY QUICKLY, AND
WE WERE ALL ACROSS THE NATION,
AND REALLY ACROSS THE WORLD,
COMPETING FOR THE SAME KINDS OF
SUPPLIES.
ALSO, THE DURATION OF THIS
EVENT COMPACTED ALL OF THOSE
FACTORS AND MADE IT INCREDIBLY
CHALLENGING.
SO THE MAJOR FINDINGS FROM THIS
REPORT, AND THIS IS IN THE
SUMMARY REPORT THAT I HAD SENT
TO YOU, IT IS ALSO -- COULD BE
VIEWED PUBLICLY NOW, SO IF YOU
CAN'T SEAL THE DETAILS ON THIS
CHART, IT IS IN THE AFTER
ACTION REPORT ITSELF.
SO WE REALLY HAD A STRONG
COMMITMENT IN COLLABORATION
WITH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE TO
COMMIT TO SCIENCE-BASED
APPROACH AND REALLY LOOKING AT
PUBLIC HEALTH TO GIVE US
GUIDANCE ON HOW WE BEST HELP
PEOPLE BASED ON THE SCIENCE.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE
THAT IN TIMES OF CALM OR WHEN
YOU'RE NOT IN A PUBLIC HEALTH
EMERGENCY, THE THINGS THAT
PUBLIC HEALTH DOES, THEY HAVE A
LOT OF TIME TO RESEARCH AND
LOOK AT HOW A DISEASE OUTBREAK
OR OTHER PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE IS
CHANGING.
SO THE FACT THAT THEY HAD TO
MAKE DECISIONS IN A VERY SHORT
PERIOD OF TIME, NOT ONLY CAUSE
CONFUSION BUT I THINK ALSO
CAUSE SOME PEOPLE TO NOT TRUST
WHAT THEY WERE HEARING.
BECAUSE THE PUBLIC REALLY
WANTED TO HAVE ANSWERS IN A
HURRY, AND THAT'S NOT THE USUAL
COURSE OF EVENTS IN A PUBLIC
HEALTH STUDY.
I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT TO
REMEMBER.
WE ALSO WERE FORCED AS A CITY
TO MAKE AN UNPRECEDENTED NUMBER
OF POLICY DECISIONS, MOSTLY
AROUND PERSONNEL ISSUES, HOW
PEOPLE WERE GOING TO WORK, HOW
WE WERE GOING TO DO REMOTE WORK
, HOW WE WERE GOING TO STILL
PROVIDE SERVICES, POLICY
DECISIONS, AS YOU KNOW, ARE
ALSO NOT USUALLY DONE IN A
REALLY RAPID MANNER OR IN QUICK
SUCCESSION, AND THIS EVENT
REALLY REQUIRED THAT WE DO
THAT.
SO THAT WAS AN ADDED STRESS.
CITYWIDE LOGISTICS, WE DO THAT
IN DISASTERS, BUT NOT FOR THIS
DURATION, SO THAT WAS ALSO
REALLY CHALLENGING.
WE DID A GOOD JOB OF FOCUSING
ON EQUITY IN OUR COMMUNITY
SERVICES, AND I'LL TALK A
LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT, AND
SHIFTING TO REMOTE OPERATIONS.
THERE WERE CHALLENGES WITH
INTERNAL COORDINATION AND
MAKING SURE THAT STAFF ALL FELT
LIKE, CITY STAFF FELT LIKE THEY
WERE INCLUDED IN WHAT WE WERE
DOING FOR THE PUBLIC.
SO THE PURPOSE OF THE STRUCTURE
OF THE REPORT, AND THERE'S A
LOT OF DATA HERE, SO I'M GOING
TO TALK ABOUT THE REPORT AND
THEN EXPLAIN TO YOU HOW I'VE
ORGANIZED THIS PRESENTATION,
UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE IS A
FINITE PERIOD OF TIME THIS
MORNING, BUT I'VE ORGANIZED A
REPORT SO THAT WHATEVER WE
DON'T GO THROUGH, YOU SHOULD BE
ABLE TO FOLLOW IT AND HAVE A
LOOK AT ON YOUR OWN, AND I'M
ALSO HAPPY TO COME BACK AND
ANSWER QUESTIONS, EITHER ON THE
TELEPHONE OR EMAIL, OR IN
PERSON AGAIN, IF THAT'S
SOMETHING THAT YOU DESIRE.
SO THE STRUCTURE OF THE REPORT
WAS TO LOOK AT WHAT ARE THE
STRENGTHS, WHAT ARE THE LESSONS
LEARNED, AND THEN HOW COULD WE
IMPROVE.
WE LOOK AT THREE OVERARCHING
CORE CRITERIA FOR THE WHOLE
REPORT.
SO WHAT WAS THE EFFECTIVENESS
OF CITY RESPONSE?
AND THEN WE LOOKED AT DEEP
DIVES INTO -- IT SAYS SEVEN
FUNCTIONAL AREAS THAT WE
ACTUALLY ENDED UP DOING EIGHT.
EFFICIENCY, WE STARTED WITH
SEVEN AND THEN WE ADDED ONE AT
THE END, SO MY APOLOGIES FOR
THAT.
EFFICIENCY, DID WE MAKE
EFFECTIVE USE OF OUR RESOURCES,
OUR STAFF TIME, THE PARTNER
TIME, SO WITH NEIGHBORING
JURISDICTION OR COMMUNITY
PARTNERS, AND THEN THE REPORT
WILL HIGHLIGHT WHAT THOSE
EFFICIENCY RECOMMENDATIONS ARE
FOR ANY KIND OF RESPONSE WE DO
MOVING FORWARD.
AND ALSO LOOKING AT EVERYTHING
WITH AN EQUITY LENS, WAS
RESPONSE EQUITABLE FOR STAFF,
RESIDENTS, AND ANY OTHER
INTERESTED PARTY?
ANALYSIS THEN CONSIDERED HOW
THOSE LIMITED RESOURCES WERE
TARGETED TO THOSE WITH THE
GREATEST NEED FIRST.
SO THE EIGHT SECTIONS THAT I'M
GOING TO TALK ABOUT ARE THOSE
DEEP DIVE FUNCTIONAL AREAS.
SO THESE WERE THE EIGHT AREAS
THAT WE LOOKED AT, AND NOW AS I
GO THROUGH THE PRESENTATION,
I'M GOING TO FIRST TALK ABOUT
THE SUCCESS FOR THAT PARTICULAR
DEEP DIVE AREA, AND THEN THE
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR MOVING
FORWARD.
THE RECOMMENDATIONS THEN ARE
WHAT WILL BE INCLUDED IN THE
IMPROVEMENT PLAN THAT WILL THEN
HAVE LEAD AND SUPPORTING
DEPARTMENTS TO WORK ON THOSE
IMPROVEMENTS RELATED TO WHAT
THE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE.
SO YOU'LL SEE HERE ON THIS
SLIDE, THE NUMBER ONE MEANS
THAT THIS IS THE FIRST
FUNCTIONAL DEEP DIVE THAT WE
DID, AND THEN SUBSEQUENT
PRESENTATION SLIDES ARE
NUMBERED, JUST SO YOU CAN
FOLLOW THE SUCCESSES AND
RECOMMENDATIONS OF EACH OF
THOSE NUMBERED DEEP DIVES.
SO POLICY-SETTING AND
OPERATIONAL COORDINATION
SUCCESS, THE MAYOR'S OFFICE
SERVICE, HE POLICY-SETTING
BODY.
AS I MENTIONED, WE FOLLOWED THE
SCIENCE.
WE WERE VERY TIED TO OUR CITY,
COUNTY, AND STATE PARTNERS ON
MESSAGING AND ACTION, SO WE HAD
A VERY WELL COORDINATED
REGIONAL RESPONSE, AND WE WERE
ALL DOING THE SAME KINDS OF
THINGS.
WE RAPIDLY CREATED NEW POLICIES
WITH STRONG FOCUS ON EQUITY AND
SOCIAL JUSTICE.
THE CABINET MET VIA CONFERENCE
CALL DAILY, AT THE BEGINNING OF
THE RESPONSE, AND THEN WE MOVED
TO A LITTLE BIT LESS FREQUENTLY
AS WE MOVED ON, WE STARTED WITH
DAILY CALLS AND THE MAYOR'S
OFFICE ACTIVELY REACHED OUT TO
ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT,
INCLUDING THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT.
AND THE CBC AND FEDERAL
DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES AT THE
FEDERAL LEVEL, WHICH WAS SUPER
IMPORTANT FOR WHAT ARE WE GOING
TO DO MOVING FORWARD AND MAKING
SURE WE ALL ARE ON THE SAME
PAGE.
SO FOR THIS DEEP DIVE.
SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE
THIS -- INCREASING THE
ACCESSIBILITY OF EMERGENCY
PLANNING DOCUMENTS, AND WHY
THAT MATTERS IS THAT WE'VE
SPENT A LOT OF TIME ON THOSE
DOCUMENTS, AND LAYING OUT WHAT
THE PROCEDURES ARE FOR HOW WE
COORDINATE, TALK WITH EACH
OTHER, AND WORK TOGETHER.
SO MAKING THOSE MORE ACCESSIBLE
AND INCLUDING TRAINING AND
EXERCISING OF THOSE.
SO THAT IT'S SECOND NATURE FOR
PEOPLE TO USE THAT STRUCTURE,
IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
TRAINING AND EXERCISING ON
THOSE IS PART OF THAT
SOCIALIZATION . THEN ALSO, SOME
PLANS FOR RAPID DECISION-MAKING
AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.
WE USE SOMETHING CALLED THE
INSTANT COMMANDS SYSTEM, WHICH
HAS VERY DEFINED, STANDARD
ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES THAT
EVERYONE IS FAMILIAR WITH.
THAT'S A GOOD PLANNING TOOL,
AND WE CAN USE THOSE ROLES AND
RESPONSE ABILITIES, AND THAT
STRUCTURE, FOR REALLY MANAGING
ANY LARGE INCIDENT.
SO IT'S INCUMBENT UPON US AS A
CITY TO USE THAT STRUCTURE FOR
ANY TYPE OF EMERGENCY.
ALSO, MAKING SURE THAT THE EEOC
REPS, THE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS
CENTER REPS NOT ONLY UNDERSTAND
THE PROCESS, BUT HAVE THE
AUTHORITY TO COMMIT RESOURCES
ON BEHALF OF THEIR DEPARTMENT.
SOME OF THE OTHER
RECOMMENDATIONS WERE POLICY-
SETTING AND OPERATIONAL
COORDINATION WERE THAT WE HAD A
NUMBER OF CHALLENGES WITH
VIRTUAL COORDINATION.
SO REVIEWING AND REVISING THOSE
PROTOCOLS FOR HOW WE DO THAT,
WE LEARNED A HUGE AMOUNT ABOUT
WHAT WE CAN AND CAN'T DO
REMOTELY.
I KNOW THAT YOU'VE BEEN
INVOLVED IN THAT, AS WELL.
STRENGTHENING OUR PROJECT
MANAGEMENT PRACTICE AND USING
ADDITIONAL TOOLS FOR THAT.
AND THEN, ALSO, WHATEVER
EXTERNAL PARTNERSHIPS WE HAVE,
MAKING SURE THAT THOSE ROLES
ARE CLEAR ABOUT WHAT THE
EXPECTATIONS ARE FOR WHAT WE
WANT THEM TO DO AND HOW WE
EXPECT THEM TO ENGAGE WITH US.
THE SECOND DEEP DIVE WAS
CONTINUITY OF OPERATIONS.
>> DO YOU MIND IF WE JUST DO A
QUICK PAUSE FOR EACH SECTION,
JUST A QUICK SCAN TO SEE IF
ANYBODY HAS QUESTIONS ABOUT A
SECTION BEFORE MOVING ON?
>> ABSOLUTELY, I'M SORRY.
>> THAT'S ALL RIGHT.
>> ANY QUESTIONS ON SECTION 1?
ON POLICY SETTING?
NO, WE'RE GOOD.
>> WE ARE GOOD.
>> PERFECT.
>> THANKS SO MUCH.
>> YOU BET, THANK YOU.
>>> CONTINUITY OF OPERATIONS
ARE HOW WE CONTINUE TO PROVIDE
SERVICES TO THE PUBLIC
REGARDLESS OF WHAT HAS IMPACTED
THE CITY.
FORTUNATELY, PRIOR TO COVID, WE
HAVE LOOKED AT DEPARTMENT COMPS
BUT WE HAVEN'T LOOKED AT LONG
PANDEMIC RESPONSE.
WE DID HAVE SOME PLACES WHERE
WE NEEDED TO CHANGE THINGS AND
PIVOT A LITTLE BIT OFF OF WHAT
WE HAD LAID OUT ALREADY SO WE
COULD CONTINUE TO PROVIDE
SERVICE TO THE PUBLIC.
THE INFORMATION TO ELEGY
DEPARTMENT DID A REALLY
EXCELLENT JOB OF GIVING PEOPLE
LAPTOPS AND FIGURING OUT HOW TO
SUPPORT US DOING WORK REMOTELY.
THAT WAS VERY NEW.
WE DID DEVELOP NEW PROGRAMS AND
POLICIES TO SUPPORT EMPLOYEES,
EVERYTHING FROM WHAT COULD THEY
TAKE HOME, EQUIPMENT, HOW THEY
WERE GOING TO CONNECT WITH
THEIR SUPERVISORS, ALL OF THOSE
THINGS WERE NEW.
SDH ARE ALSO DEVELOPED TOOLS TO
OPTIMIZE STAFFING.
SO THE RECOMMENDATIONS WERE
CONTINUITY OF OPERATIONS WERE
BETTER INVOLVED DEPARTMENT
DIRECTORS IN THOSE CONTINUITY
PLANS.
WE FOUND THAT NOT ALL OF THEM
WERE AS FAMILIAR WITH THE
DEPARTMENT AS THEY COULD'VE
BEEN TO MAKE THAT A SMOOTHER
TRANSITION, TO ACTIVATING THOSE
PLANS.
ALSO, A REGULAR REVIEW AND
DISCUSSION OF OUR CITYWIDE
CONTINUITY OF GOVERNMENT, OR
COG, BY LEADERSHIP, SO CABINET
AND ALSO INVOLVING ALL OF YOU,
SO THAT WHERE EVERYONE IS CLEAR
ON HOW THAT WILL WORK.
AND THEN ALSO CODIFYING SOME
PANDEMIC DRIVEN CHANGES TO
THOSE DEPARTMENT COOPS AND ALSO
MAKING SURE THEY ALIGN WITH
WHAT WE ARE DOING IN OUR
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PLANNING.
SOME RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE
COOP, CONTINUITY OF OPERATIONS
SPACE, ARE TO CONTINUE TO
EXPAND THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY,
REALIZING THAT THERE ARE
CHALLENGES THAT WILL ALWAYS
OCCUR, AND UNDERSTANDING WHAT
WE CAN DO REMOTELY, AND WHAT
NEEDS TO BE DONE IN PERSON.
USING TECHNOLOGY AND PROVIDING
IN-PERSON SERVICES FOR
RESIDENTS.
THERE WERE A LOT OF SERVICES
FOR RESIDENTS THAT CAME BACK
FAIRLY QUICKLY, BECAUSE OF THE
CHALLENGES THAT NOT EVERYONE IS
ABLE TO USE TECHNOLOGY FOR WHAT
THEY NEED.
CONTINUING TO HAVE SOME GRACE
FOR PEOPLE'S FLEXIBLE
SCHEDULES, AND DOING THAT
WORK/LIFE BALANCE, AND
IMPROVING EMPLOYEE
COMMUNICATIONS, AND WHAT THE
STRATEGIES ARE, SO THAT STAFF
IS HEARING ACROSS THE BOARD,
ACROSS THE CITY, WHAT THOSE
INVOLVED IN RESPONSE ARE DOING,
AND MAKING SURE THAT EVERYONE
HEARS AT THE SAME TIME AND
UNDERSTANDS WHAT'S HAPPENING,
AS SOME PEOPLE DID NOT FEEL
LIKE THAT WAS NECESSARILY
HAPPENING.
OKAY.
SO BEFORE I MOVED TO LOGISTICS
AND SUPPLY CHAIN, ANY QUESTIONS
HERE ON COOP?
>> THANK YOU, I DO HAVE ONE
QUESTION.
YOU MENTIONED ONE OF THE
RECOMMENDATIONS COMING OUT IS
MORE TRAININGS ON THE COOPS.
JUST WONDERING, WILL THAT
TRAINING CURRICULUM ALSO MOVING
FORWARD INCLUDE DRILLS OR
EXERCISES ON THE CONTINUITY OF
OPERATION PLANS?
>> YES.
>> WHO WOULD PARTICIPATE IN
THOSE?
>> GREAT QUESTION.
THANK YOU FOR THAT.
IT'S ALWAYS A GOOD IDEA TO PAIR
EXERCISING WITH THE TRAINING,
SO THE TRAINING IS REALLY
MAKING SURE THE DEPARTMENT IS
FAMILIAR WITH -- EVERYONE IN
THE DEPARTMENT IS FAMILIAR WITH
YOUR COOP PLAN, WHAT ARE THOSE
ESSENTIAL SERVICES, AND THEN,
ABSOLUTELY DOING EXERCISES, NOT
ONLY INDIVIDUALLY, SO
DEPARTMENTS DOING THOSE, BUT
THEN ALSO, AS PART OF WHAT WE
DO WITH EMERGENCY EXECUTIVE
BOARDS OR THE DEPARTMENT
DIRECTORS, WE WOULD DO THOSE
WITH THOSE MEETINGS, AS WELL.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE
THAT THE INDIVIDUAL DEPARTMENT
COOPS ARE ALIGNED WITH WHAT WE
WOULD DO IN A CITYWIDE RESPONSE
LIKE THIS.
SO THAT YOU FLUSH OUT ANY OF
THOSE AREAS WHERE THERE MIGHT
BE THINGS THAT ARE OVERLAPPING,
OR IN CONFLICT WITH EACH OTHER.
SO ABSOLUTELY.
GREAT QUESTION.
THANK YOU.
>> ANY OTHERS?
MOVING ON TO SECTION 3, PLEASE.
>> OKAY, SO LOGISTICS AND
SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT, SOME
OF THE SUCCESSES THAT WE HAD
WERE FAS IMPLEMENTED POLICY AND
PROTOCOLS FOR ORDERING AND
DISTRIBUTING OF SUPPLIES.
I CAN'T STRESS ENOUGH WHAT A
BIG UNDERTAKING THIS WAS.
THEY DID A REALLY AMAZING JOB.
ALSO FAS, OAM AND OTHER
DEPARTMENTS SET UP THE MASS
TESTING AND VACCINATION SITES.
SO THAT WAS IN CONJUNCTION WITH
FIRE.
IT REALLY WAS JUST AN
INCREDIBLE EFFORT, AND AS YOU
KNOW, WE HAD BLOOMING FIELD AND
SOME OTHER MASS VACCINATION
SITES.
WE USED OTHER PARTNERS SUCH AS
SWEDISH AND THE UNIVERSITY OF
WASHINGTON.
IT REALLY WAS A KIND OF ALL
COMMUNITY EFFORT.
WE ALSO ENGAGED COMMUNITY
PARTNERS TO HELP PEOPLE GO
THROUGH VACCINATION AND
TESTING, SO THERE WERE ACTUALLY
INSTANCES OF PEOPLE WHO HAD AN
INDIVIDUAL PERSON THAT GUIDED
THEM THROUGH ALL OF IT, FROM
HOW DO YOU MAKE AN APPOINTMENT,
MAKING SURE THEY HAD
TRANSPORTATION, AND THEN
WALKING THEM THROUGH THAT
APPOINTMENT WHEN THEY GOT
THERE, WAS REALLY AN AMAZING
PROCESS THAT MADE THIS ALL WORK
FOR THE COMMUNITY.
ALSO, THERE'S A NEW LOGISTICS
MANAGEMENT MECHANISM AND
ADDITIONAL NEW WAREHOUSE SPACE
THAT WE CAN USE FOR ALL KINDS
OF DISASTERS.
SO ALSO JUST A REMINDER,
LOGISTICS AND SUPPLY CHAIN
INCLUDES ALL OF THOSE THINGS
THAT ARE NEEDED FOR THE CITY TO
REQUEST, ORDER, PURCHASE,
TRACK, STORE, OR DISTRIBUTE
CRITICAL SUPPLIES.
SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS
ARE, THERE WAS NOT A REGIONAL
PROCESS FOR WORKING WITH THE
COUNTY AND THE STATE FOR
LOGISTICS.
SO WE ARE WORKING ON THAT.
RETAINING SOME OF THESE
CENTRALIZED PURCHASING AND
WAREHOUSING FUNCTIONS FOR OTHER
SUPPLIES AND TO GET READY FOR
THE NEXT EMERGENCY, ALSO THE
NEED TO PRESERVE BUDGET TO
MAINTAIN SUPPLY OF EQUIPMENT
AND MATERIALS, WHICH YOU KNOW
IS ALWAYS A CHALLENGE.
HOW DO WE KEEP SOME FUNDS IN
ABEYANCE FOR WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN,
KNOWING THAT WE MIGHT IN FACT
NEED THAT BUDGET FOR OTHER
THINGS.
SOME OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS WERE
IMPROVING COORDINATION BETWEEN
PURCHASING AND FINANCE
FUNCTIONS.
CBO NOW HAS ACCESS TO THE
EMERGENCY LOGISTICS MECHANISM
TAT WE USED TO SHARE
INFORMATION WITH OUR STATE AND
COUNTY COUNTERPARTS.
SO IF WE ARE SHARING SUPPLIES
OR WE NEED THEIR HELP WITH
SUPPLIES THAT WE DON'T HAVE, SO
NOW CBO HAS THAT ACCESS, AS
WELL.
HSD ALSO IS LEARNING THAT
REQUESTING PROCESS FOR
RESOURCES RIGHT THIS WEEK, THE
CASCADIA TABLETOP EXERCISES ARE
HAPPENING THIS WEEK.
A VERY SCALED DOWN CASCADIA
THIS YEAR, BUT WE ARE DOING
SOME TRAINING AND SOME RESOURCE
REQUEST PRACTICE.
SO THAT HAPPENING AS WE SPEAK.
UPDATING OUR TRAINING TO MAKE
SURE EVERYONE IS REALLY CLEAR
ON HOW THE LOGISTICS WORK, AND
THEN ALSO EXPANDING DEPARTMENT
USE OF THAT LOGISTICS SYSTEM
FOR OTHER DISASTERS.
SO BEFORE I MOVED TO PUBLIC
INFORMATION, ARE THERE OTHER
QUESTIONS HERE FOR OUR
LOGISTICS AND SUPPLY CHAIN
MANAGEMENT?
>> NOT SEEN ANY FROM MY
COLLEAGUES.
I DO HAVE ONE RELATED TO THE
FACT THAT YOU REPORTED OUT THAT
ONE OF THE CHALLENGES WAS THAT
DEPARTMENTS DON'T HAVE FUNDING
TO DO EMERGENCY RESPONSE AND
THAT YOU RELIED ON DEPARTMENTAL
RESERVES.
IS THERE A RECOMMENDATION THAT
WE SHOULD CONSIDER MOVING
FORWARD ON THAT PARTICULAR
FINDING?
>> YES, I KNOW THERE'S A
CITYWIDE FUND FOR EMERGENCIES,
AND I KNOW THAT WE SPENT A GOOD
DEAL OF THAT DURING COVID.
I DON'T HAVE SPECIFIC NUMBERS
úFOR YOU, BUT I CAN DEFINITELY
GET THAT.
WE SPENT MORE OF THAT RESERVE
FOR COVID IN THE LAST TWO YEARS
THAN WE EVER HAVE AS A CITY,
AND I CAN DEFINITELY GET
NUMBERS FOR YOU ON WHAT WE
SPENT, WHAT'S LEFT, AND IF
THERE'S A RECOMMENDATION ON
THAT.
HAPPY TO DO THAT.
>> OKAY.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR
COMMENTS?
GO AHEAD.
THANK YOU.
ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU.
ALL RIGHT.
SO AREA 4 IS PUBLIC
INFORMATION.
NOT SURE HOW IT GOT ON THAT
SIDE OF THE PHRASE.
BUT FOR PUBLIC INFORMATION, SO
THIS IS NOT ONLY GIVING
INFORMATION OUT TO THE PUBLIC,
BUT ALSO LOOKING AT WHAT'S
HAPPENING IN THE PUBLIC.
HOW ARE THEY RESPONDING TO WHAT
WE ARE DOING?
WHAT ARE THEIR NEEDS?
IT'S A TWO-WAY COMMUNICATION
DEEP DIVE, NOT JUST WHAT WE ARE
PUTTING OUT.
I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT TO
KNOW.
SO THE COORDINATION BETWEEN THE
GOVERNOR'S OFFICE, KING COUNTY,
EXECUTIVE OFFICE, THE MAYOR'S
OFFICE AND PUBLIC HEALTH WAS
RELEASED ORDINARY.
DOES IT MEAN THERE WEREN'T SOME
HICCUPS, BUT IT WAS GENERALLY
BETTER THAN WHAT WE HAD DONE,
AND ALL THOSE ENTITIES WORKING
ON THAT TOGETHER, NOT ONLY WAS
IT IMPORTANT, IT REALLY WAS
SOMETHING THAT WE HADN'T DONE
THAT WELL BEFORE.
SO WE ALSO SPENT A LOT OF TIME
LOOKING AT MAKING SURE WE ARE
REACHING BIPOC COMMUNITIES AND
THOSE WITH LIMITED ENGLISH
PROFICIENCY, MEANING THAT WE
HAD TO RELY ON DIFFERENT
METHODS.
ALL THE MESSAGING COULD NOT BE
DONE WITH TECHNOLOGY.
SOME HAD TO BE PERSON TO
PERSON.
WE USED WHAT WE CALLED CULTURE
BROKERS A LOT, SO THOSE FOLKS
THAT HAD A RELATIONSHIP WITH
GOVERNMENT AND ALSO WEREN'T
CONNECTED TO COMMUNITY
PARTNERS.
SO PEOPLE WERE HEARING FROM
THOSE THEY TRUSTED AND IT
WASN'T JUST GOVERNMENT
MESSAGING.
THE CITY ALSO ASSISTED THE
PUBLIC HEALTH SEATTLE KING
COUNTY WITH STAFFING FOR THEIR
JOINT INFORMATION CENTER, AND
JUST AS A REMINDER THAT JOINT
INFORMATION CENTER IS WHERE YOU
HAVE PUBLIC INFORMATION
OFFICERS FROM DIFFERENT
JURISDICTIONS OR AGENCIES COME
TOGETHER TO WRITE A COORDINATED
MESSAGE.
SO THAT WORKS REALLY WELL.
SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR
PUBLIC INFORMATION WERE HAVING
A NO FORMALIZED FUNCTION FOR
INFORMATION SHARING WITH THE
COUNTY AND THE STATE.
I THINK THE REASON IT DID WORK
WELL THIS TIME IS BECAUSE WE
WERE TALKING ALL THE TIME, ALL
THE TIME.
AND ALSO HAVING A LIAISON
POSITION FOR THAT ESTABLISHED
AHEAD OF TIME INSTEAD OF IN THE
MIDST OF THE CHAOS.
THE CITY JOINT INFORMATION
CENTER, STAFF PARTICIPATION IN
REGIONAL EXERCISES, AGAIN, SO
WE ARE LIKE HOW WHERE THEIR
COMMUNICATION PROTOCOLS
DIFFERENT FROM WHAT WE ARE
DOING, AND WHAT IS IT THAT WE
NEED TO MAKE SURE WE ARE ON THE
SAME PAGE ABOUT?
WE ALSO NEED JOINT INFORMATION
STAFF FROM ALL CITY
DEPARTMENTS.
THE BIGGER ONES AND THE ONES
THAT ARE TYPICALLY INVOLVED IN
EMERGENCIES ALL HAVE A PUBLIC
INFORMATION OFFICER.
WE FOUND THAT IT REALLY NEEDS
TO BE EVERY DEPARTMENT.
UNDERSTANDING THAT IT MIGHT BE
SOMEONE WHO DOESN'T DO THAT
FULL-TIME.
ALSO IDENTIFY AND ADDITIONAL
SUPERVISORY STAFF WHO CAN RUN
THE OPERATIONS IF NEED BE.
MORE FORMALIZED PROTOCOLS FOR
OPENING AND CLOSING OF THAT
JOINT INFORMATION CENTER, ALSO
MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE MORE
ACCESSIBLE COMMUNICATION
METHODS, SO FOR THOSE FOLKS
WITH ACCESS AND FUNCTIONAL
NEEDS, IF SOMEONE USES A
READER, SOMEBODY DOESN'T HAVE
TECHNOLOGY, WHAT ARE ALL OF
THOSE THINGS, SO THAT EVERYBODY
IN THE COMMUNITY CAN GET THE
INFORMATION THEY NEED.
IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT FOR
DEPARTMENTS TO SPEND SOME TIME
ON SOCIALIZING AND PRACTICING
THEIR LANGUAGE ACCESS PLANS.
SO THAT'S ALSO IN THE WORKS AS
WE SPEAK.
ANY QUESTIONS ON PUBLIC
INFORMATION?
>> I WOULD JUST LIKE TO MAKE A
PLUG FOR CONSIDERING
FORMALIZING THE RELATIONSHIP
WITH THE LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT
AND SPECIFICALLY THE CITY
COUNCIL, AS FAR AS PUBLIC
INFORMATION.
WE ALL HAVE DEEP CONNECTIONS TO
OUR COMMUNITIES, AND I THINK WE
WERE ALL VERY FOCUSED ON TRYING
TO GET INFORMATION OUT, AND IT
HAPPENED SORT OF IN AN AD HOC
WAY, BUT TO THE EXTENT IT
FORMALIZED A RELATIONSHIP WITH
THE EEOC ON THAT PIECE, I THINK
IT WOULD BE VERY USEFUL TO
SERVE THE PUBLIC.
>> YEAH, I AGREE.
THANK YOU FOR THAT.
ALL RIGHT.
NOTED.
I JUST WANT TO DO A QUICK TIME
CHECK.
HOW MUCH MORE TIME DO I HAVE?
>> ABOUT ANOTHER 10 MINUTES.
>> OKAY.
PERFECT.
I'LL KEEP AN EYE ON THE TIME.
THANK YOU.
WE ARE MOVING TO TESTING AND
VACCINATION.
AS YOU KNOW, THE PROGRAMS WERE
A MODEL BOTH REGIONAL AND
NATIONALLY, AND WITHIN FIVE
MONTHS OF THE INITIAL PANDEMIC
RESPONSE, FIRE EXPANDED FROM
JUST DOING FIRST RESPONDERS TO
NURSING HOMES, MOBILE TEAMS,
AND COMMUNITY SITES.
WE SET UP CLINICS ALL OVER,
STARTING WITH THOSE MOBILE
TEAMS FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
WE HAD POP UP SITES.
WE HAD FIREFIGHTERS GOING TO IN
HOMES AND ALSO FIXED SITES.
I THINK IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO
NOTE THAT SEATTLE WAS
INSTRUMENTAL IN GETTING STATES
PERMISSION TO USE PARAMEDICS TO
DO VACCINATION.
THEY ARE QUALIFIED, AS YOU
KNOW, PARAMEDICS ARE VERY
HIGHLY TRAINED.
BUT TO BE ABLE TO USE THAT TO
AUGMENT GIVING VACCINATIONS,
HAD NOT BEEN DONE BEFORE.
SO THAT WAS REALLY
EXTRAORDINARY IN OTHER CITIES
THROUGHOUT THE STATE, COPY US
AFTER THAT.
WE DID PROVIDE OVER 260,000
VACCINES TO 134,000 PEOPLE OVER
A SEVEN MONTH PERIOD, AND WE
DID CONCENTRATE AND WERE
SUCCESSFUL AT REACHING HIGH
NUMBERS OF BIPOC INDIVIDUALS IN
ALL AGE GROUPS.
SO SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS
WERE MAKING SURE THAT THE
PROTOCOL THAT I USED FOR USING
FIRST RESPONDERS WERE TESTING
AND VACCINATION, THAT THAT
COULD BE REPLICATED, IT'S NOT A
ONE TIME THING.
MAINTAINING AN INVENTORY FOR A
12 WEEK SUPPLY OF PPE IS GOING
TO BE IMPORTANT.
ALSO ADVOCATING FOR THIS
LEGISLATIVE CHANGE TO HASTEN
THAT PROCESS FOR FIRST
RESPONDERS TO PROVIDE TO US AND
VACCINATIONS.
I KNOW THAT'S BEING WORKED UP.
I DON'T KNOW THE STATUS OF
WHERE THAT IS NOW, BUT I CAN
DEFINITELY FIND THAT OUT.
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED.
ALSO, DEVELOPING A LOCAL
FUNDING PLAN FOR THESE TYPES OF
OPERATIONS, FOR BOTH TESTING
AND VACCINATION.
RECOMMENDATIONS ARE ADDITIONAL
SPOTS THAT ARE EASY FOR PEOPLE
TO ACCESS, STOCKPILING GENERIC
TESTING MATERIALS, DEVELOPING
PLANS FOR NOT ONLY PRIORITY
SETTING, BUT ALSO VACCINATION
LOGISTICS.
FORMALIZING ROLES WITH REGIONAL
PARTNERS AND STREAMLINING HOW
WE DO THE CONTRACTS AND
PURCHASING.
ALSO, ESTABLISHING PARALLEL
MESSAGING FOR ONLINE AND DIRECT
DELIVERY FOR NON-TECHNICAL
MESSAGING, WHICH I TALKED ABOUT
EARLIER, WAS REALLY IMPORTANT
IN THIS ARENA, ESPECIALLY.
MAKING SURE THAT ALL OF THE
SITES ARE A.D.A.
COMPLIANT.
WE HAVE A FEW ISSUES WITH THAT,
THAT WERE QUICKLY REMEDIED.
ALSO WITH SIGNAGE AT THE SITE,
MAKING SURE THAT THOSE WERE
ACCESSIBLE, NOT ONLY FOR
LIMITED ENGLISH, BUT ALSO FOR
PEOPLE WITH OTHER FUNCTIONAL
NEEDS.
CONTINUING ALSO OUR INVESTMENT
IN COMMUNITY NAVIGATION, USING
MODELS FROM THE OTHER
DEPARTMENTS THAT YOU SEE,
DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS AND
PUBLIC HEALTH.
ALSO WORKING WITH PARTNERS FOR
A SINGLE PHONE INFORMATION LINE
INSTEAD OF MULTIPLE.
I KNOW THAT AT SOME POINT,
WASHINGTON 211 WAS ENGAGED IN
HAVING A SINGLE PLACE FOR
PEOPLE TO GO INSTEAD OF
MULTIPLE, MAKING SURE THAT WE
ARE KEEPING WITH -- SO EVERYONE
IS DOING THE SAME MESSAGE.
THEY'RE NOT MULTIPLE PLACES FOR
PEOPLE TO GET THAT.
LASTLY FOR TESTING AND
VACCINATION, INVESTING IN
PUBLIC HEALTH, TRUST BUILDING
PRIOR TO THE NEXT EVENT.
WE'VE ALL SEEN A KIND OF
EROSION OF TRUST IN GOVERNMENT.
ALSO MAINTAINING THIS THREE-
PRONGED APPROACH TO REACH THOSE
MOST VULNERABLE.
ALL RIGHT.
ANY QUESTIONS ON TESTING AND
VACCINATION?
>> SEE MANY?
THANK YOU.
GO RIGHT AHEAD.
>> OKAY.
SO THE NEXT AREA IS SOCIAL AND
HUMAN SERVICES, AND THE
SUCCESSES HERE ARE STARTING
WITH SERVICES FOR AGING AND
DISABLED POPULATIONS, OR PEOPLE
WITH ACCESS AND FUNCTIONAL
NEEDS, MASS CARE, AND HYGIENE
FOR THOSE EXPERIENCING
HOMELESSNESS.
WE ALSO WORKED ON EMERGENCY
CHILD CARE.
WE RAPIDLY THE INTENSIFIED OR
SPACED OUT SHELTER SITES TO
KEEP PEOPLE SAFE.
WE DEPLOYED MORE HYGIENE
STATIONS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
WE DID VOUCHERS FOR 1 MILLION
MEALS FOR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING
HOMELESSNESS, AND ANOTHER 1
MILLION SERVED TO OLDER ADULTS.
AND ALSO, THE DEPARTMENT OF
EDUCATION AND EARLY LEARNING
DID THEIR OWN AFTER ACTION
REPORT OR PROCESS AND THAT HAS
LED TO A NEW EMERGENCY
CHILDCARE PLAN, WHICH IS REALLY
AWESOME.
SOME RECOMMENDATIONS ARE TO
DEVELOP COMMUNITY PARTNERS IN
THOSE PLANS AND IN THE
EXERCISES WE DO FOR PANDEMIC
OPERATIONS, INCLUDING THOSE
PARTNERS ALSO IN PURCHASING
LOGISTICS AND ACCESS TO
PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT
THROUGH THE CITY.
WE WERE ABLE TO PROVIDE SOME OF
THAT THROUGH OUR RELATIONSHIP
WITH THE COUNTY TO COMMUNITY
PARTNERS FREE OF CHARGE, BUT IT
WAS NOT ENOUGH.
ALSO DEVELOPING PLANS FOR
ACCESSING RESOURCES SUCH AS THE
NATIONAL GUARD FOR EMERGENCY
OPERATIONS.
THAT WAS ALSO NOT WELL DEFINED,
AND THEY DO HAVE THE ABILITY TO
SUPPORT VACCINATION AND
TESTING.
A PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY ALSO
INCLUDED NEW EXTERNAL PARTNERS
THAT WE HADN'T WORKED WITH
BEFORE, SO MAKING SURE THAT WE
DO THAT SOONER AND THAT THAT
INCLUDES MULTICULTURAL PLANNING
AND ALSO EXERCISING.
SO SOME MORE RECOMMENDATIONS.
THERE WAS A LACK OF A PRE-
EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE AND
RESOURCES TO SCALE WHEN WE GOT
FUNDING.
AND SO, AS YOU KNOW, KIND OF
MIDWAY THROUGH, WE GOT THIS
INFLUX OF THE AMERICAN RESCUE
PLAN FUNDS, $300 MILLION, SO
THAT WAS SPENT ON DIGITAL
EQUITY, CHILDCARE, HOUSING, AND
HOMELESSNESS SERVICES, BUT
BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE A
MECHANISM TO DO THAT SCALING
INITIALLY, IT TOOK LONGER TO BE
ABLE TO DEPLOY THAT MONEY.
SO WE ARE LOOKING AT HOW WE DO
THAT.
AND THEN ALSO CONTINUED
INVESTMENT IN FOUNDATIONAL
INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE
PROVISION OF MONEY IN A MORE
TIMELY WAY.
OKAY.
SO ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT HUMAN
SERVICES?
>> NOT SEE MANY.
>> THANK YOU.
JUST ONE ADDITIONAL THING ON
THE FOUNDATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE
FOR FUNDING, THERE WERE
DIFFERENT REQUIREMENTS FOR
COVID FUNDING, IN TERMS OF HOW
WE DISTRIBUTED IT.
SO INSTEAD OF JUST GETTING A
POT OF MONEY AT BEING ABLE TO
SPEND IT ON WHATEVER WE WANTED,
THERE WERE A LOT OF
REQUIREMENTS ATTACHED TO THAT
FUNDING.
SO WE ARE WORKING ON LOOKING AT
CONTRACTING CHANGES THAT WILL
GIVE US MORE FLEXIBILITY IN HOW
WE WORK WITH THE STATE.
SO IF WE GET MONEY AND WE CAN'T
USE IT FOR A PARTICULAR AREA,
ARE THERE WAYS THAT WE CAN LOOK
AT HAVING THAT COMMUNICATION
WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO
APPLY THAT MONEY TO OTHER
THINGS?
ALL RIGHT.
SO AREA SEVEN WAS SUPPORT FOR
BUSINESSES AND ECONOMIC
RECOVERY.
I WILL MENTION THAT OF COURSE,
AS YOU KNOW, THIS IS ONGOING,
AND REALLY WE THOUGHT THAT WE
WERE GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF
BUSINESS RECOVERY STARTING IN
THE SUMMER OF '21, AND THAT
DIDN'T HAPPEN AT THE MAGNITUDE
OR THE PACE THAT WE HAD
ANTICIPATED.
SO AS YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD TO
KIND OF RETHINK WHAT THAT'S
GOING TO LOOK LIKE, WHAT DO WE
NEED TO CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON,
SO THE SUCCESSES, THOUGH, IN
THIS AREA, WERE STARTING WITH A
SMALL BUSINESS STABILIZATION
FUND, WHICH PROVIDED $7000 IN
GRANTS FOR BUSINESSES.
I'M SORRY, $10,000 IN GRANTS
FOR BUSINESSES WITH 25 OR FEWER
EMPLOYEES.
BIPOC OWNERS WERE 66% OF THE
ROUNDS ONE AND FIVE OF THAT.
AND THE ONE ROUND THAT WAS
PARTICULARLY FOCUSED ON
RESTAURANTS AND BARS, THERE WAS
A HEAVY FOCUS ON BIPOC OWNERS
OF RESTAURANTS AND BARS.
CITY PAID SICK LEAVE AND SAFE
TIME FOR THOSE THAT WERE STILL
WORKING WAS IMPORTANT FOR THIS
RECOVERY.
WE HAD NEW ORDINANCES THAT YOU
ALL ARE AWARE OF AND WERE
INVOLVED IN FOR GIG WORKERS.
STRONG INTERDEPARTMENTAL
COORDINATION FOR TECHNICAL
SUPPORT FROM SMALL BUSINESSES
INCLUDING HOW DO WE DO THE
SOCIAL DISTANCING, CAPACITY
LIMITS, OPERATING IN THE PUBLIC
RIGHT-OF-WAY, SO ALL THE
BUSINESSES THAT HAD OPERATIONS,
RESTAURANTS AND WHATNOT,
OUTSIDE, ALL OF THAT HAPPENED
REALLY QUICKLY AND WAS REALLY,
REALLY HELPFUL TO HELPING
BUSINESSES GET THROUGH THIS.
THE PUBLIC SPACE ACTIVATIONS OF
THINGS LIKE THE WELCOME BACK
WEEKS AND ALSO SUPPORT TO
DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES WAS REALLY
IMPORTANT, AND WORKED WELL.
THE RECOMMENDATIONS MOVING
FORWARD ARE CAPTURING THE
LESSONS TO TARGET SUPPORT TO
BUSINESS OWNERS THAT ARE NOT
SUPPORTED BY THOSE, THE FUNDING
THAT COMES FROM THE STATE AND
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
REALLY LOOKING AT WHAT ARE
THOSE AND HOW CAN THE CITY
HELP.
PART OF THAT WILL ALSO BE
HOLDING LISTENING SESSIONS WITH
LARGE EMPLOYERS TO UNDERSTAND
WHERE THEY MIGHT NEED SUPPORT.
WE FOCUSED A LOT ON SMALL
BUSINESSES AND ONCE IN A WHILE
LARGE BUSINESSES REACHED OUT TO
GET MORE INFORMATION, SO WE ARE
LOOKING AT HOW BEST TO SUPPORT
THEM AS WELL.
INSTITUTIONALIZING THOSE
PROCESSES TO EXPAND FUNDING FOR
SMALL BUSINESSES AND MAKING
SURE THAT WE MAINTAIN THE RACE
AND SOCIAL JUSTICE INDEX.
ALSO, DISPLACEMENT OF FOLKS
DURING THE PANDEMIC, HOW CAN WE
HELP THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN
DISPLACED, INCLUDING
BUSINESSES, AND THEN OTHER
TARGETS OR OTHER DATA, EXCUSE
ME, FOR MAKING SURE THAT WE
REALLY TARGET THE LIMITED
RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE.
SO SOME OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS
ARE TO DOCUMENT THE ACTIONS
THAT HAPPENED BETWEEN
DEPARTMENTS TO SUPPORT
BUSINESSES, LABOR, HOUSING,
FOOD SECURITY AND CHILDCARE.
EXPANDING COMMUNICATIONS AND
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR
BUSINESS OWNERS WHO SPEAK
LANGUAGES OTHER THAN ENGLISH,
ALSO EXPANDING WORKFORCE
DEVELOPMENT AND RETRAINING, SO
WE ARE WORKING WITH THE OFFICE
OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND
ALSO LABOR STANDARDS ON THIS.
AND ON HELPING THEM HAVE AN
EMERGENCY STAFFING PLAN FOR
THEIR DEPARTMENTS.
FOR FURTHER LEVERAGE,
INTERDEPARTMENTAL
COLLABORATIONS AND COMMUNITY
PARTNERS FOR ACCESS TO
RESOURCES, AND REALLY TYING
THOSE RESOURCES TO WHAT IS IT
THAT THE COMMUNITY NEEDS, THE
MOST -- WHERE THE MOST NEED IS,
I'M MAKING SURE THOSE RESOURCES
ARE TARGETED THERE.
WE JUST HAVE ONE MORE SECTION
ON STAFF REDEPLOYMENT.
BUT ANY QUESTIONS HERE ON
BUSINESS ECONOMICS?
>> THANK YOU.
OUR ECONOMIC ELEMENT CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
DIRECTOR MAYOR, ON REGARDING
LARGE EMPLOYERS, THE EXECUTIVE
SUMMARY SAYS ON PAGE 14 THAT
SOMETHING LIKE IT'S IMPORTANT
THAT THE CITY LISTEN TO THE
INTERESTS OF LARGE EMPLOYERS
AND SHARE AT LEAST INFORMATION
THAT CAN BE HELPFUL, WHICH I
AGREE WITH.
AND THEN YOU TALK ABOUT
LISTENING SESSIONS.
SO THESE POINTS WERE
REINFORCED, YOU WENT INTO MORE
DETAIL IN THE REPORT, OR BURKE
DID.
SO I FEEL THAT LARGE EMPLOYERS,
BECAUSE THEY'RE LARGE, ARE A
GREAT WAY TO GET INFORMATION
OUT AND EVEN IF IT'S NOT
POSSIBLE TO SPEAK WITH LARGE
EMPLOYERS, YOU COULD USE THE
CHAMBER OR GSA OR NEIGHBORHOOD
CHAMBERS OR WHATEVER, TO HELP
GET INFORMATION OUT FOR THE
POTENTIAL NEXT MAJOR CIVIL
EMERGENCY, I WOULD SAY THAT.
BECAUSE I JUST ASSUMED THAT
THEY WOULD BE DISSEMINATING
THIS INFORMATION.
I HAD A QUESTION ABOUT THE
BUSINESS STABILIZATION FUND,
SMALL BUSINESS STABILIZATION
FUND.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WOULD KNOW
THIS, BUT MAYBE MY COLLEAGUES
KNOW, HOW MUCH WAS DEPOSITED IN
THAT, AND IS THERE ANY LEFT, OR
HOW MANY BUSINESSES WERE AIDED
BY THAT?
AND IF THAT'S NOT KNOWN BY
FOLKS HERE, I CAN FOLLOW UP
WITH THE EXECUTIVE.
>> SO MY UNDERSTANDING WAS THAT
-- EXCUSE ME -- THAT THERE WAS
$10,000 THAT WAS PROVIDED TO
SMALL BUSINESSES THROUGH
GRANTS.
I DON'T KNOW IF THERE WAS MORE
AVAILABLE IN THAT FUND THAT
DIDN'T GET DISTRIBUTED, AND I
DON'T KNOW IF ANY OTHER
COMMITTEE MEMBERS KNOW THAT.
IF NOT, I CAN FIND THAT OUT.
AND ALSO, I VERY MUCH
APPRECIATE THE INFORMATION
ABOUT THE INFORMATION SHARING
WITH LARGE EMPLOYERS AND ALSO
THE CHAMBER.
WE ARE ALSO FOR EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT, ALSO REMEMBER THAT
EVEN THOUGH THE LARGE EMPLOYER
HAS A LOT OF RESOURCES, THE
INDIVIDUAL EMPLOYEES ALSO, YOU
KNOW, WHERE PEOPLE THAT LIVE
AND WORK HERE, SOMETIMES THEY
NEED OUR HELP. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH FOR THAT.
I APPRECIATE IT.
>> I KNOW YOU HAD A LOT GOING
ON, SO THIS IS NOT A CRITICISM.
>> THERE'S ALWAYS WAYS TO
IMPROVE, AND INDICATION ALWAYS
COMES UP.
FOR EVERY EVENT I'VE EVER BEEN
IN, COMMUNICATION ALWAYS IS A
PLACE WE NEED TO EXPAND ON.
SO THANK YOU.
ALL RIGHT.
ANYTHING ELSE ON BUSINESS AND
ECONOMICS?
OKAY.
I'M ALMOST FINISHED, I PROMISE.
OKAY.
COOL.
STAFF REDEPLOYMENT.
SO THIS IS THE MOVEMENT OF
STAFF, CITY STAFF INTO A JOB
THAT'S NOT THEIR NORMAL JOB,
MEANING THAT WHAT IS SOMETHING
THEY CAN DO TO HELP WITH THE
EMERGENCY THAT'S NOT PART OF
WHAT THEY DO?
AND AS YOU KNOW, THERE ARE
PEOPLE WHO HAD TO MOVE TO
REMOTE OPERATIONS, THAT MAYBE
THEIR JOB DIDN'T LEND ITSELF TO
THAT.
SO HOW CAN WE USE THEM IN THE
MOST EFFICIENT MANNER POSSIBLE?
A LOT OF TALENTED PEOPLE.
SO WE ARE LOOKING AT MAKING
SURE WE DO THAT NOT ONLY IN A
THOUGHTFUL WAY, BUT THAT WE
HAVE SOME POLICY.
WE MAKE SURE PEOPLE ARE
COMPENSATED, ALL OF THOSE
IMPORTANT THINGS ABOUT THAT.
SO EARLY IN THE PANDEMIC,
REDEPLOYMENT WAS -- WHEN I SAY
PERSONAL, IT WAS CONVERSATIONS
THAT PEOPLE HAD HAD A. THERE
WAS NOT A FORMALIZED PROCESS,
SO THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY A
GOOD IDEA.
LATER, WE LOOKED AT HOW DO WE
FORMALIZE, WE TALK A LOT WITH
LABOR AND THE MAYOR'S OFFICE,
AND OTHER DEPARTMENT DIRECT
TOURS OF LOOKING AT HOW DO WE
HAVE AGREEMENTS TO PROTECT
PEOPLE, MAKE SURE THEY'RE
COMPENSATED AND USE THEIR
SKILLS WELL.
ITD DID DEVELOP A TECHNOLOGY
PLATFORM FOR LARGE-SCALE
REDEPLOYMENT BUT WE DON'T YET
HAVE THE POLICY.
SO LOOKING AT -- FIRST OF ALL,
MAKING SURE THAT EVERYONE
ACROSS THE CITY UNDERSTANDS
WHAT IT MEANS TO REDEPLOY
FOLKS.
WE WOULD NEVER PUT PEOPLE, FOR
EXAMPLE, IN SOMETHING THEY'RE
NOT OPERABLE WITH, AND WE ALSO
WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE
ARE FAIRLY COMPENSATED IF
THEY'RE DOING SOMETHING OUTSIDE
THEIR NORMAL WORK.
SO WE DID SOME AGREEMENTS WITH
LABOR FOR THAT, BUT IT REALLY
NEEDS TO BE.
THERE NEDS TO BE A POLICY ALSO
LOOKING AT AUGMENTING THAT
TECHNOLOGY PLATFORM, SO THAT IT
WOULD INCLUDE AN INVENTORY OF
SKILLS.
WHAT ARE THE SKILLS MOST NEEDED
AND ALSO PRACTICE REDEPLOYMENT
WHEN WE DO EXERCISES.
SO HAVING AN ENTERPRISE WIDE
SYSTEM AND CENTRALIZING THE HR
THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN AROUND
THAT.
SO SORRY I DIDN'T MEAN TO DO
THAT.
RIGHT NOW IS THE HR IS IN THE
PROCESS OF LOOKING AT
DEVELOPING A CITYWIDE POLICY
FOR THIS.
IT EVEN COMES UP IN SMALLER
INSTANCES.
FOR EXAMPLE, RIGHT NOW YOU
HEARD ABOUT THE BIG FIRE THAT
HAPPENED THAT THE MADISON
APARTMENTS.
THERE WAS A NUMBER OF PEOPLE
DISPLACED AND WE ARE LOOKING AT
SHELTER STAFF TO AUGMENT PARKS
SO THIS IS REALLY SOMETHING
THAT CAN COME UP QUITE
FREQUENTLY, NOT JUST WHEN
THERE'S A REALLY BIG DISASTER.
YOU'LL BE HEARING MORE ABOUT
THAT.
URESTI HR IS LOOKING AT IT AS
WELL AS THE OTHER DEPARTMENT
DIRECTORS WILL ALSO BE ENGAGED
IN THAT.
ALL RIGHT.
ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT
REDEPLOYMENT?
>> JUST WANT TO SAY THAT THIS
IS AN AREA THAT WE WERE SORT OF
FIGURING OUT AS WE WENT ALONG.
BUT JUST SO PLEASED AND IT'S
ONE OF THE THINGS COMING OUT OF
THIS EMERGENCY, THIS CRISIS,
THAT HAS REALLY GIVEN ME A LOT
OF REASON FOR OPTIMISM AND A
LOT OF JUST REALLY WARM AND
FUZZY FEELINGS ABOUT SAFE
FAMILY AND OUR WILLINGNESS TO
PUSH UP OUR SLEEVES AND ALL
WORK TOGETHER.
WE REALLY APPRECIATE THAT SO
MANY DID SO MANY THINGS THAT
THEY WEREN'T NECESSARILY
PREPARED TO DO, BUT THERE IS A
LOT OF STRENGTH IN OUR
WORKFORCE HERE.
>> YEAH, YEAH.
THANK YOU FOR THAT.
I AGREE.
IT WAS REALLY AMAZING, AND THEN
WE ALSO USED KIND OF THOSE AD
HOC PRACTICES DURING THE WINTER
STORM LAST YEAR, TOO, BECAUSE
WE NEEDED ADDITIONAL STAFF, SO
YEAH, IT IS GREAT.
THANK YOU.
THE NEXT THING THAT HAPPENS IS
AN IMPROVEMENT PLAN AND ALL
THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS I TALKED
ABOUT, HOW DO WE DO THIS?
IT'S NOT JUST LIKE THIS IS A
GOOD IDEA, BUT HOW ARE WE
ACTUALLY GOING TO MAKE SURE
THIS HAPPENS?
WE ARE ALMOST FINISHED WITH
THAT.
DEPARTMENT HAVING PUT.
IT WILL GO TO THE STRATEGIC
WORKING GROUP.
THERE WILL BE A TIMELINE
INCLUDED, SO AGAIN, IT WILL
JUST BE YEAH, IT'S A GREAT
IDEA, HOW LONG IS IT GOING TO
TAKE, DO WE NEED MONEY?
SO YOU WILL SEE ALL OF THAT
BASED ON THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS
AND EACH DEEP DIVE THAT WILL BE
SUPPORTING DEPARTMENTS FOR
THAT.
SOME OF THOSE IMPROVEMENT ITEMS
WILL BE IN THIS INFECTIOUS
DISEASE PLAN UPDATE.
SO WHO KNEW WE WOULD NEED AN
INFECTIOUS DISEASE PLAN?
BUT WE ARE ALSO WORKING VERY
CLOSELY WITH PUBLIC HEALTH FOR
THAT.
OTHER ISSUES REFER TO THAT
OPERATIONS PLANNING UPDATE.
SO LAST THING, THE INPUT ON
PARTNER AND JURISDICTION,
ORGANIZATIONS, AFTER ACTION
PLANS, SO OUR EFFORT NOW THAT
WE ARE FINISHED IS ALSO
INFORMING WHAT OUR PARTNERS IN
THE REGION ARE DOING.
WE DID OURS FIRST AND WE WILL
CONTINUE TO WORK ON THOSE
IMPROVEMENT ITEMS, AND I WILL
HAVE THAT PLAN ALONG WITH THE
CALENDAR AND ALL OF THAT FOR
YOU, SOON.
SO -- THAT IS THE END OF MY
PRESENTATION.
>> THAT'S A LOT, THANK YOU.
>> COUNCILMEMBER NELSON?
YOU ALL GOOD?
OKAY.
FANTASTIC.
REALLY APPRECIATE YOU, DIRECTOR
MEYER, FOR THE WORK THAT YOU
AND YOUR TEAM AT OAM HAVE
COORDINATED DURING THIS
EMERGENCY, AND THANK YOU AS
WELL FOR THIS AFTER ACTION
PLAN.
IT'S SUCH AN IMPORTANT TOOL TO
CORRECT FEEDBACK AND ANALYZE
OUR ACTIONS.
AND IDENTIFY AREAS NEEDING
IMPROVEMENT.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THIS IN-
DEPTH REVIEW SO THAT WE CAN
SHOW OUR COMMITMENT TO
CONTINUOUSLY WORK THROUGH
IMPROVEMENTS.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
ASK FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO BE WITH
YOU, AND IT REALLY WAS A
CITYWIDE CITY FAMILY EFFORT.
IT WAS JUST REALLY INCREDIBLE.
I FEEL VERY PRIVILEGED TO HAVE
BEEN PART OF THAT.
SO THANK YOU.
>> WILL THE CLERK PLEASE READ
IN AGENDA ITEM NUMBER ONE?
>> AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 2, 2001
SEATTLE FIRE DEPARTMENT RACE
AND SOCIAL JUSTICE INITIATIVE
REPORT PRESENTATION, BRIEFING
AND DISCUSSION.
>> AND WE DO SOME INTRODUCTIONS
AND HAND IT OVER TO YOU TO WALK
US THROUGH IT?
>> SURE, GOOD MORNING,
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD AND
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE.
WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOU
ALLOWING US A FEW MINUTES TO
TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE WORK
THAT'S GOING ON IN THE SEATTLE
FIRE DEPARTMENT.
WE HAVE CHANGED TEAM LEADS
TODAY YOU WILL BE DOING THE
PRESENTATION.
CAPTAIN JOHNSON AND A MEMBER OF
OUR PROFESSIONAL STAFF, JULIE
GEORGE.
THEY'RE GOING TO WALK YOU
THROUGH THE PRESENTATION AND
WE'LL TAKE QUESTIONS AS WE GO.
THEN WE'LL WRAP IT UP WHEN WE
CONCLUDE.
SO I'LL TURN IT OVER TO CAPTAIN
JOHNSON AND JULIE.
>> THANK YOU.
>> OKAY, SO THE 2021 COVID-19
AND OTHER CHALLENGES, BIG
CHALLENGES WERE SEVERE STAFFING
SHORTAGES.
ALTERED WORK SCHEDULES AND
INSTITUTION INEQUITIES.
ARE SJ FOCUSED ON UPDATING
WORKPLACE POLICIES AND
PRACTICES, TARGETED FIREFIGHTER
RECRUITMENT PROCESS, INCREASING
RETENTION OF FIREFIGHTER
RECRUITS, AND OUR ANALYSIS AND
OUTCOME OF WORKPLACE
ASSIGNMENTS, PROMOTIONAL
PROCESSES, FIREFIGHTER RECRUIT
APPLICATION POOL AND RECRUIT
SCHOOL RETENTION THAT WE'LL BE
TALKING ABOUT IN THIS
PRESENTATION.
COVID-19 CHALLENGES, IN 2021
WE HAD 117 UNIFORM SEPARATIONS.
WE HAD FOUR DEATHS WITHIN A
PERIOD OF THREE MONTHS.
TWO OF THEM WERE VERY
UNEXPECTED.
WE HAD 22 DISMISSALS, 31
RESIGNATIONS, AND 60
RETIREMENTS.
THAT'S A LOT OF MOVEMENT AND
LOSS IN THE DEPARTMENT IN A
SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.
WE HAD 113 FIREFIGHTER
VACANCIES.
WE HAD A TOTAL OF 623 ISOLATED
OR QUARANTINED EMPLOYEES.
AND A SIGNIFICANT SEGMENT OF
PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYEES WITH
ALTERNATIVE WORK ARRANGEMENT
SCHEDULES.
THAT MEANS YOU WOULD COME INTO
WORK, YOU WOULD BE TRYING TO
HELP OUT IN OTHER DEPARTMENTS
BECAUSE YOU WERE THE ONLY ONE
ON THE FLOOR AND THE PHONE IS
RINGING, AND YOU DOVE IN, AND
YOU HELPED OUT.
>> BEFORE WE MOVE ON, OVER A
PERIOD OF TIME ARE WE LOOKING
AT HERE?
>> I'M SORRY.
>> OVER WHAT PERIOD OF TIME ARE
WE LOOKING AT?
>> THIS IS 2021.
THIS IS FOR THE YEAR.
>> SO THE ONE THING I THINK
ABOUT WHEN I SEE THIS QUOTE,
GREAT LEADERSHIP REQUIRES THAT
YOU SURROUND YOURSELF WITH
PEOPLE OF DIVERSE PERSPECTIVES
WHO CAN DISAGREE WITH YOU
WITHOUT FEAR OR RETALIATION.
I MYSELF AND THE CHANGE TEAM
ARE HUGE PROPONENTS IN EMPLOYEE
EMPOWERMENT, AND ONE OF THE
THINGS THAT WE DO APPRECIATE IS
THE FACT THAT CHIEF SCOGGINS
AND HELEN FITZPATRICK, THAT WE
ARE ALL AT THE TABLE.
WE HAVE THE SAME GOAL.
SOMETIMES OUR ROADS ARE A
LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
GETTING TO THAT GOAL.
BUT WE ARE ALWAYS AT THE TABLE
IF SOMETHING COMES UP, AND AT
TIMES WE DO DISAGREE, BUT WE
STILL KEEP MOVING FORWARD, AND
THAT'S APPRECIATED.
UPDATING WORKPLACE POLICIES AND
PROCESSES, A LOT OF THE
INSTITUTIONAL DISPARITIES THAT
THE TEAM FOCUSES ON IS THE LOW
OVERALL PERCENTAGE OF WOMEN AND
PEOPLE OF COLOR PARTICIPATING
IN PROMOTIONAL PROCESSES.
THE STRATEGY IS TO BE
INCLUSIVE.
WE HAVE INCLUSIVE LANGUAGE
ADDED TO DEPARTMENT MEMOS AND
POLICIES AND OPERATING
GUIDELINES THAT NOT ONLY HAVE
THE LANGUAGE ADDED, BUT TO
PRACTICE IT AND NOT JUST LET IT
GET LOST IN POLICY AND
OPERATING GUIDELINES, BUT TO BE
INTENTIONAL.
ALSO, EQUITABLE CHANGES IN THE
PROMOTIONAL PROCESS TO ALLOW IT
TO BE MORE INCLUSIVE.
SO THE NEXT PAGE IS AN EXAMPLE
OF ONE OF THE POLICIES THAT WE
HAVE IN OUR POLICY AND
OPERATING GUIDELINES.
AND IT'S TO LET PEOPLE KNOW
THAT WHEN THERE IS AN
OPPORTUNITY TO WORK ON THE
COMMITTEE OR TO BE PART OF
DEVELOPING A TRAINING OR
PARTICIPATE AS A FACILITATOR IN
CLASSES, THOSE ARE ALL THINGS
THAT HELP SOMEBODY AS THEY WANT
TO MOVE FORWARD IN LIFE.
AND NOT TO HAVE DISCRETIONARY
CHOOSING, BUT TO LET EVERYBODY
HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY, AND AN
OPPORTUNITY TO BE A PART IN
THAT.
LIKE I SAID, EVEN THOUGH IT'S
WRITTEN IN OUR POLICY AND
GUIDELINES, LET'S BE
INTENTIONAL ABOUT LOOKING AT
IT, UNDERSTANDING IT, AND
UTILIZING OUR NEW POLICY.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT OUR CURRENT
MAKEUP OF THE DEPARTMENT, THERE
IS 240 OFFICERS.
LIEUTENANTS, CAPTAINS, AND
CHIEFS.
94% OF THE LEADERSHIP IS MAIL,
WHICH LEAVES 5% FEMALE
LEADERSHIP.
80% OF THE LEADERSHIP IS WHITE.
LEAVING 20% OF OTHER RACIAL
MAKEUPS OF THE DEPARTMENT,
WHICH 20% IS NOT A LOT.
SO GOING FORWARD, ONE OF THE
THINGS WE TALKED ABOUT IN THE
LAST SLIDE WAS MAKING THINGS
INTENTIONAL SO PEOPLE CAN BE
PART OF SOMETHING IN ORDER TO
MOVE THEMSELVES FORWARD, AND
ONE OF THEM WAS TO LOOK AT THE
ORAL BOARD.
SO HISTORICALLY, MARGINALIZED
GROUPS DO BETTER ON ORAL BOARDS
THAN THEY DO ON STANDARDIZED
TESTING.
SO THANKS TO LIEUTENANT BUCKY
FOR TAKING THE LEAD ON THIS.
SHE AND CAPTAIN JOHNSON WORKED
ON A NEW PROMOTIONAL SCORING
PROCESS.
FLIP THE SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO THE OLD PROCESS WAS 60%
WAITED FOR A WRITTEN EXAM, 40%
WAS WAITED FOR THE ORAL BOARD
WITH THE 70% PASSING SCORE.
WITH THE WORK THAT THEY
ACCOMPLISHED, THE NEW CROSS IS
50% WAIT FOR WRITTEN AND 60%
ORAL BOARD WITH THE PASSING
SCORE.
THERE ANY QUESTIONS?
THE NEXT INTENTIONAL THING THAT
WE WORK ON IS THE TARGETED
FIREFIGHTER RECRUITMENT
PROCESS.
CURRENTLY THERE IS 964
REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYEES.
OUT OF THAT, 898 OUR MAIL.
SO WE HAVE 66 FEMALE
FIREFIGHTERS.
74% FIREFIGHTERS ARE WHITE AND
THEN IT GOES DOWN TO 1.5
AMERICAN INDIAN, 5% ASIAN, 6%
HISPANIC LATINO, 6% AFRICAN
AMERICAN, 7% TWO OR MORE.
WE HAVE, DUE TO THE STAFFING
SHORTAGE, WE DID HAVE AN
ACCELERATED, TARGETED
RECRUITMENT, WHICH FOCUSED A
LOT ON THE OUT REACH TO THE
COMMUNITY.
IT WAS OPEN FROM MARCH 1, AND
THE FINAL DAY THAT YOU COULD
TAKE YOUR TEST WAS APRIL 19th,
WHICH IS GENERALLY OUR PROCESS
WOULD BE OPEN FOR THREE MONTHS
DURING THE SUMMER TIME TO
CAPTURE PEOPLE COMING HOME FROM
COLLEGE.
SO A LOT OF WORK WENT INTO
BEING INTENTIONAL IN THESE SIX,
SEVEN WEEKS THAT WE HAD IT
OPEN.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DID
IS SEATTLE FIRE HOSTED THE KING
COUNTY FIRE CHIEFS ASSOCIATION
HOSTED A DIVERSITY AND EQUITY
RECRUITMENT WORKS.
THEY HAVE TWO OF THEM A YEAR.
CHIEF, DO YOU WANT TO SPEAK ON
THAT A LITTLE BIT?
>> SURE, SO THE KING COUNTY
FIRE CHIEFS, THIS IS AN ISSUE
THAT'S FACING OUR REGION, OUR
STATE.
WE ARE TRYING TO TAKE
INTENTIONAL ACTIONS.
SO WE'VE DONE A NUMBER OF
THINGS FOR DIVERSITY, EQUITY,
AND INCLUSION COMMITTEE THAT I
SERVE AS THE CHAIR OF.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE SAW IN THE
DIVERSITY RECRUITMENT WORKSHOP,
OUR GOAL IS TO TWO A YEAR AND
WE ROTATING IT AROUND KING
COUNTY.
WE'VE DONE TWO SO FAR IN
DECEMBER, WE DID ONE IN
BELLEVUE AND ONE IN APRIL, WE
DID THE SECOND ONE IN SEATTLE
AND THE NEXT ONE WILL BE COMING
UP IN THE FALL IN RENTON.
WE ARE PLANNING ALSO FOR 2023.
THE OTHER THING THAT WE'VE DONE
IS HOSTED WOMEN AND EMS AND
FIRE EVENTS TO GIVE WOMEN IN
OUR REGION A TWO DAY
EXPERIENCE, HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE
OF WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A
FIREFIGHTER.
THEY GET TO PUT THE GEAR ON.
THEY GET TO DO THE WORK.
WE'VE DONE SOME OF THOSE OVER
THE LAST FOUR YEARS.
SO WE ARE TRYING TO BE VERY
INTENTIONAL IN OUR EFFORTS AND
HOW WE RECRUIT, AND HOW WE
COMMUNICATE, SO THIS EVENT,
IT'S GOOD FOR THE YOUNG PEOPLE
IN OUR REGION TO SEE ALL THE
DIFFERENT PATCHES IN THE ROOM,
BECAUSE SEATTLE CAN'T HIRE
EVERYBODY.'S OUR GOAL IS TO TRY
AND INCREASE DIVERSITY
THROUGHOUT OUR REGION.
SO THAT'S WHAT THIS EVENT WAS
ON APRIL 9th.
>> I DID HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT
THE CONTINUED USE OF THE ORAL
BOARDS.
CAN YOU TALK ABOUT WHETHER OR
NOT WE ARE CONTINUING THEIR
USE, GIVEN THE GOOD OUTCOMES
THAT WE ARE SEEING FROM THEM?
>> CAN YOU REPEAT THE QUESTION?
>> THE ORAL BOARDS, ARE THEY
CONTINUING?
FOR SOME REASON I HAD
RECOLLECTED THAT THERE WAS SOME
ISSUE WITH THEIR CONTINUATION
IN 2022.
>> AS FAR AS I KNOW, AND CHIEF,
MAYBE YOU KNOW, CAN SPEAK TO IT
ALSO.
AS FAR AS I KNOW, WE STILL DO
THE ORAL BOARDS FOR
PROMOTIONALS.
ARE YOU TALKING ENTRY-LEVEL?
>> ENTRY-LEVEL, YES.
>> ENTRY-LEVEL, IT'S A LITTLE
DIFFERENT BECAUSE WE ARE A
LITTLE RUSHED ON TRYING TO GET
PEOPLE THROUGH, BECAUSE OF OUR
SHORT STAFFING, AND WE ARE
DOING THE ORAL BOARDS, IT'S ON
THE SIDE OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT
RIGHT NOW, AND CHIEF, CAN YOU
ELABORATE AT ALL ON THAT?
>> YES, WE WILL CONTINUE TO USE
THE ORAL BOARD.
THE WRITTEN HAS BEEN DONE.
WE'LL RECEIVE A LIST FROM
PUBLIC FACING CIVIL SERVICE,
PROBABLY IN THE NEXT 2 OR 3
WEEKS.
THAT WILL BE THE CERTIFIED
REGISTERED . THEN WHEN WE GET
THE REGISTER AND WE START OUR
HIRING PROCESS FOR OUR FEBRUARY
OF 2023 CLASS.
THE FIRST PIECE OF THAT WILL BE
THE ORAL BOARDS THAT WILL TAKE
OFF PROBABLY IN AUGUST OR
SEPTEMBER, AND THAT SHOULD GIVE
US ENOUGH TIME TO GET ENOUGH
PEOPLE THROUGH THE PROCESS TO
GET THEM HIRED BY FEBRUARY OF
2023.
>> THANK YOU.
>> HERE IS JUST A LOOK AT SOME
OF OUR SOCIAL MEDIA OUTREACH OF
DIFFERENT PICTURES THAT WE HAD,
ADVERTISING THAT WE HAD, OPEN
APPLICATION PERIOD.
AND ON THE NEXT PAGE, WE HEAD
UP TO FIVE LANGUAGES FOR THE
SOCIAL MEDIA ADS THAT WENT OUT
TO DIFFERENT LOCAL COMMUNITY
NEWSPAPERS.
WE DID A HUGE HIT ON THE
INTERNET VERSUS FACEBOOK,
INSTAGRAM.
AND THEN WE HAD TO GET A LITTLE
CREATIVE.
SO SIX WEEKS REALLY IS A SHORT
PERIOD OF TIME WHEN YOU'RE
TESTING FOR THE DEPARTMENT.
YOU KNOW ONE, YOU WANT TO MAKE
SURE THAT THE WORD GETS OUT,
EVERYBODY KNOWS.
WE WEREN'T HAVING AS MANY
THINGS IN PERSON AS WE
GENERALLY WOULD.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS WE DID FOR
THE MONTH OF MARCH IS WE HAD
THESE THREE DIFFERENT WEBINARS
THAT WERE LIVE WEBINARS THAT
PEOPLE FOR FREE COULD GO ON TO
FACEBOOK AND PARTICIPATE.
THE FIRST ONE TALKED ABOUT JUST
AN OVERALL VIEW OF WHAT TO
EXPECT WHEN YOU'RE IN THE
HIRING PROCESS.
THE SECOND ONE, WHICH IS A
MYSTERY TO A LOT OF PEOPLE, IS
WHAT DO YOU EXPECT WHEN YOU'RE
IN RECRUIT SCHOOL, SO WE HAD
TWO DIFFERENT FIREFIGHTERS WHO
RECENTLY GRADUATED OUT OF
RECRUIT SCHOOL AND AHEAD OF
THAT WEBINAR, AND THEN THE LAST
ONE WAS DIFFERENT
OPPORTUNITIES, THAT THERE IS
WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT, AND ALL
OF THESE WEBINARS WERE WELL
RECEIVED AT THE END OF THE
PRESENTATION, THE PUBLIC COULD
TYPE IN QUESTIONS THROUGH
FACEBOOK AND GET THEIR
QUESTIONS ANSWERED, AND THEN
FROM THERE, IF THEY STILL HAD
FURTHER QUESTIONS, THEY COULD
GIVE US A CALL IN THE OFFICE
THE NEXT DAY AND WE WERE MORE
THAN HAPPY TO ANSWER THEIR
QUESTIONS.
>> IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT THE
WEBINARS WERE RECORDED.
SO EVEN IF THE INDIVIDUAL
COULDN'T ATTEND THE LIVE
WEBINAR, THEY WERE ABLE TO GO
TO SEATTLE FIRE JOBS.COM AND
THEY COULD CLICK ON AND WATCH
THE WEBINAR, ANY OF THESE.
THAT WAS REALLY HELPFUL BECAUSE
A LOT OF PEOPLE, DUE TO LIFE
AND THEIR WORK SCHEDULES, THEY
MAY NOT FIT THE EXACT TIMEFRAME
WHEN IT'S LIVE, BUT WHAT WE
FOUND WAS MANY PEOPLE WENT BACK
AND WATCHED IT LATER, AND SOME
PEOPLE WATCHED IT MULTIPLE
TIMES.
>> DURING THIS TIME WE HAD A
FEW IN PERSON EVENTS.
WE CONTINUE TO PLANT THE SEED
TO PARTICIPATE WITH HIGH
SCHOOLS AND THEIR PROGRAMS, TO
GIVE THE KIDS AN OPPORTUNITY TO
LEARN ABOUT THE CAREER AS A
FIREFIGHTER.
THERE WAS A COUPLE COMMUNITY
FAIRS AND THEN RECRUIT SCHOOL
RETENTION.
>> YOU CAN SEE THE RECRUIT
SCHOOL RETENTION REALLY, THIS
WHOLE PRESENTATION HAS THREE
PRONGS TO IT.
WE HAVE FIREFIGHTERS.
WE ARE TRYING TO RECRUIT
PEOPLE.
WE HAVE RECRUIT SCHOOL, WHICH
WE ALWAYS HAVE SOME CHALLENGES
IN THAT WE ARE TRYING TO
INSTRUCT OR TEACH PEOPLE HOW TO
RESPOND TO AN EMERGENCY IN THE
CITY WITHIN 16 WEEKS, SO THAT
IS A BIG BITE OF AN APPLE WHEN
THESE INDIVIDUALS HAVEN'T EVEN
EVER MASKED UP OR PUT PUNKING
GEAR ON, OR EVEN KNOW WHERE TO
SIT ON A FIRE ENGINE.
SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE TRYING TO DO
CLASSES OF 80.
THE SLIDES IS 35 TO 40, SO
REALLY TRYING TO UP OUR
NUMBERS, AND THAT IS A
CHALLENGE FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE
NEW, BECAUSE WE HAVE TO HAVE
REPETITION AND REPS TO BE ABLE
TO OPERATE A CHAINSAW SAFELY,
YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO CUT
WITH A CHAINSAW REPEATEDLY.
SAME THING IF WE ARE ATTACKING
A FIRE IN A RESIDENTIAL
STRUCTURE IN A BASEMENT.
GETTING THOSE REPS THROUGH WITH
80 PEOPLE IN 16 WEEKS IS A BIG
CHALLENGE FOR US.
I DO WANT TO TAKE A SECOND AND
JUST NOT ONLY THANK CHIEF
SCOGGINS TO MY RIGHT, BUT ALSO
THE PERSON BEHIND ME, WHO IS
HELEN, REALLY PUSHING AND
ADVOCATING FOR ALL OF THESE.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THEY DO
IN LEADERSHIP IS PUT PEOPLE IN
THE RIGHT PLACES, AT THE RIGHT
TIME.
RIGHT NOW WE HAVE A DEPUTY
CHIEF IN TRAINING, MELISSA
CANDY, WHO I BELIEVE IS THE
RIGHT PERSON AT THE RIGHT TIME,
REALLY ADVOCATING FOR A LOT OF
THE CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE IN
KEEPING WOMEN AND PEOPLE OF
COLOR IN THE RECRUIT SCHOOL, AS
WELL AS MAKING SURE THEY ARE
TRAINED ADEQUATELY TO THE
NATIONAL, STATE, AND STATE
STANDARDS.
SO THE WOMEN RECRUIT RETENTION,
SIGNIFICANT ADMISSIONS IN
RECRUIT SCHOOL RIGHT NOW, WHERE
THE CHALLENGES WE LOSE ABOUT
HALF THE WOMEN IN RECRUIT
SCHOOL EVERY TIME.
SO WE HAVE SOME THINGS IN PLACE
THAT THEY CAN COME BACK, DO
SOME EXERCISES, WORK OUT AND
MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE
PSYCHOLOGICALLY AND MENTALLY
READY.
ALSO, PEOPLE OF COLOR.
WE'VE HAD SOME CHALLENGES, AND
RIGHT NOW IT'S -- THE CHALLENGE
OF ASIANS STAYING IN RECRUIT
SCHOOL.
SO WE'VE DONE CURRICULUM,
CHANGES TO CREATE MORE EQUITY
IN CANDIDATES WITHOUT PRIOR
FIREFIGHTING EXPERIENCES.
I THINK THAT IS ON THE NEXT
SLIDE, WHAT THOSE CURRENT
CHANGES ARE.
CLASS OF 113 WHICH WAS AUGUST
OF 2020, AFTER 16 WEEKS, WE
CHOSE WEEK FIVE AS A REST AND
RECOVERY WEEK.
IT'S A LOT OF BOOK WORK AND
TESTING THAT WEEK.
THEY'RE NOT ON THE DRILL COURT
AS OFTEN, GIVE THEM A CHANCE TO
HAVE THAT BODY HEAL.
THEY ALSO ADJUSTED, OR WE ALSO
ADJUSTED, HAVING BOTH ENGINE
AND TRUCK FOR ALL RECRUITS TO
MAINTAIN SKILL RETENTION.
IN THE PAST WE HAVE THE SCHOOL
SEPARATED FROM TRUCK WORK,
WHICH WOULD, FOR EXAMPLE, THE
CUTTING WITH CHAINSAWS AND
FORCIBLE ENTRY, AND ENGINE
WORK, WHICH IS USING AND
MANIPULATING THE HOSE LINES.
WE HAVE COMBINED THOSE SO WE
HAVE MORE RETENTION AND WE
DON'T HAVE SKILL DEGRADATION
OVER THE TWO WEEK PERIOD THAT
YOU'RE ON JUST DOING ONE SKILL.
FEBRUARY OF 2021, THE
LEADERSHIP AND TRAINING DECIDED
TO REFINE THE METHODOLOGY AND
ROTATIONS TO INCREASE EQUIPMENT
EXPERIENCE.
I BELIEVE THAT WE STOPPED
PUMPING IN RECRUIT SCHOOL IN
THE PAST, AND ALSO FOCUSING ON
WHAT THEY ARE GOING TO BE DOING
WHEN THEY GO OUT TO OPERATIONS,
WHICH IS WRITING THE TOEBOARD,
PULLING HOLES, FORCIBLE ENTRY,
ET CETERA.
>> UNDER ANALYSIS AND OUTCOMES,
ONE, UPDATING POLICIES AND
PROCESSES, ACTIVELY MONITORING
THE PERCENTAGES OF HISTORICAL
DISADVANTAGE OF GROUPS, SERVICE
SUPPLY FOR PROMOTIONAL
OPPORTUNITIES FOR MEANINGFUL
INCREASES.
SO WE CONSTANTLY ARE LOOKING AT
THE NUMBERS OF WHO IS NOT GOING
FORWARD, AND KEEPING -- I WOULD
SAY MORE PEOPLE ARE INVOLVED IN
THIS THAN WHAT WE'VE HAD IN THE
PAST . THEN WE ALSO CONTINUE,
WHICH IS REALLY TOUGH
SOMETIMES, DURING A STAFFING
SHORTAGE, IS CHANGING THE
CURRENT PROCESS AND POLICIES OF
DISCRETIONARY SELECTION.
LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, IT WOULD BE
TECH TEAMS, WHETHER HAZMAT TEAM
OR TECHNICAL RESCUE TEAM.
WINDOW LIST IS EXHAUSTED, THE
CAPTAINS HAVE THE DISCRETION TO
GO OUT AND DO THEIR OWN
SELECTION FOR HE WAS GOING TO
TAKE THAT SEAT.
AND WEIRD STILL CONTINUALLY
TRYING TO MITIGATE AGAINST
INSTITUTIONAL RACISM AND
IMPROPER BIAS BY DOING THAT.
BUT SOME OF THESE THINGS ARE
TOUGH, WHEN YOU'RE SHORT.
THE SECOND PART OF THE ANALYSIS
AND OUTCOMES IS TARGETED
RECRUITMENT PROCESS FOR 2023,
THAT WE JUST WENT THROUGH, THAT
WE ARE REAFFIRMING LOCAL
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, GETTING
TO KNOW THE COMMUNITY BETTER,
PARTNERSHIP WITH THE COMMUNITY,
AND OUTREACH RESULTING IN
SIGNIFICANT PERCENTAGES OF
APPLICANTS IN OUR BACKYARD.
SO WITH THIS LAST PROCESS, WE
DID HAVE 530 APPLICANTS FROM
98118, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS
PRETTY INCREDIBLE.
WE ARE ALSO LOOKING AT
DETERMINING WHY THERE IS A
PATTERN OF SIGNIFICANT
APPLICANT DROP-OFFS IN THE
EARLY PART OF THE PROCESS.
YOU'LL SEE THIS ON THE NEXT
SLIDE.
WE HAVE TALKED TO SEATTLE HR
AND NTN IN THE APPLICATION AND
SCHEDULING AND TESTING, TO HELP
US LOOK AT AND IMPLEMENT NEW
SPECIFIC AND INDIVIDUALIZED
ASSISTANCE FOR THESE LOST
APPLICANTS, FROM HISTORICALLY
DISADVANTAGED GROUPS.
AND THEN THE NEXT SLIDE, THIS
TIME ON THE REGISTER THAT TOOK
THE TEST, THERE WAS 2022 FROM
WASHINGTON, AND THERE WAS 932
FROM OUT-OF-STATE.
SO WE HAD A TOTAL OF ALMOST
3000 THAT APPLIED.
>> IF I CAN JUST ASK YOU TO
PAUSE RIGHT THERE, THAT'S IN
SIX WEEKS.
SO FROM MARCH 1st TO APRIL
19th, WE HAD 2900 PEOPLE TURN
IN APPLICATIONS TO JOIN THE
SEATTLE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
TO ME, THAT'S PRETTY
SIGNIFICANT.
IT SHOWED THAT OUR MARKETING
AND RECRUITMENT STRATEGY WORKED
WITH OUR PUBLIC AFFAIRS TEAM
AND OUR RECRUITMENT AND
OUTREACH TEAM.
SO I TOLD OUR TEAM THAT WE
SHOULD REALLY BE PROUD OF THAT,
BECAUSE IN SIX WEEKS, WE
RECEIVED 2900 APPLICATIONS FOR
THE SEATTLE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE I
PAUSED AND IT KNOWLEDGED THAT.
>> IT'S DEFINITELY WORTHY OF A
PAUSE, FOR SURE.
IT'S AMAZING.
SO ON THE NEXT SLIDE YOU'LL GET
TO SEE -- FLIP TO THE NEXT
SLIDE.
SO AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT I WAS
TALKING ABOUT IN THE EARLIER IS
IF YOU LOOK AT LACK OR AFRICAN
AMERICAN, 352 THAT APPLIED, YOU
HAD 256 SCHEDULED AGAINST THEM
BUT ONLY 184 COMPLETED THE
PROCESS.
AND THAT NUMBER GOES ON TO
SHOW, LIKE THE NUMBER OF
FEMALES THAT FIRST APPLIED WAS
354, 301 SCHEDULED, BUT ONLY
231 COMPLETED THE PROCESS.
SO WE ARE CURIOUS TO WHAT
HAPPENS TO THOSE PEOPLE THAT
DROP OUT, AND I'D BE CURIOUS TO
SEE ONCE WE GET THE NUMBERS
FROM NTN AND SEATTLE HR, IS OUT
OF THE 530 THAT APPLIED, OUT OF
THE ZIP CODE 98118, HOW MANY OF
THEM STUCK WITH IT.
AND IF THEY DIDN'T STICK WITH
IT, WHAT ARE WE MISSING TO KEEP
THEM ENGAGED IN THE PROCESS?
JUST PAUSE HERE.
COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN .
>> THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU'RE
DOING, FOR DAYLIGHTING THESE
NUMBERS FOR US.
ACTUALLY WENT THROUGH AN
ACADEMY IN CALIFORNIA MANY
YEARS AGO, SO I'M A LITTLE BIT
FAMILIAR WITH THIS PROCESS.
AND JUST LOOKING AT THE
NUMBERS, SO IF I TAKE THE
INFORMATION FROM SLIDE 9, 15,
AND 20, AND LET'S JUST SAY ON
THIS SLIDE 20, SO SLIDE 9 SAYS
THERE'S 7% FEMALE IN THE RANK
AND FILE.
SLIDE 15 SAYS THE RECRUITS SORT
OF GO DOWN OVER TIME AND SLIDE
20, IF I LOOK AT THE FEMALE ROW
HERE, IT LOOKS LIKE THE
PERCENTAGE FROM THE APPLIED ALL
THE WAY TO THE END STAYS AT
ABOUT 11%, 11% TO 12%.
SO IT SEEMS LIKE WHAT WE NEED
TO HAPPEN IS TO GO FURTHER UP
STREAM, TO THE HIGH SCHOOLS,
AND MAY BE A FIRST YEAR
COMMUNITY COLLEGE, AND TO GET
PEOPLE WHO STUDY FIRE SCIENCE
TO GET INVOLVED EARLIER IN HIGH
SCHOOL AND PERHAPS THROUGH
THOSE STUDYING TO BE EMTS,
GETTING THEM INTERESTED IN
FIREFIGHTING, TO GOING FURTHER
UPSTREAM IN HIGH SCHOOL AND EMT
PROGRAM SEEMS TO BE, BECAUSE IF
YOU'VE GOT 7% CURRENTLY AND
YOU'VE GOT 11% MAKING IT
THROUGH HERE, IT SEEMS LIKE YOU
WON'T MOVE THE NEEDLE
DRAMATICALLY UNLESS YOU GET
MORE APPLICANTS TO GET THAT
11%, 12% APPLICANTS TO GO UP.
IN TERMS OF WHY PEOPLE DROP OFF
DURING THE PROCESS, SINCE THIS
HAPPENED IN APRIL, PERHAPS
THERE NEEDS TO BE AN EXIT
INTERVIEW PROCESS, MAY BE DONE
BY HR, WHY PEOPLE DROP DOWN,
AND THEN YOU CAN REENGINEER HOW
TO PREVENT THAT DROP OFF.
JUST IT SEEMS LIKE THE WAY TO
GET THE NUMBER UP FOR FEMALE
RECRUITS IS TO GO EARLIER IN
THE PROCESS, TO HIGH SCHOOLS.
I DON'T KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS ON
THAT.
>> TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, I'M A
BIG PROPONENT FROM THE HIGH
SCHOOLS.
I JUST HAD A DAUGHTER GRADUATE
AND I FIND THAT HIGH SCHOOLS
RIGHT NOW ARE REALLY LOOKING AT
THE KIDS GOING INTO COLLEGE,
WHICH I THINK IS A GREAT
AVENUE.
SOMETIMES YOU HAVE A KID WHO
THAT'S NOT THE AVENUE THAT
COULD BE FOR THEM, BUT I TRIED
TO GET INVITED TO THE TABLE,
SAYING THIS IS A VIABLE
OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A CAREER.
AND WE ARE FINDING THAT THE
HIGH SCHOOLS ARE -- IT WAS HARD
DURING COVID, BUT ONCE WE COME,
THEY'RE ALWAYS LIKE, OH MY GOD,
WILL YOU COME AGAIN NEXT YEAR
AND LET US KNOW?
THAT IS A VERY IMPORTANT ONE
FOR JUST ME SITTING AT THE FIRE
DEPARTMENT, THAT WE CONTINUE TO
PLANT THE SEED.
AND I THINK THE OTHER PART TO
THIS IS CONTINUE WITH THE FIRE
AND THE WOMEN IN EMS, AND HAVE
THEM BELIEVE THAT YES, YOU CAN
DO THIS JOB, AS WELL.
>> DID THE COMMUNITY FOLLOW UP
QUESTION -- TO THE COMMUNITY
COLLEGES OFFER FIRE SCIENCE
PROGRAMS THAT ARE CONNECTED
WITH THE DEPARTMENTS IN THE
AREA?
>> THE ANSWER TO THE FIRST PART
OF THE QUESTION ON THE HIGH
SCHOOL, WE PARTNER WITH SEATTLE
PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
DANIEL WILSON IS THE PRINCIPAL
OF SEATTLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS
TECHNICAL PROGRAMS.
THEY HAVE A FIRE PROGRAM AT
SEATTLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS, SO WE
WORK WITH THEM.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, LAST MONTH
THE STUDENTS IN THE PROGRAM
JUST CAME OUT TO THE FIRE
BUILDING.
WE GAVE THEM A RIDE.
THEY PULLED OUT THEIR GEAR.
SO WE ARE CONNECTING WITH THE
PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND TRYING TO
GET FURTHER UPSTREAM.
IN SEPTEMBER, NORTH SEATTLE
COLLEGE STARTED THE FIRE
SCIENCE DEGREE PROGRAM.
REALLY WELL RECEIVED BY THE
COMMUNITY.
THEY THOUGHT THAT THEY WOULD
GET TWO CLASSES OF 30.
THEY ACTUALLY GOT FOUR CLASSES
OF 30.
SO WE CONTINUE TO PARTNER WITH
THEM.
LATER ON IN THE SUMMER WE ARE
FAIR AT NORTH SEATTLE COLLEGE
AND CONTINUING TO EXPAND THAT.
WE ARE THINKING JUST LIKE YOU.
ALSO AS JULIE MENTIONED, OUR
WOMEN IN EMS AND FIRE PROGRAM,
WE ARE BIG SUPPORTERS OF THAT.
AND THEN CONTINUING TO GET OUT
IN THE COMMUNITY, TO TURN THE
LIGHT ON IN THE ROOM, TO LET
PEOPLE KNOW THAT THIS IS A
REALLY GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR
THEM.
>> THANK YOU.
>> CAN WE GO BACK TO THAT LAST
SLIDE REALLY QUICK?
SO I WANTED TO JUST POINT OUT,
WE HAD 2900 PEOPLE APPLY.
WE HAD JUST UNDER 2000 COMPLETE
ALL PHASES OF THAT PROCESS.
SO WE'LL BE DOING A DEBRIEF
WITH PUBLIC SAFETY CIVIL
SERVICE THIS MONTH ON WHY.
SO TO TRY TO UNDERSTAND HOW
THAT FALL OFF HAPPENED, AS
COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN JUST
POINTED OUT, YOU CAN LOOK AT
THE TRENDING FROM THE
PERCENTAGES OF THOSE WHO
APPLIED TO THOSE WHO COMPLETED
THE PROCESS.
AND ABOUT 35% OF OUR POPULATION
THAT COMPLETED THE PROCESS IS
ACTUALLY PEOPLE OF COLOR.
IF YOU LOOK AT OUR LIST IN THE
PAST, IT WASN'T THAT HIGH OF A
NUMBER.
SO OUR RECRUITMENT EFFORTS ARE
PAYING OFF.
THEY ARE AND WHERE WE WANT THEM
TO BE BUT THEY ARE PAYING OFF,
IF YOU JUST LOOK AT THE
TRENDING THERE ON HOW THE
PERCENTAGES ARE.
ALL OF THOSE PERCENTAGES ON THE
FAR RIGHT COLUMN ARE HIGHER
THAN THE PERCENTAGES THAT WE
HAVE IN THE DEPARTMENT.
SO WE ARE TRENDING IN THE RIGHT
DIRECTION.
IT'S GOING TO TAKE SOME TIME TO
GET THERE.
BUT I BELIEVE OUR EFFORTS WILL
START TO PAY OFF OVER TIME.
>> UNDER ANALYSIS AND OUTCOMES,
NUMBER THREE, RECRUITS
RETENTION.
WE ARE CONTINUING TO PARTNER
WITH THE EQUITY COMMITTED
TRENDING DIVISION TO INCREASE
RETENTION OF FEMALE AND PERSONS
OF COLOR, RECRUITS WERE
BENEFICIAL AND INFORMATIONAL
CHANGES THAT RECRUIT SCHOOL,
WHICH IS HUGE FOR MANY YEARS
THAT I WORKED AT THE
DEPARTMENT.
THERE WAS NO CHANGES IN RECRUIT
SCHOOL AND NOW THAT WE'RE AT
THE TABLE TALKING ABOUT IT, FOR
ME IT'S A BIG WIN.
AND THEN, MONITORING OR SERVING
SUCCESS RECRUITS TO BETTER
UNDERSTAND WHAT ADDITIONAL
CHANGES COULD ENHANCE MORE
RETAINED DIVERSE RECRUITS FOR
TOMORROW'S FIREFIGHTERS AND
EMTS.
THEY'RE ALWAYS WELCOME TO
SUGGESTIONS, TO HAVE MEETINGS,
AND LIKE I SAID, THAT YEARS AGO
THAT WASN'T PART OF THE FACE OF
THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
SO NOW TO HAVE THAT, THAT WE
CAN SIT DOWN AND HAVE
CONVERSATIONS, IS A GREAT
IMPROVEMENT.
DIVERSITY IS BEING INVITED TO A
PARTY BUT INVITATION IS NOT
ENOUGH.
INCLUSION IS BEING ASKED TO
DANCE AT THE PARTY.
PARTICIPATION IS THE KEY TO
EFFECTIVELY COMBATING RACISM
AND DISCRIMINATION.
YOU KNOW FROM THE OUR SJ TEAM,
OUR VISION IS THAT PEOPLE BEING
HIRED INTO THE DEPARTMENT,
WHETHER YOU'RE A CIVILIAN OR
UNIFORM, THAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
ON YOUR FIRST DAY THAT YOU
SHOULD BE ABLE TO BRING YOUR
DANCING SHOES WITH YOU.
AND WE ARE MAKING CHANGES.
SOMETIMES NOT AS QUICK AS THE
TEAM WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT.
BUT WE APPRECIATE ALL THE
SUPPORT THAT WE GET FROM CHIEF
SCOGGINS AND FROM HELEN AND THE
LEADERSHIP, IN ORDER TO MOVE
THINGS FORWARD.
ANY QUESTIONS?
>> JUST I WANT TO NOTE THAT
THESE ARE EFFORTS.
I KNOW THE DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN
WORKING ON FOR A VERY, VERY
LONG TIME.
I KNOW THAT ALL OF OUR
DEPARTMENTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY
HAVE HAD OUR SJ I GOALS AND
FOCUS ON POLICY ADJUSTMENTS TO
LIVE THOSE VALUES.
BUT MY RECOLLECTION IS THAT THE
FIRE DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN REALLY
WORKING HARD TOWARDS
DIVERSIFYING THE DEPARTMENT IN
A WAY THAT PREDATES THE
INTENTIONAL OBJECTIVE OF THE
RSG I INITIATIVE.
AND I RECOGNIZE AS WELL THAT
THE REASON WHY YOU DO THIS WORK
IS BECAUSE YOU RECOGNIZE HOW
IMPORTANT IT IS TO LIVE YOUR
VALUES AS A DEPARTMENT, HELP US
LIVE OUR VALUES AS A CITY, TO
MAKE SURE THAT WE DO HAVE A
DIVERSIFIED WORKFORCE SERVING
THE PUBLIC, AND I ALSO JUST
WANT TO TAKE A MINUTE, THE
POLICIES AND RECRUITMENT
EFFORTS ASIDE, I APPRECIATE ALL
THE WORK OF ALL THE MEN AND
WOMEN IN THE SEATTLE FIRE
DEPARTMENT.
BUT REALLY WANT TO THANK CHIEF
SCOGGINS FOR HIS COMMITMENT TO
THIS WORK.
AND THE INDIVIDUAL ACTIONS THAT
HE HAS TAKEN HIMSELF TO MAKE
CLEAR TO EVERYBODY IN THE
DEPARTMENT WHAT THE
EXPECTATIONS ARE OF THE
DEPARTMENT, TO LET EVERYBODY
KNOW THAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT
HAS NO TOLERANCE FOR RACISM OR
WHITE SUPREMACY WITHIN THE
DEPARTMENT, AND THE EFFORTS
THAT HE HAS MADE TO EXPRESS
THAT IN A WAY THAT IS CLEAR AND
SOMETHING, AND JUST HOLDING
FOLKS ACCOUNTABLE FOR THAT.
I THINK IT'S JUST A REALLY
IMPORTANT EXAMPLE FOR OUR CITY,
AND IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE THAT
NEW PEOPLE COMING INTO THE
DEPARTMENT FEEL WELCOME, AND
SECURE, AND SAFE, IN DOING THE
LIFE-SAVING WORK THAT YOU ALL
DO.
SO THANK YOU.
>> I COULD JUST THANK CAPTAIN
JOHNSON AND JULIE GEORGE FOR
LEADING OUR CHANGE TEAM.
I KNOW IT'S A REALLY HARD JOB.
WE HAVE A REALLY HONEST AND
HARD CONVERSATION BUT THAT'S
HOW WE MAKE CHANGE ALONG THE
WAY.
WE KNOW WE HAVE A VERY
DIFFICULT JOB TO DO AS THE
COMMUNITY GOT TO SEE ONCE AGAIN
ON SUNDAY AT EIGHTH AND
MADISON, FIREFIGHTERS DID AN
ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE JOB WITH
EIGHT RESCUES.
SOME OF YOU MAY HAVE SEEN THE
PICTURE OF ONE OF OUR
FIREFIGHTERS BRINGING THE MOM
AND BABY DOWN THE LADDER.
MORE PEOPLE CAME OUT OF THE
BUILDING.
TWO STILL ARE IN CRITICAL
CONDITION BUT WE KNOW IT'S A
VERY, VERY DIFFICULT JOB, SO
YOU HAVE TO MAKE SURE OUR FOLKS
ARE WELL TRAINED, AND WE DON'T
DO ANYTHING ON OUR OWN.
WE RELY ON OUR PARTNERS FROM
SPD.
THE MAYOR SHOWED UP TO TALK TO
THE RESIDENCE AND THEN THE WORK
STILL GOES ON TODAY.
AS DIRECTOR MAYOR MENTIONED ON
HER PRESENTATION, WITH OEM AND
HSD AND THE OFFICE OF HOUSING
AND PARKS, TO TRY TO CONTINUE
THE WORK TO MAKE SURE THOSE
PEOPLE GET A PLACE TO LIVE.
SO WE KNOW IT'S A HARD JOB BUT
WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO
PUSH FORWARD AND THANK YOU FOR
YOUR ONGOING SUPPORT.
IT IS APPRECIATED.
THANK YOU.
>> WILL THE CLERK PLEASE READ
IN AGENDA ITEM NUMBER THREE?
>> COMMITTEE AGENDA ITEM NUMBER
THREE, FIRST QUARTER, SEATTLE
POLICE DEPARTMENT FINANCE AND
RESPONSE REPORT WITH TIME FOR
BRIEFING AND DISCUSSION.
>> THIS IS A PRESENTATION ON
THE QUARTERLY UPDATES REQUESTED
BY COUNCIL FROM THE SEATTLE
POLICE DEPARTMENT , GREG DOSS
OF COUNCIL CENTRAL STAFF WILL
BE PRESENTING THE STAFFING
PORTION OF THE QUARTERLY
REPORTING WAS INCLUDED IN A
PREVIOUS MEETING, SO WE ARE
GOING TO BE FOCUSING ON THE
FINANCES AND RESPONSE TIME
REPORT.
COULD YOU PLEASE LEAD US
THROUGH THE PRESENTATION?
>> THANK YOU, YES.
GOOD MORNING, MADAM CHAIR AND
COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
GREG DOSS, CENTRAL STAFF.
AS THE CHAIR MENTIONED HERE
TODAY, BECAUSE I'M GOING TO
TALK WITH YOU ABOUT SPD
FINANCES AND RESPONSE TIMES,
I'LL TRY TO MAKE THE FINANCE
COMPONENT AS PAINLESS AS
POSSIBLE AND GO AS QUICK AS
POSSIBLE.
AS COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD
MENTIONED, THESE ARE
PRESENTATIONS THAT COME
QUARTERLY AND NORMALLY WOULD
INCLUDE A COMPONENT ON
STAFFING.
HOWEVER, THIS ONE WILL NOT
INCLUDE THE STAFFING BECAUSE WE
HANDLED THE STAFFING, THE
COMPONENT OF THAT ON APRIL
26th, IN ORDER TO ADDRESS THE
HIRING INCENTIVES DISCUSSION AND
RESOLUTION OF THAT BILL THAT
WAS BEFORE THE COMMITTEE AT
THAT TIME.
WE ARE JUST GOING TO JUMP INTO
FINANCES AND RESPONSE TIMES
TODAY.
SO WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO JUMP
RIGHT IN AND FEEL FREE TO ASK
ME QUESTIONS ALONG THE WAY.
SO FINANCE MONITORING, OKAY.
SO AFTER A COUPLE YEARS OF
THESE PRESENTATIONS, MEMBERS
ARE PROBABLY GETTING FAMILIAR
WITH THE FACT THAT ALMOST ALL
OF SPD'S EXPENDITURES FALL INTO
ESSENTIALLY THREE BIG
CATEGORIES THAT MAKE UP ABOUT
96 TO 97% OF ALL DEPARTMENT
SPENDING.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE, THAT'S
STILL THE CASE HERE IN THE
FIRST QUARTER OF 2022.
AS YOU CAN SEE, WE'VE GOT THREE
CATEGORIES HERE.
SALARY AND BENEFITS, OVERTIME
AND ALLOCATING COSTS, ALLOCATED
COSTS BEING THE EXPENDITURES
THAT ARE MADE FOR THE
BUILDINGS, THE FLEET, VARIOUS
KINDS OF HEATING AND COOLING,
ALL OF THE KINDS OF FACILITIES
THAT WOULD EXPECT.
AND THE BIG PICTURE HERE IS
THAT SPENDING IS ONCE AGAIN
DOWN, IT'S DOWN BY ABOUT 9%,
FROM 86 MILLION TO 79 MILLION.
THAT'S BECAUSE OF STAFFING.
THE LARGEST EXPENDITURES THAT
THE AGENCY HAS IS IN THE AREA
OF SALARY AND BENEFITS.
SO WITH THE DECLINE IN
STAFFING, THERE IS LESS OF A
NEED TO PAY OFFICERS, SO
SPENDING IS DOWN OVERALL.
WE'LL GET DOWN INTO THE DETAILS
HERE IN A LITTLE BIT, BUT
REALLY, WHAT THE OTHER BIG TAKE
AWAY FOR THIS DONUT CHART IS
THAT OVER OVERTIME AS A PERCENT
OF SPENDING HAS DOUBLED, AND
THAT IS A RESULT OF AGAIN,
STAFFING ISSUES AT SPD, AND THE
NEED TO RELY ON OVERTIME TO BE
ABLE TO DELIVER SERVICES.
SO WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT AS WE
MOVE ALONG.
SO THIS NEXT TABLE THAT IS IN
FRONT OF YOU TAKES A LOOK AT
THOSE THREE BIG CATEGORIES OVER
THE LAST TWO YEARS.
AS YOU CAN SEE, YOU'VE GOT ON
THE LEFT, 2021, AND ON THE
RIGHT, 2022.
IT TAKES A LOOK AT THE
EXPENDITURES FOR THOSE
CATEGORIES, AND THEN IT ADJUSTS
THOSE EXPENDITURES OR MEASURES
THOSE EXPENDITURES AGAINST THE
BUDGET.
SO HOW FAR ARE WE SPENDING
AGAINST THE ADOPTED BUDGET?
SO IF I TAKE, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT
TOP LINE, SALARY AND BENEFITS,
AND I JUMP TO 2022, YOU'LL SEE
THAT SO FAR, THROUGH MARCH, THE
AGENCY HAS SPENT $58 MILLION,
AND THAT EQUATES TO ROUGHLY 23%
OF ITS ANNUAL BUDGET FOR SALARY
AND BENEFITS.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN.
IS UNDER SPENDING IT SALARY AND
BENEFITS BUDGET, AND I THINK
MEMBERS ALL KNOW THAT'S BECAUSE
THEY'RE ALL HAVE BEEN MORE
FOLKS THAT HAVE LEFT, OFFICERS
HAVE LEFT, WHICH IT WAS
ORIGINALLY ESTIMATED BY THE
STAFFING PLAN, SO THERE ARE
SOME SALARY SAVINGS THAT ARE
AVAILABLE RIGHT NOW, ABOUT $4.5
MILLION IN SALARY SAVINGS, AND
WE'VE HAD SOME DISCUSSIONS
ABOUT HOW THE EXECUTIVE AND THE
COUNCILLOR USING THOSE SALARY
SAVINGS.
SO NOT GOING TO GO INTO THAT,
BUT YOU ARE SEEING THAT HERE.
WHEN IT COMES TO OVERTIME,
YOU'LL SEE THAT THE OVERTIME
EXPENDITURES HAVE DOUBLED,
COMPARED WITH LAST YEAR.
THIS IS NOT TOO SURPRISING
BECAUSE THE PANDEMIC WAS IN
FULL SWING LAST YEAR, SO A LOT
OF THE EVENTS AND THINGS THAT
WERE REQUIRING SPD SERVICES
WEREN'T REQUIRING THEM.
BUT THAT SAID, IT IS SOMEWHAT
WORRISOME, AT LEAST TO ME AS AN
ANALYST, THAT THE DEPARTMENT IS
AT 24% OF ITS BUDGET THROUGH
MARCH.
I GOT A SNEAK PEEK AT ITS APRIL
BUDGET, AND I KNOW THAT IF YOU
LOOK THROUGH APRIL, THE NEXT
MONTH IS ACTUALLY 35% SPENT.
THAT'S A BIT OF A PROBLEM
BECAUSE WHEN YOU LOOK AT SPT
OVERTIME SPENDING, MOST OF THE
TIME OVERTIME SPENDING IS GOING
TO OCCUR IN THE WARM WEATHER
MONTHS, WHEN YOU HAVE EVENTS
AND YOU HAVE A NEED FOR PUBLIC
SAFETY PATROLS, EITHER RELATED
TO VIOLENCE IN SPECIFIC AREAS.
SO IF YOU HAVE 24% NOW, OR 35%,
AS I JUST MENTIONED, THROUGH
APRIL, THAT'S ANOTHER BIT OF A
WORRISOME SIGN THAT THE
OVERTIME BUDGET MIGHT NOT BE
SUFFICIENT TO MAKE IT THROUGH
THE YEAR.
THAT IS ME SAYING THAT.
THAT IS NOT THE DEPARTMENT
SAYING THAT.
THEY HAVE CONFIDENCE THAT THEY
WILL MAKE IT THROUGH THE YEAR.
AND I WAS TOLD SUCH, AND WE'LL
HAVE TO JUST WATCH THAT ONE
MEASURE AS WE MOVE THROUGH THE
YEAR.
SO MOVING ALONG, THE NEXT
CATEGORIES WE SEE ARE -- THE
NEXT CATEGORIES WE SEE ARE SOME
OF THE SMALLER ONES.
SO THE SMALLER ONES YOU SEE
HERE ARE SEPARATION PAY,
SERVICES, CONSULTANT, LEGAL,
OTHER, TRAVEL AND TRAINING,
DISCRETIONARY PURCHASES, AND
OTHER CHARGES AND CAPITAL.
ONE THING I WANT TO NOTE RIGHT
OFF HERE IS THAT SPD DID HAVE A
MISTAKE IN ITS CODING OF
EXPENDITURES.
SO WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE
ABSOLUTE DOLLARS THAT WERE
SPENT IN 2022, AND YOU SEE $3.3
MILLION, IT'S ACTUALLY MORE
LIKE $2.9 MILLION.
THEY WOUND UP PUTTING SOME
GRANT EXPENDITURES A FEW
HUNDRED THOUSAND INTO OTHER
CHARGES THAT DIDN'T BELONG
THERE, AND THE CAPITAL PIECE
DOESN'T BELONG THERE, EITHER.
THAT WAS ALSO AN ERROR.
SO THOSE TWO PIECES SHOULD BE
THERE, AND IT'S ACTUALLY A
LITTLE MORE LIKE 2.9 MILLION.
BUT THAT SAID, THESE NUMBERS
THAT SHOW THAT THE EXPENDITURES
ARE QUITE LOW RELATIVE TO
BUDGET, LET'S SAY 6% OR 12% OR
13%, I WOULD CAUTION MEMBERS TO
TAKE THOSE WITH A GRAIN OF
SALT.
THE DEPARTMENT HAS, IN THESE
AREAS, HAS PUT IN ENCUMBRANCES
WHERE THEY HAVE MORE OR LESS
BLOCKED OFF SOME OF THEIR
BUDGET AUTHORITY, BECAUSE THEY
ARE PLANNING TO MAKE SOME BIG
PURCHASES.
SO YOU'LL SEE UNDER MY SECOND
BULLET HERE, THAT IN THE AREA
OF SERVICES AND CONSULTANTS,
THEY'RE PLANNING ON MAKING
ABOUT $2.5 MILLION OF WHICH
SERVICES AND CONSULTANTS, AND
$1.3 MILLION SERVICES OTHER.
WHAT THAT WILL DO IS THAT WILL
BRING THAT LINE TO ABOUT 60%
EXPENDED.
AND THEN IN THE DISCRETIONARY
PURCHASES LINE, THEY'RE
PLANNING TO SPEND JUST ABOUT $2
MILLION THERE, AND THAT WOULD
BRING THAT LINE TO 58%
EXPENDED.
SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THESE
NUMBERS HERE AGAINST THE
BUDGET, YOU DON'T WANT TO GET
THE PERCEPTION THAT THERE IS A
LOT OF MONEY SITTING AROUND.
ACTUALLY THEY'VE LOCKED UP A
LOT OF MONEY IN CONTRACTS,
WHERE THEY ARE EXPECTING TO
SPEND THE MONEY.
THE MONEY THAT THEY'RE
EXPECTING TO SPEND ON SERVICES,
CONSULTANTS, AND SERVICES OTHER
ARE PRIMARILY AROUND THE
TECHNOLOGY PROJECTS THAT THE
COUNCIL FUNDED THEM FOR THIS
YEAR.
AS YOU MAY RECALL, THERE ARE
ABOUT FIVE DIFFERENT, VERY
EXPENSIVE TECHNOLOGY PROJECTS
THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE
UNDERTAKEN, AND THEN THE
DISCRETIONARY PURCHASE ONE,
THOSE PURCHASES THAT ARE ONLINE
ARE FOR A BACKLOG OF TASERS,
AND, BALLISTIC ARMOR AND
HELMETS THAT ADD UP TO ABOUT
$1.8 MILLION.
SO MORE OF THAT CATEGORY YOU
SPENT THAN WHAT YOU SEE HERE.
IN TERMS OF SEPARATION PAY,
YOU'LL SEE THAT IT'S 31%
EXPENDED THROUGH MARCH.
THAT PROBABLY SHOULDN'T COME AS
A SURPRISE.
WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE MORE
SEPARATIONS THAN EXPECTED IN
THE FIRST QUARTER.
THE THOUGHT WAS ORIGINALLY THAT
THERE WOULD BE ABOUT 24
SEPARATIONS, AND IT TURNS OUT
THERE'S ABOUT 43.
SO I'VE THROWN A LOT AT YOU IN
THE LAST FIVE MINUTES.
I'M GOING TO STOP AND ASK IF
THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE I
MOVE ON TO OVERTIME.
>> JUST WANT TO PUT A PIN IN
THE DISCUSSION AROUND
DISCRETIONARY PURCHASES, SINCE
THERE'S BEEN SOME INTEREST OVER
THE LAST WEEK AROUND THAT
PARTICULAR LINE ITEM.
I THINK TO SUM UP, ACCORDING TO
THE REPORT, AT THIS TIME THE
BUDGET CONTROL LEVEL FOR SPD
FOR DISCRETIONARY PURCHASES IS
$4.5 MILLION FOR THE YEAR.
THEY'VE SPENT ABOUT 1 MILLION
THROUGH THIS REPORT. THEY'VE
ENCUMBERED ABOUT ANOTHER $2
MILLION, SO THEY HAVE ABOUT
$1.5 MILLION IN THE
DISCRETIONARY PURCHASES PCL.
I ALSO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT
THERE SPD DOES HAVE AUTHORITY
TO MOVE FUNDS BETWEEN BCLS
WITHOUT AUTHORIZATION.
THE EXCEPTION TO THAT, OF
COURSE, ARE THE BCL'S RELATED
TO SALARY, AND COST ASSOCIATED
WITH SALARY.
S THERE IS, I THINK MORE
FLEXIBILITY WITHIN SPD'S BUDGET
THAN SOME MIGHT ASSUME, FROM
PUBLIC DISCUSSIONS AROUND
PURCHASES RECENTLY.
BUT I THINK THE UPSHOT FROM THE
DISCUSSIONS AROUND REPAIRING
ASSETS OWNED BY THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT, AS I'M VERY
INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE
ABOUT THE PROCESS THAT THIS
DEPARTMENT GOES THROUGH, AND
IDENTIFYING REQUESTS WITH THE
SEATTLE FOUNDATION, AND HOW,
FOR THE SEATTLE FOUNDATION TO
FUND RAISE, AND HOW THEY
PRIORITIZE AROUND THE USE OF
THEIR DISCRETIONARY BUDGET.
UNDERSTAND SOME OF THE THINGS
THAT GREG MENTIONED AS COSTS
THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN
ENCUMBRANCES FOR OBVIOUSLY HIGH
PRIORITY ITEMS FOR THE
DEPARTMENT.
BUT I WOULD POSIT THE $25,000
EXPENDITURE TO FIX AN ASSET
ALREADY OWNED BY THE DEPARTMENT
IS A HIGH PRIORITY, AS WELL.
LOOKING FORWARD TO LEARNING
MORE ABOUT HOW THE DEPARTMENT
COMMUNICATES WITH THE
FOUNDATION ON PRIORITIES FOR
FUNDRAISING.
>> MOVING ON?
>> OKAY, ALL RIGHT.
MOVING ON.
SO INTO OVERTIME MONITORING.
OVERTIME MONITORING, WE START
OUT WITH SOME OF THE SMALLER
CATEGORIES OF SPENDING, AND AS
YOU CAN SEE, THE BIGGEST
PROBLEM AREA FOR SPD IN 2022 IS
THE MISCELLANEOUS CATEGORY, AND
THE MISCELLANEOUS CATEGORY IS
ONE THAT CONTAINS EMPHASIS
PATROLS, WHICH WERE EFFECTIVELY
DEFUNDED IN 2020.
I'M SORRY, DEFUNDED IN 2021,
BUT WHICH WERE BEING USED
EXTENSIVELY IN 2020, AFTER A
MAJOR SHOOTING DOWNTOWN, AS YOU
MAY RECALL, IN THE PIKE PINE
AREA.
THAT'S WHY YOU SEE SUCH A LARGE
BAR THERE IN 2020, AND ALMOST
NOTHING IN 2021.
IN 2020, 80% OF THAT BAR THAT
YOU ARE SEEING IS FOR SPENDING
ON THOSE FOUR AREAS THAT I HAVE
BELOW.
PIKE AND PINE, 12th AND
JACKSON, SHOTS FIRED AND NIGHT
LIFE EMPHASIS.
AND IT IS THE CASE THAT THOSE
ACTIVITIES ARE TAKING A LOT OF
THE DEPARTMENT'S OVERTIME
THROUGH THE FIRST THREE MONTHS
OF THE YEAR.
IT HAS TAKEN ABOUT 8400 HOURS
AND ABOUT $710,000.
ALSO, UP IN THIS CHART,
COMPARED TO THE LAST COUPLE
YEARS, HIS CRIMINAL
INVESTIGATIONS.
AND I NOTE IN THE SLIDE THAT
VIOLENT CRIMES IS UP, INCLUDING
HOMICIDE, BUT IT'S REALLY ALL
VIOLENT CRIMES.
SO IT'S EVERYTHING THAT GOES
ALONG WITH THAT, THAT WOULD
INCLUDE SAY, EVIDENCE OVERTIME
AND ALSO OVERTIME FOR CRIME
SCENE INVESTIGATION.
THAT WOULD MAKE SENSE, GIVEN
THAT WE ARE SEEING OVERTIME FOR
SHOTS FIRED AREAS AND OTHER
VIOLENT CRIME SCENES.
SO THOSE ARE TWO AREAS THAT ARE
PARTICULARLY STRETCHED, OTHER
AREAS ARE NOT, AS NOT AS OUT OF
SORTS WITH PRIOR YEARS.
AND THEN MOVE ON TO THE NEXT
ONE, WHICH IS THE MAJOR THREE
DRIVERS OF OVERTIME, AS I WOULD
PUT IT.
AND THESE I PUT INTO A
DIFFERENT CATEGORY AND ON TO A
DIFFERENT SCALE.
MOVING LEFT TO RIGHT, ONE OF
THE BIGGEST DRIVERS, CONTROL
OPERATIONS.
YOU COULD SEE IT IS ON
COMPARABLE AT THIS POINT TO THE
LAST COUPLE YEARS.
AS I GO THROUGH AND I LOOK AT
THE DATA FOR PATROL OPERATIONS,
I CAN SEE THAT 55% TO 88%,
DEPENDING ON WHICH PRECINCT I'M
LOOKING AT, OF THE OVERTIME FOR
THAT PARTICULAR PRECINCT IS
PRETTY MUCH FOR PATROL
AUGMENTATION AND SICK LEAVE
BACKFILL.
IT IS THE CASE THAT'S JUST BEEN
DRIVEN BY THE STAFFING
SHORTAGE.
IT'S THE CASE THAT THE
COMMUNITY RESPONSE GROUP THAT
IS THAT GROUP THAT FILLS IN ON
911 RESPONSE, THERE OVERTIME IS
UP 100% SINCE Q1 LAST YEAR.
THEN IN EVENTS, EVENTS FALL
INTO SORT OF TWO CATEGORIES.
ONE IS EVENTS THAT ARE JUST
GENERAL CITYWIDE EVENTS AND
THESE INCLUDE THE SEATTLE
CENTER EVENTS, AND THE OTHER IS
THE SPORTING EVENTS.
AND BOTH OF THESE ARE UP.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE MIDDLE ONE,
EVENTS INCLUDING SEATTLE
CENTER, NOT AS HIGH AS 2019,
BUT FAIRLY HIGH AND THIS IS --
IF I LOOK AT THE DATA HERE,
WHAT I SEE IS THAT A LOT OF
THESE EVENTS ARE CLIMATE PLEDGE
ARENA CONCERTS.
THE CLIMATE PLEDGE ARENA IS
CREATING A LOT OF BUSINESS FOR
SPD.
AND DEFINITELY IN THE LAST
CATEGORY, IN THE SPORTING
EVENTS CATEGORY, AS I LOOKED AT
THE DATA THERE, WHAT I FOUND IS
THAT THE KRAKEN EVENTS ARE
TAKING A LOAD OF OURS, ABOUT
4100 HOURS FOR CRACKEN EVENTS
AT A COST OF ABOUT $382,000 TO
THE CITY.
THOSE ARE DOLLARS THAT ARE --
RECEIVE SOME REIMBURSEMENT.
I'M WORKING WITH THE CITY
BUDGET OFFICE TO FIGURE OUT HOW
MUCH WE RECEIVED FROM THE
KRAKEN FOR THOSE EVENTS.
BUT WOULD NOTE THAT SPD IS NOT
-- DOES NOT RECEIVE ANY
APPROPRIATION AUTHORITY FOR
THOSE EVENTS.
SO THAT DOES MAKE IT HARDER ON
THEIR BUDGET, TO HAVE TO ABSORB
THAT.
ALL RIGHT.
>> SOME QUESTIONS BEFORE WE
MOVE ON?
>> THANKS, SORRY, SHOULD'VE
STOPPED THERE.
>> JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW THIS IS
LAID OUT.
PAGE 7 AND PAGE 8 ARE BOTH
CALLED OVERTIME HOURS BY
CATEGORY.
BUT THEY'RE NOT ALL -- IS IT
JUST THAT THE CHART WOULDN'T
ALL FIT ON THE SAME PAGE, OR IS
THERE ANOTHER REASON WHY THESE
ARE BROKEN OUT INTO TWO SLIDES?
>> IT'S BECAUSE IT'S THE SCALE.
THESE OTHER CATEGORIES CAN
BASICALLY GO UNDER 16,000 HOURS
AND THESE ARE BIGGER ONES.
THEY CAN GO UP TO 30,000 HOURS.
AND THESE ARE BIGGER DRIVERS.
>> GOT IT.
AND THEN, WHAT IS THE THINKING?
I UNDERSTAND THAT THEY'RE
PROBABLY CODED DIFFERENTLY, BUT
WHAT IS THE THINKING, OR WHAT
SHOULD WE BE THINKING ABOUT THE
FACT THAT THERE WERE TWO
SEPARATE CATEGORIES FOR EVENTS?
WHY NOT JUST COMBINE THE TWO IF
YOU REALLY WANT TO SEE WHAT --
HOW MUCH OVERTIME IS GOING FOR
EVENTS AND TO TRY TO COMPARE IT
TO OTHER CATEGORIES?
IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE DEFLATING
IT BY BREAKING IT OUT INTO TWO
DIFFERENT CATEGORIES.
>> I THINK -- I CAN'T SPEAK TO
-- WHAT CAN I SAY HERE?
THESE TWO CATEGORIES ARE
TREATED DIFFERENTLY FROM A COST
REIMBURSEMENT STANDPOINT.
PRIOR TO CLIMATE PLEDGE ARENA
COMING ON BOARD WITH THE
KRAKEN, AND I DON'T KNOW THE
SITUATION WITH THE KRAKEN,
SPORTING EVENTS, EVENTS THAT
HAPPEN AT THE STADIUMS, THEY
HAVE CONTRACTS WITH, SAY, THE
MARINERS OR THE SEAHAWKS.
WE GET PRETTY GOOD COST
RECOVERY THERE.
THOSE EVENTS ARE CLOSE TO 100%
COST RECOVERY.
THE TEAMS PAY FOR THE MANNED
POSTS AND THE STREET CLOSURES,
AND THEY PAY FOR TRAFFIC
CONTROL.
EVENTS INCLUDING SEATTLE
CENTER, THOSE EVENTS ARE
GOVERNED UNDER THE SMC ON
SPECIAL EVENTS AND THOSE EVENTS
DO NOT RECEIVE GOOD COST
REIMBURSEMENT.
THOSE EVENTS ARE, AT BEST, 67%,
I BELIEVE, AND GO DOWN FROM
THERE DEPENDING ON WHAT KIND OF
ARRANGEMENT THE CITY HAS WITH
THE PROMOTER THAT HAPPENS TO BE
PUT IN THE EVENT ON.
SO FROM A COST RECOVERY
STANDPOINT, IT HAS TO TRACK
THEM SEPARATELY.
SPD MANAGES THEM SOMEWHAT
SEPARATELY, IN THE SENSE THAT
THE SPORTING EVENTS ARE
PREDICTABLE, AND THEY CAN
SCHEDULE THEM IN ADVANCE.
THE OTHER EVENTS ARE NOT, AND
SOMETIMES COME IN VERY QUICKLY.
THOSE ARE SOME DIFFERENCES.
WHY THEY WOULDN'T PUT THEM
TOGETHER IS SOMETHING I CAN ASK
THEM AND GET BACK TO YOU ON.
I THINK THAT'S A PRETTY GOOD
EXPLANATION, IF WE ARE FOCUSED
ON THE ISSUE OF THE COST.
IT'S HELPFUL TO KNOW THAT THE
EVENTS THAT WERE RECEIVING
NEARLY 100% REIMBURSEMENT IS
COMING IN A LITTLE BIT UNDER
10,000 HOURS.
BUT IF WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT
AND FOCUSED ON IS THE
PRIORITIZATION OF OVERTIME
AMONG DIFFERENT FUNCTIONS OF
THE DEPARTMENT, AND SEEKING TO
HAVE A CONVERSATION AROUND
PRIORITIZING OVERTIME FOR, FOR
INSTANCE, PATROL OPERATIONS OR
CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS, OR
OTHER TYPES OF ACTIVITIES THAT
ONLY POLICE OFFICERS CAN DO, IT
MIGHT MAKE SENSE TO CONSIDER
THE EVENTS AS A SINGLE CATEGORY
FOR PURPOSES OF THAT
COMPARISON.
BUT I DEFINITELY UNDERSTAND THE
LOGIC FROM A FINANCIAL
PERSPECTIVE, FOR BREAKING THOSE
OUT THAT WAY.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA HAS A
QUESTION.
>> THANK YOU.
LET ME TAKE THAT.
>> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, AND
THANKS AS WELL TO GREG.
I RECOGNIZE FROM CENTRAL STAFF,
REPORTING OUT THAT SPD HAS SENT
US AND APPRECIATE THAT THE
RATIONALE MIGHT NOT BE ONE THAT
WE HAVE FORMULATED, OR PERHAPS
EVEN ON COUNCIL AGREE WITH,
BUT I'M HAPPY YOU'RE IN THE
POSITION TO REPORT IT OUT ON
THESE ISSUES.
THERE'S TWO QUESTIONS THAT I
HAVE, AND FIRST WAS ACTUALLY ON
THE COST REIMBURSEMENT FOR
SUPPORTING EVENTS.
I THINK YOU PROVIDED A LITTLE
MORE CLARITY ON WHAT WE REALLY
MEAN WHEN WE SAY PARTIAL
RECOVERY, OR PRETTY GOOD
RECOVERY FOR SOME OF EVENTS AND
NOT OTHERS.
WE ACTUALLY HAD AN EARLIER
CORRESPONDENCE ABOUT THIS EMAIL
EARLIER THIS WEEK BECAUSE I WAS
TRYING TO REMEMBER IN THE PRE-
COVID YEARS HOW MUCH THE
REIMBURSEMENT WAS FOR SPORTING
EVENTS, AND IN THOSE PRE-COVID
YEARS WE DIDN'T ACTUALLY HAVE A
TON OF EVENTS, AS MANY EVENTS,
I SHOULD SAY, AT THE SEATTLE
CENTER.
AND NOW WE DO, AND I'M VERY
THANKFUL FOR THEIR PRESENCE AND
NOT ONLY FOR SPORTING EVENTS
BUT FOR CONCERT VENUES.
IT'S AN IMPRESSIVE BUILDING BUT
I'M REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE
LACK OF FULL REIMBURSEMENT FROM
ALL OF THE SPORTING EVENTS.
BUT ESPECIALLY OF THE LOWER
PERCENTAGE FOR SEATTLE CENTER.
SO JUST BECAUSE YOU BROUGHT
THAT UP, BEFORE I GET TO MY
SECOND QUESTION, IS THAT
SOMETHING THAT IS IN SMC,
SEATTLE MUNICIPAL CODE, THAT WE
ON COUNCIL HAVE THE ABILITY TO
CORRECT FOR?
WHAT WOULD BE THE PROCESS FOR
CORRECTING, FORGETTING FULLER
REIMBURSEMENT FROM SEATTLE
CENTER EVENTS?
>> WELL, THAT'S A GOOD
QUESTION.
THE SMC DOES CONTROL HOW COSTS
ARE RECOVERED FOR SPECIAL
EVENTS THAT RECEIVE A PERMIT IN
THE CITY.
I THINK THAT SOME OF EVENTS AT
SEATTLE CENTER RECEIVE
DIFFERENT KINDS OF PERMITS.
SO I DON'T KNOW THAT THEY
NECESSARILY GO THROUGH THE SAME
PROCESS.
I THINK THAT SOME OF THE LARGER
EVENTS, SAY LIKE THE
BUMBERSHOOTS, THEY HAVE MORE
CONTRACTS WITH THE CITY FOR
COST REIMBURSEMENT.
SO SOME OF THEM MAY BE ON A
CASE-BY-CASE BASIS, WHERE THE
CITY IS NEGOTIATING WITH THE
PROMOTER.
FOR THE BIG THREE, I'M THINKING
BITE OF SEATTLE, BUMBERSHOOT,
AND THERE'S ONE OTHER IN THEIR.
IS IT FOCAL POINT?
I THINK FOR THOSE PARTICULAR
ONES, IF THE CITY WANTED BETTER
COST RECOVERY, I THINK THEY'D
HAVE TO WORK PRICKLY WITH THE
PROMOTER.
FOR EVENTS AROUND THE CITY,
THAT WOULD BE UNDER CONTROL OF
THE SMC.
WHICH YOU WOULD HAVE THE
ABILITY TO RAISE THE COST
RECOVERY RATE ON.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM
CHAIR, IF I MAY JUST ASK MY
SECOND QUESTION.
THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
SO THANK YOU FOR THAT, GREG.
I WILL FOLLOW-UP WITH YOU AND
OTHERS ON THE TEAM FOR CENTRAL
STAFF.
I THINK YOU AND THE CHAIR HAVE
FLAGGED A REALLY IMPORTANT
ISSUE.
WE REALLY CANNOT HAVE COST
RECOVERY INDEPENDENT OF WHICH
PROMOTER IS COORDINATING AN
EVENT, AND GIVEN THE CURRENT
USE OF THE SEATTLE CENTER VENUE
AND OUR HOPEFUL CONTINUED AND
EXPANDED USE OF THE CENTER FOR
MORE SPRING EVENTS AND
COMMUNITY EVENTS IN THE WAKE OF
COVID, I'D VERY MUCH LIKE TO
FIGURE OUT HOW WE GET THOSE
COST RECOVERIES TO NEAR 100%,
IF NOT 100%.
THE SECOND QUESTION I HAVE IS
COULD YOU ELABORATE A LITTLE
MORE ON THE STATUS OF THE
COUNCIL'S REQUEST TO LOOK AT
THE EXPANDED DUTIES OF THE POS
AS DESCRIBED IN SLIDES 05B AND
002, THE STATEMENT WE ARE
REQUESTING SPD TO PROVIDE A
REPORT THAT ANALYZES THE COST
OF USING PEOS AND OTHER NON-SPD
OFFICERS INSTEAD OF SWORN
OFFICERS WITH A GUN TO DO
THINGS LIKE TRAFFIC CONTROL
DURING SPECIAL EVENTS AND
CONCERTS AND SPORTING EVENTS.
I KNOW THIS IS STATED
REPEATEDLY BUT I WANT TO MAKE
SURE WE STAY ON THE RECORD,
THIS COUNCIL HAS BEEN, VERY
MUCH OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS,
LOOKING AT WAYS TO MOVE THIS
WORK TO OTHERS WITHIN OUR CITY
WHO ARE QUALIFIED AND SKILLED
IN HELPING TO MANAGE TRAFFIC
AND ENSURE THE SAFETY AT LARGE
EVENTS.
BUT THAT DOES NOT OFTEN REQUIRE
A GUN AND A BADGE FOR A SWORN
OFFICER WHO IS THEN BEING TAKEN
AWAY FROM OTHER DUTIES.
SO WE DO APPRECIATE THAT THE
WORK HAS BEEN ONGOING, BUT
LOOKING AT THIS CHART, THESE
CHARTS TODAY, AND THE
HEIGHTENED NEED FOR US TO SCALE
DOWN OVERTIME, I'M REALLY
INTERESTED IN MAKING SURE THAT
WE ARE FOLLOWING THROUGH ON
GETTING THESE RESPONSIBILITIES
EITHER TO THE PEOS OR OTHERS,
TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE
OFFICERS ARE NOT ACTUALLY
ACCRUING OVER TIME FOR THIS
TIME OF WORK, AND ESPECIALLY
NOT AT EVENTS THAT ARE NOT
REIMBURSING AS FULLY FOR THE
COST OF THE LARGE SPORTING OR
ENTERTAINMENT EVENTS.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER.
I THINK THAT THE EXECUTIVE HAD
IDENTIFIED SOME POTENTIAL LABOR
ISSUES WITH A LARGE TRANSFER OF
THOSE DUTIES FROM THE TWO
UNIONS THAT ARE INVOLVED, AND I
KNOW THE EXECUTIVE IS WORKING
ON THESE ISSUES AND WORKING TO
RESOLVE SOME OF THOSE ISSUES IN
A WAY THAT WOULD ALLOW MORE
PEOS TO WORK EVENTS IN THE WAY
THAT YOU ARE DESCRIBING,
ALTHOUGH I CAN'T GO INTO MUCH
MORE DETAIL.
>> THANK YOU.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> BEFORE I HAND IT OVER TO
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS, I DO WANT
TO NOTE, THERE WAS A FEW YEARS
AGO, AN AUDIT ON COST RECOVERY
AROUND SPECIAL EVENTS AND MY
RECOMMENDATION IS THE LOWER
COST RECOVERY IS LESS WITH THE
LARGER EVENTS AND MORE WITH
EVENTS THAT SPECIAL EVENTS
PERMITTING OFFICES CATEGORY AS
FREE SPEECH EVENTS AND THAT ARE
RATHER BROAD CATEGORIZATION OF
WHAT CONSTITUTES A FREE-SPEECH
EVENT.
BUT THERE WERE SOME
RECOMMENDATIONS COMING OUT OF
THAT AUDIT THAT WE SHOULD TAKE
A FRESH LOOK AT.
>>I THINK THERE'S ALSO NUANCE
-- THEY DID REDO THE PERMITTING
FEES, SO IF IT'S A NONPROFIT,
PERMITTING FEES ARE DIFFERENT
THAN A FOR-PROFIT EVENT THAT IS
NOT -- THERE IS SOME
INTENTIONAL SUBSIDIZING OF SOME
OF IT.
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS?
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD, JUST
SPEAK TO THAT EXCHANGE BRIEFLY
AT THE BEGINNING OF MY REMARKS
THAT WE JUST HAD.
I KNOW FOR SOME ORGANIZATIONS,
IT'S A GREAT EXAMPLE WHERE COST
RECOVERY WOULD BE A BURDEN ON
THAT FESTIVAL SINCE IT IS A
FREE FESTIVAL AT THE SEATTLE
CENTER.
SO JUST BEING REALLY
INTENTIONAL ABOUT HOW WE HAVE
THAT DISCUSSION, ABOUT COST
RECOVERY FOR CERTAIN
ACTIVITIES, CERTAINLY SOMETHING
I WANT TO DO.
CLEARLY THERE IS A BIG ICEBERG
HERE OF POTENTIAL COST
RECOVERY, SO I THINK IT'S MORE
EXCEPTIONS THAN COMPLETELY
OVERDOING THE ENTIRE ROLL.
BUT I THINK THERE'S SOME THAT
COMES TO MIND, AND THERE MAY BE
OTHERS, SO AS WE LOOK INTO THAT
I AGREE WITH THE COMMENTS OF
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD AND
COUNCILMEMBER NELSON, BEING
INTENTIONAL AND THE IMPACT OF
THAT.
SO I DON'T KNOW THAT I AM SO
MUCH ASKING A QUESTION.
I'M JUST GOING TO MAKE A BRIEF
STATEMENT AS WE LOOK AT THE
SLIDE.
THE COMBINATION OF THE SPORTING
EVENTS AND THE EVENTS INCLUDING
SEATTLE CENTER, WHEREIN I THINK
THERE'S BROAD AGREEMENT THE
BULK OF THOSE DUTIES COULD
PROBABLY BE SERVED BY OTHER
EMPLOYEES IN THE CITY FAMILY.
IT IS A CONTINUED AREA OF
INTEREST FOR ME, AS I KNOW IT
IS FOR COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA
AND AS SHE JUST INDICATED, AND
OTHERS ON THE COUNCIL.
IN THE AGGREGATE IT LOOKS LIKE
THOSE TWO BARS GO OVER 20,000
SERVICE HOURS, AND SEPARATE
FROM THE DISCUSSION ON COST
RECOVERY, WHICH HAS MOSTLY BEEN
OUR FOCUS FOR THE LAST COUPLE
OF MINUTES, IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT
TO NOTE THAT THOSE GRAY BARS
REPRESENT PERSONNEL.
AND AS WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING
OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS,
THERE IS A GREATLY DIMINISHED
AMOUNT OF PERSONNEL IN THE
SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
IT BEGS QUESTIONS NOT ONLY
AROUND URGENCY OF RETENTION AND
RECRUITMENT, BUT ALSO
ORGANIZATION OF THE PERSONNEL
WHO WE CURRENTLY HAVE AND WHAT
DUTIES THEY ARE AND AREN'T
DOING.
20,000 SERVICE HOURS,
REGARDLESS OF IF IT'S BEING
REIMBURSED OR NOT, IS BOGGING
DOWN SPD PERSONNEL IN JOBS THAT
I THINK, IN THE MIND OF THE
PUBLIC, DO NOT TRIAGE TO WHERE
WE ABSOLUTELY FEEL THE EXIGENT
PRIORITY IS RIGHT NOW FOR WHERE
THOSE OFFICERS SHOULD BE
SPENDING THEIR TIME.
SO I DO JUST WANT TO, AS
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA AND
CHAIR HERBOLD DID EARLIER, JUST
BY PUTTING THAT ON THE RECORD
THAT WHILE WE NEED TO CONTINUE
OUR EFFORTS AROUND RETENTION
AND RECRUITMENT, WE ALSO NEED
TO HAVE A REALLY CRITICAL
CONVERSATION ABOUT SIGNIFICANT
RE-PRIORITIZATION OF LARGE
AREAS OF THIS OVERTIME LEDGER
TO FOCUS ON THE THINGS WE KNOW
THE PUBLIC IS MOST CONCERNED
ABOUT, INCLUDING VIOLENT CRIME,
INVESTIGATIONS OF ACCUSATIONS
OF AND OTHER REALLY CRITICAL,
URGENT THINGS.
AND YOU DON'T NEED TO
NECESSARILY RESPOND.
THIS IS MOSTLY JUST TO GO ON
THE RECORD SUPPORTING THOSE
STATEMENTS, BUT APPRECIATE THIS
GRAPH KIND OF DISPLAYING HOW
THE OVERTIME IS BEING
ALLOCATED, AND THE ROOM THAT
MIGHT BE THERE FOR REALLOCATION
GOING FORWARD.
>> THANK YOU.
BEFORE WE MOVE OFF OF THE TOPIC
OF OVERTIME TRACKING, I THINK
THIS HAS BEEN A GOOD
CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW OVERTIME
IS USED IN THIS DEPARTMENT AND
HOW IT'S PRIORITIZED AMONG
DIFFERENT FUNCTIONS OF THE
DEPARTMENT.
I DO WANT TO LIFT UP A SLIGHTLY
DIFFERENT ISSUE.
OVERTIME TRACKING SYSTEMS IS
SOMETHING THAT THE PRESS IS
INTERESTED IN.
I KNOW MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC
ARE INTERESTED IN, ENSURING
THAT OFFICERS ARE RECEIVING
OVERTIME IN A WAY THAT IS
CONSISTENT WITH POLICIES AND
PRACTICES OF THE DEPARTMENT.
IN 2016, THE CITY AUDITOR HAD A
SERIES OF RECOMMENDATIONS ABOUT
THE TRACKING OF OVERTIME FOR
SPD AND KEY TO THESE
RECOMMENDATIONS WAS THE WORK
SCHEDULING AND TIMEKEEPING
PROJECT THAT THE COUNCIL FUNDED
TO UPDATE AND MODERNIZE
OVERTIME TRACKING.
I DID REQUEST THE CITY AUDITOR
TAKE A LOOK AT ITS 2016
RECOMMENDATIONS AND REPORT OUT
ON HOW THE DEPARTMENT HAS
PERFORMED IN ADDRESSING THOSE
RECOMMENDATIONS, AND SOME OF
THE RECOMMENDATIONS WERE
FOCUSED ON WHAT TO DO DURING
THE PERIOD OF TIME WHILE
THEY'RE STILL WORKING TO
IMPLEMENT THE WORK SCHEDULING
AND TIMEKEEPING SOFTWARE
SOLUTION.
AND THE AUDITOR HAD RECOMMENDED
THAT SPD REGULARLY CONDUCT
MANUAL PAYROLL AUDITING TASKS
SUCH AS SPOTCHECKS AND ANALYSES
OF PAYROLL DATA TO IDENTIFY USE
ISSUES WITH SPD'S OVERTIME
USAGE.
AND SPD HAS REPORTED THAT THEY
ARE NOT REFORMING AUDITING OF
OVERTIME IN OFF-DUTY WORK, BUT
THEY ARE DOING SPOT CHECKS TO
ENSURE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
ARE BEING FOLLOWED.
SO, THAT'S SORT OF PARTIAL
RESPONSIVENESS TO THE STATE
AUDITOR'S RECOMMENDATIONS.
BUT MORE TROUBLING IS THAT
WE'VE LEARNED THAT THE
SCHEDULING AND TIMEKEEPING
SOFTWARE SOLUTION WILL -- THERE
ARE SOME ISSUES WITH IT.
AND THEY REPORT THAT
IMPLEMENTATION ISSUES BEYOND
SPD'S CONTROL LED TO THE
DECISION TO NOT IMPLEMENT THE
WORK SCHEDULING AND TIMEKEEPING
SOLUTION.
SPD WILL BE EXPLORING A
DIFFERENT SOFTWARE SOLUTION.
I THINK WHAT THAT DOES FOR MY
PERSPECTIVE IS WHILE
IDENTIFYING THIS NEW TECHNOLOGY
SOLUTION, WE STILL NEED TO BE
SURE THAT THE DEPARTMENT IS
DOING BOTH SPOTCHECKS AS WELL
AS MORE SYSTEMATIC AUDITING OF
THE ASSIGNMENT AND USAGE OF
OVERTIME.
BUT HOPE FULLY SOME MORE ON
THAT SOON.
ANY OTHER -- COUNCILMEMBER
NELSON, YES?
>> ON THIS SLIDE, SPEAKING OF
EVENTS, IT LOOKS LIKE ROUGH
COMBINATION OF BOTH EVENTS
COLUMNS IS ABOUT, I DON'T KNOW,
15,000 OR SO.
THAT IS FAR LESS THAN THE
CONTROL COLUMN ITSELF.
SO TO ME THAT IS A SIGNIFICANT
ISSUE, BECAUSE IT GETS BACK TO
YOUR POINT EARLIER, SPD HAS
USED ABOUT 24% OF ITS OVERTIME
AND YOU MIGHT'VE EXPECTED LESS
BECAUSE IT'S THE WINTER.
SO WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO
ABOUT THAT?
BECAUSE SUMMER IS COMING AND WE
CAN ALL IMAGINE THAT OVER TIME
WILL LEAD TO A GREAT BIT OF
PATROLS.
SO IS THERE ANY PLANNING FOR
THE OVERTIME BUDGET AS A WHOLE,
ADJUSTMENTS TO IT, AND THIS IS
FOR MY EDUCATIONAL PLANNING,
JUST TO UNDERSTAND BETTER HOW
-- YOU MAKES THE OVERTIME
BUDGET AND WAS IT ANTICIPATED
THAT SO MANY OFFICERS WOULD'VE
CONTINUED TO LEAVE.
I'M ASSUMING THIS IS DRIVEN BY
THE VACANCIES, BUT ANYTHING --
AND I HAVE A SECOND QUESTION
ABOUT SEPARATIONS.
>> COUNCILMEMBER, WHAT I CAN
SAY IS THAT SPD IS CERTAINLY
AWARE OF THIS SITUATION AND I
TALKED WITH THEIR FINANCE
DIRECTOR LAST WEEK AND SHE HAD
SOME IDEAS ABOUT HOW THEY MIGHT
ATTEMPT TO CONTROL OVERTIME ON
THE BACK SIDE OF THE YEAR.
I DON'T KNOW IF SHE WOULD WANT
ME TO LAY THOSE OUT NOW.
SO WHY DON'T I GET BACK TO YOU
ON THAT?
WHAT TO TELL YOU THAT THEY ARE
WORKING ON SOME THINGS, AND
THEY ARE HOPEFUL THAT THEY ARE
GOING TO BE ABLE TO FINISH
WITHIN THE YEAR.
I AM NOT AS HOPEFUL AS SHE IS,
BUT WE'LL SEE HOW THINGS WORK
OUT.
>> THANK YOU.
WHY WERE SEPARATIONS IN 2021,
SEPARATIONS, THE BUDGET FOR
SEPARATIONS WAS $1.4 MILLION
AND THIS YEAR IT'S ALMOST
$900,000.
SO WAS THERE A DELIBERATE
REASON WHY -- WAS THE THINKING
THAT THE TREND WOULD REVERSE
AND THERE WOULDN'T BE AS MANY
SEPARATIONS, AND THAT'S WHY IT
WASN'T DELEGATED AS MUCH THIS
YEAR AS 2021?
>> SO THE ORIGINAL BUDGET FOR
SEPARATIONS IN 2021 REFLECTED
HISTORICAL SPENDING IN THAT
AREA, AND IT WAS WHOLLY
INADEQUATE.
I DON'T RECALL THE EXACT
NUMBER, BUT IT WAS VERY SMALL,
BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T EXPECTING
THE KIND OF MASS SEPARATIONS
THAT THEY'VE SEEN.
AND AS WE PROGRESSED THROUGHOUT
THE YEAR, THE COUNCIL ALLOWED
SPD TO USE SOME OF ITS SALARY
SAVINGS TO ADDRESS ITS
SEPARATION PROBLEM.
SO THEY MOVE SOME OF THE SALARY
SAVINGS INTO THEIR SEPARATION
BUDGET, AND THAT STARTED TO
GROW THEIR SEPARATION BUDGET
FOR 2021.
SO AS YOU LOOK BACKWARDS INTO
2021, YOU START TO SEE A BIGGER
SEPARATION BUDGET LOOKING
HISTORICALLY.
THIS YEAR THEY FIGURED THERE
WEREN'T GOING TO BE AS MANY
SEPARATIONS, AND THEY HOPED
THAT IT WAS -- THE TREND WAS
GOING TO START LEVELING OUT.
OBVIOUSLY THAT IS NOT ENTIRELY
THE CASE AS WE ARE SEEING SO
FAR THIS YEAR.
>> THANK YOU.
MY REFLECTION, I AGREE WITH
COUNCILMEMBER NELSON, ALL ALL
THOSE TWO GREAT BARS ON THE
EVENTS, THEY LOOK LIKE THEY
WOULD COME UP TO BE ABOUT
$15,000.
BUT MY RECOLLECTION IS THE
TOTAL NUMBER OF EVENTS,
OVERTIME HOURS, FOR PURPOSES OF
THIS REPORT, WAS 23,000 HOURS.
AM I REMEMBERING CORRECTLY?
>> ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT LAST
YEAR?
>> NO, FOR THE FIRST QUARTER.
OVERTIME BUDGET.
THE HOURS FOR EVENTS TOTALED
23,000 HOURS.
I RECALL THAT'S WHAT I WAS TOLD
LAST WEEK.
>> I'D HAVE TO GET BACK TO YOU.
I DON'T RECALL RIGHT OFF.
>> I AGREE WITH COUNCILMEMBER
NELSON, IF YOU STACK UP THOSE
TWO GRAY BARS, IT LOOKS LIKE
IT'S AROUND 15,000.
BUT I RECALL WHEN I INQUIRED
LAST WEEK, I WAS TOLD THAT THE
NUMBER FOR EVENTS WAS $23,000.
BUT LET'S RETURN TO THAT.
AFTER THE MEETING.
LET'S MOVE FORWARD.
>> THANK YOU.
ALL RIGHT.
OKAY.
SO ONE OTHER THING I WOULD
MENTION TO COUNCIL ON
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA'S POINT,
IS THAT IF YOU ALL WOULD LIKE
TO SEE SOMETHING DIFFERENT
HERE, I HAVE NOT SENT THIS
PRESENTATION BY SPD.
I'M SENT ROTH DATA FILES.
AND I TAKE THE RAW DATA FILES
AND I INTERPRET THE DATA, AND I
CREATE THIS PRESENTATION.
SO I COULD CERTAINLY PUT THESE
TWO CATEGORIES TOGETHER.
I ORIGINALLY BROKE OUT WHEN I
WAS AT SPD, THE VARIOUS KINDS
OF EVENTS, BECAUSE WHEN I WAS
AT SPD I WANT TO TRACK THEM
SEPARATELY.
BUT IN THIS ROLE I CAN PUT THEM
TOGETHER IN THE DATA SET.
ALL RIGHT.
RESPONSE TIMES AND CALL TRIAGE.
SO WE HAVE BEEN TALKING FOR A
FEW YEARS ABOUT WHAT THE
DEPARTMENT CALLS PRIORITY
RESPONSE CALL HANDLING, AND
THAT IS A SYSTEM THAT THEY HAVE
DISCONTINUED.
BUT I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND
JUST RECAP WHAT THAT WAS FOR
THE PUBLIC, AND FOR THOSE WHO
MAY NOT BE FAMILIAR.
WHEN SPD RESOURCES WERE SHORT,
IF SOMETHING WAS OCCURRING THAT
WAS LIMITING THEIR ABILITY TO
RESPOND TO 911 CALLS, SPD WOULD
CALL OVER TO THE 911 CENTER AND
WOULD REQUEST TO GO INTO
SOMETHING FOR THE EFFECT OF
PRIORITY CALL HANDLING MODE.
AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS WITH
CERTAIN EXCEPTIONS, PRIORITY
THREE AND PRIORITY FOUR CALLS,
CALLERS WOULD GENERALLY BE TOLD
THAT SPD WAS SUFFERING FROM A
LACK OF RESOURCES AND THAT THEY
SHOULD CALL BACK AT ANOTHER
TIME.
AND GENERALLY, THE 911 CALL
TAKER WOULD GIVE THEM A TIME
THAT MIGHT BE GOOD TO CALL
BACK.
LIKE I SAID, THERE WERE SOME
EXCEPTIONS ON THE TYPES OF
THINGS THAT WOULD STILL BE
úALLOWED TO GO THROUGH AND STIL
BE DISPATCHED, EVEN IF THEY
WERE PRIORITY THREE OR PRIORITY
FOUR.
BUT IN GENERAL, THAT'S WHERE IT
ENDED.
SO THERE WASN'T A LOT OF
TRACKING OF THE CALLS THAT WERE
GETTING MISSED.
INSTEAD, WHAT WAS BEING TRACKED
WAS, AS YOU CAN SEE ON THIS
TABLE HERE, THE DAYS THAT HAD
SOME COMPONENT OF A PRIORITY
CALL STATUS ALERT.
SO A PRIORITY CALL STATUS ALERT
MIGHT BE -- MAYBE IT'S ONLY 5
OR 6 HOURS THAT A MAJOR EVENT
IS GOING ON FOR SPD AND THEY
CAN'T TAKE THOSE LOWER PRIORITY
CALLS.
BUT THE 911 CENTER WOULD TRACK
THOSE NUMBER OF DAYS AND YOU
WOULD KNOW THAT, SAY IN 2021
THERE WERE 223 DAYS WHERE THEY
HAD TO GO ON THAT ALERT, AND
THEY HAD TO NOT ANSWER SOME
PRIORITY THREE AND PRIORITY
FOUR CALLS.
THAT WAS THE OLD SYSTEM.
THE NEW SYSTEM IS A BIT
DIFFERENT.
UNDER THE NEW SYSTEM, ALL CALLS
THAT COME IN TO THE 911 CENTER
ARE GOING TO BE DISPATCHED BY
THE 911 CALLERS.
AND THEN WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN
IS THAT IF A CALL TAKER
RECEIVES A LOWER PRIORITY CALL,
SUCH AS A NOISE COMPLAINT OR AN
UNLEASED DOG, OR A BEACH
CAMPFIRE, OR SOMETHING TO THAT
EFFECT, THEN THE CALLER WILL
OFTEN BE ASKED IF THEY ARE
SIMPLY RESPONDING, REPORTING,
OR THEY WOULD LIKE TO BE
CONTACTED BY AN OFFICER.
SPD HAS INDICATED THAT THOSE
CALLS WILL ACCUMULATE IN THE
QUEUE UNTIL A SUPERVISOR COULD
GET TO THEM.
IF A REQUEST FOR A CALL BACK
WAS MADE BY A COLOR, THEN A
SUPERVISOR WILL ATTEMPT TO DO
THAT.
OTHERWISE, AT THAT POINT IN
TIME, THE SUPERVISOR WILL LOOK
AT THE NOTES FOR THE CALL AND
MAKE A DECISION AS TO WHETHER
OR NOT THAT CALL IS GOING TO
GET A RESPONSE OR IS GOING TO
BE CLEARED WITH WHAT THEY CALL
A Z DISPOSITION ACTION, AND
THAT IS ESSENTIALLY JUST
DELETING THE CALL.
SO WHEN THAT HAPPENS, IT IS OF
COURSE TRACKED IN A CAD AND IN
FUTURE BRIEFINGS THAT I GIVE TO
YOU, WE WILL HOPEFULLY BE ABLE
TO DISPLAY A TABLE THAT SHOWS
YOU THE NUMBER OF Z DISPOSITION
CALLS, CALLS THAT WERE
ESSENTIALLY NOT ANSWERED BY SPD
DUE TO A LACK OF RESOURCES.
AND THAT IS THE FUTURE OF SPD'S
CALL TRIAGE POLICY.
STOP AND ASK IF THERE'S ANY
QUESTIONS BEFORE I MOVE ON.
>> FOR THE Z DISPOSITION CALLS
THAT ARE NOT -- THAT DON'T
RECEIVE A RESPONSE, ARE THERE
CRITERIA FOR HOW, THROUGH THE
TRIAGE APPROACH, THOSE CALLS
ARE IDENTIFIED?
>> THE CALLS ARE -- THE
CRITERIA ARE IDENTIFIED BY THE
SUPERVISOR AT SPD.
SO THE SPD SUPERVISORS MAKE THE
DETERMINATION, LOOKING AT THE
NOTES.
THEY MAKE THE SUBJECTIVE CALL
USING A PARTICULAR CRITERIA, A
Z PROTOCOL CRITERIA, AS TO
WHETHER OR NOT THE CALL SHOULD
BE ANSWERED.
AND THEN AS I SAID, IF THERE'S
A REQUEST FOR A CALL BACK, MY
INFORMATION RIGHT NOW IS THAT
THEY ATTEMPT TO MAKE THAT CALL
BACK.
>> AND I APPRECIATE THAT WE DID
REQUEST SPD PARTICIPATE SO THAT
WE COULD ASK SOME OF THESE
QUESTIONS, AND THEY WERE UNABLE
TO JOIN US TODAY.
BUT I'M NOT HEARING THAT YOU
ARE SAYING SUBJECTIVE
DECISIONS, BUT IS THERE ANY
GUIDANCE OR ANY POLICY THAT
DEFINES HOW THOSE Z
CATEGORIZATIONS ARE MADE?
>> THERE IS A PROTOCOL POLICY,
BUT I DON'T KNOW, NECESSARILY,
THAT IT IS THE SAME KIND OF
CRITERIA THAT YOU ARE ASKING
ABOUT.
THAT'S A LEVEL OF DEPTH OF
QUESTION THAT I WOULD LEAVE FOR
THE DEPARTMENT TO ANSWER.
AND I APOLOGIZE.
I DON'T WANT TO SPECULATE.
>> I APPRECIATE.
WE ONLY LEARNED ABOUT THE
SWITCH FROM THE PRIOR RESPONSE
HANDLING APPROACH RATHER LATE
IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS
PRESENTATION.
SO APPRECIATE THAT WE ARE DOING
THE BEST WE CAN WITH LIMITED
INFORMATION.
OKAY.
LET'S MOVE ON.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA HAS A
QUESTION.
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA HAS A
QUESTION.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA, I'M
SORRY.
>> NOT DOING A VERY GOOD JOB
LOOKING AT THE VIRTUAL
PARTICIPANTS.
MY APOLOGIES.
>> I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, MADAM CHAIR.
THANKS, GREG, FOR THIS SUMMARY.
RECENTLY I WAS JUST PUTTING
TOGETHER THIS PRESENTATION, SO
IT SOUNDS LIKE PREVIOUSLY A 911
DISPATCHER WAS IN A REALLY
IMPOSSIBLE AND PROBABLY
UNCOMFORTABLE POSITION OF
HAVING TO TELL FOLKS WHO ARE
CALLING 9114 PRIORITY THREE AND
PRIORITY FOUR CALLS THAT
BASICALLY WE AREN'T TAKING
THESE CALLS RIGHT NOW AND
PLEASE CALL BACK LATER.
I COULD IMAGINE FOR A 911
DISPATCHER THAT'S AN INCREDIBLY
UNCOMFORTABLE AND HARD
SOMEONE WHO HAS MADE THE
DECISION TO CALL 911 FOR
WHATEVER REASON.
AND I APPRECIATE THAT THIS IS
TRYING TO ALSO NOT PUT THOSE
911 DISPATCHERS IN THAT
TERRIBLE POSITION.
I GUESS I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS,
THOUGH, ABOUT HOW CALLS ARE --
WHO MAKES THE FINAL DECISION
ABOUT CALLS.
THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF COVERAGE
RECENTLY THAT THERE WAS SEVEN
NEW OFFICERS THAT ARE NOW BEING
SENT TO ENCAMPMENTS VERSUS
GOING TO THE WORK THAT THEY HAD
PREVIOUSLY DONE ON SEXUAL
ASSAULT INVESTIGATIONS, FOR
EXAMPLE.
SO WHERE IN THE DECISION-MAKING
PROCESS DOES THE PERSON WHO IS
ANSWERING THE PHONE OR NOW THE
SECOND PERSON WHO IS REVIEWING
THE CALLS MAKE THE DECISION ON
WHO GETS SENT OUT TO THINGS
LIKE INVESTIGATING PROPERTY
CRIMES OR INVESTIGATING
ENCAMPMENT DISTURBANCES VERSUS
THE ISSUE THAT SOMEONE IS
CALLING ABOUT IN THE MOMENT?
>> SO I THINK IF I UNDERSTAND
YOUR QUESTION, WHERE IN THE
PROCESS, IT'S THE CASE THAT IF
IT IS A PRIORITY ONE OR A
PRIORITY TWO CALL, IF IT'S A
HIGH PRIORITY CALL, AND I THINK
THAT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT
YOU JUST MENTIONED, SOMETHING
ACTIVELY GOING ON IN AN
ENCAMPMENT WOULD FALL INTO A
PRIORITY ONE OR PRIORITY TWO
CALL . THEN THEY GO
IMMEDIATELY.
IT WOULD NOT BE A CANDIDATE FOR
THIS Z DISPOSITION CALL.
IF IT IS THE CASE THAT IT IS A
CANDIDATE FOR THIS PARTICULAR Z
DISPOSITION, THEN IT'S BY A
SUPERVISOR SUBJECTIVELY AT A
LATER TIME, WHEN WHATEVER
CRISIS THEY ARE RESPONDING TO,
LET'S SAY IT'S A SHOTS FIRED
INCIDENT OR SOME SORT OF
VIOLENT INCIDENT HAS RESOLVED
ITSELF AND THE SUPERVISOR IS
ABLE TO RETURN TO THE CAT
SYSTEM AND LOOK AT THE QUEUE,
AND LOOK AT THE NOTES, AND SEE
WHICH CALLS ARE CALLS THAT HE
OR SHE THINKS SHOULD BE
ATTENDED TO.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S GETTING
YOUR ANSWER OUT.
>> YES, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN?
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR HERBOLD ,
THANK YOU, MR. DOSS, FOR THIS
PRESENTATION.
HAD A QUESTION THAT'S RELATED
TO THIS SLIDE.
WE ARE, I BELIEVE, STILL
WAITING TO GET THE DATA FROM
THE EXECUTIVE ON WHICH CALLS
COULD BE HANDLED THROUGH
ALTERNATIVE RESPONSES, OTHER
THAN TRADITIONAL RESPONSS.
I BELIEVE SPD IS COMPILING THAT
INFORMATION AND PRESENTING IT
TO THE MAYOR'S OFFICE FOR
ANALYSIS OF WHICH CALLS COULD
BE RESPONDED TO YOUR
ALTERNATIVE MEANS.
DO WE KNOW THE TIMING OF THAT?
WHEN WE CAN EXPECT THAT?
BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S THE
BOTTLENECK IN TERMS OF HOW WE
ARE SUPPOSED TO THEN DESIGN THE
BEST ALTERNATIVE RESPONSES FOR
COMMUNITY SAFETY.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER.
>> WE DO HAVE A BRIEFING ON THE
28th, TO THIS COMMITTEE, ABOUT
NEXT STEPS AROUND THAT
ANALYSIS.
BUT JUST WANTED TO GET THAT
DATE OUT THERE.
DIDN'T MEAN TO INTERRUPT GREG.
>> WHEN IS THAT DATE,
COUNCILMEMBER?
>> THE 20th, OUR NEXT COUNCIL
MEETING.
I JUST WANT TO BE -- I DON'T
WANT TO RAISE EXPECTATIONS.
THIS REPORT ON THE 28th IS LESS
ABOUT THE OUTCOME OF THE
ANALYSIS, AND MORE FOCUSED ON
THE PROCESS AND WHO'S INVOLVED
AND THE NEXT STEPS. BUT GREG,
MAYBE YOU COULD ADD A LITTLE
BIT MORE CONTEXT THERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER, I CAN'T ADD
ANYTHING.
YOU ARE COMPLETELY ON TOP OF
IT.
>> BUT CENTRAL STAFF IS
ACTIVELY WORKING WITH THE
EXECUTIVE WORK GROUP ON THIS
EFFORT.
AM I CORRECT IN SAYING SO?
>> YES WE ARE.
THE IDEA IS EXACTLY AS YOU
ARTICULATED.
ON THE 28th, THE EXECUTIVE WILL
SIT DOWN AND WILL LAY OUT THEIR
PLAN FOR BOTH PRESENTING THIS
RESEARCH DEMAND ANALYSIS, RMD
STUDY, THE ONE THAT YOU TALK
ABOUT, MR. COUNCILMEMBER
PEDERSEN, AND ALSO HOW THEY
WOULD USE THAT DATA WITH
VARIOUS STAKEHOLDERS FOR THE
NEXT STEP, TO DETERMINE WHICH
CALLS MIGHT BE ANSWERED BY
CIVILIANS.
SO THAT MEETING ON THE 28th IS
REALLY GOING TO BE ANSWERING
YOUR QUESTION BOTH IN TERMS OF
WHEN THE DATA WILL BE AVAILABLE
AND HOW THE DATA WILL BE USED
GOING FORWARD, TO GET TO THE
ULTIMATE GOAL OF ALTERNATIVE
911 RESPONSE.
>> THINGS ARE STARTING TO MOVE,
THERE.
>> THANK YOU, LOOK FORWARD TO
IT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER NELSON.
>> TO COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA'S
POINT ABOUT RESPONSES TO
ENCAMPMENTS THAT CHARACTERIZES
DISTURBANCES, WE DO KNOW THAT I
BELIEVE THE NUMBER THAT I
REMEMBER IS THE 20% OF
HOMICIDES THIS YEAR WERE
ASSOCIATED WITH AN AND CAME IN,
AND WE ALSO KNOW THAT PEOPLE
LIVING IN ENCAMPMENTS ARE MUCH
MORE LIKELY TO BE VICTIMS OF
CRIME.
AND SO THEY DO HAVE A
RESPONSIBILITY, SPD DOES, TO
RESPOND TO THESE INCIDENTS.
AND SO, --
>> COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
NELSON.
WERE YOU DONE WITH YOUR
REMARKS?
I'M SORRY.
I APPRECIATE COUNCILMEMBER
NELSON RAISING THE CORRELATION
THAT WE ARE ALL AWARE OF AND
THAT'S BEEN EXTENSIVELY
REPORTED ON THE MASSIVE
CONCENTRATION OF PARTICULARLY
VIOLENT CRIMINAL ACTIVITY THAT
HAPPENS AROUND ENCAMPMENTS.
A COUPLE OF IMPORTANT PIECES OF
CONTEXT, THOUGH, AND MAYBE THIS
IS SOMETHING THE DEPARTMENT CAN
REPORT BACK ON OR CENTRAL STAFF
CAN FIND, MY UNDERSTNDING IS
THAT THE STAFFING COUNCILMEMBER
MOSQUEDA IS REFERRING TO IS
POLICE HOURS THAT ARE SPENT
ACCOMPANYING PARKS WORKERS WHEN
THEY'RE IN THE PROCESS OF A
RULE, RATHER THAN HOURS SPENT
INVESTIGATING CRIMINAL ACTIVITY
IN AN ENCAMPMENT.
WE HAVE LOTS OF MODELS, TO THE
POINT COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA IS
MAKING, OF OUTREACH METHODS
THAT DON'T REQUIRE POLICE
PRESENCE, AT LEAST NOT IN THE
SAME WAY OR AT LEAST NOT IN THE
FUNCTION OF POLICE BEING USED
ESSENTIALLY AS A CONDUIT FOR
THE REMOVAL ACTIVITY, BUT
RATHER, BE MORE FOCUSED ON THE
LAW ENFORCEMENT COMPONENTS OF
THEIR MISSION.
A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THAT, THERE
HAS NEVER BEEN A REQUIREMENT OR
AN EXPECTATION THAT POLICE BE
PRESENT AT A JUST CARE REMOVAL.
THEY DON'T EVEN USE THE TERM
REMOVAL, BECAUSE THEY ARE ABLE
TO PLAN FOR ALL RESIDENTS OF
THE ENCAMPMENT, SO THERE'S
NEVER ANYTHING TO REALLY
PROTEST OR BOYCOTT WHEN THOSE
OPERATIONS ARE CONDUCTED, WHICH
DOESN'T NECESSITATE THE
PRESENCE OF POLICE.
SO MY UNDERSTANDING IS WHAT HAS
BEEN REPORTED ON AND WHAT'S
BEEN COVERED IN THE NEWS HAS
BEEN SCRUTINY OVER THE EXERCISE
OF HAVING THE POLICE PRESENT
WHEN PARKS EMPLOYEES ARE
CONDUCTING REMOVALS.
AND WE JUST INDICATE THAT WE
KNOW THAT THERE ARE MODELS THAT
CAN MINIMIZE THE NEED TO DO
THAT, TO THE POINT
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA HAS
MADE, THAT WE SHOULD CONTINUE
TO LEAN INTO, LIKE JUST CARE,
WHICH WE'RE GOING TO HAVE
DISCUSSIONS ABOUT LATER THIS
MONTH ON SOME PLANS TO MAINTAIN
AND POTENTIALLY EXPAND THAT
MODEL, WHICH AGAIN, DOES NOT
NECESSITATE A SIGNIFICANT
APPORTIONMENT OF POLICE
RESOURCES TO EFFECTUATE, AS
WE'VE SEEN COUNTLESS TIMES OVER
THE LAST TWO YEARS.
SO I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY MY
UNDERSTANDING, AND
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA CAN
CORRECT ME IF SHE'S WRONG.
BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE POLICE
INTERACTION WITHIN ENCAMPMENTS
THAT IT -- THERE'S TWO
DIFFERENT WAYS THAT THAT IS
OCCURRING CURRENTLY, AND I
THINK THERE IS ROOM TO SEE IF
THERE IS A MORE EFFICIENT WAY
TO USE POLICE TIME AND
RESOURCES IN THAT RESPECT.
>> JUST IN GENERAL, I THINK
IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE DON'T
CONFLATE RESPONSES TO SCENES OF
VIOLENCE, SHOTS FIRED, OR
INVESTIGATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH
THOSE CRIMES, TO CONFLATE THOSE
WITH PLANNED POLICE DEPARTMENT
STAFFING OF ENCAMPMENT
REMOVALS.
THOSE ARE TWO DIFFERENT THINGS.
>> I WAS RESPONDING TO THE
WORD, DISTURBANCE.
>> ALL RIGHT, MOVING ON.
>> THIS IS MY LAST SLIDE, AND
NOT TOO MUCH TO SAY ABOUT THIS.
IT SORT OF SPEAKS FOR ITSELF.
THIS IS THE RESPONSE TIME DATA
FOR PRIORITY ONE, TWO, AND
THREE IN EACH PRECINCT.
WHAT I CAN TELL YOU IS THAT THE
CITYWIDE NUMBERS ARE FOR THE
AVERAGE, FOR QUARTER ONE.
10.37 FOR PRIORITY ONE AND
51.93, AND IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT
THE MEDIAN, IT'S 7.34 FOR
PRIORITY ONE AND 22.9 FOR
PRIORITY TWO.
AND THOSE ARE THE AVERAGES FOR
THE ENTIRE CITY.
>> CAN YOU SAY THAT ONE MORE
TIME?
>> SURE.
THE AVERAGES FOR THE ENTIRE
CITY, SO YOU CAN SEE HERE, BY
PRECINCT, WHAT THE 2022 QUARTER
ONE IS FOR EACH PRECINCT.
BUT IF YOU GOT THE AVERAGE FOR
THE ENTIRE CITY, IT IS 10.37
FOR PRIORITY ONE AND THE MEDIAN
FOR THE ENTIRE CITY IS THE
MEDIAN IS 7.34.
>> WHEN WE REFER TO THE SORT OF
NATIONAL BEST PRACTICES
STANDARD OF SETTING A SEVEN
MINUTE RESPONSE TIME FOR
PRIORITY ONE CALLS, ARE WE
REFERRING TO THE AVERAGE OR THE
MEDIAN?
>> FOR MANY YEARS, SPD HAD USED
A SEVEN MINUTE AVERAGE AS IT'S
TIME, AS ITS GOAL.
I WOULD HAVE TO ASK THEM NOW
WHAT THEIR OVERALL GOAL IS.
I CAN'T RESPOND TO THAT.
AND THEN ON THE PRIORITY TWO,
THE AVERAGE IS 51.93 AND THE
MEDIAN IS 22.9.
>> LET ME SEE IF THERE'S
QUESTIONS ON THIS SLIDE.
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR HERBOLD . I
KNOW MANY OF US WANT TO CRAFT
POLICIES AND BUDGETS BASED ON
THE DATA, SO ONCE AGAIN, I
BELIEVE WE'VE GOT VERY
DISTURBING DATA IN FRONT OF OUR
EYES HERE THAT THE NUMBER OF
POLICE OFFICERS IS DANGEROUSLY
DOWN AND THE RESPONSE TIMES ARE
DANGEROUSLY UP.
I'M LOOKING AT THE NORTH
PRECINCT, COMPARING 2019 TO
2022, FOR EXAMPLE.
THIS CONFIRMS A LOT OF WHAT
I'VE HEARD FROM CONSTITUENTS
WHO ARE CONCERNED, AS WELL.
I RECENTLY ATTENDED SIX
DIFFERENT ROLE CALLS AT THE
START OF PATROL SHIFTS AND
HEARD DIRECTLY FROM OUR PUBLIC
SAFETY OFFICERS ABOUT THEIR LOW
MORALE AND LACK OF TRUST.
THEY'RE OVERWORKED, AS WE SAW
FROM THE OVERTIME DATA.
KING COUNTY JAIL OFTEN REFUSES
TO BOOK THE SUSPECTS.
SPD OFFICERS RISK THEIR LIVES
TO BRING TO JUSTICE AND
SERVICES.
THEY FEEL THE CITY LEADERS
AREN'T DOING ENOUGH TO RETAIN
OFFICERS WHILE OTHER
JURISDICTIONS OFFER BONUSES,
ALLOW OFFICERS TO TAKE ON THEIR
PATROL CARS, AND PROVIDE
TECHNOLOGY TO KEEP THEM SAFE.
JUST NINE MONTHS AGO I
INTRODUCED LEGISLATION TO HELP
RETAIN POLICE OFFICERS, BUT
THAT DID NOT PASS.
RECRUITING NEW OFFICERS TO
REPLACE THE HUNDREDS OF
OFFICERS DEPARTING SEATTLE IS
VITAL, AND YET WE SHOULD ALSO A
KNOWLEDGE THAT RECRUITMENT
TAKES A LONG TIME, AND FOR
THOSE OFFICERS LISTENING IN,
PLEASE STAY IN SEATTLE.
WE NEED YOU TO STAY TO HELP
BRING THESE RESPONSE TIMES
DOWN.
PLEASE KNOW THAT WE VALUE THE
GOOD WORK YOU DO AND THE
EXPERIENCE YOU HAVE.
I'M VERY HOPEFUL MAYOR HAROLD'S
PUBLIC SAFETY PLAN, DUE WITHIN
THE NEXT COUPLE WEEKS, INCLUDES
IMMEDIATE AND ROBUST RETENTION
ACTIONS TO PREVENT SEATTLE FROM
LOSING MORE OFFICERS AND TO GET
A HANDLE ON THESE RESPONSE
TIMES.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I ALSO WANT TO JUST FLAG THAT
BACK IN MARCH OF 2021, THE
DEPARTMENT INDICATED THAT A
LOSS OF 50 PATROL OFFICERS
WOULD INCREASE PRIORITY ONE
RESPONSE TIMES BY THREE
MINUTES.
IT DOES APPEAR THAT THAT
PREDICTION IS IN LINE WITH THE
LOSS OF POLICE OFFICERS WITH
THE RESPONSE.
JUST WONDERING, AGAIN, I'M NOT
CLEAR WHETHER OR NOT THE
RESPONSE TIMES, THAT THEY WERE
SPEAKING OF IN MARCH '21, WERE
AVERAGES OR MEDIANS, AND
WHETHER OR NOT, GIVEN THAT LACK
OF CLARITY, IF THAT PREDICTION
HAS BEEN REALIZED HERE.
>> THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION,
COUNCILMEMBER.
I KNOW THAT WHEN DR. FISHER
MOVED IN TO HIS POSITION, HE
CHANGED THE WAY THAT SPD LOOKED
AT RESPONSE TIMES AND BROUGHT
IN THE MEDIAN MEASURE, WHICH
HADN'T PRIOR TO HIS ARRIVAL.
AND THAT'S WHY I WANT TO CHECK
BACK AND SEE.
SINCE HIS DEPARTURE, I'M NOT
SURE WHERE THEIR CURRENT GOALS
LIE. BUT I NEED TO CHECK BACK
WITH THEM TO GET YOU AN ANSWER.
I APOLOGIZE I DON'T HAVE THAT
TODAY.
>> THAT'S ALL RIGHT.
MY RECOLLECTION, AND MAYBE THIS
IS ALSO SOMETHING THAT HAS
CHANGED IS THAT THE PRIORITY
ONE RESPONSE TIME GOALS ARE NOT
JUST THE DEPARTMENTS IN THE
NATIONAL BEST PRACTICE THAT THE
DEPARTMENT FOLLOWS.
SO AGAIN, I THINK HAVING A
BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THAT IS
GOOD TO BE REALLY INSTRUCTIVE
FOR US IN DIGESTING WHAT THESE
INCREASES MEAN.
OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS?
I'M LOOKING FOR BOTH REAL HANDS
AS WELL AS VIRTUAL HANDS.
NOT SEEN ANY.
WAS THAT YOUR LAST SLIDE?
>> THAT WAS IT.
>> GREAT.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO LEARNING
MORE, BOTH ABOUT THE NEW REAL-
TIME TRIAGE SYSTEM, AS WELL AS
THE RESPONSE TIME STANDARD THAT
WE ARE SEEKING TO MEET FOR
SPECIFICALLY PRIORITY ONE
RESPONSES, AND REALLY
APPRECIATE YOUR WORK ON THIS,
GREG, AS WELL AS THE CONTINUED
REPORTING FROM THE DEPARTMENT
ON THESE QUESTIONS THAT ARE
QUESTIONS THE COUNCIL HAS ASKED
FOR THE DEPARTMENT TO DO
REGULAR REPORTING ON.
>> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR AND
COUNCILMEMBERS.
>> PERFECT.
THANK YOU.
>>> THE LAST ITEM, WE ARE GOING
TO DO AN ABBREVIATED SORT OF
JUST QUICK TOUCH ON THE CHANGES
TO THE BILL SINCE THE LAST TIME
WE TALKED ABOUT IT.
WE ARE NOT PLANNING ON VOTING
ON THE BILL, NOT EVEN PLANNING
ON VOTING ON THE SUBSTITUTE,
WHICH IS WHAT WE HAD ORIGINALLY
AIMED TO DO, IS THAT WE WERE
GOING TO GET THE SUBSTITUTE IN
FRONT OF US AND AT LEAST VOTE
ON IT.
BUT GIVEN OUR TIME TODAY, AND
HOPEFULLY AND IS HEARING US
NOW, HOPING TO DO AN
ABBREVIATED VERSION OF THE
BRIEFING THAT WE HAD PLANNED.
ALEX, COULD YOU PLEASE READ
AGENDA ITEM FOUR INTO THE
RECORD?
>> COMMUNITY AGENDA ITEM 4,
COUNCIL BILL 120337, AN
ORDINANCE RELATING TO CIVILIAN
AND COMMUNITY OVERSIGHT OF THE
POLICE, ESTABLISHING A PROCESS
FOR INVESTIGATING COMPLAINTS
WITH THE CHIEF OF POLICE,
ADDING A NEW CHAPTER 5 TO
CHAPTER 3.29 OF THE SEATTLE
MUNICIPAL CODE AND ADJUSTING
CEMENT AND HANNAH TO RENUMBER
THE EXISTING SUBCHAPTER FIVE OF
CHAPTER 3.29 AND SECTIONS 3 TO
29 503.29 510 OF THE SEATTLE
MUNICIPAL CODE.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
SO AS NOTED AT THE LAST
MEETING, THE BILL IS INTENDED
TO ADDRESS A TECHNICAL ISSUE
FROM THE 2017 ACCOUNTABILITY
ORDINANCE, WHICH DID NOT
SPECIFY HOW COMPLAINTS THAT
NAME THE CHIEF OF POLICE SHOULD
BE ADDRESSED.
THIS IS THE SECOND MEETING FOR
THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS
LEGISLATION.
AS MENTIONED LAST TIME WE MET,
I BECAME AWARE OF THIS ISSUE
EARLY IN 2022.
AND WAS NOTIFIED BY THE OFFICE
OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL OF
SOME OUTSTANDING COMPLAINTS
AGAINST THE FORMER POLICE
CHIEF.
THE BACKGROUND ON THIS
PARTICULAR VERSION OF THIS
BILL, THE LEGISLATION WAS
INTRODUCED TO THE REFERRAL
CALENDAR ON JUNE SEVENTH, SO
GIVEN THE TIMELINE FOR
COMMITTEES THAT MEET ON TUESDAY
MORNING FOR THE INTRODUCTION OF
REFERRAL CALENDAR, WE SENT IT
IN ON MAY 25th.
SINCE THEN, WE'VE CONTINUED TO
MEET AND CONSULT WITH THE
OFFICE OF POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY
AND THE OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR
GENERAL, AS WELL AS CONSIDER
THE CHANGES SUGGESTED BY THE
COMMUNITY POLICE COMMISSION.
THE SUBSTITUTE VERSION IN THE
CENTRAL STAFF MEMO IS THE
RESULT OF THIS CONTINUED
CONVERSATION.
AND WITH THAT, I'LL HAND IT
OVER TO ANN GORMAN, COUNCIL
CENTRAL STAFF.
>> GOOD MORNING.
THANK YOU, CHAIR HERBOLD AND
COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND COUNCIL
CENTRAL STAFF.
IN THE INTEREST OF TIME, I
WILL REFRAIN FROM GOING OVER
COUNCIL BILL 120337 IN-DEPTH,
AND I WILL JUST FOCUS MY
PRESENTATION TODAY ON THE
CHANGES THAT ARE REFLECTED IN
THE CURRENT DRAFT SUBSTITUTE
BILL.
AND I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THE
REASON FOR THE DRAFT SUBSTITUTE
WILL IS BECAUSE ALL
STAKEHOLDERS IN THIS BILL
REALLY RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE
OF CRAFTING AIRTIGHT
LEGISLATION THAT WILL BE
RESPONSIVE IN THE EVENT IN THE
FUTURE, THAT THERE IS A
COMPLAINT TO OPA AND AGAINST
THE CHIEF OF POLICE.
AND I THINK THAT EVERYONE ALSO
HAS AN INTEREST IN BEING
TRANSPARENT ABOUT THAT INTEREST
IN ONGOING ENGAGEMENT.
THAT IS WHY WE ARE DISCUSSING
THE DRAFT SUBSTITUTE BILL
TODAY, AND THE MAJOR CHANGE AND
IT IS A DIFFERENT RUBRIC FOR
THE CLASSIFICATION OF
COMPLAINTS.
TYPICALLY OPA CLASSIFIES
COMPLAINTS IN ONE OF FOUR
CATEGORIES WITHIN 30 DAYS OF
RECEIVING THEM, AND THAT IS
REFLECTED IN THE INTRODUCED
BILL THAT COUNCIL MEMBER AND A
CHAIR HERBOLD JUST DESCRIBED.
CONTINUE TO WORK ON THE BILL
WITH OPA AND OIG AND WITH THE
INPUT OF THE CTC.
WHAT WE REALIZED IS THE
COMPLAINTS AGAINST THE CHIEF
REALLY DO NEED TO BE TREATED
DIFFERENTLY.
THE SUBSTITUTE BILL WOULD
THEREFORE IMPOSE A NEW RUBRIC
IN WHICH COMPLAINTS AGAINST THE
CHIEF ARE EVALUATED FOR AS LONG
AS IT TAKES TO DETERMINE
WHETHER OR NOT THEY SHOULD BE
INVESTIGATED.
SO IN THE DRAFT SUBSTITUTE,
THERE ARE ONLY TWO CATEGORIES.
INVESTIGATION OR NO
INVESTIGATION.
AND A FEW SETS OF CHANGES FLOW
FROM THIS CHANGE.
FOR INSTANCE, OPA'S TYPICAL
PROCESS IS ALIGNED WITH THE
COLLECTIVE BARGAINING
AGREEMENTS THAT COVER UNIFORMED
SPD OFFICERS.
THE CHIEF IS NOT COVERED BY A
CBA SO THE DRAFT SUBSTITUTE
REMOVES EXTRANEOUS LANGUAGE
RELATED TO CBAS AND CLARIFIES
THE CHIEF'S NONREPRESENTATIVE
STATUS.
SUBSTITUTE WILL ALSO SPELLS OUT
OIG'S CONSULTED ROLE AS OPA IS
EVALUATING A COMPLAINT AND
CREATES A NEW NOTIFICATION
REQUIREMENT BEYOND THOSE IN THE
INTRODUCED BILL, IF OIG
DETERMINES THAT THIS EVALUATION
PROCESS IS TAKING LONGER THAN
IT SHOULD.
THE MAIN EFFECT OF THESE
CHANGES IS TO ENSURE THAT
COMPLAINTS AGAINST THE CHIEF
WILL BE TREATED AS SEPARATE AND
DISTINCT FROM OTHER COMPLAINTS
THAT OPA RECEIVES BECAUSE OF
THE GRAVITY OF THE
CIRCUMSTANCE, AND THAT OPA
INVESTIGATORS WILL NOT FEEL ANY
TIME PRESSURE TO CLASSIFY A
COMPLAINT.
THE CHANGES ALSO CLARIFY OIG'S
OVERSIGHT ROLE IN THESE
COMPLAINTS CONSISTENT WITH THE
POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY
ORDINANCE, AND IT CLEARS
SOMETHING THAT WAS VERY
IMPORTANT TO STAKEHOLDERS, AND
THAT IS THAT THERE IS NO ROLE
FOR SPD IN INVESTIGATING
COMPLAINTS AGAINST THE CHIEF.
ALL OF YOU HAVE A SUMMARY TABLE
DESCRIBING THE CHANGES IN THE
DRAFT SUBSTITUTE BILL AS WELL
AS THE DRAFT ITSELF.
AND AS CHAIR HERBOLD MENTIONED,
WE CONTINUE TO WORK ON THIS.
THANK YOU.
>> ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE
STATUS OF THE BILL, CONTENTS?
ALL RIGHT.
MORE COMING UP IN OUR NEXT
MEETING ON JUNE 28th.
THANK YOU.
ANY OTHER THOUGHTS OR COMMENTS
FOR THE ORDER?
SEE NONE, THE NEXT PUBLIC
SAFETY AND HUMAN SERVICES
COMMITTEE MEETING IS SCHEDULED
FOR TUESDAY, JUNE 28th, 2022.
IF THERE ARE ANY ABSENCES THAT
ARE PLANNED, I'D LOVE TO KNOW
THEM NOW.
NOT SEEN ANY.
AND BEFORE WE ADJOURN, THERE
ARE NO FURTHER COMMENTS FROM MY
COLLEAGUES.
NOPE, NONE.
THE TIME IS 12:24 P.M.
AND WE ARE ADJOURNED.
THANK YOU.