>>> THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE
WILL COME TO ORDER. IT'S 9:31,
FEBRUARY 27, 2024. I'M ROBERT
KETTLE CHAIR OF THE PUBLIC
SAFETY COMMITTEE. WILL THE
COMMITTEE CLERK PLEASE CALL THE
ROLL.
>> COUNCILMEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH.
>> PRESENT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MOORE.
>> PRESENT.
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT NELSON.
>> WILL BE ARRIVING SHORTLY.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SAKA.
>> HERE.
>> CHAIR KETTLE.
>> HERE.
>> THERE ARE FOUR MEMBERS
PRESENT.
>> IN ADDITION I'D LIKE TO
WELCOME COUNCILMEMBER TANYA WOO
FOR JOINING US THIS MORNING.
APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE. AND
OF COURSE WELCOME ANY TIME AND
AFFORDED MOST RIGHTS AND
PRIVILEGES EXCEPT FOR THE
ABILITY TO VOTE IN THE
COMMITTEE. SO THANK YOU. IF
THERE'S NO OBJECTION THE
AGENDA WILL BE ADOPTED. OKAY.
HEARING NO OBJECTION THE AGENDA
IS ADOPTED. THANK YOU EVERYONE
FOR JOINING US, PARTICULARLY
THE MEMBERS OF THE THREE
ORGANIZATIONS PRESENTING TODAY.
IN ADDITION TO THE CENTRAL
STAFF. IN OUR FIRST MEETING WE
DISCUSSED OUR PRIMARY MISSION
ERAS AND OUR STRATEGIC
FRAMEWORK UNDERLYING OUR PUBLIC
SAFETY CHALLENGES. WE DISCUSSED
THE SIX PILLARS AND LIKE ALL
THE BUILDINGS AROUND US, THESE
PILLARS ARE ALL EQUALLY
IMPORTANT AND ARE NOT IN RANKED
ORDER. WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT OUR
PRIMARY MISSION AREAS. CRIME
AND SECURITY, FIRE RESCUE AND
ALTERNATIVE RESPONSE AND THIRD
ONE, EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS. WE
ALSO HAVE OUR SECONDARY MISSION
AREAS SUCH AS TRAFFIC,
PEDESTRIAN SAFETY WHERE WE
PARTNER WITH OUR TRANSPORTATION
COMMITTEE. PARK SAFETY ALSO
TECHNOLOGY AND THE COMMITTEE
LOVINGLY REFERRED TO AS PUT BY
ITS CHAIR. YOUTH AND YOUNG
ADULT VIOLENCE WHICH IS IN SOME
WAYS THE SEVENTH PILLAR THAT WE
WORK WITH OUR HOUSING AND HUMAN
SERVICES COMMITTEE ON. BUT
FOUNDATIONALLY WE LOOK AT THE
LAW, FIRST THE CITY ATTORNEY'S
OFFICE BUT ALSO THE SEATTLE
MUNICIPAL COURT. IMPORTANTLY
OVERSIGHT TO INCLUDE
ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY
AND WE DO THAT IN COLLABORATION
WITH THE CHAIR OF THAT
COMMITTEE. COUNCIL PRESIDENT
NELSON. WE TOO ARE PART OF THE
POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM.
RESPONSIVE TO COMMUNITY NEEDS
AND CONCERNS AND ARE SEEKING TO
ENHANCE A POSITIVE CULTURE OF
POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY.
ESSENTIALLY THIS COMMITTEE AND
OUR COUNCIL IS LOOKING TO
PROVIDE A ROOM THAT ATMOSPHERE
FOR ACCOUNTABILITY AND
TRANSPARENCY FOR THE THREE
LEGGED STOOL TO RESIDE IN. AND
ONE THING I'VE NOTED FROM MY
TRIP TO A FIRE STATION GRAND
OPENING -- NOT GRAND OPENING --
FOR THE START. WHEN THE
BATTALION CHIEF SAID WHEN
SEATTLE REQUIRES US TO WORK
WITH ONE ANOTHER. I THINK THIS
IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO
REALLY GAIN THAT ONE SEATTLE
FOR US TO WORK WITH ONE
ANOTHER. ALSO WITH THE COUNCIL
AND IMPORTANTLY IN THIS CASE
WITH THE SEATTLE POLICE
DEPARTMENT. WITH THAT, CLERK,
WE'LL NOW OPEN UP THE HYBRID
PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD. SHOULD
RELATE TO THE ITEMS ON TODAY'S
AGENDA OR WITHIN THE PURVIEW OF
THE COMMITTEE. CLERK, HOW MANY
SPEAKERS DO WE HAVE SIGNED UP
TODAY?
>> CHAIR, WE HAVE ONE IN PERSON
SPEAKER SIGNED UP AND ONE
REMOTE SPEAKER.
>> OKAY. TWO MINUTES EACH.
>> THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD
WILL BE MODERATED IN IN THE
FOLLOWING MANNER. UP TO 20
MINUTES. SPEAKERS WILL BE
CALLED IN THE ORDER IN WHICH
THEY REGISTERED. SPEAKERS WILL
HEAR A CHIME WHEN TEN SECONDS
ARE LEFT OF THEIR TIME.
SPEAKERS MICS WILL BE MUTED IF
THEY DO NOT END THEIR COMMENTS
WITHIN THE A LOTTED TIME. THE
PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS NOW
OPEN AND WE WILL BEGIN WITH THE
FIRST SPEAKER ON THE LIST. THE
FIRST IN PERSON SPEAKER IS
KEVIN PERRY.
>> I WOULD LIKE TO SAY I'M
SORRY FOR BEING LATE AND I AM
PRESENT. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT REMINDER.
ALL PRESENT.
>> GOOD MORNING, CHAIR KETTLE.
GOOD MORNING MEMBERS. IS THAT
CLOSE ENOUGH?
>> SURE.
>> GOOD MORNING CHAIR KETTLE
AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS. THANK
YOU FOR LETTING ME SPEAK TODAY.
I BRIEFLY REVIEWED THE
PRESENTATIONS FOR TODAY
AFTERNOON I'M LOOKING FORWARD
TO HEARING FROM EVERYBODY AND I
NOTICED THERE'S A LOT OF
OUTCOMES. THERE'S A LOT OF
EXPECTATIONS. I THOUGHT I COULD
POTENTIALLY OFFER SOME IDEAS ON
SOME ACTIONS. SO MY BACKGROUND
IS I LIVE IN DISTRICT 7. MY
BACKGROUND IS --
>> I'M SORRY, COULD YOU SPEAK
INTO THE MICROPHONE. I'M
HAVING A HARD TIME HEARING YOU.
>> OR MAYBE THAT MICROPHONE.
TRY THAT.
>> SURE. HOW'S THAT? A LITTLE
BETTER?
>> THAT'S BETTER. THANK YOU.
>> MY NAME IS KEVIN PERRY. I
LIVE IN DISTRICT 7. MY
BACKGROUND IS IN AVIATION AND
WE'VE ALREADY LEARNED A LOT OF
THESE LESSONS ABOUT SAFETY
MANAGEMENT AND RISK MANAGEMENT.
SO I'D LIKE TO OFFER UP THE
IDEA OF SAFETY MANAGEMENT
SYSTEM FOR THE OVERSIGHT THAT
WILL SOON BE DELEGATED TO THE
CITY AFTER THE CONSENT DECREE
IS LIFTED. SO SAFETY MANAGEMENT
SYSTEMS EMPHASIZE SAFETY
MANAGEMENT AS A FUNDAMENTAL
BUSINESS PROCESS TO BE
CONSIDERED IN THE SAME MANNER
AS OTHER ASPECTS OF BUSINESS
MANAGEMENT. SAFETY MANAGEMENT
SYSTEMS FOR PRODUCT AND SERVICE
PROVIDERS. THIS ISN'T AN
AVIATION CONTEXT BUT CAN ALSO
BE ADOPTED TO POLICE AND SAFETY
SERVICES. SAFETY MANAGEMENT
SYSTEMS FOR PRODUCT SERVICE
PROVIDERS AND REGULATORS WILL
INTEGRATE MODERN SAFETY RISK
MANAGEMENT AND SAFETY ASSURANCE
CONCEPTS INTO REPEATABLE
PROACTIVE SYSTEMS. CHIEF DIAZ
MENTIONED FATIGUE MANAGEMENT.
IN THE LAST PUBLIC SAFETY
MEETING. HUMAN FACTORS IS A BIG
PART OF MANAGING RISK IN
AVIATION. FATIGUE MANAGEMENT
REFERS TO THE METHODS BY WHICH
OPERATORS AND IN THIS CASE
POLICE DEPARTMENT AND
OPERATORS. SO I DIDN'T GET TO
GET THROUGH MY ENTIRE IDEA LIST
HERE BUT SAFETY MANAGEMENT
SYSTEMS IT WOULD BE REALLY COOL
TO HAVE PUBLIC SAFETY
MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AS A CONCEPT
FOR OVERSIGHT. I'LL FOLLOW UP
WITH AN E-MAIL.
>> YES, PLEASE. YOU CAN CHECK
WITH OUR CLERKS AND YOU CAN
E-MAIL YOUR NOTES. I DO HAVE
EXPERIENCE WITH NAVAL AVIATION
SO I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING
ABOUT. PLEASE E-MAIL.
>> THE FIRST REMOTE SPEAKER IS
DAVID HAYNES. PLEASE PRESS STAR
6 WHEN YOU HEAR THE PROMPT OF
YOU HAVE BEEN UNMUTED.
>> HI, DAVID HAYNES. WHAT'S UP
WITH THE TITLE OF THE FIRST
PAGE THAT SAYS HISTORY OF THE
TRIAD? THAT SEEMS A LITTLE
SARCASTIC AND UNPROFESSIONAL.
MAYBE YOU NEED TO USE A BETTER
CHOICE OF WORDS. AND I'M
WONDERING HOW MANY PEOPLE
WITHIN ALL THESE CIVILIAN
OVERSIGHT ADVISORY COMMITTEES
BELIEVE LOW LEVEL DRUG PUSHERS
AND REPEAT OFFENDERS SHOULD BE
EXEMPTED FROM JAIL? THE ONLY
THING SEATTLE HAS MANAGED TO DO
WITH THE CONSENT DECREE IS
CAPITULATE TO THE DEVILS
ADVOCATES AND MAKE IT SAFE FOR
REPEAT OFFENDING CRIMINALS.
WHERE IS THE ACCOUNTABILITY FOR
THE POLICE CHIEF WHO HAS FAILED
ON ALL LEVELS OF PUBLIC SAFETY
AND SEEMS MORE FOCUSED ON
BLAMING THE HOMELESS,
PROPAGANDA OUTREACH WHILE
PRIORITIZING OVERTIME AND
LAW-ABIDING EVENTS. TO EVEN USE
HIS BADGE TO GET INTO THE
TAYLOR SWIFT SHOW. WE NEED A
REQUIRE THAT REQUIRES COPS TO
TRESPASS ALL THESE DRUG ADDICTS
AND QUESTION THEM TO FIND OUT
WHERE THEY KEEP GETTING THE
DRUGS TO SHUT IT DOWN. INSTEAD
COPS ARE NOT TRAINING PROPERLY
TO QUESTION THESE REPEAT
OFFENDERS AS IF THEY REALLY
DON'T WANT TO PURSUE THE BAD
GUYS SUPPLYING THEM. I'M
CONCERNED ABOUT HOW THE POLICE
AND THESE DETECTIVES ARE DOING
BUSINESS OUTREACH FAVORS
SPECIFICALLY FOR THE BUSINESS
COMMUNITY WHERE IN MY PERSONAL
EXPERIENCE I WORK FOR THESE TWO
FISHING COMPANIES IN THE BERING
SEA. THEY LIED AND COERCED THE
COPS TO THE POINT WHERE THE
DETECTIVE WOULD GIVE THEM A
SPECIAL PHONE NUMBER AND EVERY
TIME THAT I SHOWED UP WITH A
SIGN THAT SAID BACK PAY STILL
OWED OR I CALLED THEM EVERY DAY
FOR LIKE SIX MONTHS ASKING THEM
IF THEY HAD MY PAYCHECK THEY
HAD THE COPS IN THEIR OFFICE
ANSWERING THE PHONE
SARCASTICALLY TELLING ME TO
COME DOWN TO THE OFFICE SO THEY
COULD JAIL ME. ANYWAY, WE NEED
A LAW THAT LITERALLY STARTS
TRESPASSING ALL THE JUNKIES ON
THIRD AVENUE.
>> THERE ARE NO ADDITIONAL
REGISTERED SPEAKERS.
>> THANK YOU. WE WILL NOW MOVE
ON TO OUR FIRST ITEM OF
BUSINESS. WILL THE CLERK READ
ITEM ONE INTO THE RECORD?
>> ACCOUNTABILITY OVERVIEW
BRIEFING AND DISCUSSION WITH
GREG DOSS FROM CENTRAL STAFF.
>> WELCOME, GREG. REALLY
APPRECIATE THE CENTRAL STAFF
ATTENDING. NOTWITHSTANDING
PUBLIC COMMENT I WELCOME YOU
AND YOUR BRIEFING.
>> THANK YOU MR. CHAIR AND
COMMITTEE MEMBERS. THIS IS NICE
TO BE BEFORE YOU TODAY. ALSO MY
FIRST CHANCE TO BE IN FRONT OF
A NEW COUNCIL. EXCITED ABOUT
THAT OPPORTUNITY. AS YOU SAID,
MR. CHAIR I'M GOING TO PROVIDE
A BRIEF HISTORY, AN OVERVIEW OF
SEATTLE'S POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY
SYSTEM AND TURN IT OVER TO THE
AGENCY DIRECTOR TO GIVE MORE
SPECIFICITY TO THEIR MISSION
THE SYSTEM. SLIDE. START OUT
ONE MORE BACK. THERE WE GO.
HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW THE
ACCOUNTABILITY TRIAD IS HOW THE
SYSTEM IS REFERRED TO BY THE
SEATTLE POLICE MONITOR IN THEIR
LATEST REPORT. I'VE HEARD IT
REFERRED TO AS THE THREE-LEGGED
STOOL. I THINK THERE'S LOTS OF
POTENTIAL WAYS TO REFER TO
THESE AGENCIES. THE FACT IS
THEY WORK TOGETHER IN A SYSTEM
TO PROVIDE ACCOUNTABILITY.
POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THE
CITY. IN TERMS AFTER HIGH LEVEL
OVERVIEW, I'LL TOUCH A BIT ON
THE HISTORY OF THESE AGENCIES
AND HOW THEY CAME INTO BEING.
LASTLY I'LL TALK ABOUT HOW THE
AGENCIES FIT WITHIN THE
FRAMEWORK OF SEATTLE'S
ACCOUNTABILITY ORDINANCE AND
FURTHER THE GOALS OF A ROBUST
INDEPENDENT CIVILIAN
ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM. I'M
GOING TO START WITH THE OPA ON
THE RIGHT. INDIVIDUAL
INVESTIGATIONS. CITY OF SEATTLE
CREATED THE OFFICE OF POLICE
ACCOUNTABILITY IN 2002 IN
ORDINANCE 12078. CLARIFIED
OPA'S ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIE
S IN THE SPD DISCIPLINE SYSTEM.
THE OPA IS CURRENTLY LED BY A
CIVILIAN DIRECTOR, CIVILIAN
INVESTIGATORS AND NINE SWORN
SERGEANTS THAT DO
INVESTIGATIONS. THEY HAVE A
BUDGET OF APPROXIMATELY $5.5
MILLION AND HAVE A TOTAL FTE
ACCOUNT OF ABOUT 31 EMPLOYEES.
THE ACCOUNTABILITY ORDINANCE
IDENTIFIES OPA'S PRIMARY
RESPONSIBILITY AS ESTABLISHING
AND MANAGING PROCESSES TO
INITIATE RECEIVE, CLASSIFY AND
INVESTIGATE ALLEGATIONS OF
MISCONDUCT AGAINST EMPLOYEES
AFTER POLICE DEPARTMENT. AS IT
SAYS ON THE SLIDE INDIVIDUAL
INVESTIGATIONS. REAL QUICK TO
THE CPC. THE COMMUNITY POLICE
COMMISSION WAS CREATED AS A
REQUIREMENT OF THE CONSENT
DECREE BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE
COURT. AND THE DOJ. SORRY. IT
WAS MADE PERMANENT IN THE 2017
ACCOUNTABILITY ORDINANCE. IT IS
MADE UP OF 15 COMMISSIONERS.
BUDGETED FOR A STAFF OF 10 FTE
AND HAS AN ANNUAL APPROPRIATION
OF ABOUT 2.2 MILLION. PER
THABILITIABILITY ORDINANCE THE
PURPOSE OF THE CPCS IS TO
PROVIDE COMMUNITY INPUT TO
ENSURE THAT THE POLICE SERVICES
IN THE CITY ARE DELIVERED IN A
LAWFUL AND NONDISCRIMINATORY
MANNER AND ALIGNED WITH
COMMUNITY VALUES AND
TRANSPORTATIONS. SO COMMUNITY
VOICE. THE OIG, SWITCHING
LASTLY, WAS CREATED BY THE 2017
POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY
ORDINANCE. IT IS CURRENTLY
STAFFED WITH ABOUT 22.5 FTE AND
HAS AN ANNUAL BUDGET OF 4 POINT
$7 MILLION. AGAIN, PER THE
ACCOUNTABILITY ORDINANCE THE
ROLE IS TO HELP ENSURE THE
FAIRNESS AND THE INTEGRITY OF
THE POLICE SYSTEMS AND ITS
DELIVERY OF LAW ENFORCEMENT
SERVICES BY PROVIDING CIVILIAN
AUDITING OF THE THE AND
PRACTICES AND POLICIES OF SPD
AND OPA. THE OPA ASSUMED SOME
MONITORS REPORTING AN AUDITING
FUNCTIONS AND INSPECTOR GENERAL
JUDGE WILL BE GOING INTO THAT
IN HER PRESENTATION LATER. FLIP
THE SLIDE. NOW I'M GOING TO
PROVIDE A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE
AGENCIES AND HOW THEY WERE
CREATED. AS I MENTIONED
EARLIER, THE OPA WAS CREATED IN
2002 IN ORDINANCE 12728. THAT
CREATED TWO OVER OVERSIGHT
BODIES. THE O PA AUDITOR AND
REVIEW BOARD. AT A HIGH LEVEL
THESE AGENCIES PERFORMED SOME
BUT NOT ALL OF THE SAME
FUNCTIONS THAT ARE PERFORMED BY
TODAY'S ACCOUNTABILITY
AGENCIES. IN 2014 AND 2015 THE
CPC, THE OPA AUDITOR AND
MEMBERS OF THE CITY CAME
TOGETHER TO IDENTIFY A SERIES
OF REFORMS THAT WOULD
IMPROVEMENT SEATTLE'S
ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM. THESE
EFFORTS ULTIMATELY CAME TO THE
ATTENTION OF THE COURT IN 2015.
SHORTLY THEREAFTER THE JUDGE
ORDERED THE CITY TO CREATE A
WORKING GROUP THAT WOULD IN
TIME SUBMIT THE FIRST DRAFT OF
WHAT IS NOW THE ACCOUNTABILITY
ORDINANCE. AND THEN IN EARLY
2017 THE COURT IMPLEMENTED
INITIAL REVIEW OF THAT DRAFT
AND GREEN LIGHTED THE CITY TO
GO AHEAD AND START THE
LEGISLATIVE PROCESS ON THE
ACCOUNTABILITY ORDINANCE WHICH
WAS ADOPTED LATER THAT YEAR IN
2017. THE ACCOUNTABILITY
ORDINANCE AT ITS BASIC LEVEL
REORGANIZED THE CITY'S
ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM INTO WHAT
WE SEE TODAY. IT ALSO ADOPTED A
SERIES OF SPD DISCIPLINE
REFORMS THAT WERE RECOMMENDED
BY BOTH THE CITY WORK GROUP AND
THE COURT. YOU CAN SEE IN THE
LAST COLUMN TO THE RIGHT OPA
DOWN AT THE BOTTOM WHERE IT
TALKS ABOUT THE POLICE
INVESTIGATION TIMELINE,
STANDARD APPROVE DISCIPLINARY
APPEALS AND GRIEVANCE
PROCESSES. THAT'S JUST ONE
BULLET ON THIS SLIDE THAT IS
SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF WHAT THE
ACCOUNTABILITY ORDINANCE DOES.
SO THIS SLIDE ALSO SHOWS THE
FUNCTIONS OF THE OPA AUDITOR
AND REVIEW BOARD AS THEY WERE
CONTRIBUTE DISTRIBUTED. I
BELIEVE THAT THE AGENCY
DIRECTORS BEHIND ME ARE GOING
TO GIVE YOU A LOT MORE ON THE
MISSION AND FUNCTIONS OF THE
ORGANIZATION. SO THIS LAST
SLIDE SHOWS HOW THE SYSTEM WAS
REFORMED AND HIGHLIGHTS SOME OF
THE POWERS OF THE NEW
ACCOUNTABILITY AGENCIES. AS YOU
CAN SEE IN THE MIDDLE BOX OF
THE TABLE THE OPA REPLACED THE
DUTIES HELD BY THE OPA AUDITOR.
THE OIG REPLACED THE DUTIES
HELD BY THE OPA AUDITOR. THE
DUTIES OF THE OPA REVIEW BOARD
WERE SPLIT AMONGST THE CPC AND
THE OIG. THE CPC WAS MADE
PERMANENT. SOME INVESTIGATORS
ARE NOW CIVILIANS. THERE ARE
TWO CIVILIAN INVESTIGATORS AND
NINE SERGEANT INVESTIGATORS.
AND THAT HAPPENED THROUGH
CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS AND
FURTHER CIVILIANIZATION OF THE
INVESTIGATIONIVE GROUP CAN ONLY
HAPPEN THROUGH CONTRACT
NEGOTIATIONS. THIS TABLE SHOWS
HOW THABILITIABILITY ORDINANCE
BROADENED THE AUDIT
RESPONSIBILITIES. IT CONFERRED
TO THOSE GROUPS THE AUTHORITY
TO SUBPOENA WITNESSES AND
RECORDS RELATED TO MISCONDUCT
INVESTIGATIONS. LIKE MANY OF
THOSE SPD DISCIPLINE REFORMS
THE SUBPOENA AUTHORITY ALSO
REQUIRES AN UPDATE TO THE
SEATTLE POLICE OFFICERS GUILD
CONTRACT. THE SEATTLE POLICE
MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION CONTRACT
DOES ALLOW FOR SUBPOENA
AUTHORITY TO BE USED WITH
LIEUTENANTS AND CAPTAINS.
FINALLY I'LL NOTE THE
ACCOUNTABILITY ORDINANCE
REQUIRES THE AGENCIES TO MEET
ON A REGULAR BASIS TO WORK
TOGETHER TO PROMOTE CHALLENGES
TO SPD POLICIES AND PRACTICES.
COLLECTIVE BARGAINING
AGREEMENTS. MAKE
RECOMMENDATIONS ON CITY
ORDINANCES AND STATE LAWS IN
ORDER TO SUPPORT SYSTEMIC
IMPROVEMENTS IN OUR CITY
ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM. THAT IS
A HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW OF HOW
THESE AGENCIES CAME INTO BEING
AND THEIR HISTORY. MISSION,
FUNCTIONS AND DUTIES AND
STATUTORY RESPONSIBILITIES OF
THESE AGENCIES ARE GOING TO BE
COVERED BY THE FOLKS THAT
FOLLOWED ME.
>> COMMITTEE MEMBERS ANY
QUESTIONS?
>> THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. THANK
YOU FOR RATHER INSIGHTFUL
OVERVIEW PRESENTATION OF OUR
ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM AND HIGH
LEVEL IN SEATTLE. WE HAVE THAT
EXISTS TODAY THREE SEPARATE
INDEPENDENT OVERSIGHT BODIES
THAT PERFORMED -- THAT PURPORT
TO PERFORM SEPARATE BUT IN SOME
CASES RELATED FUNCTIONS. AND
FIRST OFF LET ME START BY
SAYING EFFECTIVE CIVILIAN
OVERSIGHT OF LAW ENFORCEMENT I
THINK IS THE HALLMARK OF A
STRONG TERRORIZE DEMOCRACY.
IT'S ENSHRINED IN OUR
CONSTITUTION. WE HAVE CIVILIANS
IN CHARGE OF UNIFORMED PEOPLE
THAT HAVE WEAPONS. IT'S
IMPORTANT WE HAVE EFFECTIVE
CIVILIAN OVERSIGHT OF LAW
ENFORCEMENT. WE HAVE A SYSTEM
THAT HAS THREE SEPARATE BUT
RELATED AND INDEED OVERLAPPING
ARE ABLE TO PERFORM OVERLAPPING
FUNCTIONS AND FOR EXAMPLE HAVE
SUBPOENA POWER AS WE LEARN NEED
TO BE NEGOTIATED TODAY. JUST
CURIOUS HOW THIS TRIAD
STRUCTURE, HOW THAT COMPARES TO
-- AND I'LL BE HONEST. I THINK
FROM MANY MEMBERS OF THE
PUBLIC'S PERSPECTIVE THAT'S A
SOMEWHAT CONFUSING STRUCTURE.
WHO'S ON FIRST? I DON'T KNOW
IF THE PUBLIC HAS A STRONG
SENSE OF THAT. HOW DOES THE
ACCOUNTABILITY TRIAD STRUCTURE
WE HAVE IN PLACE TODAY IN
SEATTLE COMPARE AGAINST WHAT'S
IN PLACE IN OTHER
JURISDICTIONS?
>> THE LAST REPORT THAT WAS
DONE -- OR AUDIT THAT WAS DONE
ON THE ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM
WAS DOPE BY THE FEDERAL MONITOR
AND THE CONCLUSIONS WERE WE
HAVE ONE OF THE STRONGEST
ACCOUNTABILITY CIVILIAN
OVERSIGHT SYSTEMS IN THE NATION
IN THAT WE HAVE THREE DIFFERENT
AGENCIES SERVING THREE DISTINCT
ROLES THAT PROVIDE A COMPLETE
PICTURE OF ACCOUNTABILITY.
THERE ARE SIMILAR FUNCTIONS
THAT ARE SERVED BY CIVILIAN
ORGANIZATIONS IN OTHER
JURISDICTIONS.
>> I UNDERSTAND THE STRENGTH. I
SUPPORT WE NEED A STRONG
CIVILIAN OVERSIGHT FUNCTION.
HOW DOES THE TRIAD STRUCTURE
LIKE PULLING ASIDE -- HOW MANY
OTHER PEER JURISDICTIONS ACROSS
THE COUNTRY HAVE THREE SEPARATE
BUT EQUAL INDEPENDENT STAND
ALONE ACCOUNTABILITY AGENCIES
AS OPPOSED TO ONE OR TWO.
>> AS OPPOSED TO ONE OR TWO
I'D HAVE TO GET BACK TO YOU. I
HAVE THE INFORMATION BUT DON'T
HAVE IT HANDY HERE. THREE I
THINK IS THE MOST THAT AS I
SAID BEFORE.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER
MOORE IS NEXT. THEN THE COUNCIL
PRESIDENT.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I HAD
TWO QUESTIONS. ONE IS
REMEMBERING TO COULD YOU PUT
THE ACCOUNTABILITY STRUCTURE
INTO THE CONTEXT OF THE CONSENT
DECREE A LITTLE MORE?
>> YEAH, THANK YOU. BACK IN
2014 AND 2015 WHEN THE OPA
AUDITOR AND THE CITY OFFICIALS
AND THE CPC WERE LOOKING AT
POTENTIAL ACCOUNTABILITY
REFORMS THEY SUBMITTED THE
DRAFT TO THE COURT AS I
MENTIONED EARLIER. THE COURT
LOOKED AT THE DRAFT TO SEE THAT
THE RECOMMENDED REFORMS WERE
CONSISTENT WITH THE PURPOSE OF
THE CONSENT DECREE AND NOT
OUTSIDE THE PURPOSE OF THE
CONSENT DECREE. IT CAME BACK
WITH SOME RECOMMENDATIONS OF
REFORMS THAT COULD BE MADE. A
SERIES OF FOUR RECOMMENDS, I
BELIEVE. ALSO ENDORSING THE
SYSTEM THAT WAS PROPOSED BY THE
CITY TO CREATE OR CHANGE THESE
THREE AGENCIES INTO INDEPENDENT
STRUCTURES. THEN THE
ACCOUNTABILITY ORDINANCE AS IT
PASSED THROUGH LEGISLATIVE
REVIEW WAS ONCE AGAIN SUBMITTED
TO THE COURT BUT THE COURT HAS
NOT YET RULED IN FINAL ON THAT
ORDINANCE. SINCE THIS TIME I
THINK AS YOU'LL PROBABLY HEAR
FROM I BELIEVE THE CPC THE CITY
WAS FOUND OUT OF COMPLIANCE
WITH THE CONSENT DECREE
RELATIVE TO ACCOUNTABILITY.
SOME OF THAT ROOTS BACK TO
THOSE FOUR RECOMMENDATIONS THAT
THE JUDGE MADE BACK IN 2016.
>> OKAY. THANK YOU. THEN YOU
MENTIONED IN YOUR SLIDE THE
SUBPOENA POWER. I'M WONDERING
WHAT ARE THE PARAMETERS, THE
CURRENT PARAMETERS OF THAT
SUBPOENA POWER. I UNDERSTAND
YOU HAVE TO NAVIGATE THIS
LITTLE BIT CAREFULLY.
>> THE CURRENT PARAMETERS OF
THE SUBPOENA AUTHORITY?
CLARIFIED IN AN ORDINANCE THAT
WAS PASSED YEAR BEFORE LAST.
WHICH REQUIRED DUE PROCESS AND
NOTIFICATION ACCORDING TO
WASHINGTON STATE LAW THAT ANY
MEMBER WHO WOULD RECEIVE A
SUBPOENA MUST BE INFORMED OF
THEIR RIGHTS TO CHALLENGE THE
SUBPOENA AND THEIR RIGHTS ON
PROCESS GOING FORWARD. I CAN
GET YOU MORE INFORMATION ABOUT
THAT LATER ONLINE. MANY OF THE
DISCIPLINE REFORM SYSTEMS
THEY'RE IN REQUIRE COLLECTIVE
BARGAINING AND THAT IS ONE OF
THEM. SO IN ORDER FOR A SEATTLE
POLICE GUILD MEMBER TO BE
SUBPOENAED BY THE OIG OR OPA
THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE
AUTHORIZED IN THEIR CONTRACT AS
STATE LAW GOVERNS LABOR LAW AS
IT RELATES TO CITY ORDINANCES
AND STATE LAW INDICATES THAT
THE CONTRACT WILL TRUMP CITY
ORDINANCES. SO THUS WE HAVE TO
NEGOTIATE IT.
>> COULD YOU REPEAT THAT LAST
LINE PLEASE?
>> YEAH. THANKS. STATE LABOR
LAW REQUIRES NEGOTIATION WITH
UNIONS. THAT NEGOTIATION IS
SUCH THAT IT TRUMPS CITY
ORDINANCES. THEREFORE ANY OF
THE REFORMS, MANY OF THE
REFORMS IN THE ACCOUNTABILITY
ORDINANCE CAN ONLY BE
IMPLEMENTED UNDER STATE LAW
THROUGH NEGOTIATIONS. THE CITY
DOES NOT HAVE THE POWER TO
UNIFORMLY IMPLEMENT THOSE
REFORMS.
>> HAS THAT BEEN ONE OF THE
ISSUES THAT THE COURT HAS BEEN
COB FRONTING?
>> SUBPOENA AUTHORITY IS ONE
THAT'S BEEN MENTIONED BY THE
JUDGE.
>> THANK YOU.
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT?
>> THIS IS IN LINE WITH THAT
THINKING THAT I WANTED TO ASK
THIS ANYWAY. SUBCHAPTER 4 OF
COUNCIL BILL WHICH WAS THE
COUNCIL BILL THAT BECAME THE
ACCOUNTABILITY ORDINANCE. UNDER
MECHANISMS TO SUPPORT
ACCOUNTABILITY CONSTRUCTION
PROVISIONS SUBJECT TO
COLLECTIVE BARGAINING SHALL NOT
BE EFFECTIVE UNTIL THE CITY
COMPLETES ITS COLLECTIVE
BARGAINING OBLIGATION. THEN IT
GOES ON WITH TIMELY AND
COMPREHENSIVE IMPLEMENT TAKES
SUPPORTS CONSTITUTIONAL
POLICING. WHAT I WANTED TO KNOW
IS WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? WHAT
DOES THAT MEAN AND WE'RE NOT
GOING TO TALK ABOUT CURRENT
NEGOTIATIONS. I WAS WONDERING
IF THIS MEANS THAT THE
ACCOUNTABILITY ORDINANCE
SUPERSEDES WHATEVER COMES OUT
OF BARGAINING OR IS IT THE
REVERSE? IS THAT SECTION I JUST
READ GERMANE IN RESPONSE TO
WHAT YOU WERE SAYING ABOUT
COUNCILMEMBER MOORE'S
QUESTIONS ABOUT SUBPOENA POWER.
>> YEAH. THAT'S THE SECTION
THAT REFLECTS THAT MANY OF THE
PERFORMS CAN'T BE IMPLEMENTED
UNTIL NEGOTIATION HAPPENS. SO
IT'S SIMPLY SAYING IN THAT
SECTION THAT THOSE REFORMS THAT
CAN BE IMPLEMENTED SHOULD BE
IMPLEMENTED. THE CONSTRUCTION
OF THE SYSTEM OBVIOUSLY
EFFECTIVE NOW BUT MANY OF THE
DISCIPLINE REFORMS NOT
EFFECTIVE UNTIL AFTER
NEGOTIATION.
>> THAT WAS THE FIRST
NEGOTIATION AFTER THIS WAS
VOTED ON; RIGHT? OR IS THERE
INTENDED TO MEAN THAT EVERY
TIME THERE'S A NEGOTIATION
THOSE PROVISIONS WITHIN THE
ACCOUNTABILITY ARE NOW UP FOR
GRABS AGAIN?
>> UNTIL SUCH TIME AS THERE IS
AGREEMENT THAT THOSE PROVISIONS
CAN BE IMPLEMENTED THEY LIKELY
WOULD BECOME SUBJECT OF FUTURE
NEGOTIATIONS.
>> OKAY.
>> I FEEL LIKE I'M NOT GETTING
IT.
>> YOU'RE GETTING IT. THANK
YOU.
>> I BELIEVE VICE CHAIR SAKA
YOU HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION.
>> THANK YOU. WANT TO DOUBLE
CHECK ON THIS NOTION ABOUT
IMPLEMENTATION AND SOME OF THE
POTENTIAL BARRIERS OR
CHALLENGES TO IMPLEMENTATION OF
MANY OF THESE MECHANISMS AND
BEST PRACTICES. INCLUDING
SUBPOENA POWER. WE CAN PASS ALL
THE ORDINANCES AT THE COUNCIL
LEVEL AND WE CAN EVEN UP LEVEL
THROUGH ADOPTED CHARTER
AMENDMENT AND ADD TO THE
CHARTER LIKE WE DID IN THE KING
COUNTY CONSTITUTION OR CHARTER
SUBPOENA POWER FOR WHATEVER
CIVILIAN OFFICE OF LAW
ENFORCEMENT OVERSIGHT. THE
PARTIES WOULD HAVE TO
COLLECTIVELY AGREE TO THAT.
THAT'S THE CITY'S LIMITATION.
IS IT TRUE OR NOT THAT THE
STATE LEGISLATURE COULD
UNILATERALLY ACT AND GO AHEAD
AND EXCLUDE FROM THE ABILITY
BECAUSE THIS IS PRINCIPALLY A
PROVINCE OF STATE LAW, I'M
HEARING. ISN'T IT TRUE THE
STATE LEGISLATURE COULD GO
AHEAD AND ACT AND EXCLUDE
DISCIPLINARY MATTERS AND
MISCONDUCT MATTERS AND EVEN
SPECIFICALLY CALL OUT SUBPOENA
POWER IF THEY SO CHOOSE FROM
TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF
EMPLOYMENT IN THE LAW
ENFORCEMENT CONTEXT?
>> YES.
>> THANK YOU.
>> OKAY. THANK YOU, MR. DOSS.
AS I'VE LEARNED SINCE BECOMING
CHAIR IT'S ALWAYS BEST TO LET
YOUR FELLOW COMMITTEE MEMBERS
GO FIRST. THEY'VE ASKED GREAT
QUESTIONS. I WILL NOT ADD TO
THAT. THANK YOU FOR GIVING THUS
PRIMER AS WE STEP INTO THE NEXT
SECTION OF THE MEETING. THANK
YOU VERY MUCH.
>> THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR AND
COMMITTEE MEMBERS. THANK YOU.
>> WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO OUR
SECOND ITEM OF BUSINESS. WILL
THE CLERK READ ITEM 2 INTO THE
RECORD?
>> COMMUNITY POLICE COMMISSION
BRIEFING AND DISCUSSION WITH
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ELLIS AND
COCHAIR MERKEL.
>> THANK YOU EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
ELLIS AND COMMISSION COCHAIR
MERKEL. I WOULD LIKE TO ASK
COULD INSPECTOR GENERAL JUDGE
AND DIRECTOR BETTS COULD YOU
ALSO JOIN THE TABLE TOO? THAT
WAY WE HAVE THE TEAM HERE.
>> HELLO. GREAT.
>> AGAIN. WELCOME. THANK YOU.
WELCOME ALL, ACTUALLY. BUT
SPECIFICALLY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
ELLIS AND COMMISSION CO-CHAIR
MERKEL. THANK YOU FOR JOINING
US AND KICKING US OFF IN TERMS
OF THE TRIAD, THE THREE-LEGGED
STOOL. THE COMMUNITY POLICE
COMMISSION.
>> I'M EXCITED TO BE HERE. SO
THANK YOU CHAIR KETTLE AND VICE
CHAIR SAKA, COUNCIL PRESIDENT
NELSON. COUNCILMEMBER MOORE,
COUNCILMEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH AND
WELCOME COUNCILMEMBER WOO.
EVERYONE WHO HAS JOINED US
TODAY ONLINE AND IN PERSON.
I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF
THE COMMUNITY POLICE
COMMISSION. I CAME TO THIS WORK
BECAUSE I'VE BEEN LIVING IN
SEATTLE FOR SIX AND A HALF
YEARS AND I USED TO BE A
COLLEGE PROFESSOR PIP USED TO
TEACH AT OLYMPIA. I WAS LIVING
IN SEATTLE THE ENTIRE TIME. AND
WHILE I WAS HERE I SAW MANY
CHANGES IN POLICING. CHALLENGES
IN POLICING OTHER TIME AND
THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO COME
AND LEAVE ACADEMIA AND BRING MY
SKILLS TO THE COMMUNITY POLICE
COMMISSION.
>> GOOD MORNING DOWN
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE AND
MEMBERS OF THE CITY. I'M A
COCHAIR OF THE VOLUNTEER
COMMISSION GOVERNED SEATTLE
COMMUNITY POLICE COMMISSION.
ALSO WANT TO INTRODUCE MY TWO
OTHER VOLUNTEER COMMISSIONER
COCHAIRS REVEREND PATRICIA
HUNTER AND REVEREND WALTON WHO
IN ATTENDANCE TODAY. WE ARE A
TEAM WORKING TOGETHER TO GOVERN
THE POLICE COMMISSION. I JOIN
THE CPC AS A COMMISSIONER
NEARLY TWO YEARS AGO AFTER
SPENDING ALL OF MY LEGAL CAREER
IN POLICY OVERSIGHT AND
CRIMINAL PROSECUTION. I STARTED
MY LEGAL CAREER AS A COUNCIL TO
UNITED STATES SENATOR AND SPENT
12 YEARS IN THE KING COUNTY
PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE AND NOW
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE
WHERE I'VE WORKED CLOSELY WITH
NEARLY EVERY LAW ENFORCEMENT
AGENCY IN KING COUNTY. BUT
PRIMARILY THE SEATTLE POLICE
DEPARTMENT. I CAME TO POLICE
ACCOUNTABILITY WORK BECAUSE AS
A PROSECUTOR I TAKE LAW
ENFORCEMENT'S RESPONSIBILITY
FOR FOLLOWING THE RULES VERY
SERIOUSLY. WHEN OUR
COMMUNITY'S SAFETY AND
CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS ARE AT
STAKE, ACCOUNTABILITY IS
PARAMOUNT. THE CREDIBILITY OF
THE CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM
DEPENDS UPON IT. THAT'S WHY
I'M GRATEFUL YOU'RE HOLDING
THIS HEARING TODAY. ELEVATING
THE CRITICAL WORK AND FUNCTION
OF SEATTLE'S ACCOUNTABILITY
SYSTEM.
>> THANK YOU FOR COMING. SINCE
YOU MENTION I FEEL I SHOULD
ALSO OFFER A COMMITTEE WARM
WELCOME TO YOUR CO-CHAIRS
REVEREND HUNTER AND REVEREND
WALDEN WHO I'VE HAD THE
PRIVILEGE OF MEET MANAGER
TIMES. SO WELCOME TO YOU BOTH
AS WELL. PLEASE CONTINUE.
>> THANK YOU. IT'S IMPORTANT
TO START WITH THE HISTORY OF
THE CPC. SOME OF WHICH GREG
DOSS COVERED. BUT WE REALLY
STARTED BECAUSE OF THE 2010
SHOOTING OF FIRST NATION'S
WOOD CARVER JOHN T. WILLIAMS.
THIS IS THE TOTEM POLE AT THE
SEATTLE CENTER THAT WAS RAISED
IN HIS MEMORY. HE WAS SHOT AND
KILLED BY A SEATTLE POLICE
OFFICER. IT WASN'T THE ONLY
SERIOUS INCIDENT INVOLVING
POLICE IN SEATTLE COMMUNITY
MEMBERS THAT IGNITED PUBLIC
CONCERN ABOUT BIAS AND THE USE
OF EXCESSIVE FORCE. IN 2010
AFTER 2010, 35 CIVIL RIGHTS AND
COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS
REQUESTED THE DEPARTMENT OF
JUSTICE TO INVESTIGATE WHEN SPD
HAD ENGAGED IN A PATTERN OR
PRACTICE OF VIOLATIONS OF CIVIL
RIGHTS. FOLLOWING THE JUSTICE
INVESTIGATION THE COMMISSION
WAS ACCOMPLISHED 2012. AT THAT
TIME THE IMPORTANT ROLE OF
COMMUNITY WAS RECOGNIZED. THE
AGREEMENT STATED EFFECTIVE AND
CONSTITUTIONAL POLICING REQUIRE
AS PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE
POLICE DEPARTMENT, ITS
OFFICERS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND
PUBLIC OFFICIALS LIKE
YOURSELVES. AND THE COMMISSION
CREATES AN IMPORTANT
OPPORTUNITY FOR SEATTLE'S
DIVERSE COMMUNITIES TO
PARTICIPATE IN THE
IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS, AS WELL
AS CERTAIN AS PERFECTS OF THE
SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT AND TO
PROMOTE GREATER TRANSPARENCY
AND PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING. THIS
COMMITMENT TO ACCOUNTABILITY
WAS MADE PERMANENT AS PART OF
THE LANDMARK 2017 POLICE
ACCOUNTABILITY ORDINANCE. OUR
CHARGE IS GIVEN IN THE
ACCOUNTABILITY ORDINANCE IS TO
ENGAGE THE DIVERSE COMMUNITIES
BY DEVELOPING RECOMMENDATIONS
AND PROVIDING A COMMUNITY
PERSPECTIVE ON LAW ENFORCEMENT
PRACTICES. TO BRING COMMUNITY
VOICE TO CONSTITUTIONAL,
ACCOUNTABLE AND EFFECTIVE
POLICING. WE HAVE 15 VOLUNTEER
COMMISSIONERS. THE CPC IS NOT
AN ADVISORY BOARD. THIS WAS SET
UP TO BE A WORKING BOARD TO
LEVERAGE THE IDEAS, TALENT AND
EXPERIENCE OF THE COMMUNITY.
OUR COMMISSIONERS HAVE
COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS AND
EXPERTISE IN MULTIPLE AREAS OF
THE CITY. COMMUNITY ORGANIZING,
LABOR AND PUBLIC DEFENSE. I
JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT HERE
IN TERMS OF STAFF THAT SUPPORTS
CITY COUNCIL, I'M SORRY THAT
SUPPORTS CITY POLICE
COMMISSION. IT'S A KEY POINT
TO KNOW ABOUT US. COULD BE
APPOINTED BY THE MAYOR AND CITY
COUNCIL. I WAS APPOINTED AND
SELECTED BY THE COMMISSIONERS
THEMSELVES. THAT REALLY SPEAKS
TO THE INDEPENDENCE OF THE
COMMUNITY POLICE COMMISSION
WHICH IS ONE OF THE CORE PARTS
OF WHAT WE DO. SUPPORTED BY
CITY STAFF LIKE MYSELF THE
COMMISSIONERS REPRESENT DIVERSE
SEATTLE COMMUNITIES INCLUDING
TWO SEATTLE POLICE OFFICERS
FROM POLICE UNIONS. FROM SPG
AND SPMA. POLICE OFFICERS ALSO
BRING AN IMPORTANT VOICE TO
THEIR FOREIGN PROCESS. CPC IS
MOST EFFECTIVE WHEN WE CAN
BRING THE DIVERSE EXPERIENCES
AND EXPERTISE OF OUR
COMMISSIONERS. SO WE ARE THE
SMALLEST OF THE ACCOUNTABILITY
PARTNERS AS YOU'LL SEE. TO
MEET THE EXPECTATIONS WE HAVE
BOTH COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT STAFF
AND POLICY STAFF WHICH
LEVERAGES THE STRENGTH OF BOTH
TO CONNECT COMMUNITY TO POLICY
OUTCOMES. THESE ARE SOME OF
CPC'S AUTHORITIES AND
RESPONSIBILITIES FROM THE
ACCOUNTABILITY ORDINANCE.
MONITORING IMPLEMENTATION OF
RECOMMENDATIONS BY OVERSIGHT
PARTNERS, REVIEWING CLOSED OPA
INVESTIGATIONS FOR SYSTEMIC
IMPROVEMENT AND PROVIDING INPUT
INTO SPD PRACTICES INCLUDING
HIRING, RETENTION AND
PROMOTIONAL PRACTICES.
COLLABORATION OF OUR PARTNERS
AT OIG, OPA IS FUNDMENTAL TO
OUR WORK. WE HAVE A SHARED
COMMITMENT TO COMMON GOALS AND
PRIORITIES AND THESE ARE JUST A
FEW WAYS WE WORK TOGETHER AS
LEADERSHIP AND STAFF TO
LEVERAGE THE STRENGTHS OF EACH
PARTNER. OUR GREATEST
ACHIEVEMENT LIES IN OUR ABILITY
TO SPOTLIGHT AREAS OF CONCERN
KEEPING COMMUNITY VOICES AT THE
FOREFRONT OF THE FOREIGN
PROCESS. THIS IMPORTANCE WAS
RECOGNIZED ALL THE WAY BACK IN
2012 WITH SIGNIFICANT COMMUNITY
INTEREST IN THE REFORM EFFORT.
CERTAIN ASPECTS OF THE REFORM
EFFORT ARE BEST DEVELOPED BY
DIALOGUE AND WIDESPREAD INPUT.
ON GOING COMMUNITY INPUT INTO
THE DEVELOPMENT OF REFORMS AND
MECHANISMS TO PROMOTE COMMUNITY
CONFIDENCE WILL STRENGTHEN SPD
AND FACILITATE POLICE COMMUNITY
RELATIONS NECESSARY TO PROMOTE
PUBLIC SAFETY. THESE ARE SOME
OF OUR PRIORITIES FOR 2024. TO
ENCOMPASS INCREASING
RESPONSIVENESS THROUGH ROBUST
ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS. WE ALSO
PLAN TO IMPLEMENT A
COMPREHENSIVE RESTRUCTURING
PLAN ALIGNED WITH BEST
PRACTICES AND CIVILIAN
OVERSIGHT NATIONWIDE.
SYSTEMICALLY WE AIM TO ENHANCE
PUBLIC TRUST, STRENGTHEN
COMMUNITY INPUT IN SHAPING SPD
POLICY. THIS WORK IS ON GOING
AND RESPONSIVE TO COMMUNITY
CONCERNS. ONE OF THE CPC'S
CORE FUNCTIONS IS AMPLIFYING
THE VOICE OF THE COMMUNITY. CPC
COMMISSIONERS AND COCHAIRS TO
ENSURE THAT COMMUNITY CONCERNS
ABOUT POLICING ARE HEARD BY OUR
ACCOUNTABILITY PARTNERS,
LEADERSHIP AND THE GENERAL
PUBLIC. THE CO-CHAIRS AND
VOLUNTEER COMMISSIONERS CAN
SOMETIMES BRING COMMUNITY
CONCERNS TO LIGHT WHEN OTHERS
CANNOT. BY DESIGN THE CPC IS A
CRITICAL CONNECTION TO
COMMUNITY AND THEIR CONCERNS.
COMMUNITY IS CENTRAL TO WHAT WE
DO AND WE WANT TO LISTEN TO THE
RANGE OF COMMUNITY CONCERNS
REGARDING POLICING. SOMETIMES
IT IS ABOUT USE OF FORCE BY
POLICE. SOMETIMES IT IS ABOUT
LACK OF POLICE. BUT WE GO OUT
AND LISTEN TO COMMUNITY
CONCERNS AND TRY TO BRING THAT
AND ELEVATE THEIR VOICES. THESE
ARE SOME OF OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS
FOCUSING ON 2023. IN THE FAST
PAST YEAR OUR STAFF ATTENDED
OVER 100 EVENTS FOSTERING
DIALOGUE WITH FIRST COMMUNITY
MEMBERS FROM PRECINCT ADVISORY
CONDITION COUNCIL MEETINGS TO
CULTURAL FESTIVALS. EACH
INTERACTION IS AN OPPORTUNITY
TO GAIN INSIGHTS INTO COMMUNITY
POLICING PRIORITY. ALTHOUGH THE
NUMBERS ARE IMPORTANT, IT DOES
NOT TELL THE WHOLE STORY. WE
ARE INTENTIONALLY REACHING OUT
TO DISENFRANCHISED COMMUNITIES
AND PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN
AFFECTED BY POLICING. THIS MAY
NOT BE THE LARGEST NUMBER OF
PEOPLE. MAY NOT BE THE LARGEST
NUMBER OF CONSTITUENTS BUT
IT'S OUR MANDATE TO MAKE SURE
WE REACH OUT TO THEM. THIS IS
IMPORTANT AN ON GOING WORK. OUR
ORDINANCE MANDATES
RESPONSIVENESS THROUGH
OUTREACH, CONNECTIONS AND
PROVIDING FEEDBACK TO SPD, OPA
AND OIG. THIS ENSURES COMMUNITY
PERSPECTIVES ARE INTEGRAL.
THROUGH PUBLIC OUTREACH, THE
CPC GATHERS COMMUNITY INPUT.
COMMUNITY MEMBERS SHARED
CONCERNS ABOUT SPD'S EMERGENCY
VEHICLES OPERATIONS POLICY IN
JANUARY 2023. WHAT YOU SEE HERE
IS A COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
MEETING HELD AS PART OF THE CPC
MEETING ON JANUARY 7, 2024.
COMMUNITY MEMBERS JOINED WITH
COMMISSIONERS TO SHARE THEIR
CONCERNS AND PROVIDE FEEDBACK
ON THAT SPECIFIC POLICY THERE.
WE ARE STILL WORKING TO MAKE
SURE THE POLICY ADDRESSES
COMMUNITY CONCERNS AND PROMOTES
PUBLIC SAFETY.
>> TOUCHING ON POLICY
PRIORITIES. THIS YEAR AND OVER
THE YEARS I DO WANT TO ELEVATE
THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING
AGREEMENT AS A TOP PRIORITY
SINCE 2012. AS MR. DOSS
MENTIONED EARLIER, SPG HAS THE
RIGHT TO COLLECTIVELY BARGAIN
FOR PROCEDURES THAT GOVERN ITS
MEMBERS CONDUCT. TO THE EXTEND
THERE IS CONFLICT BETWEEN THE
ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM, THIS IS
WHY THE SPG CBA HAS A HUGE
IMPACT. IN 2017 THE CITY
ADOPTED THE POLICE
ACCOUNTABILITY ORDINANCE. IT'S
A MODEL ORDINANCE FOR THE
NATION AND ONE OF THE UNIQUE
FEATURES IS IT MAKES THE
ENTITIES INDEPENDENT. HOWEVER,
MANY OF -- MANY VERY IMPORTANT
ACCOUNTABILITY PROVISIONS IN
THE ACCOUNTABILITY ORDINANCE
ARE NOT OPERABLE TODAY BECAUSE
OF THE CBA LAST APPROVED. WHILE
THE BARGAINING TABLE IN THE
2018 C BA WAS SET PRIOR TO THE
ADOPT OF THE ORDINANCE THERE
WAS A STRONG REACTION TO THE
CONTRACT. THAT MANY SAW AS
UNDERMINING THE ACCOUNTABILITY
ORDINANCE. I WANT TO TURN BACK
OVER TO ELLIS.
>> IT'S IMPORTANT TO
UNDERSTAND AND I'M GLAD YOU
RAISED THIS UP WHAT HAPPENED IN
2018 AFTER THE ACCOUNTABILITY
ORDNANCE WAS PASSED AND THE
CONTRACT WAS SIGNED. IT THERE
WERE IMMEDIATE REACTIONS OF
CONCERN FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS
AND ADVOCATES. THE UNVEILING
PROMPTED CONCERNS FROM MULTIPLE
COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS. LACK
OF TRANSPARENCY. THESE GROUPS
STRESSED THE IMPORTANCE OF
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT.
ADVOCATING FOR GREATER MEASURES
THROUGHOUT OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER
OF 2018 COMMUNITY GROUPS
INTENSIFIED THEIR EFFORTS. WEAR
SIZED THE NEED FOR ROBUST
CIVILIAN MECHANISMS AND RAISED
DOUBTS. THE CPC HELD COMMUNITY
MEETINGS IN OCTOBER AND
NOVEMBER WITH OTHER COMMUNITY
GROUPS TO HIGHLIGHT THE
IMPORTANCE OF THIS AND PEOPLE
WERE VERY INVOLVED. THIS PHOTO
IN THIS ROOM WAS TAKEN AND IT
DOESN'T EVEN CAPTURE HOW MUCH
STANDING ROOM ONLY THERE WAS.
THERE WAS CONCERN ABOUT THIS.
ON NOVEMBER 8, 2018, COMMUNITY
MEMBERS ISSUED A JOINT LETTER
CITING CONCERNS ABOUT THE
POTENTIAL IMPACT ON POLICE
COMMUNITY RELATIONS. THE LETTER
WAS SIGNED BY NAACP AND ACLU OF
WASHINGTON. ON NOVEMBER 14,
2018 THE SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL
APPROVED THE CONTRACT PROMPTING
FURTHER QUESTIONS AT THAT TIME
ABOUT THE CITY'S COMMITMENT TO
SOLICITING DIVERSE
PERSPECTIVES.
>> SO THE COMMUNITY'S REACTION
IN 2018 SHOWS HOW IMPORTANT
STRONG ACCOUNTABILITY
PROVISIONS IN THE NEXT CBA IS
TO BUILDING COMMUNITY TRUST AND
CONFIDENCE IN NOT JUST THE
POLICE DEPARTMENT BUT THE
CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM. IT'SAL
RELEVANT TO THE CONSENT DECREE.
ONE REASON THE FEDERAL JUDGE
FOUND THE CITY PARTIALLY OUT OF
COMPLIANCE IN 2019 AND EXTENDED
THE CONSENT DECREE WAS IN PART
BECAUSE HIS VIEW THE 2018 CBS
UNDERMINED THE ACCOUNTABILITY
ORDNANCE. WHICH BRINGS US TO
TODAY. THE CITY ASKED THE JUDGE
TO END AND ALLOW IT TO CONTINUE
WORKING ON ACCOUNTABILITY AND
THE USE OF FORCE IN CROWD
CONTROL OUTSIDE OF THE CONSENT
DECREE. WHILE THE JUDGE DENIED
THE CITY'S REQUEST HE DID
AGREE TO END IT FOR EVERYTHING
ELSE EXCEPT IN THE AREAS OF
ACCOUNTABILITY. THE USE OF
FORCE AND CROWD CONTROL. THIS
SET UP THE PROCESS WHERE BY
JUDGE WILL REVIEW IN THE NEXT
CPBA BEING NEGOTIATED. TO THIS
END SPOKE SPECIFICALLY ABOUT
THE CBA DURING THE FEDERAL
COURT HEARING LAST SEPTEMBER.
AND WHILE THE JUDGE
ACKNOWLEDGED IT IS NOT HIS ROLE
TO NEGOTIATE THE CBA HE DID SAY
UNDER THE CONSENT DECREE IT IS
HIS ROLE TO ENSURE
CONSTITUTIONAL POLICING. TO THE
EXTEND THE CBA IN HIS WORDS IS
USED TO LOCK IN PROCEDURES
WHICH FOSTER UNACCEPTABLE
POLICE BEHAVIOR OR AVOID
ACCOUNTABILITY HE VIEWED THIS
AS HIS ROLE. THAT HE DID HAVE A
ROLE IN THAT HE SPECIFICALLY
CALLED OUT THE ACCOUNTABILITY
ORDINANCE WHEN HE SAID THE CBA
SHOULD NOT SHELTER OFFICERS
FROM CITY ORDINANCES. THE
COMMUNITY AND THE CPC AGREE
WITH THIS VIEW. WE WILL
CONTINUE TO PRIORITIZE
TRANSPARENT ACCOUNTABILITY.
>> EFFECTIVE ACCOUNTABILITY IS
FOUNDATIONAL TO BUILDING
COMMUNITY TRUST. POLICE
ACCOUNTABILITY ORDINANCE SETS
CLEAR EXPECTATIONS AND THE
DEPARTMENT TRUSTED BY THE
COMMUNITY. ON GOING COMMUNITY
INPUT, TRANSPARENT REFORMS AND
ACCOUNTABILITY MECHANISMS TO
STRENGTHEN SPD AND NURTURE
VITAL RELATIONSHIPS REMAIN
IMPORTANT. AS WE NAVIGATE A
PATH FORWARD THE CPC IS
STEADFAST. SO TOGETHER WE HOPE
TO BUILD A SAFER MORE EQUITABLE
SEATTLE FOR ALL. WE'RE HAPPY
TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AS I
LEARN FROM MY CITY CLERKS HERE
I'LL LOOK TO MY COLLEAGUES
FIRST BEFORE ASKING ANY
QUESTIONS. ANY QUESTIONS?
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT
PRESENTATION. SO TO THE
ULTIMATE QUESTION SINCE THE
ACCOUNTABILITY PROVISIONS ARE
REALLY SUBJECT TO THE
COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT
AND THOSE PARAMETERS ARE
CONTROLLING. WHAT AND TO DATE
THE COMMUNITY WAS UPSET WITH
THE COLLECTIVE -- WITH THE
CONTRACT THAT CAME OUT THAT DID
NOT INCORPORATE MANY OF THE
PROVISIONS IN THE
ACCOUNTABILITY ORDINANCE. SO
WHAT ROLE DO YOU SEE FOR CPC
AND THE OTHER ACCOUNTABILITY
STRUCTURE WHEN WE ARE IN THIS
FUNDAMENTAL TENSION BETWEEN THE
POWER OF THE COUNCIL AND THE
STATE LAW RELATING TO
COLLECTIVE BARGAINING
PARTICULARLY WHEN IT RELATES TO
POLICE AND LAW ENFORCEMENT?
>> AS IT RELATES TO THE CPC'S
ROLE. OWN EVER ONE OF OUR CORE
FUNCTIONS IS TO ELEVATE THE
COMMUNITY'S VOICE WITH RESPECT
TO POLICING IN SEATTLE. AND THE
COMMUNITY HAS STRONGLY
SUPPORTED TRANSPARENT AND
ROBUST ACCOUNTABILITY. IT'S
ONE OF THE REASONS THE CITY
COUNCIL ADOPTED THE ORDINANCE
AND ALSO ONE OF THE REASONS THE
COMMUNITY WAS FRUSTRATED THAT
THE LAST CBA DID NOT INCLUDE
MANY OF THE PROVISIONS IN THE
ACCOUNTABILITY ORDINANCE. CPC
WILL CONTINUE TO UPLIFT AND
ELEVATE THE COMMUNITY'S VOICE.
THAT'S THE ROLE WE PLAY AND
WE'LL CONTINUE TO PLAY. DID I
ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? IS THERE
MORE I CAN HELP WITH?
>> SORT OF. AS TO THE CPC I
THINK YOU DID. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. VOICE CHAIR SAKA.
>> THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR
REALLY TERRIFIC PRESENTATION.
JUST CURIOUS TO HEAR KIND OF
FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE. SO
MENTION SOME OF THE CHALLENGES
RESPECT TO IMPLEMENTATION OF
THESE PROVISIONS AND MECHANISMS
INCLUDING THE ACCOUNTABILITY
SET FORTH. SO YEAH WE HAVE
OBVIOUSLY MULTIPLE LABOR UNIONS
OR LABOR ORGANIZATIONS INVOLVED
IN SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
SO WE HAVE SPG, SEATTLE POLICE
MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION.
SEPARATE CONTRACTS. SEPARATE
TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF
EMPLOYMENT. BE CURIOUS TO HEAR
FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE CAN YOU
COMPARE AND COB TRAVIS WHAT HAS
BEEN AGREED TO BY SPMA WITH
REGARD TO ACCOUNTABILITY
AGAINST, YOU KNOW, LIKE THE
COMMUNITY WE HAVE TO, YOU KNOW,
ALIGN ON STRONGER
ACCOUNTABILITY MECHANISMS.
>> THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT
UP. SPMA CONTRACT IS IMPORTANT
TO LOOK AT. IT SHOWS YOU CAN
INCORPORATE ACCOUNTABILITY
MEASURES INTO POLICE CONTRACTS.
THEY'VE HAD MULTIPLE VERSIONS
SINCE 2018 OF THE CONTRACT. IF
YOU LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENED
REVEREND HUNTER PRESENTED LAST
YEAR ABOUT THIS. IF YOU LOOK AT
WHAT HAPPENED THEY ARE
SPECIFICALLY BRINGING IN MORE
AND MORE ACCOUNTABILITY
PROVISIONS INTO EACH CONTRACT.
IT'S NOT PERFECT. IT'S
BETTER. THAT'S A REALLY GOOD
EXAMPLE IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR
A MODEL OF HOUSE POLICE
OFFICERS CAN USE
ACCIDENTABILITY. CAN BRING
ACCOUNTABILITY TO THEIR
CONTRACT. SPMA IS AN EXCELLENT
MODEL.
>> CAN YOU CLARIFY FOR THE
PUBLIC WHICH ORGANIZATION SPMA
AND SPG AND HOW THEY WORK
TOGETHER AND THE GENERAL
MEMBERSHIP OF EACH.
>> SPMA REPRESENTS LIEUTENANTS
AND CAPTAINS AND LEADERSHIP.
SPG REPRESENTS LINE OFFICERS UP
TO SERGEANTS. IT'S A GOOD
POINT TO NOTE. I WAS TALKING TO
SOMEONE FROM CLEVELAND WHICH
HAS A STRONG POLICE OVERSIGHT
SYSTEM. NOT QUITE THE SAME AS
OURS. THEY HAVE JUST ONE
CONTRACT SO THAT'S SOMETHING
TO KEEP IN MIND ABOUT A
DIFFERENCE THAT SEATTLE FACES.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR
PRESENTATION. SO I ALWAYS THINK
OF THE CPC AS THE COMMUNITY
VOICE. YOU HAVE COMMUNITY IN
THE NAME OF YOUR ORGANIZATION.
BUT I'VE NEVER REALLY LOOKED
AT OPA, OIG AND CPC ALL
TOGETHER AND TRIED TO REALLY
UNDERSTAND AT A FINER LEVEL HOW
YOU CALL WORK TOGETHER. I
APPRECIATE THIS OPPORTUNITY. IN
THE SECTIONS IN THIS COUNCIL
BILL THAT ENDED UP IN THE
POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY
ORDINANCE, THEY EACH START WITH
OPA OR CPC OR OIG SHALL BE
RESPONSIVE TO COMMUNITY NEEDS
AND CONCERNS THROUGH MEANS
INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMIT EVER
LIMITED TO THE FOLLOWING THEN
THERE'S A WHOLE LIST OF
FUNCTIONS. BUT YOURS SEEMS TO
BE THE CONVENING OF STAKE
HOLDER INPUT ALTHOUGH I DO SEE
OUTREACH TO COMMUNITY IN THE
OTHER ORGANIZATIONS BUT THAT'S
PRIMARILY MY UNDERSTANDING TO
INFORM THE COMMUNITY ABOUT WHAT
THEY'RE DOING OR WHAT YOU'RE
DOING. IT'S INFORMING. HOW IS
IN THE PAST WHEN YOU WERE IN
THE PREVIOUS PUBLIC SAFETY
COMMITTEE. HOW DOES WORKING
WITH COMMUNITY US INFORM YOUR
POLICY WORK AND HOW IS THAT
DIFFERENT FROM THE OTHER TWO
PARTS OF THE TRIAD?
>> YEAH. OBVIOUSLY COMMUNITY IS
IMPORTANT TO ALL PARTS OF
TRIAD. MY PARTNERS WILL TALK
ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF
COMMUNITY WORK AND WHAT THEY
DO. IT'S SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT.
WE DO HAVE A SPECIFIC MANDATE
TO MAINTAIN CONNECTIONS WITH
REPRESENTATIVE DISENFRANCHISED
GROUPS TO MAKE CONNECTIONS WITH
PEOPLE CITYWIDE. ALL DISTRICTS
IN THE CITY. TO COLLECT FUND
COMMUNITY FEEDBACK. THAT IS
DEFINITELY THE CHALLENGE. THE
FEEDBACK WE COLLECT FOR EXAMPLE
FROM THE JANUARY 17th MEETING
THAT WAS FROM A COMMUNITY GROUP
THAT HAD SIGNIFICANT EFFECTS
FROM POLICE PRACTICES.
SOMETHING THIS THAT HAPPENED
WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
THEY ARE NOT NECESSARILY
RESIDENTS OF SEATTLE. THEY ARE
PART OF THE COMMUNITY OF
SEATTLE. THEY WERE CERTAINLY
AFFECTED BY POLICING. THEY'RE
NOT NECESSARILY RESIDENTS. WE
BRING THEM TO OUR MEETING AND
OTHER WAYS OF DOING COMMUNITY
OUTREACH TO CAPTURE THOSE
COMMUNITY CONCERNS. DOES THAT
ANSWER YOUR QUESTION?
>> YEAH, I THINK YOU WERE -- I
WASN'T -- MY QUESTION WASN'T
RELATED TO THE PREVIOUS
QUESTIONS. I WAS JUST WANTING
TO UNDERSTAND MORE HOW YOUR
COMMUNITY WORK DIFFERS FROM
OTHER TWO ORGANIZATIONS AND
WHEN IT COMES TO POLICY. MY
UNDERSTANDING AS I SAID BEFORE
IS THAT YOUR JOB IS TO MAKE
POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS BASED ON
COMMUNITY INPUT.
>> YES. THAT'S AN EXAMPLE OF
WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE IS COLLECT
THE COMMUNITY FEEDBACK AND THEN
IT'S GOING INTO A POLICY
RECOMMENDATION TO SPD ON THE
EMERGENCY VEHICLE OPERATIONS
POLICY BUT WE COLLECT IT IN A
VARIETY OF WAYS.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. ANOTHER QUESTION.
>> YES, THANK YOU. JUST ONE
MORE QUESTION. SO IN LOOKING
OVER YOUR SLIDE DECK DON'T KNOW
WHAT NUMBER IT IS. CPC
AUTHORITY AND RESPONSIBILITY
AND THERE'S A SECTION ON INPUT
WHERE YOU TALK ABOUT RESAWING
AND PROVIDING INPUT INTO SPD
RECRUITING. SINCE THIS IS A
TOPIC OF MOST URGENCY. I'M
UNAWARE, HAVE YOU MADE -- HAS
THERE BEEN OFFICIAL INPUT MADE
ON THOSE TOPICS? WHERE WOULD WE
ACCESS THAT? WHAT WOULD YOU SAY
IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PIECE
FROM CPC'S PERSPECTIVE AND THE
CITY'S ABILITY TO RECRUIT AND
RETAIN HIGH QUALITY OFFICERS.
>> ANSWER PART OF YOUR SECOND
QUESTION FIRST WHICH GETS
BAAING TO WHAT I SAID AT THE
BEGINNING. RECRUITING
RETENTION, EFFECTIVE POLICING
WITH THE TRUST OF THE COMMUNITY
WILL NOT WORK WITHOUT A STRONG
ACCOUNTABILITY TO
ACCOUNTABILITY. COMMUNITY
MEMBERS NEED TO RELY ON A
SYSTEM INCLUDING ALL OF US.
THEIR CONCERNS WILL BE HEARD.
WHEN THERE IS OFFICER
DISCIPLINE IT'S CARRIED OUT.
THAT THE COMMUNITY IS NOT
SUBJECT TO ABUSE OR DISRESPECT
OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. THAT THE
POLICE DEPARTMENT CAN WORK MOST
EFFECTIVELY WHEN THE COMMUNITY
TRUSTS THEM. THAT'S WHAT GETS
TO THE CORE OF WHAT WE DO. I AM
VERY EXCITED AND ENCOURAGED BY
THE RECRUITING EFFORTS OF CITY
COUNCIL, THE SEATTLE POLICE
DEPARTMENT. I THINK THAT'S A
REALLY GREAT OPPORTUNITY. I
MYSELF SPEAK TO THE BEFORE THE
BADGE PROGRAM ONCE A MONTH TEX
PLAIN WHAT THE CPC IS TO
INCOMING NEW RECRUITS. BUT THE
COMMUNITIMENT TO ACCOUNTABILITY
HAS BEEN THERE. YOU WANT THE
BEST POSSIBLE AND MOST
COMMITTED OFFICERS OUT ON THE
STREET. NOW I FORGOT THE FIRST
PART OF YOUR QUESTION.
>> HAVE YOU -- IS THERE FORMAL
INPUT THAT'S BEEN PROVIDED?
>> SO I HAVE NOT BEEN THE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. I WAS
SELECTED AS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
AND CONFIRMED IN DECEMBER OF
2023 AND I WAS IN THE INTERIM
ROLE FOR ABOUT A YEAR BEFORE
THAT. IN MY TIME SO FAR THAT
HAS NOT BEEN SOMETHING THAT I
HAVE BEEN PART OF, BUT BECAUSE
IT'S IN THE ORDNANCE WE
CERTAINLY CAN. BECAUSE THERE'S
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND
COMMUNITY CONCERN AROUND
RECRUITMENT AND MAKING SURE
THERE'S MORE OFFICERS AND MORE
GOOD OFFICERS ARE GOING TO BE
ANSWERABLE TO THE COMMUNITY
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I WOULD
LIKE TOO RAISE UP WITH SPD.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
MOORE FOR THAT QUESTION. I
WOULD LIKE TO ADD TOWARDS THE
END OF DECEMBER WE HELD TWO
CONSECUTIVE PUBLIC CPC MEETINGS
WHERE THE CO-CHAIRS LED A
DISCUSSION AMONG COMMISSIONERS
TO WHICH THE POLICY PRIORITIES
AMONG OTHER ORGANIZATIONAL
PRIORITIES FOR THE CPC ARE FOR
2024 AND BEYOND. THIS WAS ONE
OF THOSE PRIORITIES. WE ARE
WORKING THROUGH THOSE
PRIORITIES AS BEST WE CAN.
WE'VE HELD A MEETING ON THE
VEHICLE OPERATION POLICY. WE'LL
HAVE MEETINGS COMING UP ON WHAT
TYPES OF ITEMS CAN BE DISPLAYED
WITHIN AN SPD FACILITY. THAT
WAS AN ISSUE THAT CAME UP LAST
YEAR. STAFFING AND RESPONSE
TIME IS AN ISSUE. CBA IS AN
ISSUE. THERE ARE A LOT -- THE
POLICY TO WORK ON IS LONG AND
WE'RE GOING TO DO OUR BEST TO
RESPOND TO THE COMMUNITY'S
NEEDS AND PREFERENCES ON ALL OF
THOSE MATTERS. WE'RE HAPPY TO
CONTINUE WORKING WITH THE CITY
COUNCIL, ESPECIALLY THIS NEW
CITY COUNCIL ON ALL OF THAT.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER. DID
YOU HAVE ANOTHER ONE? YOUR HAND
WAS RAISED. JUST TO CONFIRM.
ANY QUESTIONS? OKAY. AS CHAIR
THE PREROGATIVE I'VE LEARNED
FROM CITY CLERKS I SHOULD NOT
GO FIRST. JUST THANK YOU VERY
MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. IN
A LIGHT MOMENT I WOULD SAY
SINCE YOU DO HAVE A WORKING
BOARD COMMISSION, SHE HAD THOSE
NUMBERS TO YOUR NUMBERS YOU'RE
NOT REALLY THE SMALLEST AND
THEN ALL THREE ARE PRETTY
EQUAL. IT'S A WELL BALANCED
THREE-LEGGED STOOL. I JUST WANT
TO MAKE SURE WE WEREN'T
UNBALANCED WITH OUR STOOL. THE
NEXT PIECE IS SPECIFICALLY WITH
THE COMMUNITY POLICE COMMISSION
IS TO HIGHLIGHT THE NEED FOR
PARTNERSHIP. FOR EXAMPLE ALL
THE NEW MEMBERS OF THE CITY
COUNCIL CAME FROM THE
COMMUNITY. AND WE'RE ALL
ENGAGED ON PUBLIC SAFETY. I WAS
CLEARLY ENGAGED ON PUBLIC
SAFETY. SO WE'RE COMING FROM
THE SAME PLACE PARTICULARLY
BECAUSE THE LAST ELECTION WAS
SUCH A PUBLIC SAFETY FOCUSED
ELECTION. WITH THAT SAID, WE
SHOULD BE LOOKING LIKE I'M
LOOKING TO ENGAGE THE
COMMUNITY. I'M WORKING PUBLIC
SAFETY ISSUES EVERY DAY. WE
SHOULD HAVE PARTNERSHIPS. IF I
GO TO THE QUEEN ANNE COMMUNITY
COUNCIL. SOUTH LAKE LEADERSHIP.
BELLTOWN UNITED. WE DON'T HAVE
A DOWNTOWN COMMUNITY COUNCIL.
WE'RE WORKING WITH THESE ALL
THE TIME AND ABOUT TO STAND UP
IN DISTRICT 7. DISTRICT 7
NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL. SO I
THINK THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES
FOR PARTNERSHIP. PARTICULARLY
WITH THE DISTRICT
REPRESENTATIVES. ALSO OUR
AT-LARGE WE HAVE TWO HERE VERY
DEEP ON PUBLIC SAFETY AS WELL
TO GAIN ACCESS TO MORE PARTS OF
THE COMMUNITY. TO REEBB ENFORCE
THAT CONNECTION. THAT'S VERY
IMPORTANT. GIVEN THE UNIQUENESS
OF THE NEW COUNCIL AND WHAT WE
RAN ON I THINK THERE'S AN
OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY DO THAT
OUTREACH. BY THE WAY, I ALSO TO
GROUPS YOU GO TO I ALSO
RECOMMEND VERY MUCH I KNOW SOME
OF THEM HAVE BEEN GROUPS LIKE
THE FORTUNE COMMUNITY ADVISORY
COUNCIL. SO IMPORTANT FOR COUP
COUNCIL MEMBERS. PRETTY MUCH
ALL OF US HAVE BEEN TO ONE OR
MORE. ALSO THE PRECINCT
ADVISORY COUNCILS. I USED TO BE
PART OF THE WEST PRECINCT
ADVISORY COUNCIL. WE BOTH
ESSENTIALLY REPRESENT COMMUNITY
AND RELATE TO THE POLICING.
THAT'S AN AREA OF
COLLABORATION AS YOU KNOW BUZZ
WORD FOR OUR NEW CITY COUNCIL.
QUESTION I HAD AND PLAYING OFF
THAT IN TERMS OF YOUR WORK PLAN
AND IN TERMS OF MOVING FORWARD,
WHAT IS SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS?
WORKING WITH OIG IN TERMS OF
THEIR METHODOLOGIES, OUTREACH.
IS THERE PARTNERSHIP ON THAT
FRONT IN ADDITION TO WHAT I'M
PROPOSING?
>> WE ALWAYS WELCOME THE
OPPORTUNITY TO IMPROVE
COLLABORATION AND WORK WITH ALL
OF YOU. I HAD THE GREAT
OPPORTUNITY TO BE AT
COUNCILMEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH'S
PUBLIC SAFETY MEETING LAST WEEK
IN EASTLAKE. WE WANT TO MAKE
SURE WE HAVE REPRESENTATION
FROM THE CPC TO EXPLAIN WHO WE
ARE AND VERY IMPORTANTLY LEARN
WHAT COMMUNITY IS SAYING. WHAT
THEIR CONCERNS ARE ABOUT PUBLIC
SAFETY AND POLICING. THE
ORDINANCE IS VERY BROAD IN
TERMS OF WHAT OUR
REPRESENTATION IS SUPPOSED TO
DO. IF COMMUNITY IS CONCERNED
ABOUT LACK OF POLICE OFFICERS,
YOU'LL ALSO HEAR THAT FROM US.
WE ARE TASKED WITH REPRESENTING
WHAT COMMUNITIES CONCERNS ARE
ABOUT POLICING AND PUBLIC
SAFETY. WE DO WORK WITH OUR
PARTNERS IN AS MANY WAYS AS
POSSIBLE. FOR EXAMPLE DIRECTOR
BETTS AT OPA AND I ARE
BEGINNING PROCESS. THAT'S VERY
MUCH IN THE EARLY STAGES BUT
SOMETHING THAT IS A GREAT
EXAMPLE. WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING
FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO STRENGTHEN
OUR COLLABORATIONS AS PARTNERS.
>> MY LAST QUESTION WAS ASKED.
INPUT INTO THE RECRUITMENT,
HIRING AND PROMOTIONAL
PRACTICES OF THE POLICE. I KNOW
YOUR ANSWER ON THAT. AS AN
INVITATION OUR THIRD MEETING
BECAUSE IT'S SO CENTRAL TO THE
PILLARS RELATED TO ADDRESSING
THE PERMISSIVE ENVIRONMENT THAT
UNDERLIES OUR PUBLIC SAFETY
CHALLENGES IS SPD STAFFING. WE
NEED MORE OFFICERS ON THE
STREETS. WE NEED TO RECRUIT
MORE. WE NEED TO RETAIN MORE.
PLEASE CONTACT MY WITH ANYTHING
YOU MAY HAVE IN ANTICIPATION OF
THAT MEETING.
>> I LOOK FORWARD TO. THANK
YOU.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE'LL
MOVE TO THE NEXT ITEM OF
BUSINESS. WILL THE CLERK PLEASE
READ ITEM 3 INTO THE RECORD
PLEASE.
>> OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR
GENERAL WITH INSPECTOR GENERAL
LISA JUDGE.
>> WELCOME, THANK YOU SO MUCH
FOR JOINING US TODAY. OVER TO
YOU.
>> THANK YOU FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO COME AND TALK TO
YOU THIS MORNING. I THINK THIS
IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE MET
SOME OF YOU. I'LL GIVE YOU A
LITTLE BIT OF MY BACKGROUND. I
AM ALMOST FINISHING MY FIRST
TERM HERE AS INSPECTOR GENERAL.
I WAS GENERAL COUNCIL FOR 23
PLUS YEARS FOR THE TUCSON
POLICE DEPARTMENT IN THAT TIME
I ALSO WORKED NATIONALLY WITH
THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION
OF CHIEFS OF POLICE IN THEIR
LEGAL OFFICERS SECTION. I'VE
BEEN A MEMBER OF THE IACP'S
POLICY COMMITTEE FOR CLOSE TO
20 YEARS. I HAD A DEEP
BACKGROUND IN POLICING POLL
YOU'RE FREQUENTLY THE ONE WHO
UNDERSTANDS THE ISSUES AND
TRYING TO PUSH THE DEPARTMENT
IN A GOOD DIRECTION. I HAD A
LOT OF PROFESSIONAL CONTRACTS
AND FAMILY WHO LIVED HERE. I
HAD DECADES LONG. I'M NOT AN
INSPECTOR GENERAL BY TRADE. I
LEARNED THE HARD WAY WHEN I
CAME UP HERE HOW TO DO THIS
JOB. WE STARTED FROM DEPARTMENT
OF ONE TO NOW A DEPARTMENT AS
GREG SAID OF 22 AND A HALF
FOLKS WHO ARE DOING THE WORK OF
OIG. SO I'M JUST GOING TO TELL
YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR
PURPOSE AND VISION. I THINK
GREG AND OUR CPC PARTNER DID A
GOOD JOB OF THAT. IN THE
LANGUAGE THAT CREATED OIG YOU
CAN SEE THAT REALLY TWO THINGS
THAT COME OUT OF THIS IS THAT
WE'RE CREATED TO PROVIDE
SYSTEMIC OVERSIGHT. WE WERE
ALSO INTENDED TO EVENTUALLY
TAKE OVER THOSE FUNCTIONS THAT
THE FEDERAL MONITOR DOES TO
ENSURE ON GOING REFORM EFFORTS
CONSISTENT WITH CONSENT DECREE.
SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS
DONE A COMMENDABLE JOB OVER THE
PAST DECADE PLUS. OUR JOB IS TO
WORK WITH THEM COLLABORATIVELY
AND OUR PARTNERS TO CONTINUE
THAT TRAJECTORY. I'D LIKE TO
PAUSE FOR A SECOND AND GIVE MY
DEPUTY A LITTLE CHANCE TO
INTRODUCE HERSELF AS WELL.
>> THANKS FOR HAVING US. DEPUTY
INSPECTOR GENERAL AND I'LL MAKE
IT QUICK. I JUST CAME BACK TO
THE ACCOUNTABILITY TRIAD LAST
YEAR. I STARTED IN 2017 AND THE
INTERIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. SO
IT'S NICE TO BE BACK.
>> WELCOME. THANK YOU FOR
JOINING US.
>> JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW
WE APPROACH THE WORK. WE REALLY
SUPPORT CONSTITUTIONAL INFORMED
COMPASSIONATE POLICING THROUGH
INDEPENDENT OBJECTIVES,
SYSTEMIC OVERSIGHT. ONE OF THE
CHOICES I MADE EARLY ON WAS ONE
OF THE CORE FUNCTIONS OF
SYSTEMIC OVERSIGHT. PROVIDING
AUDIT AND QUALITY ASSESSMENT
THROUGH AUDIT WORK. I DECIDED
TO USE THE YELLOW BOOK
PRINCIPLES FOR AUDITING. THERE
AREN'T MANY ACCOUNTABILITY
ENTITIES THAT USE THOSE
STRINGENT AUDITING STANDARDS.
IRTAUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO
BACK UP OUR FINDINGS AND
RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT. SO ONE OF OUR CORE
TEAMS IS OUR AUDIT TEAM THAT
APPLIES YELLOW BOOK STANDARDS
TO AUDITS AND REVIEWS. WE DO
THIS WITH A FUNDAMENTAL
COMMITMENT TO OBJECTIVITY,
ACCURACY. ITCHTY FOR COMMUNITY
CONCERNS AND WE TRY TO INFUSE
OUR WORK PROJECTS WITH CONCERNS
THAT COMMUNITY HAS THAT STAKE
HOLDERS HAVE. WE DO A LOT OF
STAKE HOLDER ENGAGEMENT TO MAKE
SURE THE THINGS WE ARE
CONCERNED ABOUT. THE QUESTIONS
WE'RE ASKING ARE ALSO THOSE
QUESTIONS THAT COMMUNITY AND
STAKE HOLDERS HAVE ABOUT THE
UNDERLYING WORK. AN
UNDERSTANDING OF LAW
ENFORCEMENT PRINCIPLES. LITTLE
BIT ABOUT OUR STRUCTURE AND HOW
WE'RE STAFFED. WE'RE FAIRLY
HEAVY ON THE SUBSTANTIVE SIDE
OF THINGS. WE HAVE A NEW
STANDARDS AND COMPLIANCE TEAM.
WE'VE GOT AN AUDIT TEAM THAT
HAS AUDITORS AND ONE OF OUR
FUNCTIONS IS AUDITING SPD'S USE
OF SURVEILLANCE TECHNOLOGY. WE
BEGIN OUR AUDIT RESPONSIBILITIE
S ONCE A TECHNOLOGY HAS BEEN
APPROVED BY COUNCIL. FOR THE
FIST THREE OR FOUR YEARS OF OIG
THERE WERE NO APPROVED
TECHNOLOGIES. IN THE LAST TWO,
TWO AND A HALF YEARS WE HAVE
BEGUN TAKING ON THOSE AUDIT
RESPONSIBILITIES. THEY INCREASE
EVERY YEAR. I BELIEVE WE HAVE
16 THAT WE JUST DID LAST YEAR
AND PROBABLY CLOSE TO 20 THIS
YEAR. WE TOOK ON THE OPA
AUDITOR FUNCTION. SO THAT WAS
ONE PERSON WAY BACK WHEN. WE
DISCOVERED IT REQUIRED A LOT
MORE THAN JUST SIMPLY LOOKING
AT COMPLETED OPA INVESTIGATIONS
AND MAKING SURE WERE THOROUGH,
UNBIASED, TIMELY. WE HAVE A
POLICY SECTION WHICH REALLY
PROVIDES SUPPORT TO SPD AND
PROVIDES SUPPORT TO A LOT OF
TEAMS. WE HAVE FINDINGS AND
RECOMMENDATIONS WHEN WE NEED
RESEARCH ON BEST PRACTICES.
WHEN WE NEED SOME SORT OF WORK
GROUP TO PERFORM A PROJECT. OUR
POLICY TEAM TAKES THAT OTHER
AND DOES THAT. IN THE STANDARDS
AND COMPLIANCE TEAM AND THE
POLICY TEAM WE ALSO HAVE
STATISTICAL ANALYSTS. I THINK
IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE THAT
CAPABILITY WITH BEING ABLE TO
ANALYZE. IT'S IMPORTANT WHEN
WE INITIATE A PROJECT THAT WE
GET IT RIGHT IN TERMS ASKING
THE RIGHT QUESTIONS. MAKING
SURE THAT OUR WORK IS GOING TO
BE A VALUE ADD TO SPD AND WILL
BRING ENLIGHTENMENT TO
COMMUNITY. WE LIKE TO SOLACE IT
FEEDBACK ON THE FRONT END. WE
HAVE TO MAKE IT ACCESSIBILITY
ON THE BACK END. WE DO TRY TO
MAKE SURE ALL OF OUR WORK IS
INFUSED WITH COMMUNITY AND
STAKE HOLDER VOICES AND
UNDERSTANDING. JUST TO DESCRIBE
THE COLLABORATIVE NATURE OF
THEM. I THINK MOST OF THESE
EXCEPT FOR. WHICH WILL BE FILED
THIS WEEK OUR FIRST BIG REPORT
THAT CAME FROM A COURT ORDER.
THE REST OF IT REALLY WAS
EITHER GENERATED BY ORDINANCE
OBLIGATIONS OR REQUESTS FROM
COUNCIL FOR PROJECTS WE
INITIATED. THE FIRST WAS AN
AUDIT THAT WE DID AS A REQUEST
FROM COUNCIL TO ASSESS SPD'S
COMPLIANCE WITH FIRST THE CITY
ORDINANCE AND THEN THE NEXT
YEAR A STATE LAW THAT REQUIRED
SPD TO PROVIDE CERTAIN ADVICE
ABOUT ASSISTANCE OF COUNCIL TO
YOUTH. THAT REPORT INVOLVED A
LOT OF READING REPORTS, DOING
INTERVIEWS. WE DISCOVERED THERE
WAS WIDESPREAD NONCOMPLIANCE
AND SO JUST TO HIGHLIGHT THE
STRONG COLLABORATION THAT WE
HAVE WITH SPD WE QUICKLY MET
WITH THEIR LEADERSHIP, GAVE
THEM A BRIEFING AND THEY GOT
RIGHT ON PUTTING TOGETHER
TRAININGS AND MAKING SURE THAT
THEY WERE, YOU KNOW, MESSAGING
AND TRAINING TO CORRECT THOSE
WHILE WE WERE STILL IN
MIDSTREAM IN THE AUDIT. SO
IT'S IMPORTANT IN THESE TALKED
A LOT ABOUT HAVING
COLLABORATION WITH STAKE
HOLDERS AND COMMUNITY. THE
PARTNERSHIP IS CRITICAL TO
BEING ABLE TO ACCURATESY ASSESS
THE STATE OF THINGS WITHIN SPD
AND TO PROVIDE THEM WITH
ACTIONABLE FEEDBACK. IT IS A
CRITICAL THING TO HAVE TRUST
AND COLLABORATION BETWEEN OIG
AND SPD. OUR SAFER TRAFFIC
ENFORCEMENT WORK GROUP ALSO
REALLY INITIATED FROM A LOT OF
UNREST AND ISSUES THAT CAME OUT
IN 2020. SITUATIONS ARE
OFFICERS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS
DIDN'T HAVE TO COME INTO
CONTACT WITH OPEN OTHER IN
SITUATIONS THAT COULD
POTENTIALLY BE DANGEROUS FOR
EITHER OFFICERS OR COMMUNITY IN
UNNECESSARY SITUATIONS.
ESPECIALLY WITH TRAFFIC STOPS.
WE'VE SEEN THOSE CAN REALLY GO
WRONG. THERE WERE WAYS TO DO
TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT MORE SAFE
LEAVEN TO DO IT IN DIFFERENT
WAYS THAT DIDN'T BRING THOSE
TWO GROUPS OF FOLKS INTO
CONTACT WITH EACH OTHER WHEN IT
WASN'T NECESSARY. OUR FIRST
YEAR WE INSTITUTED WORK GROUPS
AND HAD FOLKS NATIONALLY FROM
INNOCENCE PROJECT, NATIONAL
INNOCENCE PROJECT, WASHINGTON
INNOCENCE PROJECT, PUBLIC
DEFENDER GROUPS, SPD. WE REALLY
GOT A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE ROOM
WITH A COUPLE OF WORK GROUPS TO
COME UP WITH RECOMMENDATIONS.
OUR WORK GROUP LAST YEAR WAS
REALLY FOCUSED ON SAFER
TECHNOLOGY -- USING TECHNOLOGY
AND GETTING GRANTS TO CREATE
CONDITIONS WHERE PEOPLE COULD
GET THEIR CAR FIXED OUT WITHOUT
HAVING TO GET PULLED OVER FOR A
MISSING TAILLIGHT OR SMOKING
TAIL PIPE OR SOMETHING LIKE
THAT. SO WE'VE TRIED TO IN
THIS LAST ROUND BE PROACTIVE
ABOUT HOW WE COULD BETTER USE
GOVERNMENT RESOURCES AND CREATE
SITUATIONS THAT WOULD ALLOW FOR
BETTER TRAFFIC SAFETY AND MORE
SAFE TRAFFIC SAFETY FOR
OFFICERS. I WILL MOVE OFF THAT
SLIDE NOW. THE BIG AREAS OF
WORK FOR OIG IN THE COMING YEAR
IS TRANSITIONING THE WORK OF
THE FEDERAL MONITOR TO OIG. SO
WE'VE BEEN ENGAGED LAST YEAR
WAS A LOT OF COMING UP WITH AN
OVERARCHING WORK PLAN. COMING
UP WITH METHODOLOGIES FOR HOW
WE WERE GOING TO CONTINUE TO
LOOK AT THE CORE PILLARS THAT
WERE OF CONCERN. HOW SPD USES
FORCE. HOW THEY INVESTIGATE
FORCE. HOW THEY RESPOND TO
PERSONS IN IT CRISIS. WHETHER
THEY HAVE ADEQUATE SUPERVISION.
ALL OF THOSE ISSUES WE'RE
TRYING TO CREATE A WEB OF WAYS
IN WHICH WE CAN CONTINUE
MEANINGFUL ASSESSMENT AND
ANALYSIS OF THAT AND HELPING
SPD WITH CRITICAL FEEDBACK.
SURVEILLANCE TECHNOLOGIES AS I
MENTIONED IT'S A GROWING BODY
OF WORK IN TERMS OF REVIEW.
ALSO THE CITY IS BEGINNING TO
EXPLORE USING TECHNOLOGIES IN A
VARIETY OF WAYS AS FORCE
MULTIMULTIPLIERS FOR THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT IN TERMS OF CAMERAS,
GUNSHOT LOCATION TECHNOLOGY.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE TO HELP INFORM
THEM AND THEIR INITIAL RSJI
WORK FOR THAT PROJECT. I THINK
ONE OF THE QUESTIONS EARLIER TO
CPC WAS HOW DO YOU CREATE A
MORE HOSPITABLE ENVIRONMENT FOR
RECRUITING. WHAT'S GOING TO
MAKE SOMEBODY WANT TO COME AND
JOIN SPD AND THAT TEAM? ONE OF
THE THINGS ESPECIALLY I THINK
MR. CHAIR TALKED ABOUT 309 BY
30 REPORT. YOU HAVE TO CREATE
AN ENVIRONMENT INTERNALLY FOR
PEOPLE WHO WANT TO COME TO THE
DEPARTMENT AND FEEL LIKE
THEY'RE SUPPORTED LIKE THEY
HAVE A WAY TO FEEL LIKE THEY
ARE A TRUE PART OF A TEAM AND
THEY CAN BRING THEIR TRUE
SELVES TO THAT TEAM. WORKING
WITH RACIAL AND GENDER EQUITY
ISSUES ALONGSIDE SPD IS WORK
WE'RE TAKING ON. WHAT I MEAN
BY RESPONSIVE POLICY PROJECTS.
WHETHER WE DO AUDITS. OTHER
PROJECTS. SOMETIMES THERE IS AN
OUTGROWTH OF WORK THAT REQUIRES
BEST PRACTICE RESEARCH AND
POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS. WE TOO
I TO HAVE OUR POLICY FOLKS
BEING RESPONSIVE TO ISSUES AS
THEY EMERGE. DURING 2020 WHEN
SPD WAS ENGAGED IN THE CONFLICT
THAT WAS HAPPENING DOWNTOWN
THERE WAS A REQUEST FROM
COUNCIL TO PROVIDE GUIDANCE ON
LESS LETHAL WEAPONS. WHAT THEY
ARE, HOW THEY'RE USED. OUR
POLICY TEAM DID QUITE A BIT OF
WORK DURING THAT SUMMER TO
PROVIDE INFORMATION AND
RECOMMENDATIONS TO COUNCIL ON
ISSUES LIKE THAT. WE ALSO HAVE
AN ON GOING COLLABORATION WITH
SPD TO INCREASE THEIR
UNDERSTANDABILITY AND
ACCESSIBILITY. TRY TO MAKE
SENSE OF OWE THEY USE FORCE.
HOW THEY RESPOND TO PEOPLE IN
CRISIS. OTHER ISSUES OF IMPORT
TO PEOPLE. WE'VE BEEN DOING
QUITE A BIT OF WORK ON THAT
FRONT AS WELL. AS I MENTIONED
EARLIER ONE OF THE CORE
FUNCTIONS THAT WE TOOK ON WAS
OPA OVERSIGHT. JUST BRIEFLY THE
WAY OIG DOES THAT IS WE TOUCH
THE CASES AT TWO POINTS. ONE IS
AT CLASSIFICATION. THEY MAKE A
DECISION ABOUT WHETHER IT IS
SUFFICIENT INFORMATION AND
ALLEGATIONS TO WARRANT A FULL
INVESTIGATION. WHETHER IT CAN
BE RESOLVED. OR WHETHER IT'S
LACKING. MAKING AN ALLEGATION
THAT CAN BE INVESTIGATED AND
MAKING IT A CONTACT LOG. SO WE
MAKE SURE IT'S BEEN
APPROPRIATELY MADE AND THAT
EVERYTHING THAT MERITS AN
INFORMATION DOES GO TO
INFORMATION. THEN AFTER OPA HAS
DONE THEIR INVESTIGATION WE
LOOK AT IT AGAIN. WE GO THROUGH
THE WHOLE FILE TO MAKE SURE
IT'S THOROUGH. THAT IT'S NOT
BIASED AND THAT IT'S TIMELY.
WE GIVE THEM A CERTIFICATION. A
PARTIAL CERTIFICATION. IF WE
DON'T AGREE THAT IT'S MET
THOSE WE CAN ALSO NOT CERTIFY.
THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS WE OFFER
FEEDBACK INFORMALLY AND
FORMALLY. WE CAN DIRECT THEM TO
DO ADDITIONAL INVESTIGATION. IF
NEED BE. BUT ALL OF THAT
INFORMATION IS CAPTURED IN OUR
ANNUAL REPORT. YOU CAN SEE HOW
OFTEN WE CONCUR WITH OPAs
DECISION MAKING AND WHERE WE
HAVE DIFFERENCES. ONE OF THE
FUNCTIONS WE TOOK ON THAT WAS
NOT SOMETHING THE OLD OPA
AUDITOR DID WAS CONFLICT
INVESTIGATIONS. IF IT A MEMBER
OF OPA IS ALLEGED TO HAVE
COMMITTED SOME SORT OF POLICY
VIOLATION OR OTHER MISCONDUCT,
WE CONFER WITH OPA AND TAKE
THOSE CASES ON AND DO THE
INVESTIGATION IN OPA'S STEAD
IF THEY CAN'T MITIGATE THAT
POTENTIAL CONFLICT. THE OTHER
FAIRLY NEW DUTY THAT WE'VE
TAKEN ON IS HAVING OVERSIGHT OF
HANDLING COMPLAINTS AGAINST THE
CHIEF OF POLICE. COUNCIL I
BELIEVE A YEAR AND A HALF AGO
ADOPTED AN ORDINANCE THAT
SPELLED OUT A PROCEDURE FOR
DOING THAT. THAT REQUIRES OPA
AND OIG TO WORK TOGETHER TO
MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT WHO IS
BEST TO INVESTIGATE COMPLAINTS
AGAINST THE CHIEF AND TO MAKE
PROPER NOTIFICATIONS TO
COUNCIL, MAYOR AND OTHER
STAKEHOLDERS AS IS SPELLED OUT
IN THE ORDINANCE. I WANTED
THESE SLIDES TO CONTAIN A LOT
OF INFORMATION BUT I DON'T
INTEND TO TALK ABOUT THEM GIVEN
OUR TIME CONSTRAINTS ABOUT ALL
OF THEM. I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT
A COUPLE OF THINGS. IN OUR 2024
WORK PLAN IN THE OPA AREA, WHAT
WE WANT TO DO IS REALLY TRY TO
INCREASE TRANSPARENCY AROUND
THE WORK WE'RE DOING THERE.
WE'RE IMMATERIAL PROVING OUR
CONTACT TRACKING SYSTEM AND
WE'RE WORKING TO DEVELOP A
WEBSITE DASHBOARD. I THINK THAT
OUR OPA PARTNER DOES A REALLY
GREAT JOB WITH THEIR DASHBOARD.
PUTTING THEIR WORK ON THERE COB
TRANSPARENT TO LET COMMUNITIES
SEE WHAT THEY'RE DOING. READ
THEIR CASES. WE'RE WORKING TO
INCREASE OUR VISIBILITY AND OUR
WEBSITE WITH THE OPA WORK. E
WITH HAVE ALSO BEEN PRODUCING
QUARTERLY REPORTS ON OUR
CLASSIFICATION DECISIONS SO
THAT COMMUNITY HAS INSIGHT INTO
THOSE DECISIONS BEING MADE AND
HAS SOME SURETY THAT OPA IS
MAKING THE PROPER
CLASSIFICATION DECISIONS. OUR
POLICY PROJECTS ONE OF THE
REALLY LARGE BODIES OF WORK
THAT CAME OUT OF 2020 WAS A
REVIEW PROCESS AND I BELIEVE
OUR PUBLIC COMMENTER WHO WAS
TALKING ABOUT WAYS IN WHICH THE
AVIATION INDUSTRY HAS, YOU
KNOW, LOOKED AT RISK AND
MANAGING RISK IS USING THINGS
LIKE SET REVIEW. YOU LOOK AT
ROOT CAUSES TO TRY TO FIND
SYSTEMIC FACTORS THAT
CONTRIBUTED TO A NEGATIVE
OUTCOME. WHEN YOU HAVE AN
INCIDENT LIKE AN
OFFICER-INVOLVED SHOOTING IT'S
RARE THAT SOMEBODY JUST GETS UP
AND DECIDED TO COME TO WORK
THAT DAY AND INTENDS THAT
OUTCOME. OFTEN THERE ARE A LOT
OF SYSTEMIC FACTORS THAT CAN GO
IN TO CREATING A NEGATIVE
OUTCOME WHERE YOU CAN PERHAPS
UPSTREAM HAVE SOME IMPACTS THAT
LIMIT OR REDUCE THE LIKELIHOOD
THAT THOSE THINGS HAPPEN AGAIN.
WE DID TWO YEARS LONG REVIEW
PROCESS OF THE PROTESTS. DATA
DRIVEN BUT BRINGING POLICE SPD
PEOPLE AND COMMUNITY PEOPLE
INTO PANEL DISCUSSIONS TO
REALLY PROBLEM SOLVE TOGETHER
AND COME UP WITH SYSTEMIC
RECOMMENDATIONS THAT LARGELY
SPD HAS BEEN VERY RECEPTIVE OF.
E WITH ISSUED COLLECTIVELY 140
RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE FOUR
REPORTS. THE FOUR WAVES WE
ANALYZED OF THAT PROTEST. MOST
OF THEM I THINK ARE EITHER
ALREADY IMPLEMENTED OR IN THE
PROCESS OF IMPLEMENTATION.
THERE ARE FEW THAT WEREN'T
ACCEPTED BY SPD. I THINK
THAT'S BECAUSE WE HAD SPD
INVOLVED IN THE ENTIRE PROCESS.
SO THE FINDINGS AND
RECOMMENDATIONS THAT CAME OUT
OF IT WERE THINGS THAT HAD BEEN
VETTED BY SPD AND THAT
COLLABORATIVE PROCESS. WE
LEARNED HOW VALUABLE THAT
PROBLEM SOLVING PROCESS COULD
BE. WE DON'T WANT TO LOSE THAT
LEARNING. WE WANT TO TRY TO
PILOT A SENTINEL EVENT REVIEW
WHERE THERE'S A NEXUS WITH A
PERSON IN CRISIS. WE CAN LEARN
AS MUCH AS WE CAN ABOUT
UPSTREAM FACTORS THAT COULD
POTENTIALLY BE IMPROVED OR
CHANGED TO KEEP NEGATIVE
OUTCOMES FROM OCCURRING IN THAT
ROLE. AUDITS, WE DID AN AUDIT
OF DISCIPLINE. I THINK THAT'S
AN AREA THAT REMAINS OPEN FOR
THE COURT. WE ARE DOING AN
UPDATE OF THAT SO WE CAN GO
BACK AND LOOK AT DISCIPLINE
DECISIONS FROM CHIEF DIAZ. HE
HAD RECENTLY BEEN APPOINTED
WHEN WE FINISHED OUR AUDIT.
MUCH OF HIS DISCIPLINARY
DECISIONS HAD NOT BEEN
ACCOUNTED IN OUR DATA SET.
WE'RE GOING TO DO A REFRESH OF
THAT TO PERHAPS PROVIDE INSIGHT
ON HOW EFFECTIVE OUR
ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM IS FOR
INDIVIDUAL OFFICER DISCIPLINE.
WE'RE ALSO INITIATING LATER IN
THE YEAR AN AUDIT OF THE
IMPACTS OF OVERTIME ON OFFICER
PERFORMANCE. THIS IS LARGELY
BASED ON A SIMILAR PROJECT THAT
WAS DONE BY NYPD AND, YOU KNOW,
I THINK WE WANT TO LEARN WHAT
HAPPENS WHEN OFFICERS ARE
WORKING LONG SHIFTS OR WORKING
OVERTIME AND HOW THAT CAN
IMPACT THEIR DECISION MAKING.
THEIR OVERALL WELLNESS TO SEE
IF SPD CAN PERHAPS FIND WAYS TO
MITIGATE ANY SORT OF NEGATIVE
OUTCOMES THAT ARE OCCURRING
FROM THAT. ANNUAL SURVEILLANCE
USAGE REVIEWS ALREADY.
MENTIONED THIS ALREADY. THIS
SLIDE SHOWS IT'S AN EXAMPLE OF
SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS
WE'VE MADE IN THE LAST FEW
YEARS AND HOW EFFECTIVE THEY
HAVE BEEN. I'M NOT GOING TO
SPEND TIME ON THAT BECAUSE
WE'RE SHORT OF TIME, BUT
CERTAINLY WANTED YOU TO HAVE
JUST SOME INFORMATION ABOUT
SUCCESSES WE HAVE. AND BEFORE I
TURN IT OVER TO BESSI. I WANTED
TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE
CHALLENGES WE HAVE. I MENTIONED
THAT WE STARTED WITH ONE
PERSON, ME. THE ORDINANCE
ORIGINALLY GAVE US EIGHT STAFF.
WE'RE NOW AT ALMOST 23 AND SO
WHEN YOU GROW IN SIZE LIKE THAT
YOU NECESSARILY NEED ROOM TO
EXPAND. SO I JUST WANT TO SAY
THAT, YOU KNOW, IN THE FUTURE
WE MIGHT LOOK TO COUNCIL FOR
SUPPORT IN MAKING SURE THAT WE
HAVE APPROPRIATE SPACE FOR OUR
FOLKS. THAT SPACE IS A
CHALLENGE FOR US. ALL RIGHT.
>> THANKS SO MUCH. I WANT TO GO
BACK QUICKLY TO JUST DESCRIBE
THE EQUITY ASSESSMENT THAT LISA
MENTIONED EARLIER. SO WE ARE
COORDINATING AN APPROACH USING
SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS TO LOOK
AT POLICIES, PRACTICES AND
PROCEDURES WITHIN SPD TO
IDENTIFY ELEMENTS OF WORKPLACE
CULTURE THAT MAY MAYBE
INFLUENCE VARIOUS OUTCOMES Z OF
THE INSTITUTION AS A WHOLE. TO
OPTIMIZE EMPLOYEE RECRUITMENT
RETENTION AND JOB SATISFACTION.
THREE MAJOR FUNCTIONS. ORDER
MAINTENANCE, LAW ENFORCEMENT
AND SERVICE. AND TO DETERMINE
THE IMPACTS OF WORKPLACE
INITIATIVES INTENDED TO IMPROVE
CULTURE. SO USING QUALITATIVE
AND QUANTITATIVE DATA TO MAKE
SOME RECOMMENDATIONS DOWN THE
LINE IN TERMS OF IMPROVING
WORKPLACE CULTURE. SO THE
EQUITY ASSESSMENTS WE'RE
LOOKING FORWARD TO CARRYING OUT
THIS YEAR. AND I WANT TO TALK
ABOUT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
WE'RE RESPONSIBLE TO COMMUNITY
AND YOU ALL ASKED ABOUT THE
DIFFERENCES
>>> OUR FUNCTIONS ARE
DIFFERENT. WE ARE INDEPENDENT,
SO WE DO COLLABORATE WHEN
NECESSARY , ACCORDING TO TOPIC
AND TRENDS. WE USE A COMMUNITY
CENTER DESIGN APPROACH TOPIC ONO
WORK ON. WE ARE VERY GOOD AT
HAVING TARGETED OUTREACH AND
RECRUITMENT EFFORTS TO MAKE
SURE WE HAVE THE MOST IMPACT
FOR THE WORK WE ARE DOING AT
THE TIME. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
CAN BE DIFFERENT MODELS FROM
ONE-ON-ONE READINGS --
MEETINGS TO ROUNDTABLES AND WE
ARE VERY CLEAR ABOUT THE
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT STRATEGIES
IN TERMS OF PANELS, ROUNDTABLE
WORKGROUPS AND MAKING SURE THAT
OUR INFORMATION IS SUCCESSFUL
TO THE COMMUNITY. WE HAVE VERY
DIFFERENT REPORTS, AS YOU KNOW.
WE MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN BREAK
THEM DOWN, SO THE COMMUNITY CAN
UNDERSTAND WHAT WE ARE LOOKING
FORWARD TO. WE ARE REDOING THE
WEBSITE TO HAVE CONTENT,
EDUCATION AND OUTREACH
INITIATIVE AROUND IT FOR
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
>> THANK YOU.
>>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. I
APPRECIATE THE BOTH OF YOU. I
JUST WANT TO CHECK IF THERE
ARE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE
COMMITTEE? VICE CHAIR? HE WAS
THE FIRST TO RAISE HIS HAND.
>> THANK YOU, GENERAL JUDGE
FOR THIS PRESENTATION . I HAVE
A QUESTION PERTAINING TO ONE OF
YOUR SLIDES THAT HAS THE
HEADING, RECENT OIG PROJECTS. I
DON'T KNOW IF THERE IS ANY
SPECIFIC SLIDE NUMBER LISTED,
BUT ON THE CONTEXT OF BROADER
SLIDES, SLIDE 39. REGARDLESS,
THERE IS A TOPIC IN THE UPPER
LEFT BUCKET OR QUADRANT THAT
SAYS, ARDENT -- AUDIT OF YOUTH
ACCESS TO LEGAL COUNSEL . I
WILL JUST SHARE SOMETHING THAT
HAS BEEN WEIGHING HEAVILY ON MY
HEART AND MIND RECENTLY . LAST
WEEK MARKED THE ONE MONTH
ANNIVERSARY OF THE DEATH OF
15-YEAR-OLD WHO WAS A STUDENT
AT HIGH SCHOOL . HE WAS THE SON
OF AN IMMIGRANT AND REFUGEES.
LAST WEEK MARKED THE TRAGIC ONE
MONTH ANNIVERSARY SINCE HE WAS
KILLED . IT WAS THE FIRST
HOMICIDE IN THE WHOLE CITY . WE
LEARNED A COUPLE OF THINGS
ALREADY AND I WORKED WITH
PARKS TO ADDRESS DISCREPANCIES
WITH THE CAMERA SITUATION AND
WORKING ALONGSIDE CHIEF DIAZ
TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE
EFFECTIVELY CARRYING OUT OUR
SAFETY MANDATE, INCLUDING THE
CRITICAL INVESTIGATORY
FUNCTIONS NEEDED . THERE WAS A
GREAT ARTICLE YESTERDAY IN THE
SEATTLE TIMES THAT HIGHLIGHTED
AN OPPORTUNITY . THERE WAS A
STATE LAW. ACTUALLY, THE
SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL ORDINANCE,
FIRST OFF WAS PUT INTO PLACE
IN 2020 OR 2021 TWO GRANT
MINORS LEGAL REPRESENTATION
AND THE STATE LEGISLATURE TOOK
IT UPON THEMSELVES TO ADD THAT
PROTECTION AT THE STATE LEVEL.
IN THIS CASE, IT IS A HUGE
BARRIER AND IMPEDIMENT TO
GIVING THE FAMILY ANSWERS. I
BELIEVE THAT FAMILIES DESERVE
ANSWERS, WHICH IS WHY I FOUGHT
HARD TO MAKE SURE, FOR EXAMPLE
, THAT FAMILIES OF PEOPLE
INVOLVED IN SHOOTINGS AND
KILLINGS HAVE ACCESS TO LEGAL
REPRESENTATION ON THE COUNTY
LEVEL. AGAIN, FAMILIES
DESERVE ANSWERS, WHETHER THE
CIRCUMSTANCES OR SITUATION.
HERE IS NO DIFFERENT. THEY
DESERVE ANSWERS. THIS SEEMS TO
BE A VERY VAGUE AND OVERLY
BROAD STATUTE. THERE IS AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR STATE
LEGISLATURE TO MAKE TECHNICAL
CLEANUPS TO MINIMIZE THE
IMPACT OF SOMETHING LIKE THIS
HAPPENING AGAIN. I WASN'T
INVOLVED IN THE CREATION OF
THAT STATUTE NEITHER AT THE
COUNCIL LEVEL . I CAN'T
IMAGINE OUTCOMES LIKE THIS OR
WHAT THE AUTHORS ENVISION.
REGARDLESS, CAN I ASK MORE
ABOUT THE SPECIFIC SCOPE OF THE
AUDIT THAT WAS PERFORMED OR IS
IN THE PROCESS OF BEING
PERFORMED WITH RESPECT TO
YOUTH ACCESS LEGAL COUNSEL?
CAN YOU SHARE YOUR FINDINGS?
>> IT HAS BEEN PUBLISHED, SO
THE AUDIT IS ON OUR WEBSITE AND
IT IS AVAILABLE. THE CRITERIA
WE USED , WE TOOK THE
PRINCIPLES IN THE SEATTLE
ORDINANCE AND STATE LAW. THAT
IS WHAT WE ASSESSED BODY WORN
VIDEO THAT PROVIDED CRITERIA.
THE SEATTLE ORDINANCE AND
STATE LAW DO GO FURTHER THAN
MIRANDA LAW , WHICH IS APPLIED
IN A DEALT -- AND ADULT
CONTEXT. YOUTH WHO WERE IN
CUSTODY BE AFFORDED
ASSISTANCE OF COUNSEL TO MAKE
ANY DECISIONS ABOUT WAIVING
RIGHTS. THE STATE LAW HAD
SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT LANGUAGE,
BUT REALLY IT WAS DESIGNED
WITH THE NOTION THAT THE
UNDEVELOPED BRAIN OF A JUVENILE
IS MORE SUSCEPTIBLE TO BEING
OVER BORN AND HAS NOT
DEVELOPED ENOUGH TO MAKE GOOD
DECISIONS ABOUT WAIVING RIGHTS,
SO DECISIONS ABOUT WHETHER A
JUVENILE WOULD CONSENT TO
ALLOWING A SEARCH OF PROPERTY
AND WHETHER THEY WERE TO TALK
WITH POLICE OFFICERS REQUIRES
SOME SORT OF ASSISTANCE OF A
LAWYER BEFORE THEY MADE THOSE
DECISIONS ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT
THEY WANTED TO TALK. THERE IS A
HOTLINE THAT HAS BEEN SET UP
THAT OFFICERS CAN CALL, SO THAT
YOU CAN TALK TO A LAWYER
BEFORE THEY DECIDE THAT THEY
WANT TO TALK WITH OFFICERS. WE
FOUND THAT OFFICERS WERE
LARGELY NOT GIVING YOU THAT
THEY HAD. INITIALLY, WE HAD
TO MAKE SURE ABOUT WHETHER
THIS WAS CUSTODY AND THE
REQUIREMENTS KICK IN OR IS IT
JUST AN INTERACTION BETWEEN
OFFICERS WHERE THERE IS NOT A
SHOW OF FORCE, PATROL CAR. IT
IS A LESSER TYPE OF -- THEY
ARE STILL BEING TALKED TO BY
POLICE AND THEY MAY NOT BE
FREE TO LEAVE, BUT IT'S NOT
CUSTODY FOR MIRANDA PURPOSES.
IT'S HARD TO DO THIS, BECAUSE
THE LAW AROUND MIRANDA AND WHEN
SOMEONE IS IN CUSTODY REQUIRING
THAT WARNING IS VERY
COMPLICATED AND NUANCED. SOME
OF WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE
INVESTIGATION OF THE PARTICULAR
CASE STEMS FROM AN
UNDERSTANDING OF HOW MUCH YOU
CAN TALK TO SOMEBODY AND WHEN
YOU CAN TALK TO SOMEBODY. IT
WAS PERHAPS A LACK OF
UNDERSTANDING ABOUT THE REACH
OF THE STATUTES AND STATE LAW .
>> LACK OF UNDERSTANDING FROM
HIS PERSPECTIVE?
>> FROM THE OFFICERS. THEY MAY
HAVE FELT MORE CONSTRAINED
ABOUT THEIR ABILITY TO TALK TO
INDIVIDUALS INVOLVED WITNESSES
AND THE STATE LAW DOES NOT DO A
GOOD JOB OF DISCERNING BETWEEN
JUVENILES WHO MAY BE WITNESSES
OR SUSPECTED OF CRIMINAL
INVOLVEMENT. SOMETIMES IT IS A
BLURRY LINE . MORE
CLARIFICATION WOULD BE HELPFUL,
SO THAT IF YOU DO HAVE A
JUVENILE WHO IS POTENTIALLY A
WITNESS OR VICTIM OF SOMETHING
, THERE WOULD BE LATITUDE ON
THE PART OF LAW ENFORCEMENT TO
TALK WITH THEM AND NOT FEEL
CONSTRAINED, BECAUSE THERE IS
NO DISTINCTION MADE IN THE
STATE LAW CURRENTLY.
>> CURRENTLY?
>> YES.
>> TO THIS EXTENT, IT WAS A
LACK OF CLARITY ON THE
PARAMETERS OR APPLICABILITY OF
THIS PARTICULAR STATUTE IN
THIS CASE , SO WHO IS
RESPONSIBLE FOR MAKING SURE
OUR FRONT-LINE OFFICERS,
DETECTIVES AND INVESTIGATORS
ARE EMPOWERED AND HAVE A
STRONG UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IT
APPLIES AND DOESN'T?
>> THEY HAVE A TRAINING
SECTION, SO THEY BEAR GENERAL
RESPONSIBILITY FOR MAKING SURE
THAT OFFICERS ARE WELL TRAINED
ON THE LAW. I MENTIONED THAT
I WAS GENERAL COUNSEL FOR THE
POLICE DEPARTMENT AND WHATEVER
MAIN FUNCTIONS I HAD WAS
TRAINING RECRUITS AND OFFICERS
DURING ONGOING TRAINING.
AVAILABLE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS
FOR OFFICERS IN THE FIELD IF
THEY DIDN'T UNDERSTAND PERHAPS
SOME NUANCED AND WANTED TO
KNOW IF THEY COULD TALK TO
SOMEBODY OR NOT, SO SPD NEEDS
TO HAVE LEGAL RESOURCES
AVAILABLE AND LEGAL
INTERPRETATIONS IN THE FORM OF
TRAINING PUSHED OUT ON ISSUES .
I HAVE TALKED WITH LEADERSHIP
AND I BELIEVE THAT IS THEIR
INTENTION IN THIS AREA .
>> THIS MAY OR MAY NOT BE AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR ENHANCED
TRAINING AND FOR REMEDIATION
GOING FORWARD . I SEE OUR STAFF
EXPERT ON PUBLIC SAFETY WHO
WILL BE FOLLOWING UP FOR ONE ON
ONE BRIEFING WITH MORE ON THIS
. DID I HEAR THIS CORRECTLY?
THE RELEVANT CITY ORDINANCE
ONLY CONTEMPLATED IN CUSTODY
SITUATIONS. IT IS UNDER THE
SIXTH AMENDMENT AND THE STATE
STATUTE THAT SUPERSEDED AND
REPLACED ESSENTIALLY ALL AND
PREEMPTED ALL LOCAL
ORDINANCES, INCLUDING
SEATTLE'S . IT MADE IT MORE
BROAD AND TOOK OUT IN CUSTODY
SITUATIONS ALONE?
>> YES, WITHOUT THE VERBIAGE
IN FRONT OF ME, THEY FELL
TOGETHER. IT IS FIFTH
AMENDMENT . IT IS A DIFFERENT
RIGHT.
>> MY PROCEDURE CLASSES FROM
LAW SCHOOL IN THE BAR EXAM,
YEAH. OKAY. SO I THINK WHAT I
MENTIONED EARLIER STANDS IN
TERMS OF THAT THERE MIGHT BE AN
OPPORTUNITY TO CLARIFY THE
SCOPE AND INTENT OF THE STATUTE
AT THE STATE LEVEL.
>> WAS THAT FROM LAST YEAR?
>> I THINK THE STATE STATUTE
WAS FROM THE FOLLOWING SESSION
. SOMEONE CORRECT ME IF I'M
WRONG . I'M LOOKING AT A TABLE
OF EXPERTS, BUT I THINK IT WAS
THE STATE LEGISLATIVE SESSION
AFTER THE CITY PASSED ITS OWN
LOCAL ORDINANCE .
>> THAT'S CORRECT.
>> ONE OF YOUR FUNCTIONS IS TO
WEIGH IN ON THE CITY'S
LEGISLATIVE AGENDA AND BILLS
HAPPENING .
>> ON THE STATE'S JUVENILE? I
DON'T RECALL AT THE MOMENT IF
WE DID. IT WAS A FEW YEARS
AGO.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THE SIXTH AMENDMENT IS VERY
IMPORTANT AND A VERY IMPORTANT
TOPIC RIGHT NOW. WE DO HAVE
SOME INSIGHT. AS USUAL,
SPEAKING OF LEGAL,
COUNCILMEMBER MOORE ALWAYS
COMING IN SECOND IN TERMS OF
RAISED HAND. OVER TO YOU.
>> BACK TO MORE SERIOUS
MATTERS, WE HAVE BEEN TALKING
ABOUT ACCOUNTABILITY AND WITH
THE 2018 ACCOUNTABILITY
ORDINANCE THAT WAS ANY OF THE
PROVISIONS DID NOT MAKE IT
THROUGH THE BARGAINING PROCESS.
FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE AS OIG
AND AUDITOR, WHAT ARE THE TOP
THREE ACCOUNT ABILITY
PROVISIONS THAT WOULD BE VERY
-- WHAT ARE THE TOP THREE THAT
THE COUNCIL SHOULD BE
CONTEMPLATING?
>> I THINK SUBPOENA POWER HAS
BEEN MENTIONED QUITE A BIT.
OIG AND OPA DO ALREADY HAVE
POWER IN A VARIETY OF
SITUATIONS. I THINK THE POWER
THAT IS LACKING IS WITH REGARD
TO PERSONS REPRESENTED BY THE
SPA CONTRACT AND IT IS FOR
OFFICERS. I KNOW THEY HAVE
CONCERN ABOUT SUBPOENA AND
ABOUT THERE BEING SUBPOENAED
FAMILY MEMBERS INVOLVED. IT IS
REALLY THE SUBSET OF OFFICERS
WHERE THERE IS NO SUBPOENA
POWER AUTHORITY CURRENTLY AND
WE HAVE NOT HAD TO ENTERTAIN
THOUGHTS OF SUBPOENAING
OFFICERS OR SERGEANTS, BECAUSE
WE HAVE A COOPERATIVE POLICE
CHIEF . WE HAVE A SYSTEM WHERE
THE CITY IS STILL CURRENTLY
UNDER CONSENT DECREE OVERSIGHT,
SO WE HAVE A SYSTEM IN PLACE
WHERE COOPERATION RULES THE
DAY AND WE HAVE A CHIEF WHO
HAS STANDING ORDER FOR THEIR
EMPLOYEES TO COOPERATE AND
INVESTIGATIONS CONDUCT DID BY
OPA AND OIG, SO WE RELY ON THE
CHIEFS ORDER FOR THE EMPLOYEES
TO COOPERATE AND GIVE
INTERVIEWS, PROVIDE EVIDENCE
AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE . THE
IMPORTANCE OF SUBPOENA POWER
PERHAPS ISN'T A TODAY ISSUE,
BUT BUILDING A SYSTEM FOR THE
FUTURE OR WE MAY NOT ENJOY A
COOPERATIVE COLLABORATIVE
RELATIONSHIP AND WE MAY NOT
HAVE LEADERSHIP THAT IS
INCLINED TO DEMAND
PARTICIPATION IN OVERSIGHT
ACTIVITIES AND INVESTIGATIONS.
THAT IS ONE. PROVIDING
CLARITY ON THE 180 DAY TIMELINE
, SO THAT IT IS TOLD
APPROPRIATELY IN SITUATIONS
WHERE SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT
IS INVESTIGATING ITS OWN
OFFICERS OR OTHER SITUATIONS
THAT ALLOW OPA TO HAVE
SUFFICIENT TIME TO DO
INVESTIGATIONS AND FOR
EVERYBODY TO UNDERSTAND WHEN
THE TIMELINE IS TOLD AND WHEN
IT IS RUNNING. I THINK THOSE
ARE PROBABLY THE TOP TWO ISSUES
THAT I WOULD IDENTIFY.
>> IF I MAY ASK IN HER POSITION
ABOUT STANDARD OF REVIEW, IS
THAT IMPORTANT?
>> IT IS. AGAIN, CLARITY AND
NOTICE IS IMPORTANT TO
EVERYBODY. I BELIEVE THAT IT
SHOULD BE A SINGLE STANDARD
REVIEW FOR MISCONDUCT DO NOT
HAVE WHAT FEELS LIKE A FAIRLY
SOMEWHAT HIGHER STANDARD FOR
CERTAIN TYPES OF MISCONDUCT .
>> THANK YOU.
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT?
>> I HAVE A BUNCH OF QUESTIONS,
BUT I WILL TRY TO PUT THEM IN
BUCKETS . IT IS PRIMARILY
ABOUT POLICY AND SPECIFICALLY
ABOUT THE NEXT SCR THAT YOU
WILL BE DOING. A LOT OF YOUR
WORK IS POLICY WORK AND IT
SEEMS -- YOU MENTIONED THAT
OIG WENT FROM 1 TO 22. IT
SEEMS AS THOUGH YOUR PORTFOLIO
IS GOING AND I ALWAYS WONDERED
WHEN YOU PRESENTED IN THE PAST
HOW YOU MANAGED IT ALL AND WHY
YOU HAVE TO DO ALL OF THAT. ON
ONE OF YOUR PAGES, YOU SAY THAT
YOU CONDUCT RESPONSIVE POLICY
PROJECTS . ONE OF MY QUESTIONS
AS RESPONSE TO WHO? WHO COMES
UP WITH THESE POLICY AREAS FOR
YOU TO INVESTIGATE AND MAKE
POLICY ON? IS THAT DRIVEN BY
COMMUNITY WORK THAT CPC DOES OR
SOME THAT YOUR POLICY STAFF HAS
THREE OR FOUR PEOPLE UNDER
THAT COLUMN POLICY COME UP WITH
AND BECAUSE I ASKED, THE ONLY
MENTION OF POLICY IN THE
FUNCTIONS GOING HERE IS THAT
YOU ARE TO REVIEW THE
PROCESSES AND OPERATIONS OF SPD
AND ENHANCED CULTURE OF
ACCOUNTABILITY IN VARIOUS WAYS,
BUT POLICY ISN'T CALLED OUT
IN A LONG LIST OF FUNCTIONS, SO
I THINK .
>> THE POLICY IS TO ALLOW US TO
HAVE RESEARCH BEHIND THE
RECOMMENDATIONS AND FINDINGS
THAT WE DO AND BEST PRACTICE
RESEARCH.
>> WHERE DO YOUR
RECOMMENDATIONS AND FINDINGS
COME FROM? WHO DRIVE THAT?
>> LET ME TALK ABOUT HOW IT IS
INITIATED. MANY OF THE POLICY
PROJECTS WE HAVE DONE,
INCLUDING DRIVEN BY COUNSEL
AND WITH REGARD TO THE REVIEW
OF PROTESTS , WE WERE ASKED TO
DO A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF
THE RESPONSE DURING THE SUMMER
OF 2020 , SO THAT WAS
RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT REQUEST
THAT WAS LARGELY DONE BY MY
POLICY TEAM. THE SAFETY
TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT WORK GROUP
WAS LARGELY DRIVEN BY COUNSEL
CONCERNS AT THE TIME AND AM
TRYING TO THINK OF SOME OF THE
YOUTH MIRANDA AND IT WAS AN
AUDIT OR REQUEST FOR COUNSEL.
SOME OF THEM HAVE A REQUEST
FROM SPD . SOME OF THEM HAVE
BEEN GENERATED BY GENERAL
COMMUNITY CONCERNS OR CONCERNS
ABOUT BEST PRACTICES. WE DID A
LOT OF WORK WITH SPD AND OPA IN
THE AREA OF INTERVIEWING AND
ADOPTING A MODEL THAT HAS BEEN
USED IN THE UK. WE WORKED WITH
EXPERT TO DEVELOP TRAINING
AND HOPEFULLY WE WILL PICK THAT
BACK UP WITH CORRESPONDING
POLICY WORK WITH SPD, BUT THAT
WAS LARGELY DRIVEN BY A
CONDITION IN THE DEPARTMENT
WHERE THOSE WHO INTERROGATE
PEOPLE AND INTERVIEW PEOPLE DO
NOT HAVE A COHESIVE TRAINING
OR APPROACH FOR THOSE THINGS,
SO IT WAS A GENERALIZED BEST
PRACTICE ISSUE A FEW YEARS AGO
THAT YOU DEVELOP WAYS TO LIMIT
THE USE OF DECEPTION IN YOUR
INTERROGATIONS AND DO IT IN AN
OPEN-ENDED WAY AND THE BEST
RECOLLECTION OR INTERROGATING
THAT YOU GET THE BEST
RECOLLECTION WITHOUT CLEARING
IT WITH BIAS OR IMPROPER OR
UNDESIRABLE COMPONENTS . I
HOPE THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION
ABOUT HOW MANY OF THESE
PROJECTS INITIATE .
>> IS IT SAFE TO SAY THAT IN
GENERAL WITH THE EXCEPTION OF
THE SENTINEL EVENT REVIEW
PROCESS IN RESPONSE TO THE
EVENTS OF 2020, MANY OF THE
POLICY -- MUCH OF THE WORK OR
PROJECT YOU ARE DOING WAS AT
THE REQUEST OF THE PAST
COUNSEL?
>> YES, MANY OF THEM WERE.
SOME OF THEM WERE NATIONAL BEST
PRACTICE ISSUES THAT EMERGED.
USE OF DECEPTION IN POLICE
INTERROGATIONS .
>> DID YOU DECIDE THAT? I'M
JUST TRYING TO GET A SENSE OF
-- THAT CAME AT THE NATIONAL
LEVEL? DID SOMEONE IN YOUR SHOP
SAY THAT WE SHOULD THINK ABOUT
IT AND DID YOU GO BACK AND SAY,
ARE YOU HEARING CONCERNS ABOUT
THIS? HOW ARE YOU WORKING WITH
CPC ABOUT WHAT THE COMMUNITY
WANTS TO BE FOCUSED ON IN
GENERAL?
>> I HAVE WORKED WITH SEVERAL
ITERATIONS, LEADERSHIP AND
STAFF. AT THAT TIME, I DID GO
TO THEM WITH A VARIETY OF
ISSUES, TALKED THROUGH THEM AND
THERE WAS GENERAL DISINTEREST
IN WORKING WITH OIG ON THOSE
PROJECTS, BUT WE DO MEET WITH
CPC . I THINK WE HAD SEVERAL
MEETINGS IN THE PAST WEEKS WITH
THEM ON THE AUDITS THAT WE ARE
BEGINNING TO INITIATE NOW , SO
THEY ARE A STAKEHOLDER GROUP
TO BALANCE IDEAS AND MAKE SURE
THAT WE ARE CAPTURING THE
CONCERNS OF COMMUNITY .
>> YOU AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT
THIS BEFORE, BUT WHEN I TALK
ABOUT GETTING OVERWHELMED
LISTENING TO YOU , YOU
MENTIONED SURVEILLANCE AND
IMPACT REPORTS . THE
SURVEILLANCE ORDINANCE WAS
PASSED OR REVISED IN 2018. THE
REVIEWS YOU HAVE IN DOING WERE
SIMPLY ALREADY EXISTING
TECHNOLOGIES THAT WE HAD --
THERE WAS A REPORT AND WE HAD
TO APPROVE IT IN MY COMMITTEE,
BECAUSE I WAS IN CHARGE OF
TECHNOLOGY. YOU HAVE BEEN
TASKED WITH LOOKING AT
TECHNOLOGIES THAT WERE IN USE
BEFORE THE SURVEILLANCE
ORDINANCE WAS ENACTED IN 2018.
SINCE THEN, I DON'T BELIEVE
SPD HAS ACQUIRED THE
TECHNOLOGY. THERE WILL BE THE
PACKAGE OF TECHNOLOGY THAT YOU
ALREADY LICENSED -- REFERENCED
GOING FORWARD. YOU ARE DOING A
LOT OF WORK LOOKING AT ALREADY
EXISTING TECHNOLOGY THAT SPD
HAS BEEN USING, BUT YOU ARE
LOOKING AT COMPLIANCE. THAT IS
A LARGE BODY OF WORK.
>> THERE'S MORE TO IT. THESE
ARE EXISTING TECHNOLOGIES, BUT
ALL OF THE EXISTING
TECHNOLOGIES WERE COMPILED ON
THE LIST. COUNSEL CURRENTLY
WORKING THROUGH THAT LIST AND
FORMERLY APPROVING
TECHNOLOGIES, SO THE COUNSEL
JUST STARTED APPROVING
TECHNOLOGIES EVEN THOUGH SOME
OF THEM HAVE BEEN IN USE FOR
QUITE A LONG PERIOD OF TIME
JUST THREE YEARS AGO, SO THE
BODY OF WORK STARTED WITH 10
TO 12 TO ALLERGIES AND IT
CONTINUES TO GROW AS COUNSEL
APPROVES THE EXISTING
TECHNOLOGIES AND HAVE NOT BEEN
PREVIOUSLY REVIEWED. THEIR
USAGE HAS NOT BEEN REVIEWED.
THEY ARE GETTING USE OF HOW
THEY USE THEM . WE ARE HAVING
WITH ALLERGIES ADDED . ONE OF
THE THINGS THAT WE TRY TO BE
CREATIVE ABOUT WORKING WITH THE
CITY AUDITOR, BECAUSE THEY HAVE
CORRESPONDING OBLIGATION TO ALL
SURVEILLANCE TECHNOLOGIES THAT
ARE NOT POLICE TECHNOLOGIES.
RATHER THAN HAVING THIS
AVALANCHE OF TECHNOLOGIES TO
REVIEW ANNUALLY , WE HAVE COME
UP WITH A SYSTEM TO BACK THEM
AND DO A SCALED REVIEW OF
TECHNOLOGIES THAT WE HAVE
PREVIOUSLY REVIEWED FOCUSING ON
NEW TECHNOLOGIES . SOME OF THE
TECHNOLOGIES REALLY DON'T
IMPLICATE CIVIL LIBERTIES AT
ALL , SO SOME OF THOSE FALL
DOWN.
>> JUST FOR AN EXAMPLE.
BINOCULARS?
>> NOT A HIGH RISK TECHNOLOGY.
THOSE THINGS WILL GET LITTLE
IF ANY REVIEW . WE ARE REALLY
TRYING TO USE RESOURCES OF OUR
AUDITORS IN THE BEST WAY AS WE
GET MORE TECHNOLOGIES TO FOCUS
ON ONES THAT MIGHT HAVE SOME
POTENTIAL IMPORTANCE.
>> ONE OF YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES
IS TO REVIEW JURISDICTIONS AND
MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO
POLICYMAKERS FOR INCREASING
THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE SPD
AND RELATED PROCESSES, SO HAVE
YOU LOOKED AT OTHER
JURISDICTIONS AND THEIR USE OF
TECHNOLOGIES AND DRAWING ANY
CONCLUSIONS ABOUT ?
>> I DON'T THINK WE HAVE DONE
THAT WORK , BUT WE FOCUS ON
DOING REVIEWS THEMSELVES. WE
ARE AWARE OF HOW OTHER
JURISDICTIONS USED TECHNOLOGIES
. THE SURVEILLANCE ORDINANCE IS
PERHAPS ONE OF THE MOST
STRINGENT IN TERMS OF
SAFEGUARDING CIVIL LIBERTIES
AND PRIVACY . I'M NOT SURE
THAT THERE IS ENOUGH ROBUST
INFORMATION ABOUT HOW
DEPARTMENTS ARE USING
SURVEILLANCE TECHNOLOGIES , BUT
IT IS CERTAINLY WORK THAT WE
CAN PROVIDE.
>> I HAVE HEARD THAT SEATTLE
IS OUR ABILITY TO TAKE
ADVANTAGE OF TECHNOLOGIES TO
MAKE UP FOR THE LAST -- LACK OF
POLICE OFFICERS BEING HAMPERED
BY SOME COMPONENTS OF THE
ORDINANCE , SO THAT'S WHY I
ASKED. WE HAVE NOT BOUGHT ANY
NEW TECHNOLOGY . WE ARE LOOKING
AT ALREADY EXISTING ANYWAY.
>> I CAN BE HUGE FOR A SMALL
MULTIPLIER.
>> CAN YOU MENTIONED THE SCR
YOU WILL BE DOING ON OFFICER
INVOLVED SHOOTINGS? I HAVE
SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT AND I
PROMISE I WON'T TAKE TOO MUCH
TIME. WHO WILL DO THAT WORK?
ARE YOU GOING TO IMPANEL A
GROUP THAT LIKE THE ONE IN
2020 OR WILL IT BE DONE BY A
CONSULTANT?
>> SURE. I WANT TO BE CLEAR
THAT IT WASN'T ORDERED BY THE
COURT. IT WAS VERY
COMPLEMENTARY OF THE REVIEW
AND I THINK IT'S INTERESTED.
>> I'M TALKING ABOUT THIS
UPCOMING ONE.
>> WE HAVE NOT BEEN ORDERED BY
THE COURT TO DO THIS, BUT
IT'S SOMETHING THAT THE COURT
HAS EXPRESSED INTEREST IN OIG
TAKING ON . WE ANTICIPATE
HAVING A PROCESS SIMILAR TO
THE ONE THAT WE HAD FOR THE
PROTEST. THE ONE THING THAT
WILL PROBABLY BE DIFFERENT IS
THAT WE STARTED WITH A
WORKGROUP WITH A VARIETY OF
COMMUNITY MEMBERS . UNLIKE AN
OFFICER INVOLVED SHOOTING WHERE
THE EVENT IS SELF DEFIANT , YOU
HAVE A SHOOTING . IN THE
PROTEST, WE HAD MANY NEGATIVE
EVENTS HAPPENING DAY AFTER DAY
, SO WE HAVE TO BRING FOLKS
TOGETHER TO LOOK AT THEM AND
COMPILE DATA TO SHOW THE DAYS
WHERE THERE IS THE HIGHEST
SPIKES OF USES AND COMPLAINTS
TO OPA . WE HAVE TO TAKE THOSE
SUBSETS AND HAVE OUR COMMUNITY
WORKGROUP PICK THE INCIDENTS
THAT WE WOULD TAKE A LOOK AT.
WE ONLY HAVE SO MANY RESOURCES
TO DEVOTE TO THAT PROJECT
HERE. WE PROBABLY WON'T NEED
A WORKGROUP. WE MAY NEED ONE
TO ASSIST US IN FLUSHING OUT
WHAT THE PANEL LOOKS LIKE AND
PANEL MEMBERSHIP . THAT IS IN
THE INCHOATE PLANNING STAGES.
WE ARE HOPING TO MODEL IT ON
THE SCR.
>> GOT IT. THERE WERE SOME
CRITICISMS OF THE PROCESS THAT
WERE PUT FORWARD TO YOU IN MAY
LAST YEAR . OFF-LINE, I
WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HOW YOU ARE
RESPONDING TO SOME OF THOSE
POINTS, CONCERNS OR CRITICISMS
ABOUT THE INFORMATION THAT
WAS PROVIDED TO THE PANEL TO
REVIEW . IT WAS A SUBSET OF A
LOT OF INFORMATION , LIKE
WITNESS TESTIMONY,
DOCUMENTATION AND OTHER
REPORTS IN THE PUBLIC RECORD.
THERE WAS ALSO CONCERN THAT
THERE WAS NO FEEDBACK
OPPORTUNITY ALLOWED ONCE THE
REPORT OR DRAFT REPORT HAD BEEN
CONDUCTED. OFF-LINE, I WOULD
LIKE TO KNOW HOW PANELISTS ARE
CHOSEN AND WHAT INFORMATION
WOULD BE PROVIDED AND HOW THE
RESPONSE TO SOME OF THOSE
CONCERNS WILL BE ADDRESSED
GOING FORWARD .
>> I WOULD BE HAPPY TO TALK TO
YOU ABOUT THAT.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT. ONE QUESTION THAT I
HAD WAS ABOUT THE REPORT AND
HE SAID COMING UP THIS WEEK OR
SOON? THANK YOU FOR THAT. LOOK
FORWARD TO IT. I HAD A
QUESTION ABOUT THE FTEs AND
HOW YOU ARE INCORPORATING YOUR
NEW STAFF . IS THAT MEETING THE
MARK? I THINK YOU GENERALLY
ASKED, BUT MAYBE WE CAN FOLLOW
UP IN TERMS OF THE FTEs.
REGARDING TECHNOLOGY , THE
PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE IS
DEFINITELY INTERESTED AND WE
WILL WORK WITH THE COMMITTEE
PARKS WITH PUBLIC UTILITIES
AND TECHNOLOGY . ONE CURIOSITY
QUESTION IS SOMEONE WHO WORKED
IN TECHNOLOGY AND LIFE
INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE. THE
INTELLIGENCE BOARD SIGNED IN
1981 IN TERMS OF INTELLIGENCE
OVERSIGHT GOES TO THE SAME
THING AND I WAS CURIOUS IF
THERE ARE ANY PARALLELS OR IF
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN
LOOK INTO IN TERMS OF FINDING
OPPORTUNITIES TO FIND GOOD
PRACTICES. OBVIOUSLY, IT IS A
MAJOR ISSUE . I AM IN FAVOR OF
NEW TECHNOLOGY , BUT I AM
MINDFUL OF CIVIL LIBERTIES FOR
VARIOUS REASONS AND I WANT TO
SQUARE THAT CIRCLE AND MAYBE
THERE IS OPPORTUNITIES IN TERMS
OF A FEDERAL APPROACH. THANK
YOU FOR YOUR POINT ABOUT
INTERVIEWING. ALSO , MY
PREVIOUS DEBRIEFING AND
GETTING IT SQUARED AWAY IS
IMPORTANT . I SAW THAT IN TERMS
OF MY UNIT AND 3452, WHICH
KEPT US OUT OF TROUBLE. I
APPRECIATE HOW IMPORTANT THAT
IS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK. I
THINK THAT COULD UPSTREAM AND
SOLVE PROBLEMS. THAT MAY -- I
WOULD BE INTERESTED ON
FOLLOWING UP ON THAT.
>> I DO HAVE SOME QUESTIONS
ABOUT OIG AND HOW THINGS ARE
DONE EARLY, SO WE ARE
OBVIOUSLY GOING A LITTLE BIT
LATE, BUT THIS IS SUCH AN
IMPORTANT PIECE ON THAT, SO I
WILL LEAVE THOSE QUESTIONS FOR
YOU . I THINK THIS IS VERY
IMPORTANT IN A GENERAL SENSE.
EACH ORGANIZATION IS DIFFERENT
AND CONSIDER IT PART OF THIS,
AS WELL. I THINK THAT IS A BIG
LESSON LEARNED AND HOW CAN THE
THREE ORGANIZATIONS OF
COMMUNITY AND COUNSEL BRING
THAT IN, AS WELL? I THINK THAT
UPSTREAM'S . YOU GET BETTER
OUTCOMES WITH THAT ENGAGEMENT ,
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK ON
THAT FRONT. OVERALL, THANK YOU.
>> MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE,
THANK YOU.
>>> WILL MOVE TO OUR LAST ITEM
OF BUSINESS. I RECOGNIZE THAT
WE ARE OUT OF TIME, BUT SUCH AN
IMPORTANT THING AND BECAUSE OF
THE OVERLAP, WE WENT WITH THE
MODEL AND WILL THE CLERK PLEASE
READ ITEM FOR?
>> OFFICE OF POLICE
ACCOUNTABILITY, BRIEFING AND
DISCUSSION WITH DIRECT OBITS
-- DIRECTOR BATS .
>> WELCOME AND THANK YOU FOR
BEING HERE AND BRIEFING US AND
BRINGING US HOME, IF YOU WILL .
THIRD OF THE THREE LEGGED STOOL
AND THIRD PART OF TRIAD AND
THE LAST BRIEFING OF THE
MEETING. I RECOGNIZE THAT THIS
HAS GONE OVER TIME AND I
APPRECIATE YOUR PATIENCE. IT IS
REALLY IMPORTANT IN HAVING ALL
THREE ENTITIES TOGETHER.
>> MORNING. MY NAME IS BETTS
AND I AM THE DIRECTOR OF OFFICE
POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY AND I AM
JOINED BY THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR .
TOGETHER, WE CONGRATULATE YOU
COUNCILMEMBERS AND THANK YOU
FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND THANK
YOU FOR THE INVITATION TO TALK
ABOUT OPA'S WORK. I STARTED
AT OPA IN APRIL 2022 AND I AM
A CAREER PUBLIC SERVANT
COMMITTED TO ENHANCING POLICE
CULTURE AND PROMOTING
CONSTITUTIONAL POLICING. I
LIKE TO TELL PEOPLE THAT OPA
IS A TRUST EARNING BUSINESS.
WHAT I MEAN IS THAT WE WORKED
FOR POLICE OFFICER TRUST AND WE
DO IT WITH THOROUGH, TIMELY
AND OBJECTIVE INVESTIGATIONS.
TODAY, WE HOPE TO OFFER A
HIGH-LEVEL OVERVIEW OF WHY IT
WAS CREATED , RESPONSIBILITIES
AND HOW IT OPERATES. IN 2010,
THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE FOUND
THAT THE SEATTLE POLICE
DEPARTMENT HAD A PATTERN OR
PRACTICE OF CONSTITUTIONAL
VIOLATIONS REGARDING THE USE OF
FORCE AND EXPRESSED SERIOUS
CONCERNS ABOUT BIASED POLICING.
IN 2012, A CONSENT DECREE WAS
ANSWERED TO MANAGE AND IMPROVE
POLICIES, PREP ESSAYS, TRAINING
AND SYSTEMS. IN 2017, THE
ACCOUNTABILITY ORDINANCE
FURTHERS CIVILIAN ICED AND
CREATED THE OFFICE OF
INSPECTOR GENERAL AND
PERMANENTLY INVESTED INTO THE
POLICE COMMISSION'S ROLE AND
OVERSIGHT . OPA HAS THREE
PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES. WE
INVESTIGATE INDIVIDUAL
COMPLAINTS OF POLICE
MISCONDUCT AGAINST SPD
EMPLOYEES. SECOND, WE ARE IN
CHARGE OF ENHANCING POLICE
CULTURE BY RECOMMENDING POLICY
AND TRAINING IMPROVEMENTS
BASED ON NATIONAL STANDARDS
AND COMMUNITY INPUT AND VALUES.
LAST, WE RAISE COMMUNITY
AWARENESS . OPA HAS 25
EMPLOYEES. FROM OUR
SUPERVISORS TO MANAGERS TO
ASSISTANT DIRECTORS, WE ALSO
HAVE 11 INVESTIGATORS AND NINE
ARE POLICE SERGEANTS . OPA IS
PHYSICALLY AND OPERATIONALLY
SECOND FROM THE DEPARTMENT.
MAINLY, IT IS IN THE FORM OF
HUMAN RESOURCES SUPPORT AND
THE ADMINISTRATIVE TIE THAT WE
DO HAVE TWO SPD ALLOWS US TO
TAP INTO RECORDS AND DATA
IMMEDIATELY WITHOUT NEEDING A
SUBPOENA OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT
. MOST OF OPA'S RESOURCES ARE
DEDICATED TO MISCONDUCT
INVESTIGATIONS . THE COMPLAINT
CAN BE FILED IN PERSON, ONLINE
AND OVER THE PHONE . WE HAVE
180 DAYS TO INVESTIGATE AN
ALLEGATION OF POLICE
MISCONDUCT. THE MOST COMMON
THAT WE SEE ARE
UNPROFESSIONALISM , BIASED BASE
POLICING AND EXCESSIVE OR ON
AUTHORIZED FORCE . OPA OPENS
AN INTAKE INVESTIGATION IF A
COMPLAINT RAISES A PLAUSIBLE
MISCONDUCT ALLEGATION AGAINST
AN EMPLOYEE . AT THAT STAGE, WE
ARE LOOKING TO ANSWER BASIC
QUESTIONS, LIKE WHAT PARTIES
WERE INVOLVED? WHERE DID THE
INCIDENT HAPPEN AND WHETHER OR
NOT THERE IS TIME SENSITIVE
EVIDENCE THAT WE NEED TO
COLLECT, LIKE PERISHABLE
SURVEILLANCE VIDEO, FOR
EXAMPLE. WE AIM TO COMPLETE
INTAKES WITHIN THE FIRST 30
DAYS OF GETTING THAT COMPLAINT.
WITHIN THE FIRST 30 DAYS, WE
DECIDE THE CLASSIFICATION ,
MEANING HOW THE CASE WILL BE
HANDLED AND WE HAVE FIVE
OPTIONS. ONE IS TO CONTACT LAW.
WE ELECT TO CONTACT LAW AND A
COMPLAINT THAT MEANS WE
DOCUMENT THE CONTACT, BUT TAKE
NO FURTHER ACTION. WE CAN ALSO
DO A SUPERVISOR ACTION, MEANING
THAT THE ALLEGATION INVOLVES
MINOR MISCONDUCT THAT IS BEST
SUITED FOR THE EMPLOYEE'S
SUPERVISOR TO HANDLE WITH
RETRAINING OR COACHING. WE CAN
ELECT TO DO A FULL
INVESTIGATION. LAST, WE CAN DO
A RAPID ADJUDICATION , WHICH
IS WHEN THE SUBJECT OF A
COMPLAINT ACCEPTS
RESPONSIBILITY FOR MISCONDUCT
WITHOUT UNDERGOING A FULL
INVESTIGATION. THE BENEFIT TO
THAT EMPLOYEE IS THAT THEY KNOW
EXACTLY WHAT THE DISCIPLINE
WILL BE WHEN THEY ACCEPT RAPID
REGION VACATION . FULL
INVESTIGATIONS WITHIN 120 DAYS.
DURING THAT TIME, WE INTERVIEW
WITNESSES AND GATHER EVIDENCE.
COMPLETE INVESTIGATIONS ARE
SENT TO THE OFFICE GENERAL FOR
REVIEW . OIG MAY RECOMMEND
STEPS OR CERTIFY IT AS THE
REAL, TIMELY AND OBJECT . AFTER
THAT, THE DIRECT REVIEWS THE
CASE FILES AND DRAFTS THE MEMO
OUTLINING THE STEPS AND
RECOMMENDED FINDINGS . WHEN THE
OPA DIRECTOR BELIEVES AN
EMPLOYEE VIOLATED POLICY , THE
DIRECTOR AND EMPLOYEES CHAIN OF
COMMAND MEET TO DECIDE THE
RECOMMENDED DISCIPLINE . THE
CHIEF OF POLICE DECIDES THE
FINAL. I THINK I MISSED A
COUPLE OF SLIDES. COMMUNITY
OUTREACH. RAISING AWARENESS
IS A RESPONSE ABILITY THAT OPA
EMBRACES WE HAVE TWO COMMUNITY
OUTREACH SPECIALISTS THAT DO
THE WORK YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN.
IN 2023, 74 EVENTS , 6686
COMMUNITY MEMBER INTERACTIONS
AND PRESENTATIONS. WHEN WE
ARE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY, IT IS
TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT THE
SERVICES WE OFFER .
PARTICULARLY, WE TRY TO BE
INTENTIONAL WITH OUTREACH
EFFORTS BY TARGETING
COMMUNITIES WHERE THEY HAVE
DISPROPORTIONATE POLICE
CONTACTS , BUT WE ARE NOT
SEEING THE SAME NUMBER OF
COMPLAINTS FROM THOSE GROUPS OF
PEOPLE. IT IS PROBABLY THE
MOST ENJOYABLE PART OF THE JOB
, SO WE LOVE TO DO IT. AS I
SAID , OPA IS IN THE TRUST
EARNING BUSINESS. WE BELIEVE
IN TRANSPARENCY AND LISTENING
TO THAT OBJECTIVE. LAST YEAR,
WE STARTED PUBLISHING
DISCIPLINE RECOMMENDATIONS AND
THE IMPOSED DISCIPLINE ON OUR
WEBSITE . WE FINALIZED A
PROCESS FOR THE CHIEF OF
POLICE TO HEAR DIRECTLY ABOUT
HOW AN OFFICER'S MISCONDUCT
IMPACTED THEM. WE CONDUCTED
TWO SURVEYS. ONE SEEKING
FEEDBACK ABOUT THEIR
EXPERIENCE AND ANOTHER SEEKING
INPUT WITH HIGHER PERCENTAGES
OF POLICE CONTACTS , BUT LOW
OPA COMPLETE SUBMISSIONS. THAT
WILL GUIDE OUTREACH ,
OPERATIONS AND IMPROVING HOW WE
SELL PEOPLE IN SEATTLE. AT
THIS POINT, I WILL TURN IT TO
OPA'S DEPUTY DIRECTOR TO TALK
ABOUT THE BUDGET.
>> THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON,
COUNCILMEMBERS. I WANT TO TALK
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR BUDGET
AND I KNOW THAT PEOPLE
INITIALLY TALKED ABOUT THE
BUDGET BEING OVER $5.5 MILLION
, BUT I WANT TO SHOW YOU THE
BREAKDOWN. IF YOU LOOK AT THE
BREAKDOWN OF OUR BUDGET, 91%
OF IT ACTUALLY GOES TOWARDS OUR
PERSONNEL AND AS FAR AS WHERE
WE ARE , WE ARE INDEPENDENTLY
LOCATED. AS SUCH, WE ARE IN A
SEPARATE BUILDING THAN IN THE
SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT, BUT
SOME OF OURS GOES TO LEASE.
ALSO, 1% FOR EQUIPMENT AND OUR
TRAINING IS 1%. OBVIOUSLY, IT
WILL BE UP-TO-DATE ON VARIOUS
TRAININGS. WE HAVE THAT
BUDGET, AS WELL. IT IS VERY
SMALL . A DISCRETIONARY, 1% IS
ABOUT 38,800 FOR THAT. AS
SUCH, WE USE OUR BUDGET
FRUGALLY. ONE OF THE THINGS I
WANT TO TALK ABOUT , AS YOU CAN
SEE, IT HAS BEEN PRETTY
CONSISTENT . THE OTHER THING I
WANTED TO TALK ABOUT WITH
REGARDS TO OUR NUMBERS STAFF ,
WE HAVE TWO NEW STUFF THAT CAME
ON BOARD IN NOVEMBER 1st ,
WHICH WAS THE PUBLIC
DISCLOSURE FOLKS THAT CAME
OVER FROM SPD AS PART OF
INDEPENDENCE, SO THAT WAS
TRANSFERRED TO US AS SOMETHING
THAT WE WANTED. THERE IS A
PIECE OF THAT REMAINING , WHICH
IS THE BODY WORN VIDEO
REDACTING PORTION. WE DO HAVE
THE TWO, SO THAT WAS VERY
HELPFUL AND IT HAS BEEN GREAT
TO HAVE THEM THERE WITH THIS
WORKING. ALSO , WE ARE LOOKING
AT NEEDS WITH RESPECT TO MAKING
SURE THAT AT ONE POINT THERE
MAY BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US
TO MOVE, WHICH WE WILL HAVE TO
SEE WITH RESPECT TO SOME SPACES
THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT WITH
REGARDS TO SAVINGS. FOR
EXAMPLE, ONE OF THEM IS THE
MULTIPLE TOWER , WHICH WOULD
CREATE SAVINGS BY DOING SO AND
MOVING. THERE ARE OTHER COSTS,
BUT OVER TIME FUNDING. OTHER
TIME IS THAT WITH REGARDS TO
ORDINANCES , THIS MAY NOT BE AT
THIS TIME, BUT TO TALK TO
COUNCILMEMBERS, IT HAS TO DO
WITH THE CHIEF OF POLICE
ORDINANCE. IT REQUIRES A
CIVILIAN INVESTIGATOR
SUPERVISORS TO ACTUALLY BE THE
ONES TO HANDLE THOSE CASES
SPECIFICALLY . THE WAY THAT THE
ORDINANCE WAS WRITTEN, IT HAS
TO BE A CIVILIAN SUPERVISOR.
IT WILL ALLOW OTHERS WITH
NUMBERS THAT CONTINUE TO
INCREASE AND MAKES IT DIFFICULT
. WE LOOK FORWARD TO FOLLOWING
UP WITH COUNSEL . WITH THAT,
THOSE WERE THE OVERARCHING
PIECES ABOUT BUDGET AND I ALSO
WANTED TO SHARE WITH REGARDS TO
OUR COMMUNITY OUTREACH PIECES,
AS WELL. NOT ONLY DO THEY DO A
KNOW YOUR RIGHTS PEACE, BUT
EXCITING TO HAVE A SYMPOSIUM
AND COLLABORATION COMMUNITY. I
WANTED TO MENTION WITH REGARDS
TO OUR OFFICE THAT WE HAVE
MEDIATION. OUR NUMBERS ARE AS
LARGE AS WE LIKE TO HAVE AND
WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE ALL OF
OUR OFFICERS . AS SUCH, IT IS
SOMETHING TO BE OFFERED, AS
WELL.
>> THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER
HOLLINGSWORTH?
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING
HERE. THANK YOU TO ALL THREE
DEPARTMENTS FOR BEING HERE. I
HAVE BEEN TAKING EVERYTHING IN.
DIRECT YOUR BETTS, ONE THING
I WANT TO COMMENT ON IS HOW
ACCESSIBLE THE WEBSITE IS. I
FOUND IT REALLY EASY TO
NAVIGATE AND IF YOU WANT TO
FILE A COMPLAINT, GET A REPORT
, INFORMATION . THE
ACCESSIBILITY IS SO IMPORTANT
AND A LOT OF PEOPLE GET SCARED,
BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW HOW,
SO DOES LOOKING ON THE WEBSITE,
IT LOOKED AMAZING. I WAS
READING A REPORT THAT YOU ALL
DID IN 2022. I WAS WONDERING,
AND I THINK YOU TOUCHED ON IT,
BUT ONE OF THE MAJOR
ALLEGATIONS WAS PROFESSIONALISM
, WHICH I KNOW CAN BE A LOT OF
THINGS. COULD YOU GO INTO
DETAIL WHAT THAT MEANS WHEN
SOMEONE IS FILING A COMPLAINT
ABOUT PROFESSIONALISM FROM AN
OFFICER ?
>> THANKS FOR THE QUESTION AND
COMPLEMENT ABOUT OUR WEBSITE .
WE HAVE BEEN VERY INTENTIONAL
ABOUT MAKING IT AS ACCEPTABLE
-- ACCESSIBLE AS POSSIBLE AND
WE TRY TO IMPROVE
USER-FRIENDLINESS TO A CLUE
TO INCORPORATE KEYWORD SOURCES
. YOU CAN TYPE CERTAIN
BUZZWORDS AND IT WILL POPULATE
ALL OF THE INVESTIGATIONS. CAN
YOU REPEAT THE LAST PART?
>> I SAW PROFESSIONALISM WAS
THE NUMBER ONE PIECE . IT WAS
THE HIGHEST ALLOCATION FOR
OFFICERS. CAN YOU GO INTO
DETAIL?
>> PROFESSIONALISM IS AN
EXTREMELY BROAD . IT CAN RANGE
FROM MINOR MISCONDUCT ALL THE
WAY TO VERY SERIOUS AND SEVERE
MISCONDUCT . BASICALLY,
MISCONDUCT CAN UNDERMINE THE
PUBLIC'S TRUST . THAT IS THE
DEPARTMENT MANUALS DEFINITION
OF PROFESSIONALISM , BUT AS
YOU INDICATED, IT CAN BE
EXTREMELY BROAD .
>> THANK YOU.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MOORE?
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND A
VERY HELPFUL PRESENTATION. I AM
LOOKING AT THE SLIDE RELATED TO
CLASSIFICATION AND I AM
WONDERING IF YOU CAN GIVE MORE
DETAIL ABOUT WHAT IS
ENCOMPASSED IN THOSE
CATEGORIES? CAN YOU EXPLAIN
THE PROS AND CONS?
>> THE CONTACT LOG CAN BE ONE
OF FIVE THINGS AND I WILL BREAK
IT DOWN. THE ALLEGATION DOES
NOT IMPLICATE AN SPD EMPLOYEE ,
WHICH WE WOULDN'T HAVE
JURISDICTION OVER. I KNEW I AM
MISSING A COUPLE. GIVE ME ONE
SECOND. I HAVE WRITTEN DOWN.
>> CAN WE PULL UP THE SLIDE?
>> CAN MEAN THAT THE COMPLAINT
DOES NOT INVOLVE POTENTIAL
MISCONDUCT BY AN SPD EMPLOYEE.
THERE IS INSUFFICIENT
INFORMATION TO PROCEED. THE
ALLEGATION MAY BE TIME-BARRED,
BECAUSE OR WE MAY HAVE
PREVIOUSLY CONSIDERED OR
INVESTIGATED THE MATTER OR THAT
THE ALLEGATIONS ARE IMPLAUSIBLE
AND DON'T WARRANT ANY FURTHER
PROCESSES. MEDIATION IS SOME
THING . IT IS A PROCESS THAT I
BELIEVE CAN BE BENEFICIAL TO
THE WORK THAT WE DO A LOT --
MOST OF OUR INVESTIGATIONS
RESULT IN NOT SUSTAINED, WHICH
CAN BE FRUSTRATING FOR A LOT OF
COMMUNITY MEMBERS. THE RESEARCH
SHOWS THAT IT ALLOWS THE
COMMUNICATION AND OPPORTUNITY
FOR THE COMMUNITY MEMBER AND
POLICE OFFICER TO SIT DOWN.
THERE IS NO POWER DYNAMIC AT
THE TABLE. WE LOOK AT NEW
ORLEANS WITH A PRETTY ROBUST
MEDIATION PROGRAM. THE DATA
GENERATED FROM THE PROGRAM
SHOWED THAT ALMOST EVERY
PARTICIPANT IN THE PROGRAM
LEAVES THE TABLE AND FEELING
SATISFIED AND HEARD , SO AT
LEAST YOU ARE LEAVING WITH
SOMETHING. IT MAY NOT BE
SUSTAINED , BUT YOU ARE FEELING
BETTER THAN BEFOREHAND. WE DO
A LOT OF SUPERVISOR ACTIONS .
THOSE ARE FOR ALLEGATIONS THAT
ARE MINOR MISCONDUCT, BUT THEY
ARE BEST HANDLED BY THE
EMPLOYEE SUPERVISOR . THE
SUPERVISOR WILL EITHER PROVE OR
-- FOR TRAINING OR COUNSELING
, THEN THEY WILL COME BACK AND
SAY THAT THIS OCCURRED ON THIS
DATE AND THERE WILL BE NO
FURTHER ACTION TAKEN. FULL
INVESTIGATION IS IS PUTTING ALL
OF OUR RESOURCES INTO
INVESTIGATING . WE ARE TALKING
TO WITNESSES, GATHERING
EVIDENCE AND LOOKING AT BODY
ONE, VIDEO AND THINGS OF THAT
NATURE. THE RAPIDLY JUDY --
ADJUDICATION IS APPROPRIATE
FOR MINOR TO MODERATE
MISCONDUCT . WHAT HAPPENS IS
THAT OFFICER CAN SAY , MY
ACTION DID VIOLATE POLICY .
WHAT WE WOULD DO IS CONSULT
WITH THE CHIEF OF POLICE AND
PRESENT TO THE EMPLOYEE WHAT
DISCIPLINE WOULD BE IMPOSED IF
THEY WERE TO ACCEPT A RAPID
ADJUDICATION . IT WILL GO TO
FULL INVESTIGATION, BUT THIS
IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO FORGO A
FULL INVESTIGATION.
>> DOES THE OFFICER HAVE THE
AUTOMATIC UNCHALLENGED RIGHT ?
I THINK THERE WAS AN EMPHASIS
IN -- AN ISSUE.
>> AN OFFICER HAS THE RIGHT TO
REQUEST RAPID ADJUDICATION. IT
WOULD BE MY ASSESSMENT ABOUT
WHETHER OR NOT IT IS
APPROPRIATE.
>> TALK ABOUT THAT. TALK
ABOUT THE PROS AND CONS OF
RAPID ADJUDICATION.
>> I THINK THE PROS ARE THAT
IT PROMOTES AN EFFICIENT
PROCESS. WE DON'T HAVE TO
UNDERGO FULL INVESTIGATION. I
DON'T KNOW THAT THERE IS A CON
TO IT. I DO KNOW THAT IT IS
UNDERUTILIZED AND SOMETHING
THAT WILL TAKE US EARNING MORE
TRUST , SO THEY CAN ELECT THE
PROCESS OVER A FULL
INVESTIGATION.
>> OKAY. IS THE MEDIATION
SOMETHING THAT THE OFFICER HAS
TO AGREE TO?
>> ALL PARTIES HAVE TO AGREE.
WE HAVE GOTTEN MORE RELUCTANCE
FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS ,
BECAUSE THERE IS NO DISCIPLINE
ATTACHED. THAT IS SOMETHING WE
ARE TRYING TO OVERCOME.
>> IT IS MARKMAN THE RELUCTANCE
TO ENGAGE? WE CAN WORK ON THAT
PART. THIS THANK YOU VERY
MUCH.
>> VICE CHAIR?
>> THANK YOU . FIRST AND
FOREMOST, FOR BEING TODAY AND
SHARING THIS HELPFUL OVERVIEW
OF WHAT YOU WORK ON AND THE
IMPORTANT MISSION THAT YOU
PERFORM EVERYDAY. ALSO, I AM
HONEST. I WANT TO EXPRESS MY
SINCERE GRATITUDE AND
APPRECIATION TO YOU AND YOUR
TEAM. THE SAME GOES FOR
SUSPECTS -- AND SPECTER JUDGE
AND ELLIS FROM THE COMMUNITY
POLICE COMMISSION. I
AND VALUE THE WORK THAT YOU DO
EVERY DAY TO KEEP US SAFE. I
SUPPORT A BROAD AND EXPANSIVE
COMPREHENSIVE VIEW OF PUBLIC
SAFETY. THE LAST PUBLIC SAFETY
COMMITTEE, WE HAD THE PLEASURE
. DURING THAT MEETING, I
EXPRESS A FAIR AMOUNT OF
PRAISE AND GRATITUDE AND FILE
OF THEIR ORGANIZATIONS FOR
EVERYTHING THEY DO, WHICH I
THINK IS A SENTIMENT THAT IS
NEEDED MORE THAN EVER FOR OUR
CHIEFS AND VARIOUS WORKERS
WITHIN THE FUNCTIONS. ME
PERSONALLY, I APPRECIATE AND
VALUE THE WORK THAT YOU DO . IN
SEATTLE, WE HAVE A UNIQUE
OPPORTUNITY TO MOVE AWAY FROM
THIS TOXIC RHETORIC OF US
VERSUS THEM , PROCOMP AND
ANTI-POLICE . WHATEVER IT IS ,
I AM HERE TO EMPOWER OUR
POLICE TO BETTER AND
EFFECTIVELY CARRY OUT THE
PUBLIC SAFETY MANDATE. WE HAVE
AN OPPORTUNITY IN THIS
COMMITTEE TO DO EXACTLY THAT
NOW MORE THAN EVER AND MAKING
SURE THAT THEY HAVE THE TOOLS,
LASERS AND TRAININGS THEY NEED.
ALSO , I HAVE HIGH STANDARDS
OF PROFESSIONALISM AND
EXCELLENCE. YOU ALL HELP CARRY
THAT OUT AND SET WHAT IT LOOKS
LIKE WITH MORE SPECIFICITY, SO
THAT IS WHY. BECAUSE I SUPPORT
EFFECTIVE CIVILIAN OVERSIGHT,
I THINK THAT IS WHAT THE PUBLIC
SUPPORTS AND IS DEMANDING.
AGAIN, HE WENT TO EXPRESS MY
GRATITUDE AND APPRECIATION FOR
THE WORK THAT YOU DO AND NOT
JUST YOU ALL AND FTEs, BUT
VOLUNTEERS LIKE REVEREND WALDEN
WHO IS SITTING IN THE AUDIENCE
AND SHOWS UP DAY IN AND OUT AND
HELP ADVISE AND MOVE THE
COLLECTIVE ALL FOUR. FOR ME,
THEY COULD EXPECT A CONSISTENT
APPROACH. HERE IS ONE WAY THAT
I DO THAT . MY QUICK QUESTION,
I UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVE YOUR
OFFICE AND IT HAS ACCESS TO
CERTAIN DATA AND ONE OF THE
FIRST SLIDES, YOU TALKED ABOUT
THE INDEPENDENT HYBRID
STRUCTURE AND HOW YOU HAVE
ACCESS TO DATA . ARE THERE ANY
FIREWALLS OR FILTERING
PROCESSES? DOES YOUR OFFICE
TRULY HAVE ACCESS TO SPS DATA
?
>> YES, WE DO HAVE COMPLETE
ACCESS TO BODY WORN VIDEO ,
PERFORMANCE EVALUATIONS ,
RECORDS AND THINGS OF THAT
NATURE. I COME FROM CHICAGO ,
SO I WORKED AS AN ATTORNEY . WE
DID NOT HAVE THAT ACCESS AND WE
HAD TO SUBPOENA ALL
INFORMATION TO CONSIDER FOR
INVESTIGATION. SUBPOENA POWER
IS VERY IMPORTANT AND IT IS
EFFECTIVE, BUT IS NOT EFFICIENT
. IT IS NOT AS EFFICIENT AS THE
EXCESS WE HAVE HERE IN SEATTLE.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU , VICE CHAIR SAKA
. THANK YOU FOR COMING. THANK
YOU, EVERYONE. REGARDING OPA ,
FIRST, I ECHO THE COMMENTS
REGARDING PROFESSIONALISM . TO
ME, THAT HIS CONDUCT UNBECOMING
AN OFFICER . IT IS AN IMPORTANT
PIECE AND PROBABLY A PROCESS
THAT I APPRECIATE . THE
COMMENTS REGARDING THE
QUESTIONS RELATED TO MEDIATION,
BECAUSE IT STRIKES ME AS
POTENTIALLY THREE ENTITIES THAT
CAN WORK TOGETHER AND WITH US
TO PROMOTE THE PEACE AND GET
THE COMMUNITY PART OF THAT
ENGAGED , BECAUSE AS WE SEE
AROUND THE WORLD, THE MEDIATION
BETWEEN TWO ENTITIES CAN BE SO
POWERFUL, WHICH IS SOME THING
TO LOOK FOR THE THREE ENTITIES,
BUT ALSO OUR POSITION AS A
COMEDIAN AND COUNSEL. ONE
QUESTION I HAD IS IN READING
THE DIFFERENT DOCUMENTS, IT IS
SAID THAT IT IS SIGNIFICANT
MATTERS OF MISCONDUCT OR
POLICY VIOLATION . I WANT TO
ASK A QUESTION RELATED AND
PARTNERING AGAIN AMONG THE
THREE ORGANIZATIONS TO AUDIT
SPD'S HANDLING OF MINOR
COMPLAINTS AS OPPOSED TO
REQUIRING ALL COMPLAINTS COME
TO YOU . I ASKED THIS QUESTION,
BECAUSE IT IS IMPORTANT. IT IS
ABOUT DEVELOPING LEADERS . IT
IS TO EMPOWER THEM AND GIVE
THEM RESPONSIBILITY BUILD THAT
FORCE AND BELIEVE IN YOUR
LEADERSHIP TEAM AND
SPECIFICALLY THE SERGEANTS. I
SEE AN OPPORTUNITY HERE WHERE
IN TERMS OF YOUR OFF TEMPO . IT
IS TO FIND A WAY AND BETTER
LEADERS CREATES ACCOUNTABILITY
, GOING FOR AND GETTING GOOD
OUTCOMES. IS THERE A WAY THAT
WE CAN DO THAT? MAY BE USING
THE OIG AUDIT PROCESS TO ENSURE
, BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND
ACCOUNTABILITY PIECES, BUT IS
THERE A WAY THAT WE CAN AFFORD
-- MOVE FORWARD IN THIS AREA?
I LIKE TO FIND WAYS TO BUILD A
BETTER POLICE FORCE IN TERMS OF
LEADERSHIP .
>> ABSOLUTELY. I THINK YOU
RAISED AN EXCELLENT POINT . I
FULLY SUPPORT EMPOWERING THE
DEPARTMENT SUPERVISING . I HAVE
NO DESIRE NOR DOES OPA HAVE
THE CAPACITY TO PLANT THE ROLE
OF SPD SUPERVISOR AND MANAGER
. WE MET YESTERDAY AND I'M
TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT
EXACTLY THAT PROCESS WILL LOOK
LIKE, BUT IT IS DEFINITELY
BEING DISCUSSED.
>> I ENCOURAGE IT FROM MY
PERSPECTIVE AND I KEEP GOING
BACK TO MY MILITARY EXPERIENCE,
BUT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I
BELIEVE AND I BELIEVE IT VICE
CHAIR SAKA HAS A SERVICE WHERE
YOU REALLY NEED TO DEVELOP THAT
LEADERSHIP IN PARTICULAR AT THE
LOWER LEVEL. THANK YOU ON
THAT. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT
IN TERMS OF FRICTION PLANS THAT
MAY EXIST, LIKE NOTIFICATION
BUT WE ARE TALKING EARLY AND
LATE NOTIFICATION. IS THERE A
WAY -- IS THERE A WAY TO
AVOID STRESS OF THE OPA
POTENTIAL INVESTIGATION WHILE
MAINTAINING ? IS THERE
SOMETHING WE CAN DO ALONG THOSE
LINES? WHEN I STARTED, I WENT
TO EVERY PRECINCT ROLL CALL
AND THE FEEDBACK THAT I
ROUTINELY GOT FROM OFFICERS
WAS, I MIGHT GET THIS
NOTIFICATION FROM OPA AND THE
STRESS THAT IT CAUSES IN MY
LIFE FOR THE NEXT FEW MONTHS.
WE HAVE 180 DAYS TO INVESTIGATE
THESE CASES . THE FIVE-DAY
NOTIFICATION THAT YOU'RE
COMPELLED TO SEND OUT TO THE
OFFICERS , EVEN THOUGH THE
INVESTIGATION MAY NOT GO
FURTHER , IF WE COULD GO AWAY,
THAT WOULD BE GREAT. I AM
BEING TOLD THAT IT HAS TO BE
BARGAINED, SO WE WILL SEE WHAT
HAPPENS. I DON'T SEE ANYONE
THAT SUPPORTS CONTINUING WITH
THE PROCESS .
>> I WOULD FIND THAT TO BE A
BENEFIT TO SPD , JUST LIKE TO
THE POINT REGARDING THE MINOR
SMALLER COMPLAINTS IN TERMS OF
BUILDING LEADERS. BOTH ARE
BENEFITS TO THE POLICE FORCE
AND THAT I WOULD LOOK TO
FURTHER AND I UNDERSTAND THAT
POINT, BUT I THINK THIS IS
IMPORTANT FOR US TO ENGAGE,
BECAUSE WE DO NEED TO MOVE
FORWARD AND WE NEED TO REMOVE
THOSE POINTS THAT
UNNECESSARILY CREATE A
RELATIONSHIP THAT DOES NOT --
IT IS CONDUCIVE TO MOVING ALONG
. EACH OF THE THREE ENTITIES
HAVE THEIR DIFFERENT RELATIONS
AND WE PICK FROM THE BEST OF
ALL THREE AND REALLY RAISE THE
ENGAGEMENT, WHICH GOES BACK TO
MEDIATION AND ENGAGING UPSTREAM
AND INVOLVING SPD EARLY.
THESE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS
THAT WITH OUR SUPPORT AS A
COMMITTEE AND COUNSEL, WE CAN
FURTHER THE GOAL OF ACCOUNT
ABILITY, WHICH IS NUMBER ONE .
ALSO , THE FORCE ITSELF. I
JUST WANT TO CONCLUDE AND SAY
TO ACCOUNTABILITY, I SUPPORT
THE MEN AND WOMEN OF SEATTLE
POLICE DEPARTMENT AND I THINK
WE HAVE THE BEST FORCE IN THE
COUNTRY. THE REASON WHY IS
BECAUSE OF THE CONSENT DECREE
AND WORK THAT YOU HAVE DONE.
WE NEED TO BE MINDFUL OF THE
REASONS WE HAVE A CONSENT
DECREE . WE CANNOT FORGET THAT,
BUT WE SHOULD ALSO ACKNOWLEDGE
THE ADVANCES THAT WE HAVE DONE
IN THE LAST DOZEN YEARS. I
THINK THAT IS IMPORTANT AND
NEEDS TO BE HEARD BY EVERYONE
IN THE POLICE FORCE, COUNSEL
AND THIS ENTIRE CITY HALL. THAT
NEEDS TO BE UNDERSTOOD. I HAVE
THE HIGHEST EXPECTATIONS AND
STANDARDS. I THINK IT IS
SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE
EMBRACED BY THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT. WHEN YOU ARE PART
OF THE BEST FORCE, YOU CAN TAKE
PRIDE IN THAT. YOU CAN DEMAND
HIGHER STANDARDS AND HIGHER
EXPECTATIONS . COMPARED TO
THIS, THIS IS WHY WE ARE HERE.
IF YOU HAVE HIGHER EXPECTATIONS
OR STANDARDS, YOU HAVE
>>> AGAIN, I DO BELIEVE IN THE
MEN AND WOMEN OF THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT AND I BELIEVE IN
WHAT WE HAVE DONE IN TERMS OF
ACCOUNTABILITY. JUST TO
CONCLUDE -- I THINK WAS THE
FORCE FOR THEIR SERVICE TO OUR
CITY, FOR PUTTING ON THE
UNIFORM, WEARING THE BADGE AND
ALONG WITH THAT, I ALSO SUPPORT
OIG AND CPC AND THE MEN AND
WOMEN OF YOUR ORGANIZATIONS TO
DO THE WORK DAY IN AND DAY OUT.
WE HAVE AVENUES TO PUSH FORWARD
AND BUILD ON THE SUCCESSES. I
LOOK FORWARD TO PARTNERING WITH
ALL OF YOU ON THE
ACCOUNTABILITY SIDE TO ENSURE
THAT WE HAVE THE BEST POLICE
FORCE AND THE SAFEST, PROVIDING
THAT SAFE SPACE FOR OUR CITY
MOVING FORWARD. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH FOR COMING. I THINK WE
HAVE REACHED -- I REALIZE WE
HAVE GONE OVER A BIT. WE HAVE
REACHED THE END OF TODAY'S
AGENDA. IS THERE ANY FURTHER
BUSINESS TO COME BEFORE THE
COMMITTEE BEFORE WE ADJOURN?
HEARING NO FURTHER BUSINESS
COME BEFORE THE COMMITTEE, WE
ARE ADJOURNED. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH, AGAIN.