. THE SELECT BUDGET COMMITTEE
MEETING WILL COME TO ORDER 9:30
A.M. I AM CHAIR STRAUSS .
>> COUNCIL MEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH
COUNCIL MEMBER KETTLE
>> HERE COUNCIL MEMBER MOORE .
COUNCIL MEMBER MORALES
>> HERE
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT NELSON.
VICE CHAIR RIVERA
>> PRESENT
>> COUNCIL MEMBER SAKA
>> PRESENT
>> 20
>> PRESENT
>> CHAIR STRAUSS
>> PRESENT
>> THANK YOU AND I KNOW COUNCIL
MEMBER MOORE PREVIOUSLY
REQUESTED TO BE EXCUSED AND
COUNCIL PRESIDENT NELSON IS
ALSO EXCUSED UNTIL SHE ARRIVES.
TODAY, WE HAVE SEATTLE POLICE
DEPARTMENT, SEATTLE CARE
DEPARTMENT, SEATTLE FIRE
DEPARTMENT THIS MORNING AND THE
ATTORNEYS OFFICE THIS AFTERNOON
AS PRESENT BY CENTRAL STAFF IN
THEIR ANALYSIS OF THE MAYOR'S
PROPOSED BUDGET. IF THERE IS NO
OBJECTION THE AGENDA WILL BE
ADOPTED. COLLEAGUES, TOMORROW
WE ARE GOING TO HAVE FOR THE
FIRST TIME EVER, A JOINT SELECT
BUDGET COMMITTEE AND FORECAST
COUNCIL MEETING. THIS MEETING
OCCURS EVERY QUARTER, USUALLY
WITH JUST THE FORECAST MEMBERS.
ANYONE CAN ATTEND BUT WE WANT
TO MAKE SURE THERE IS INCREASED
TRANSPARENCY BY BRINGING THE
FORECAST COUNCIL HERE IN PART
BECAUSE IN AUGUST I NOTICED
EVERYONE HAD A LOT OF QUESTIONS
THAT HAD BEEN ADDRESSED DURING
THE FORECAST COUNCIL SO RATHER
THAN DOING IT TWICE WE ARE
GOING TO DO IT ONCE. THEN IN
THE AFTERNOON WE'RE GOING TO
BE HAVING SEATTLE DEPARTMENT OF
TRANSPORTATION COME IN AND
PRESENT THEIR SET OF AMENDMENTS
THAT WOULD BE NEEDED TO
IMPLEMENT THE LEVY, SHOULD IT
PASS. SO CURRENTLY WITH THE
BUDGET THEY HAVE PRESENTED TO
US IT IS A BUDGET WITH THE
UNDERSTANDING THAT THE LEVY
DOES NOT PASS, SO WE WILL HAVE
TWO OPTIONS BEFORE US. BOTH OF
THESE ARE UNUSUAL AND I'M GLAD
TO BE DOING THIS BECAUSE IT IS
WHAT IS REQUIRED TO INCREASE
TRANSPARENCY AND BUDGET
ACCOUNTABILITY. WITH THAT, WE
ARE GOING TO MOVE RIGHT INTO
OUR FIRST ITEM OF BUSINESS. THE
COUNCIL PRESIDENT IS NOW
PRESENT -- WITH THE SEATTLE
POLICE DEPARTMENT.
>> AGENDA ITEM ONE, SEATTLE
POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR BRIEFING
AND DISCUSSION.
>> WE ARE JOINED IS ALWAYS BY
DIRECTOR BEN NOBLE AND WE HAVE
DAN EDER WITH US AS WELL. I'M
GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO THE
PUBLIC SAFETY CHAIR. WE WILL
TURN IT BACK TO YOU TO GO
THROUGH POLICY CONSIDERATIONS
ONE BY ONE AND HAVE DISCUSSIONS
ON EACH. WITH THAT, GREG, OVER
TO YOU.
>> THANK YOU. GREG DOSS, GOING
TO COVER FOR YOU AN OVERVIEW OF
THE SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT
BUDGET IN THE 2025-26 PROPOSED
BUDGET. THERE WILL BE SOME
TECHNICAL ASPECTS TO MY
PRESENTATION SO PLEASE DO FEEL
FREE TO JUMP IN AND ASK ME
QUESTIONS. I WILL DO MY BEST TO
ANSWER IN REAL TIME. I'M GOING
TO PRESENT ABOUT TWO ISSUES FOR
YOUR CONSIDERATION TODAY AND
THEN MY COLLEAGUE, ANN GORMAN,
WILL BE HERE TO PRESENT THE
THIRD ISSUE . WITH THAT, I'M
GOING TO GO AHEAD AND JUMP IN.
I WILL START WITH THE BUDGET
SUMMARY. THIS IS DIFFICULT.
THERE ARE A LOT OF LINES IN A
LOT OF NUMBERS. THIS IS A
DIFFICULT TABLE TO INTERPRET
AND WHAT I WOULD SAY IS THAT IT
IS NOT VERY MEANINGFUL BECAUSE
TECHNICAL INCREASES TO SPD'S
BUDGET INCREASES FOR THINGS
LIKE INFLATION, LABOR AND
CITYWIDE INDIRECT COST CHANGES
ARE SO LARGE AND A BUDGET LIKE
SPD'S THAT IT IS VERY
DIFFICULT TO TELL AT THE LINE
ITEM LEVEL, THE BCL LEVEL WHAT
IS TRULY CHANGING AS A RESULT
OF POLICY CHOICES MADE BY THE
MAYOR SO I WOULD SAY ONE SHOULD
BE CAREFUL WHEN THEY'RE
LOOKING AT A TABLE LIKE THIS,
JUST TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT
OF A FLAVOR FOR THAT. THE
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE 2025 AND
THE 2024 BUDGETS, THE PROPOSED
AND ADOPTED -- THERE IS ABOUT
$50 MILLION OF THE CHANGE THERE
THAT IS NOTHING BUT TECHNICAL
ADS , AND ABOUT 39 MILLION OF
THAT 50 IS SOLELY DUE TO THE
SPG WAGE ADJUSTMENT WHEN THE
COUNCIL PASSED THE INTERIM
AGREEMENT EARLIER THIS YEAR SO
AGAIN, LARGE DOLLARS THAT HAVE
BEEN ADDED TO THESE BSL'S AND
IT IS DIFFICULT TO TELL WHAT'S
HAPPENING SO I'M GOING TO WALK
YOU THROUGH THAT. START OUT
WITH SWARMS SALARY FUNDING AND
THEN WE'RE GOING TO MOVE INTO
THE OVERTIME DEFICIT. THESE TWO
THINGS ARE TIED BECAUSE SPD IN
THE MAYOR'S PROPOSED BUDGET IS
CHOOSING TO USE SOME SALARY
SAVINGS TO FIND OVERTIME AND SO
THAT IS A HIGH-LEVEL
DESCRIPTION. I AM GOING TO GET
INTO EACH COMPONENT AND START
WITH THE SWORN SALARY FUNDING
AND AN ISSUE THAT HAS BEEN
RECOGNIZED THERE AND THEN I'M
GOING TO MOVE TO THE OVERTIME
DEFICIT AND THERE IS AN ISSUE
THAT HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED THERE
AND THESE TWO ISSUES WILL WORK
TOGETHER IN A WAY THAT WILL
PROVIDE YOU SOME OPTIONS FOR
SPD'S BUDGET . START OUT TO
SAY THAT NOT ALL OF SPD'S
POSITIONS ARE FUNDED IN THE
BUDGET. THERE ARE 1277 SWORN
OFFICER POSITIONS AS YOU CAN
SEE IN THIS CHART, BUT NOT ALL
OF THEM ARE FUNDED. THE CITY
HAD A NUMBER OF CONSTRAINTS.
THE GENERAL FUND, THE BUDGET
DEFICIT THAT YOU ARE ALL AWARE
OF. AS I SAID, THE $39 MILLION
THAT HAD TO BE INCLUDED IN EACH
YEAR FOR THE SPG -- SP AG
CONTRACTS AND OTHER
DEVELOPMENTS MEANT THAT THE
CITY COULD NOT FUND ALL OF ITS
POSITIONS SO WHAT YOU SEE ON
THE RIGHT IN THIS ONE BARS
STARTING FROM THE TOP THERE ARE
154 FTE THAT WERE IMMEDIATELY
NOT FUNDED. I'M NOT GOING TO
USE THE WORD UNFUNDED BECAUSE
THEY JUST WHEN SALARIES WERE
BEING ALLOCATED, THOSE
POSITIONS DID NOT RECEIVE ANY
SALARIES. THEN MOVING DOWN TO
THE TOP BAR, WORKING DOWN YOU
WILL SEE FTE WERE UNFUNDED ,
4.3 MILLION FOR A GENERAL FUND
REDUCTION. AS YOU KNOW, ALL
DEPARTMENTS IN THE CITY WERE
GIVEN A REDUCTION TARGET TO
MEET THE GENERAL FUND DEFICIT
AND IN THIS CASE F -- SPD MET
THOSE BY NOT FUNDING THOSE 23
FTE AND MOVING DOWN ONE MORE
ANOTHER 23 FTE WERE NOT FUNDED
AND THAT MONEY WAS MOVED INTO
SPD'S OVERTIME BUDGET AND THAT
IS BECAUSE AS YOU ARE GOING TO
SEE IN A MINUTE, OVERTIME
SPENDING HAS GONE UP
CONSIDERABLY OVER THE LAST
THREE YEARS AS THE DEPARTMENT
HAS BEEN LOSING OFFICERS AND
HAS HAD A NEED TO AUGMENT
STAFFING EITHER FOR SPECIAL
EVENTS ARE JUST FOR 911 CALLS.
THE REMAINING SWORN STAFFING
TOLD -- TOTAL IS THE 1076, AND
THAT IS THE COLORED GRAPE BAR
AT THE BOTTOM AND THAT IS
DESIGNED TO FUND RECRUITS,
OFFICERS, EVERY MEMBER OF THE
SWORN STAFF WILL RECEIVE
FUNDING FROM THAT 1076. WHAT WE
HAVE FOUND -- CENTRAL STAFF HAS
FOUND THAT SPD BE -- WILL NOT
NEED ALL OF THAT FUNDING AND
WILL NOT FILL ALL OF THOSE 1076
POSITIONS. IF THE DEPARTMENT
MANAGES TO COMPLETE ITS
STAFFING PLAN WITH 120 HIRES
AND HUNDRED AND FIVE
SEPARATIONS , IT WOULD RESULT
IN 15 NEW OFFICERS. YOU COULD
FUND THOSE 15 NEW OFFICES, ALL
OF THEIR SWORN, ALL OF THE
RECRUITS AND ALL OF THEIR
FILLED POSITIONS HE ONLY SPENT
THE DOLLARS ASSOCIATED WITH
1041 FTE SO IN A NUTSHELL, OR
POSITIONS ARE FILLED THEN THE
DEPARTMENT WILL LIKELY NEED IN
THE 2025 BUDGET. INEXACT, IT IS
35 PHYSICIANS THAT WILL NOT
LIKELY BE FILLED IN
APPROXIMATELY 6.5 MILLION IN
EACH YEAR OF THE BIENNIUM. I
SHOULD POINT OUT THAT THE
EXECUTIVES PERSPECTIVE ON THIS
IS THAT THE FUNDING IS A HEDGE
AGAINST UNCERTAINTY ON FUTURE
HIRES OR SEPARATIONS, THOUGH AS
I MENTIONED A MINUTE AGO, THERE
ARE 120 HIRES PLANNED. 105
SEPARATIONS PLANNED. IF EITHER
OF THOSE NUMBERS IN STAFFING
PLANS CHANGES, IF THEY HIRE
MORE THAN 120 IF THEY HAVE
FEWER THAN 105 SEPARATED AND
THEY WILL HAVE TO DIP INTO THE
FUNDING THAT WOULD BE FUNDING
THE 35 FTE , SO IT IS A BIT OF
A CUSHION FROM THE EXECUTIVE
PERSPECTIVE. I WOULD OFFER THAT
IN THE LAST EIGHT YEARS,
HERRING HAS NOT BEEN SUCH THAT
THE DEPARTMENT ACHIEVED 120
HIRES. THE MOST THEY HAVE
ACHIEVED IN ANY YEAR WAS IN
2019 THERE WERE 108, AND IN
2017 THERE WERE 102, SO NOT YET
HAS THE DEPARTMENT REACHED THE
TOTAL OF 120 . AS YOU ALL KNOW,
APPLICATIONS ARE INCREASING IN
THEIR GETTING BACK TO HISTORIC
LEVELS AROUND 3500 OR SO PER
YEAR, AND SO THE APPLICANTS ARE
THERE. IT IS MORE A MATTER OF
WHETHER SPD CAN MOVE THEM
THROUGH THE PROCESS QUICKLY
ENOUGH TO GET 120 HIRES. THE
LEGISLATION THAT YOU ALL PASSED
EARLIER THIS YEAR SHOULD HELP
WITH THAT WERE FREQUENT TESTING
OR WERE FREQUENT REGISTERS THAT
ARE RECRUITING. ALL OF THESE
THINGS SHOULD HELP GET TO 120.
IT WILL STILL BE A BIT OF AN
EFFORT, AS THE DEPARTMENT HAS
NOT REACHED HER THAT MUCH. MORE
LIKELY WOULD BE THAT THEY WILL
HAVE FEWER THAN THE 105
SEPARATIONS . IN THE LAST
COUPLE OF YEARS, THERE HAS BEEN
97 AND THERE IS 94 PROJECTED
NOW, SO THERE IS A POSSIBILITY
THAT THERE COULD BE FEWER
SEPARATIONS, AND THAT SOME OF
THAT EXTRA FUNDING -- THE 6.5
MILLION, MAY BE NEEDED TO
RETAIN FOR A HEDGE AGAINST
EXTRA SEPARATIONS. I'M GOING
TO STOP AND SEE IF YOU HAVE ANY
QUESTIONS.
>> THANK YOU, GREG. I'M GOING
TO PASS IT OVER TO COUNCIL
MEMBER KETTLE, CHAIR OF THE
PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE. DO YOU
WANT TO GO THROUGH THE NEXT
SLIDE AS WELL OR SHOULD WE
PAUSE HERE?
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR STRAUSS. I
THINK AS RELATES TO THE SWORN
SALARIES PROBABLY BEST TO DO
THE NEXT SLIDE AND THEN TAKE IT
AS A PACKAGE.
>> THEY ARE INTERTWINED, AS I
MENTIONED IN THE INTRODUCTION
BUT DID YOU WANT TO --
>> LET'S KEEP GOING THEN WE
WILL COME BACK AND TAKE IT ALL
TOGETHER.
>> OKAY, SO AS YOU ALL KNOW,
STAFF HAVE INDICATED THAT
ONGOING OFFICER SHORTAGES HAVE
REQUIRED THE DEPARTMENT TO
PROVIDE MORE AND MORE OVERTIME
TO DELIVER ESSENTIAL PUBLIC
SAFETY SERVICES, AND THAT
SPENDING ON PATROL AUGMENTATION
WILL EXCEED THE DEPARTMENT'S
OVERTIME BUDGET THIS YEAR. WHAT
YOU SEE AND HEAR IS A BAR CHART
THAT SHOWS THE NUMBER OF HOURS
THAT HAVE BEEN USED IN THE LAST
SEVERAL YEARS IN THE OVERTIME
CATEGORY, AND JUST TO WALK YOU
THROUGH THAT, THE BLUE CHART ,
OR THE BLUE BAR IS THE ORIGINAL
BUDGET AMOUNT THAT WAS IN THE
ORIGINAL ADOPTED BUDGET. THE
YELLOW BAR IS THE FINAL AMOUNT
THAT WAS IN THE REVISED BUDGET,
SO AT THE END OF THE YEAR WHEN
YOU'LL PASS THE YEAR-END
SUPPLEMENTAL THERE IS USUALLY A
REQUEST FOR MORE OVERTIME FOR
SPD AND THOSE REQUEST FOR MORE
OVERTIME ARE REFLECTED IN THE
YELLOW. THE DOTTED LINE ABOVE
IS ACTUAL SPENDING. AS YOU CAN
SEE IN THIS CHART IN THE LAST
FEW YEARS SINCE THE PANDEMIC,
SPD'S USE OF OVERTIME HOURS
HAS GREATLY EXCEEDED BOTH THE
ORIGINAL BUDGET AND THE REVISED
BUDGET. YOU ALL HAVE BEFORE YOU
ARE YEAR-END SUPPLEMENTAL FOR
2024 AND THAT YEAR-END
SUPPLEMENTAL INCLUDES AN
ADDITIONAL APPROPRIATION OF
12.8 MILLION. SHOULD YOU PASS
THAT YEAR-END SUPPLEMENTAL WITH
THE 12.8 MILLION IN IT, YOU
WOULD EXTEND THE YELLOW BAR
THERE IN 2024 UP TO
APPROXIMATELY 455,000 HOURS.
THAT IS IN AMOUNT THAT IS WHAT
THE BUDGET OFFICE PREDICTS THEY
WILL NEED. YOU WILL SEE THERE
IS A LITTLE BIT OF CUSHION
THERE BETWEEN THE DOTTED LINE
ON THE TOP OF THE BUDGET. THE
TOP OF THE BUDGET IS ABOUT
475,000 HOURS. IT SEEMS FAIRLY
EVIDENT THAT WHEN IT COMES TO
OVERTIME FOR SPD, BUDGET HAS
BEEN CHASING ACTUALS FOR MANY
YEARS AND SO THIS CUSHION HERE
ALLOWS FOR A LITTLE BIT OF
EXTRA SPENDING AT THE END OF
THE YEAR, SHOULD THEY NOT COME
IN AS PROJECTED. THEN YOU WILL
SEE IN 2025 THE PROPOSED BUDGET
STARTS THE YEAR AT
APPROXIMATELY 475,000 HOURS AND
THE HOPE IS THAT THE SPENDING
WILL MATCH THAT AMOUNT. FINALLY
WHAT I WOULD POINT OUT IS THAT
IN 2026, THERE IS NOT THE SAME
LEVEL OF FUNDING. I SHOULD
POINT OUT THAT IN 2025, THE
REASON THAT THE BAR EXTENDS ALL
THE WAY UP TO THE 475,000 OUR
AMOUNT IS BECAUSE THERE IS A
$10 MILLION AD OF OVERTIME THAT
THE EXECUTIVE HAS CHARACTERIZED
AS EMPHASIS CONTROLS. THAT $10
MILLION AD OF OVERTIME IS NOT
IN 2026, AND SO THAT IS THE
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE BARS
THAT YOU CAN SEE THERE. I ALSO
WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
THE EMPHASIS PATROLS. I WANT TO
MAKE A FEW POINTS THERE. ONE IS
THAT THOSE EMPHASIS PATROLS ARE
NOT GOING TO BE SUPPLEMENTING
WORK THAT IS DONE NOW. AS YOU
CAN SEE IN THE BAR CHART, ALL
THAT IS HAPPENING THERE WITH
THE EMPHASIS PATROLS IS THAT
THERE IS A CONTINUED FUNDING OF
THEM SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE
THERE IS AN UNDERSTANDING THIS
IS NOT SOMETHING NEW OR
ADDITIONAL IN 2025. THIS IS
SOMETHING THAT IS CONTINUING A
LEVEL OF SERVICE FROM 2024. THE
OTHER THING I WOULD POINT OUT
ABOUT THE EMPHASIS PATROLS IS
THAT THIS $10 MILLION IS NOT
STRICTLY FOR EMPHASIS PATROLS.
IT IS FOR PATROL AUGMENTATION
THAT WILL SUPPLEMENT 911
STAFFING, MINIMUM STAFFING AND
WHEN OFFICERS HAVE THE ABILITY
TO GO AND WORK IN AN EMPHASIS
AREA, THEY WILL BE ALLOCATED TO
THAT EMPHASIS AREA FOR ONE OR
TWO OR FOUR HOURS BUT IT WILL
BE ON A DIRECTED DEPLOYMENT
RATHER THAN HAVING AN ENTIRE
OFFICERS SHIFT DEDICATED TO AN
EMPHASIS AREA SO THE DEPARTMENT
HAS SHIFTED THE WAY THEY ARE
WORKING WITH EMPHASIS AND WANT
TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE
UNDERSTANDS THAT IT IS NOT THE
CASE THAT THIS $10 MILLION WILL
GO TO FUND OFFICERS WHO WILL
EXCLUSIVELY WORK ONE OF THE
EMPHASIS AREAS LIKE SAY,
DOWNTOWN OR 12th AND JACKSON.
IT WILL BE PATROL AUGMENTATION,
IN GENERAL. PROBABLY REACHING
MINIMUM STAFFING LEVELS OF
POSSIBLE , BUT PROBABLY
REACHING MINIMUM STAFFING
LEVELS THAN DEDICATING OFFICERS
AS THEY HAVE TIME TO WORK IN
THESE AREAS.
>> THANK YOU. DEEP ANALYSIS AS
USUAL FROM YOU REGARDING THIS
DEPARTMENT. COUNCIL MEMBER
KETTLE, AS CHAIR OF THE
COMMITTEE OVERSEEING THIS
DEPARTMENT WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO
AGAIN?
>> YES. THANK YOU, CHAIR
STRAUSS. ALSO THANK YOU , MR.
DOS. AS CHAIR NOTED, FOR ALL
THE GREAT WORK YOU'VE BEEN
DOING ALONG WITH THE TEAM, MS.
GORMAN, MR. JOHNSON AS WELL
APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU,
DIRECTOR NOBLE, FOR COMING BACK
AND DIRECTOR EITHER -- EDER.
WE'VE MADE GREAT STRIDES THIS
YEAR TO CHANGE THE DYNAMICS. AS
YOU NOTED, IT IS NOT JUST THE
SPA CONTRACT. IT'S NOT JUST
THE RECRUITMENT BILL. IT'S NOT
THE INCENTIVES BILL. IT'S NOT
THE TECHNOLOGY BILLS IN THE
NEARLY DOZEN BILLS WE'VE DONE.
IT IS ALSO THE CHANGE IN THE
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THIS
COUNSEL AND SPD AND CHANGING
THE DYNAMIC THERE, AS WELL, AND
ONE THING THAT WE SHOULD BE
UNDER NO ILLUSIONS THAT DESPITE
ALL THIS WORK IT'S NOT GOING
TO BE A QUICK FIX. IT'S GOING
TO TAKE THE ENTIRE TERM OF THIS
COUNSEL TO UNDO THE DAMAGE AS
RELATES TO STAFFING THAT
OCCURRED PREVIOUSLY BUT I'M
CONFIDENT AS NOTED BY THE
RECRUITMENT NUMBERS. I
DEFINITELY THINK WE ARE MOVING
IN A WAY TO CREATE
CONSTITUTIONAL POLICING IN OUR
CITY AND I THINK WE ARE ON A
GOOD DIRECTION . AS RELATES TO
SALARY SAVINGS THESE ARE BIG
NUMBERS. YOU TALK ABOUT YOU
KNOW, LIKE THE 35 FTE, THESE
ARE BIG NUMBERS AND THIS DRIVES
MY POINT ABOUT PROVISO AND THIS
IS JUST A GOOD GOVERNMENT GOOD
GOVERNANCE SCHOOLHOUSE ROCK
KIND OF POWER OF THE PURSE
OVERSIGHT PERSPECTIVE. AND TO
ENSURE THAT THINGS -- BECAUSE
OF THE SWINGS WE'RE TALKING
ABOUT, IT IS IMPORTANT WE STAY
ENGAGED ON THESE AND SO I
SUPPORT USING SALARY SAVINGS
AND BASED ON YOUR GRAPHICS AND
YOUR POINTS MADE REALLY THE TWO
OVERTIME INCENTIVES THEN WE
SHOULD BE REALLY SMART ABOUT
THIS IN TERMS OF YEAR-END OR
MIDYEAR SUPPLEMENTALS, WE
SHOULD BE DRIVING THIS AS TIGHT
AS WE CAN. A LITTLE BIT
CONCERNED ABOUT 26 FOR THE
REASONS WE TALKED ABOUT
PREVIOUSLY IN TERMS OF THE IDEA
THAT GRAPH FOR THE 26 PROPOSED
BUDGET, SOMEHOW THAT RED DOTTED
LINE IS GOING TO DROP ALL THE
WAY DOWN THERE IS KIND OF NOT
GROUNDED IN REALITY AND SO
THESE ARE THE THINGS WE NEED TO
WORK THROUGH AND AGAIN, I
REALLY APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT
YOU DO IN TERMS OF KEEPING THIS
OVERSIGHT STRONG BECAUSE THE
OVERSIGHT PIECE IS IMPORTANT
HERE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH,
CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
CATTLE. WE WILL MOVE ON THE
POLICY CONSIDERATIONS UNLESS
ANYONE ELSE HAS GENERAL
REMARKS. WE HAVE THREE
CONSIDERATIONS BEFORE US TODAY
SO THERE IS A FAIR AMOUNT TO
DIG INTO. SEEING NO HANDS AT
THE MOMENT, BACK TO YOU, MR.
DOS -- DOSS TO WALK US THROUGH
THE OPTIONS.
>> THANK YOU. I HAVE BEEN ASKED
ABOUT A REDUCTION AT THE OPA
BUDGET AND THAT REDUCTION IS
165,000 AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE
SECOND BULLET HERE. I THINK
WHAT HAS DRAWN PEOPLE'S
ATTENTION IS THE $165,000
REDUCTION IS ABOUT TWO THIRDS
OF THE OVERTIME BUDGET OPA HAS
HAD IN THE PAST THE CENTRAL
STAFF DUG IN A LITTLE BIT ON
THAT AND IF YOU -- IF THAT
$165,000 REDUCTION WERE TAKEN,
IT WOULD LEAVE ABOUT $82,000 IN
FUNDING IN 2025 FOR OPA AND
THAT IS CONSISTENT WITH THEIR
SPENDING THIS YEAR. WE EXPECT
THEY'RE GOING TO GET TO 82,000
AND LAST YEAR WAS 80,000, SO I
THINK IT IS THE CASE THAT THE
REDUCTION, WHILE IT SEEMS
DRAMATIC, IS PROBABLY MORE OF A
SYNCING WITH THE BUDGET TO
PRIOR ACTUALS . I WANT TO POINT
OUT THE EXECUTIVE HAS ALSO SAID
THAT THERE SHOULD BE ABSOLUTELY
NO CONSTRAINT WITHIN THAT
DIVISION TO TRY AND SAVE
OVERTIME HOURS IN A WAY THAT
MIGHT AFFECT THE INVESTIGATIONS
AND THE CONTRACTUAL DEADLINES,
THAT INDEED IF THERE WAS A NEED
TO USE OVERTIME FOR THOSE
THINGS, THE OPA SHOULD USE
OVERTIME FOR THOSE THINGS AND
THE ADDITIONAL OVERTIME BUDGET
WOULD BE PROVIDED IN
SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGETS. SO, THAT
IS THE LAST ONE AND NOW I WILL
SLIP.
>> CAN I JUST JUMP IN REALLY
QUICK? WE ARE WELL AWARE OF THE
OPA PIECE OF THIS. WE WORK
CLOSELY WITH OPA. THE AD OF THE
FTEs IS IMPORTANT BUT THERE ARE
OTHER THINGS THAT PLAY, TOO YOU
KNOW, COMING OUT OF THE LABOR
COMMITTEE. THERE ARE IMPACTS
ANOTHER COORDINATION WORK WE
ARE DOING IN TERMS OF SETTING
UP FOR THE 2025 LEGISLATIVE
AGENDAS, AS WELL. YOU KNOW,
CLOSE COORDINATION WITH THEM
ACROSS ACCOUNTABILITY PARTNERS
NOT JUST OPA .
>> NOW MOVING ONTO THE OPTIONS.
IN SUMMARY , AS YOU HEARD,
THERE IS ABOUT 6.5 MILLION IN
BOTH YEARS OF THE BIENNIUM THAT
IS INCLUDED IN SPD STAFFING
BUDGET THAT WILL LIKELY GO
UNUSED AS THE STAFFING PLAN
DOES NOT PROJECT THAT THEY WILL
NEED THAT FUNDING. I'VE TALKED
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HIRING AND
SEPARATIONS MIGHT NEED TO DIP
INTO THAT 6.5 MILLION IF THERE
ARE A LOT MORE HIRES WERE A LOT
FEWER SEPARATIONS. IT IS
DIFFICULT TO READ TEA LEAVES
AND KNOW THE FUTURE BUT THERE
IS A GOOD CHANCE THAT THOSE TWO
THINGS, THE HIRING AND
SEPARATIONS, WILL BALANCE OUT.
THERE MAY BE FEWER SEPARATIONS
AND FEWER HIRES AND IN THE END,
THAT WOULD BALANCE OUT TO WHAT
THE DEPARTMENT EXPECTS IT WILL
SPEND IN WHICH CASE THERE WILL
BE 6.5 MILLION AVAILABLE IN
EACH YEAR. THE SECOND THING,
SPD'S OVERTIME BUDGET IN 2026
IS LIKELY UNFUNDED BY ABOUT $20
MILLION AS THE BUDGET CHAIR IN
PUBLIC SAFETY CHAIR SAID. IT IS
UNLIKELY THAT THE DOTTED LINE
ON THE GRAPH THAT YOU SAW A
MOMENT AGO IS GOING TO GO DOWN
AS FAR AS THE BUDGET PROVIDED
IN 2026, SO THERE IS A NEED FOR
MORE FUNDING IN 2026 SO THE
OPTIONS HERE ARE TO REDUCE 6.5
MILLION EACH YEAR. B, ADD 10
MILLION TO THE OVERTIME BUDGET
IN 2026. C, ADOPT A STATEMENT
OF LEGISLATIVE ATTEMPT THAT
RECOGNIZES OPA'S OVERTIME
BUDGET AS PART OF SPD'S
DEPARTMENTWIDE BUDGET
ENCOURAGES SPA TO USE AS MUCH
OVERTIME AS NECESSARY TO PURSUE
INCOMPLETE INVESTIGATIONS WITH
AN ACTUAL CONTRACTUAL
TIMELINES. AS I SAID, THE
EXECUTIVE SAID THAT THIS IS
THEIR NORTHSTAR, AS WELL, BUT
IF THE COUNSEL WANTED TO PUT
THEIR STAMP ON IT, THEY COULD
PROVIDE A STATEMENT OF
LEGISLATIVE INTENT SAYING THE
SAME. D IS SOME COMBINATION OF
THE THREE ABOVE AND E IS NO
CHANGE.
>> THANK YOU, GREG. DIRECTOR
EITHER.
>> THANKS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY
TO WEIGH IN. GREG'S ANALYSIS
IS EXCELLENT, THOUGHTFUL, FAIR,
REASONABLE. WE WERE GRAPPLING
WITH UNKNOWNS , STAFFING PLAN
IS A PLAN. IT IS EVOLVING ALL
THE TIME. IT EVOLVED IN THE
MONTHS LEADING UP TO OUR
BUDGET, AND IT COULD INVOLVE
MOVING FORWARD. I JUST WANT TO
REMIND THE COMMITTEE THAT THE
CHIEF, IN HER PREPARED REMARKS,
DESCRIBED THE EXPECTATION THAT
SHE WAS GOING TO DO BETTER THAN
THE STAFFING PLAN SUGGESTED
WOULD BE THE NET NUMBER OF
SWORN OFFICERS IN 2025 AND 26.
THAT IS ANOTHER PREDICTION SHE
FELT SHE NEEDED TO PUT ON THE
RECORD. IF SHE DOES BETTER THAN
THE STAFFING PLAN SUGGESTS, WE
WOULD NEED SOME OR ALL OF THE
$6.5 MILLION TO HELP PAY FOR
THE NET NEW OFFICERS. IF WE
DON'T DO ANY BETTER, WE DO
JUST THAT WELL , JUST AS GREG
POINTED OUT, IN 2026 WE DID NOT
HAVE ENOUGH RESOURCES TO
CONTINUE THE LEVEL OF OVERTIME
EMPHASIS PATROLS INTO 2026 SO
WE WOULD CERTAINLY SUPPORT
RESERVING THAT MONEY FOR THAT
PURPOSE.
>> THANK YOU , DIRECTOR EDER.
COUNCIL MEMBER KETTLE? NOTHING
FURTHER? COUNCIL PRESIDENT
NELSON. THEN COUNCIL MEMBER
MORALES.
>> I SET OUT FROM THE GET-GO
SAYING WE SHOULD NOT BE TAKING
A CUT IN PUBLIC SAFETY. THE
BUDGET CUTS , YOU KNOW, THE
WHOLE PUBLIC SAFETY SYSTEM
SHOULD NOT BE CUT AT A TIME
WHEN WE ARE STILL SUFFERING
WITH THE IMPACTS OF CRIME, ET
CETERA, SO I UNDERSTAND THAT 1%
IS A LOT BETTER THAN A LOT OF
OTHER DEPARTMENTS WERE ASKED TO
TARGET FOR CUTS. HOWEVER, JUST
IN PRINCIPLE, THAT IS MY
THINKING IN GENERAL, THAT WE
SHOULD NOT BE CUTTING PUBLIC
SAFETY SYSTEMS BUT I AM SENSING
A LITTLE BIT OF COMPLACENCY
WHEN IT COMES TO MEETING THE
STAFFING PLAN GOALS AND THE
OVERALL SPD HIRING FOR STAFFING
PLAN WHICH IS, I BELIEVE,
CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, 1400
AND I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT YEAR
THAT OVERALL TARGET WAS
BEGINNING SPD BACK TO 1400 SO I
DON'T WANT TO TAKE OUR FOOT
OFF THE GAS OF HIRING, AND YOU
KNOW, WE HAVE INCREASED
COMPENSATION. WE HAVE COUNTABLE
120776 WHICH INCLUDED
RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION
PROGRAM AND ENCOURAGED THE
COMMISSION TO INCREASE
CANDIDATE CONTACTS AND
FREQUENCY OF PUBLISHING
REGISTERS. WE HAVE TAKEN ALL
THE STEPS TO AID IN THE HIRING
OF OFFICERS AND I'M NOT GOING
TO ASSUME WE'RE GOING TO KEEP
THAT THE PAST HIRING
ACCOMPLISHMENT LEVELS, SO I AM
CONCERNED THAT WE MIGHT BE
SHOOTING OURSELVES IN THE FOOT
BY ASSUMING THAT OH, WE ARE
JUST NOT GOING TO MEET THAT,
AND THAT IS WHAT I'M TALKING
ABOUT WHEN I'M SAYING I DON'T
LIKE WHAT I MIGHT BE SENSING IS
SOME COMPLACENCY IF NOT OF AN
INABILITY TO MEET OUR GOALS.
SO, BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO BE
LEFT WITH EITHER TOO MUCH IN
OVERTIME AGAIN FOR CONTINUED
UNDERSTAFFING SO MY QUESTION IS
THIS SPECIFICALLY, THE $10
MILLION IN OVERTIME THAT WE ARE
PROVIDING IN THIS BUDGET, IS
THAT COMING FROM IN PART, THE
4.2 MILLION IN THE ADDITIONAL
FTEs THAT WERE NOT FUNDED? SO,
IS THIS A NET INCREASE OR JUST
A NET SPEND OF AROUND $6
MILLION IN OVERTIME? THAT IS
ONE QUESTION THAT I HAVE. ON
PAGE -- I'M TALKING ABOUT PAGE
THREE AND FOUR OF THE STAFFING
MEMO -- I MEAN OF THE CENTRAL
STAFF MEMO, WHERE YOU ARE
TALKING ABOUT OVERTIME, SO
THERE IS 10 MILLION IN
OVERTIME, YET WE ARE NOT
FUNDING ADDITIONAL FTEs TO THE
TUNE OF 4.2 MILLION. IS THAT
COUNTING TOWARD THE 10 MILLION?
>> IF YOU LOOK AT THE GRAPH
HERE YOU WILL SEE THE BLUE
CHART FOR 2025. THAT IS
INCLUSIVE OF THE 10 MILLION,
INCLUSIVE OF THE 4.2 THAT WAS
DEFUNDED ON THE STAFFING SIDE
SO IT COULD BE DEDICATED TO
OVERTIME AND MEET PROJECTED
NEEDS. AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE
2024 ADOPTED BUDGET THE BLUE
BAR IS NOT QUITE HALF BUT LESS
THAN THE 25. THE REASON THE
YELLOW ONE AGAIN IS SO HIGH IS
BECAUSE THERE IS 12.8 MILLION
IN THE SUPPLEMENTAL. FROM THE
10 MILLION THAT WAS ADDED IN
25, THE 4.2 BILLION THAT WAS
MOVED FROM STAFFING INTO
OVERTIME , THOSE TWO CHANGES
WERE MADE IN ORDER TO MEET
DEMANDS OF OVERTIME. THE
STAFFING PLAN IS CURRENTLY
FULLY FUNDED FOR ALL RECRUITS ,
ALL STUDENT OFFICERS, ALL
OFFICERS AND 15 NEW HIRES, AND
THEN THERE IS MORE OF THE 6.5
MILLION, SO TO THE EXTENT THAT
THE COUNSEL THINKS THAT THERE
MIGHT BE MORE THAN HUNDRED AND
20 HIRES, YOU COULD CHOOSE TO
RESERVE SOME OF THAT 6.5
MILLION FOR THE POTENTIAL OF
HAVING INSTEAD OF 120 HIRES MAY
BE HUNDRED AND 30 HIRES. THAT
IS SOMETHING I COULD WORK OUT
THE NUMBERS ON AND PROVIDE YOU
AN OPTION THAT WOULD, INSTEAD
OF CUTTING OFF 6 MILLION, 5
MILLION, MAYBE ONLY CUT 6
MILLION OF RESERVE IN CASE MORE
OFFICERS ARE AVAILABLE TO BE
HIRED. DOES THAT HELP WITH YOUR
QUESTION?
>> SO BASICALLY, WE ARE
ASSUMING THAT WE ARE NOT GOING
TO BE NEEDING THIS SO THE 4.3
UNFUNDED IS BECAUSE ONE CAN'T
FATHOM THE IDEA THAT THOSE ARE
FILLED POSITIONS AND SO
THEREFORE WE ARE USING IT FOR
OVERTIME WHICH IS WHAT WE
ALWAYS DO.
>> WHICH IS A REASONABLE WAY TO
TREAT THAT.
>> I UNDERSTAND. ONE THING I'M
QUESTIONING THOUGH IS THE
CENTRAL STAFF DOTTED LINE IS
CONSTANT. CAN YOU GO BACK TO
THAT CHART? WHY IS THAT LINE
CONSTANT FROM 2024 THROUGH 2026
WHEN WE HAVE CREATED A COUPLE
MORE CRIMES ON THE BOOKS. WE
HAVE A HUGE SOCCER MATCH COMING
TO TOWN IN 2026, AND THOSE ARE
JUST TWO BODIES OF WORK THAT
COULD REQUIRE MORE OVERTIME.
>> IT'S A GOOD QUESTION. THE
LINE BEGINS IN 2024 , IT SHOWS
AS READ HERE BUT IT PROBABLY
SHOULD BE BLACK. IT WAS THE
DEPARTMENTS PROJECTION THAT
THEY WERE GOING TO SPEND IN THE
RANGE OF 455 TO 475,000 HOURS.
I TOOK THEIR PROJECTION AND
JUST STRAIGHT LINED UP FOR THE
PURPOSE OF SHOWING HOW THAT
WOULD RELATE TO THE BUDGET IN
EACH YEAR . I WOULD POINT YOU
BACK TO 2013 , WHERE THE USE
WAS 500,000 HOURS, AND SAY THAT
IT IS HIGHLY LIKELY SPD WILL
OVERSPEND ITS OVERTIME
ALLOCATION IN 2025 AND 2026.
>> THAT'S WHAT YOU SEE EVERY
YEAR.
>> YES BECAUSE YOU CAN SEE
THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE LAST
THREE YEARS, THE BUDGETED BARS,
AND THE DOTS.
>> RIGHT, AND THAT IS SO -- I
STARTED OUT THIS BUDGET CYCLE
ASKING ABOUT OVERTIME AND I AM
STILL ASKING ABOUT OVERTIME
WANTING TO REALITY CHECK
OVERTIME NEEDS. THE SUPPOSE IT
OVERTIME NEEDS AND WHAT I
CONSIDER TO BE MORE REALISTIC.
ALSO, I FORGOT TO MENTION THE
DOWNTOWN ACTIVATION TEAM, WHICH
IS, YOU MENTIONED PATROLS, BUT
THERE IS A LOT OF WORK GOING ON
THERE. IT ALSO REQUIRES TIME.
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT, CAN YOU
SPEAK CLOSER?
>> SORRY. I SEEM TO HAVE VOICE
PRODUCT -- PROBLEMS. ANYWAY,
THOSE ARE SOME OF MY QUESTIONS
ON THESE ISSUES.
>> I THINK YOU RAISE GOOD
POINTS. CENTRAL STAFF'S LINE
THERE IS JUST A FORWARD-LOOKING
PROJECTION. I ACKNOWLEDGE THAT
IT IS THE CASE THEY HAVE
OVERSPENT THEIR BUDGET AND IT
IS LIKELY THEY WILL OVERSPEND
THEIR BUDGET IN BOTH YEARS. IT
IS DIFFICULT TO DETERMINE BY
HOW MUCH THEY ARE GOING TO
OVERSPEND THEIR BUDGET , SO I
TOOK THE DEPARTMENTS ESTIMATION
AND DREW IT FORWARD BUT I WOULD
NEED TO TURN TO THE EXECUTIVE,
TO DIRECTOR EDER TO TALK ABOUT
THE EXECUTIVE'S CHOICE, THE
MAYOR'S CHOICE TO FUND AT THIS
LEVEL VERSUS A HIGHER LEVEL YOU
MIGHT BE TALKING ABOUT.
>> WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO WEIGH
IN?
>> PLEASE.
>> I, GREG DESCRIBES THE $6.5
MILLION AS A HEDGE AND I THINK
THAT IS A REASONABLE WAY TO
DESCRIBE IT. THERE IS SOME
UNCERTAINTY COMING , AS THERE
IS EVERY YEAR, BUT IT IS A
REASONABLE EXPECTATION THAT WE
WILL HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL
OVERTIME NEEDS BASED ON PAST
EXPERIENCE, AND ALSO BASED ON,
IN 2026, AS YOU DESCRIBED, SOME
MAJOR EVENTS COMING TO THE CITY
WHICH WILL REQUIRE, IN ADDITION
TO THE DOWNTOWN ACTIVATION
TEAM, AND ACTIVATION PLAN AND
THE YOU CT UNIFIED CARE TEAM,
WHICH ALSO REQUIRES POLICE
STAFFING IN OVERTIME, JUST
REGULAR NEEDS SO THE $6.5
MILLION CAN HELP PAY FOR THOSE
NEEDS IF WE NEED THEM. THEY CAN
ALSO HELP PAY FOR ADDITIONAL
REGULAR TIME STAFF IF WE ARE
ABLE TO, AS WE HOPE WE WILL,
SECURE MORE SMART OFFICERS, AS
YOU DESCRIBED.
>> SO, I'M HEARING SOME
ACKNOWLEDGMENT THAT THE
OVERTIME ALLOCATION WITH A
DOTTED LINE MIGHT NOT BE
REALISTIC. WE WILL LIKELY GO
OVER SO I THINK THAT SHOULD BE
ANOTHER POLICY OPTION, AND JUST
IN PRINCIPLE, WE SHOULD RAMP --
ACCELERATE ALL OF OUR EFFORTS
ON HIRING AND RESERVE A BUNCH
OF MONEY FOR OVERTIME BECAUSE
WE ARE HEARING GOOD THINGS FROM
THE COMMUNITY ABOUT WHAT IS
GOING ON DOWNTOWN AND IN OUR
FUTURE NEEDS AROUND THE GAMES,
ET CETERA. THANKS.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT.
>> ANYTHING FURTHER YOU WOULD
LIKE TO SHARE?
>> I THINK I MIGHT JUST POINT
OUT THAT 6.5 MILLION IN EACH
YEAR IS A TOTAL OF 13 MILLION.
IT IS EVIDENT THAT THERE IS A
$10 MILLION UNDERFUNDING IN
2026. IT IS THE CASE THAT YOU
WOULD NEED $10 MILLION TO FILL
THAT HOLE. THERE WOULD BE AN
ADDITIONAL $3 MILLION LEFT OVER
THAT IS FUNDING THAT COULD
EITHER GO TO STAFFING OR
OVERTIME , AS THE DIRECTOR SAID
MAY BE NEEDED.
>> THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT
MATH FOR ME.
>> THANK YOU, GREG. COUNCIL
MEMBER MORALES.
>> THANK YOU. I WANT TO STAY ON
THIS QUESTION OF OVERTIME.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS FOR AS
LONG AS I HAVE BEEN HERE. I
WANT TO UNDERSTAND BETTER ,
GIVEN THE STAFFING SHORTAGE,
WHICH WE HAVE HAD FOR MANY
YEARS , GIVEN THAT THE
DEPARTMENT UNDERSTANDS THE
SEASONALITY, IF YOU WILL, OF
THEIR NEED FOR OVERTIME , I
WANT TO UNDERSTAND HOW OVERTIME
IS PLANNED AND BUDGETED FOR,
BECAUSE EVERY YEAR WE SEE
UNBUDGETED OVERTIME IN THE
PROPOSED BUDGET, AND I NEED TO
UNDERSTAND WHY THIS IS AND
MANAGE BETTER. BECAUSE, WE GET
A BUDGET. THEY EXCEED THE
BUDGET. WE PUT MORE MONEY IN
AND THEN THE NEXT YEAR IT
COMPOUNDS AND SO LAST YEAR AS
YOU MENTIONED, SPD SPENT 39
MILLION ON OVERTIME WHEN IT'S
BUDGET WAS 31 MILLION. SINCE
THE START OF THIS YEAR, THEY
HAVE SPENT 24% , I CAN'T QUITE
REMEMBER AT THE TIME I WAS
LOOKING AT THIS BUT WE KNOW
THAT EVERY YEAR THEY SPEND MORE
THAN THEY GET, AND THEN THEY
ASK FOR MORE THE NEXT YEAR, SO
IT SEEMS LIKE THERE IS A
MANAGEMENT PROBLEM HERE, BUT I
CAN'T QUITE PUT MY FINGER ON
IT. DO YOU HAVE ANY INSIGHT?
>> I WOULD OFFER A COUPLE
THINGS. FIRST I WOULD SAY THAT
PATROL AUGMENTATION AND SPECIAL
EVENT STAFFING, THE NEED FOR
THOSE TWO THINGS HAVE BEEN
GROWING, AND THEY HAVE BEEN
GROWING AT A RATE THAT IS BEEN
DIFFICULT FOR THE CITY TO
PREDICT. THE OFFICER DEPARTURES
OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS , NOT
SOMETHING THAT I THINK EVER
WOULD'VE BEEN PREDICTABLE .
THERE IS A NEED TO USE OVERTIME
TO BACKFILL . THERE ARE MORE
EVENTS NOW THAN THERE WERE IN
THE PAST , JUST ADDING THINGS
LIKE THE CRACK IN -- KRAKEN
GAMES. THESE HAVE TO BE STAFFED
BY SPD SO THERE'S CERTAINLY
DEMAND FOR OVERTIME. THAT SAID,
THERE IS ALSO VERY NEED FOR SPD
OVERTIME , ESPECIALLY IN
SITUATIONS WHERE THERE ARE
EMERGING EVENTS OR ONE-TIME
ISSUES LIKE WHAT COMES TO MIND
, IN 2023 THE DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN THE TOP OF THE DOTTED
LINE AND WHERE WE ARE TODAY IS
ROUGHLY EQUIVALENT TO THE
AMOUNT OF OVERTIME THAT GOT
SPENT IN 2023 ON THE ALL-STAR
GAME WEEK. DURING THAT WEEK IN
2023, BECAUSE OF SOME CONCERTS
IN THE ALL-STAR GAME, THE
DEPARTMENT WHAT ON WHAT THEY
CALL BLUE GOLD OVERTIME WHICH
IS PUTTING NEARLY EVERYBODY IN
THE DEPARTMENT ACTIVATED TO BE
WORKING OVERTIME, IF NECESSARY,
TO STAFF TO THAT PARTICULAR
EVENT SITUATION, SO IT IS A
COMBINATION OF ONE-TIME
UNPREDICTABLE THINGS AND THEN
ALSO JUST IT IS VERY DIFFICULT
FOR THE CITY TO PREDICT HOW
MUCH OVERTIME IT'S GOING TO
NEED TO USE IN THE FACE OF THE
ONGOING OFFICER SEPARATIONS.
THAT IS THE BEST WAY THAT I CAN
SUM IT UP.
>> SPEAKING OF SEPARATIONS, YOU
MENTIONED IT WAS NOT REALLY
PREDICTABLE , BUT CAN YOU TELL
ME HOW MANY, WHAT PERCENTAGE OF
RECENT SEPARATIONS FOR
RETIREMENT? THAT IS RELATIVELY
PREDICTABLE TO KNOW WHEN FOLKS
ARE GOING TO BE LEAVING. ISN'T
THAT A SIGNIFICANT REASON
PEOPLE LEFT IN THE LAST FEW
YEARS?
>> I DON'T HAVE THE NUMBERS IN
FRONT OF ME IN TERMS OF THE
FOLKS THAT LEFT DUE TO
RETIREMENT OR SEPARATED
OTHERWISE BUT IN THE CASE WITH
SEATTLE POLICE OFFICER GUILD
OFFICERS , OFFICERS THAT ARE IN
THE LEFT SYSTEM, THEY ARE
USUALLY RETIREMENT-ELIGIBLE AT
53 YEARS OLD AND SO IF AN
OFFICER WANTS TO SEPARATE AND
NOT CONTINUE IN LAW ENFORCEMENT
CAREER, THEY CAN SEPARATE IN
THEIR 50s, AND IT TECHNICALLY
CAN BE A RETIREMENT IF THEY
RETIRE AND START DRAWING ON
THEIR LEFT CELERY AND THEY CAN
GO WORK SOMEWHERE ELSE, SO IT
IS DIFFICULT TO -- IT IS
DIFFICULT TO DETERMINE HOW MANY
FOLKS RETIRED BECAUSE THEY NO
LONGER WANTED TO WORK AS POLICE
OFFICERS VERSUS THE FOLKS WHO
SEPARATED BECAUSE THEY WANTED A
JOB WITH A DIFFERENT
DEPARTMENT, BUT THAT IS
INFORMATION I CAN GET YOU THE
EXACT NUMBER OF RETIREMENTS AND
SEPARATIONS LATER.
>> OKAY, I JUST WANT TO DIVE
INTO THIS A LITTLE BIT FURTHER
IF I COULD, CHAIR. I WANT TO
CLARIFY MY UNDERSTANDING OF
WHAT IS BEING ASKED FOR IN THIS
BUDGET. IN 2024, WE BUDGETED 54
MILLION IN OVERTIME. WE GOT A
MID-YOUR SUPPLEMENTAL FROM THE
MAYOR ASKING FOR ANOTHER 12.8
MILLION. IN 2025, THE MAYOR IS
ASKING FOR 10 MILLION ON TOP OF
THAT. IS THAT CORRECT?
>> THE 10 MILLION MAKES THE
BLUE BAR EVEN WITH THE YELLOW
BAR. IT IS FUNDING GOING
FORWARD FOR THE AMOUNT THEY'RE
ASKING FOR IN 2024. THEY'RE
MAKING 2024 HOLE, REACHING THE
DOTTED LINE AND THEN THE 10
MILLION AND THE 4.2 AND 2025
ALLOW YOU TO REACH THE DOTTED
LINE WITH THE BUDGET.
>> 720 25 I HAVE THE 10 MILLION
FROM THE MAYOR, THE 4.2
TRANSFERRED FROM THE STAFFING
UNDER SPEND, THE 6.5 THAT IS
CURRENTLY OVERBUDGET. I'M JUST
ASSUMING BECAUSE THAT SEEMS TO
ALWAYS BE WHAT HAPPENS IS THAT
WILL ALSO GET TRANSFERRED OVER
TO OVERTIME IF NECESSARY. IS
THAT A FAIR ASSUMPTION TO MAKE?
>> IF IT IS LEFT IN THE BUDGET,
A GOOD PORTION OF IT WILL --
IT'S DIFFICULT TO KNOW, BUT
MAY BE USED FOR OVERTIME
BECAUSE I CAN'T SAY ANYTHING
OTHER THAN THE DOTTED LINE IS
GOING ABOVE THE BUDGET, SO IF
WE CONTINUE THAT DIRECTION THEN
YES, IT IS LIKELY THAT SOME OF
THE 6.5 WILL BE NEEDED FOR
OVERTIME.
>> OKAY SO AGAIN THAT GETS BACK
TO MY QUESTION ABOUT HOW THIS
IS BEING MANAGED BECAUSE AND I
FULLY AGREE WITH THE COUNCIL
PRESIDENT. THE ANSWER TO THIS
PROBLEM IS THAT WE NEED TO GET
UP TO THE HIRING TARGETS IN THE
DEPARTMENT NEEDS TO BETTER
MANAGE ITS OVERTIME BECAUSE WE
ARE IN A DEFICIT SITUATION AND
WE CAN'T KEEP JUST ADDING TENS
OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS EVERY
YEAR BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW
WHAT THE PLAN SHOULD BE. THERE
ARE FINANCIAL STAFF THERE. THEY
SHOULD KNOW THE ANSWER TO THIS
QUESTION AND THEY SHOULD BE
ABLE TO TELL US WHAT THEIR ROLE
NOT -- BUDGET NEEDS TO BE SO WE
DON'T HAVE TO CONTINUALLY ADD
MILLIONS OF DOLLARS MIDYEAR AND
YEAR-END TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM.
THE TRUTH IS, I FEEL LIKE WE
MIGHT GET A BETTER RETURN ON
THIS INVESTMENT IF WE MAKE A
SHIFT IN SOME OF THESE DOLLARS.
WE MIGHT MAKE A MATERIAL
DIFFERENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY IF
WE ALLOW THE DEPARTMENT TO
RETAIN SOME OF THAT BUDGET
AUTHORITY KNOWING THAT WE NEED
TO GET TO THOSE POSITIONS BUT
IF THEY ARE NOT GOING TO BE
ABLE TO HIRE THEM FOR THIS YEAR
AND NEXT, THAT IS $13 MILLION
THAT WE COULD SPEND ON BUILDING
TO NEW TINY HOUSE VILLAGES OR
RESTORING OR INCREASING TENANT
SERVICES TO PREVENT
HOMELESSNESS IN THE CITY. OR
RESTORE FUNDING FOR SWIM
LESSONS AND YOUTH PROGRAMS AT
COMMUNITY CENTERS AND
RECREATIONAL SPORTS
PROGRAMMING. THERE IS A LOT OF
THINGS WE COULD BE DOING WITH
THAT MONEY BESIDES LEAVING IT
SITTING IN THE DEPARTMENT
UNUSED IN THIS DEFICIT
SITUATION. I THINK IT IS WORTH
US CONTEMPLATING -- KNOWING
THAT THERE IS A SMALL POT OF
MONEY, RELATIVELY SMALL POT OF
MONEY HERE THAT CAN BE DEPLOYED
IN OUR COMMUNITY AND MEANINGFUL
WAYS INSTEAD OF SITTING HERE
GETTING UNUSED.
>> DIRECTOR EDER.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR. I
RESPECTFULLY DISAGREE. I DON'T
THINK THERE IS A SCENARIO WHERE
THE MONEY WILL GO UNUSED. IT
WILL EITHER BE USED FOR REGULAR
STAFFING IN THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT FOR SWORN OFFICERS
OR IT WILL BE USED BECAUSE WE
ARE NOT ABLE TO ATTRACT MORE
SWORN OFFICERS, FOR OVERTIME TO
BACKFILL THE LOW LEVEL OF
FUNDED OFFICERS WHO ARE
ACTUALLY EMPLOYED BY THE CITY.
THAT IS OUR EXPECTATION, THAT
ONE WAY OR THE OTHER IT WILL BE
USED FOR POLICE SALARIES,
EITHER BASE WAGES WERE
OVERTIME, SOME COMBINATION OF
THOSE TWO.
>> AND THAT IS A POLICY CHOICE
THAT IN THIS TIME WE COULD BE
MAKING A DIFFERENT CHOICE.
>> COUNCIL MEMBER MORALES,
ANYTHING MORE? COUNCIL MEMBER
KETTLE.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR. REALLY
APPRECIATE THE DISCUSSION. I
NOTE COUNCIL PRESIDENT
NELSON'S POINT ABOUT BEING
COMPLACENT. WE WON'T BE
COMPLACENT BECAUSE WE WILL NOT
ALLOW THEM TO BE COMPLACENT. WE
WILL NOT BE COMPLACENT
OURSELVES IN THIS DISCUSSION
REALLY HIGHLIGHTS THAT WE NEED
TO HAVE THIS CONTINUING
ENGAGEMENT IN THE WAY WE KIND
OF ARE DOING BUT WE NEED TO
CONTINUE IT, PARTICULARLY WITH
MR. DOSS WORKING WITH THE SPD
TEAM, MY TEAM, THE COMMITTEE
OVERALL, AND WE WILL DO THAT.
AND BY THE WAY, SPEAKING OF
COMPLACENCY, NOT COMPLACENT --
YESTERDAY AT MY DAUGHTER'S
SOCCER GAME THAT WAS A FORMER
SPD OFFICER DOWN AT THE STEVE
COX MEMORIAL PARK AND I WAS
RECRUITING HIM TO COME BACK AND
FOR HIM TO GO OUT TO ALL HIS
FRIENDS BECAUSE IN TERMS OF
GETTING LATERAL TRANSFERS INTO
SPD, THIS IS ON TOP OF LIKE THE
TRANSIT SECURITY OFFICERS I'VE
RECRUITED ANOTHER'S, THE POINT
BEING THAT THIS IS AN ALL HANDS
ON DECK EFFORT IN TERMS OF
RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION, TO
IMPROVE THESE NUMBERS SO THEN
THIS OVERTIME QUESTION GETS
RESOLVED BY HAVING FULLY
STAFFED PD. ALSO, TO THE POINT
OF COUNCIL PRESIDENT 'S POINT,
IT IS DIFFICULT AND FRUSTRATING
AND AWAY. I RECOGNIZE THAT. IT
IS LIKE DETERMINING YOUR
INSURANCE POLICY PREMIUMS YOU
KNOW, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO
IN THE TRADE-OFFS AND IT MAKES
FOR DIFFICULT CHOICES BUT I
THINK TO YOUR POINT, THE FIFA
WORLD CUP AND ALL THE REST, WE
NEED TO BE VIGILANT AND ON TOP
OF THIS AND WE DO NEED, IN
TERMS OF HAVING THESE OFFICERS
ON THE GROUND, TO HAVE THAT
PRESENCE WHICH REALLY CREATES
THE SAFE BASE THAT WE NEED IN
OUR CITY, AND I THINK, BY THE
WAY, COUNCIL MEMBER MORALES
WOULD AGREE WITH ME THAT WHEN
YOU TALK ABOUT THE KRAKEN AND
SPD BEING THERE YOU SHOULD ALSO
MENTION THE SEATTLE STORM AND
THE FACT THAT SPD SUPPORTS THE
SEATTLE STORM, AS WELL. THIS
GOES TO THE POINT IN TERMS OF
THE PROVISO IN THE ENGAGEMENT
AND TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE A
ROBUST UNDERSTANDING WHAT IS
GOING ON WITH THE BUDGET IN
TERMS OF RECRUITMENT NUMBERS
AND THE LIKE BUT ALSO THE
OVERTIME NUMBERS , AND THAT IS
WHAT THE COMMITTEE WILL DO.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER
KETTLE. I SEE WE HAVE A NUMBER
OF HANDS. VICE CHAIR RIVERA.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR. I WANT TO
READILY ACKNOWLEDGE MY
COLLEAGUE COUNCIL PRESIDENT
ASSERTION THAT WE ARE -- WE
SEEM TO BE UNDERESTIMATING
OVERTIME. YOU KNOW, CAN WE, IN
THIS BUDGET, LEVEL SET IT SO
THAT WE ARE NOT HAVING TO COME
BACK AT A SUPPLEMENTAL AND
ASKING FOR MONEY BECAUSE
OVERTIME WAS HIGHER THAN WE
THOUGHT SINCE IT SEEMS TO BE
CONSISTENTLY OVER , AND I
APPRECIATE, GREG, YOU'RE
TALKING ABOUT THE 6.5 MILLION
IN 2025-2026 AND THE ABILITY TO
USE SOME OF THAT OVERTIME SO
THANK YOU FOR THAT BUT I DO
WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT IT IS
A CONCERN AND SO THAT IS WHY
YOU ARE HEARING US TALK ABOUT
THIS AND I THINK THE CONCERN
ASSURED PRETTY BROADLY ACROSS
THE CITY. I ALSO WANT TO
ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR , GREG, POINT
ABOUT YOU KNOW, THESE THINGS
ARE TRICKY. IT IS SOMETIMES
HARD TO PREDICT HOW MUCH YOU
WILL NEED AND I WILL ADD AN
EXAMPLE FROM THE DISTRICT THAT
I REPRESENT IN THAT WE HAVE AN
ISSUE AT MAGNUSON PARK THAT IS
NOW REQUIRED FOUR OFFICERS AT
EMPHASIS OVERTIME HOURS THAT WE
DID NOT ANTICIPATE BECAUSE
MAGNUSON PARK, AS OF SPRING OF
THIS YEAR HAS HAD SOME SAFETY
CHALLENGES IN NORTH PRECINCT
AND I AM SO GRATEFUL FOR
CAPTAIN LORI GUARDS PARTNERSHIP
AND THAT SHE HAS BEEN ABLE TO
PUT SOME EMPHASIS PATROLLED
THERE, BUT THE HOUSE REQUIRED
OVERTIME THAT WE DIDN'T
PREDICT FOR, RIGHT? THAT WE
COULD NOT HAVE PREDICTED, SO I
APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING
IN TERMS OF BEING ABLE TO
PREDICT SOME OF THESE THINGS ON
THE OVERTIME NEED. I ALSO WANT
TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND LINDA +1 THE
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLES --
McAULEY, COUNCIL MEMBER
KETTLE'S COMMENTS, BUT WE ARE
GOING TO BE VERY FOCUSED ON
RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION ON
THE SAND AS WELL AND I KNOW
DIRECTOR EDER HAS TALKED ABOUT
THAT TODAY AS WELL AND KNOWING
THAT EVERYONE IS GOING TO BE
ENGAGED IN VIGILANT TO MAKE
SURE WE ARE HIRING AND
RETAINING MORE FOLKS AND WE
JUST AGAIN WANT TO TAKE THIS
OPPORTUNITY TO REAFFIRM THE
COMMITMENT TO THAT AS WELL SO
THE TRICKY PART IS TO MAKE SURE
WE ARE MAKING THE BEST
GUESSTIMATE ON THE OVERTIME
BASED ON PRIOR HISTORY SO THERE
WE ARE NOT IN A SUPPLEMENTAL
SITUATION WHERE NOW WE ARE
RELYING ON THE SUPPLEMENTAL TO
TAKE UP THAT OVERTIME COST. IS
THERE A WAY IT CAN BE REFLECTED
IN THE BUDGET THAT IS MORE
REALISTIC BASED ON HISTORY
BECAUSE I DO UNDERSTAND THERE
IS NOT A PART OF MONEY SITTING
AT SPD JUST WAITING AROUND. WE
ACTUALLY HAVE HAD TO COME BACK
IN A SUPPLEMENTAL EVERY TIME
BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A POT OF
MONEY SITTING AROUND TO ADDRESS
THIS, SO I RECOGNIZE IT IS
TRICKY. YOU DON'T WANT TO
LEAVE A POT OF MONEY UNUSED AND
AT THE SAME TIME YOU WANT TO
TRY TO AVOID , AS MUCH AS
POSSIBLE, HAVING TO COME BACK
SO I GET IT'S TRICKY AND THEN
YOU ARE ALSO NOTICING , I WANT
TO MAKE SURE FROM A BUDGET
STANDPOINT THAT WE ARE MAKING
AS GOOD A GUESSTIMATE AS WE CAN
SO WE ARE NOT RELYING ON LATER,
BECAUSE WE MIGHT NOT HAVE IT
LATER TO USE AND WE NEED IT
BECAUSE WE STILL DON'T HAVE
THE WORKFORCE AT SPD THAT WE
NEED. WE JUST DON'T HAVE
ENOUGH OFFICERS, AND MORE AND
MORE THINGS ARE COMING UP IN
TERMS OF CRIMES THAN WE HAVE
HAD TO DATE. WE ARE JUST SEEING
MORE OF IT, UNFORTUNATELY.
THANK YOU, CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU . FOR THE TABLE,
ANYTHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO
SHARE IN RESPONSE? MOVING ON TO
COUNCIL MEMBER SAKA THEN
COUNCIL PRESIDENT NELSON AGAIN.
>> THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR AND
THANK YOU, GREG FOR THIS REALLY
INSIGHTFUL ANALYSIS AND ALSO,
THANKS TO ANN GORMAN ON THE
CENTRAL STAFF TEAM FOR HER WORK
IN HELPING TO TEE UP THESE
ISSUES AND APPRECIATE THE
INSIGHTFUL COMMENTS FROM MY
COLLEAGUES, ALL OF THEM, TO BE
HONEST, BUT SPECIFICALLY
COUNCIL PRESIDENT NELSON ON
COUNCIL MEMBER MORALES AND IN
PARTICULAR WITH RESPECT TO
COUNCIL MEMBER MORALES '
POINT. I SHARE THAT CONCERN
ABOUT THE LACK OF LIKE GOOD,
SOLID FINANCIAL MODELING AND
REPORTING ON THESE ISSUES, AND
I THINK THERE MIGHT BE AN
OPPORTUNITY THERE SIMILAR TO
THE NEED TO HAVE A FULSOME
EXECUTIVE PLAN ON SPD HIRING
JUST IN GENERAL. I KNOW THERE
IS A GOLD OF 1400 AND WE ARE
DOING A LOT LEGISLATIVELY TO
ENABLE THAT IN CLOSE
PARTNERSHIP WITH THE MAYOR BUT
IT'S NOT CLEAR TO ME IF THERE
IS AN OVERARCHING PLAN OR
STRATEGY WITH MILESTONES AND
TIMELINES AND GOALS AND HOW WE
ARE GOING TO GO ABOUT DOING
THAT AND YOU KNOW, THERE ARE A
LOT OF EFFORTS UNDERWAY RIGHT
NOW BUT HAVING AN OVERARCHING
PLAN AND STRATEGY TO ACHIEVE
THAT WITH SMART GOALS IS NOT
CLEAR TO ME. IN ANY EVENT , I
GUESS A QUICK QUESTION ABOUT
STAFFING FOR VARIOUS EVENTS.
GREG, YOU NOTED THAT THERE HAS
BEEN WAY MORE EVENTS OVER THE
LAST FEW YEARS IN PART BECAUSE
THE CRACK IN -- KRAKEN GAMES.
WE HAVE THE STORM, THE
SEAHAWKS, ANY NUMBER OF
PROFESSIONAL TEAMS AND WE ARE
GOING TO ADD ANOTHER ONE TO THE
LIST WHEN WE BRING BACK THE
SONICS ONCE AND FOR ALL. BUT MY
POINT IS, WHO TYPICALLY PAYS
FOR OFFICER STAFFING AT THESE
EVENTS?
>> I'M GOING TO TRY TO MAKE
THAT A SIMPLE ANSWER. IT IS
NOT, BUT I WILL SEE WHAT I CAN
DO HERE. IF IT IS AN EVENT THAT
IS OCCURRING IN A STADIUM ,
T-MOBILE, CENTURY LINK , IT IS
THE CASE THAT THOSE STADIUMS
AND THE COMPANIES THAT OFFER
THEM HAVE INDIVIDUAL CONTRACTS
WITH SPD TO PROVIDE SERVICES.
THEY AGREE AHEAD OF TIME ON HOW
MANY POSTS ARE GOING TO BE
STAFFED AND THE COST OF THOSE
POST AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT
FOR THOSE CONTRACTS IT IS 100%
REIMBURSEMENT SO WHEN WE ARE
TALKING ABOUT KRAKEN OR C HOT
GAMES, THE CITY DOES RECEIVE
100% REIMBURSEMENT FOR OFFICER
HOURS. THE SECOND CATEGORY IS
EVENTS THAT DON'T HAVE
CONTRACTS, EVENTS THAT COME TO
THE CITY AND REQUEST A SPECIAL
EVENT PERMIT THEN THROUGH THE
SPECIAL EVENT PERMITTING
PROCESS THERE IS AN ASSESSMENT
OF HOW MANY STAFF WILL BE
NEEDED TO ENSURE SAFETY AT THAT
EVENT . THAT FLUCTUATES BASED
ON THE FOOTPRINT OF THE EVENT
ON THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO ARE
GOING TO BE THERE. THAT RATE IS
NOT 100% REIMBURSABLE. THAT IS
A FIXED RATE THAT HAS BEEN IN
THE STATUTE NOW FOR SEVERAL
YEARS AND IT IS NOT CAPTURING
ALL OF SPD'S COSTS SO
EFFECTIVELY ON THOSE KINDS OF
EVENTS, THE CITY DOES SUBSIDIZE
AND THEN A THIRD CATEGORY OF
EVENT OR WHAT I WOULD CALL THE
SUPER EVENTS, SOMETHING LIKE
THE SEAHAWK -- SEE FAIR.
THAT'S WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR.
THE SEAFARER EVENTS, THE
TORCHLIGHT PARADE, VERY BIG
EVENTS OVER THE FOURTH OF JULY
WHERE SPD IS DEPLOYING NEARLY
ITS ENTIRE FORCE GIVEN THE
NUMBER OF PEOPLE OUT IN THE
CITY. THOSE EVENTS, GIVEN THE
SHEER NUMBER SPD IS DEPLOYING,
ARE PROBABLY EVEN LESSER OF A
COST RECOVERY THAN THE OTHER
TWO AFOREMENTIONED SO THOSE ARE
GENERAL CATEGORIES AS TO HOW
THEY RECOVER COSTS AND AGAIN,
THE PRIOR POLICY OF THE CITY
HAS BEEN THAT SOME SUBSIDIZING
OF THOSE EVENTS, COMMUNITY
EVENTS , LIKE LARGER FOURTH OF
JULY EVENTS, IT IS A POLICY
CHOICE THAT THE CITY SUPPLEMENT
COST THERE SO THAT PROMOTERS
CAN PUT THESE EVENTS ON IN
SEATTLE AND SEATTLE IS A
FRIENDLY COMMITTEE --
COMMUNITY.
>> THANK YOU AND JUST TO MAKE
SURE I CAPTURE THIS THREE-EVENT
TIER STRUCTURE , ESPECIALLY FOR
THE PROFESSIONAL SPORTING
EVENTS, THE EVENT PROVIDER
FUNDS THOSE AND SO A FOLLOW-UP
QUESTION IS BECAUSE FUNDING
THOSE POSITIONS IN THE STAFFING
REQUIRED CREATES NONTRIVIAL
OVERTIME CHALLENGES, ESPECIALLY
ON A DEPARTMENT LIKE OURS WHERE
WE ARE ALREADY GREATLY
UNDERSTAFFED, HOW IS THAT
TREATED? HOW IS THAT ADDRESSED?
AND THEN, IS THAT 100%
REIMBURSABLE, TOO? ALSO, CAN
THEY USE OR WE USE AT OUR
DIRECTION, IF NEEDED OR DO WE
HAVE THE OPTION TO USE OTHER
DEPARTMENTS WERE LAW
ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES
POTENTIALLY WITH OVERLAPPING
JURISDICTION LIKE WATCHING 10
STATE PATROL FOR EXAMPLE OR
KING COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE,
THAT KIND OF THING?
>> TO THE FIRST QUESTION I
WOULD SAY AGAIN, IF IT IS A
LARGER EVENT IN A STADIUM IT IS
100% REIMBURSABLE. THAT MONEY
GOES INTO THE GENERAL FUND AND
THEN GOES INTO THE LARGE
GENERAL FUND AND SPD IS AN
ENTIRELY GENERAL FUND-FUNDED
AGENCY. IT IS THE CASE THAT SPD
SPENDS MORE OVERTIME FUNDING
THAN IS BROUGHT INTO THE
GENERAL FUND SO ONE COULD SAY
ALL THE DOLLARS WE ARE
COLLECTING AND SPECIAL
REIMBURSEMENTS ARE GOING TO
FUND THE COST OF OVERTIME BOTH
FOR SPD AND SDOT AND FOR
OTHERS. IN TERMS OF USING OTHER
STAFF , IN MY NEXT ISSUE I'M
GOING TO GET TO AND M.O. YOU
RECENTLY SIGNED BETWEEN THE
CITY OF SEATTLE AND THE SEATTLE
POLICE OFFICERS KILLED A LOT
MORE FLEXIBLE USE OF PE IS TO
STAFF OVERTIME EVENTS WHETHER
IT BE STAFFING OF COMMUNITY
EVENTS OR STADIUM EVENTS,
EVENTS THAT PREVIOUSLY HAD BEEN
STAFFED BY SPD OFFICERS MAY BE
STAFFED BY PEO'S IN CERTAIN
CIRCUMSTANCES SO THAT IS AN
EVENT WHERE COST WOULD COME
DOWN WHEN IT COMES TO FUNDING
OVERTIME. IN TERMS OF MUTUAL
AID, CALLING AND OTHER AGENCIES
LIKE KING COUNTY SHERIFF OR THE
POLICE DEPARTMENTS, WHEN THEY
COME IN, THEY'RE GOING TO
CHARGE 100% REIMBURSEMENT FOR
THEIR OFFICERS, SO IF IT IS AN
EVENT LIKE A SEAHAWKS EVENT OR
STADIUM EVENT WHERE WE RECEIVE
100% REIMBURSEMENT THAT IS FINE
BUT IF IT IS A COMMUNITY EVENT
WHERE WE DON'T RECEIVE 100%
REIMBURSEMENT, BRINGING IN
ADDITIONAL LAW ENFORCEMENT
OFFICERS WILL COST US MORE
BECAUSE WE WILL BE PAYING AT
THAT RATE AS OPPOSED TO IF YOU
ARE ABLE TO USE A PEO WHICH
WOULD BE A LESSER [ INAUDIBLE ]
>> THANK YOU. COUNCIL PRESIDENT
NELSON.
>> I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT
EVEN IF WE PUT ASIDE FIFA FOR
CURRENT SPECIAL EVENTS, AND ALL
OF THE SPECIAL EVENT NEEDS WHEN
WE ARE TALKING ABOUT OVERTIME
THERE IS ENOUGH GOING ON IN
THIS TOWN RIGHT NOW TO REQUIRE
MORE OVERTIME AND WE SHOULD
NEVER SKIMP ON OVERTIME AND
I'M TALKING ABOUT BASIC PUBLIC
SAFETY NEEDS SO FOR EXAMPLE,
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA HOSTED A
PUBLIC SAFETY FORM IN HER
DISTRICT AT MAGNUSON PARK AND
THAT WAS TWO WEEKS AGO. CAPTAIN
AGARD SAID THE IDEAL NUMBER OF
OFFICERS ON PATROL FOR THIRD
SHIFT IS 20 IN THE PREVIOUS
FRIDAY, SATURDAY AND SUNDAY
THERE WERE 13, 14, AND 15 FOR
THOSE FRIDAY, SATURDAY AND
SUNDAY NIGHTS. THAT'S NOT VERY
MUCH FOR THAT WHOLE PRECINCT.
THEN JUST THIS PAST WEEKEND IN
DISTRICT 3 ON CAPITOL HILL
THERE WAS A FATAL SHOOTING AND
THEN THERE WAS A SHOOTING EVENT
WHICH INJURED TWO PEOPLE AT THE
SAME SPOT THE NEXT DAY. EVERY
SINGLE SHOOTING EVENT REQUIRES
-- DRAWS PATROLS, OFTEN PATROL
FROM OTHER PRECINCTS, SO WHO IS
FILLING IN THERE? AND THEN
THERE ARE NUMEROUS SMALL
BUSINESSES ALL OVER TOWN THAT
ARE STILL FEELING UNDERSERVED
BY POOR PUBLIC SAFETY SYSTEM.
35th AVENUE NORTHEAST, BALLARD
INDUSTRIAL ZONE, ET CETERA SO
I'M JUST SAYING THAT LET'S NOT
GET BOGGED DOWN IN EVENTS AND
OUR NEED FOR OVERTIME. IT SEEMS
CLEAR THAT WE HAVE A NEED FOR
OVERTIME JUST TO MANAGE OUR
PUBLIC SAFETY NEEDS. THAT'S
NOT SAYING ANYTHING ABOUT
INVESTIGATIONS, WHICH WE ALL
KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO THE
INVESTIGATIVE UNITS ON PATROL
SO WE ARE NOT TRACKING OR
PREVENTING CRIME AS WELL AS WE
COULD BE, ET CETERA SO I JUST
URGE MY COLLEAGUES IN THE
EXECUTIVE TO THINK ABOUT
BASELINE PUBLIC SAFETY NEEDS
WHEN WE ARE ALLOCATING OVERTIME
DOLLAR AMOUNTS.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT. DIRECTOR EDER.
>> JUST IN THE CONTEXT OF USE
OF OVERTIME VERSUS BASE SALARY
, I WANTED TO JUST REMIND THE
COUNSEL OF ITS LEADERSHIP IN
THE MAYOR'S LEADERSHIP IN
DEVELOPING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
THE TWO POLICE UNIONS, NEW PAY
SCALES THAT ARE SIGNIFICANTLY
HIGHER THAN THEY HAVE BEEN IN
YEARS PAST. THOSE WERE MULTIPLE
YEARS IN THE MAKING NEGOTIATION
AND WE ARRIVED AT A 24%
INCREASE FOR RANK-AND-FILE
OFFICERS PAY . THAT IS WHAT WE
THINK IS ONE OF THE MOST
SIGNIFICANT REASONS WHY WE HAVE
THREE TIMES THE NUMBER OF
APPLICATIONS WE'VE HAD OVER
THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS COMING
IN THE DOOR MONTH AFTER MONTH
SINCE THAT SPOG CONTRACT WAS
ADOPTED, SO THAT IS THANKS TO
YOUR LEADERSHIP, IT IS THANKS
TO THE MAYOR'S LEADERSHIP. WE
THINK THAT IS REALLY GOING TO
TURN THINGS AROUND IN TERMS OF
BEING ABLE TO ATTRACT, RETAIN
NEW SWORN OFFICERS. THAT WILL
MEAN THAT WE NEED LESS OVERTIME
AND NEED MORE BASE OVERTIME ,
BUT LESS OVERTIME, IF WE CAN IN
FACT INCREASE THE NUMBER OF
SWORN OFFICERS WHO ARE ON
STAFF.
>> THANK YOU, EDER.
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA THEN I
WILL PASS IT ON TO COUNCIL
MEMBER KETTLE.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR. THANK YOU
AND ANN FOR YOUR PREPARATION OF
THIS REALLY GREAT PROPER --
PRESENTATION AND SUPER
APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT
THROUGHOUT THE YEAR ON ALL
THINGS SPD AND PUBLIC SAFETY
-RELATED SO DID WANT TO
ACKNOWLEDGE YOU ALL AND ALL THE
GREAT WORK YOU DO. I HAVE A
QUESTION ABOUT -- I KNOW THERE
ARE SOME COMMUNITY EVENTS AND
YOU RAISE TORCHLIGHT THAT ARE
SUPPOSED TO REIMBURSE SPD BUT I
KNOW OVER THE YEARS SOME OF
THESE HAVE BEEN REALLY
CHALLENGING FOR THE EVENTS TO
BE ABLE TO REIMBURSE SPD SO IS
THERE ANY WORK AND MAYBE
DIRECTOR EDER, YOU HAVE SOME
KNOWLEDGE OF THIS. IS THERE ANY
WORK GOING INTO RIGHTSIZING ALL
OF THAT AND BY RIGHTSIZING, I
MEAN IF WE KNOW HISTORICALLY WE
ARE NOT ABLE TO GET THE
REIMBURSEMENT BACK AND THESE
ARE THINGS THAT COMMUNITY
REALLY WANTS THEN WE NEED TO BE
HONEST ABOUT HOW MUCH
REIMBURSEMENT WE ARE ACTUALLY
ABLE TO GET IN THE NEGOTIATIONS
WITH THOSE PARTICULAR COMMUNITY
BIGGER EVENTS. THESE ARE BIGGER
EVENTS AND COMMUNITY. IS THAT
WORK HAPPENING? I KNOW THAT
ALSO HAS A BIG IMPACT ON THE
REIMBURSEMENT AND OVERTIME, AND
I NOTICED SOMETHING THAT SPD
HAS GRAPPLED WITH OVER THE
YEARS IN TERMS OF TRYING TO ,
THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, GET
REIMBURSEMENT BACK IN NOT
GETTING IT AND THEN THAT GETS
THE OT LEVELS HIGHER THAN I BUT
SOME OF THAT ALSO IMPACTS THE
SUPPLEMENT, HAVING TO ASK FOR
IT IN THE SUPPLEMENTAL --
WHATEVER THEY ARE NOT GETTING
REIMBURSED BY.
>> YES. I CAN ADDRESS THE
DEMAND FOR STAFFING SERVICES
REALLY IN TWO WAYS. THE CITY
HAS BEEN VERY THOUGHTFUL IN ITS
RECENT NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE
STADIUMS WHEREBY THEY ARE
TRYING TO MINIMIZE THE NUMBER
OF OFFICERS THAT ARE NEEDED YET
ENSURE THERE ARE ENOUGH THERE
TO PROVIDE FOR PUBLIC SAFETY.
IT IS THE CASE THAT THERE ARE
FEWER OFFICERS GENERALLY NOW ON
POST AT SPECIAL EVENTS AROUND
STADIUMS THEN THERE -- MAN
THERE HAS BEEN IN THE PAST
BECAUSE SPD IS FOUND WAYS TO
FIND EFFICIENCIES AND ENSURE
THEY CAN MAINTAIN COVERAGE
WITHOUT HAVING SO MANY PEOPLE
SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS
CONSTANTLY BEING TALKED ABOUT
BETWEEN THE PROMOTERS THE
SPECIAL EVENING PROCESS LOOKS
AT PRIOR NUMBERS OF FOLKS WHO
COME TO THE EVENT, AND THEN DO
A CASE-BY-CASE ANALYSIS, SO SPD
TRIES TO FIGURE OUT HOW MANY
FOLKS ARE GOING TO BE NEEDED
FOR PUBLIC SAFETY PURPOSES AND
YOU CAN SEE THAT THOSE EVENTS
DO ADJUST FROM YEAR TO YEAR, SO
IT IS NOT THE CASE THAT SPD IS
JUST APPLYING THE SAME STATIC
NUMBER OF FOLKS TO ALL THOSE
EVENTS. IT IS SOMETHING WHERE
THERE DOES APPEAR TO BE AN
ANALYSIS THAT IS COMING ON BOTH
SIDES TO MAKE SURE THAT EVENTS
ARE NOT OVERSTAFFED , STAFFED
-- BUT YET, STAFFED TO THE
PUBLIC SAFETY NEEDS.
>> THANK YOU, GREG. ACTUALLY, I
WAS ASKING ABOUT THE ONES SPD
IS SUPPOSED TO BE REIMBURSED
FOR BUT ARE NOT, SO THEN LATER
IN THE YEAR, THE BUDGET IS OFF
BECAUSE WE'RE NOT GETTING THAT
REIMBURSEMENT BACK FROM SOME OF
THESE COMMUNITY EVENTS THAT ARE
SUPPOSED TO BE REIMBURSING FOR
THAT SERVICE, AND THEN THERE IS
THAT WELL, WE WANT THESE EVENTS
TO HAPPEN REGARDLESS SO HOW DO
WE WRITE SIZE THAT SO SPD IS
NOT CONSTANTLY THAN IN A SPACE
WHERE THEY ARE NOT GETTING THE
REIMBURSEMENT BUT STILL HAVING
TO PROVIDE THE SERVICE?
>> I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT IT
IS NOT A SURPRISE . THEY'RE NOT
EXPECTING TO GET REIMBURSED IN
THE NOT GETTING REIMBURSED BUT
WE HAVE DECIDED AS A CITY THAT
WE DO WANT TO SUBSIDIZE THE
POLICE PRESENCE AT SOME OF
THESE COMMUNITY EVENTS BECAUSE
WE HAVE DECIDED IT IS A GENERAL
PUBLIC SAFETY NEED AND THAT IS
WHAT THE POLICE FORCES
THEREFORE AND THAT IT'S
BURDENSOME FOR SOMETIMES
SMALLER ORGANIZATIONS TO PLACE
A BLOCK PARTY-SCALE EVENT. WE
DON'T WANT TO CHARGE THE FULL
COST OF WHAT IT TAKES TO HAVE
AN OFFICER BE AT A KEY
INTERSECTION TO CLOSE OFF
BLOCKS SO THAT CARS DON'T COME
BARRELING OVER PEOPLE WHO ARE
PARTYING IN THE STREET. IT
WOULD MEAN THERE WOULD BE FEWER
OF THOSE KIND OF EVENTS SO WE
HAVE SORT OF BALANCED OUR
EXPECTED AMOUNT OF
REIMBURSEMENT IN THE CODE.
CERTAINLY, A DIFFERENT BALANCE
COULD BE STRUCK BUT THERE MAY
BE AS ONE RIGHT ANSWER.
>> THANK YOU. I THINK CAN WE
TAKE IT OFF-LINE BECAUSE I'M
NOT TALKING ABOUT THE BLOCK
PARTY AND SMALL COMMUNITY
EVENTS. I'M TALKING ABOUT THE
BIG EVENTS LIKE THE TORCHLIGHT
YOU JUST MENTIONED AND OTHERS
LIKE IT. I DON'T WANT TO PICK
ON TORCHLIGHT. WE ALL LOVE
TORCHLIGHT BUT --
>> YES, AND THOSE ARE GENERALLY
CONTRACTS THAT ARE NEGOTIATED
BY THE MAYOR'S OFFICE DIRECTLY
WITH THE PROMOTER, SO THAT IS
SOMETHING WE CAN TALK ABOUT
LATER AND I CAN GET YOU
INFORMATION ON HOW THE
EXECUTIVE COMES TO THESE
DETERMINATIONS.
>> THANK YOU, VICE CHAIR.
COUNCIL MEMBER KETTLE, ANY LAST
WORDS ON CONSIDERATION ONE?
>> THANK YOU. I EXPECT THERE
WILL BE SOME COMBINATION WORK
WITH MR. DOSS, MR. NOBLE AND
THE EXECUTIVE TO MAKE SURE WE
ARE COVERED SO THAT WE GET WHAT
WE NEED AND ARE PUBLIC SAFETY
IS WELL PRESERVED.
>> THANK YOU , COUNCIL MEMBER
KETTLE, CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE
OVERSEEING THE DEPARTMENT. I
WILL JUST AT A HIGH LEVEL SAY
OVERTIME PROJECTIONS THAT GREG
DOSS HAS IDENTIFIED IN THE
POLICY ANALYSIS, HE IS
IDENTIFYING THAT THIS IS A
KNOWN UNKNOWN ON SLIDE THREE.
GREG HAS DESCRIBED THIS AND
MAKING A GUESS ON THE PUBLISHED
CHART TO OUR CITY COUNCIL
BUDGET MEETINGS NOT NECESSARILY
[ INAUDIBLE ] TRANSPARENT
BUDGET MAKING BECAUSE THE
CONVERSATION GREG HAS HAD WITH
US DESCRIBES THE LEVEL OF KNOWN
UNKNOWNS ON THE VARIABLES THAT
GO INTO THIS AND SIMPLY PUTTING
A LINE ON THE CHART WOULD NOT
NECESSARILY BE TRANSPARENT
ANALYSIS BECAUSE OF THE NUMBER
OF VARIABLES IN THE MANNER
DESCRIBED IS PROVIDING US THE
KNOWN INFORMATION AND OPTIONS
AT THIS TIME AND I REALLY
APPRECIATE THIS ANALYSIS.
LET'S MOVE ON TO POLICY
CONSIDERATION NUMBER TWO. GREG,
I WILL GIVE YOU THE FLOOR THEN
PASS IT BACK TO COUNCIL MEMBER
KETTLE AS CHAIR OF THE
COMMITTEE OVERSEEING THIS
DEPARTMENT.
>> THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. THE
SECOND ISSUE I HAVE IDENTIFIED
FOR THE COUNCIL WAS THE HIRING
OF PARKING ENFORCEMENT
OFFICERS. IN RECENT YEARS THERE
HAS BEEN A VACANCY RATE BETWEEN
19 OR 20 VACANT PEO POSITIONS.
THIS VACANCY RATE IS FAIRLY
SIGNIFICANT. IT IS THE CASE
THAT A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO THE
PEO UNIT WAS IN SDOT AND WHEN
IT WAS IN SDOT AT THAT TIME
VACANCIES WERE BEING HELD SORT
OF ON PURPOSE TO PROVIDE SALARY
SAVINGS BECAUSE THERE WAS NOT
SUFFICIENTLY FUNDED OVERHEAD IN
SDOT TO PAY FOR THAT UNIT. THE
COUNCIL HAD DISCUSSIONS ABOUT
THAT ISSUE AND DECIDED THAT WAS
ONE OF THE REASONS THAT PEO'S
WOULD BE MOVED BACK TO SPD.
OTHER REASONS HAVING TO DO WITH
OPERATIONAL CONSIDERATIONS.
WHEN THE UNITS CAME BACK TO
SPD, THE EXPECTATION WAS THAT
IT WOULD BE FULLY STAFFED, BACK
UP TO 104. OVER THE LAST YEAR
AND HALF, THE DEPARTMENT HAS
HAD DIFFICULTY REACHING THAT
NUMBER. THEY STILL TODAY HAVE
19 VACANCIES THAT THEY
INHERITED FROM SDOT A YEAR AND
A HALF AGO WHEN THE POSITION
WAS MOVED BACK. IN DIGGING INTO
THAT, CENTRAL STAFF DISCOVERED
THERE ARE SOME ISSUES WITH THE
HIRING PROCESS ITSELF. IT IS
THE CASE THAT THERE ARE MANY
STEPS, AS YOU CAN SEE IN THIS
CHART, TO THE HIRING PROCESS.
THIS WAS THE LAST HIRING
PROCESS THAT STARTED LAST
SUMMER IN AUGUST ON 2023 AND
ONCE ALL OF THE CANDIDATES, THE
COHORT MADE IT THROUGH THE
STEPS TO NUMBER SEVEN, IT WAS
MARCH, SO IT TAKES A LONG TIME,
MANY STEPS , IS PROCESSED
-INTENSIVE AND THERE ARE SOME
ISSUES THE EXECUTIVE IS
EXPLORING ON POTENTIAL WAYS TO
STREAMLINE THIS PROCESS, THE
IDEA BEING THERE LOOKING AT
EACH STEP IN SAYING LIKE, WITH
THE WRITTEN EXAM, TO SEE THAT
IT IS ACTUALLY TESTING FOR THEY
ARE LOOKING TO STREAMLINE BACK
GROUNDING. THEY'RE WORKING TO
TRY TO TAKE THE PROCESS, MAKE
IT MORE EFFICIENT AND FASTER TO
HIRE PEO'S. THAT IS AN ONGOING
PROCESS THAT THE COUNCIL COULD,
AS YOU WILL SEE IN MY OPTIONS
LATER, COULD STAY INFORMED
WITH, AND WE COULD REPORT BACK
REGULARLY TO YOU AND HOW THAT
PROCESS IS GOING, THE KINDS OF
CHANGES THAT ARE BEING MADE.
THERE IS ONE BOTTLENECK, IF YOU
WILL, IN THIS PROCESS THAT THE
COUNCIL COULD PULL A POLICY
LEVER ON IMMEDIATELY AND THAT
IS HIRING A COUPLE FOLKS TO
TRAIN PEO'S. RIGHT NOW, THERE
ARE NO DEDICATED TRAINING STAFF
FOR PEO'S. WHEN A PEO COHORT
GROUP COMES IN AFTER BEING
HIRED , OTHER PEO'S WILL STEP
INTO A TRAINING ROLLING TO PAY
TO THE SUPERVISORY TO TRAIN
THOSE FOLKS BUT BECAUSE WE HAVE
A STAFFING SHORTAGE WHEN IT
COMES TO PEO'S, IT IS
DIFFICULT TO DEDICATE A
SUFFICIENT NUMBER FOR TRAINING,
AND WITH NO DEDICATED TRAINERS,
IT WINDS UP RESTRICTING THE
AMOUNT OF PEOPLE THAT CAN BE
TRAINED AT ANY ONE TIME, SO TO
GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE OF HOW THIS
PLAYS OUT AND CREATES A PROBLEM
WITH THE PROCESS, RIGHT NOW THE
PEO MANAGER IS IN STEP NUMBER
THREE WITH A NEW COHORT. THERE
ARE 26 CANDIDATES RIGHT NOW
THAT ARE BEING INTERVIEWED.
SHOULD ALL 26 BE QUALIFIED AND
OFFERED EMPLOYMENT WITH THE
SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE
HIRING MANAGER IS GOING TO HAVE
TO MAKE A DECISION ABOUT HOW
MANY TO SEND TO BACK GROUNDING.
IF THE HIRING MANAGER SENT ALL
26 TO BACK GROUNDING AND ALL 26
GOT THROUGH BACK GROUNDING,
THEY WOULD HAVE ABOUT TWICE AS
MANY PEO'S AS THEY ARE ABLE TO
TRAIN SO THAT IS THE CHALLENGE
THAT THEY ARE DEALING WITH
RIGHT NOW. INSTEAD, WHAT IS
GOING TO HAPPEN IS IF ALL 26
ARE ELIGIBLE TO BE HIRED, THE
MANAGER IS GOING TO SAY WELL,
OKAY, I CAN ONLY TRAIN ABOUT 11
AT A TIME BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE
ANY DEDICATED TRAINERS SO
THEREFORE THEY WILL SEND TO
BACKGROUNDING ONLY THOSE 11.
FROM THERE, BACKGROUNDING
USUALLY WEEDS OUT ABOUT 50% OF
THE CANDIDATES SO WHAT YOU WIND
UP WITH IS A COHORT OF 26 FOLKS
IN THE INTERVIEW STAGE RIGHT
NOW AND WHEN YOU GET OUT OF
BACKGROUNDING YOU MIGHT HAVE
SIX. IF THE DEPARTMENT KNEW
THAT IT HAD DEDICATED TRAINING
STAFF AND THEY COULD TAKE AS
MANY FOLKS TO TRAIN AS COME
THROUGH THE PIPELINE AT ONE
TIME, THEN THE PEO MANAGER
WOULD BE ABLE TO SEND BACK
GROUNDING ALL 26. AGAIN WITH
THE PASSING RATE ON BACK
GROUNDING MIGHT ONLY BE AT HALF
BUT AT LEAST HE WOULD GET 13
OUT OF THAT GROUP, SO THAT IS A
CASE WHERE THE COUNCIL COULD
ADD POSITIONS. THE COUNCIL
COULD ADD TWO SUPERVISOR
POSITIONS. THERE WOULD NOT BE A
NEED TO DEDICATE FUNDING TO
THESE POSITIONS BECAUSE THE
VACANCIES IN THE PEO UNIT ARE
ALREADY FUNDED SO SPD IS
RECEIVING SOME SALARY SAVINGS
FROM THOSE. YOU COULD REDIRECT
THE SALARY SAVINGS TO FUND
THESE TWO SUPERVISOR POSITIONS
AND THAT WOULD OPEN UP THIS
BOTTLENECK AND KNOWING THAT THE
TRAINING CAPACITY WAS THERE,
THE MANAGER COULD SEND MORE
PEOPLE TO BACK GROUNDING.
>> COUNCIL MEMBER KETTLE.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR. THANK YOU,
MR. DOSS, FOR THAT . ONE WORD
COMES TO MIND . FRUSTRATING.
FIRST, FRUSTRATING AFTER
OCTOBER ALMOST TO THE DAY, FOUR
YEARS AGO COMMUNITY COUNSEL
SENT A LETTER TO THE CITY, TSK
-- TO ADD LARGE CITY
COUNCILMEMBERS AT THE TIME AND
MAYOR DURKAN WITH A REFORM
PACKAGE AND IDEAS AND WE DID
NOT PULL PARKING ENFORCEMENT
OUT OF SPD SO THAT IS A
FRUSTRATING POINT, NUMBER ONE.
NUMBER TWO, VERY FRUSTRATING IS
WHAT YOU HIGHLIGHTED IN YOUR
BACKGROUND REGARDING WHAT
HAPPENED TO SDOT. THIS IS AN
EXAMPLE WHY DON'T PLACE
ORGANIZATIONS THAT DON'T
BELONG IN OTHER DEPARTMENTS OR
WHATEVER LITTLE REASON , IT
JUST BECOMES TOO EASY BECAUSE
IF THERE IS NOT A MISSION SET
ALIGNMENT IT MAKES IT TOO EASY
FOR WHAT HAPPENED AT SDOT AND
EXTREMELY FRUSTRATING.
OBVIOUSLY THE COUNCIL, THE
COMMITTEE HAS BEEN FOCUSED ON
SWORN OFFICERS. ONE THING ABOUT
BUDGET THAT I AM LEARNING,
IT'S KIND OF LIKE AN ONION.
YOU PEEL BACK AND START
LEARNING NEW THINGS AND PARKING
ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS IS AN
EXAMPLE OF THAT AND SO
DEFINITELY SUPPORT OPTION A.
POSSIBLY B. I WOULD BE
INTERESTED IN DIRECTOR EDER'S
POSITION ON B BUT IN GENERAL A
POSITION ON THIS TOPIC BECAUSE
WE DO NEED TO DO BETTER WITH
THE APPROACH WE'VE DONE WITH
SWORN OFFICERS AND PARKING
ENFORCEMENT, AS WELL.
>> I DON'T HAVE A FIRM
POSITION TO OFFER FROM THE
ADMINISTRATION ON THIS. I CAN
FOLLOW UP AND GET BACK TO YOU
ON IT. I DO KNOW THAT IF WE
WERE TO USE SALARY SAVINGS TO
SUPPORT TWO NEW SUPERVISOR
POSITIONS THAN LONG-TERM ONCE
WE GET UP TO FULL STAFFING THAT
WOULD PRESUMABLY EAT INTO THE
INABILITY TO HIRE MORE PEO'S.
>> YOU HAD ME AT THIS WOULD NOT
REQUIRE ADDITIONAL FUNDING. WE
COULD USE SALARY SAVINGS AND SO
THIS SEEMS LIKE A NO-BRAINER
OPTION B BUT I HAVE A QUESTION.
WHY DOES THIS EVEN REQUIRE
COUNCIL ACTION? CAN THE
DEPARTMENTS CREATE SUPERVISOR
POSITIONS FOR TRAINING ET
CETERA THOSE KINDS OF USES JUST
ON THEIR OWN, OR DOES THIS
REQUIRE COUNCIL APPROVAL
BECAUSE OF A PROVISO THAT SAYS
SALARY SAVINGS CAN ONLY BE USED
FOR CERTAIN THINGS OR COULD YOU
PLEASE WALK ME THROUGH THAT?
>> SURE. NOT THE CASE OF A
PROVISO. THE PROVIDERS ARE ON
SPD IS TYPICALLY ONLY ON SALARY
SAVINGS. HERE WE ARE TALKING
ABOUT VACANCIES IN THE PEO
UNIT, CIVILIAN SALARY SAVINGS
THERE IS NO RESTRICTION ON
USING THOSE RESTRICTIONS FOR
OTHER THINGS. IT IS THE CASE OF
THE COUNCIL WOULD NEED TO ADD
TWO NEW SUPERVISOR POSITIONS
NECESSARY TO FUND THEM AND AS I
SAID THE SALARY SAVINGS CAN DO
THAT. DIRECTOR EDER IS CORRECT
THAT IN FUTURE YEARS AS WE GET
FULLY STAFFED ON THE PEO UNIT
THERE WOULD NEED TO BE
BACKFILLING, SO TO SPEAK, ON
THE SALARY SAVINGS FOR THE
PEO'S. ONCE 20 MORE PEO'S ARE
HIRED, THAT MIGHT BE A GOOD
PLACE TO BE IS TO ADD MONEY FOR
THE SUPERVISORS AND MORE PEO'S.
AS I INDICATED EARLIER THE CITY
HAS ENTERED INTO A TWO-YEAR
AGREEMENT WITH THE POLICE
OFFICERS GUILT ALLOWS US TO USE
PEO'S FOR SPECIAL EVENTS AND
IF WE HAD 20 MORE OF THEM THAT
WOULD HELP OFFSET OFFICERS
POTENTIALLY BEING USED NOW AND
THAT WOULD SAVE US SOME COST ON
OFFICER OVERTIME AND ALSO
OBVIOUSLY OFFICERS NOT BECOMING
OVERWORKED. SO, I WOULD SAY IT
WOULD BE A GOOD PROBLEM TO HAVE
IN TWO YEARS TO HAVE TO ADD THE
MONEY FOR THE SUPERVISORS BUT
RIGHT NOW THEY CAN BE FUNDED BY
SALARY SAVINGS.
>> COUNSEL AUTHORITY IS NEEDED
TO CREATE PERMANENT POSITIONS.
>> TO EXTRAPOLATE ON THAT,
POSITION AUTHORITY DOES OR DOES
NOT NECESSARILY NEED TO BE
FUNDED ? POSITION AUTHORITY
DOES NEED TO BE APPROVED BY THE
CITY COUNCIL?
>> CORRECT. TEMPORARY,
PERMANENT -- POSITIONS CAN BE
CREATED BY DEPARTMENT BUT NOT
PERMANENT ONCE.
>> GREG, THANK YOU FOR THIS
ANALYSIS. THEY ECHO SOME OF THE
CONCERNS FOR PUBLIC SAFETY
CHAIR KETTLE THAT THIS IS
CONCERNING, TROUBLING, THAT WE
CLEARLY NEED TO STREAMLINE THE
PROCESS. WE LIVE IN A DAY AND
AGE WHERE PEOPLE ARE NOT --
JOBS, AND JOBS GO. FOLKS ARE
NOT BEING -- DON'T HAVE A
CLEAR PATHWAY IN A SHORT
TIMELINE INTO A POSITION THEY
WILL FIND A DIFFERENT JOB AND
SO CLEARLY WE NEED TO DO
BETTER. I AM NOW SEEING COUNCIL
MEMBER MORALES RAISE HER HAND.
I MAY OR MAY NOT RESERVE LAST
WORD AND PASS IT TO COUNCIL
MEMBER KETTLE BEFORE CLOSING
THIS OUT.
>> THANK YOU. I WANTED TO
FOLLOW UP ON WHAT YOU SAID,
BEN, THAT THE DEPARTMENT COULD
CREATE TEMPORARY POSITIONS
WITHOUT REQUESTING COUNSEL
AUTHORITY, SO CAN THEY USE THIS
FUNDING TO CREATE A
TERM-LIMITED POSITION THAT IS A
TRAINING POSITION THAN THEY
STILL HAVE THE AUTHORITY AND
COULD USE THAT MONEY FOR THE
NEW PEO'S?
>> YES. THEY ALSO HAVE SOME BIG
DECISIONS THEY CAN CLASSIFY.
THE GOAL HERE WOULD BE TO PAVE
THE WAY AND MAKE IT VERY CLEAR
WHAT IS INTENDED AND REMOVE ANY
POTENTIAL BARRIERS TO THEM IN
THIS OPTION.
>> IF THE POINT HERE IS THAT
THEY NEED SOMEBODY TO DO
TRAINING , BUT IT NEEDS TO BE
SHORT-TERM, I DON'T KNOW WHY
WE WOULD NEED TO CREATE THOSE
POSITIONS IF THEY ALREADY HAVE
THE ABILITY TO DO THAT SO I
WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT. THANK
YOU.
>> I WOULD SAY THIS IS AN
EXAMPLE WHERE WE CAN GET [
INAUDIBLE ] ON THE TRAINING
PIECE BUT WE SHOULD STEP BACK,
TAKE A DEEP BREATH, LOOK AT THE
MISSION OF THE ORGANIZATION,
WHAT DOES IT NEED TO ACCOMPLISH
THAT MISSION AND IF IT NEEDS
ONE OR TWO FTEs WHATEVER THAT
LONG-TERM THAN WE DO THAT
INSTEAD OF DOING SHORT-TERM AS
THE BUDGET PROCESS IS WHERE WE
NEED TO HAVE SOME LONG-TERM AND
ASKED THOSE QUESTIONS IN TERMS
OF WHAT IS NEEDED OVERALL FOR
PARKING ENFORCEMENT , BUT I
APPRECIATE HAVING THIS ON
BECAUSE IT REALLY DRIVES THE
QUESTION AND WE WILL GET TO IT
THEN OBVIOUSLY COORDINATING
WITH THE BUDGET CHAIR AND
CENTRAL STAFF .
>> THANK YOU. MY ONLY CLOSING
AS IF THE CITY COUNCIL CREATES
THE POSITION IT ALSO GIVES US
AN ACCOUNTABILITY MECHANISM TO
SAY WE HAVE GIVEN YOU DIRECTION
TO DO THIS AND WE NOW WANT TO
HEAR THE UPDATES, AS COMPARED
TO ALLOWING THEM TO MAKE
DECISIONS WITHOUT HER
DIRECTION. THANK YOU, MR. DOSS.
ANN GORMAN, PLEASE JOIN US. I
DON'T KNOW IF TODAY IS ANN
GORMAN DAY OR TOMORROW IS ANN
GORMAN DAY OR EVERY DAY IS ANN
GORMAN DAY. EITHER WAY WE ARE
GOING TO MOVE INTO THE THIRD
POLICY CONSIDERATION UNDER THE
SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. TODAY
IS DAN GORMAN DAY. ANN GORMAN,
COUNSEL CENTRAL STAFF HERE TO
PRESENT THE DEPARTMENT'S
PARTICIPATION IN THE 30 X 30
INITIATIVE. THE 30 X 30
INITIATIVE IS A COALITION OF
POLICE LEADERS AND RESEARCHERS
AND PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
TO TAKE THE POSITION THAT THE
UNDERREPRESENTATION OF WOMEN IN
POLICING UNDERMINES PUBLIC
SAFETY, SO THEY HAVE JOINED
TOGETHER TO ADVANCE THE
REPRESENTATION AND EXPERIENCES
OF WOMEN IN POLICING ACROSS THE
COUNTRY , AND 30 X 30 REFERS TO
THE ASPIRATIONAL GOAL THAT BY
THE YEAR 2030 , 30% OF INCOMING
POLICE RECRUIT CLASSES ARE MADE
UP OF WOMEN. SEATTLE WAS ONE OF
THE FIRST POLICE DEPARTMENTS TO
SIGN UP , TO COMMIT TO THE 30 X
30 INITIATIVE IN 2021. SPD
VIEWS ITS WORK SUPPORTING THE
30 X 30 INITIATIVE AS HAVING
FOUR FACES, AND I SHOULD
EMPHASIZE THERE IS NO ONE RIGHT
WAY TO PARTICIPATE IN THE 30 X
30 INITIATIVE. THERE IS NO
MODEL THAT POLICE ARE SUPPOSED
TO FOLLOW , OR CORRECT STEPS TO
TAKE ALONG THE WAY. DEPARTMENTS
HAVE A LOT OF LATITUDE TO
IMPLEMENT THE 30 X 30
INITIATIVE AS THEY SEE
APPROPRIATE WITHIN THEIR OWN
RESOURCES. SO, SPD ESTABLISHED
THESE FOUR PHASES IN THE FIRST
TWO PHASES WERE LARGELY FOCUSED
ON DATA-GATHERING AND
UNDERSTANDING WHERE CHANGES
COULD POTENTIALLY BE MADE.
AGAIN, THESE ARE CHANGES THAT
MAKE POLICING MORE WELCOME TO
WOMEN RECRUITS. THE DEPARTMENT
IS NOW IN PHASE THREE, WHICH
INCLUDES MORE TARGETED RESEARCH
EFFORTS AND THE SURFACING OF
PRIORITY AREAS BY INTERNAL 30 X
30 WORKGROUP. THE MEANING OF
PRIORITY AREAS THE SPECIFIC
WAYS IN WHICH SPD COULD CHANGE
PRIORITIES WERE OPERATIONS IN
SERVICE OF THE 30 X 30 GOAL.
THIS WORKGROUP IS MADE A LIST
OF POTENTIAL WAYS SPD COULD DO
THAT, AND IN PARTICULAR, IT HAS
IDENTIFIED TWO AREAS. ONE IS
FLEXIBLE 24/7 CHILDCARE AND TWO
IS FLEXIBLE SCHEDULING
INCLUDING PART-TIME WORK AS TWO
CHANGES THAT WE BELIEVE WILL BE
REALLY TRANSFORMATIVE IN
HELPING THE DEPARTMENT MEET THE
30 X 30 GOAL. COUNCILMEMBERS
ARE VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE 30 X
30 INITIATIVE ORDINANCE 127026
WAS PASSED IN MAY, AND IT
INCLUDED NEW ANNUAL REPORTING
REQUIREMENTS FOR SPD
SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO THE
INITIATIVE. PLUS BDC SUPPORTING
THE 30 X 30 INITIATIVE IS A
BASIC WORKPLACE EXPECTATION OF
EVERYONE WHO WORKS THERE.
HOWEVER, THERE IS CURRENTLY NO
SINGLE STAFF PERSON WAS SOLELY
ASSIGNED TO 30 X 30 OVERSIGHT
AND COORDINATION AND SPD IS NOT
MADE THE FUNDING ALLOCATION
SPECIFICALLY TO SUPPORT 30 X 30
INVESTMENT SUCH AS THOSE
SURFACED BY THE INTERNAL
WORKER. SOME OPTIONS WE HAVE
IDENTIFIED FOR COUNSEL TO
CONSIDER. OPTION A WOULD BE TO
ADD A STAFF MEMBER AND SPD TO
DOCUMENT, COORDINATE AND
MONITOR DEPARTMENT WORK RELATED
TO THE 30 X 30 INITIATIVE
INCLUDING DEVELOPMENT OF
COUNSEL-REQUESTED REPORTS ON AN
ONGOING 30 X 30 PROGRAM FUNDING
REQUEST THAT COULD BE ADDED IN
A SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET. OPTION
B. ADOPT A STATEMENT OF
LEGISLATIVE INTENT REQUESTING
THAT SPD PREPARE THE TIMELINE
FOR FUTURE IMPLEMENTATION OF
FLEXIBLE WORK SCHEDULES AND
FLEXIBLE ROUND-THE-CLOCK
CHILDCARE FOR SWORN PERSONNEL,
AND AN IMPACT ANALYSIS OF SUCH
IMPLEMENTATION. OPTION C. ADOPT
A STATEMENT OF LEGISLATIVE
INTENT THAT EXPRESSES SUPPORT
FOR ONE OR BOTH OF THESE POLICY
CHANGES, PARTICULARLY IN TERMS
OF HOW ANY NEW OFFERING WOULD
ALIGN WITH THE 30 X 30
INITIATIVE. OPTION D, SOME
COMBINATION OF ALL OF THE
THINGS I JUST DESCRIBED, AND
THAT SHOULD BE OPTION E ON THAT
LIST. APOLOGIES. NO CHANGE.
>> THANK YOU, ANN GORMAN. VERY
SUCCINCT. COUNCIL MEMBER
KETTLE, AS CHAIR OF THE
COMMITTEE OVERSEEING THIS
DEPARTMENT YOU ARE RECOGNIZED.
>> THANK YOU FOR THIS RUN DOWN
AND FOR THE ENTIRE TEAM FOR THE
SUPPORT AND INCLUDING IT IN THE
BACKGROUND DOCUMENTS FOR THIS
BUDGET CYCLE. REALLY APPRECIATE
OBVIOUSLY I AM A BIG SUPPORTER
OF THE 30 X 30 INITIATIVE AND
THE WORK WE ARE LOOKING TO DO
AND WHAT THE GOALS ARE OF THE
EFFORT. WE HAVE HAD DISCUSSIONS
ON 30 X 30 IN COMMITTEE. WE ARE
GOING TO HAVE AN AGENDA ITEM ON
24 SEPTEMBER BUT THAT GOT
SHIFTED BECAUSE THERE IS A
NUMBER OF 30 X 30 EVENTS THIS
FALL, AND IT JUST MADE MORE
SENSE TO DO LIKE AN
END-OF-THE-YEAR KIND OF WRAP UP
IN TERMS OF HOW WE ARE. I WILL
SAY THAT I BELIEVE THAT SOME
COMBINATION TO INCLUDE
DIFFERENT PIECES WOULD PROBABLY
BE THE WAY AHEAD AND I SHOULD
ADD, TOO, BEING ON THE NEW
CHIEFS SELECTING COMMITTEE, 30
X 30 WILL DEFINITELY BE A
CRITERIA ON THE TOPIC AS WE
LOOK TO GET THE THREE NOMINEES
FOR THE MAYOR AND CHOOSE OUR
NEW CHIEF OF POLICE BECAUSE WE
HAVE TO HAVE STRONG BACKING.
CHIEF [ INAUDIBLE ] HAS BEEN
GREAT ON THIS. I'VE BEEN IN
MULTIPLE PUBLIC EVENTS WITH HER
FOR SHE HAS BEEN SPEAKING TO 30
X 30. OBVIOUSLY WITH HER
EXPERIENCE, THE TOPIC IS VERY
STRONG AND WE WILL ENSURE HER
REPLACEMENT WILL HAVE THAT, AS
WELL BUT YES, WE WILL WORK WITH
THE COMMITTEE, THE COUNCIL,
CENTRAL STAFF IN THE EXECUTIVE
IN TERMS OF A WAY AHEAD BUT IT
WILL DEFINITELY BE PART OF WHAT
WE ARE DOING LONG TERM. THANK
YOU, CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER
KETTLE. COUNCIL MEMBER SAKA.
>> THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR AND I
WILL SPEAK AS VICE CHAIR OF THE
PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE AS WELL
BUT LISTEN, COLLEAGUES. WE HAVE
BEEN WORKING ON VARIOUS
CRITICAL PIECES OF LEGISLATION
TO SUPPORT THE ONGOING
RECRUITMENT AND HIRING OF
QUALIFIED OFFICERS .
>> ALL COUNCILMEMBERS, PUBLIC
SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT, THE
MICROPHONE SHOULD BE FACED
DIRECTLY AT YOU. THAT WAY AS
YOU TURN TO TALK TO EACH OTHER,
IT PICKS IT ALL UP. SORRY TO
INTERRUPT YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER
SAKA. BACK TO YOU.
>> WE HAVE BEEN ON A MISSION TO
SUPPORT THE ONGOING HIRING AND
RECRUITMENT, STRATEGIC HIRING
AND RECRUITMENT OF QUALIFIED
OFFICERS INCLUDING WOMEN
OFFICERS AND COLLEAGUES, WE
KNOW WE CAN'T JUST BE IN THE
BUSINESS OF HIRING THE BEST
TALENT. WE ALSO NEED TO MAKE
SURE WE CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT
WHERE THE BEST TALENT,
INCLUDING WOMEN, WANT TO STAY.
SO, THERE IS A CENTRAL
RECRUITMENT HIRING ASPECT, BUT
THERE IS ALSO A STRONG GROWTH
AND DEVELOPMENT OF THAT TALENT
ASPECT AND ALSO , A VERY STRONG
RETENTION ASPECT OF THIS KIND
OF END TO END HR DEVELOPMENT
PIECE WHERE WORKING ON FROM
MULTIPLE ANGLES SO I WANT TO
MAKE SURE THAT WE SUPPORT SPD
AND IN PARTICULAR, THE CHIEF'S
LEADERSHIP IN THIS AREA AND I
APPRECIATE THE MOST RECENT
UPDATE SHE SENT OVER TO OUR
ESTEEMED COLLEAGUE
COUNCILMEMBER MOORE EARLIER ON
THIS EXACT TOPIC, LOOK ME IN MY
OFFICE MULTIPLE TIMES OVER THE
LAST -- SINCE THE SPRING SINCE
SOME OF THE TROUBLING REPORTS
AND PUBLIC MEDIA REPORTING
SURFACED AROUND THE CULTURE, I
KNOW AND AM CONFIDENT THAT
THERE ARE EFFORTS UNDERWAY
WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT AND I
KNOW YOU ALL STRONGLY SUPPORT
THESE EFFORTS, COLLEAGUES, THAT
IS WHY I AM ALSO IN STRONG
SUPPORT OF ADDING AN ADDITIONAL
FTE POSITION SPECIFICALLY TO
SUPPORT THE STRATEGIC 30 X 30
INITIATIVE. FIRST EDITION WOULD
COME FROM SELLER SAVINGS AND
CIVILIANS WHICH HAVE ALWAYS HAD
BALANCES REMAINING. SECOND I
WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT THIS IS
TO FURTHER SUPPORT SPD'S
EXISTING EFFORTS. THEY ARE
DOING GREAT WORK. WE NEED A
BETTER PARTNER WITH THEM ON THE
LEGISLATIVE SIDE. TO MAKE SURE
WE UP-LEVEL AND AMPLIFY THEIR
GREAT WORK AND PART OF THE WAY
WE DO THAT AS YOU POINTED OUT A
MOMENT AGO, WHEN COUNSEL
CREATES A POSITION IT ALSO
PROVIDES AN IMPORTANT
ACCOUNTABILITY MECHANISM . NOW
MORE THAN EVER WE HAVE AN
URGENT OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS
THIS 30 X 30 INITIATIVE AND I
THINK WE CAN DO THAT IN LARGE
PART THROUGH CREATING A
POSITION. IN ADDITION TO
INTERNAL POSITIONS OF SPD MY
OFFICE HAS BEEN WORKING WITH
OTHER STAKEHOLDERS INCLUDING
THE SEATTLE WOMEN'S ALLIANCE
WORKING WITH OFFICERS AT ALL
POSITION LEVELS WHO HAVE BEEN
EXPLICIT IN THE ADDITIONAL WORK
THEY FEEL IS NEEDED. ONE THAT
HAS BEEN CONSISTENTLY VOICED,
ONE THING THAT HAS BEEN
CONSISTENTLY VOICED AND RAISED
IS THE NEED FOR SPECIFIC STAFF,
DEDICATED STAFF FOCUSED SOLELY
ON THIS WITH THIS MULTIFACETED
WORK TO COORDINATE THIS EFFORT
ON DEPARTMENT-WIDE BASIS. THIS
IS THE ONE THING THIS PERSON
SHOULD OWN, NOT OTHER VARIOUS
STRATEGIC INITIATIVES WITHIN
THE DEPARTMENT. AGAIN THIS
SHOULD BE THEIR SOLE FOCUS.
THERE HAVE ALSO BEEN EXPLICIT
OR ADDITIONAL TRAINING AND
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ITEMS
THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE
FUNDED, SO I BELIEVE THAT THIS
WILL ONLY FURTHER ENHANCE ,
EXPEDITE AND HELP THIS WORK,
THE EXISTING WORK WITHIN THE
DEPARTMENT AND I WILL ALSO
ALLOW US TO MORE EFFICIENTLY
TRACK PROGRESS AND EMPOWER
ASSESS DECISION-MAKERS AND
PARTNERS ON THE COUNCIL TO MAKE
BETTER QUALITY AND DATA-BASED
DECISIONS AND PART OF THAT
WOULD BE SOME NEW REPORTING, AS
WELL, SO IN THE SPIRIT OF
SUPPORTING THE DEPARTMENT ,
WHICH I BELIEVE WE HAVE SHOWN
TIME AND TIME AGAIN THROUGH A
VERY COMPREHENSIVE AND SWEEPING
SWEEP OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS ON
ALL FRONTS TO ADDRESS PUBLIC
SAFETY, I AM PROUD TO PRESENT
AN AMENDMENT TO THE PROPOSED
BUDGET HERE. WE WILL ANNOUNCE
MORE DETAIL SHORTLY BUT THIS IS
SUCH AN IMPORTANT STRATEGIC
EFFORT WE NEED TO PUT MORE
INTENTION AND EFFORT AROUND IT
AND BETTER AMPLIFY AND EMPOWER
THE DEPARTMENT TO BE SUCCESSFUL
HERE AND I'M GLAD THE INTERIM
CHIEF IS HERE BUT UNFORTUNATELY
WE ARE ALREADY SELECTING HER
REPLACEMENT. WE NEED TO PUT A
PERMANENT LEADER IN THE
POSITION TO CARRY ON THIS WORK
SO WE CAN ALL LIVE UP TO THE
SPIRIT AND GOALS OF THIS
IMPORTANT STRATEGIC INITIATIVE
SO CALLING FOR THAT FTE TO
FOCUS SOLELY ON THIS AND THAT
IS ALL I HAVE TO SAY. NO
FURTHER QUESTIONS.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER
SAKA. ANN GORMAN.
>> I WOULD LIKE TO SUBSTANTIATE
SOME OF WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER
SAKA SAID. THE NAME 30 X 30
REFERS TO 30% OF POLICE
RECRUITS BY 2030 BUT THE
PROGRAM IS ACTUALLY MUCH
BROADER THAN JUST SITTING
NETWORK. IT IS ABOUT FINDING
WAYS TO SUPPORT WOMEN IN
POLICING , HELPING THEM TO
BUILD CAREERS, HELPING THEM NOT
TO FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE TO LEAVE
THOSE CAREERS WHEN FAMILY
DEMANDS INCREASE, AND WOMEN ARE
UNDER-REPRESENTED IN POLICING
OVERALL BUT AT THE EXECUTIVE
LEADERSHIP LEVEL OF POLICE
DEPARTMENTS, WOMEN ARE EVEN
MORE UNDERREPRESENTED SO PART
OF WHAT 30 X 30 DOES AS YOU
KNOW, BRING WOMEN INTO
POLICING, HELP THEM BUILD
CAREERS AND HELP THEM ADVANCE,
SO THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER.
>> THANK YOU. ALSO I MENTIONED
THIS EARLIER BUT I JUST WANT TO
GIVE UP PRAISE AND SHOUT OUT TO
ANN GORMAN AND ALL OF OUR
CENTRAL STUFF FOR THEIR
EXCELLENT WORK AND TEEING UP
THESE ISSUES BUT PARTNERSHIP ON
THESE ISSUES ALONG THE WAY AS
WELL SO REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
>> WELL SAID. I WILL JUST
EXTRAPOLATED SHARE IN MY
OPINION IF YOU ARE ON TIME
YOU'RE LADEN SO IF WE HAVE 30%
OF RECRUITS BEING WOMEN BY 2030
WE ARE LATE SO LET'S BE ON
TIME WHICH IS EARLY. OVER TO
YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER MORALES.
>> THANK YOU. ANN, YOU MAY HAVE
ALREADY COVERED THIS BUT CAN
YOU SAY AGAIN WHO IS PART OF
THE WORKGROUP THAT IS BEEN
GETTING THIS WORK DONE?
>> I DON'T HAVE THE NAMES OF
PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THE
WORKGROUP. MY UNDERSTANDING IS
THAT IT IS WOMEN FROM EVERY
LEVEL IN SPD, BOTH OFFICERS AND
CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES AND I DON'T
EVEN KNOW IF THERE IS A
DESIGNATED COORDINATOR. PART OF
WHAT 30 X 30 IS ABOUT IS --
NOBODY OWNS THIS. NOBODY SAYS
HOW IT HAS TO BE DONE. THE
DEPARTMENT GETS TOGETHER AND
COLLABORATES ABOUT HOW IT IS
SUPPOSED TO BE. I CAN GET YOU
MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE
WORKER.
>> WELL, I DON'T NEED TO KNOW
NAMES. I WAS JUST INTERESTED IN
THE KINDS OF POSITIONS LIKE WHO
IS PARTICIPATING HERE SO THAT
WOULD BE HELPFUL THEN I WOULD
BE INTERESTED TO KNOW IF THERE
ARE INITIATIVES LIKE THIS AND I
APPRECIATE COUNCIL MEMBER SAKA
EXPRESSING INTEREST IN ACTUALLY
CREATING A STAFF POSITION BUT
IF THERE ARE INITIATIVES LIKE
THIS WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT, IS
THERE A ROLE FOR HR TO PLAY IN
THE DEPARTMENT TO HELP
COORDINATE OR FACILITATE OR
SUPPORT THIS WORK?
>> I BELIEVE THAT THERE IS .
THERE IS SPD HR MEMBERSHIP ON
THE INTERNAL WORKGROUP BUT I
WILL CONFIRM THAT IN THE
PROCESS OF FINDING OUT WHAT
CLASSIFICATIONS AND WHAT
POSITIONS MAKE UP THE
WORKGROUP.
>> THE REASON I'M ASKING IS
BECAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE WE ALL
AGREE THAT THIS IS REALLY
CRITICAL WORK TO DO. IT IS NOT
OKAY THAT SO FEW OF OUR
OFFICERS ARE WOMEN AND THAT
THEY DON'T FEEL SUPPORTED SO
I'M GLAD WE ARE STARTING TO
MAKE PROGRESS IN AT LEAST
ACKNOWLEDGING THAT. IT IS
INCREDIBLY DISAPPOINTING THAT
THIS BUDGET PROPOSAL DOES NOT
ALREADY INCLUDE A REQUEST FOR
THIS. FRANKLY, I FEEL RATHER
DISMISSED BECAUSE WE HAVE
TALKED ABOUT THIS A LOT,
COUNCIL MEMBER MOORE AND I HAVE
BOTH EXPRESSED AN INTEREST IN
MAKING SURE THIS HAPPENS. WE
HAVE PUT REQUEST IN FOR
REPORTING ON HOW THIS WORK IS
ADVANCING AND SO I THINK IT IS
A REAL DISSERVICE TO THE WOMEN
OF THE DEPARTMENT THAT THIS
WORK WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE
ORIGINAL PROPOSAL AND I THINK
-- THANK COUNCIL MEMBER SAKA
FOR HIS COMMITMENT AND MAKING
SURE WE ADDRESS THAT.
>> THANK YOU .
>> COUNTABLE 120766 WAS CREATED
AND WAS PASSED BY COUNSEL,
COUNSEL-GENERATED IN OUR
COMMITTEE IN MAY. 120766
CREATED IN THE SEATTLE POLICE
DEPARTMENT THE RECRUITMENT AND
RETENTION DEPARTMENT TO BE
STAFFED BY CITY PERSONNEL WHO
ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR INCREASING
THE NUMBER OF SWORN OFFICERS IN
SPD AND LED BY A MANAGER-TWO
POSITION RESPONSIBLE FOR
LEADING RECRUITMENT STRATEGIES
AND ENSURING PERSONAL CONTACT
IS MADE AVAILABLE TO ALL POLICE
OFFICER APPLICANTS FOR THE
PUBLIC SAFETY TEST. SECTION 2
SAYS -- I'M GETTING TO MY
POINT, BEGINNING ON JULY 16,
2024 AND OCCURRING AT LEAST
SEMIANNUALLY THEREAFTER THE
SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT WILL
PROVIDE A WRITTEN REPORT ON THE
CITY'S EFFORTS TO RECRUIT AND
RETAIN SWORN OFFICERS. ELEMENTS
SHALL INCLUDE -- A TALKS ABOUT
ALL THE DIFFERENT METRICS. B
TALKS ABOUT -- A AND B TALK
ABOUT SPECIFIC METRICS, NUMBER
OF ENTRY APPLICANTS PER DAY
APPLIED TO ELIGIBILITY RATE ET
CETERA, ON AND ON FOR HALF A
PAGE AND THEN AMENDMENT FOUR
SPONSORED BY COUNCIL MEMBER
MORALES AND COUNCIL MEMBER SAKA
ADDED SECTION C WHICH IS
INFORMATION ON PROGRAMS
DESIGNED TO INCREASE DIVERSITY
WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT TO
INCLUDE AN INCREASE IN FEMALE
CANDIDATES CONSISTENT WITH SPD
IS 30 X 30 CAMPAIGN INCLUDING
BUT NOT LIMITED TO RECRUITMENT
AND RETENTION STRATEGIES AND
MESSAGING THAT REFLECTS SPD'S
EFFORTS TO -- THEN IT GOES
THROUGH MANY SUBSECTIONS
INCLUDING ALL OF THE ACTIONS
THAT ARE MENTIONED IN YOUR
BUDGET PAPER. SO,
ORGANIZATIONAL SUPPORT IN
VARIOUS AREAS INCLUDING
PROMOTIONAL OPPORTUNITIES,
FAMILY OR MATERNITY LEAVE
POLICIES, CHILDCARE, SCHEDULING
FLEXIBILITY, ET CETERA. ON AND
ON AND SO AGAIN, I'M
MENTIONING THIS BECAUSE IT WAS
ALREADY ALLUDED TO THAT THIS
INFORMATION HAS BEEN REQUESTED
AND I WOULD LIKE TO VOICE
SUPPORT FOR RECEIVING THAT
REPORT BECAUSE WE ALREADY HAVE
SOMETHING TO GO ON AND I THINK
THE REDUNDANCY IS FINE. WE CAN
ALSO WRITE IT IN THE BUDGET, AS
WELL, BUT JUST ENCOURAGING THAT
WE DO RECEIVE THIS REPORTING
BECAUSE THAT WILL SHOW WHAT IS
WORKING AND WHAT IS NOT GOING
FORWARD WITH ALL OF OUR
RECRUITING STRATEGIES BUT
PARTICULARLY WITH THE 3030
INITIATIVE.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT. WAS THERE A COUNT
QUESTION OR JUST A STATEMENT?
>> WELL, I CAN OFF-LINE THE
DEPARTMENT WHEN WE MIGHT BE
RECEIVING THAT.
>> WELL SAID AND COUNCILMEMBER
RIVERA, I'M GOING TO CALL ON
YOU NEXT. I'M GOING TO NOW
OPEN THIS UP TO GENERAL
COMMENTS ON SEATTLE POLICE
DEPARTMENT'S BUDGET AND THEN
COUNCIL MEMBER KETTLE, I WILL
PASS IT TO YOU TO CLOSE AND
THEN WE WILL HAVE LAST WORD AND
THEN WERE DONE.
>> THANK YOU. ON THE 30 X 30
WANT TO ADD MY VOICE AS I HAVE
IN THE PAST ABOUT THIS
PARTICULAR EFFORT. MY HUGE
SUPPORT FOR IT. I HAVE MET WITH
SOME MEMBERS OF THAT WORKGROUP
IN THE PAST, AND IT IS ACROSS
THE BOARD BUT I DO BELIEVE HR
IS INCLUDED, AS IS THEIR LEGAL
DEPARTMENT, THEIR LEGAL
REPRESENTATIVE, AS WELL, SO I
THINK IT IS ACROSS THE BOARD. I
DO THINK, AND I APPRECIATE
COUNCIL PRESIDENT BRINGING UP
THAT PARTICULAR ORDINANCE
BECAUSE I INTERESTED IN GETTING
MORE INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO
WOMEN RECRUITS AND I AM ALSO
UNCLEAR WHETHER OR NOT THERE IS
THIS WORKGROUP . I UNCLEAR AS
TO WHETHER SOMEONE IS MORE AD
HOC OR IF THERE IS SOMEONE
LEADING THAT GROUP AND IF NOT,
THEN IT MAKES SENSE FOR ME AND
I'M SUPPORTIVE OF COUNCIL
MEMBER SAKA'S ADDING A STAFF
MEMBER TO BE THE POINT PERSON
BECAUSE AS COUNCIL MEMBER
KETTLE HAS SAID IN THE PAST, IF
EVERYONE IS IN CHARGE NO ONE IS
IN PAST SO THAT MAKES SENSE AND
IN CHARGE IS NOT THE RIGHT
WORD. IT IS MORE WHO CAN HELP
BE THE POINT PERSON TO
COORDINATE THE WORK AND I ALSO
THINK IT ELEVATES THE
IMPORTANCE AND LEVEL OF
COMMITMENT IF THERE IS SOMEONE
THERE WHO IS ACTUALLY
COORDINATING AND MAKING SURE
THE BODY OF WORK IS MOVING
FORWARD AND HR'S EFFORTS, FOR
INSTANCE, IN RECRUITING MORE
WOMEN YOU KNOW, THAT MIGHT BE
BEST DONE , YOU KNOW, IN
CONCERT WITH THIS PARTICULAR
STAFF MEMBER. I'M JUST NOT
SURE WHETHER OR NOT THERE IS AN
EXISTING -- DO YOU KNOW IF
THERE IS AN EXISTING PERSON AND
IF THERE IS AN AND THAT IS WHY
THE RECOMMENDATION --
>> I BELIEVE THERE IS A PERSON
IN SPD WHO IS CONSIDERED THE
POINT PERSON FOR 30 X 30 , BUT
THIS PERSON HOUSE OTHER JOB
RESPONSIBILITIES , AS WELL AND
OBVIOUSLY IS NOT FULLY FOCUSED
ON 30 X 30 AND TO THE POINT YOU
ARE JUST MAKING, I WAS EMAILING
EARLIER THIS YEAR WITH A COUPLE
OF THE WOMEN AT NEW YORK
UNIVERSITY LAW SCHOOL WHO
COORDINATE 30 X 30 NATIONALLY,
AND WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE
POTENTIAL OF A COORDINATOR
POSITION, LIKE WE'RE TALKING
ABOUT HERE, AND ONE OF THEM USE
THE PHRASE , MAXIMIZE
EFFICIENCIES ACROSS VARIOUS
FUNCTIONALITIES IN FURTHERANCE
OF 30 X 30 GOALS, AND I THINK
THAT SAYS IT REALLY SUCCINCTLY.
A COUPLE OF USED SEEM TO BE
ASKING FOR EXACTLY THAT.
>> THAT'S GREAT. THANK YOU ,
AND I WOULD WANT THE PERSON WHO
IS CURRENTLY THE POINT PERSON
TO BE INVOLVED IN THIS PROCESS
, IF WE ARE ABLE TO ADD A STAFF
MEMBER. THANK YOU, CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU, VICE CHAIR
RIVERA. COUNCIL MEMBER SAKA.
>> QUICKLY, I WILL NOTE THAT
BASED OFF OF MY FAIRLY
EXTENSIVE CONVERSATIONS
DIRECTLY WITH VARIOUS FOLKS
WITHIN SPD , CENTRAL STAFF,
OTHER STAKEHOLDER AND WE HAVE
DONE, WHAT ANN JUST MENTIONED
IS CONSISTENT WITH MY
UNDERSTANDING, AS WELL, THAT
THERE IS A PERSON GOT SPD
RESPONSIBLE FOR 30 X 30 ALL UP.
THE PROBLEM OR THE OPPORTUNITY,
HOWEVER, IS THIS PERSON, AS ANN
NOTED, IS NOT SOLELY FOCUSED ON
30 X 30. THE OPPORTUNITY IS TO
HAVE SOMEONE AND I DON'T CARE
IF IT IS THE SAME PERSON OR
SOMEONE REPORTS TO THIS PERSON
OR LIKE BUT MY HOPE PERSONALLY
WOULD BE THAT THIS PERSON IS
HIGH ENOUGH UP IN THE
LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE OR THAT
THEY ARE EMPOWERED FOR
DECISIONS AND QUICK ACCESS TO
THE CHIEF, BUT REGARDLESS, I'M
CALLING FOR A PERSON FOCUSED
SOLELY ON THIS, A DEDICATED 30
X 30 LEADER WITHIN THE
DEPARTMENT . THANK YOU, MR.
CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU. THIS IS LAST WORD
ON EVERYTHING. COUNCIL MEMBER
MORALES.
>> THANK YOU. THIS MAY BE A
RHETORICAL QUESTION OR MAYBE
YOU CAN TAKE THIS BACK TO THE
EXECUTIVE BUT, I AM REALLY
INTERESTED MORE GENERALLY --
THIS DEPARTMENT MAKES UP THE
GREATEST SHARE OF OUR GENERAL
FUND. I UNDERSTAND THE NEED FOR
PUBLIC SAFETY. I KNOW THIS IS A
CHARTER REQUIREMENT. MY
QUESTION IS HOW WE DETERMINE
OUR RETURN ON INVESTMENT FOR
THE $457 MILLION WE SPEND ON
THIS DEPARTMENT. I THINK IT IS
FAIR TO ASK WHAT DATA IS BEING
USED TO DETERMINE THAT WE ARE
BEING GOOD STEWARDS OF THE
TAXPAYER DOLLARS HERE. SO THE
QUESTION ABOUT OVERTIME
MANAGEMENT IS ONE EXAMPLE. IF
WE CAN'T ANSWER BASIC
QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT IS DRIVING
THAT, THAT IS A PROBLEM. SO, I
WOULD BE INTERESTED IN KNOWING
, AND I DID LOOK AT OUR PUBLIC
DATA DASHBOARD AND THIS
INFORMATION IS NOT SOMETHING
THAT IS READILY AVAILABLE SO
WHAT ARE THE OUTCOMES OF OUR
INVESTIGATIVE UNITS? HOW MANY
CASES ARE PROSECUTED? WHAT
PERCENTAGE OF INVESTIGATIONS
ARE OPEN AND FOR HOW LONG? WHAT
AND HOW OUR INTERNAL MANAGEMENT
SYSTEMS IMPROVING THE
OPERATIONS AND THE CULTURE OF
THE DEPARTMENT? WHAT IS
MANAGEMENT DOING TO REDUCE THE
FREQUENCY OF THE CITY HAVING TO
SETTLE JUDGMENTS DUE TO OFFICER
BEHAVIOR AND I WILL SAY WE ARE
ADDING ANOTHER $14 MILLION IN
JUDGMENT CLAIMS NOT ALL FOR SPD
BUT THAT ACCOUNTS FOR ABOUT
HALF OF WHAT WE SPEND ON
JUDGMENT SETTLEMENTS. WHAT ARE
THE MEASURES OF SUCCESS FOR
THIS DEPARTMENT BECAUSE JUST
REPORTING ON RESPONSE TIMES IS
NOT SUFFICIENT, NOT GIVEN THE
NUMBER -- THE HUGE AMOUNT OF
MONEY WE SPEND ON THIS
DEPARTMENT AND IF WE REPEATEDLY
GET THE PUBLIC PERCEPTION
SURVEY BACK EVERY YEAR THAT
SAYS THEY DON'T RESPOND TO
911, THEY ARE NOT DOING
INVESTIGATIONS, THEY ARE NOT
YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT SEXUAL
ASSAULT. WHAT ARE THEY DOING?
AND, JUST DOING PATROL IS NOT
ENOUGH. WE HAVE INVESTIGATIONS
THAT NEED TO HAPPEN. WE HAVE
SEXUAL ASSAULT AND NEEDS TO BE
INVESTIGATED SO I UNDERSTAND
THAT THIS IS AN UNDER-STAFF TO
DEPARTMENT AND THAT PEOPLE ARE
STRETCHED THIN AND IT IS A
MANAGEMENT DECISION TO SEND
EVERYONE OUT ON PATROL INSTEAD
OF DOING SOME OF THE OTHER
THINGS WE NEED TO DO. IT IS A
UNION DECISION NOT TO SUPPORT
THE TRANSFER OF THE CARE
DEPARTMENT TO SOUL DISPATCH AND
REQUIRE THAT POLICE STILL GO
OUT WITH SOME OF THOSE OFFICERS
WHEN THEY COULD BE DOING OTHER
THINGS ARE WITH THE TEAM WHEN
THEY COULD BE DOING OTHER
THINGS SO I JUST THINK IT IS
REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US, IF WE
ARE GOING TO SPEND THIS MUCH
MONEY ON THIS DEPARTMENT, THAT
WE KNOW WHAT WE ARE GETTING,
WHEN WE KNOW POLICE DON'T
PREVENT CRIME. WE KNOW THAT
THEY DON'T PREVENT YOU KNOW,
THE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING
ON THE STREET, BUT WHAT ARE
THEY DOING TO INVESTIGATE AND
SOLVE AND GO AFTER THE DRUG
DEALERS AND GO AFTER THE HUMAN
TRAFFICKERS LIKE WE NEVER HEAR
ABOUT THAT WORK. WE NEED TO
HEAR ABOUT THAT WORK BECAUSE
THAT IS ALSO A BIG PART OF
THEIR JOB, SO I WILL STOP
THERE, BUT I THINK WE HAVE A
LOT OF WORK TO DO TO REALLY
HELP THE PUBLIC UNDERSTAND WHAT
THEY'RE GETTING FOR THIS
MONEY.
>> THANK YOU , COUNCIL MEMBER
MORALES. COLLEAGUES, ANY OTHER
STATEMENTS OR QUESTIONS FOR THE
SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT?
SAYING NONE, COUNCIL MEMBER
KETTLE, THE FLOOR IS YOURS.
>> I'M ALSO VERY FRUSTRATED
BECAUSE YES WE NEED TO BE DOING
OUR OVERSIGHT OF THE SPD OF THE
EXECUTIVE IN GENERAL BUT WE AS
A COUNCIL NEED TO TAKE
RESPONSIBILITY FOR OUR ACTIONS.
THE OLD COUNSEL, THE PREVIOUS
COUNSEL, IT'S TERM CREATED THE
CONDITIONS. I HAVE HAD MANY
CONVERSATIONS WITH CHIEF RAHR.
YES THERE WAS A WAVE OF
RETIREMENTS COMING UP THAT WE
HAD TO DEAL WITH TO ANSWER THE
TURNOVER QUESTION BUT THIS
COUNSEL HELPED CREATE THE
CONDITIONS WE ARE IN THAT WE
DON'T HAVE OFFICERS,
DETECTIVES DOING THE DETECTIVE
WORK AND WORKING ON THESE
DIFFERENT PIECES, SO WE NEED TO
LOOK AT THAT AND TAKE OWNERSHIP
OF IT , AND WE HAVE AND THAT IS
THE REASON WE HAVE NEARLY A
DOZEN BILLS PASSED THIS YEAR
RELATED TO THIS TOPIC. ONE MORE
TO COME, ONE MORE TO COME OF
THESE MEASURES, WEAPONS
MEASURES AND CROWD MANAGEMENT,
BUT WE HAVE TO DO THAT AND SO
THE NUMBERS, THE DATA IS SKEWED
IN PART BECAUSE OF US. THAT IS
THE FIRST THING THAT WE HAVE TO
ADDRESS AND THAT IS WHAT WE ARE
DOING RIGHT NOW . WE CAN DO IT
MORE THROUGH THIS BUDGET
PROCESS. WE WILL DO IT OR
THROUGH 2025 AND WILL CONTINUE
TO WORK ORDINANCES. WE WILL
CONTINUE TO WORK THE DIFFERENT
PIECES. WE WILL CONTINUE TO GET
30 X 30 AND LOOK TO DO THESE
PIECES. FULL STOP. OTHERWISE,
MR. CHAIR, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE
A LOT OF MOVING PIECES HERE.
OBVIOUSLY THE BUDGET IS DRIVEN
LARGE PART BY THE SALARIES OF
THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE
SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT THAT
WE SUPPORT BUT WE ALSO HAVE
RESPONSIBILITIES IN TERMS OF
OVERSIGHT AND WE WILL DO THAT.
IT IS ABOUT RECRUITMENT AND
RETENTION AND HOW THE INTERPLAY
WITH EACH OTHER'S -- AND WE
WILL CONTINUE TO WORK THOSE
PIECES. WE SHOULD ACKNOWLEDGE
THAT WE ARE MOVING IN THE RIGHT
DIRECTION AS WE SEE RECRUITMENT
NUMBERS. I SAW IT LAST MONTH
AND I WAS BEFORE THE BADGE WHEN
I SAW THE YOUNG WOMAN ALONG
WITH THE OTHER YOUNG MEN THAT
WERE APPLYING TO GO TO THE
POLICE ACADEMY. YOU KNOW, IT
GIVES ME HOPE THAT WE ARE
MOVING FORWARD ON ALL THESE
FRONTS, INCLUDING 30 X 30 OF
THESE OTHER ELEMENTS BUT
ULTIMATELY WE NEED TO DO OUR
JOB AND WE WILL DO OUR JOB AND
WE WILL TAKE AND ADDRESS THE
QUESTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN RAISED
EARLIER. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. COUNCIL PRESIDENT
NELSON, AS A REMINDER, PLEASE
BE RECOGNIZED BEFORE SPEAKING.
GENERALLY, COLLEAGUES, I WILL
SAY I DON'T KNOW HOW OFTEN I
HAVE SEEN A PROPOSED BUDGET
WITH UNFUNDED POSITIONS AND I
KNOW I HAVE NOT SEEN ONE THAT
DIRECTS THAT CHANGE OF FUNDING
TO OVERTIME. THIS IS ADDED
TRANSPARENCY FROM THE PAST. I
CAN TELL YOU THAT THE QUESTIONS
I HAVE HEARD YOU ALL ASKED
TODAY REGARDING OVERTIME AND
HOW WE CALCULATE THAT IN THE
KNOWN, UNKNOWNS IN THE KNOWN
UNKNOWNS , THIS HAS BEEN AN
EXAMPLE OF THE LAST FEW YEARS
OF QUESTIONS TO THIS AND MANY
OTHER EFFORTS WHICH I BELIEVE
IS TO THIS TRANSPARENCY AND I
APPRECIATE, TRUCK DIRECTOR
EDER, THE PROPOSED BUDGET
COMING DOWN ADDING TRANSPARENCY
INTO AN AREA THAT HAS NOT
ALWAYS HAD CLEAR ANSWERS.
SPECIFICALLY SPEAKING TO PEO'S
, OVERTIME AND RECRUITMENT,
THAT GOVERNING IS NOT A ONE
TIME OR MOMENT IN TIME
ACTIVITIES SPECIFICALLY
REGARDING OVERTIME. GOVERNING
IS A VERB TO BEST RESPOND FOR
RESIDENTS OF THE CITY WITH
CHANGING INFORMATION THAT WE
RECEIVE IN THIS IS A CLEAR
EXAMPLE OF OVERTIME. THIS IS
WHY YEARS -- EVERY YEAR WE HAVE
HAD THE POLICE DEPARTMENT COME
BACK WITH MORE ACCURATE NUMBERS
REGARDING OVERTIME SO WE CAN
MAKE SURE THAT THOSE DOLLARS
ARE GOING TO THE NEEDED
PROGRAMS AND I WILL SAY THAT
THE QUESTIONS YOU'VE ASKED
TODAY DESCRIBE THE QUESTIONS
THAT WE HAVE HAD FOR MANY YEARS
LEADING US IN THIS DIRECTION
AND SO I APPRECIATE YOUR
ATTENTION TO THIS, AND OUR JOB
IS TO BE ABLE TO RESPOND TO
THIS INFORMATION AS IT COMES
IN. WHAT WE DON'T KNOW TODAY,
WE WILL KNOW IN A FEW MONTHS.
WE WILL FIND OUT MORE ABOUT
THAT IN THE REVENUE FORECAST
TOMORROW. AND YOU KNOW, THIS IS
ALSO WHAT I HEARD FROM CHIEF
RAHR WHEN SHE CAME BEFORE THE
COMMITTEE, THAT THIS IS THE
INFORMATION WE HAVE TODAY AND
SHE EXPECTS TO EXCEED IT. WITH
THAT, COLLEAGUES, WE ARE GOING
TO MOVE ON TO THE NEXT AGENDA
ITEM. PHIL, IF YOU COULD READ
ITEM NUMBER TWO INTO THE
RECORD.
>> AGENDA ITEM TWO, COMMUNITY
-ASSISTED RESPONSE AND
ENGAGEMENT DEPARTMENT FOR
BRIEFING AND DISCUSSION.
>> THANK YOU, CONTINUING WITH
ANN GORMAN , CENTRAL STAFF
ANALYST ON THE C.A.R.E.
DEPARTMENT.
>> WE ARE HERE TODAY FOR A
BRIEF BUDGET OVERVIEW AND
DISCUSSION OF SOME POLICY
CONSIDERATIONS RELATED TO THE
COMMUNITY ASSISTED RESPONSE AND
ENGAGEMENT DEPARTMENT, ALSO
KNOWN AS THE C.A.R.E.
DEPARTMENT. C.A.R.E.
DEPARTMENT, BY WAY OF
BACKGROUND, IS A VERY NEW
DEPARTMENT. IT WAS CREATED IN
2021 AS THE COMMUNITY SAFETY
AND COMMUNICATIONS CENTER , AND
AT FIRST, THAT DEPARTMENT
HOUSED ONLY THE 911 CALL
CENTER, WHICH WAS PREVIOUSLY A
UNIT OF SPD, BUT IT WAS
COUNSEL'S STATED INTENT AT THE
TIME TO LOCATE FUTURE
NON-POLICE DISPATCH RESPONSE IN
THE NEW DEPARTMENT. IN THE 2023
ADOPTED BUDGET, COUNSEL ADDED
FUNDING TO SUPPORT A
DUAL-DISPATCH PROGRAM AND IN
OCTOBER OF 2023 JUST ABOUT A
YEAR AGO, THE PILOT PROGRAM
BEGAN AND I WILL TALK MORE
ABOUT THE PILOT PROGRAM IN A
BIT. FIRST, HIGH-LEVEL OVERVIEW
OF THE DEPARTMENTS BUDGET.
THERE ARE TWO BUDGET SUMMARY
LEVELS. ONE FOR THE MUCH LARGER
CALL CENTER FUNCTION, AND ONE
FOR THE COMMUNITY-ASSISTED
RESPONSE AND ENGAGEMENT BSL.
FROM THE 2024 ADOPTED BUDGET TO
THE 2024 PROPOSED BUDGET THAT
BSL'S BUDGET INCREASES BY 89%
AND THAT IS CONSISTENT WITH THE
EXPANSION OF DUAL-DISPATCH.
FROM THE CURRENT LEVEL TO THE
2026 PROPOSED BUDGET, THE
BSL'S BUDGET MORE THAN
DOUBLES. THE C.A.R.E.
DEPARTMENT IS FUNDED BY GENERAL
FUND RESOURCES AND THE NEW
POSITIONS THAT YOU SEE HERE AND
IN THE 2025 PROPOSED BUDGET
WOULD MAKE PERMANENT THE 21 NEW
POSITIONS INCLUDED IN THE
MID-YOUR SUPPLEMENTAL ORDINANCE
, THE SUPPORT OF DUAL-DISPATCH
EXPANSION. ALSO INCLUDED IN THE
PROPOSED BUDGET ARE A PUBLIC
DISCLOSURE OFFICER AND
STRATEGIC ADVISER, THREE
POSITIONS WITH THE WORKING
TITLE OF SEATTLE RESTORATION
DIRECTOR AND I WILL TALK MORE
ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT LATER.
>> THANK YOU. HANG TIGHT.
COUNCIL MEMBER KETTLE,
ANYTHING?
>> THE FIRST POLICY
CONSIDERATION WE IDENTIFIED FOR
COUNCILMEMBERS IS THE
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE
DUAL-DISPATCH PILOT PROGRAM.
THAT PROGRAM CURRENTLY OPERATES
UNDER A MEMORANDUM OF
UNDERSTANDING WITH THE SEATTLE
POLICE OFFICERS KILLED AND ALSO
-- GUILD AND ALSO RELIES ON A
MODEL TO IMPLEMENT SPD STAFFING
LEVELS. SPD CLASSIFIED CALLS
FOR RESPONSE PRIORITY ONE
THROUGH FOUR, WITH PRIORITY ONE
BEING THE MOST URGENT, AND THE
WAY DUAL-DISPATCH WAS INTENDED
TO WORK WAS THAT MAN SPD
RESPONSE UNIT AND THE CARE
RESPONSE UNIT WOULD BE
DISPATCHED TO A SCENE AT THE
SAME TIME AND SPD WOULD MAKE
SURE THAT THE SCENE WAS SAFE
BEFORE CARE RESPOND TO APPROACH
AND SEE HOW THEY COULD HELP ,
BUT THE PILOT PROGRAM IS TAKING
PLACE IN AN AREA WITH AN
ESPECIALLY HIGH PROPORTION OF
PRIORITY ONE AND PRIORITY TWO
CALLS, AND THE DUAL-DISPATCH
PILOT CONCERNS PRIORITY THREE
AND PRIORITY FOUR CALLS. THIS
MEANS THAT CARE RESPONDERS TO
COME TO A SCENE AND UP WAITING E
UNIT TO ARRIVE BY WHICH TIME
THERE IS OFTEN NOT A NEED FOR
ANYBODY TO RESPOND AT ALL. THE
PAPER THAT YOU HAVE GOES INTO
MORE DETAIL ABOUT THIS. AS A
RESULT, THERE HAS NOT BEEN A
LOT OF DUAL-DISPATCH GOING ON.
OVER AN 11-MONTH PERIOD, I
CARED -- C.A.R.E. TEAM WAS
DISPATCHED A FEW TIMES. AT THE
SAME TIME, A C.A.R.E. TEAM WAS
DISPATCHED TO A SECONDARY SCENE
ABOUT 60 TIMES A MONTH AND A
LOT OF THAT WAS A REQUEST FOR A
TEAM TO COME TRANSPORT SOMEBODY
SOMEWHERE LIKE TO A MEDICAL
CLINIC IN THIS KIND OF
TRANSPORT IS SOMETHING SFD
HEALTHONE ALREADY DOES. ON
OCTOBER 8th, C.A.R.E. MADE SOME
OPERATIONAL CHANGES. THE FIRST
ONE IS THAT RESPONSE UNIT
STARTED DRIVING AROUND
PROACTIVELY, NOT WAITING TO BE
DISPATCHED, BUT GOING OUT AND
LOOKING FOR PEOPLE WHO MIGHT
NEED HELP AND SECOND, C.A.R.E.
STARTED RESPONDING TO
QUASI-MEDICAL CALLS. WE NEED TO
GET MORE INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT
THOSE ARE. THAT IS IN PROCESS.
IN ABOUT A WEEKS TIME WITH
THOSE TWO CHANGES, C.A.R.E.
RESPONDED TO 44 CALLS, WHICH IS
A SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT OVER
WHAT THEY'VE BEEN DOING IN THE
PAST. BUT AGAIN, QUASI-MEDICAL
CALLS SOUNDS A LOT LIKE WHAT
HEALTHONE RESPONDS TO , AND SFD
HEALTHONE WILL SHORTLY START
RESPONDING TO SOME BEHAVIORAL
HEALTH CALLS ON A TRIAL BASIS,
WHICH IS WHAT COUNSEL HAD
ORIGINALLY INTENDED CARE
RESPONDERS WERE SUPPOSED TO DO.
THERE MAY BE OPPORTUNITIES TO
GET CLARITY ON THE EXECUTIVE'S
VISION FOR FUTURE RESPONSE BY
C.A.R.E. OR TO MAKE REQUESTS
ABOUT THAT RESPONSE SO THAT
CITY RESOURCES ARE BEING
MAXIMIZED. IN TERMS OF OPTIONS,
WE HAVE IDENTIFIED A BIT OF A
SMORGASBORD UP HERE. OPTION A
WOULD BE TO ADOPT A STATEMENT
OF LEGISLATIVE INTENT
REQUESTING CLARIFICATION OF THE
VISION AND GOALS OF C.A.R.E.'S
RESPONSE PROGRAM INCLUDING
MILESTONES FOR EVALUATION.
OPTION B, ADOPT A STATEMENT OF
LEGISLATIVE INTENT REQUESTING
THAT THE EXECUTIVE TAKE
MEASURABLE STEPS TOWARD THE
INCREASED PROVISION OF SOLELY
OR DULY DISPATCHED C.A.R.E.
RESPONSE. OPTION C. ADOPT A SLI
REQUESTING THAT THE EXECUTIVE
CLARIFY THE ROLES OF SPD AND S
FD RESPONDING TO CALLS THAT ARE
WITHIN C.A.R.E.'S PURVIEW.
OPTION D, ADOPT A SLI
REQUESTING THE EXECUTIVE FOCUS
AVAILABLE C.A.R.E. IN AREAS
WITH A DUAL-DISPATCH CAPACITY.
OPTION E WOULD BE SOME
COMBINATION OF ALL OF THE
ABOVE. OPTION F, NO CHANGE.
>> THANK YOU, ANN. COUNCIL
MEMBER KETTLE, AS CHAIR OF THE
COMMITTEE OVERSEEING THE
DEPARTMENT YOU ARE RECOGNIZED.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR STRAUSS.
AGAIN THANK YOU, MS. GORMAN AND
APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT WENT
INTO THIS. THIS IS ACTUALLY
REALLY KIND OF SPOKEN TO WHEN
C.A.R.E. WAS PRESENTING
EARLIER. I SUSPECT IT'S GOING
TO BE A COMBINATION BECAUSE WE
ARE IN A PERIOD OF FLUX AND
REALLY, WE COULD BRING THE NEXT
POLICY CONSIDERATION RIGHT HERE
WITH IT BECAUSE WE CANNOT DO IT
WITHOUT THE DATA COLLECTION AND
SO WE NEED TO HAVE THE DATA. WE
HAVE TO HAVE THIS PERIOD OF
ESTABLISHING WHAT WE CAN AND
CANNOT DO AND I REALLY BELIEVE
THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME MAJOR
REFORM OF THIS ENTIRE
ALTERNATIVE RESPONSE UNIVERSE
PROBABLY IN THE NEXT BIENNIUM
BECAUSE OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS
WE REALLY NEED TO GET ON THE
GROUND, DO THE WORK, CREATE THE
DATA SETS, UNDERSTAND THE DATA
SETS AND KIND OF LIKE TALK
ABOUT PEO EARLIER, ESTABLISH
AGAIN OUR MISSION OF WHAT WE
NEED TO ACCOMPLISH THE MISSION
AND SO FORTH AND I THINK
ACCOMMODATION IN TERMS OF WHAT
WE ARE LOOKING FOR AND THEN THE
DATA WILL DO THAT. WE SHOULD
HAVE SOME PATIENCE KNOWING --
WE SHOULD NOT BE THINKING THIS
IS THE END ALL. WE SHOULD HAVE
SOME PATIENCE AND KNOWING THAT
THERE WILL BE SOME MAJOR COURSE
CORRECTIONS . WHATEVER IT MAY
BE , WE WILL NEED TO DO IT, AND
SO THAT IS KIND OF THE APPROACH
I THINK THAT WE WILL BE LOOKING
AT IN THE COMMUNITY
PARTICULARLY.
>> WELL SAID, DESCRIBING
GOVERNING AS A VERB, I WILL
ADD. COUNSEL MEMBER RIVERA.
>> THANK YOU AND THANK YOU FOR
TAKING US THROUGH THAT. I VERY
-- EVERYONE HAS HEARD ME SAY
MULTIPLE TIMES ABOUT MY CONCERN
ABOUT THE OUTCOMES OF THE
C.A.R.E. TEAM. I AM REALLY GLAD
THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AND DO THE
WORK TO RIGHT SIZE WHAT IS
HAPPENING WITH C.A.R.E. AND HAS
LED TO 40 RESPONSE IS HAPPENING
IN A WEEK WHICH IS A LOT MORE
THAN THE RESPONSES THAT WE WERE
SAYING BEFORE, WHICH WAS
PROBABLY IN A QUARTER PERIOD WE
WERE MAYBE SAYING THAT MUCH, IF
THAT MUCH SO I REALLY
APPRECIATE THAT THEY HAVE
REALLY HURT ME. SO, THANK YOU
TO I SUPPORT COUNCIL MEMBER
KETTLE'S CALL FOR A
COMBINATION OF THESE. I AGREE
WE REALLY NEED TO BE CLEAR
ABOUT WHAT THE GOALS ARE
BECAUSE I WILL CONTINUE TO TALK
ABOUT THE OUTCOMES AND IF THE
OUTCOMES ARE NOT THERE AND WE
ARE NOT SHOWING THE VALUE OF
THIS PARTICULAR TEAM. I THINK
THERE IS ABSOLUTELY A NEED FOR
ALTERNATIVE RESPONSE AS I HAVE
SAID AND IF WE ARE ABLE TO HAVE
THEM RESPOND AND I THINK THAT
IS GREAT. THAT IS WHAT THEY
WERE INTENDED TO DO, THE AN
ALTERNATIVE RESPONSE, SO LIKE I
SAID, I AM PLEASED TO SEE THAT
IN THE LAST WEEK OR THE PRIOR
WEEK, THAT WE SAW 44 RESPONSES
IN ONE WEEK. AND THEN THOUGH
YOU HAVE NOT MENTIONED IT HERE,
JUST ON THE C.A.R.E. TEAM AND
IN TERMS OF THE RESPONSE, THE
911 CALL CENTER IN MY CONTINUED
CONCERNS ABOUT THE INABILITY TO
ANSWER THAT NONRESPONSE LINE
JUST FOR TRANSPARENCY I HAVE
BEEN WORKING WITH THE MAYOR'S
OFFICE, AND I APPRECIATE THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE RESPONSE TO MY
CALL FOR WE NEED TO DO BETTER,
AND I HAVE ALSO SPOKEN WITH
BUDGET CHAIR ABOUT I WILL BE
LOOKING AT THEM IN TERMS OF
MOVING FORWARD. I'VE ALSO
TALKED TO COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE,
CHAIR OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY
COMMITTEE ABOUT SOME CHANGE I
WILL BE OFFERING TO ADDRESS
THAT, AND AGAIN I WANT TO THANK
THE MAYOR'S OFFICE FOR THE
PARTNERSHIP IN ADDRESSING THIS
REALLY CRITICAL NEED, WHICH IS
MORE CAPACITY AT THE CALL
CENTER TO BE ABLE TO GET TO
THOSE NONRESPONSE -- EXCUSE ME,
THE NONEMERGENCY LINE AT
C.A.R.E. SO EVEN THOUGH WE ARE
NOT TALKING ABOUT THAT RIGHT
NOW I DID WANT TO TAKE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO , FOR
TRANSPARENCY SAKE. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER
RIVERA. COUNCIL MEMBER MORALES.
>> THANK YOU. IT FEELS LIKE
THERE IS HUGE POTENTIAL HERE TO
INCREASE SPD STAFF AVAILABILITY
BY MOVING FOLKS TOWARD THE SOUL
DISPATCH WHICH I THINK WAS THE
ORIGINAL INTENT WHEN WE TALKED
ABOUT THIS PILOT LAST YEAR OR
THE YEAR BEFORE. IT WAS GOING
TO BE A PILOT STARTING WITH
DUAL-DISPATCH COLLECTING THE
DATA TO UNDERSTAND WHAT KIND OF
CALLS WERE APPROPRIATE FOR SOUL
DISPATCH. THAT WHOLE EFFORT
SEEMS TO BE FLAILING AS YOU
SAID, OR MAYBE YOU USED A
DIFFERENT WORD BUT I'M TRYING
TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IS THE HOLD
UP TO MAKING THE MOVE TO THE
SOLE DISPATCH MODEL?
>> THANK YOU. I LIKE TO DO FOR
THAT QUESTION TO SOMEONE CLOSER
TO THAT OFFICE THAN I AM.
>> DAN, IS THAT SOMETHING YOU
WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS?
>> THAT IS NOT REALLY EXPERTISE
THAT IS A SUBJECT OF ONGOING
NEGOTIATIONS. THAT'S ABOUT ALL
I CAN SAY AT THIS POINT.
>> OKAY. GIVEN HOW MUCH WE HEAR
FROM SPD ABOUT HOW UNDERSTAFFED
THEY ARE, IT'S A SURPRISE TO
ME ON THAT SIDE OF THE
EQUATION. I HOPE WE CAN HONOR
THE AGREEMENT THAT WAS MADE IN
THE PILOT AS IT WAS ORIGINALLY
CONSIDERED. I GUESS WHAT I
REALLY ALSO INTERESTED IN IS,
IT SOUNDS LIKE THEY ARE
DEPLOYING MORE DOWNTOWN, AND
THAT IS CREATING BETTER SAFETY
OR YOU KNOW, FASTER RESPONSE
FOR SOME PEOPLE AND I AM REALLY
INTERESTED TO KNOW WHAT IT
MIGHT TAKE TO EXTEND THIS WORK
IN THIS TEAM ACROSS THE CITY TO
EXTEND IT EVEN 24/7. OBVIOUSLY
, DURING THE DEFICIT YEAR THAT
MIGHT NOT BE THE RIGHT TIME,
BUT I WOULD REALLY BE
INTERESTED TO KNOW WHAT IT
MIGHT TAKE TO BE ABLE TO DO
THAT OVER TIME. SO, MAYBE THAT
IS JUST A QUESTION FOR LATER.
>> WE CAN START WORKING ON THAT
ANALYSIS . THE EXPANSION OF THE
C.A.R.E. RESPONSE PROGRAM IS
ALREADY UNDERWAY. THEY ARE
RAMPING UP FROM SIX RESPONDERS
TO 24 RESPONDERS WITH A MUCH
BROADER RANGE OF OPERATION AND
IT LOOKS LIKE SOME OF THAT
OPERATION WILL BE IN AREAS THAT
DO NOT HAVE AS MANY PRIORITY
ONE OR PRIORITY TWO CALLS SO
THE ORIGINAL INTENT OF THE
DUAL-DISPATCH PROGRAM SEEMS
MORE LIKELY TO BE MET.
>> JUST TO ADD, THE
ADMINISTRATION IS APPRECIATIVE
OF THE PARTNERSHIP THE MAYOR
HAS HAD WITH THIS COUNSEL TO
ADD THE POSITIONS IN THE
FUNDING IN THIS YEAR'S MIDYEAR
SUPPLEMENTAL . WE ARE ACTIVELY
MOVING FORWARD, AS ANN
MENTIONED, TO HIRE OUT ALL OF
THOSE POSITIONS SO WE CAN HIT
THE GROUND RUNNING AT THE
BEGINNING OF 2025.
>> THANK YOU, DIRECTOR EDER.
COUNCIL MEMBER MORALES, WE WILL
SEE IF WE ARE ABLE TO GET YOU
THE INFORMATION ABOUT THE LAR
NEGOTIATIONS. COLLEAGUES,
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON POLICY
CONSIDERATION NUMBER ONE AS
INDICATED BY VICE CHAIR AND
COUNCIL MEMBER RIVERA, PROBABLY
OPTION E WILL BE THE DIRECTION.
>> POLICY CONSIDERATION NUMBER
TWO, CONVENIENTLY FOR ME, A
COUPLE COUNCILMEMBERS HAVE
ALREADY MADE REFERENCE TO THIS.
IT CONCERNS THE COLLECTION OF
DATA BY C.A.R.E. ABOUT ITS
CRISIS RESPONSE SERVICE . IT
WAS THE ORIGINAL INTENT OF THE
PILOT PROGRAMS THAT RESPONDERS
COLLECT AS MUCH DATA AS
POSSIBLE WITH THE UNDERSTANDING
THAT THIS DATA WOULD HELP
INFORM FUTURE PROGRAM DIRECTION
. IT WOULD ANSWER THE QUESTION,
HOW CAN C.A.R.E. PROVIDE THE
MOST VALUE TO THE MOST PEOPLE.
AND, HOW CAN THAT RESPONSE
EVOLVE IN THE FUTURE? WHAT WE
HAVE LEARNED DURING THE BUDGET
PROCESS IS THAT THERE IS NOT A
LOT OF DATA AVAILABLE. THIS IS
DUE IN PART TO THE FACT THAT
C.A.R.E. RESPONDERS HAVE NOT
BEEN WELL-UTILIZED, AS WE JUST
TALKED ABOUT, AND THE
DEPARTMENT SAYS IT IS DUE IN
PART TO LEGAL RESTRICTIONS ON
THE TYPE OF DATA THAT CAN BE
COLLECTED. ONE THING THAT IT
WOULD'VE BEEN HELPFUL TO
UNDERSTAND IS HOW C.A.R.E.
WORKS WITH PARTNER
ORGANIZATIONS LIKE WE DELIVER
C.A.R.E. , REACH, AND PURPOSE
DIGNITY ACTION WHICH MANAGES
THE LEAD PROGRAM. WHEN DOES
C.A.R.E. WORK WITH THESE
ORGANIZATIONS, WHAT ARE THE
CONTACT POINTS AND WHAT ARE THE
OUTCOMES OF THAT COLLABORATION.
BUT, THE DEPARTMENT IS NOT
TRACKING THIS AND IT IS A
LITTLE UNCLEAR WHETHER THERE IS
STILL SUPPORT FOR THE
COMMITMENT TO MAXIMUM DATA
COLLECTION IN GENERAL. THIS
COUNSEL HAS OFTEN EXPRESSED
INTEREST IN DATA-DRIVEN
DECISIONS, SO THIS IS JUST
BRINGING FORWARD A POTENTIAL
AREA FOR IMPROVEMENT. IMPROVED
DATA COLLECTION COULD DO A
WHOLE LIST OF THINGS. IT COULD
HELP C.A.R.E. BETTER QUANTIFY
WHAT SERVICES IT IS PROVIDING
TO HOME. IT CAN HELP DETERMINE
OPTIMAL PROGRAMMATIC EXPANSION
THAT IS SEPARATE FROM
GEOGRAPHIC EXPANSION AND IT
COULD HELP THE DEPARTMENT BE
MORE COMPETITIVE FOR GRANT
FUNDING BECAUSE IT WOULD BE
BETTER ABLE TO DESCRIBE ITS
IMPACT ON COMMUNITY. SO, JUST
TWO OPTIONS HERE. ONE WOULD BE
TO ADOPT A STATEMENT OF
LEGISLATIVE INTENT REQUESTING
THAT THE DEPARTMENT DEVELOP
MORE ROBUST DATA COLLECTION
PRACTICES AS IS LEGALLY
PERMISSIBLE TO HELP PROVIDE A
FRAMEWORK FOR ONGOING RESPONSE
PROGRAM EVALUATION AND FUTURE
PLANNING, INTENTIONALLY
INCLUDING A REPORTING
REQUIREMENT COUNSEL. OPTION B,
NO CHANGE.
>> THANK YOU, ANN. COUNCIL
MEMBER KETTLE.
>> SINCE I LINKED THE TWO LAST,
I WILL RESTATE THAT YES, DATA,
YOU KNOW, AND I THINK THE
EXECUTIVE IS BEHIND THIS IN THE
SENSE THAT THEY UNDERSTAND THEY
NEED MORE DATA. THEY UNDERSTAND
THAT THIS IS A WORK IN
PROGRESS. I SOMETIMES WORRY
THAT WE ARE OVERPROMISING
RELATED TO C.A.R.E. BECAUSE WE
ARE IN THE CRAWL, STEP, WALK
AND RUN PHASE KIND OF AT THE
BEGINNING AND WE SHOULD BE WARY
OF OVERPROMISING, PARTICULARLY
IN TERMS OF CITYWIDE, BUT ALSO
WITHIN THE ALTERNATIVE RESPONSE
AREA MORE GENERALLY, SO I THINK
HAVING DATA COLLECTION BY THE
WAY, GOING TO THE PREVIOUS ONE,
TOO, THERE'S NO DOUBT THAT THE
EXECUTIVE AND C.A.R.E. , CHIEF
RAHR, THEY'RE WORKING THROUGH
THOSE THINGS BUT A SLIDE IN MY
SENSE WOULD BE A MORE FORMAL
ENGAGEMENT BETWEEN THE
EXECUTIVE AND COMMITTEE ON THIS
SO YES, SUPPORTIVE OF -- CAN I
ADD ONE THING BEFORE? BECAUSE
THE NEXT ONE IS VERY DIFFERENT
AS I ALSO GENERALLY SUPPORT
COUNCIL MEMBER RIVERA'S POINT
ABOUT THE 911 CALL CENTER. WE
CANNOT FORGET ABOUT THE 911
CALL CENTER. I KNOW IT'S NOT
IN PART OF THE BRIEFINGS. IT'S
NOT IN PART OF THE BOOK BUT
THAT IS SOMETHING WE WILL
CONTINUE TO ENGAGE IN AS WELL
THROUGH THE COMMUNITY AND THE
FULL COUNSEL SO I WANTED TO
THROW THAT IN THERE BECAUSE
ONCE WE MOVED TO THIS WE ARE
GOING TO A DIFFERENT TOPIC.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER
KETTLE. ADDING MY SUPPORT TO
COUNCIL MEMBER RIVERA AND
COUNCIL MEMBER KETTLE'S
COMMENTS ABOUT 911 DISPATCH, WE
CAN'T DO ANY OF THIS WORK
WITHOUT YOU IS 911 DISPATCHERS.
COUNCIL MEMBER RIVERA THEN
COUNCIL PRESIDENT NELSON.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR. THANK YOU,
ANN, FOR THIS ONE.
WHOLEHEARTEDLY, PUBLIC SAFETY
CHAIR KETTLE ON THE SUPPORT FOR
THIS SLI, IF WE DON'T HAVE THE
INFORMATION WE ARE NOT ABLE TO
SAY ONE, THAT THE PROGRAM IS
HAVING ITS INTENDED OUTCOMES
AND THEN TWO, WHERE SHOULD WE
FOCUS OUR EFFORTS AND I THINK
WE HAVE SEEN TO DATE, THE DATA
THAT WE DID COLLECT REALLY
HELPED THE EXECUTIVE AND
C.A.R.E. AND MYSELF WHEN I WAS
PUSHING ON THIS IS TO REALLY
SAY HEY, WE ARE NOT HAVING THE
INTENDED OUTCOMES HERE, SO WHAT
CAN WE DO ABOUT THAT? BECAUSE
THIS CAN'T BE THEORETICAL,
THIS IDEA OF AN ALTERNATIVE
RESPONSE NEEDS TO BE REAL AND
FACTUAL, NOT A THEORETICAL THAT
YOU KNOW, YES, WE NEED TO HAVE
ALTERNATIVE RESPONSE BUT THEN
WE CREATE SOMETHING AND IT IS
NOT ACTUALLY DOING ON THE
GROUND THE THING WE ARE
INTENDING IT TO DO SO
WHOLEHEARTEDLY SUPPORT THIS
DATA COLLECTION PIECE TO HELP
INFORM ALL OF THAT INCLUDING
WHAT THE C.A.R.E. DEPARTMENT
SHOULD BE DOING IN THE FUTURE,
HOW TO BEST DEPLOY THIS
RESOURCE, AND LIKE I SAID,
ALTHOUGH IT IS LIMITED DATA, IT
HAS HELPED TURN THE CORNER ON
THIS, I BELIEVE, AND LIKE I
SAID EARLIER, I AM GLAD TO SEE
THAT WE ARE ABLE TO DO MORE
RESPONSES AS IT WAS INTENDED TO
DO SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT
MORE ROBUSTLY MOVING FORWARD
AND I THINK THE SLI WILL BE
HELPFUL. I SEE IT AS A FRIENDLY
AMENDMENT OR A FROM REACTION TO
WHAT THE MAYOR'S OFFICE HAS
ALSO BEEN VERY POSITIVELY
ENGAGED WITH IN MY
CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM
PARTICULARLY TO THIS, SO GOOD
TO SEE THAT IT WOULD BE
INCLUDED IN THERE. THANK YOU,
CHAIR.
>> ANYTHING FROM THE TABLE TO
ADD? COUNCIL PRESIDENT?
>> THANKS. I'M COMBINING MY
COMMENTS ON THE FIRST POLICY
CONSIDERATION AND THE SECOND
ONE HERE. FIRST I WANT TO SAY
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR
WORK , COUNCIL MEMBER RIVERA,
ON THE 911 AND THE EMERGENCY
LINE. PUBLIC SAFETY CHAIR
KETTLE PREVENIENT THE POTENTIAL
NEED IN HIS OPENING COMMENTS
FOR A REBOOT IN THE NEXT
BIENNIUM AND I THINK THAT WAS
SORT OF PRESCIENT. THAT WAS
SORT OF WHEN THIS PILOT PROGRAM
WAS SUPPOSED TO BE WRAPPING UP
AND WOULD BE PROVIDING US WITH
DATA OF TWO YEARS OF
IMPLEMENTATION SO THAT WE COULD
PLOT THE NEXT -- THE FUTURE
COURSE OF THE ALTERNATIVE
RECORDS -- COURSE RESPONSE OR
C.A.R.E. TEAM OPERATIONS SO WE
WILL NOT HAVE THE BENEFIT OF
THAT DATA RIGHT NOW AS WE ARE
GOING THROUGH THIS EXPANSION
AND SO RECOGNIZING THE
WIDESPREAD SUPPORT FOR THE
C.A.R.E. DEPARTMENT IN THE WORK
THAT IT DOES PROVIDING THIS
ALTERNATIVE RESPONSE , IT IS
ALSO TRUE THAT WE SORT OF PUT
THE CART BEFORE THE HORSE IN AN
EXPANSION WITHOUT KNOWING WHAT
IS -- WITHOUT THE BENEFIT OF
TWO YEARS OF DATA COLLECTION.
BE THAT AS IT MAY GOING FORWARD
I WANT TO NOTE MY SUPPORT FOR
OPTIONS A AND C IN THE PREVIOUS
POLICY CONSIDERATION BECAUSE I
DO THINK IT IS IMPORTANT FOR
COUNSEL AND FOR ALSO ARE PUBLIC
TO UNDERSTAND THE BREADTH AND
DEPTH OF OUR ALTERNATIVE
RESPONSE. WHAT IS HEALTHONE
DOING, WHAT HIS HEALTH 99
DOING, WHAT IS C.A.R.E. DOING
SO WE CAN SHOW OUR VOTERS AND
THE PEOPLE WHO ARE IMPACTED AND
NEED THESE SERVICES PRECISELY
WHAT WE ARE DOING ACROSS THE
BOARD SO I THINK THAT IS A GOOD
IDEA AND ALSO MAKING SURE WE
HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT
ARE THE MILESTONES AND
SOMETHING IN WRITING, A
CONSTANT TALISMAN OR REMINDER
OF WHAT THE GOALS OF THIS
PROGRAM ARE BECAUSE WE DON'T
WANT ANYONE TO FORGET WHAT WE
ARE TRYING TO DO SO I SUPPORT
THOSE POLICY CONSIDERATIONS AND
ALSO DO OF COURSE SUPPORT
OPTION A IN TERMS OF ADOPTING A
STATEMENT OF LEGISLATIVE INTENT
ON DATA COLLECTION IN GENERAL.
I HAD A QUESTION ABOUT
SOMETHING THAT YOU HAVE IN YOUR
MEMO ON PAGE FOUR. HE STARTED
ABOUT DATA ON PAGE THREE THEN
CONTINUE ON FOUR WE ARE TALKING
ABOUT THE INTERACTIONS BETWEEN
CCR'S AND OTHER PARTS OF OUR
SOCIAL SERVICE RESPONSE, OR
HUMAN SERVICE RESPONSE. ALL THE
OTHER ORGANIZATIONS ON THE
STREET HELPING PEOPLE IN MANY
DIFFERENT WAYS TO INTERACT ON A
DAY-TO-DAY BASIS SO THERE IS
NOT REPORTING ON HOW THE
C.A.R.E. MEMBERS ARE
INTERACTING WITH REACH AND WE
DELIVER C.A.R.E. AND IT SAYS
HERE IT WAS THE DEPARTMENT'S
CHOICE NOT TO TRACK
INTERACTIONS AND TYPES OF
INTERACTIONS ACROSS DEPARTMENTS
IN THE CITY BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
ECOSYSTEM. DO YOU HAVE ANY MORE
INFORMATION ON WHY THAT WAS NOT
-- WAS IT JUST NOT FEASIBLE?
WAS IT JUST IMPRACTICAL BECAUSE
THINGS ARE HAPPENING SO FAST ON
THE STREET OR CAN YOU SHED SOME
LIGHT ON THAT?
>> I DON'T HAVE ANY
INFORMATION. I WILL FOLLOW UP
WITH THE DEPARTMENT. I POSED
THE QUESTION. THEY ANSWERED IT
FACTUALLY, AND I NEEDED TO
FINALIZE THE PAPER BUT THERE IS
DEFINITELY A FOLLOW-UP QUESTION
AND I WILL PUT IT TO THE
DEPARTMENT TO FOLLOW UP. IT
REALLY WAS THE INTENT OF THE
PILOT AND I WAS HERE WHEN THE
PILOT WAS FIRST TAKING SHAPE.
WE ARE GOING TO COLLECT ALL THE
DATA WE POSSIBLY CAN . MAYBE WE
ARE EVEN GOING TO OVER COLLECT
THEN LOOK AT IT, ANALYZE IT AND
BE READY TO PIVOT IN TERMS OF
WHAT THIS RESPONSE PROGRAM DOES
WHEN IT FOCUSES ON -- AND WHILE
THE PROGRAM IS STILL RELATIVELY
SMALL IS THE BEST TIME TO
PERFORM THAT WORK BECAUSE IT IS
JUST MUCH EASIER FOR DEPARTMENT
AND ORGANIZATION TO MAKE
CHANGES LIKE THAT.
>> I AGREE WITH YOU AND BECAUSE
WE ARE EXPANDING NOW, PERHAPS
WE COULD JUST ALL PROVIDE A
LITTLE GRACE AND ASK FOR SOME
FLEXIBILITY FROM ALL PARTIES
INVOLVED THAT IF CHANGE DOES
NEED TO BE MADE GOING FORWARD
WITH THE BENEFIT OF ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION THAT WE ARE ALREADY
TO PIVOT ACCORDINGLY. AND, I
WANT THIS TO BE CLEAR. I'M NOT
TALKING ABOUT A SCALING DOWN OF
THE PROGRAM. I AM TALKING ABOUT
CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT .
>> IT IS MY SENSE THAT IS WHAT
THE PILOT PROGRAM WAS DESIGNED
TO DO . I DON'T KNOW WHETHER
THAT INTENTION HAS CHANGED ON
THE EXECUTIVE SIDE, BUT WE CAN
GET SOME CLARIFICATION ABOUT
IT.
>> GRANTING ALL INVOLVE THE
BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT I THINK
WE'RE ALL WORKING TOWARD THE
SAME GOAL AND SO EXPECT THAT IT
WILL END UP BEING BETTER AND
BETTER AS WE GO ALONG AND
BUILDING ON A STRONG BASE.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>> COLLEAGUES, ANY OTHER
QUESTIONS, COMMENTS ON POLICY
CONSIDERATION NUMBER TWO? I
WILL JUST ADD THAT ROBUST DATA
COLLECTION LEADS TO DATA-DRIVEN
DECISION-MAKING, WHICH IS GOOD
GOVERNING. DID WE GET THE
COUNCIL BINGO THERE? WITH THAT,
POLICY CONSIDERATION NUMBER
THREE.
>> POLICY CONSIDERATION NUMBER
THREE. SO FAR, WE HAVE TALKED
ABOUT THE TWO ONGOING BODIES OF
WORK IN C.A.R.E.. THE CALL
CENTER AND THE PILOT RESPONSE
PROGRAM. NOW WE ARE GOING TO
MOVE ON TO AN ENTIRELY NEW BODY
OF WORK IN THE C.A.R.E.
DEPARTMENT, WHICH SEEMS POISED
FOR SIGNIFICANT FUTURE
VISIBILITY AND GROWTH. AS I
MENTIONED, THE 2025 PROPOSED
BUDGET INCLUDED POSITION
AUTHORITY AND FUNDING FOR A NEW
POSITION, THE SEATTLE
RESTORATION DIRECTOR, AND THIS
POSITION HAS ALREADY BEEN
FILLED AND IN THE NEAR TERM,
THE SEATTLE RESTORATION
DIRECTOR IS COORDINATING THE
PILOT DOWNTOWN ACTIVATION TEAM
, AND THEY WILL EXECUTE THE
SEATTLE RESTORATION PROGRAM BY
PERFORMING PLACE-BASED
ACTIVATIONS, CLEANINGS AND
SAFETY OPERATIONS FIRST IN THE
DOWNTOWN AREA AND THEN IN OTHER
AREAS OF THE CITY. THE SEATTLE
RESTORATION PROGRAM IS MODELED
AFTER THE UNIFIED C.A.R.E.
TEAM, OR UCT, AND IS INTENDED
TO BECOME SEMINARY TO THE
DOWNTOWN ACTIVATION PLAN, WHICH
IS A SET OF INITIATIVES BEING
COORDINATED BY OED. IN THE
LONGER-TERM, THE SEATTLE
RESTORATION DIRECTOR IS IT
ENVISIONED AS LEADING THE
CENTRALIZATION AND THE C.A.R.E.
DEPARTMENT OF PROGRAMMING AND
DATA COLLECTION RELATING TO THE
INTERSECTION OF PUBLIC SAFETY
INTERVENTIONS , PUBLIC ORDER,
AND HUMAN SERVICES DELIVERY.
THE GOAL FOR THE CENTRALIZATION
IS THAT FOR ANY 911 CALL ALONG
THESE LINES THAT DOES NOT
REQUIRE LAW ENFORCEMENT OR THE
FIRE DEPARTMENT , C.A.R.E. CAN
DISPATCH THE APPROPRIATE
RESPONSE FROM A POTENTIALLY
VAST MENU OF RESPONSE OPTIONS ,
SO IN THIS FUTURE, WE MIGHT BE
DISPATCHING NOT JUST C.A.R.E.
RESPONDERS BUT VARIOUS TYPES OF
CITY OR CONTRACTED SPECIALIST
RESPONSE THAT AGAIN HAVE A
NEXUS TO PUBLIC SAFETY
INTERVENTIONS, PUBLIC ORDER,
AND HUMAN SERVICES DELIVERY.
THIS IS THE VISION. THIS
PROGRAM IS VERY AMBITIOUS. IT
WOULD BE A SIGNIFICANT NEW
DIRECTION FOR THE CITY , AND IT
SEEMS LIKELY THAT BOTH IN THE
SHORT TERM AND LONG TERM,
C.A.R.E. WILL NEED ADDITIONAL
RESOURCES TO SUPPORT ITS
GROWTH, AND THIS GROWTH, OF
COURSE, WOULD BE TAKING PLACE
AS ANOTHER DEPARTMENT FUNCTION
IS SET TO EXPAND. THAT IS
C.A.R.E. RESPONSE AND COUNCIL
MEMBERS HAVE EXPRESSED GREAT
INTEREST IN MAINTAINING FOCUS
ON THE CALL TAKING FUNCTION.
THERE ARE ALSO SOME AREAS WHERE
THE DISCRETE PURVIEW OF THE
SEATTLE RESTORATION PROGRAM,
FOR INSTANCE, AS COMPARED TO
THE UCT, IS NOT CLEAR SO
OPTIONS HERE ARE SIMILAR TO
OPTIONS WE PREPARED FOR THE
PREVIOUS POLICY CONSIDERATION.
OPTION A, ADOPT A STATEMENT OF
LEGISLATIVE INTENT REQUESTING
DETAILS ABOUT THE NEAR AND
LONG-TERM PRIORITIES OF THE NEW
PROGRAM AND ITS RELATIONSHIPS
TO THE UCT AND DAP INCLUDING
NEAR-TERM STAFFING CHANGE. B,
NO CHANGE.
>> COUNCIL MEMBER KETTLE, YOU
ARE RECOGNIZED.
>> THANK YOU. I LEARNED THIS
AFTER THE FACT BUT I'VE HAD
MEETINGS WITH THE DIRECTOR OF
PUBLIC SAFETY, MR. MARBURG, MS.
SMITH AND OTHERS AND I VIEW
THIS MORE AS A DIRECTOR OF
PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE VERSUS
C.A.R.E. ITSELF. I THINK
OBVIOUSLY IT NEEDS TO BE
OPERATIONAL SO HAVING IT IN THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE DIRECTLY MAYBE
NOT THE BEST POSITION BUT IT IS
ABOUT THE BIGGER PICTURE
OVERSIGHT THAT THE DIRECTOR OF
PUBLIC SAFETY HAS, AND THAT
ABILITY TO LOOK AT ALL ELEMENTS
OF PUBLIC SAFETY BECAUSE THIS
IS A TEAM EFFORT IN TERMS OF
WHAT IS HAPPENING DOWNTOWN AND
ACROSS THE CITY AND I THINK IT
IS SOMETHING THAT IS NEEDED AND
I THINK THIS IS THE FIX IN
ORDER TO GET WHAT IS NEEDED.
IT'S FUNNY TODAY I'VE BEEN
THINKING OF IN OCTOBER 2020
QUEEN ANNE SAFETY COUNCIL
LETTER WHICH WAS DONE BY THE
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY
THAT I CHAIRED. SOME OF US HAVE
EXPERIENCED IN THE LAST FOUR
YEARS HERE IN THE COUNCIL, SOME
OF US HAVE IT IN THE EXECUTIVE
LIKE WITH COUNCIL MEMBER
RIVERA, BUT I WAS WORKING THIS
DIRECTLY FROM THE COMMUNITY
PERSPECTIVE AND THESE ARE THE
THINGS I WAS CALLING FOR IN
THAT REFORM LETTER, BOTH POLICE
AND PUBLIC SAFETY, SO I
RECOGNIZE EXACTLY BECAUSE IT IS
AN ALL HANDS ON DECK EFFORT AND
IT IS AWAY IN THE MILITARY WHEN
IT CREATES ITS JOINT TASK FORCE
IT IS A GTF KIND OF APPROACH IN
TERMS OF BRINGING VARIOUS
PIECES AND TO ADDRESS THE
SITUATION BY LEVERAGING THE
STRENGTHS OF THE VARIOUS
ELEMENTS THAT ARE THERE MUCH
LIKE UCT DOES. THIS IS ANOTHER
EXAMPLE WHERE OBVIOUSLY WITH MY
COMMITTEE LEADING PUBLIC SAFETY
BUT WITH COUNCIL MEMBER MOORE
ON HUMAN SERVICES IT'S ABOUT
OPTIMIZING BOTH THE NOT BEEN
OVERWEIGHTED ON BUT ALSO
ENSURING WE ARE NOT NEGLECTING
IN ANOTHER AREA WHICH IS A BIG
CONCERN TO MANY AND I RECOGNIZE
THAT AND I THINK THIS IS
ANOTHER WAY TO INSURE THAT
BALANCE AND AGAIN, THIS IS WHY
WE NEED TO HAVE A STRONG
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC SAFETY, TO
ENSURE THAT BALANCES THERE AND
THAT WE ARE ACHIEVING OUR GOAL
SO I UNDERSTAND WHAT THIS IS.
IT IS UNIQUE BUT IT FITS IN
TERMS OF WHAT IS NEEDED AND I
LOOK AT THIS SO WHAT IS A
TECHNICAL FIX IN TERMS OF
BUDGETARY LIKE HOW TO REPLACE
IT SO THAT IS -- CLEARLY WE'RE
GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE
INVOLVEMENT ON THIS SO SLI
COULD BE A WAY TO DO IT BUT I
WOULD LOOK AT THIS AS A
POSITIVELY-ENGAGED PROCESS THAT
WE WOULD HAVE.
>> THANK YOU . ANN GORMAN.
>> YES, I WANT TO THANK COUNCIL
MEMBER KETTLE FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO CLARIFY THE
POSITION IS HOUSED IN THE
C.A.R.E. DEPARTMENT BUT IT
REPORTS TO THE DIRECTOR OF
PUBLIC SAFETY IN THE MAYOR'S
OFFICE AND THE IDEA IS THAT
THE SEATTLE RESTORATION
DIRECTOR WILL NEED TO MAKE ASKS
OF VARIOUS STAFF AND OTHER
OPERATIONAL DEPARTMENTS AND
THAT IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THIS
PERSON HAVE THE AUTHORITY OF
THE MAYOR'S OFFICE.
>> DIRECTOR EDER.
>> THANK YOU. I WOULD JUST SAY
THIS IS A PARALLEL STRUCTURE TO
WHAT WE ARE DOING WITH THE
UNIFIED C.A.R.E. TEAM. WE HAVE
A DIRECTOR OF UNIFIED C.A.R.E.
TEAM WHO IS AN HSD EMPLOYEE,
WORKS DIRECTLY WITH AND IS
SEATED IN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE
TO PROVIDE THAT KIND OF BRIDGE.
I THINK THIS IS A GREAT
PARTNERSHIP. APPRECIATE YOUR
LEADERSHIP , COUNCIL MEMBER
KETTLE. WE LOOK FORWARD TO
SEEING REALLY POSITIVE THINGS
FLOW FROM THIS PROGRAM.
>> THANK YOU, DIRECTOR EDER. I
SEE COUNCIL MEMBER RIVERA ,
COUNCIL MEMBER SAKA. WE HAVE
ABOUT 50 MINUTES UNTIL OUR
SCHEDULED LUNCH. WE DO HAVE ONE
MORE PRESENTATION . HOWEVER,
THAT PRESENTATION ONLY HAS ONE
POLICY CONSIDERATION SO JUST
NOTING FOR THE RECORD, COUNCIL
MEMBER RIVERA, PASS IT OVER TO
YOU.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR. YOU ARE
SAYING THERE IS NO OVERLAP
BETWEEN THIS AND UCT. THE
PARALLEL IS THAT LIKE UCT THIS
POINT PERSON WILL BE OUT OF THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE COORDINATING
THE DAP WORK. MY UNDERSTANDING
THAT CORRECTLY?
>> YES, THE DAT WORK FOR THE
DAP.
>> CORRECT THE POSITION HAS ITS
OWN IN THE CURRENT DEPARTMENT
BECAUSE WE THINK THAT IS THE
APPROPRIATE PLACE IN BETWEEN
PUBLIC SAFETY AND HUMAN
SERVICES AND A VARIETY OF CITY
FUNCTIONS. THAT IS THE RIGHT
HOME FOR IT, BUT IT WILL WORK
VERY CLOSELY WITH THE MAYOR'S
OFFICE TO HELP GUIDE THE ENTIRE
CITIES DOWNTOWN ACTIVATION TEAM
RESPONSES. THAT IS THE SAME
FRAMEWORK WE ARE USING FOR THE
UNIFIED C.A.R.E. TEAM.
>> THANK YOU . DIRECTOR EDER, I
AM SUPPORTIVE OF THE DOWNTOWN
PLAN. THERE IS A LOT WE NEED TO
DO DOWNTOWN. WE ARE STILL NOT
WHERE WE NEED TO BE. I WILL SAY
THAT I AM SUPPORTIVE OF THE SLI
BECAUSE I AM NOT QUITE SURE HOW
AGAIN IN THEORY THIS IS WHAT IT
IS SUPPOSED TO BE DOING. IN
PRACTICE, I AM NOT SURE HOW IT
IS GOING TO ALL WORK OUT. AND,
I APPRECIATE , ANN, YOUR FLAG
ON THE C.A.R.E. IS NOW
EXPANDING . WE HAVE GIVEN
C.A.R.E., THE DEPARTMENT, A LOT
OF WORK TO DO AND SO THIS WOULD
BE YET ANOTHER NEW BODY OF WORK
, AND WHILE I APPRECIATE THERE
IS CAPACITY IN THE MAYOR'S
OFFICE TO OVERSEE THIS
PARTICULAR POSITION AND I THINK
SOME OF OUR EXTERNAL PARTNERS
HAVE BEEN ASKING FOR THIS TYPE
OF A POSITION FOR A NUMBER OF
YEARS NOW, BECAUSE THERE HAVE
BEEN CHALLENGES DOWNTOWN OF THE
PUBLIC SAFETY VARIETY FOR EVEN
PRE-COVID, I APPRECIATE THE
POSITION. I AM NOT 100% CLEAR
MOVING FORWARD , ON KNOWING
WHAT THIS WILL LOOK LIKE AND
WHAT RESOURCES C.A.R.E. WILL
NEED TO DO THIS WORK, SO I
THINK A SLI IS APPROPRIATE,
ESPECIALLY FOR THE ONGOING,
THOUGH I APPRECIATE THE FACT
THAT THE MAYOR'S OFFICE IS
TAKING THIS BODY OF WORK ON AND
I HAVE CONFIDENCE IN THE
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC SAFETY, THAT
IS NATALIE ANDERSON WALTON. SHE
IS DOING GREAT WORK. SHE IS A
GREAT PARTNER SO I UNDERSTAND
THIS IS UNDER HER LEADERSHIP SO
SUPER APPRECIATE THAT. JUST
ONGOING, WHAT WILL THIS LOOK
LIKE AND WHAT WILL THE
DEPARTMENT C.A.R.E. BE TASKED
WITH IS A FAIR QUESTION TO ASK
IN AN SLI NOW SO THAT WE ARE
NOT DUPLICATING EFFORTS OR SO
THAT THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO
RE-LOOK AT THIS IF IT NEEDS TO
BE CHANGED AT ALL. THANK YOU.
>> COUNCIL MEMBER SAKA.
>> THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. FIRST
OFF I WANT TO LEND MY SUPPORT
TO A FEW OF THE EARLIER ITEMS .
FIRST WITH RESPECT TO THE
DUAL-DISPATCH , SUPPORT A
COMBINATION OF ALL OF THE ABOVE
ESSENTIALLY TO ADDRESS THAT
POLICY CONSIDERATION AND ON THE
SECOND ITEM, THE C.A.R.E.
CRISIS RESPONSE NO DATA
COLLECTION YES WE NEED MORE
BETTER DATA, STRONGER
ACCOUNTABILITY YOU KNOW, I
THINK A FRIENDLY WAY TO DO THAT
WOULD BE A SLI, THEN ON THIS
ISSUE DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF US
WITH RESPECT TO THE SEATTLE
RESTORATION DIRECTOR POSITION
SO YEAH, IT IS A GREAT IDEA IN
PRINCIPLE AND LIKELY IN
PRACTICE, AS WELL. REMAINS TO
BE SEEN AND WE WILL WORK
CLOSELY , PARTNER CLOSELY WITH
THE EXECUTIVE TO MAKE SURE WE
HAVE GREAT IMPLEMENTATION
THERE, AS WELL, AND LIKE MY
COLLEAGUE, COUNCIL MEMBER
RIVERA, I APPRECIATE THE
LEADERSHIP OF PUBLIC SAFETY
DIRECTOR WALDEN AND I THINK
THIS IS A GREAT IDEA. JUST WANT
TO SEE WHAT ELSE MAY BE NEEDED
TO ENSURE THAT THIS PERSON HAS
THE SUPPORTS NEEDED TO BE
SUCCESSFUL ON DAY ONE AND YOU
KNOW, THERE'S A PLAN IN PLACE
TO DO EXACTLY THAT. IT RAISES
SOME BROADER STRATEGIC
QUESTIONS, INCLUDING SOME
CALLED OUT HERE, BUT ONE THING
IS CLEAR TO ME IS HOW THIS NEW
POSITION WILL BE WORKING WITH
THE DOWNTOWN ACTIVATION TEAM ,
THAT PILOT, AND HOW THAT WILL
EVOLVE OVER TIME. WHAT DOES
THAT MEAN FOR VARIOUS ROLES AND
RESPONSIBILITIES AND IN
PARTICULAR, TO EXPAND BEYOND
THE PILOT AND THE DAP AREA AND
IT IS MY INITIAL UNDERSTANDING
COLLEAGUES WE ALL KNOW THE
INTERSECTION UNFORTUNATELY
BETWEEN THE RELATIONSHIP
SOMETIMES BETWEEN ENCAMPMENTS
AND PUBLIC SAFETY CHALLENGES
AND SO MY INITIAL UNDERSTANDING
IS THAT THERE MAY BE MORE
DIRECT PUBLIC SAFETY
INTERVENTION IN THE
ENCAMPMENTS, WHICH IS GREATLY
NEEDED, BUT YOU KNOW, QUESTIONS
I HAVE , IN THE SAME SORT OF
PUBLIC SAFETY CHALLENGES
PRESENT THEMSELVES IN VARIOUS
WAYS ACROSS THE CITY WHEN WE
ARE TALKING ABOUT ENCAMPMENTS
AND SO LIKE I REALLY UNDERSTAND
THAT KEENLY AWARE OF THAT IN MY
OWN DISTRICT FOR EXAMPLE YOU
KNOW THERE IS SOME VERY
SOPHISTICATED ONGOING ACTIVITY
HAPPENING WITHIN SOME OF THESE
PROBLEM ENCAMPMENT AREAS WHICH
IS SIGNIFICANT IN DAY ONE,
PARTICULARLY ON THE RV
ENCAMPMENTS SPACE, AS WE TALKED
ABOUT LAST WEEK . MY DISTRICT
IS THE MOST IMPACTED WITH RV
ENCAMPMENTS AND OFTENTIMES THIS
ACTIVITY HARMS CLOSELY, THOSE
WHO ARE NOT INVOLVED IN SUCH
CRIMINAL ACTIVITY AND BEHAVIOR
AND SADLY, SOMETIMES THIS IS AN
OPEN, PLAIN VIEW, THIS KIND OF
ACTIVITY AND SO ONE THING I
WOULD BE CURIOUS TO LEARN MORE
ABOUT IS HOW THIS POSITION AND
THE PILOT DAT PROGRAM PROJECTS
MIGHT MOVE THE NEEDLE ON
INTERVENTION OR PUBLIC SAFETY
EFFORTS ON VARIOUS CRIMINAL
ACTIVITY AND WHEN WE CAN EXPECT
TO IDEALLY SEE SOME INITIAL
IMPACT IN NEIGHBORHOODS BEYOND
THE DAT AREA. THAT IS ALL I
HAVE.
>> I WANT TO RECOGNIZE WHAT
COUNCIL MEMBER SAKA JUST SAID
IN TERMS OF UNDERSTANDING HOW
THE EXECUTIVE WILL MAKE SURE
THE IMPACT OF THE NEW PROGRAM,
THAT IS SOMETHING WE CAN ADD TO
A STATEMENT OF LEGISLATIVE
INTENT JUST SO WE ARE AWARE OF
WHAT IS BEING TRACKED, AND WHEN
WE THINK THERE WILL BE RESULTS
TO REPORT.
>> THANK YOU.
>> COUNCIL MEMBER MORALES THEN
I'M GOING TO ASK FOR FINAL
COMMENTS IF YOU MUST.
>> THANK YOU. I APOLOGIZE, ANN,
BUT I -- THIS IS NOT CLEAR TO
ME AT ALL. SO, FIRST, LET ME
ASK WHAT IS THE VISION FOR THIS
ROLE, FOR THIS LEADERSHIP ROLE
AND FOR THE PROGRAMMING AROUND
IT?
>> I WILL SHARE WHAT I
UNDERSTAND. THEN I WILL INVITE
DIRECTOR EDER TO POLISH THAT
UP. IT IS A NEW PROGRAM. IT IS
EVOLVING. THERE ARE
OPPORTUNITIES TO GAIN
CLARIFICATION. MY UNDERSTANDING
IS THAT IN THE NEAR TERM THIS
PERSON WILL COORDINATE THE
DOWNTOWN ACTIVATION TEAM, WHICH
WILL PERFORM PLACE-BASED
ACTIVATIONS, CLEANINGS AND
SAFETY OPERATIONS DOWNTOWN . AT
SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE, THAT
WORK WILL EXPAND AWAY FROM
DOWNTOWN INTO OTHER AREAS OF
SEATTLE. IN THE LONGER-TERM ,
THIS PERSON WILL LEAD AN
INITIATIVE THAT REALLY, REALLY
ENVISIONS 911 RESPONSE IN THE
CITY, MAKING IT POSSIBLE THAT
VARIOUS SERVICES AND PEOPLE CAN
BE DISPATCHED WHO CANNOT BE
DISPATCHED NOW AND MAYBE WE ARE
NOT EVEN THINKING OF YET AS
DISPATCH A BOWL. SO, IT IS A
GRAND VISION.
>> I THINK THAT IS WELL
DESCRIBED. I KNOW THAT THE
MAYOR IS EAGER TO SEE DOWNTOWN
THRIVE, AS WE ALL ARE , AND I
THINK THAT THE NEW POSITION IN
THE NEW INITIATIVE IS INTENDED
TO AUGMENT THE WORK WHICH IS
ALREADY UNDERWAY TO CLEAN UP
THE STREETS AND MAKE LITERALLY
THE DIRT OF THE DOWNTOWN BE
CLEANED UP. THAT IS LAYERED ON
TOP OF THE WORK THAT THE UCT IS
DOING, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
WORK THAT IS HAPPENING IN THE
DOWNTOWN ACTIVATION PLAN, AND
STRONG PARTNERSHIP WE HAVE WITH
THE MID-WORK, THAT THERE ARE
MANY STREAMS THAT ARE HAPPENING
IN THIS IS COORDINATING EFFORT
TO FOCUS, AND INTENSIFY THE
MAYOR'S VISION FOR HOW
DOWNTOWN CAN AND SHOULD BE
OPERATING UP TO WHAT WAS IN THE
PRE-PANDEMIC YEARS.
>> SO, I GUESS I'M TRYING TO
GET CLARITY ON IF THIS IS A
HOMELESS RESPONSE, ISN'T THAT
SOMETHING THE UCT IS ALREADY
DOING? ISN'T THAT WORK THAT IS
ALREADY HAPPENING WITH SOME OF
IT AROUND THE DAP WORK? IT
FEELS REALLY DUPLICATIVE TO ME
IS WHAT I'M GETTING AT AND I
DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW THIS IS
DIFFERENT FROM WHAT IS ALREADY
HAPPENING AND WHY WE NEED TO
CREATE A WHOLE NEW POSITION OR
INITIATIVE. EITHER IT IS A
HOMELESS RESPONSE AND THE UCT
IS ALREADY DOING IT OR IT'S A
911 RESPONSE AND THAT IS WHAT
THE C.A.R.E. TEAM IS THEREFORE
IN THE WORK THEY'RE DOING
UNDERSTAND ABOUT HOW TO
PRIORITIZE CALL SO IT FEELS
LIKE -- IT FEELS VERY UNCLEAR
TO ME WHAT SPECIFIC THING THIS
ROLE IS SUPPOSED TO BE DOING.
>> IT IS A FAIR QUESTION. IT IS
NOT THE EQUIVALENT OF BRINGING
ON AN ENTIRE NEW UCT. IT IS ONE
POSITION INTENDED TO BE A FOCAL
POINT IN THE PROJECT MANAGER
THAT LEVERAGES THE RESOURCES
AND THE EFFORTS OF THE POLICE
AND MANY OTHER DEPARTMENTS HAVE
BEEN DOING FOR THE LAST SEVERAL
YEARS, BUT TO BRING SORT OF A
FOCUSED INTENSITY IN THE BUDGET
THAT IS THE POSITION AND THE
FUNDING FOR THAT POSITION.
THERE ARE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS
OF NEW EFFORTS THAT ARE NOT
ALREADY IN THE BUDGET, SO WE
WERE ASKING FOR A POINT PERSON
TO BRING TOGETHER THE VARIOUS
STREAMS THAT ARE ALREADY
UNDERWAY.
>> COLLEAGUES, I WANT TO ASK IF
WE CAN TAKE THIS CONVERSATION
OFF-LINE. WE ARE TICKING
THROUGH TIME RIGHT NOW. WE
STILL HAVE ANOTHER
PRESENTATION. COUNCIL
PRESIDENT, I FAST TWICE NOW, IF
YOU COULD TURN THE MICROPHONE
TOWARDS YOU.
>> SORRY. WHY IS COUNCIL
APPROVAL REQUIRED FOR TWO
PARKING UNIT TRAINERS, BUT NOT
THIS? IS THIS BECAUSE OF THE
LEVEL OF POSITION? FOR THIS
POSITION? BECAUSE THIS PERSON
IS BEEN HIRED ALREADY.
>> WE HAVE HIRED A PERSON INTO
A TEMPORARY POSITION, SO THIS
POSITION AUTHORITY IS NEEDED
FOR A LONG-TERM HOME FOR THAT
PERSON TO BE IN ORGANIZATIONALL
Y.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT
CLARIFICATION.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT
AND FINAL WORD FROM COUNCIL
MEMBER KETTLE , CHAIR OF THE
COMMITTEE OVERSEEING THE
DEPARTMENT.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR. I THINK IT
IS IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER AND
UNDERSTAND I THINK EVERYBODY
ACROSS THE CITY UNDERSTANDS
THAT IN THE PAST , PUBLIC
SAFETY PHYSICALLY BECAME VERY
SPD-CENTRIC AND THERE ARE
REASONS FOR THAT IN THIS
HAPPENED WITH DOD AS WELL
BECAUSE AS A STAFFING,
ORGANIZATION, LEADERSHIP AND
THEY CAN DO IT AND YOU ADD ON
TOP OF THEIR CORE MISSION
RELATED TO VIOLENT CRIME AND
PROPERTY CRIME AND THE LIKE ,
AND WHAT IS IMPORTANT WITH THE
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC SAFETY WITH
THE ALTERNATIVE RESPONSE
DEPARTMENT BEING STOOD UP,
C.A.R.E., AND ALSO IN TERMS OF
WHAT FIRE IS DOING IS THAT WE
NEED TO TAKE THAT SPD FROM
BEING SO CENTRAL IN A PUBLIC
SAFETY RESPONSE AND PUT IT INTO
WHERE IT BELONGS AND HAVE THE
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC SAFETY BE
ABLE TO INDEPENDENTLY WORK
THESE VARIOUS ELEMENTS OF
DUSSAULT IN SUCH A WAY THAT
MAYBE IN THIS SENSE WE NEED TO
BE MORE C.A.R.E.-HEAVY OR
FIRE-HEAVY OR POLICE-HEAVY AND
HAVE THE OVERSIGHT WITH THE
STRENGTH OF COMING OUT OF THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE AND I THINK
THIS IS A GOOD NEWS IN TERMS OF
THIS KIND OF REFORM THAT WE ARE
LOOKING AT BOTH POLICE AND
PUBLIC SAFETY REFORM, AND
CREATES A SITUATION WHERE WE
HAVE A STRONGER DIRECTOR OF
PUBLIC SAFETY WHO HAS THAT WERE
STRATEGIC LOOK ON THAT POSITION
DEFINITELY NEEDS A DEPUTY IN
TERMS OF OVERSEEING SOME OF THE
MORE OPERATIONAL ELEMENTS WE
ARE SEEING WITH THE DAP FOR
EXAMPLE AND I VIEW THIS AGAIN
AS I SAID PUBLIC SAFETY LED BUT
WE ALSO NEED THE PUBLIC HEALTH
AND HUMAN SERVICES BITS . THIS
IS LIKE THE UCT OF THESE
WORKING TOGETHER I THINK WOULD
GET US FAVORABLE OUTCOMES
MOVING FORWARD AND REALLY GOES
TO THE ACCOMPLISHMENT OF THE
POLICE AND PUBLIC SAFETY REFORM
WERE TALKING ABOUT, HAVING A
STRONGER DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC
SAFETY WHO CAN HAVE THAT BIGGER
PICTURE AND WORK WITH EACH OF
THE DEVELOPMENTS INDEPENDENTLY
I THINK IS A GOOD THING.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER
KETTLE. MY COMMENTS WILL BE
SHORT WHICH IS THAT IT IS CLEAR
THE SUPPORT FOR C.A.R.E.
SUCCESS FROM THIS COUNSEL IS
CLEAR AND EVIDENT AND I THINK
WE HAVE DIFFERENT WAYS OF
GETTING THERE . WHAT IS ABOVE
ALL ELSE IS THAT THIS COUNSEL
IS SUPPORTING C.A.R.E.'S
SUCCESS. WITH THAT, CLERK, IF
YOU COULD READ THE THIRD ITEM
INTO THE AGENDA AND WE WILL
CONTINUE . SEATTLE
FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR BRIEFING
AND DISCUSSION.
>> THANK YOU. ANN GORMAN A
CENTRAL STAFF WORKING WITH
SEATTLE FIRE DEPARTMENT. THE
FLOOR IS YOURS.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. HERE
TODAY TO PROVIDE A BRIEF
OVERVIEW OF THE SEATTLE FIRE
DEPARTMENT'S 2025-26 PROPOSED
BUDGET EN ROUTE TO DISCUSSING A
SINGLE POLICY CONSIDERATION
WITH COUNCILMEMBERS. SEATTLE
FIRE DEPARTMENT'S BUDGET IS
$282 MILLION IN THE 2024
ADOPTED BUDGET AND IN THE 2025
PROPOSED BUDGET THIS INCREASES
TO $328 MILLION. THIS IS ABOUT
A 16% INCREASE IN MOST OF THIS
INCREASE IS DUE TO THE
REFLECTION OF 2023 AND 2024
SALARY INCREASES, WHICH WERE
NOT INCLUDED IN THE 2024
ADOPTED BUDGET BECAUSE THE
CONTRACTS WERE NOT SETTLED
THEN. FOR SFD, THE MAIN
CONTRACT IN QUESTION IS LOCAL
27, THE INTERNATIONAL
ASSOCIATION OF FIREFIGHTERS.
THE VAST MAJORITY OF SFD'S
BUDGET PAYS FOR SALARY COSTS ON
THE VAST MAJORITY OF THAT IS
FIREFIGHTER SALARY COSTS. THE
2025 PROPOSED BUDGET ALSO
INCLUDES ONE-TIME COSTS OF $3
MILLION TO REPLACE FIREFIGHTING
EQUIPMENT THAT IS NEARING ITS
END-OF-LIFE DATE AND THE MOST
2025 AND 2026, FUNDING IS ADDED
TO TRAIN 20 ADDITIONAL
FIREFIGHTER RECRUITS AND TO
TRAIN SIX INCUMBENT
FIREFIGHTERS AS PARAMEDICS .
THOSE INCREMENTS ARE PROVIDED
BEYOND WHAT IS IN THE SEATTLE
FIRE DEPARTMENT SPACE BUDGET
AND BOTH OF THE ADS RECOGNIZE
CURRENT STAFFING LEVELS IN
THOSE FUNCTIONS THAT ARE BELOW
HISTORICAL AVERAGES. SPD HAS
THREE BUDGET SUMMARY LEVELS AND
FOR EVERYONE'S AWARENESS, THE
FIRE PREVENTION DSL IS ALSO
CALLED THE OFFICE OF THE FIRE
MARSHAL. THAT OFFICE'S
RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE
UPDATING AND ADMINISTERING THE
SEATTLE FIRE CODE, FIRE
INVESTIGATIONS AND BUILDING
INSPECTIONS AND THAT COLLECTS
FEES THAT OFFSET MOST OF THE
COST OF PROVIDING SERVICES. SFD
IS ENTIRELY FUNDED BY GENERAL
FUND REVENUES AND STD NUMBERS
HERE ARE ROUNDED. IN THE
2025-26 PROPOSED BUDGETS WE
HAVE TWO POSITION ADDS BOTH IN
THE INTEGRATED HEALTH PROGRAM,
WHICH IS THE PARENT PROGRAM FOR
HEALTHONE AND HEALTH 99. THESE
ARE A .5 FTE ADMINISTRATIVE
SPECIALIST IN 2025 AND 1.0 FTE
ADMINISTRATIVE LIEUTENANT IN
2026. BOTH TO SUPPORT THE
EXPANSION OF THE MOBILE
INTEGRATED HEALTH PROGRAM AND
THAT IS DESCRIBED IN THE SFD
BUDGET OVERVIEW PROGRAM. ONTO
POLICY CONSIDERATION. SFD
SUBMITTED LEGISLATION WITH THE
PROPOSED BUDGET THAT WOULD
ALLOW IT FOR THE FIRST TIME TO
COLLECT FEES WHEN IT PROVIDES
BASIC LIFE SERVICES AND
TRANSPORT SERVICES. THIS IS A
POLICY CHANGE THAT WOULD RESULT
IN INCREMENTAL NEW REVENUES AND
YOUR CONSTITUENTS MIGHT HAVE
QUESTIONS ABOUT IT, SO WE JUST
CHOSE TO HIGHLIGHT IT HERE. SFD
HAS A CONTRACT WITH A COMPANY
CALLED AMERICAN MEDICAL
RESPONSE, AMR, TO TRANSPORT
SOMEONE TO THE HOSPITAL OR
CLINIC AFTER SFD HAS STABILIZED
THAT PERSON ON SCENE. EVERY SO
OFTEN AMR IS TOO BUSY TO
PERFORM THAT TRANSPORT AND SFD
STAFF DO IT THEMSELVES IN AN
SFD AID CAR. HISTORICALLY SFD
HAS DONE THIS FREE OF CHARGE
BUT THE LEGISLATION WOULD ALLOW
THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO COLLECT
ITS COSTS FOR THE SERVICE
EITHER BY CHARGING THE
PERSON'S INSURANCE PROVIDER OR
BY CHARGING THE PERSON . JUST A
NOTE, THERE ARE 18 OTHER FIRE
AGENCIES IN KING COUNTY THAT
OCCASIONALLY PROVIDE THIS
SERVICE, AND RIGHT NOW, SFD IS
THE ONLY ONE THAT DOES NOT SEEK
COST RECOVERY SO IN THAT SENSE,
THIS LEGISLATION IS
UNCONTROVERSIAL. THE
LEGISLATION WOULD, HOWEVER,
TAKE EFFECT ON JANUARY 1st OF
NEXT YEAR, AND SFD IS NOT YET
FINALIZED HOW IT WOULD
IMPLEMENT THE NEW FEES ,
INCLUDING A COMMUNICATIONS PLAN
SO THAT PEOPLE KNOW THEY MIGHT
BE CHARGED A FEE FOR THEY HAVE
NOT IN THE PAST AND THE
DEVELOPMENT OF A FINANCIAL
ASSISTANCE PLAN FOR PEOPLE WHO
DO NOT HAVE INSURANCE COVERAGE,
SO COUNSEL MAY WANT TO CONSIDER
DELAYING THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF
THE LEGISLATION UNTIL THAT
IMPLEMENTATION PATHWAY AND
FRAMEWORK IS CLEAR, MAYBE EVEN
UNTIL AFTER COUNSEL HAS
REVIEWED SFD'S PLANS FOR
IMPLEMENTING . AS WITH ANY
LEGISLATION, OPTIONS HERE ARE
TO PASS IT, AMEND AND PASS IT,
OR DO NOT PASS IT. JUST TO
ACKNOWLEDGE WHAT IS UP ON THE
SLIDE HERE, THE FULL-YEAR
REVENUE FROM THE PROPOSED NEW
FEES IS ESTIMATED TO BE
$314,000 . IF COUNSEL OR TO
DELAY THE IMPLEMENTATION DATE,
THAT TOTAL WOULD BE REDUCED.
>> THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER
KETTLE IS CHAIR OF THE
COMMITTEE OVERSEEING THE
DEPARTMENT YOUR RECOGNIZE.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR STRAUSS.
OBVIOUSLY SEATTLE FIRE
DEPARTMENT IS DOING MORE WITH
LESS AND GREAT WORK. I HAVE
BEEN TO NUMEROUS FIRE STATIONS,
EVEN THE FIRE GARAGE, WHICH I
HIGHLY RECOMMEND MY COLLEAGUES
VISIT. IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT
IN TERMS OF THE RIGS THAT WE
HAVE, THE FIRE ENGINES AND
LADDER TRUCKS AND ALL OF THESE
PIECES IN THE LITERARY CARS AND
THE LIKE, TOO WHICH ARE VERY
IMPORTANT HERE. REGARDING THIS
I SUSPECT OPTION B, FROM A GOOD
GOVERNANCE PERSPECTIVE, WE
SHOULD HAVE A FULLY BAKED PLAN
BEFORE TRYING TO IMPLEMENT IT.
THE IDEA IS IT IS BETTER TO
BUILD THE PLANE BEFORE YOU FLY
IT VERSUS TRYING TO BUILD IT AS
YOU ARE FLYING ALONG BUT
OBVIOUSLY HAS MISS GORMAN
NOTED, IT IS STANDARD PRACTICE
THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY, BUT WE
SHOULD MAKE SURE THAT THE T'S
ARE CROSSED AND THE I'S ARE
DOTTED TO INCLUDE THE FINANCIAL
ASSISTANCE PROGRAM THESE KINDS
OF THINGS NEED TO BE UNDERSTOOD
SO THERE ARE NO SURPRISES AS WE
GO OPERATIONAL.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER
KETTLE. COLLEAGUES, QUESTIONS
HERE? I JUST WANT TO ASK YOU ,
AND I'M GOING TO REPEAT BACK
WHAT I THINK I HEARD WITH A
LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION.
YOU WERE SHARING THAT THIS
WOULD BE A FEE A PERSON WOULD
HAVE TO PAY IF THEY WERE
UTILIZING A SERVICE THAT AMR
WOULD OTHERWISE HAVE PROVIDED.
IS THAT DIFFERENT THAN IF
SOMEBODY WERE RECEIVING
TRANSPORT IN A LIFE-SAVING
LIGHT CRISIS MOMENT? THE
DISTINCTION I AM PULLING OUT
HERE IS, IF SOMEBODY IS INJURED
WITH LIFE-THREATENING INJURIES,
THEY WOULD BE MEDICALLY
TRANSPORTED TO HARBORVIEW, NO
COST. IF SOMEBODY RESPONDS TO
THEM, THEY ARE INJURED ON THE
STREET, THEN AMR COULD TAKE
THEM -- MAYBE THEY COULD GET A
RIDE FROM A FRIEND. THAT IS
WHEN THE FEE WOULD BE INCURRED.
IS THIS CORRECT?
>> THIS IS A CORRECT
UNDERSTANDING. THANK YOU FOR
THE OPPORTUNITY TO CLARIFY.
THAT ONE PERFORMS ALS- ADVANCED
LIFE SERVICES TRANSPORT . THOSE
SERVICES ARE PROVIDED BY A
PARAMEDIC. THEY REQUIRE A
HIGHER LEVEL OF TRAINING. THEY
MAY INVOLVE THE ADMINISTRATION
OF DRUGS , THE USE OF
LIFE-SAVING DEVICES OR
MECHANICS, AND THERE IS NO
CHANGE CONTEMPLATED UNDER THIS
ORDINANCE . THOSE SERVICES
WOULD STILL BE PROVIDED BY SFD.
THESE ARE BASIC LIFE SERVICES.
ADVANCED LIFE SERVICES -- MAYBE
SOMEONE IS SUSPECTED OF HAVING
HAD A HEART ATTACK . BASIC LIFE
SERVICES -- I FELL DOWN THE
STAIRS AND SOMETHING IS WRONG
WITH MY LEG.
>> I'M GOING TO HIGHLIGHT A
CONCERN THAT I HAVE HERE WHERE,
AND ASSESSMENT OF AN INDIVIDUAL
I'M AWARE OF A SITUATION WHERE
AN INDIVIDUAL WAS ASSESSED AT A
LOWER LEVEL OF ACUITY, AND SO
LESS CORRECTIVE MEASURES WERE
TAKEN AND THE PERSON HAD SOME
PRETTY SUBSTANTIAL ISSUES THAT
AROSE FROM THE SITUATION. THAT
WAS A MISSED CATEGORIZATION OF
WAS IT BASIC OR ADVANCED LIFE
SUPPORT SO COUNCIL MEMBER
KETTLE, I WILL WORK WITH YOU
AND I WISH I COULD KEEP WORKING
WITH YOU, ANN, BUT WE WILL
FIGURE IT OUT FROM HERE.
>> I JUST WANT TO ADD IT IS
POSSIBLE THAT THE SERVICE GAP
YOU HAVE IDENTIFIED GOES BACK
TO THE DISPATCH PROTOCOL,
PERHAPS THE DISPATCH PROTOCOL
DID NOT CORRECTLY IDENTIFY THE
LEVEL OF SERVICE THAT THE
PATIENT NEEDED.
>> UNFORTUNATELY IN THE
SITUATION I'M FAMILIAR WITH
THAT I AM REFERENCING WITHOUT
MORE CONTEXT HERE, IT WAS
ON-SITE. I'M NOT SAYING MORE
BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO POINT
FINGERS. IT IS NOT A GAME OF
BLAME. THIS IS -- WE WANT TO
MAKE SURE EVERYONE IS BEING
TREATED WELL. COUNCIL
PRESIDENT.
>> THANK YOU. JUST WANTED TO
VOICE MY SUPPORT FOR THIS
INITIATIVE. I KNOW IT HAS BEEN
IN DEVELOPMENT FOR A LONG TIME.
I DID NOT KNOW HOWEVER, SO
THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS UP,
THAT THIS IS A PRACTICE
EXERCISED BY OTHER
JURISDICTIONS WITHIN KING
COUNTY SO THANK YOU FOR THAT
INFORMATION. THIS IS THE ONLY
TIME WE WILL BE DISCUSSING THE
SEATTLE FIRE DEPARTMENT SO JUST
FOR THE SAKE OF TRANSPARENCY I
DID WANT TO FOLLOW UP ON SOME
COMMENTS THAT CHIEF SCOGGINS
MADE IN THE VERY FIRST
PRESENTATION THAT THE
DEPARTMENT WAS HERE WHEN HE WAS
TALKING ABOUT STAFFING NEEDS
AND FOR SOME OF THE BOTTLENECKS
ARE, AND HE DID MENTION IT IS
IN SOME OF THE PROCESSING OF
APPLICATIONS UP FRONT, AND SO I
WILL BE PROFFERING AN AMENDMENT
THAT ADDS A STAFFER TO SD HR TO
HELP FACILITATE THE APPLICATION
PROCESSING. THIS IS A REQUEST
THAT CAME FROM LOCAL 27 AND IT
IS UNDER DEVELOPMENT RIGHT NOW
SO I JUST THOUGHT THAT I SHOULD
MENTION THAT AND MORE
DISCUSSION ON THAT TO, AND THEN
FINALLY , I THINK THIS IS MY
LAST OPPORTUNITY TO SAY THANK
YOU , ANN, FOR ALL YOUR WORK TO
THE DEPARTMENT. THIS IS ANN
GORMAN DAY AND OFFICIALLY
PROCLAIMED BY COUNSEL DATED --
TODAY BECAUSE THIS IS THE LAST
TIME YOU WILL BE PRESENTING TO
US. WE ARE FORTUNATE YOU'RE
MOVING ACROSS THE STREET AND WE
WILL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH YOU
TO SERVE THE PEOPLE OF SEATTLE
SO THANK YOU.
>> IT'S BEEN AN HONOR AND
PRIVILEGE TO SERVE YOU WELL, SO
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER
KETTLE?
>> I WILL SHARE WHAT I WAS
LOOKING AT AND GOING THROUGH
THE PROPOSED ABROGATION OF
POSITIONS IT IS MY
UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE IS A
POSITION IN SFD, THE DISABILITY
OFFICER THAT IS NOT CURRENTLY
FILLED THAT WOULD BE ABROGATED,
AND TO THE POINTS THE COUNCIL
PRESIDENT WAS JUST ALLUDING TO
I WILL BE A LITTLE BIT MORE
SPECIFIC. WHAT IS MOST
IMPORTANT TO ME IS THAT WE HAVE
SOMEBODY IN OUR CITY THAT IS
MAKING SURE THAT OUR FIRST
RESPONDERS GET HEALTHCARE FOR
IN-JOB INJURIES AS FAST AS
POSSIBLE BECAUSE THE FASTER AN
INDIVIDUAL IS ABLE TO RECOVER,
THE FASTER THEY ARE ABLE TO
RETURN TO A FULL BODY OF WORK
AS WELL AS EVERYONE ONLY HEALS
ONCE FROM AN INJURY . JUST
TODAY, I'M HAVING SOME CHRONIC
PAIN FROM THE INJURY THAT I
SUFFERED IN 2004 AND WAS
TRANSPORTED BY MEDIC ONE WHICH
IS WHY I ASKED THOSE VERY
QUESTIONS. I SAY THIS BECAUSE
IT DOES NOT -- I DON'T HAVE A
POSITION WHETHER IT SHOULD BE A
THIRD-PARTY INDIVIDUAL, WHETHER
IT SHOULD BE SOMEBODY IN
SEATTLE FIRE DEPARTMENT,
SOMEBODY IN SD HR. I JUST NEED
TO KNOW THAT WORK IS GETTING
DONE SO I AM SAYING THIS ON THE
RECORD . IT IS IMPORTANT THAT I
GET A CLEAR ANSWER TO THIS BODY
OF WORK BEFORE WE CONTINUE
MOVING FORWARD.
>> WE WILL SET THAT FOLLOW-UP
IN MOTION.
>> COUNCIL MEMBER KETTLE,
ANYTHING TO CLOSE? I KNOW I
ALREADY ASKED YOU ONCE.
>> CAN I BE A COSPONSOR ON ANN
GORMAN DAY?
>> WILL THE CLERK PLEASE CALL
THE ROLL-ON PROCLAIMING TODAY,
OCTOBER 21st, 2024 AS ANN
GORMAN DAY? I WAS SERIOUS. CAN
WE DO THIS? I'M GETTING A NOD
FROM THE COUNCIL PRESIDENT. IT
HAS BEEN APPROVED. WE HAVE
COUNCIL PRESIDENT APPROVAL.
>> COUNCIL MEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH
>> YES
>> COUNCIL MEMBER KETTLE
>> AYE
>> COUNCIL MEMBER MORALES
>> YES
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT NELSON
>> AYE
>> COUNCIL MEMBER RIVERA
>> AYE
>> COUNCIL MEMBER SAKA
>> AYE
>> COUNCIL MEMBER WOO
>> YES
>> CHAIR STRAUSS
>> YES.
>> THAT IS EIGHT IN FAVOR, NONE
APPROVES -- OPPOSED.
>> THANK YOU AND FOR THE RECORD
THERE IS NO WRITTEN
PROCLAMATION THAT CAN BE
ATTACHED TO THE RECORD BUT WE
APPRECIATE IT.
>> I WILL CARRY IT IN MY HEART.
>> THANK YOU, COLLEAGUES. I
DON'T BELIEVE THERE IS ANY
FURTHER BUSINESS TO COME BEFORE
THE COUNCIL UNTIL 2:00 P.M.
SESSION WHICH IS THE CITY
ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, SO WITH
THAT, WE ARE GOING TO START
MOVING INTO ADJOURNMENT. I WILL
QUICKLY PULL UP MY NOTES
BECAUSE AHEAD OF TOMORROW'S
FORECAST MEETING, IS THE
REVENUE REPORT THAT IS
CURRENTLY IN YOUR INBOX. THIS
REPORT IS NOT THE REVENUE
FORECAST. THIS IS THE REVENUE
REPORT FROM THE LAST QUARTER.
IT DOCUMENTS REVENUES RECEIVED
THROUGH SEPTEMBER 30th THAN
THIS THE THIRD OF FOUR REPORTS
THE OFFENSIVE REVENUE FORECAST
WILL PROVIDE REGARDING 2024
REVENUES. THIS IS THE MATCHING
THE ACTUAL RECEIPTS RELATIVE TO
LEVELS THAT COULD BE
ANTICIPATED GIVEN THE MOST
RECENT FORECAST SO TAKE A LOOK
AT IT. WITH THAT SAID, THE
SELECT BUDGET COMMITTEE WILL BE
IN RECESS UNTIL 2:00 P.M.
HEARING NO OBJECTION, COUNSEL
IS IN RECESS UNTIL 2:00 P.M.