>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT NELSON
>> PRESENT
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT SAKJA
>> THERE ARE FOUR MEMBERS
PRESENT.
>> THE AGENDA IS ADOPTED. THANK
YOU, EVERYONE FOR COMING. A
VERY IMPORTANT DAY TODAY.
TODAY, ON OUR SCHEDULE, WE WILL
HAVE OUR SECOND MEETING ON
STREET RACING THAT IS PLAGUING
OUR COMMUNITIES ACROSS OUR
CITY. STREET RACING IS A DANGER
AND A THREAT TO TRAFFIC AND
PEDESTRIAN SAFETY AND IT IS TO
BE CLEARED IS ALSO A THREAT TO
THE HEALTH AND QUALITY OF LIFE
OF OUR NEIGHBORS AND YOU KNOW,
IT IS ALSO POLLUTION. IT IS
POLLUTION AS THE VEHICLES MEET
THE STREET WHETHER IT IS THE
EMISSIONS FROM THE CARBON ,
TIRES AND THE LIKE BUT IT IS
ALSO NOISE POLLUTION THAT IS
AFFECTING OUR COMMUNITIES AND
ULTIMATELY, IT'S ANOTHER
EXAMPLE OF A SITUATION NOT
DEALT WITH THAT WILL CONTRIBUTE
TO THE PERMISSIVE ENVIRONMENT
UNDERLYING OUR PUBLIC SAFETY
CHALLENGES. IT IS THE THING
THAT CONTRIBUTES TO THE IDEA
THAT IT IS PERMITTED BY WHAT
WE'VE BEEN SEEING ON OUR
STREETS THAT OFTENTIMES HAS
BEEN FATAL OR CONTRIBUTED TO
OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES LET WHAT WE
SAW IN WEST SEATTLE AT ALKI
BEACH AND BECAUSE OF THAT IT'S
AN EMERGENCY AND WE ARE
DRESSING FORWARD AS AN
EMERGENCY BILL SO WE CAN TAKE
ACTION IMMEDIATELY AS OPPOSED
TO WAITING 30 DAYS TO GO EVEN
DEEPER INTO THE SUMMER, SO THAT
IS THE FIRST ITEM ON OUR
AGENDA. THE SECOND ITEM I
WANTED TO NOTE THAT WE HAVE AN
OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW OUR
COMMITMENT TO ACCOUNTABILITY
PARTNERS WERE PRESENT TODAY. I
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR JOINING
US. I THINK IT'S REALLY
IMPORTANT TO HAVE THESE
CHECK-IN'S TO SEE WHAT THE
ISSUES ARE OUT THERE FROM EACH
OF YOUR PERSPECTIVES. WE ARE
UNIQUE IN THAT WE HAVE THE
POLICE COMMISSION, THE OFFICE
OF POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY AND
THE OFFICE OF INSPECTOR
GENERAL. THESE THREE DIFFERENT
PERSPECTIVES ARE VERY IMPORTANT
AND GIVE A FULLER PICTURE OF
THE CHALLENGES WE ARE FACING OF
THE ACTIONS WE ARE TAKING TO
FURTHER POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY
AND MOVE CLOSER TO
CONSTITUTIONAL POLICING AND
BUILD ON THE REFORMS TAKING
PLACE OVER THE LAST DOZEN YEARS
SO AGAIN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH
FOR THE DEPUTIES, EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR AND DIRECTOR . WITH
THAT, WE WILL NOW OPEN THE
HYBRID, PERIOD. PUBLIC COMMENT
SHOULD RELATE TO ITEMS ON THE
AGENDA OR WITHIN THE PURVIEW OF
THE COMMITTEE. THE CLERK TODAY
BEING FILLED BY REBECCA DURAN
OF MY OFFICE. HOW MANY SPEAKERS
ARE SIGNED UP FOR TODAY?
>> CURRENTLY WE HAVE TWO
IN-PERSON SPEAKERS SIGNED UP
AND THERE IS ONE REMOTE
SPEAKER.
>> EACH SPEAKER WILL HAVE TWO
MINUTES. WE WILL START WITH THE
IN-PERSON SPEAKERS FIRST.
>> THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD
WILL BE MODERATED IN THE
FOLLOWING MANNER. THE PUBLIC
COMMENT PERIOD IS UP TO TWO
MINUTES. SPEAKERS WILL BE
CALLED IN THE ORDER IN WHICH
THEY REGISTERED. SPEAKERS WILL
HEAR A CHIME WHEN 10 SECONDS
ARE LEFT WITH THEIR TIME.
SPEAKERS' MICS WILL BE MUTED
IF THEY DO NOT IN THE COMMENTS
WITHIN THE ALLOTTED TIME TO
ALLOW US TO CALL IN THE NEXT
SPEAKER. THE CUP PUBLIC COMMENT
PERIOD IS NOW OPEN AND WE WILL
BEGIN WITH THE FIRST SPEAKER ON
THE LIST. THE FIRST IN PERSON
SPEAKER IS CAROLYN MALONE.
>> THANK YOU. I AM CAROLYN
MALONE . MOTHER, GRANDMOTHER,
AND GREAT-GRANDMOTHER. I'M NOT
A CRIMINAL . I DO NOT HAVE A
CRIMINAL RECORD NOR AM I GET
ENGAGED IN CRIMINAL ACTIVITY
YET SEATTLE POLICE CONTINUE TO
OCCUPY SPACE IN MY SENIOR
HOUSING , WIRETAP MY PHONE.
THERE IS A DUAL NUMBER ON THIS
PHONE. I HAVE ONE NUMBER BUT
THEIR NUMBER SUPERSEDES MY
NUMBER. I NEVER MET MY
GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN, NOR CAN I
CONTACT FAMILY EASILY. I'M
USUALLY DISCONNECTED I CAN'T
MAKE THE CALL. THERE IS NO
REASON FOR POLICE TO
CONTINUALLY HARASS ME BECAUSE I
EXERCISE MY CONSTITUTIONAL
RIGHT TO STAND IN FRONT OF
THEIR BUILDINGS AND PROTEST.
AFTER ALL, THEY LIVE IN MIND
ILLEGALLY. I AM TASED. I AM
PEPPER SPRAYED WITHIN THE
BUILDING. I AM AWAKENED EACH
NIGHT, EACH DAY BY BURNING
EYES, NOSTRIL AND THROAT AND
WORSE YET, SEATTLE FIREMEN AND
AMR AMBULANCE DRIVERS OPERATE
IN SOLIDARITY WITH POLICE .
THEY CIRCULATE AROUND ME ,
BLARING SIRENS WHENEVER MY BUS
STOPS. I CARRY A CAMERA ALWAYS
AND HAVE LOTS OF PHOTOS .
POLICE AND FIREMEN AND
AMBULANCE DRIVERS RUNNING AHEAD
OF THE BUSES I WRITE ON. THIS
IS A DANGEROUS UNDERTAKING AND
YET THEY DO IT BECAUSE
SEEMINGLY THEY THINK THEY HAVE
THE AUTHORITY. I WILL DO
WHATEVER IT TAKES TO STOP
POLICE FROM HARASSING ME. I'VE
GONE TO MANY AGENCIES WHEN ALL
THEY DO IS SEND ME IN A RUN
AROUND AND I'M GOING TO KEEP
PROTESTING.
>> THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER.
>> THE SECOND IN PERSON SPEAKER
IS TERRY McLEAN.
>> HELLO, HI, GOOD MORNING AND
THANKS FOR EVERYTHING YOU GUYS
DO. MY NAME IS TERRY McLEAN. I
LIVE IN LOWER SUNDOWN. IT WAS
MAY 11th THAT I WENT OUT TO TRY
TO SEE THE NORTHERN LIGHTS, THE
DAY AFTER INSTEAD OF SAYING
THAT I SAW CARS PULLED UP IN
THE AREA, AND IT TURNED INTO
ILLEGAL STREET RACING SO I SAW
THESE CARS, SAW A LOT OF PEOPLE
I ALREADY KNEW SOMETHING WAS
GOING ON. I CALLED 911
NONEMERGENCY. I CALLED THEM A
COUPLE TIMES AND THINGS JUST
GOT BAD. I DON'T KNOW IF I WAS
THE ONLY ONE THAT WAS THERE
THAT WAS SAYING HEY, 911, WE
GOT AN ISSUE HERE. WE GOT ALL
THESE KIDS. WE'VE GOT
FAMILIES. WE'VE GOT CARS
SITTING IN THE BEER HALL. THERE
RACING DOWN THE STREETS. THEY
ARE DOING RELEASE, SO WHEN THE
FIRST COP CAR CAME, THAT'S
WHEN I SAW THE INDIVIDUAL COME
UP AND TAKE THE COP CAR , AND
THEN WENT BACK AND KICKED IT
AGAIN AND FELL BACK ON THE
SIDEWALK, AND I GET BY THE COP
JUST SAT IN HIS CAR BECAUSE IT
WOULD'VE BEEN A MOB MENTALITY
SO THAT'S ANOTHER ISSUE SO ALL
THE STREETS WERE BLOCKED. THE
BUSES WERE THERE. EVERYONE WAS
AT A STANDSTILL. I SAW THE CAR
DO A REALLY AROUND THE POLICE
AND ON THE OTHER POLICE CAME
MINUTES LATER. I SPOKE TO THE
POLICE AFTER THAT. I ASKED HIM
WHAT I SHOULD DO. HE SAID
CONTACT THE COUNCIL AND THAT IS
WHAT I HAVE DONE. I THINK THE
FINE IS WHAT, I BELIEVE $500 IS
TOO LOW. IT SHOULD BE RAISED UP
HIGHER BECAUSE THEN THAT GETS
INTO PEOPLE'S WALLETS, AND I
DON'T KNOW HOW IT WORKS, BUT
SEIZING THE CARS, COMPOUNDING
THE CARS , THAT IS THE
SITUATION RIGHT THERE AND ALSO,
MOTORBIKES. MOTORBIKES ARE
ANOTHER ISSUE IN THE RUNAROUND
ARE TOWNS, TOO SO I JUST WANT
TO SAY THANKS FOR LISTENING. I
HOPE THINGS CHANGE BECAUSE IT
IS A BAD ISSUE GOING ON RIGHT
NOW. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR
YOUR EYEWITNESS TESTIMONY. AND
I APPRECIATE THE OFFICER
SERVING TO CONTACT YOUR SEATTLE
CITY COUNCIL. IT APPRECIATE
THAT, AS WELL.
>> ARE REMOTE SPEAKER IS NOT
PRESENT, SO THIS SENDS PUBLIC
COMMENT.
>> OKAY. THERE ARE NO
ADDITIONAL REGISTERED SPEAKER
SO WE WILL PROCEED TO YOUR NEXT
ITEM OF BUSINESS. THE FIRST
ITEM OF BUSINESS, WILL THE
CLERK PLEASE READ ITEM ONE INTO
THE RECORD.
>> AN ORDINANCE RELATED TO
STREET RACING, ADDING THE CRIME
OF RACING, ADDING THE TRAFFIC
INFRACTION OF VEHICLE
PARTICIPATION IN UNLAWFUL
RACING , ADDING A NEW SECTION
11.5 8.440 TO THE SEATTLE
MUNICIPAL CODE , AND AMENDING
SECTIONS 11. 20.230 , 11.30
1.020, 11.3 1.121, 11.5 6.120 ,
AND 12 A .09.020 OF THE SEATTLE
MUNICIPAL CODE, DECLARING AN
EMERGENCY AND ESTABLISHING AN
IMMEDIATE EFFECTIVE DATE ALL BY
A THREE FOURTHS VOTE OF THE
CITY COUNCIL.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT AND THANK
YOU, MR. JOHNSON, FROM CENTRAL
STAFF, FOR JOINING US TODAY. I
REALLY APPRECIATE YOU COMING
BACK AFTER THE LAST COMMITTEE
MEETING TO TALK ABOUT THIS VERY
IMPORTANT TOPIC, AS NOTED FROM
EYEWITNESS TESTIMONY. OVER TO
YOU.
>> GOOD MORNING, CHAIR KETTLE
AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE. I
AM TAMASO JOHNSON FROM YOUR
CENTRAL STAFF. I'M HERE TO
PROVIDE OVERVIEW AND COMMENTS
ON COUNCIL BRIEF 120806. THIS
IS EMERGENCY LEGISLATION
EFFECTUATING POLICIES THAT ARE
SUBSTANTIVELY IDENTICAL TO
COUNTABLE 120799 WHICH WAS
HEARD ON JUNE 5th, 2024. AT
THAT MEETING THERE WAS A
PRESENTATION BY THE CITY
ATTORNEY'S OFFICE ON SEATTLE
POLICE DEPARTMENT ON THE
DETAILS OF THIS BILL SO I WILL
JUST PROVIDE A REFRESHER BUT
HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY MORE
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE MECHANICS
AND DEPTHS. THIS EMERGENCY
LEGISLATION ALSO INCLUDES
ADDITIONAL RECITALS ON THE
TOPIC AS WELL AS THE NECESSARY
FINDINGS TO EFFECTUATE THE
EMERGENCY CLAUSE. IN PRIMARY
PART, THIS LEGISLATION WOULD DO
TWO THINGS. ONE IS CREATE A NEW
MUNICIPAL TRAFFIC INFRACTION IN
THE AMOUNT OF A $500 BASED FINE
ASSESSED TO THE REGISTERED
OWNER OF THE VEHICLE INVOLVED
IN UNLAWFUL RACING IN TWO,
ADOPTING SEATTLE MUNICIPAL CODE
RECENT CHANGES TO THEIR ADVICE
CODE OF WASHINGTON MADE BY
STATE LEGISLATION THAT WAS
PASSED IN 2023 WITH AN
EFFECTIVE DATE JANUARY OF THIS
YEAR, WHICH PROVIDES AN
EXPANDED DEFINITION OF THE
CRIME OF UNLAWFUL RACING AND
CLASSIFIES IT AS RECKLESS
DRIVING GROSS MISDEMEANOR. A
BIT ON RC ADOPTION, THE SEATTLE
POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS THE
AUTHORITY TO ENFORCE THE LAWS
OF WASHINGTON STATE, ADOPTION
OF THE RCW INTO MUNICIPAL CODE
GIVES THE SEATTLE ATTORNEY'S
OFFICE THE ABILITY TO PROSECUTE
THOSE GROSS MISDEMEANORS. THE
FIRST THING THE BILL WOULD DO
IN TERMS OF CREATING A NEW
INVISIBLE INFRACTION AS
MENTIONED BEFORE, THAT IS A
BASE FINE AMOUNT OF $500.
GENERALLY SPEAKING, INFRACTIONS
THAT ARE CODIFIED IN MUNICIPAL
CODE IN PARTICULAR INDICATE A
BASE FINE AMOUNT. ADDITIONAL
FEE AMOUNTS ARE ADDED TO THAT
WHEN THE FINE IS ASSESSED TO AN
INDIVIDUAL BY THE MUNICIPAL
COURTS, SO THERE ARE
STATUTORILY REQUIRED ADDITIONAL
FEES . SUMMER STATE LAW AND
SUMMER SEATTLE LAW, SO JUST A
NOTE ON THAT, THE ACTUAL FINE
AMOUNT PAID BY A PERSON
RECEIVING THE FINE WOULD BE A
LITTLE BIT MORE THAN DOUBLE OF
THE STATUTORY FINE AMOUNT, SO
$1071 IN THE CASE OF THE $500
BASE FEE. THE BASE FEE, ONE
THING THAT MAKES IT UNIQUE ,
THE INFRACTION FOR UNLAWFUL
RACING, IS THAT IT IS ASSESSED
TO THE REGISTERED OWNER OF THE
VEHICLE. THAT MEANS THAT THE
POLICE DO NOT HAVE TO MAKE A
DETERMINATION THAT THE PERSON
RECEIVING THE FINE IS IN FACT
THE PERSON DRIVING THE CAR. IS
DESIGNED TO PUNISH AND DOES
INCENTIVIZE THE USE OF VEHICLES
AND UNLAWFUL LEASING. IT CAN BE
ASSESSED POST FACTOR AFTER THE
PROJECT HAS OCCURRED AND THEN
THE TICKET IS TRANSMITTED TO
THE REGISTERED OWNER AT THAT
POINT. THE OTHER THING THAT THE
UNLAWFUL RACING INFRACTION DOES
IS IT EXPANDS THE DEFINITION
AND THAT'S A NEW DEFINITION TO
SEATTLE MUNICIPAL CODE OF
UNLAWFUL RACING WHICH PRIMARILY
EXPANDS IT IN TWO WAYS.
PRIMARILY IT IS A DEFINITION OF
OFFSTREET FACILITIES WHICH
TRADITIONALLY MEANS PARKING LOT
AS WELL AS FOR HAVING CONTACT
ON STREETS AND NUMBER TWO, IT
EXPANDS THE DEFINITION OF
UNLAWFUL RACING BEYOND CONTEST
OF SPEED, STRAIGHT-LINE SPEED
CONTEST TO INCLUDE ACTIVITIES
KNOWN AS DRIFTING OR
MANEUVERABILITY AND CIRCLE, SO
MANY INCIDENTS OF CONDUCT THAT
YOU SAW ON VIDEO AND DESCRIBED
DURING THE ILLEGAL TAKEOVER
EVENTS DESCRIBED DURING THE
LAST MEETING. AS I SAID, THIS
ALSO INCORPORATES THE REVISED
CODE OF WASHINGTON CHANGES THAT
ARE SIMILAR . THOSE CHANGES
REALLY TO THE RECKLESS DRIVING,
GROSS MISDEMEANOR OF UNLAWFUL
RACING BUT SIMILARLY EXPANDS
THE DEFINITION TO COVER
OFFSTREET FACILITIES AS WELL AS
DRIFTING AND OTHER CONDUCT
BEYOND STRAIGHT-LINE SPEED
CONTEST. THE QUESTION WAS ASKED
IN PUBLIC COMMENT. I WILL
MENTION THAT THERE ARE VEHICLE
IMPOUND AND FORFEITURE
PROVISIONS ATTACHED TO THE
GROSS MISDEMEANOR SPECIFICALLY
. ANY VEHICLES USED AND
UNLAWFUL RACING CAN BE
IMPOUNDED . GENERALLY WHEN A
PERSON IS ARRESTED, THE VEHICLE
CAN BE IMPOUNDED. THE SPECIAL
PROVISION THAT ATTACHES THERE
RELATES TO WHEN THE VEHICLES
CAN BE RELEASED, SO VEHICLES
USED IN UNLAWFUL RACING HAVE A
72 HOUR HOLD EFFECTIVELY ON
RELEASE . FORFEITURE IS INVOKED
A VARIETY OF CIRCUMSTANCES ARE
MET. GENERALLY SPEAKING, THE
PERSON HAS TO BE CONVICTED OF
AN UNLAWFUL RACING OFFENSE AND
THE FINDING NEEDS TO BE MADE
THAT THE SPECIFIC VEHICLE WAS
THE ONE USED. THE PERSON ALSO
HAS TO HAVE PREVIOUSLY HAD ANY
VEHICLE IMPOUNDED FOR ILLEGAL
RACING. DOES NOT HAVE TO BE THE
SAME VEHICLE AND THE PERSON HAS
TO HAVE BEEN PREVIOUSLY CHARGED
WITH RECKLESS DRIVING, RACING,
OR A SIMILAR CRIME UNDER LOCAL
ORDINANCE SO THOSE ARE THE
CIRCUMSTANCES UNDER WHICH
FORFEITURE CAN ATTACH. THERE
ARE TWO AMENDMENTS FILED TO
THIS LEGISLATION. THE FIRST
AMENDMENT ONE WOULD INCREASE
FINES FOR VEHICLE PARTICIPATION
AND UNLAWFUL RACING. ONCE
AGAIN, THAT IS THE INFRACTION
AMOUNT THAT ATTACHES TO THE
REGISTERED OWNER . THE
LEGISLATION CURRENTLY HAS A
$500 BASE FINE, AS I MENTIONED.
THIS AMENDMENT WOULD RETAIN
THAT $500 BASE FINE FOR A FIRST
INFRACTION, AND INCREASE THE
FINE TO $800 FOR A SECOND
INFRACTION AND THEN $1500 FOR A
THIRD AND SUBSEQUENT
INFRACTIONS AND ONCE AGAIN,
THOSE ARE BASE AMOUNTS THAT
WOULD ROUGHLY DOUBLE IN TERMS
OF THE ACTUAL AMOUNT PAID AT
THE COURT BY THE PERSON BEING
ASSESSED THAT VIOLATION.
AMENDMENT TWO WOULD PENALIZE
ATTENDEES AT UNLAWFUL RACE
EVENTS, SO THIS AMENDMENT ADDS
UNLAWFUL RACE ATTENDANCE AS A
PROHIBITED ACTIVITY UNDER
MUNICIPAL CODE PUNISHABLE BY A
CIVIL INFRACTION. ANY PERSON
KNOWINGLY ATTENDING AN UNLAWFUL
RACE EVENT WITH THE INTENT TO
OBSERVE, SUPPORT OR ENCOURAGE
THE EVENT WOULD FACE A BASE
FINE OF $100 IF THEY FAIL TO
LEAVE THE EVENT IF INSTRUCTED
TO DO SO BY A PEACE OFFICER.
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY
QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
>> THANK YOU, MR. JOHNSON, AND
I HAVE ONE QUESTION BUT AS
TRADITION I WILL GO TO MY VICE
CHAIR FIRST.
>> NO, THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.
GOOD TO GO FOR RIGHT NOW.
>> ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS
FROM THE SIDE OF THE DAIS?
COUNCIL MEMBER MOORE.
>> IN LOOKING AT THE SECOND
AMENDMENT , I DID HAVE A
QUESTION ABOUT NUMBER 12 A
12.05 NUMBER TWO WHERE IT SAYS
ACTUAL OR CONSTRUCTIVE UNLAWFUL
RACE EVENT IS OCCURRING. CAN
YOU FLESH THAT OUT A LITTLE
BIT.
>> YES. I CAN SPEAK TO THAT A
BIT, AND I WILL ALLOW US
VICE-CHAIR SAKA WANTS TO SPEAK
TO IT AS WELL I WILL ALLOW HIM
TO. THIS LANGUAGE WAS BASED IN
LARGE PART ON KENT CITY CODE
DURING THE FIRST HEARING . THE
CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
SPECIFICALLY REFERENCED A
SECTION OF KENT CITY CODE THAT
THEY VIEW AS A MODEL FOR THIS
KIND OF PROVISION ALTHOUGH IT
WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE BASE
LEGISLATION WHEN IT WAS
TRANSMITTED. THAT WAS THERE
BASED ON SOME FEEDBACK FROM
THEM ABOUT APPROPRIATE LANGUAGE
TO BRING TO BEAR FOR SEATTLE.
>> WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? THAT
YOU HAVE ACTUAL OR CONSTRUCTIVE
KNOWLEDGE AND UNLAWFUL RACE
EVENT IS OCCURRING? HOW DO YOU
PROVE THAT ?
>> WHAT I WOULD SAY ABOUT THAT
IS YOU KNOW, MY UNDERSTANDING
IS THAT IT IS LEGAL TERMINOLOGY
THAT REQUIRES NOT THAT SOMEONE
-- NOT THE SPD PROVE
DEFINITIVELY WHAT IS IN THE
MIND OF THE PERSON IN TERMS OF
THEIR KNOWLEDGE THAT THEY ARE
AT A RACE EVENT. I UNDERSTAND
CONSTRUCTIVE TO GENERALLY
SPEAKING MEAN IN THIS CONTEXT,
THE PERSON SHOULD KNOW BASED ON
THE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT THERE IS
AN UNLAWFUL RACE EVENT
OCCURRING.
>> THAT THEY ARE AT? I MEAN, I
COULD BE AT MY HOME AND HAVE
KNOWLEDGE THAT A RACE IS
OCCURRING OR GOING TO OCCUR.
HOW IS IT TIED TO BEING
ACTUALLY A SPECTATOR?
>> I THINK THE NEXT WORDS IN
THAT SENTENCE, BEING IN
ATTENDANCE, SO IT IS KNOWLEDGE
OF BEING IN ATTENDANCE, AND
THEN THE THIRD FACTOR THERE,
THE INTENT TO OBSERVE, SUPPORT
OR ENCOURAGE THE UNLAWFUL RACE
EVENT WOULD TIE IT TO THAT, AS
WELL. I WOULD ALSO SAY THAT
FACTOR FOUR THERE SPEAKS TO
SPECIFICALLY BEING IN THE AREA
OF AN UNLAWFUL RACE EVENT BEING
-- VERSUS BEING IN YOUR HOME
AND OBSERVING SOMETHING OUT A
WINDOW, FOR EXAMPLE.
>> OKAY, SO YOU ARE AT THE
EVENT AND YOU'RE TRYING TO SAY
I HAD NO IDEA THIS IS ACTUALLY
A RACE EVENT, AND WE CAN SAY
WELL, IT'S PRETTY OBVIOUS THAT
IT IS, SO WE ARE GOING TO
ASSUME CONSTRUCTIVE KNOWLEDGE
THAT AN UNLAWFUL RACE EVENT IS
OCCURRING. IS THAT HOW THAT
WORKS?
>> I BELIEVE SO, YES. I WILL
ALSO SAY PRACTICALLY , THE WAY
THAT THIS INFRACTION WOULD BE
IMPLEMENTED AND EFFECTUATED
WOULD BE ON THE GROUND
TICKETING . UNLIKE THE
INFRACTION FOR VEHICLE
PARTICIPATION, WHICH CAN BE
ASSESSED USING VIDEO FOOTAGE OF
THE LICENSE PLATE, THIS WOULD
REQUIRE AN SPD OFFICER IN THIS
CASE TO OBSERVE SOMEONE IN HAND
THEM A TICKET THERE ON SITE, SO
THAT MAY ALLEVIATE SOME OF THE
CONCERNS AROUND SOMEONE SITTING
IN THE HOME BEING TICKETED.
>> OKAY THANK YOU, THAT'S
HELPFUL. THANK YOU.
>> VICE CHAIR, ANYTHING FURTHER
ON THAT?
>> I DON'T KNOW, MR. CHAIR.
THANK YOU THANK YOU, COUNCIL
MEMBER MOORE. GREAT QUESTIONS.
I DON'T KNOW IF NOW WOULD BE
THE APPROPRIATE TIME FOR ME TO
SPEAK ABOUT MY OWN TWO
AMENDMENTS WERE AT SOME OTHER
POINT. I DEFER TO YOU.
>> WE CAN DO THAT AT THAT POINT
AND BY THE WAY, CLERK, I WANT
TO NOTE THAT COUNCIL MEMBER
HOLLINGSWORTH IS IN ATTENDANCE
AND COUNCIL MEMBER MOORE, THE
WAY OUR DISCUSSIONS ABOUT IT --
THIS IS NOT A BYSTANDER THAT
JUST HAPPENS TO BE WALKING BY.
THIS IS ACTUAL CONSTRUCTIVE
KNOWLEDGE OF THE EVENT AND TO
MR. JOHNSON'S POINT, A 4 IS
KEY BECAUSE YOU IF YOU ARE
DISOBEYING THE INSTRUCTION OF A
POLICE OFFICER TO LEAVE THE
AREA OF THIS UNLAWFUL STREET
RACING, ILLEGAL STREET RACING,
WHICH ARE PUBLIC COMMENT NOTED
IT IS, THAT WOULD BE THE
TRIGGER. SO.
>> THANK YOU.
>> OKAY. WELL, THANK YOU, MR.
JOHNSON. APPRECIATE IT VERY
MUCH, THE BACKGROUND. AT THIS
POINT I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE THAT
THE COMMITTEE RECOMMEND PASSAGE
OF COUNSEL BILL 120806 . IS
THERE A SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>> OKAY, IT IS MOVED AND
SECONDED TO RECOMMEND PASSAGE
OF COUNSEL 120806. ARE THERE
ANY FINAL COMMENTS? YES, MR.
VICE CHAIR, THIS IS A CHANCE.
VICE-CHAIR SAKA, WOULD YOU LIKE
TO MOVE AMENDMENT NUMBER ONE?
>> SO MOVED.
>> IT IS MOVED AND SECONDED TO
ADOPT NUMBER NUMBER ONE.
COUNCIL MEMBER SAKA IS OUR
SPONSOR.
>> THANK YOU MR. CHAIR. I WANT
TO THANK CHAIR KETTLE AND
COUNCIL MEMBER WOO FOR
SPONSORING THIS LEGISLATION AND
THE ATTORNEY'S OFFICE FOR HARD
WORK ON THIS ISSUE, AS WELL.
YES, THIS IS AN EMERGENCY AND
CALLS FOR URGENT ACTION
ACCORDINGLY. THAT IS WHAT THE
THRUST OF THIS BILL DOES AND
THAT IS THE THRUST OF MY TWO
AMENDMENTS THAT ARE INTENDED TO
STRENGTHEN THIS BILL, AND I
HAVE BEEN INFORMED PERSONALLY
ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS BY MANY
RESIDENTS AND CONSTITUENTS WHO
HAVE CONTINUOUSLY REPORTED UPON
PERSISTENT, DANGEROUS AND
ILLEGAL RACING PARTICULARLY IN
MY DISTRICT -- WELL, IT'S ALL
OVER THE CITY IN CERTAIN
PROBLEM AREAS BUT MY DISTRICT
PRIMARILY ALONG ALKI AND HARBOR
AVENUE THERE HAVE BEEN REPORTED
RACING AND OTHER AREAS AGAIN
THROUGHOUT THE CITY, AND IN MY
DISTRICT. THAT INCLUDES
HIGHLAND PARK AS RECENTLY AS
THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND IT WAS
REPORTED THAT A LOUD MOTORCYCLE
AND CAR WERE RACING AT 430 IN
THE MORNING ALONG ALKI AND SO I
AM PERSONALLY AWARE THAT
ILLEGAL RACING OCCURS AGAIN IN
OTHER AREAS BEYOND THE PUBLIC
STREETS, AND THIS BILL
ADDRESSES THESE AREAS,
INCLUDING PARKING LOTS. A PRIME
EXAMPLE IS THAT THE RACING THAT
WAS A PERSISTENT PROBLEM AT
WEST SEATTLE HIGH SCHOOLS
PARKING LOT A FEW YEARS BACK
AND WAS ONLY RESOLVED WHEN THE
GATE WAS FINALLY INSTALLED.
THIS LAW CAN HELP OTHER AREAS
BEYOND OUR PUBLIC ROADS, AND
YOU MAY RECALL DURING OUR LAST
COMMITTEE MEETING WHEN WE
INITIALLY DISCUSSED THIS , I
MENTIONED THAT I WAS GOING TO
SPEAK WITH KENT MAYOR DANA
RALPH, WHO MY SECOND AMENDMENT
WILL TALK ABOUT MOMENTARILY, IS
SUBSTANTIALLY BASED OFF OF A
RELEVANT ORDERS TO ADDRESS
PROBLEMS STREET RACING AND
HAPPY TO REPORT THAT KENT MAYOR
DANA RALPH IS FULLY SUPPORTING
THE IMPLEMENTATION OF EXISTING
STATE LAW WHICH IS ANOTHER
ELEMENT OF THIS BILL, WHICH WE
LEARNED, AND TO MAKE IT THAT
CAME INTO EFFECT THE FIRST OF
THIS YEAR AND I HAD AN INCIDENT
IN MAY WHERE FIVE PEOPLE WERE
SHOT AND ALSO INVOLVED HUNDREDS
OF PEOPLE WATCHING, SPECTATORS
CARRYING OUT DANGEROUS DONUTS
AND DRIFTING SIDESHOWS,
WHATEVER THEY ARE CALLING IT
THESE DAYS , DRAGRACING IN THE
KENT VALLEY AND SO MY PROPOSED
AMENDMENT NUMBER ONE DIRECTLY
ADDRESSES THE PENALTY PIECE. IT
STIFFENS THE PENALTIES. IT
PRESERVES THE BASE PENALTY FOR
THE FIRST OFFENSE. $500, BUT
NOW SECOND INFRACTION, WANT TO
MAKE THIS MEANINGFUL, AS WELL,
SO A SECOND INFRACTION WOULD BE
ASSESSED A PENALTY OF $800 ,
AND THE THIRD AND SUBSEQUENT
VIOLATION WOULD BE ASSESSED A
PENALTY OF $1500 . FOLKS, WE
ARE HERE TO TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY
. I AM SADDENED PERSONALLY TO
LEARN OF THE TRAGIC MURDER OF A
22-YEAR-OLD A FEW WEEKS BACK
AND ALKI . THE FACTS ARE
UNCLEAR AND EVOLVING AS TO
WHETHER THERE WAS DANGEROUS
PROBLEM RACING OCCURRING IN
CONNECTION WITH THAT SPECIFIC
EVENT, BUT HERE IS WHAT WE DO
KNOW. IN THAT PARTICULAR AREA
WHERE THAT MAN LOST HIS LIFE
TRAGICALLY , PROBLEM, IT IS
OFTEN A LAUNCH POINT FOR PEOPLE
TOGETHER AND RALLY THEN GO
ENGAGE IN DANGEROUS RACING
ALONG ALKI AND HARBOR AVENUE
AND IT IS OFTEN A POST-RACE
RALLY POINT FOR PEOPLE TOGETHER
AFTER THEY HAVE ALREADY RAISED,
SO WE NEED TO ADDRESS THE
PROBLEM RACING PLAGUING OUR
CITY AND MAKE THE PENALTIES
MORE MEANINGFUL SO I ASK FOR
YOUR SUPPORT ON BOTH OF MY
AMENDMENTS BUT RIGHT NOW WE ARE
TALKING ABOUT AMENDMENT NUMBER
ONE.
>> THANK YOU, VICE CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR
BRINGING THIS FORWARD. I
RECOGNIZE THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT
REQUIRES A LOT OF ATTENTION AND
I HEAR ABOUT IT FROM A LOT OF
CONSTITUENTS NOT JUST IN THE
PLACES YOU HAVE INDICATED SO MY
QUESTION IS, THE ESCALATION OF
THE SUBSEQUENT INFRACTIONS OR
PENALTIES, IS THAT A GRADUATED
PENALTY INCREASED THAT FOLLOWS
OTHER CRIMES? I'M JUST
WONDERING, WHERE DID YOU GET
THOSE -- THE NUMBERS TO GO UP
TO?
>> THE AMOUNTS THEMSELVES, I
WANTED TO MAKE THEM MEANINGFUL
. AND, INTENDED TO DISSUADE
THAT KIND OF BEHAVIOR. THE
ORIGINAL PROPOSED LEGISLATION,
AS YOU KNOW, IT PROPOSES ONE
FINE AMOUNT. THERE ARE OTHER
PROVISIONS IN OTHER CHAPTERS OF
THE CODE THAT CALLOUT A
GRADUATED KIND OF ESCALATING
SERIES OF FINES AND PENALTIES
FOR SUBSEQUENT OFFENSES AND SO
HIGH-LEVEL WANTED TO MATCH THAT
AND THE NUMBERS THEMSELVES
WANTED TO AGAIN MAKE IT
MEANINGFUL . YEAH.
>> THANK YOU.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK
YOU, VICE CHAIR SAKA. ON THE
POINT YOU JUST RAISED, OUR
OFFICE HAS BEEN GETTING
REFLECTIONS FROM THE COMMUNITY
THAT $500 WAS NOT ENOUGH AND WE
HEARD IT TODAY IN PUBLIC
COMMENT. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR
PROVIDING YOUR TESTIMONY AND
YOUR VIEWS, MS. McLEAN, ON THIS
ISSUE OF ILLEGAL STREET RACING,
BECAUSE IT SECONDS WHAT OUR
OFFICE IS HEARING AND SEEING IN
BASICALLY THE POINT YOU'RE
MAKING SO IT'S CLEAR YOU
GRADUATED A SERIES OF
INFRACTIONS, FIRST SECOND AND
THIRD CANNOT JUST AT $500 SO
THANK YOU FOR THAT AND THANK
YOU ALSO FOR HIGHLIGHTING YOUR
DISCUSSIONS WITH THE KENT MAYOR
BECAUSE THESE DISCUSSIONS, THIS
IS THE BENEFIT OF THE PUGET
SOUND REGIONAL COUNCIL BECAUSE
WE RECENTLY HAD OUR ANNUAL
MEETING AT THE CONVENTION
CENTER WHERE WE GOT TO MEET
WITH A LOT OF ELECTED OFFICIALS
THROUGHOUT THE REGION AND HAVE
HAD THIS KIND OF SIDEBAR
CONVERSATIONS ON THE ISSUES
THAT ARE PLAGUING US AND SO YOU
KNOW, THESE MEETINGS DEVELOP
RELATIONSHIPS THROUGHOUT THE
REGION AND ALLOWS FOR US TO
HEAR THAT THIS ISSUE IS NOT A
CITY OF SEATTLE PROBLEM. THIS
IS A REGIONAL ISSUE THAT IS
DEFINITELY A COUNTY ISSUE
BECAUSE THESE INDIVIDUALS WILL
STAGE IN ONE AREA AND THEN
MOVED TO THE CITY UP BY FIVE
AND THEN INTO THE CITY, AND AS
YOU NOTED, GO TO ANOTHER
LOCATION IN TERMS OF FOLLOW-UP
TO THAT AND YOU KNOW, ONE
THING, TOO , NOT MENTIONED, MR.
JOHNSON, I'M NOT SURE IF THIS
WAS MENTIONED AND JUST TO BE
CLEAR , GETTING THIS IN THE
BOOKS TO INCLUDE THE GRADUATED
INFRACTIONS IS IMPORTANT, SO
THE RCW ON THE STATE LEVEL CAN
BE PROSECUTED BY THE CITY
ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. THEY CAN'T
PRESS FORWARD UNLESS IT IS PART
OF THE SEATTLE MUNICIPAL CODE
AND SO THIS IS A KEY FACTOR IN
I THINK THE STATE HAS DONE A
FANTASTIC JOB IN TERMS OF THE
AREAS MR. JOHNSON HAS GONE OVER
AND NOW, WE NEED TO DO OUR PART
IN TERMS OF BRINGING IT INTO
SEATTLE MUNICIPAL CODE SOURCE
CITY ATTORNEY CAN TAKE ACTION
ON THIS VERY IMPORTANT PROBLEM
NOT LIMITED TO STREET RACING AS
NOTED BY VICE CHAIR SOCCER THAT
THIS ACTIVITY AND THIS
ENVIRONMENT LEADS TO OTHER
VIOLENCE NOT UNLIKE WHAT WE SEE
IN OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY WITH
OTHER ISSUES. IT STARTS AT ONE
LEVEL AND THEN RAMPS UP AND
OFTENTIMES INTO VIOLENCE, AND
OFTEN TIMES INTO GUN VIOLENCE.
SO, THANK YOU FOR PROPOSING
THIS AMENDMENT, VICE CHAIR
SAKA. AT THIS POINT I WILL CALL
FOR A ROLE OF THE ADOPTION OF
THE AMENDMENT. CLERKS, CAN YOU
DO SO, PLEASE.
>> COUNCIL MEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH
>> YES
>> COUNCIL MEMBER MOORE
>> AYE
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT NELSON
>> AYE
>> COUNCIL MEMBER SAKA
>> AYE
>> CHAIR KETTLE
>> AYE
>> THERE ARE FIVE IN FAVOR AND
UNOPPOSED.
>> AMENDMENT ONE IS ADOPTED.
OKAY, COUNCILMEMBER VICE CHAIR
SAKA WOULD YOU LIKE TO MOVE
AMENDMENT NUMBER TWO?
>> SO MOVED.
>> SECOND.
>> IT IS MOVED AND SECONDED TO
ADOPT AMENDMENT TWO.
COUNCILMEMBER VICE CHAIR AGAIN
SAKA, YOU ARE RECOGNIZED IN
ORDER TO ADDRESS IT.
>> THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR AND
COLLEAGUES. I ALSO ASK FOR YOUR
SUPPORT OF MY AMENDMENT NUMBER
TWO HERE. AMENDMENT NUMBER TWO
ADDRESSES SPECTATORS. MANY OF
THESE RACES ARE OCCURRING
BECAUSE THEY ARE PUTTING ON A
SIDESHOW. THEY'RE PUTTING ON A
SHOW FOR PEOPLE. IF YOU ADDRESS
AN ELEMENT OF THAT , THAT IS
EXACTLY WHAT WE ARE DOING HERE
WITH THIS AMENDMENT IS MAKING
IT A CIVIL INFRACTION TO BE A
SPECTATOR AT ONE OF THESE
EVENTS, AND YOU ARE RIGHT,
CHAIR KETTLE. THESE ARE ALL
REGIONAL ISSUES. THESE
CHALLENGES HERE WE MIGHT HAVE
LOCAL SEATTLE-SPECIFIC
IMPLEMENTATIONS BUT THEIR
PRINCIPALLY REGIONAL CHALLENGES
SO WE DON'T NEED TO TRY TO
SPIN OUR WHEELS AND SOLVE THESE
CHALLENGES IN A SILO OR IN A
VACUUM. LOOKS AND BEST
PRACTICES IN OTHER
JURISDICTIONS AND INCLUDING
KENT AND KENT HAS A STREET
RACING ORDINANCE ON THE BOOKS
THAT IN PART GOES AFTER
SPECTATORS . IT'S BEEN ON THE
BOOKS FOR AT LEAST 20 YEARS, AS
I UNDERSTAND IT, AND SO
AMENDMENT NUMBER TWO IS MODELED
SUBSTANTIALLY AFTER THE
RELEVANT KENT ORDINANCE WITH
ONE KEY EXCEPTION. THE KENT
ORDINANCE, COLLEAGUES, IT
CRIMINALIZES BEING A SPECTATOR
AT ONE OF THESE PROBLEM RACING
EVENTS, AND MY AMENDMENT IS AN
APPROACH THAT MAKES IT A CIVIL
INFRACTION FOR ATTENDEES AND
SPECTATORS HERE IN SEATTLE FOR
RACING EVENTS, AND SO IT HAS
BEEN ON THE BOOKS FOR SO LONG.
IN KENT WE BORROWED RELEVANT
CONSTRUCTS AND LANGUAGE FROM
THE PROVISIONS OF THE KENT
ORDINANCE AND AGAIN BECAUSE
IT'S BEEN ON THE BOOKS YOU
KNOW, I THINK SOME OF THESE
QUESTIONS, GREAT QUESTIONS THAT
COUNCIL MEMBER MOORE ASKED,
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN? IT'S BEEN
ON THE BOOKS A LONG TIME AND
YOU KNOW, I THINK IN ANY EVENT
IT IS WELL-ESTABLISHED AT THIS
POINT, SO AGAIN WE ARE
BORROWING RELEVANT CONSTRUCTS
THERE AND THE KEY DIFFERENCES
WE ARE MAKING IT A CIVIL
INFRACTION, WHICH I THINK IS
THE BEST APPROACH IN SEATTLE,
AND SO AGAIN IT ADDS THE CIVIL
INFRACTION FOR PROBLEM RACING
ATTENDEES AT UNLAWFUL RACE
EVENTS AND I STRONGLY SUPPORT
THIS AS A DETERRENT OF
ATTENDEES, WHICH AT TIMES CAN
NUMBER INTO HUNDREDS, HUNDREDS
, AND BEYOND AND CERTAINLY
CANNOT BE ADEQUATELY MANAGED BY
LIMITED LAW ENFORCEMENT
PERSONNEL CURRENTLY IN THESE
EVENTS, AS YOU KNOW, SPECTATORS
CAN DEVOLVE INTO LARGE,
OUT-OF-CONTROL EVENTS OF
MASSIVE REPERCUSSIONS INCLUDING
POSSIBLE INJURIES OR DEATHS. WE
HAVE SEEN IT AND SO FIRST THE
BILL TITLE ADDS CIVIL
INFRACTIONS FOR ATTENDEES. THE
NEXT THING MY AMENDMENT NUMBER
TWO ADDS AND ASPIRATIONAL
RECITAL TO EXPAND CIVILIAN
ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITY FOR
NONCRIMINAL INFRACTIONS TO CITY
DEPARTMENTS BEYOND SPD WHICH
COULD PROVIDE THE ADDITIONAL
DETERRENCE AND ENFORCEMENT
CAPABILITY. I ALSO UNDERSTAND
THAT SUCH AUTHORITY IS A UNION
COLLECTIVE BARGAINING ISSUE AT
ITS HEART, AT ITS CORE, WHICH
IS WHY I'M SIGNALING THE DESIRE
FOR THE COUNCIL THAT THIS ISSUE
BE ADDRESSED GOING FORWARD IN
THAT SPACE. THIRD, I AM ADDING
A PENALTY FOR THE CIVIL
INFRACTION. BECAUSE WE MAKE IT
A PENALTY TO BE A SPECTATOR,
THE PENALTY IS $100 AND IN
GENERAL I BELIEVE WE CAN'T BE
AFRAID OF TAKING RISK AND
TAKING STRONG ACTION TO SHUT
DOWN THIS KIND OF PROBLEM
BEHAVIOR WE ARE SEEING PLAY
GRIER CITY OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
WE CAN DO BETTER AND IN THIS
CASE , THE PUBLIC SAFETY OF OUR
CONSTITUENTS IS OF UTMOST
CONCERN. I ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT
ON MY AMENDMENT NUMBER TWO.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, VICE CHAIR SAKA.
ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE DAY'S?
>> DOES THE CHAIR CONSIDER THIS
A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT?
>> YES. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS?
OKAY, VICE CHAIR, THANK YOU
VERY MUCH FOR THIS SECOND
AMENDMENT. IT IS REALLY KEY TO
HIGHLIGHT FIRST THE ACTUAL
CONSTRUCTIVE KNOWLEDGE, YOU
KNOW, THE IDEA THAT YOU ARE
THERE AND YOU ARE PARTICIPATING
IN SOMETHING THAT IS A PROBLEM
FOR OUR COMMUNITY. ALSO, THE
INTENT TO OBSERVE, SUPPORT OR
ENCOURAGE THE UNLAWFUL RACE
EVENT. SUPPORTING AND
ENCOURAGING AND UNLAWFUL RACE
EVENT. THAT IN ITSELF
CONTRIBUTES AGAIN TO THE
PROBLEM OF A PERMISSIVE
ENVIRONMENT BUT THE KEY THING
HERE IS I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE
MAY BE PEOPLE WHO ARE PASSERSBY
AND THE LIKE AND THAT IS ONE
THING BUT I THINK THIS IS
ADDRESSED IN TERMS OF
PARTICULARLY NUMBERS THREE AND
FOUR AND PARTICULARLY NUMBER
FOUR THAT SAYS FAILURE TO LEAVE
THE AREA OF AN UNLAWFUL RACE
EVENT IF INSTRUCTED TO DO SO BY
A PEACE OFFICER. THIS CLEARLY
SHOWS THAT YOU KNOW, IF YOU ARE
IN THE WRONG PLACE AT THE WRONG
TIME, YOU MOVE ALONG AND EXIT
THE AREA AS DIRECTED BY A
POLICE OFFICER AND THAT IS
PRETTY CLEAR. THIS IS NOT --
THIS IS DEALING WITH THE ISSUES
WE HAVE SEEN IN NEWS REPORTS
AGAIN AND AGAIN WHERE
INDIVIDUALS ARE ENCOURAGING AND
SUPPORTING THIS BEHAVIOR, AND
THIS GOES TO THE UNDERLYING
PROBLEM THAT PLAGUES OUR CITY
AND THIS RIPPLES INTO OTHER
AREAS IN TERMS OF FOLLOW-ON
VIOLENT BECAUSE OF WHIPPED UP
EMOTIONS AND THE LIKE ARE
FEELING LIKE THEY ARE BIGGER
AND STRONGER THAN THEY ARE. THE
BOTTOM LINE IS YOU KNOW, THIS
IS A SITUATION, AS I SAID IN
THE OPENING REMARKS THAT THIS
IS A CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER
TO OUR COMMUNITY WHETHER IT IS
PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC SAFETY OR
MENTAL HEALTH, THE IMPACTS ON
THOSE WHO HEAR AND SEE AND I
WITNESSED TODAY WHO MADE PUBLIC
COMMENT JUST FROM HER HOME IN
LOWER QUEEN ANNE HIGHLIGHTS
THAT THIS IS NOT JUST WEST
SEATTLE, BUT ALL OVER SEATTLE
AND THAT YOU KNOW , THESE
ISSUES ARE POLLUTING OUR
ENVIRONMENT, THE NOISE
ENVIRONMENT, NOISE POLLUTION
THAT GOES BACK TO THE MEDICAL
CONDITIONS AND THE MENTAL
HEALTH AND THE OVERALL QUALITY
OF LIFE FOR OUR NEIGHBORS. SO,
WITH THAT, THANK YOU AGAIN TO
VICE-CHAIR SAKA. WILL THE CLERK
PLEASE CALL THE ROLL ON THE
ADOPTION OF AMENDMENT NUMBER
TWO?
>> COUNCIL MEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH
>> YES
>> COUNCIL MEMBER MOORE
>> ABSTAIN
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT NELSON
>> ABSTAIN
>> COUNCIL MEMBER SAKA
>> AYE
>> CHAIR KETTLE
>> AYE
>> THERE ARE THREE IN FAVOR AND
TWO ABSTENTIONS.
>> THANK YOU.
>> OH CHAIR, I WANT TO JUST
TAKE NOTE THAT I FULLY SUPPORT
THE SPIRIT OF THIS AND I THANK
YOU VERY MUCH. IF WE ARE GOING
TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE THEN WE
HAVE TO ADDRESS THE FACT THAT
THE AUDIENCE FOR IT, WHENEVER
WE ATTACK A PROBLEM, WE DON'T
JUST -- WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THE
SUPPLY AND THE DEMAND OF ANY
ISSUE WHEN WE ARE TALKING ABOUT
MAKING A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN
VARIOUS TYPES OF CRIME, SO MY
ABSTENTION WAS ONLY BECAUSE I
AM JUST NOW BRINGING MYSELF UP
TO SPEED. I WAS GONE LAST WEEK
AND I NEED TO CHECK A COUPLE
PROCEDURAL THINGS. IT IS NOT A
REFLECTION OF THE FACT THAT I
THINK THAT ATTACKING THIS ISSUE
FROM ALL ANGLES, INCLUDING THE
DEMAND SIDE, WHICH IS THE
SPECTATORS, IS VERY IMPORTANT
SO COUNCIL MEMBER SAKA, THANK
YOU VERY MUCH AND I JUST WANTED
TO EXPLAIN MY ABSTENTION.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT. ANY OTHER COMMENTS
ON THE BILL AS AMENDED? OKAY,
THANK YOU. WITH THE CLERK
PLEASE CALL THE ROLL ON PASSAGE
OF COUNSEL BILL 120806 AS
AMENDED.
>> COUNCIL MEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH
>> YES
>> COUNCIL MEMBER MOORE
>> AYE
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT NELSON
>> AYE
>> COUNCIL MEMBER SAKA
>> AYE
>> CHAIR KETTLE
>> AYE
>> THERE ARE FIVE IN FAVOR AND
NONE OPPOSED.
>> OKAY, THE MOTION CARRIES,
THE RECOMMENDATION THE COUNCIL
PASS COUNSEL BILL 120806 WILL
BE SENT TO THE CITY COUNCIL ON
THE 16th OF JULY. THANK YOU,
ASSISTANT CLERK, FOR THAT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR.
JOHNSON, FOR JUMPING IN AND
SUPPORTING AND BACKING UP THE
CITY ATTORNEY AND POLICE
DEPARTMENT ON THIS VERY
IMPORTANT TOPIC. THANK YOU. WE
WILL NOW MOVE ON TO OUR SECOND
ITEM OF BUSINESS. WILL THE
CLERK PLEASE READ ITEM TWO INTO
THE RECORD.
>> ACCOUNTABILITY PARTNERS
MIDYEAR REPORT.
>> THANK YOU. I WOULD LIKE TO
WELCOME EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF
THE COMMUNITY POLICE
COMMISSION, CALI ELLIS AND ALSO
DEPUTY DIRECTOR BONNIE GLENN
AND INSPECTOR SCOTT TO THE
TABLE. AND WE WILL ALSO HAVE
DIRECTOR BETS JOIN IN, TOO.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AGAIN
IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO HAVE
THESE OPPORTUNITIES TO SUPPORT
OUR ACCOUNTABILITY PARTNERS AND
GIVE THE FORM A CHANCE TO VOICE
YOUR OBSERVATIONS AND IN TERMS
OF WHAT IS HAPPENING IN TERMS
OF THE ACCOUNTABILITY SPACE AND
HOW WE CAN BUILD ON IT AND MOVE
FORWARD SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH
AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THREE
JOINING TOGETHER. I THINK IT
MAKES A STATEMENT WHEN ALL
THREE OF OUR ACCOUNTABILITY
PARTNERS ARE TOGETHER IN ONE
SPACE THAT ONE TIME TO DO SO,
SO OVER TO YOU. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH AGAIN FOR JOINING US.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK
YOU, CHAIR KETTLE, VICE-CHAIR
SAKA, MADAM PRESIDENT OF THE
COMMITTEE MEMBERS FOR HAVING US
HERE TODAY. IT IS A TREAT WHEN
WE CAN SIT IN THE SAME SPACE
WITH OUR ACCOUNTABILITY
PARTNERS AND WORK VERY CLOSELY
TOGETHER AND WE ARE PROUD TO
WORK ALONGSIDE THEM. I'M GOING
TO GIVE AN OVERVIEW OF THE WORK
WE HAVE DONE SO FAR THIS YEAR
FOR THE OFFICE OF INSPECTOR
GENERAL OR FOR PUBLIC SAFETY
THEN I'M GOING TO PASS IT OVER
TO OPA THAN THE CPC. I BELIEVE
OPA MAY JOIN US AT SOME POINT
BECAUSE WE LIKE TO HAVE THEM
HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS
ABOUT CROSS COLLABORATIONS.
I'M GOING TO START THIS
PRESENTATION AND GIVE A QUICK
OUTLINE. I KNOW I ONLY HAVE
ABOUT 45 MINUTES FROM THIS AND
I'VE BORROWED A FEW MINUTES
FROM OPA AND CPC WITHOUT THEM
KNOWING. THEY WILL BE FINE WITH
IT, JUST TO GET THROUGH ALL THE
WORK WE HAVE ON OUR PLATE. ALL
RIGHT. SO, I'M GOING TO GO
OVER AUDITS AND REVIEW FOR THE
YEAR, INVESTIGATIONS, OUR
POLICY PROJECTS, OUR STANDARDS
AND COMPLIANCE UNIT AS WELL AS
COMMUNICATIONS AND COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS THAT WE ARE
BEGINNING THIS YEAR. FOR AUDITS
AND REVIEWS, WE ARE GOING TO
COMPLETE THE LEXUS -- WE EXPECT
TO COMPLETE FOUR AUDITS THIS
YEAR. COVID LEAVE WAS ISSUED IN
APRIL AND WE TOOK ABOUT A LOOK
AT HOW WE ADMINISTERED LEAVE
FOR COVID. IT FOUND THAT
MONITORING OF SYMPTOMS AND
PAYROLL PROCESSES WERE REALLY
GOOD GIVEN THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF
2020 AND 2021. IT DID FIND THAT
SPD WAS AN OUTLIER IN THE CITY
FOR PROVIDING EMPLOYEES WITH AN
ADDITIONAL PAID BENEFIT IN THAT
PROCESS DID NOT GO THROUGH
LABOR NEGOTIATIONS. THAT AUDIT
WAS ISSUED IN APRIL 2024. THE
NEXT AUDIT WE ARE WORKING ON IS
THE FOLLOW-UP AUDIT OF CHIEF OF
POLICE DISCIPLINE
DETERMINATIONS. THIS IS A
LIMITED SCOPE REVIEW TO UPDATE
OUR 2021 AUDIT DESCRIBING THE
BODY OF DISCIPLINARY
DETERMINATIONS AND IN
PARTICULAR, HOW THEY COMPARE
THE RECOMMENDED RANGES OF
DISCIPLINE. WE ARE GOING TO
ISSUE THAT AUDIT AT THE END OF
QUARTER THREE HOPEFULLY OR
MAYBE AT THE BEGINNING OF
QUARTER FOUR. THE NEXT AUDIT IS
EXTENDED LEAVE. PRIOR TO
RETIREMENT. THIS IS AN AUDIT TO
FIND OUT WHAT THE FINANCIAL AND
OPERATIONAL IMPACTS ARE WITHIN
THE DEPARTMENT WHEN AN OFFICER
DOES NOT RETIRE UNTIL THEY'VE
USED ALL OF THEIR SICK LEAVE AS
OPPOSED TO CASHING IT OUT AT
THE CITY STANDARD OF 25%. THAT
IS EXPECTED TO BE ISSUED AT THE
END OF THE YEAR. THE LAST AUDIT
FOR THIS YEAR IS AN EXAMINATION
OF AN AUDIT OF VEHICULAR
PURSUITS. WE ARE GATHERING DATA
TO DESCRIBE THE OUTCOME OF ALL
PURSUITS IN RECENT YEARS AND
ONCE THAT WORK IS DONE, WE
EXPECT TO WEIGH IN ON WHAT
COULD BE IMPROVED ALTHOUGH SPD
IS DOING WELL AND MITIGATING
THAT RISK AND THAT IS SLATED TO
BE COMPLETED AT THE END OF THE
YEAR. NEXT, WE HAVE
SURVEILLANCE . OIG AUDIT UNITS
COMPLETES ANNUAL SURVEILLANCE
USAGE REVIEWS. THERE IS A
LANDSCAPE ANALYSIS WE COMPLETED
WHICH FOLLOWED A QUESTION FROM
COUNCIL PRESIDENT NELSON
EARLIER IN THE YEAR. SHE ASKED,
HOW DO OUR SURVEILLANCE
REQUIREMENTS COMPARED TO THE
REST OF THE COUNTRY? WE FOUND
SEVERAL LARGE CITIES HAVE
COMPARABLE SURVEILLANCE BUT
OURS IS AN OUTLIER IN A FEW
AREAS. THE SCOPE OF WHAT IS
CONSIDERED A SURVEILLANCE
TECHNOLOGY IS ONE OF THOSE
AREAS AND WE HAVE A ROBUST AND
INDEPENDENT POST-USE REVIEW. WE
ARE CURRENTLY WORKING ON SIX
SURVEILLANCE TECHNOLOGIES, AND
WE ARE TRYING A TWO-TIERED RISK
APPROACH TO MANAGE THE
WORKLOAD. WHEN WE WERE HERE
LAST WE TALKED ABOUT OUR
SURVEILLANCE REVIEWS ON THE
WORKLOAD AND HAVING 16
SURVEILLANCE TECHNOLOGIES TO
REVIEW IN A CERTAIN ORDER AND
IT IS A LARGE BODY OF WORK FOR
OUR OFFICE. WE ARE ALSO
MONITORING THE POTENTIAL
ACQUISITION AND IMPLEMENTATION
OF THIS YEAR'S NEW SURVEILLANCE
TECHNOLOGY -- TECHNOLOGIES
WHICH ARE CLOSED-CIRCUIT
TELEVISION, REAL-TIME CRIME
CENTER AND AUTOMATED LICENSE
PLATE READER EXPANSION. THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE HAS ASKED US TO
TAKE A DEEPER DIVE INTO THE
EFFECTIVENESS OF THE TWO-YEAR
PILOT PROGRAM, SO WE EXPECT TO
BE WORKING WITH AN EXTERNAL
CONSULTANT THIS YEAR AND HAVE
AN EVALUATION COMPLETED AT THE
END OF THE YEAR. JUST TO WRITE
A LITTLE BIT, WE RECEIVED AN
EXEMPLARY AWARD FOR OUR 2023
AUDIT OF YOUTH ACCESS TO LEGAL
COUNSEL. WE RECEIVED THAT IN
MARCH THEN PRESENTED ON BEST
PRACTICES FOR USING BODY WORN
VIDEO AS AUDIT EVIDENCE SO OUR
AUDIT SUPERVISOR IS VERY BUSY
AND HIS TEAM IS DOING A LOT OF
GOOD WORK. NEXT UP WE HAVE
INVESTIGATIONS. THESE NUMBERS
CAPTURE THE TOTAL NUMBERS
RECEIVED AND REVIEWED BY OIG
STAFF, AND OIG REPORTS ON
CURRENT STATISTICS IN OUR
MIDYEAR REPORT SO WE ARE NOT
GOING TO GET INTO IT TOO MUCH
SINCE OPA IS GOING TO GIVE YOU
SOME OF THESE DETAILS BUT FOR
CONTACT LOGS, WE'VE REVIEWED
41 SINCE JULY 1st. 55
SUPERVISORY ACTIONS, 98
MEDIATIONS, ONE ADJUDICATION. I
WOULD LIKE TO JUST GO OVER WHAT
THESE ARE REALLY QUICKLY, SO
CONTACT LOGS OR CASES THAT ARE
NOT APPROPRIATE FOR FURTHER
INVESTIGATION. FOR EXAMPLE,
THIS COULD BE DUE TO ISSUES
WITH JURISDICTION, LACK OF
INFORMATION TO FOLLOW UP ON, A
GENERAL COMPLAINT, THE
COMPLAINT BEING IMPLAUSIBLE AS
SHOWN BY AVAILABLE EVIDENCE OR
THINGS THAT ARE NOT POLICY
VIOLATIONS. SUPERVISORY ACTIONS
OR CASES THAT INVOLVED MINOR
VIOLATIONS OF PERFORMANCE
ISSUES BEST ADDRESSED BY AN
EMPLOYEE'S SUPERVISOR THROUGH
TRAINING OR COACHING. IN THESE
CASES, OPA SENDS A MEMO
REQUIRING AN EMPLOYEE
SUPERVISOR TO TAKE FOLLOW-UP
ACTION BEFORE RETURNING THE
CASE TO OPA TO REVIEW.
MEDIATION IS A VOLUNTARY
ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION
PROCESS FOR EMPLOYEES AND
COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO DISCUSS A
CONFLICT WITH THE GUIDANCE OF A
NEUTRAL THIRD-PARTY MEDIATOR
AND BOTH PARTIES MUST AGREE FOR
THE MEDIATION TO GO FORWARD.
RAPID ADJUDICATION IS A CASE
WHERE THE SPD EMPLOYEE MUST
ACKNOWLEDGE THE CONDUCT, AND
THAT THEIR CONDUCT WAS
INCONSISTENT WITH SPD POLICY
AND ACCEPT A PREDETERMINED
DISCIPLINE INSTEAD OF AN
INVESTIGATION. FOR AN
INVESTIGATIONS REVIEW, OIG
ISSUED 140 CERTIFICATIONS ON
135 CASES THIS YEAR SO FAR IN
2024. 94% OF THE CERTIFICATIONS
ISSUED WERE FULL
CERTIFICATIONS, AND NINE WERE
PARTIAL CERTIFICATIONS, AND I
JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU
WILL UNDERSTAND WE REVIEW
INVESTIGATIONS AND CERTIFY THEM
FOR TIMELINESS, THOROUGHNESS
AND OBJECTIVITY, SO WHEN YOU
SEE THE CROSSOVER OF 140
CERTIFICATIONS ON HUNDRED AND
35 CASES IT'S BECAUSE
SOMETIMES THERE ARE MULTIPLE
COUNTS IN THEM, AND SO FOR THE
CERTIFICATIONS I THINK MAYBE
DIRECTOR BATS MAY HAVE THIS
INFORMATION. NO, I HAVE IT. ONE
CASE WAS NOT THOROUGH , AND
THAT CASES WERE NOT TIMELY IN
TERMS OF THOSE NINE PARTIAL
CERTIFICATIONS THAT YOU SEE UP
THERE, SO NOT MEETING THE THREE
THRESHOLDS. ALL RIGHT, SO FOR
POLICY , WE ARE DOING A STUDY
OF SWORN AND CIVILIAN STAFFING
FOR OPA, AND OUR ORDINANCE
REQUIRES US TO DO THIS , ASSESS
OPA'S MIX OF SWORN AND
CIVILIAN INVESTIGATORS. IN
CONDUCTING THIS YEAR'S REVIEW
WE FOUND TWO KEY FACTORS THAT
ARE LIMITING OUR ASSESSMENT.
ONE IS A LIMITED SAMPLE SIZE
AND THE OTHER IS THAT SWORN
INVESTIGATORS CONDUCT MORE
COMPLEX INVESTIGATIONS THAN
CIVILIANS, SO THOSE FACTORS IN
TERMS OF HOW WE ARE GOING TO
MOVE FORWARD WITH OUR
ASSESSMENT. I KNOW THE
CONTRACTED ALLOW FOR TWO MORE
CIVILIAN INVESTIGATORS , SO WE
ARE GOING TO ASSESS IT FURTHER
AS WE GO FORWARD. THE NEXT IS
LAWSUITS AGAINST SPD. WE ARE
REQUIRED BY ORDINANCE TO REVIEW
THIS AND WE WILL BE PUBLISHING
THE FINDINGS AT THE END OF Q3.
WE DO AN ANALYSIS OF COMPLAINT
TYPES, RESOLUTION AND PAYMENTS
PAID BY THE CITY THAN WE ALSO
LOOK AT EVALUATION OF FINDINGS
OF CIVILIAN COMPLAINTS RELATED
TO LAWSUITS SETTLED BY THE
CITY. OUR NEXT AREA THAT POLICY
IS REVIEWING HIS MUTUAL AID,
AND THIS IS A REVIEW OF
EMERGING AND STANDARD
PRACTICES. SPD OBLIGATIONS, AND
CURRENT AGREEMENTS. FINDINGS
ARE THAT SPD HAS REQUESTED
MUTUAL AID 31 TIMES BETWEEN
2014 AND 2023 , AND LOCAL
AGENCIES HAVE REQUESTED AID
FROM SPD 24 TIMES. WE ALSO
FOUND THERE ARE RECORD GAPS IN
SOME OF OUR RECOMMENDATIONS ARE
IMPROVED DOCUMENTATION, RECORDS
MANAGEMENT, AND UPDATING THE
MUTUAL AID AGREEMENTS
THEMSELVES. THIS INCLUDES THE
INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT, AND
NOTICE OF CONSENT INCLUDING
TERMS RELATED TO REQUESTING AND
PROVIDING AID IN DETERMINING
INCIDENT COMMAND AND REPORTING
REQUIREMENTS TO BE MADE IN
THOSE UPDATED AGREEMENTS. AND
THEN WE ARE ALSO DOING EMERGING
AND STANDARD PRACTICES
RESEARCH. WE CONTINUALLY REVIEW
EMERGING BEST PRACTICES IN
VARIOUS AREAS, AND THIS YEAR,
WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT VARIOUS
ASPECT OF CROWD MANAGEMENT,
POLICE INTERACTIONS WITH
NONCOMPLIANT PERSONS AND
VEHICLE PURSUITS AND TEST --
TACTICS SO OUR POLICY HAS A LOT
OF WORK GOING AND WE ARE
GRATEFUL FOR THE TEAM. FOR
STANDARDS AND COMPLIANCE, THIS
IS OUR NEWEST UNIT. THIS IS OUR
IN-HOUSE MONITORING UNIT THAT
CAME BEFORE IT ON JULY OF LAST
YEAR SO THIS IS OUR FIRST YEAR,
AND THEY JUST COMPLETED IN
FEBRUARY, THE USE OF FORCE
ASSESSMENT, WHICH IS OUR FIRST
ASSESSMENT AND THEY DEVELOPED
QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE
METHODS TO ASSESS SPD'S USE OF
FORCE FROM 2021 TO 2023 AND
PROVIDE ONGOING FEEDBACK TO
SPD'S FORCE REVIEW UNIT AND
FORMAL PERIODIC REVIEWS AND
REAL-TIME FEEDBACK IN THE AREA
OF CRISIS RESPONSE, IN THE SPD
USE OF FORCE ASSESSMENT, AS
WELL. THE NEXT ASSESSMENT IS
THE CRISIS ASSESSMENT. THIS IS
AN EVALUATION OF SPD'S RESPONSE
TO INDIVIDUALS IN CRISIS. WE
ARE GOING TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE
SINCE THE FEDERAL MONITOR'S
LAST ASSESSMENT IN THIS PRICE
ASSESSMENT IS GOING TO INCLUDE
A QUANTITATIVE ASSESSMENT OF
SPD CRISIS RESPONSE FOR 2021
THROUGH 2023 AS WELL AS A
QUALITATIVE ASSESSMENT OF SPD
CRISIS RESPONSE BY REVIEWING
BODY WORN VIDEO AND CHAIN OF
COMMAND REVIEW FROM 2023. WE
HAVE ALSO BEEN OUT TO EVALUATE
CRISIS TRAININGS PROVIDED TO
SPD OFFICERS, SO WE DID GO TO
THE WASHINGTON STATE CRIMINAL
JUSTICE TRAINING COMMISSION'S
40 HOUR TRAINING AND DID A
COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT USING
A METHODOLOGY AND ASSESSMENT
TOOL FOR BEST LEARNING,
PRINCIPALS AND VARIOUS
COMPONENTS AND HAVE
RECOMMENDATIONS AS TO THAT, AND
THEN ONE OF THE GAPS THE SPD
USES TO FILL OUT WHAT IS NOT
GIVEN IN THE WASHINGTON STATE
CRIMINAL JUSTICE COMMISSION SO
WE WILL BE ATTENDING SPD
TRAININGS ON CRISIS AS WELL
THIS FALL AND SUMMER. AND THEN
WE DO ONGOING ASSESSMENTS, SO
SUPERVISION AND BIAS-FREE
POLICING IS BAKED INTO THE
ASSESSMENTS THAT WE DO BECAUSE
THEY ARE A COMPONENT OF THOSE
AREAS INCLUDING USE OF FORCE IN
CRISIS. OUR LAST AREA IS
COMMUNICATIONS AND COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT. WE HIRED A
COMMUNITY LOCATIONS --
COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST IN
MARCH AND HE IS AMAZING. WE ARE
CREATING A COMPREHENSIVE
DOCUMENT DETAILING OUR
COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGY THROUGH
2027 AND WE WILL PUBLISH THAT
AT THE END OF Q3. WE HAVE A NEW
SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGY USING
CONTENT AND GATHERING INSIGHTS
FROM THE COMMUNITY TO ENGAGE
SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS
INCLUDING FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM
AND YOUTUBE AND WE ARE ALSO
STARTING A PODCAST. WE ARE
EXCITED AND WE WOULD ASK YOU TO
BE IN THE PODCASTER PLEASE SAY
YES WHEN THEY REACH OUT TO YOU.
WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT THAT AS
WELL AND WE HAVE -- I'M NOT
SURE IF YOU ARE AWARE BUT WE
GET A LOT OF INQUIRIES FROM THE
PUBLIC. WE HAVE INFO AT OIG
EMAIL AND WE'VE GOTTEN 429
EMAIL SINCE JULY 1st. WE'VE GOT
49 PHONE CALLS AND THREE
LETTERS. THE THEMES OF THE
CONTACTS ARE EVERYBODY IS
ATTEMPTING TO CONTACT DIFFERENT
FEDERAL OIG ENTITIES WHERE THEY
WANT TO REPORT A CRIME OR
COMPLAINTS ABOUT OPA CASES SO
WE ARE MONITORING FOR TRENDS
AND THAT WILL PROBABLY BE IN
OUR NEXT ANNUAL REPORT. IN
ADDITION, WE ARE HAPPY TO BE
ENGAGING WITH THE COMMUNITY
POLICE COMMISSION BY SITTING ON
THEIR COMMITTEES -- BEHAVIORAL
HEALTH COMMITTEE, POLICE
PRACTICE COMMITTEE AND ANY AD
HOC COMMITTEES THEY HAVE AND
WE'VE ALSO BEEN WORKING ACROSS
THE COMMUNITY AND WE WILL BE
SITTING WITH THE URBAN LEAGUE
TABLING AN EVENT THIS SUMMER
AND GETTING OUT IN VARIOUS
WAYS, SO THAT'S US. AND OH,
THERE IS ME. IT'S A GOOD
SELFIE. ALL RIGHT, SO THAT IS
WHERE WE ARE AND THANK YOU FOR
YOUR TIME AND LISTENING TO OIG.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND I
THINK WE WILL GO WITH QUESTIONS
AS THE PRESENTATION IS
COMPLETED JUST SO WE DON'T GET
TOO FAR BEYOND THE ORIGINAL
PRESENTATION , SO AS CUSTOM, I
WILL GO TO MY VICE CHAIR BUT I
THINK I'M GOING TO VOLUNTEER
HIM AS THE FIRST PARTICIPANT IN
YOUR PODCAST.
>> I FEEL LIKE HE'S GOING TO
SAY YES.
>> MR. CHAIR, YOU'VE BEEN GREAT
AT VOLUNTEERING ME FOR A LOT OF
THINGS WITHOUT MY CONSENT IN
THE PAST FEW DAYS BUT I
WOULDN'T MIND. AFTER YOU
PARTICIPATE FIRST.
>> I WOULD BE MORE THAN HAPPY
TO PURCHASE A PAID IN THE
PODCAST BUT THE VICE CHAIR, ANY
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?
>> KNOW. I JUST WANT TO THANK
YOU ALL AT OIG FOR THE WORK YOU
ALL DO EVERY DAY IN
COLLABORATION AND PARTNERSHIP
WITH ACCOUNTABILITY PARTNERS
REPRESENTED AT THIS TABLE.
REALLY IMPORTANT WORK IS AND I
WANT TO SUPPORT AND UPLIFT IN
ANY WAY I CAN. I WILL SAY IS A
FRIENDLY ASIDE, YOUR COMMENT
ABOUT LEVERAGING SOME OF THAT
TIME FROM OTHERS, LIKE I SAW
SOME FACES , AND NOT ALL WERE
EQUALLY IMPRESSED, I WILL SAY.
LOOKING AT YOU .
>> IT WAS A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT.
>> ALL GOOD. THANK YOU.
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT NELSON.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANKS
FOR THIS PRESENTATION. I WANTED
TO FOLLOW UP ON YOUR MENTION OF
MY PREVIOUS QUESTION ABOUT
SURVEILLANCE TECHNOLOGY
AUDITING, SO THAT USED TO FALL
UNDER MY PURVIEW IN THE FIRST
YEARS I WAS IN OFFICE, SO I
KNOW PER THE ORDINANCE, THE
ANNUAL REVIEW IS VERY DIFFICULT
TO DO WITH THE BACKLOG OF
TECHNOLOGIES THAT WE HAVE, AND
THAT YOU ARE ACTIVELY
MONITORING RIGHT NOW. HERE IS
MY QUESTION. YOU HAVE ENLISTED
THE HELP OF THE CITY AUDITOR I
THINK TO DEVISE A BETTER SYSTEM
FOR SCHEDULING THE ONGOING
AUDITS, SO I AM WONDERING HOW
THAT IS GOING.
>> SURE. OUR AUDIT TEAM AS WELL
AS THE CITY AUDITORS HAVE
DEVELOPED A RISK ASSESSMENT
TOOL TO MANAGE RESOURCES. I
THINK IT IS STILL NEW SO WE CAN
CHECK BACK WITH YOU TO SEE HOW
IT'S GOING LATER THIS FALL, IF
THAT'S OKAY.
>> SURE. DO YOU NEED ANY HELP
OR ARE THERE ANY STEPS THE
COUNCIL NEEDS TO TAKE TO
SYSTEMIZE THAT AND IF IT'S
WORKING BETTER LET US KNOW.
>> OKAY, THANK YOU.
>> COUNCILMEMBER , BY THE WAY,
I SHOULD'VE NOTED THAT COUNCIL
MEMBER RIVERA JOINED US AS THIS
STARTED SO I WANT TO RECOGNIZE
HER PRESENCE AND AS NOTED, ON
-- ALL OF OUR COLLEAGUES NOT
JUST ON THE COMMITTEE BUT ON
THE COUNCIL ARE WELCOME AT ANY
TIME TO JOIN ANY COMMITTEE
MEETING SO THANK YOU AND
WELCOME IT OVER TO YOU.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR. THANK YOU
FOR ALWAYS INVITING ME TO COME
EVEN THOUGH I DON'T SIT ON
THIS COMMITTEE AND FOR REALLY
ALLOWING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO
ASK QUESTIONS. I POP IN THE
COMMITTEES THAT I DON'T SIT ON
FROM TIME TO TIME BECAUSE I
REALLY APPRECIATE THE ABILITY
TO ASK QUESTIONS I WOULD NOT BE
ABLE TO ASK IF I DON'T ATTEND
THE COMMITTEE SO THAT'S WHY I
DO THAT AND SO TOWARD THAT, ON
THE ONGOING ASSESSMENTS SLIDE
UNDER SUPERVISION , AND I
APOLOGIZE, COLLEAGUES, IF YOU
WILL KNOW ABOUT THIS BUT I DO
NOT. IT SAYS IN EACH OF THE
ASSESSMENTS COMPLETED BY THE
STANDARDS AND COMPLIANCE TEAM,
OIG WILL REVIEW ASPECTS OF
SUPERVISION. CAN YOU TALK A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT ASPECTS
OF SUPERVISION MEANS?
>> YES. IN EACH OF THE
ASSESSMENTS, WE GO WITH HOW A
REPORT IS GIVEN UP TO CHAIN OF
COMMAND, HOW OUR ISSUES ADDRESS
COMING BACK DOWN SO THE AREAS
WE ARE TESTING ARE IMPROVED, SO
USE OF FORCE, SUPERVISION PLAN,
SUPERVISION OF OFFICERS. ARE
THEY LEADING BY EXAMPLE, ALL
THOSE THINGS AND THE SAME WITH
BIAS FREE POLICING SO THOSE
AREAS ARE BAKED INTO ALL THE
ASSESSMENTS BECAUSE SUPERVISION
PLAYS A ROLE MAC AND THE -- IN
THE ASPECTS OF POLICING.
>> YES, SO THE ASPECTS ARE
BASED ON WHAT THE SUPER VISION
IN POLICING IS AND WHAT ROLE IT
PLAYED. OKAY GREAT. THANK YOU.
AND THE SAME I THINK YOU
ANSWERED MY SECOND QUESTION WAS
GOING TO BE UNDER BIAS-FREE
POLICING WHERE IT SAYS ALL
AREAS OF OIG ASSESSMENTS
INCLUDED BIAS COMPONENT WHERE
POSSIBLE AND APPROPRIATE AND I
JUST WANTED A LITTLE MORE
INFORMATION ABOUT WHERE
POSSIBLE, BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE IT
IS RELATED TO THE THING YOU
WERE REVIEWING AND WHETHER THAT
WAS
>> A CORRELATION IS REVIEWED
ARE BAKED INTO THIS.
>> SOME OF THESE ARE
STAND-ALONE REPORTS BUT NOW WE
ARE BAKING THEM INTO ALL OF OUR
ASSESSMENTS.
>> PERFECT. GREAT TO HEAR AND
THANK YOU.
>> YES. THANK YOU FOR THE
QUESTION.
>> COUNCIL MEMBER MOORE.
>> THANK YOU , CHAIR. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH. THERE IS A LOT IN
THIS PRESENTATION SO I'M
OBVIOUSLY NOT GOING TO HAVE
TIME TO GET THROUGH IT ALL BUT
THANK YOU FOR PUTTING IT OUT
THERE FOR CONSIDERATION. SO THE
FIRST THING I WANTED TO START
WITH WAS THE SWORN CIVILIAN
STAFFING STUDY AND I KNOW THAT
THIS HAS BEEN AN ISSUE ABOUT
TRYING TO GET MORE CIVILIANS TO
CIVILIAN EYES OPA
INVESTIGATIONS, AND I'M
WONDERING IF THIS STUDY IS
GOING TO BE LOOKING AT HOW WELL
THAT IS GOING, WHERE IT HAS
OCCURRED, AND WHETHER YOU WILL
BE MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS ABOUT
WHETHER THAT PROCESS SHOULD
CONTINUE ON WHAT SORT OF
CATEGORY OF CASES, WHETHER OPA
SHOULD BE ALL CIVILIAN .
>> YES. THOSE ARE DIFFERENT
COMPONENTS WITHIN THE
CATEGORIES OF CASES THAT
CIVILIANS CAN REVIEW WORST
VERSUS SWORN SO THOSE ARE
ASPECTS OF THE REPORT WE WILL
BE ADDRESSING AND I WILL BE
SURE TO LOOK BACK AT THOSE
REPORTING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE
COVER IT.
>> THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE
THAT. WHEN ARE YOU ANTICIPATING
HAVING THIS STUDY COMPLETED?
>> I'M NOT SURE BUT I CAN GET
BACK TO YOU ON AN EXACT DATE.
>> OKAY, THANK YOU. THE NEXT
SLIDE HIS CLAIMS AND LAWSUITS.
WE DON'T SEEM TO HAVE A LOT OF
LAWSUITS. WE SEEM TO PAY OUT
QUITE A LOT OF MONEY AND
LAWSUITS, JUST SORT OF
WONDERING WHEN YOU SAY YOU ARE
REVIEWING THE LITIGATION
PROCESS AND BUDGET COMPOSITION
OF EXPENDITURES, WHAT DOES THAT
LOOK LIKE , AND THEN ALSO
INTERNAL COMPLAINTS . ONE OF
THE THINGS WE ARE HEARING NOW
IS THAT OPA PROCESS IS BEING
WEAPONIZED , AND WE ARE TRYING
TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO STOP THAT
FROM HAPPENING. IS THAT
SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO BE
ADDRESSED ?
>> I'M NOT SURE ABOUT THE
LATTER BUT WE ARE LOOKING AT
THE TYPES OF CASES AND THE
AMOUNTS PAID OUT PER YEAR SO
PERSONAL INJURY FLEET, TOE, AS
WELL AS CIVILIAN COMPLAINTS, SO
I WILL ALSO MAKE SURE TO USE
THIS RECORDING TO LOOK AT THAT
AND I CAN ALSO GIVE YOU AN
ANSWER SPECIFICALLY LATER, IF
THAT'S OKAY. I DO HAVE THE
DRAFT REPORT BUT I DIDN'T
WRITE IT SO I DON'T WANT TO
DEEP DIVE AND GIVE THE WRONG
INFORMATION BECAUSE MY POLICY
DIRECTOR WILL TELL ME SO.
>> I UNDERSTAND THAT. I THINK
ANY SORT OF RECOMMENDATIONS YOU
CAN MAKE FOR HOW WE CAN DO A
BETTER JOB SO WE ARE NOT
LOOKING AT SO MUCH LITIGATION ,
AND I THINK THE MOVE TO
MEDIATION IS A GREAT STEP IN
THAT DIRECTION BUT OTHER WAYS
WE CAN LIMIT OUR LIABILITY
WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL. LASTLY,
I'M CURIOUS ABOUT THE MUTUAL
AID . WE HAVE JUST STARTED THE
CARE TEAM , AND THAT STARTED
AFTER THIS BUT ARE YOU GOING TO
BE LOOKING AT THE INTERACTION
BETWEEN SPD AND THE CARE TEAM
AS A MUTUAL AID RELATIONSHIP?
>> I DON'T BELIEVE SO AT THIS
TIME. THAT IS SOMETHING WE
COULD EXPLORE AND COME BACK TO
YOU ON.
>> OKAY, THAT WOULD BE FOR THE
NEXT PIECE, THAT WOULD BE
INCREDIBLY HELPFUL TO LOOK AT
THAT RELATIONSHIP.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, MISS GLENN. I
DON'T BELIEVE WE HAVE ANY MORE
QUESTIONS. I JUST WANTED TO
HIGHLIGHT A FEW THINGS.
OBVIOUSLY THE OIG HAS A ROLE
HERE RELATED TO FEDERAL
MONITORING AS WE ARE TRYING TO
PUSH BEYOND THE CONSENT DECREE
AND SO THE OIG HAS A SPECIAL
ROLE IN THAT SENSE IN TERMS OF
THE DUTIES OF THE FEDERAL
MONITOR AND SO APPRECIATE THE
BRIEFING AND HITTING THE
DIFFERENT TOPICS. BEFORE I GO
ANY FURTHER, BY THE WAY, I
WOULD NOT ASK MY VICE CHAIR TO
DO ANYTHING I TOO WOULDN'T DO
MYSELF, AND I DID MENTION THIS
BACK IN THE SPRING.
CONGRATULATIONS ON THE NIGHT AN
AWARD BUT I WANT TO TAKE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO SAY SO AGAIN.
CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU , TO
INSPECTOR GENERAL, JUDGE AND
THE WHOLE TEAM FOR THE AWARD.
WELL-DESERVED AND
CONGRATULATIONS. BACK TO THE
FEDERAL MONITOR, A BIG ISSUE
FOR ME AND I SHOULD ALSO NOTE
THAT OUR SPD COO BRIAN MIXTER
-- MR. MAXEY HAS JOINED US AT
THE TABLE, AS WELL. HE JOINED
US JUST AFTER THE BRIEFING
BEGAN -- IS THE CROWD
MANAGEMENT POINT. THAT'S GOING
TO BE A KEY PIECE IN TERMS OF
MOVING FORWARD AND BE ON THE
CONSENT DECREE SO LOOKING FOR
ANYTHING FURTHER ON THAT AND
YOU KNOW, WORKING TOGETHER WITH
THE OTHER PARTNERS AND SPD IN
TERMS OF HOW BEST TO MOVE
FORWARD TO REALLY CLOSEOUT THAT
CHAPTER SO WE CAN AGAIN MOVE
FORWARD FROM THE CONSENT DECREE
AND AS YOU NOTED IN YOUR SECOND
BULLET, WE DO HAVE SOME
IMPORTANT TIMELINE POINTS AND
THE WORLD CUP IS GOING TO BE
KEY, AND AS SOMEONE WHO IS BEEN
TO WORLD CUPS IN OTHER
COUNTRIES YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO
BE SURE THAT WE ARE SET ACROSS
ALL TYPES OF CROWD MANAGEMENT
AND ENSURE THAT WE ARE IN A
GOOD PLACE AND THIS IS WHERE
THE ACCOUNTABILITY PARTNERS
COME IN TO BE IMPORTANT TO
WORKING WITH SPD TO ENSURE WE
HAVE THE RIGHT APPROACH MOVING
FORWARD SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.
I'M ALSO INTERESTED. IT COMES
UP TWICE HERE, THE VEHICULAR
PURSUITS AND VEHICLE TACTICS.
THAT IS ANOTHER IMPORTANT THING
FOR A COUPLE OF REASONS. ONE,
WE TALKED ABOUT SAFETY ON OUR
STREETS. WE NEED TO HAVE THAT,
BUT IT IS ALSO AN IMPORTANT
PIECE BECAUSE WE ARE DEVELOPING
A LIST TO ENGAGE OLYMPIA ON AND
THIS IS AN AREA THAT WE NEED TO
DO SO FOR VEHICULAR PURSUITS
BUT ALSO WE'VE MENTIONED
HIGH-SPEED VEHICLE OPERATIONS,
YOU KNOW, AND THE KEY
OBSERVATION OF MINE IS THAT WE
NEED BETTER TRAINING
OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR OFFICERS
AND THAT IS SOMETHING WE NEED
TO ENGAGE ON, AS WELL BECAUSE
I'M SURE WE'RE NOT THE ONLY
JURISDICTION WITH THAT
CHALLENGE AND I THINK WITH A
SHARED APPROACH AND SHARED
ABILITY TO HAVE A TRAINING
FACILITY , WE AVOID SOME OF THE
CHALLENGES AND TRAGEDIES THAT
WE'VE HAD IN THE NOT TOO
DISTANT PAST AND OF COURSE THE
LAST THING I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT
BEFORE MOVING ON, BECAUSE OF
TIME, THE SURVEILLANCE
TECHNOLOGY PIECE. WE PASSED THE
AUTOMATIC LICENSE PLATE READER.
WE DO HAVE A COUPLE MORE COMING
UP . I CAN'T REMEMBER NOW THE
SLIDE BUT TWO OF THE THREE WE
ARE LOOKING TO MOVE FORWARD ON
SO ANYTHING ON THAT AREA OF
COVERAGE IS REALLY IMPORTANT,
AT LEAST IN MY ROLE AS CHAIR OF
THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE SO
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE WILL
NOW I GUESS MOVE ON TO THE NEXT
TEAM .
>> GOOD MORNING, PUBLIC SAFETY
COMMITTEE , COUNCIL MEMBER
RIVERA. WELCOME. MY NAME IS YOU
KNOW BATS. I'M THE OFFICE OF
POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY JOINED BY
MY DIRECTOR BONNIE GLENN WHO
WILL PRESERVE -- PRESENT ON THE
MIDYEAR REPORT ACCOMPLISHMENTS
WE HAVE ACHIEVED SO FAR THIS
YEAR AND SHE WILL ALSO FORECAST
SOME OF OUR UPCOMING PROJECTS
SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, I WILL
TURN IT OVER TO BONNIE GLENN.
>> THANK YOU. WELCOME AND LOOK
FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU.
>> FIRST OF ALL, MY NAME IS
BONNIE GLENN AND I AM THE
DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF OPA AND TO
THE CHAIR AND PUBLIC SAFETY
COMMITTEE, CHAIR KETTLE AND THE
CHAIR OF THE COUNCIL,
COUNCILMEMBER NELSON AND THE
ENTIRE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE
IT IS MY HONOR TO BE HERE TODAY
WITH ALL OF YOU TO PRESENT NOT
ONLY TO OURSELVES AND ALSO AS
STATED EARLIER WITH ALL OF OUR
OTHER ACCOUNTABILITY PARTNERS
AND TO HAVE THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT PRESENT, AS WELL. IT
IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE
INFORMATION ABOUT OUR MIDYEAR
REPORT BUT ALSO TO ANSWER
QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE
AS WE GO THROUGHOUT THE YEAR ,
NEXT STEPS. WITH THAT I'M GOING
TO GO AHEAD AND BEGIN OUR
PRESENTATION. FIRST, OUR
OVERVIEW. I'M GOING TO START
WITH AN INTRODUCTION AND
OVERVIEW AND KIND OF THE
PROCESS AND OPA'S PROJECTS
MIDYEAR'S AND PROJECTS
UPCOMING AND WE HAVE SOME DATA
FOR YOU TO GO OVER AND THEN OF
COURSE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
>> JUST SO IT IS CLEAR TO
EVERYONE, WHAT OUR MISSION IS,
OBVIOUSLY WE DO INVESTIGATIONS
BUT IT'S A GOOD REMINDER OF
WHAT WE DO AND ALSO IN OUR
MISSION, THINGS THAT WE CAN DO.
SOMETIMES PEOPLE ARE SURPRISED
WHEN WE DO COMMUNITY OUTREACH
AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE
BECAUSE IT IS SO CRITICAL TO
HAVE PUBLIC TRUST SO PEOPLE
KNOW THEY CAN MAKE A COMPLAINT
TO UNDERSTAND OUR PROCESSES SO
THE MISSION IS TO ENSURE SPD'S
EMPLOYEES ACTIONS COMPLY WITH
LAW AND POLICY , CONDUCTING THE
OBJECTIVE AND TIMELY
INVESTIGATIONS, RECOMMENDING
IMPROVEMENTS TO POLICIES AND
TRAININGS AND ENGAGING IN
COLLABORATIVE INITIATIVES THAT
PROMOTE SYSTEMIC ADVANCEMENT SO
THAT REQUIRES A LOT OF WORKING
TOGETHER ACROSS SYSTEMS. IT
REQUIRES OUTREACH, LISTENING,
ALL OF THOSE THINGS. ALSO, OUR
VISION TO SAFEGUARD A CULTURE
OF ACCOUNTABILITY WITHIN THE
SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND
ALSO OUR VALUES OF INDEPENDENT,
TRANSPARENT AND COLLABORATIVE
AND INNOVATIVE . WE ARE CHARGED
WITH THAT AND I'M HAPPY TO SAY
THAT WE STRIVE EVERY DAY TOWARD
FULFILLING THE MISSION, VISION
AND VALUES AT OPA. OUR ROLE IS
TO PROCESS COMPLETES -- POLICE
MISCONDUCT COMPLAINTS AND MOST
PEOPLE WHEN YOU TALK TO THE
PUBLIC, THEY THINK IT'S JUST
SWORN OFFICERS BUT AS YOU KNOW,
IT'S THE ENTIRE POLICE
DEPARTMENT. THAT IS OVER 1100
PEOPLE OR MORE PLUS WITH
REGARDS TO SWORN AS WELL AS
ALSO CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES . ALSO
TO ENHANCE POLICE
ACCOUNTABILITY CULTURE , AND
WORKING ACROSS SYSTEMS AND
LISTENING AND SHARING THAT
INFORMATION. YOU'RE GOING TO
HEAR ABOUT SOME OF OUR
PROJECTS. WE ARE REACHING OUT
TO PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY TO
GET THEIR INPUT AND SO FORTH IN
ORDER TO HELP BRING THAT VOICE
AND ALSO HOPEFULLY ENGAGE TRUST
ACROSS SYSTEMS WITH OUR
COMMUNITY. ALSO A COMMUNITY
AWARENESS OF COURSE, THAT IS
THINGS SUCH AS AWARENESS. HOW
TO MAKE A COMPLAINT. IN FACT,
EVEN WHEN WE PRESENT, WE'VE
PRESENTED IN PLACES LIKE
DEPARTMENTS AND NEIGHBORHOODS
EVEN OUR OWN DEPARTMENTS YOU
KNOW, DO YOU KNOW HOW TO MAKE A
COMPLAINT? DO YOU KNOW WHO WE
ARE? HOW WOULD YOU DO THAT?
WHAT ARE THINGS YOU THINK MIGHT
MAKE THE SYSTEM BETTER? IT'S
NICE TO BE ABLE TO WHEN WE TALK
OF COMMUNITY WE ARE THE CITY OF
SEATTLE BUT OUR COMMUNITY AT
LARGE AND OTHERS FOR OUR
STRUCTURE THINK MOST KNOW WE
ARE AN INDEPENDENT STRUCTURE IN
THE SENSE THAT WE ARE
INDEPENDENT PHYSICALLY AND
OPERATIONALLY FROM SPD. ONE OF
THE ADVANTAGES ADMINISTRATIVELY
WITHIN SPD IS THAT WE ARE ABLE
TO GET DOCUMENTATION IN ORDER
FOR INVESTIGATIONS IN REAL
TIME, THOSE TYPE OF THINGS,
BODY ONE VIDEO. WE DON'T HAVE
TO SUBPOENA FOR THAT TYPE OF
INFORMATION FROM OUR PROCESS .
WE ARE A HYBRID STRUCTURE ,
HYBRID MEANING THAT WE BOTH
HAVE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS,
SWORN OFFICERS THAT ARE
SERGEANTS ALONG WITH OUR
CIVILIAN. WE ARE CIVILIAN-LED
OFFICE WITH OUR DIRECTOR ,
DIRECTOR BATS AND MYSELF. WE
HAVE OUR GENERAL COUNSEL AND
ALSO WE HAVE ASSISTANT
DIRECTORS WHO HELP WITH
ASSISTANT DIRECTORS OF
OPERATIONS ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
FOR OPERATIONS. IN ADDITION TO
THAT , SUPERVISORS WHO OVERSEE
OUR SWORN OFFICERS. WE ARE
STUFFED WITH 31 MEMBERS BUT
CURRENTLY HAVE 30 PEOPLE
WORKING WITH US NOW . AT FULL
STAFF, THAT WOULD MAKE 22
CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES, AND NINE
SWORN OFFICERS. AS FOR
INVESTIGATORS, WE HAVE NINE
SWORN OFFICERS AND WE HAVE TWO
CIVILIAN INVESTIGATORS. AND SO
AS FAR AS OUR OFFICE WE
ACTUALLY HAVE A PICTURE, ONE OF
OUR PICTURES OF OUR STAFF AND
THAT IS OUR SWORN IN OURSELVES
AND ALSO WE HAVE THE TRAINING.
WE DID JUST RELEASED OUR 2023
ANNUAL REPORT. WE ENCOURAGE YOU
TO LOOK AT IT. THERE IS A LOT
OF GOOD INFORMATION AND THAT
OVER THE YEARS . ALTHOUGH WE
ARE GIVING A MIDYEAR REPORT, AS
YOU KNOW, OUR DATE IS GOING TO
BE FROM JANUARY 2024 TO MAY
30th BECAUSE THERE IS A LAG
TIME FOR SOME OF THE DATA SO
YOU ARE REALLY GETTING A GOOD
SNAPSHOT IN 2023 AND I THINK
PROBABLY BY THE NEXT MONTH WE
WILL HAVE ALL THE OTHER PIECES
FOR THE JULY DATA SO JUST BE
AWARE OF THAT. SOME OF THE
HIGHLIGHTS OF OUR ANNUAL REPORT
IS THE INSPECTOR GENERAL FULLY
CERTIFIED 90% OF OPA'S
INVESTIGATIONS AS TIMELY AND
OBJECTIVE. OIG CONCURRED WITH
96.5% OF COMPLAINT
CLASSIFICATIONS AND SPD FULLY
OR PARTIALLY IMPLEMENTED OVER
50% OF OPA'S MANAGEMENT
RECOMMENDATION ALSO KNOWN AS
MARS, SO THESE ARE SOME OF THE
THINGS AS YOU LOOK THROUGH THE
ANNUAL REPORT IT DOES BREAK
DOWN INFORMATION WHETHER IT IS
ALTERNATIVES , ALTERNATIVE
RESOLUTION SUCH AS MEDIATION,
RAPID ADJUDICATION, THINGS OF
THAT NATURE YOU CAN LOOK IN THE
ANNUAL REPORT, AS WELL. NEXT,
WE DID HAVE A YOUTH ART
CONTEST, SO AS FOR OUR ANNUAL
REPORT, WE HAD A CONTEST FOR
YOUTH THROUGHOUT THE CITY TO
PARTICIPATE TO ASK THE QUESTION
OF WHAT DOES MEANINGFUL POLICE
OVERSIGHT LOOK LIKE. SO WITH
THAT SAID, TO THE LEFT , OUR
WINTER CAME OUT AND WE WENT OUT
TO HER MIDDLE SCHOOL AND
PRESENTED TO HER. WE ACTUALLY
FRAMED HER ARTWORK AND SHE WAS
ABLE TO GET A TABLET WITH HER
FAMILY. YOU CAN SEE THE PICTURE
DOWN BELOW. YOU CAN SEE THEY
TALKED ABOUT FOR HER, AND
SHARING WITH HER ENTIRE CLASS
IN SCHOOL WAS DIGNITY,
EQUALITY, AND KINDNESS. IT
TALKS ABOUT YOU CAN SEE THERE
IS A BADGE THERE IF YOU LOOK
CLOSER, IT'S A JUNIOR BADGE
FOR HELP TO A YOUNG PERSON SO
IT TURNED OUT REALLY NICE,
BEING INNOVATIVE AND NOT IN THE
COMMUNITY AND ACTUALLY SHARE
MORE ABOUT WHAT WE ARE DOING IN
THE COMMUNITY AND ENGAGING WITH
YOUNG PEOPLE, TOO, WHAT DOES
THAT LOOK LIKE SO WE ARE REALLY
PROUD OF THAT SO AGAIN JUST SO
YOU KNOW THE CONTEST OF COURSE
ON THE SLIDE WE HAD THAT
THROUGHOUT MARCH OF 2024 AND IT
WAS FOR YOUTH AGES 18 AND UNDER
AND AS SUCH, A 13-YEAR-OLD --
SHE WAS A 13-YEAR-OLD FROM
SEATTLE PUBLIC SCHOOL.
>> AND TO OUR SURPRISE, HER
FATHER IN THE PICTURE BELOW IS
AN SPD OFFICER SO THAT WORKED
OUT PRETTY COOL.
>> YES. WE WALKED IN AND SHOOK
HANDS AND ACTUALLY, GINA
RECOGNIZED HIM.
>> I'VE SEEN THEM IN THE
COMMUNITY BEFORE.
>> SO THAT WAS REALLY A NICE
SURPRISE AND YOU CAN SEE THE
FULL REPORT AND CLICK DOWN
HERE, AS WELL, SO THAT WAS
NICE. THE OTHER THING I WANTED
TO TALK ABOUT WAS OPA'S
PROJECTS CONTINUED, SOME OF THE
THINGS WE HAVE DONE AND
DIRECTOR BETTS HAS GONE OUT TO
ALL THE PRECINCTS VISITS AND
ONE OF THE THINGS HE HAS DONE
IN DOING SO HE'S BEEN ABLE TO
BE THERE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS OF
ANY OF THE OFFICERS. THERE ARE
A LOT OF THINGS WE DO IN THE
CASES PROCESSED ARE VALUE-ADDED
NOT ONLY TO MAKE CONNECTIONS
BUT BE ABLE TO BE THERE IF
THERE ARE MANY CONNECTIONS SO
THERE'S A NAME ATTACHED TO THE
FACE WITH THAT. WE ARE VERY
HAPPY ABOUT THAT. THE OTHER
THING IS SPD TRAINING. WE DID
HAVE OUR STAFF. WE HAD OUR
CIVILIAN INVESTIGATOR
SUPERVISOR AS WELL AS WE HAD
OUR ASSISTANT DIRECTOR GO OUT
TO MARK 95 AND DO A TRAINING
FOR SPD OFFICERS AND IT WAS
ABOUT BACKGROUND AND WHAT WE
NEED TO DO TO ANSWER ANY
QUESTIONS BUT IT WAS LIKE THIS
IS WHAT OPA IS. THIS IS SOME OF
THE THINGS THAT WE DO. THESE
ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT IN
MAKING DIVISION -- DECISIONS
THIS IS HOW THIS WORKS. WHEN
YOU PROCESS CASES, WHAT IS THE
TIMING OF THINGS OBVIOUSLY
HUNDRED AND 80 DAYS IS THE TIME
PERIOD GENERALLY FROM THE TIME
WE RECEIVE A CASE, AND OF
COURSE THERE ARE OTHER THINGS
THAT CONTROL OUR CASES AND SO
FORTH LIKE IF THERE IS A
CRIMINAL ALLEGATION AND OTHER
THINGS BUT GENERALLY WE HAVE
180 DAYS FROM THE TIME OF THE
COMPLAINT. ALSO I WANTED TO
TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR
MEDIATION PROGRAM. WE ARE
EXCITED ABOUT THAT IN TRYING TO
GROW THAT AND I HAD A SHOUT OUT
TO COUNCILMEMBER MOORE. WE
RECENTLY HAD A CONVERSATION
ABOUT THAT. YOU KNOW, MEDIATION
CAN BE VERY HELPFUL, ESPECIALLY
WITH THIS TYPE OF WORK. WE
REALLY DO BELIEVE THAT IN ORDER
FOR THERE TO BE A MEDIATION, IT
HAS TO BE AGREEMENT BY BOTH
PARTIES, SO BOTH PARTIES HAVE
TO AGREE, THE COMPLAINT AND AND
THE OFFICER . IT HAS TO BE A
MINOR INCIDENT. IT CAN'T BE A
SERIOUS INCIDENT BUT A MINOR
INCIDENT. IT IS AMAZING HOW
WHEN PEOPLE CAN SIT NEXT TO
EACH OTHER -- WE DO HAVE
TRAINED MEDIATORS, OFTENTIMES
WE USE KING COUNTY MEDIATION
ANOTHER TRAINED MEDIATOR SUPER
DISSIPATED AND I WOULD BE
REMISS IF I DIDN'T MENTION OUR
SENIOR COMPLAINT COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT SPECIALIST GENEVA
TAYLOR WHO RUNS THE PROGRAM AND
DOES WONDERFUL THINGS. WE ARE
TRYING TO GROW THAT AND WE'VE
BEEN SUCCESSFUL AND ARE HOPING
TO GROW IT EVEN MORE SO WE
DON'T HAVE LARGE NUMBERS BUT
PART OF THAT IS WE PLAN, AND I
WILL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE,
BUT TO CREATE A VIDEO ABOUT
THAT AND SOME OF THE PEOPLE IN
THE VIDEO HAVE GONE THROUGH THE
PROCESS TO ENCOURAGE IT SO THEY
ACTUALLY LIKE THE OUTCOME AND
THEY ENJOYED HAVING THE
OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS HOW THEY
FELT ABOUT SOMETHING AND THEN
YOU GOT THE OFFICERS
PERSPECTIVE ON THE OTHER SIDE,
WHAT THEY WERE THINKING AT THAT
TIME AND SO AGAIN THIS IS WHY I
ACTED THIS WAY, THIS IS WHY I
DID WHAT I DID THIS WAY, THIS
IS WHAT I WAS FEELING AS A
COMMUNITY MEMBER. I DIDN'T FEEL
HEARD. I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT YOU
MEANT I THOUGHT WHEN YOU LOOK
THIS WAY YOU KNOW SO FORTH WILL
THAT'S NOT WHAT I WAS
THINKING. I WAS HERE I WAS
WORKING ON THE INCIDENT TRYING
TO DO THAT AND I NEED TO DO
THAT SO SOME OF THOSE THINGS
ACTUALLY CAN BE SUCCESSFUL IF
FOR SOME REASON IT DOES NOT, IT
WILL GO TO INVESTIGATION IF IT
DOES NOT WORK, BUT IT IS
SOMETHING I THINK FOR A LOT OF
PEOPLE THAT REALLY CAN BE
SATISFACTORY TO HAVE THAT
MOMENT TO TALK AND ACTUALLY FOR
BOTH PARTIES IF PEOPLE CHOOSE
TO USE IT. NEXT, THE COMPLAINT
AND IMPACT STATEMENT. I KNOW
YOU PROBABLY HEARD ABOUT THAT
BEFORE I KNOW SOME PEOPLE
PRESENTED ON THAT BUT THEY ARE
GETTING CLOSER TO LAUNCHING
THAT PILOT PROJECT AND THAT WAS
THE IDEA OF THE OFFICE OF
INSPECTOR GENERAL THAT SOMEBODY
GIVE THEM CREDIT TO DO THAT AND
THEN PICKING UP THE GAUNTLET,
DIRECTOR BETTS CHARGED US WITH
PUTTING THAT PROGRAM TOGETHER
AND WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE
SO WE HAVE PUT IT TOGETHER AND
IT IS SIMILAR TO A VICTIM
IMPACT STATEMENT THAT IF YOU
WORK IN A CRIMINAL COURT,
THAT'S WHAT IT'S CALLED AND
SO IN THAT CASE IT IS THE
JUDGE. YOU AN " , FORMER
PROSECUTOR OR FORMER JUDGMENT
AS A PROSECUTOR YOU WOULD HAVE
VICTIMS WOULD EITHER CHOOSE TO
COME FORWARD OR THEY WOULD JUST
WANT THEIR STATEMENTS SO IN
THIS CASE IN THE COMPLAINT
IMPACT STATEMENT ONCE WE CAME
UP WITH THE PROCESS AND THEN
SHARED WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK
LIKE WITH OUR PARTNERSHIP TRIAD
AND ALSO SPD, ONE OF THE THINGS
WAS WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT
WE INVITED AS PART OF THIS AND
THAT WAS DIRECTOR BETTS IDEA
WAS TO BRING IN THE COMMUNITY
POLICE COMMISSION TO BE PART OF
THIS AND TO WORK WITH THE
COMPLAINT AND WHERE PUTTING
TOGETHER A PROTOCOL FOR
INTERACTING WITH COMPLAINTS.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE
QUESTIONS ARE NOT LEADING IN
ANY NATURE, MAKING SURE THEY
ARE WRITING A STATEMENT, MAKING
SURE THAT AGAIN IT IS THEIR
WORDS AND HOW THEY ARE FEELING
AND SO FORTH. THIS IS A PILOT
PROJECT , AND AS IT IS AT THIS
POINT , IT WOULD ONLY BE A
WRITTEN STATEMENT ON THAT
WRITTEN STATEMENT COULD BE
REVIEWED AND ALLOWED HER HERO
HEARING AND WE ARE WAITING FOR
THAT AND MAKING SURE WE HAVE
THAT PREAMBLE AND ANSWERING ANY
QUESTIONS WE HAVE ON THAT. OUR
NEXT EXTERNAL RESOURCE GUIDE WE
FINISHED AND ALSO OUR COMPLAINT
NAVIGATOR. ONE OF THE THINGS
WE'RE PROUD OF IS OUR
COMPLAINT NAVIGATOR AND THAT WE
HAVE SOMEONE WHO ORIGINALLY
FOLLOWED UP RIGHT AFTER
SOMETHING WAS FILED THEN WE DID
IT AT CLOSING WHEN WE CLOSE THE
CASE AND LISTENING TO THE
COMMUNITY AND LISTENING TO
PEOPLE WE HAVE EXPANDED THEIR
ROLE, SO AT 60 AND 90 DAYS THEY
WOULD ACTUALLY FOLLOW UP WITH
THEM AND THAT ACTUALLY HAS
HELPED OUT QUITE A BIT I THINK
SOME PEOPLE DON'T FEEL LIKE
WHAT HAPPENED TO IT IS IN THE
ABYSS AND SO WE ARE VERY HAPPY
WITH THAT . ALSO, OUR EXTERNAL
RESOURCE GUIDE THAT CAME ABOUT
FROM LISTENING TO PEOPLE WHERE
WOULD I GO IF I NEED A
PROTECTION ORDER, WHERE WOULD I
GO IF I NEED HELP HERE AND
THERE AND SO WE CREATED AN
EXTERNAL RESOURCE GUIDE TO HELP
WITH THAT. ALSO WE HAD A
COMPLAINT FEEDBACK SURVEY AND
THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SURVEY
IN 2024 . TALKING ABOUT THE
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SURVEY IN
2023 WE PARTNERED WITH OUR
LOCAL RESEARCH FIRM, EMC
RESEARCH , TO EXPLORE THE
COMMUNITY AWARENESS OF
INDEPENDENCE ABOUT THE SEATTLE
POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM
PARTICULARLY WITH OPA AND IN
JUNE OF 2024 WE FINALIZE AND
PUBLISH THIS REPORT SO WE ARE
VERY PROUD OF IT BUT THE SURVEY
HAD SOME BRIEF HIGHLIGHTS. 98%
OF RESPONDENTS BELIEVE POLICE
ACCOUNTABILITY IS ESSENTIAL IN
SEATTLE WITH 93% CONSIDERING IT
VERY IMPORTANT, 96% OF
RESPONDENTS ACROSS ALL
DEMOGRAPHICS SAID IT'S
IMPORTANT FOR SEATTLE TO HAVE A
POLICE DEPARTMENT THAT HOLDS
OFFICERS ACCOUNTABLE . 67% OF
RESPONDENTS HAD HEARD OF OPA
BEFORE THEIR SURVEYS, SO IT'S
ONE OF THOSE THINGS AGAIN THE
MORE THAT WE REACH OUT, THE
MORE THINGS WE CAN LEARN AND
THEY KNOW THAT WE ARE LISTENING
AND WE HOPE TO CONTINUE THIS IN
THE FUTURE. ALSO, WE ARE VERY
PROUD OF OUR COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT WORK. WE HAVE BEEN
VERY BUSY. THE OFFICE OF POLICE
ACCOUNTABILITY HAS BEEN
PRESENTING, ATTENDING AND
TABLING AT 69 SEPARATE EVENTS.
THAT WAS JUST IN 2023 AND ALSO
, IN 2024 WE WERE STILL ON PACE
WITH A LOT OF THOSE EVENTS.
PRIMARILY FOR WE'RE GOING IS
AIMED AT INCREASING AWARENESS
ABOUT SEATTLE'S POLICE
ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEMS WITHIN
MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES AND
OPA HAS DOUBLED ITS COMMUNITY
OUTREACH EFFORT SINCE 2022.
SOME OF THE ONES I WANT TO
POINT OUT -- THIS IS ONE CLOSE
TO MY HEART -- IT IS THE 3033
ANNUAL CHARLES JOHNSON LAW
FORUM. PART OF THAT IS BRINGING
PEOPLE TOGETHER ACROSS SYSTEMS
WHICH ARE POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY
PARTNERS, JUDGES, PROSECUTORS,
THE COMMUNITY AND TO GIVE YOU
AN IDEA WHAT SOME OF THAT DOES
THERE, I WAS ABLE TO MODERATE A
PANEL THE YEAR BEFORE LAST AND
IT WAS THE CHIEF OF POLICE OF
REDMOND IN BELLEVUE AND THE
CONVERSATION WAS CAN YOU BE
BLACK AND BLUE ? HOW DO YOU DO
THAT? HOW DO YOU BALANCE THAT
WITHIN THE COMMUNITY? WE ALSO
DEALT WITH ISSUES OF YOUNG
PEOPLE FOR THEM TO PROVIDE
QUESTIONS. SOME OF THE
QUESTIONS WERE AS AN EXAMPLE
AND SOME OF THEM YOU KNOW,
YOUNG PEOPLE ARE SO BRIGHT IN
HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT THINGS BUT
AT ANOTHER YOUTH IN LAW FORM
THEY TALKED ABOUT OFFICERS WHO
COME INTO OUR COMMUNITY.
SOMETIMES YOU NEED HELP AND
TIPS WITH REGARDS TO A CASE.
HOWEVER, WHEN YOU COME IN ONCE
YOU GET THE INFORMATION WE
DON'T SEE YOU AGAIN AND YOU
BECOME STITCHES IN OUR
COMMUNITY . HOW CAN YOU HELP US
WITH THAT. HOW CAN YOU WORK
TOGETHER SO THOSE ARE THE KIND
OF DIALOGUES THAT CAN HAPPEN IN
SOME OF THESE COMMUNITY
MEETINGS TO HELP CREATE THAT
CONNECTEDNESS BETWEEN EACH
OTHER AND TO BE REAL TO DO
THAT, VERY POWERFUL WORK AS YOU
CAN SEE AND SOME OTHERS
OBVIOUSLY ASIAN PACIFIC
ISLANDERS AND ANOTHER ONE SO
WE'VE HAD SOME REALLY GREAT
PROGRAMMING THAT WE'VE GONE TO.
NEXT, A RESOURCE GUIDE. I
TALKED ABOUT IT NOT TO TAKE TOO
MUCH TIME BECAUSE I KNOW WE ARE
LIMITED BUT HERE YOU CAN SEE IT
A SAMPLE OF WHAT IT IS BUT
AGAIN, IT'S POSTED TO OUR
WEBSITE SO FOR CRISIS REPORT,
CRIME REPORTING, CUSTOMER
SERVICE, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS, DAMAGE
CLAIM FILING, LEGAL RELATED
MATTERS, OTHER SERVICES,
SEATTLE ACCOUNTABILITY PARTNERS
AND PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST
AGAIN THESE ARE THINGS TO HELP
WITH OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND
PEOPLE WHO COME IN CONTACT WITH
THIS. UPCOMING PROJECTS. YOU
KNOW, FRONT-LINE
INVESTIGATIONS. THERE HAVE BEEN
ONGOING DISCUSSIONS. I KNOW
DIRECTOR THAT'S AND OBVIOUSLY
LISA JUDGE AS WELL AS BRIAN
MAXEY AND OTHERS OF BEEN
TALKING ABOUT THIS QUITE A BIT.
WE HELP PROVIDE INFORMATION,
SHARE THAT WITH OUR DIRECTOR
BUT FRONT-LINE INVESTIGATIONS
IS SUCH A CRITICAL PIECE WHERE
FOR MINOR OFFENSES THAT THERE
ARE SOME THINGS GOING BACK TO
THE POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR SOME
OF THE SMALLER INSTANCES OF
WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE SO THERE
ARE ONGOING DISCUSSIONS ABOUT
THAT WITH THE NUMBERS OF CASES
WE AS OPA WITH OUR OFFICE OF 31
RIGHT ARE THERE THINGS THAT CAN
EMPOWER OFFICERS WITH FRONTLINE
INVESTIGATION MATTERS AND ALSO
WITH REGARD TO GOING THE NEXT
STEP IN TALKING ABOUT THAT YOU
KNOW, AND SO THAT IS STILL
GOING ON AND VERY IMPORTANT
WORK. ALSO, WE ARE VERY PROUD
ABOUT OUR OPA MANUAL UPDATE
THAT WILL BE COMING OUT --
ACTUALLY IT GETS FILED AT THE
BEGINNING OF 2025 BUT AT THE
BEGINNING OF THE YEAR THAT WILL
BE DONE. A NUMBER OF PEOPLE I
WANT TO GIVE CREDIT FOR THAT
FOR REALLY PUSHING THE UPDATED
MANUAL AND REACHING OUT TO MANY
PEOPLE INCLUDING OBVIOUSLY
POLICE , ALL THE DIFFERENT
UNIONS ET CETERA AND OTHER
PEOPLE FOR UPDATES TO THAT.
CASE CLOSEOUT MEETINGS OR
SOMETHING DIRECTOR BETZ HAD
TALKED ABOUT AND IT HASN'T
STARTED YET BUT WE PUT THE
FRAMEWORK TOGETHER. THAT IS FOR
A TIME FOR A SUSTAINED CASE
THAT DIRECTOR BETZ OR HIS
DESIGNEE OR MYSELF WOULD SIT
DOWN WITH SOMEBODY IF THEY HAD
A QUESTION ABOUT THEIR
PARTICULAR CASE AND WHY WE CAME
TO THE DECISION WE DID AND SO
TO MEET WITH THAT PERSON AND SO
ANYWAY, THAT IS SOMETHING IN
WORK AS A PILOT. WE'VE CREATED
THE STRUCTURE SO WE LOOK
FORWARD TO IMPLEMENTING THAT
COMING UP. ALSO, WE HAVE COMING
UP IN SEPTEMBER, SERGEANT
SCHOOL TRAINING. WE'VE ALREADY
PUT TOGETHER THE SLIDES FOR
THAT. ALSO, WE ADDED TO IT,
TIPS FROM OUR OWN SERGEANT,
WHAT THEY ARE SAYING THAT WE
FELT WOULD RESONATE WITH SPD
THAT COULD BE HELPFUL FOR THEM
AS PART OF THEIR TRAINING. ALSO
THE ROLLOUT THEN WE ARE HOPEFUL
IN THIS NEXT QUARTER FOR THE
COMPLAINT IMPACT STATEMENT
ROLLOUT AND THEN ALSO WITH
REGARD TO THE CHIEF OF POLICE
ORDINANCE. I WANTED TO SAY
THANK YOU TO PEOPLE OBVIOUSLY
CHAIR KETTLE AND VICE-CHAIR
SAKA AND OTHERS WHO ARE
FAMILIAR WITH THE ISSUE BUT FOR
OUR CHIEF OF POLICE CASES, ONE
OF THE THINGS IN THE ORDINANCE
WHEN IT STARTED OUT OBVIOUSLY
IT WAS THE FIRST TIME IT WAS
THERE AND NOW WE'VE WORKED
WITH IT A LITTLE BIT AND THERE
ARE SOME CHANGES I THINK PEOPLE
MIGHT BE OPEN TO WITH REGARDS
TO THAT AND JUST ONE OF THE BIG
ONES I JUST WANTED TO SAY AND
NOT GET TOO DEEP INTO THAT BUT
PROPOSED LANGUAGE TO SECTION
3.2 9.51 0C , AND CURRENTLY IT
SAYS A CIVILIAN INVESTIGATOR
SUPERVISOR SHALL BE ASSIGNED TO
COMPLETE THE INTAKE OF THE
COMPLAINT, RIGHT? AND SO, IT IS
ONLY THE CIVILIAN INVESTIGATOR
SUPERVISORS -- WE ONLY HAVE TWO
AND SO FOR THOSE TWO TO DO THAT
ON TOP OF EVERYTHING ELSE AT
THIS POINT I CAN'T EVEN BE
DESIGNATED TO HELP WITH THAT OR
ANYBODY ELSE AND SO A SHOUT OUT
TO MARY OPLER AND ALEX SERAPHIM
FOR THEIR WORK AND FOR REALLY
WORKING ON THOSE CASES IN
BETWEEN AND ALL OF US WERE
DIFFERENT TIMES HAVE ACTUALLY
PICKED UP TO CONTINUE WITH THAT
WORK BECAUSE YOU CAN IMAGINE
THAT CAN CAUSE A DELAY AND SO
FORTH AND ALSO A CONTACT LOG SO
AGAIN THERE WILL BE SOMETHING
FORTHCOMING BUT THIS IS JUST
SOMETHING THAT WILL BE HELPFUL
FOR THE CHIEF OF POLICE CASES.
UPCOMING PROPERTIES CONTINUED.
IT TALKS ABOUT OUR WEBSITE
UPDATE RIGHT HERE ON MAKING OUR
WEBSITE MORE USER-FRIENDLY AND
YOU CAN SEE HERE YOU GET A LOT
OF COMPLIMENTS ALREADY BUT EVEN
MORE SO TO STREAMLINE IT THERE
IT IS FOR PEOPLE IN THE PUBLIC,
WE HEARD YOU. CLICK HERE
INSTEAD OF THREE CLICKS.
REQUEST RECORDS, REPORT A
CRIME, CHECK COMPLAINT STATUS
TO MAKE IT USER FRIENDLY
ALTHOUGH THE INFORMATION'S AND
THERE WILL BE HELPFUL TO THEM
AND LISTENING TO THEM ALSO WE
ARE GOING TO BE HAVING A
SYMPOSIUM. WE ARE EXCITED. WE
WILL BE INVITING YOU, AT THE
LENGTHS IN HUGHES CENTER IN
OCTOBER ON POLICE
ACCOUNTABILITY. WE ARE GOING TO
HAVE A PANEL AND WE ARE LOOKING
FORWARD TO HAVING DISCUSSIONS
WITH RESPECT TO POLICE
ACCOUNTABILITY, HEARING FROM
PEOPLE AND ALSO HAVING A TIME
TO GIVE IN THE COMMUNITY FOR
COMMUNITY TO COME, AS WELL AND
WE ARE GOING TO BE INVITING
DEPARTMENTS AS WELL FROM THE
CITY. MEDIATION, I TALKED A LOT
ABOUT, BUT GROWING THE PROGRAM
AND THEN ALSO COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT AGAIN CONTINUING
BUILDING THAT AND AGAIN THESE
ARE SOME OF THE THINGS. MIDYEAR
DATA AND HERE IS JUST SOME
BASIC DATA. NUMBER OF CONTACTS
RECEIVED BY YEAR, MIDYEAR DATA
FOR 2021 TO 2024, SO FOR 2024
THESE ARE ALL FOR JANUARY 2024
THROUGH MAY 30th, 2024 AND YOU
CAN SEE FOR CONTEXT WHICH
INCLUDES CONTACTS WITH OPA IN
PERSON WEBSITE PHONE CALLS,
EMAILS, U.S. MAIL, BASICALLY WE
HAVE HAD AN UPTICK OF CONTACTS.
NEXT , WE HAVE OUR USE OF FORCE
ALLEGATIONS BY YEAR FOR OUR
MIDYEAR DATA. AGAIN, THE SAME
TIME PERIOD AND THEN YOU CAN
SEE HERE RAW NUMBERS, JUST
ABOUT ALMOST THE SAME BUT WE'VE
GOT 562 HERE AND I'M GOING TO
MOVE THIS OVER HERE . IT'S
ABOUT 562 FROM 564 AND THEN YOU
CAN SEE OUR USE OF FORCE, RIGHT
ABOUT THERE. NEXT, NUMBER OF
ALLEGATIONS BY TYPE. AGAIN,
PROFESSIONALISM HAS ALWAYS BEEN
OUR NUMBER ONE FOR A NUMBER OF
CASES. ANYTHING FOR PUBLIC
TRUST, PROFESSIONALISM, NEXT
COMES USE OF FORCE, BIAS-FREE
POLICING, STOPS AND ARREST AND
INVESTIGATION AND REPORT SO YOU
CAN SEE THE RAW NUMBERS. I
ASKED THEM TO SHOW ME IF IT HAD
DIFFERENT MUCH AND IT DID NOT
DIFFER MUCH FROM LAST YEAR WITH
REGARDS TO THAT. FOR 2023.
NEXT, COMPLAINTS AND LOCATIONS
FOR PRECINCTS. YOU CAN SEE JUST
WHERE CASES ARE AT. YOU CAN SEE
EAST, NORTH, OUTSIDE SEATTLE
YOU MAY HAVE AN OFFICER WHO WAS
RESPONDING TO SOMETHING THAT
STARTED IN SEATTLE THAT ENDS UP
SOMEWHERE ELSE FOR OUTSIDE OF
SEATTLE OR SOMEONE WHO MIGHT BE
WORKING AS PART OF SOME OF
THEIR PROJECT OR SO FORTH AND
BASICALLY IT WOULD BE OUTSIDE
SEATTLE. OBVIOUSLY, NOEL MEANS
THEY DID NOT THIS GOES THROUGH
THE END OF MAY 30th. THIS ONE
FOR CLASSIFICATION TYPE
PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL COMPLAINTS
THIS ONE HERE WE DO NOT, AS YOU
CAN SEE 2024, NOW WE ARE AT 11%
AS COMPARED TO 20% IN SOME OF
THIS, IT'S A LITTLE MISLEADING
BECAUSE WE HAVE A NUMBER OF
CASES THAT ALTHOUGH IT HAS GONE
THROUGH AN INVESTIGATIVE
PROCESS, IT HAS NOT CLOSED YET.
IT MAY NOT HAVE HAD THE
DISCIPLINE HEARING. IT MAY BE
DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE PROCESS.
THE SAME THING WITH THE TYPE OF
DISCIPLINE IMPOSED RIGHT HERE .
WE PULLED THE DATA . WE SEE A
WRITTEN ORAL TERMINATION , SO
THAT IS WITHOUT PAY. WE
ACTUALLY WENT BACK AND PULLED
THE DATA AGAIN BECAUSE AGAIN
THERE IS THAT LAGAN THERE WAS
ACTUALLY THREE CASES WHERE IT
WAS AT LEAST ONE TO THREE DAYS,
SO MORE DAYS WITH REGARD TO
TIME. ALSO, WE HAD TWO MORE
THAT JUST HAPPENED. ONE HAD NOT
GOTTEN FINISHED WITH THEIR
LOUDERMILL , SO AGAIN FOR THIS
DATA. THE NEXT COLLABORATION WE
DID WANT TO SAY WE WERE HAPPY
TO HELP CONVENE THE MEETING
WITH THE OFFICE OF INDEPENDENT
INVESTIGATIONS AND WE HAD ALL
OF OUR ACCOUNTABILITY PARTNERS
PRESENT AS WELL, AS WELL AS
REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE. THEY DID
FOLLOW UP WITH EACH OF US. ALSO
WE DID A POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY
PARTNER PRESENTATIONS. WE DID
ONE AT THE NAACP AND THAT WAS
NICE BUT WE TALKED ABOUT AT THE
LAST PARTNERSHIP MEETING IT
WOULD BE NICE TO BE ABLE TO DO
A COUPLE OF THOSE TOGETHER
AGAIN I THINK IT MAKES IT
DIFFERENT WITH THE COMMUNITY
AND US WORKING TOGETHER, AND SO
THAT IS SOMETHING WE'VE TALKED
ABOUT DOING. WE'VE RESPONDED
WITH AND WORKED WITH THE OFFICE
OF INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS
REGARDING LEGISLATION AND
PROVIDED THAT WHICH WE CONTINUE
TO DO DURING THE LEGISLATIVE
SESSION AND ALSO OUR COMMUNITY
OUTREACH AND THAT'S IT FOR NOW.
>> ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. VICE CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU MR. CHAIR AND
THANK YOU FOR REALLY INSIGHTFUL
PRESENTATION HERE AND UPDATE.
FIRST OFF APPRECIATE THE
CALLOUT ON THE YOUTH IN LAW
FORUM. THAT IS A COMMUNITY
EVENT THAT IS REALLY NEAR AND
DEAR TO ME. I HAVEN'T
PARTICIPATED IN A FEW YEARS
SINCE BEFORE COVID BUT SINCE I
WAS A BABY LAWYER I ALWAYS
ENJOYED GOING TO THAT EVENT . I
TAUGHT A COURSE ON SOCIAL MEDIA
LAW OR SOMETHING TO THAT
EFFECT, BUT REALLY GOOD
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
OPPORTUNITY TO EXPOSE TEAMS --
TEENS AND PRETEENS AND THEIR
FAMILIES AND GUARDIANS, PARENTS
AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS, EXPOSE
THEM TO POTENTIAL CAREERS AND
POLICING AND AS LAWYERS , THERE
ARE JUDGES THERE, AS YOU KNOW,
AND IT JUST GETS A LOT OF
PEOPLE TOGETHER , PARTICULARLY
AT OPPORTUNITY YOUTH. IF YOU
CAN SEE IT YOU CAN BE AT AND SO
HISTORICALLY THIS OCCURRED AT
OUR HISTORIC FIRST A AND E IN
THE CENTRAL DISTRICT. IT'S
MIGRATED A FEW LOCATIONS IN THE
PAST YEARS BUT PUT ON BY THE
LAUREN MILLER BAR ASSOCIATION,
ASSOCIATION OF BLACK LAWYERS,
CIVIL RIGHTS ASSOCIATION OF
BLACK LAWYERS IN THE STATE OF
WASHINGTON SO GREAT EVENT. GLAD
YOU ARE ALL ENGAGING IN
PARTNERING WITH THEM IN
ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THEM TO
ADVANCE THIS WORK. JUST CURIOUS
ON THE DATA SLIDES THAT YOU
SHARED OUT, THE UPDATE. ON MY
END, SLIDE 14 , SO THE SLIDE
THAT SPEAKS TO THE USES OF
FORCE , ALLEGATIONS, SO I NOTE
THAT MIDYEAR DATA REVEALS THERE
ARE CURRENTLY 74 ALLEGATIONS OF
USES OF FORCE, WHICH ACCORDING
TO THE SLIDE, ACCORDING TO MY
READING, CORRECT ME IF I'M
WRONG, APPEARS TO BE HIGHER
THAN ANY OTHER YEAR AT THIS
POINT IN THE YEAR IN THE LAST
THREE YEARS SINCE 21 SO JUST
CURIOUS. WHAT WOULD YOU
ATTRIBUTE THIS RELATIVELY
HIGHER ALLEGATIONS OF USES OF
FORCE TO THIS YEAR? IF YOU HAVE
A POINT OF VIEW, OR PARTNERS
THAT THE POLICE ALSO ARE HERE
REPRESENTED. IF YOU HAVE A
POINT OF VIEW ON THAT. THANK
YOU.
>> HONESTLY, I'M NOT SURE WE
CAN ANSWER THAT QUESTION. WE
HAVE NOT EXAMINED THE ROOT
CAUSES FOR THE UPTICK . IT IS
HIGHER THAN IN PRECEDING YEARS
BUT WE HAVE NOT ASSESSED THE
REASON FOR THAT YET.
>> THANK YOU. DOES SPD HAVE A
POINT OF VIEW ON THAT?
>> I WOULD NEED A LOT MORE
INFORMATION ON THE DATA. THERE
DOES NOT SEEM TO BE A
PARTICULARLY SIGNIFICANT
INCREASE IN REMEMBER, THESE ARE
JUST ALLEGATIONS, SO WE DON'T
KNOW HOW MANY OF THOSE HAVE
MERIT LOOKING AT THE OUTCOME
SLIDE IN THE DISCIPLINE IMPOSED
GIVEN THE FACT THERE WAS ONE
TERMINATION AND ONE SUSPENSION,
MY BET IS THAT NOT MANY OF
THESE ARE RELATED TO USE OF
FORCE BEING SUSTAINED AND YOU
KNOW, USE OF FORCE IS NEVER
PRETTY AND LEADS TO COMPLAINTS,
SO WE WILL SEE AGAIN I DON'T
KNOW WHAT ANY OF THOSE 74 ARE,
SIR.
>> THANK YOU. I DON'T KNOW IF
IT'S STATISTICALLY
SIGNIFICANT, BUT IT IS, YOU
KNOW, CLEAR -- CLEARLY HIGHER
THAN PRECEDING YEARS AND YOU'RE
RIGHT. THERE IS MORE TO IT, BUT
I THINK IT IS WORTH COMING BACK
MAYBE DURING THE NEXT AND
REPORTING ON AND WHY AND
PROVIDING A LITTLE MORE COLOR
AROUND THE EDGES AROUND THE
DATA AND HOW MANY OF THOSE WERE
SUSTAINED FINDINGS AND THE
LIKE, BUT.
>> I WILL POINT OUT AT THIS
POINT LIKE WE DON'T KNOW WHERE
WE ARE GOING TO LAND AT THE END
OF THE YEAR SO IT COULD BE
LOWER THAN PRECEDING YEARS ONCE
WE HIT DECEMBER. WE DON'T KNOW
YET.
>> YES, THANK YOU.
>> WE WILL BE HAPPY TO PROVIDE
AN UPDATE. THANK YOU.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS,
COMMENTS, COMMITTEE MEMBERS ?
>> I HAD ONE, MR. CHAIR, IF
THAT'S OKAY. THANK YOU FOR THE
PRESENTATION. CAN YOU CLARIFY
POTENTIALLY WHAT
PROFESSIONALISM MEANS? I THINK
I HAD ASKED THAT AT THE LAST
MEETING BUT WHAT -- IF SOMEONE
IS MAKING A COMPLAINT ABOUT
PROFESSIONALISM, IS THAT BASED
ON THEIR VIEW OF
PROFESSIONALISM, OR IS IT LIKE
THERE IS A LIST OF THINGS WHERE
THEY CAN SAY HEY, THIS WAS
UNPROFESSIONAL?
>> THE GUIDANCE ON THE POLICY
AND I'M JUST SUMMARIZING THE
POLICY -- PROFANITY DIRECTED AT
SOMEONE AS AN INSULT , ANY
WORDS OR ACTIONS THAT MAY
UNDERMINE PUBLIC CONFIDENCE IN
THE DEPARTMENT OR THAT OFFICER,
OTHER OFFICERS, THINGS TO THAT
EXTENT SO IT'S PRETTY BROAD
AND IT CAN BE WIDELY
INTERPRETED SO FOR THAT REASON
IT CAUSES SOME ISSUES.
>> YES. IT IS DEFINITELY A
COMPLEX CATEGORY. WE CERTAINLY
EXPECT OUR OFFICERS TO ACT WITH
INTEGRITY AND TO BE POLITE AND
CARING WOULD HELP THE PEOPLE IN
OUR COMMUNITY WHEN THEY
ENCOUNTER THEM. THAT IS OUR
EXPECTATION. TO THE
PROFESSIONALISM POLICY, THAT
CAN A COMPASS -- ENCOMPASS A
LARGE SPECTRUM FROM MINOR
PROFANITY TO A GETS WORSE IF
IT'S DIRECTED AT THE PERSON
YOU KNOW, ALL THE WAY TO
ACTIONS REALLY NOT BECOMING OF
A POLICE OFFICER. IT IS ONE OF
THOSE CATEGORIES THAT OFTEN
SOURCE OF -- SURFACES AS YOU
KNOW IT WHEN YOU SEE IT THEN
YOU TRY TO CATEGORIZE IT. WHAT
WOULD NOT INCLUDE IS ANYTHING
MORE SIGNIFICANT LIKE BIAS OR
THE USE OF FORCE, OR IF THERE
IS AN ABUSE OF AUTHORITY. THOSE
HAVE SEPARATE CATEGORIES.
>> UNDERSTOOD . THAT CLARIFIES
THAT. THANK YOU.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? SEEING
NONE, I HAVE BASICALLY FOUR
THINGS COMING FROM THE BRIEFING
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. FIRST
IS ON ACCOUNTABILITY,
LONG-TERM, WE HAVE TO BUILD UP
THE LEADERSHIP PIECE AND THIS
IS REALLY PARTICULARLY A FOCUS
ON SERGEANTS, YOU KNOW, IN
TERMS OF MOVING FORWARD. THIS
IS ACROSS THE BOARD, SO I
REALLY APPRECIATE SERGEANT
TRAINING BUT ALSO, THE
FRONT-LINE INVESTIGATIONS. I
THINK THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT
AND THIS GOES TO DIFFERENT
AREAS BUT IN TERMS OF
ACCOUNTABILITY AND BUILDING OUR
OFFICERS TO BUILD OUR
SERGEANTS, WE NEED TO HAVE THIS
ABILITY FOR SERGEANTS TO BE
ABLE TO DO THEIR JOB,
UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE
ORDINANCE SAYS, FINDING THAT
BALANCE WAS -- WHICH IS ALSO
HELPFUL TO OPA AND FINDING
TERMS IN WHICH YOU'RE ABLE TO
CARRY OUT YOUR DUTIES SO THANK
YOU FOR BRINGING THE TOPIC UP.
I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT
AND OBVIOUSLY THE COUNSELING
COMMITTEE WILL BE SUPPORTIVE IN
THAT PROCESS AS YOU WORK WITH
SPD AND OTHERS INVOLVED. THE
SECOND POINT FROM THE BRIEFING
THAT I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT AND
SUPPORT AND RECOGNIZE IS THE
ENGAGEMENT WITH COMMUNITY YOU
KNOW, THERE ARE ALL THESE
DIFFERENT PIECES IN TERMS OF
THE OUTREACH AND CONNECTIONS TO
COMMUNITY. I THINK THIS IS
VITAL AND PLAYING OFF THAT, I
WOULD REALLY LOVE TO SEE THE
MEDIATION EFFORT , YOU KNOW.
THAT IS A TRUE CONNECTION RIGHT
THERE. IT IS LIKE, HOW CAN WE
INCREASE IT? HOW CAN WE HELP
YOU GO TO THE COMMUNITY AND
REALLY PROMOTE THE MEDIATION
ASPECT FOR THE RELATIVELY MINOR
-- EVERYTHING IS RELATIVE IN
TERMS OF WHO IS MAKING THAT
ASSESSMENT BUT YOU KNOW, WHAT
CAN WE DO, WHAT CAN YOUR
ACCOUNTABILITY PARTNERS DO TO
HELP SPD IN TERMS OF IMPROVING
AND FURTHERING THE MEDIATION
PROGRAM BECAUSE I THINK THAT IS
FANTASTIC IF WE CAN DO THAT. A
THIRD ONE IS THANK YOU FOR
HIGHLIGHTING THE CHIEF OF
POLICE ORDINANCE. THIS GOES
WITH FRONT-LINE INVESTIGATIONS
RIGHTSIZING AND THE LIKE, AND
THAT REALLY GOES TO PILLAR TWO
OF OUR STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK
ORDINANCES YOU KNOW, LOOKING TO
ADDRESS, TO MAKE BETTER, SO
THANK YOU FOR HIGHLIGHTING THE
CHIEF OF POLICE ORDINANCE AND
THEN THE LAST ONE PRECINCT, I
THINK THAT IS VITAL . AS MR.
MAXEY KNOWS, I'VE BEEN TO ALL
FIVE PRECINCTS. I'M IN A PERIOD
NOW VISITING FIRE STATIONS BUT
WILL COME BACK TO THE PRECINCT
AGAIN. I JUST WANTED TO COMMEND
THAT AND REALLY PROMOTE IT
ACROSS THE BOARD, BUT
SPECIFICALLY EVEN MORE SO FOR
OPA. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU.
>> QUESTION. SORRY ABOUT THAT.
YOU MENTIONED MEDIATION , CHAIR
KETTLE. THE PREVIOUS
PRESENTATION ON PAGE 33 DOES
SHOW THAT OF ALL THE
CLASSIFICATION REVIEW
STATISTICS, THERE WAS ONLY ONE
REMEDIATION COMPARED TO 98
SUPERVISOR ACTIONS SO IT IS I
DO WONDER WHY MEDIATION IS NOT
MOVED MORE OFTEN AND IT HAS TO
DO WITH THE TYPE OF ALLEGATION
THAT IS BEING INVESTIGATED SO I
RECOGNIZE THAT BUT IT IS
INTERESTING TO ME AND ONE
QUESTION I HAD WHEN I HAD MY
PRE-BRIEFING WITH OIG , THE
TURNOVER OF THE SWAN
INVESTIGATORS -- I THINK IT
HAPPENS EVERY YEAR, IS THAT
AUTOMATIC THAT THEY ONLY HAVE
ONE YEAR?
>> NOT AUTOMATIC. WE HAVE
SERGEANTS WHO HAVE BEEN AT OPA
FOR FIVE YEARS, THREE YEARS.
SO, THE ASK IS THAT THEY STAY
THERE AT LEAST 18 MONTHS.
>> OKAY, GOT IT.
>> AS TO MEDIATION, WHEN I
FIRST CAME HERE WE HAD ZERO
MEDIATIONS ACROSS THE BOARD.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT
IMPROVEMENT.
>> WE ONLY HAD ONE BUT THAT IS
ENCOURAGING. THE PUSHBACK THAT
WE GOT IS, YOU KNOW, WHEN I
CAME HERE, I FEEL LIKE THE
CLIMATE WAS A LITTLE BIT
DIFFERENT AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS
WERE NOT INCLINED TO
PARTICIPATE IN A PROCESS WHERE
DISCIPLINE WAS NOT ATTACHED TO
IT, SO IT IS A PART OF MY JOB
TO SELL THEM ON THE BENEFITS OF
MEDIATION. THERE ARE STUDIES
ACROSS THE COUNTRY. I LOOK AT
NEW ORLEANS. THEY HAVE A ROBUST
MEDIATION PROGRAM AND THE
REALITY IS , MOST OF OPA
INVESTIGATIONS RESULT IN THE
NONSUSTAINED FINDING. THERE
WILL BE NO DISCIPLINE ATTACHED
TO IT AND A LOT OF
COMPLAINTANTS AND UP INTO
SATISFIED WITH THAT PROCESS.
HOWEVER, WHEN IT COMES TO
MEDIATION, THE RESEARCH SHOWS
THAT BOTH PARTIES ARE TYPICALLY
OVERWHELMINGLY SATISFIED WITH
SITTING DOWN, COMMUNICATING,
TALKING AT A TABLE WITH AN
INDEPENDENT MEDIATOR FOR THERE
IS NO POWER DYNAMIC, AND JUST
TALKING ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCE,
SO THAT IS WHAT I'M REALLY
TRYING TO SELL TO BOTH SIDES
AND WHAT WE ARE HOPING TO SEE
AN UPTICK IN MEDIATIONS PRETTY
SOON.
>> GOT IT, SO IT IS BASICALLY
JUST A CULTURE CHANGE AND
PEOPLE TAKE YOU UP ON IT.
THANKS.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT. AGAIN ,
WHATEVER WE CAN DO TO SUPPORT.
I APPRECIATE IT. AND NOW, MISS
CALI ELLIS. I RECOGNIZE WE ARE
GOING A LITTLE BIT LONG, SO
FEEL FREE TO YOU KNOW, MOVE
BRISKLY THROUGH YOUR SLIDES .
>> I WILL TRY MY BEST.
>> FOR EXAMPLE, I MEAN SOME OF
THE BACKGROUND SLIDES, YOU CAN
QUICKLY JUST HIGHLIGHT AND MOVE
ON, GET TO WHATEVER DATA POINTS
YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE.
>> THANK YOU. SO YES, CHAIR
CATTLE -- CHAIR KETTLE -- IS IT
WORKING?
I WILL KEEP IT SHORT. THANK YOU
. WELCOME. I'M VERY PLEASED TO
BE ABLE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT
WHAT THE CPC IS DOING RIGHT NOW
AND WHAT WE'VE DONE OVER THE
COURSE OF THE PAST YEAR BECAUSE
IT HAS BEEN A BIG YEAR. MY NAME
IS CALI ELLIS. I'M THE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE
COMMUNITY POLICE COMMISSION.
OKAY, SO AS YOU CAN SEE, THIS
HAS BEEN A YEAR OF SIGNIFICANT
CHANGE. ONE OF THE REASONS WHY
HOPEFULLY EVERYONE HAS HAD A
CHANCE TO SEE THE TOTEM POLE
ERECTED IN HONOR OF JOHN T.
WILLIAMS, PART OF THE REASON WE
ARE ALL HERE. THIS IS IN THE
SEATTLE CENTER AND I WILL GET
BACK TO THIS AT THE END OF THE
PRESENTATION. SOME BRIEF
BACKGROUND ON OUR WORK DOES
HAVE TO DO WITH HIM. THIS WAS
AFTER POLICE BRUTALITY AND THE
KILLING OF JOHN T. WILLIAMS.
COMMUNITY GROUPS CAME TOGETHER
TO ESTABLISH THE ACCOUNTABILITY
SYSTEM STARTING WITH THE CPC IN
2013. IT IS IMPORTANT TO
REMEMBER OVERALL OUR MISSION
AND EVERYTHING WE DO IS TO
ENSURE PUBLIC RESPONSIVENESS ,
TO ENGAGE WITH THE COMMUNITY,
TO HAVE THE CONNECTION AND BE
DIRECTLY CONNECTED BETWEEN THE
COMMUNITY AND THE POLICE. THIS
IS THE AUTHORITY OF
RESPONSIBILITY. THIS COMES
DIRECTLY FROM THE
ACCOUNTABILITY ORDINANCE, SO
MONITORING THE IMPLEMENTATION
OF THESE POLICIES AND
MONITORING WHAT OUR PARTNERS DO
, REVIEWING CLOSED OPA
INVESTIGATIONS, EXACTLY WHAT
YOU ARE ASKING ABOUT BEFORE, TO
IDENTIFY OPPORTUNITIES FOR
SYSTEMIC IMPROVEMENTS AND MAKE
RECOMMENDATIONS THERE,
COLLABORATING WITH PARTNERS IN
THE CYST CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
AND IMPROVE TRANSPARENCY AND IN
REVIEWING AND PROVIDING INPUT
INTO HIRING AND PROMOTIONAL
PRACTICES. THIS IS OUR
STRUCTURE AND WE ARE VERY
DIFFERENT BECAUSE THE VOLUNTEER
COMMISSIONERS GUIDE OUR WORK.
WE ARE A VERY INDEPENDENT
AGENCY, AS WITH ALL OUR
PARTNERS BUT IT VERY MUCH IS
DRIVEN BY THE COMMISSIONERS AND
SUPPORTED BY STAFF LIKE MYSELF.
THESE ARE OUR COMMISSIONERS.
THIS IS OUR NEWEST COMMISSIONER
WHO WAS CONFIRMED LAST YEAR,
PHILIP SANCHEZ. COMMISSIONERS
ARE APPOINTED AN EQUAL NUMBER
BY THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, BY THE
CITY COUNCIL AND THEN BY THE
CPC THAT WE HAVE DEDICATED
SEATS FOR THE TWO
REPRESENTATIVES FROM SPAG. THIS
IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT
THINGS THAT HAPPENED LAST YEAR
OVER THE MIDYEAR . THERE WAS A
LONG PERIOD STARTING IN AUGUST
2022, ANYONE THAT WOULD BE
AFFECTED BY THE ORDINANCE
REVISIONS THE EFFECT IS THAT WE
ADVOCATED FOR PARITY WITH OUR
PARTNERS SPECIFICALLY TO HAVE A
DEPUTY DIRECTOR POSITION WHICH
WAS NOT PART OF THE ORIGINAL
ORDINANCE. THAT PASSED AND IT
WAS FUNDED AS PART OF THE
BUDGET AND WE ARE GETTING VERY
CLOSE TO FILLING THAT POSITION
RIGHT NOW. THIS ALSO
ESTABLISHED QUALIFICATIONS AND
PROCEDURES FOR REMOVAL . THE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR RETURNED THE
SIZE OF THE COMMISSION FROM 21
TO 15. MAKING IT LARGER DID NOT
REALLY WORK. AND THEN,
CLARIFYING THE AUTHORITY TO
REMOVE COMMISSIONERS FOR CAUSE
AND COUNCIL DISTRICT
ASSIGNMENTS FOR COMMISSIONERS
BECAUSE THAT'S A LOT TO ASK.
VERY IMPORTANTLY IN THE REASON
I BRING UP THE DEPUTY AND
HEALTH BOARD IS BECAUSE WE ARE
THE SMALLEST OF THE OVERSIGHT
PARTNERS. YOU HAVE HEARD THAT
OUR PARTNERS AS THEY DO
INVESTIGATIONS, AUDITS, THEY
ARE MUCH LARGER BUT WE ARE
PRETTY SMALL. WHEN WE ARE FULLY
STAFFED, WE WILL HAVE 10 FTE
DIVIDED INTO COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT STAFF WITH THE
DIRECTOR, TWO SPECIALIST AND
POLICY STAFF FOR THE POLICY
DIRECTOR IN TWO POLICY
SPECIALISTS AS WELL IS THE
IMPORTANT ROLE OF
COMMUNICATIONS. DEPUTY DIRECTOR
BONNIE GLENN EARLIER MENTIONED
ONE OF THE IMPORTANT
PARTNERSHIPS WE HAVE WITH OPA
THAT REALLY ILLUSTRATES HOW
WE'LL WORK TOGETHER SO OIG
CAME UP WITH THE IDEA AND IT IS
A VERY IMPORTANT ONE OF THESE
COMPLETED IMPACT STATEMENTS AND
OPA REACHED OUT TO US TO HAVE
CPC STAFF TO THE WORK OF
TALKING WITH PEOPLE IN AN
INFORMED WAY IN HELPING THEM IN
THEIR OWN WORDS PRODUCE
COMPLAINTANTS IMPACT STATEMENTS
THAT WILL BE PART OF THE
PROCESS. RIGHT NOW ANYONE GOING
THROUGH THE PROCESS DOES NOT
HAVE A VOICE BUT THIS WOULD
PROVIDE A VOICE FOR VICTIMS.
THESE ARE OTHER EXAMPLES OF
COLLABORATIONS THAT WE DO SOME
OF WHICH ARE MANDATED BY THE
ACCOUNTABILITY ORDINANCE. WE
MEET EVERY QUARTER, ALL OF US
AT SPD. WE HAVE HAD OIG AND OPA
PRESENTED OUR MEETINGS OVER THE
PAST YEAR AND THEN AS DEPUTY
INSPECTOR GENERAL SCOTT
MENTIONED THERE IS STAFF
COLLABORATION ON WORKGROUPS
ANOTHER IMPORTANT POLICY
INITIATIVES. THESE ARE THE
PRIORITIES LOOKING FORWARD FOR
2024 AND 2025 AND THEY FALL
INTO BOTH ORGANIZATIONAL AND
SYSTEMIC. ORGANIZATIONAL, OUR
GOAL IS TO INCREASE
RESPONSIVENESS TO COMMUNITY
POLICING CONCERNS TO FACILITATE
MEETINGS WITH DATA AND FEEDBACK
COLLECTED IN MEASURES, WHICH I
DO HAVE, TO IMPLEMENT A
COMPREHENSIVE ORGANIZATIONAL
RESTRUCTURING PLAN. THE ROLE OF
THE DEPUTY IS GOING TO BE VERY
IMPORTANT FOR MAKING SUCCESSFUL
INCLUDING UPDATED PROCESSES AND
PROTOCOLS TO INCREASE TIME
ALLOCATED TOWARD DUTIES IN THE
COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF
OPERATIONAL POLICIES AND SIEGES
BENCHMARKING AGAINST RECOGNIZED
BEST PRACTICES IN CIVILIAN
OVERSIGHT NATIONWIDE. IN TERMS
OF SYSTEMIC PRIORITIES WE ARE
ALWAYS COMMITTED TO THE POLICE
ACCOUNTABILITY ORDINANCE AND
OUR GOAL IS TO ENHANCE PUBLIC
TRUST AND CONFIDENCE THROUGH
DEMONSTRATED COMMITMENT TO THIS
ORDINANCE AS WELL AS TO PROMOTE
TRANSPARENCY AND INFORMATION
SHARING WITH THE PUBLIC ABOUT
POLICE CONTRACTS. THAT HAS BEEN
A PRIORITY THIS YEAR AND
COMMUNITY VOICE AND INPUT INTO
SPD POLICY. COMMUNICATIONS IS
AN IMPORTANT PART OF WHAT WE
DO. WE NOW HAVE A ROBUST
COMMUNICATION STRATEGY TO SHARE
OUR WORK WITH YOU ALL IN THE
CITY COUNCIL AND COMMUNITY
MEMBERS. THE WEBSITE IS
REGULARLY UPDATED TO REFLECT
THE WORK WE DO, STATEMENTS MADE
VIA COMMISSIONING CO-CHAIRS AND
AS A RESOURCE FOR MATERIALS
FROM CBC HISTORY. IF THERE'S
ANYTHING YOU'RE LOOKING FOR
FROM 2013 THAT IS THE PLACE TO
LOOK. WE ALSO HAVE A SERIES OF
VIDEOS EDUCATING THE COMMUNITY
ABOUT THE COUNTY ORDINANCE AND
WE NOW HAVE OUR NEWSLETTER BACK
UP AND RUNNING AND I ENCOURAGE
ALL OF YOU TO SIGN UP AND GET
THAT. THAT PROVIDES EVERY TWO
WEEKS, WHAT WE ARE DOING IN
BETWEEN OUR REGULAR MEETINGS.
HERE IS THE NEWSLETTER. IT'S A
GOOD ONE. ONE OF THE MOST
IMPORTANT THINGS WE DO, AGAIN
THIS IS IN THE ORDINANCE, IS TO
MAKE A CONNECTION WITH POLICY,
TO DO WORK ON POLICY AND THERE
ARE A NUMBER OF WAYS WE DO
THIS. AS YOU CAN SEE AND YOU
MIGHT'VE HEARD WE TALKED TO
ALL OF YOU WE WERE TRYING TO
COLLECT COMMUNITY FEEDBACK AND
GET INPUT INTO THE ONGOING
CONTRACTS. IT WAS IN 2023 THAT
WE COMMENTED AT THE SAME
HEARING ABOUT THE CONTRACT AND
IN 2024 WHEN THE SPAG CONTRACT
WAS RELEASED WE HELP THE
COMMUNITY MEETING TO TRY TO GET
PRIORITIES ONTO CONTRACTS. WE
ALSO HAD A NUMBER OF FILINGS.
CPC HAS STATUS WITH THE FEDERAL
COURT SO WE CAN FILE THINGS AND
SPEAK DIRECTLY TO THEM AND WE
DID THAT IN SUPPORT OF THE
CHANGES ON THE WINDING DOWN OF
THE CONSENT DECREE AS WELL AS
SUPPORT IN DECEMBER. WE ARE
ALSO ENGAGED WITH THE
LEGISLATURE SO THE ORDINANCE
GIVES US THE ABILITY TO LOBBY
INDEPENDENTLY OF THE CITY, THE
MAYOR, THE CITY COUNCIL. AGAIN,
INDEPENDENT IS THE KEY WHEN IT
COMES TO CPC SO THERE I AM IN
OLYMPIA ALONG WITH COMMUNITY
MEMBERS AND WE WENT DOWN THERE
AS PART OF THE LOBBY DAY
UNEDUCATED COMMISSIONERS ON
IMPORTANT THINGS GOING THROUGH
THE LEGISLATURE ABOUT TRAFFIC
SAFETY REFORM AND POLICE
CONDUCT. WE WERE AT THE MEETING
WITH THE OFFICE OF INDEPENDENT
INVESTIGATIONS. THIS IS A
STATE-LEVEL AGENCY THAT WILL BE
INVESTIGATING SERIOUS POLICE
'S CONDUCT AND IS ALREADY
DOING SO AROUND THE STATE AND
WILL COME TO SEATTLE EVENTUALLY
THEN WE REGULARLY MAKE
STATEMENTS FROM THE CO-CHAIRS
AND COMMISSIONERS ABOUT A
NUMBER OF THINGS THAT ARE
URGENT, SO LONG AGO, YOU
MIGHT'VE HEARD ABOUT
ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS AND SEATTLE
LGBTQ BARS. WE MADE A STATEMENT
ABOUT THAT UNDERSTATEMENT ABOUT
TECHNOLOGY -ASSISTED CRIME
PREVENTION PILOT PROGRAM AS
WELL AS EMERGENCY VEHICLE
OPERATIONS. I WANTED TO
HIGHLIGHT THIS AS WHAT INPUT
LOOKS LIKE FROM COMMUNITY
MEMBERS TO SPD POLICY. EVERYONE
WAS ONLINE. COMMUNITY MEMBERS
WERE ONLINE AND THEY WERE
CONCERNED ABOUT THIS POLICY AND
WANTED TO SHARE THEIR FEEDBACK
WITH US. I MET WITH A NUMBER OF
PEOPLE WORKING IN POLICY AT SPD
AND WE WERE ABLE TO SHARE THAT
WITH THEM IS A WRITTEN DOCUMENT
ABOUT THIS IS WHAT THE
COMMUNITY WANTS OUT OF THIS
POLICY AND WE ARE DOING THIS
WITH OTHER POLICIES AS WELL, SO
THIS IS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
THIS IS THE CORE OF WHAT WE DO,
THE MAIN THING IN THE ORDINANCE
THAT GUIDES OUR WORK AND ALSO
CREATES THIS FEEDBACK LOOP
BETWEEN POLICY AND COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT AND WHAT THE
COMMUNITY WANTS IS IMPORTANT SO
THIS IS OUR STUFF IN A NUMBER
OF DIFFERENT MEETINGS. YOU CAN
SEE THAT WE GO TO DEMOGRAPHIC
ADVISORY COUNCIL MEETINGS,
COMMUNITY COUNCIL MEETINGS,
OFTEN PUBLIC SAFETY,
COUNCILMEMBERS -- FOCUS
COUNCILMEMBERS WILL HAVE PUBLIC
SAFETY MEETINGS AND WE'VE BEEN
AT THOSE AS WELL SO THIS IS A
VERY IMPORTANT PART OF WHAT WE
DO BECAUSE THE ORDINANCE TELLS
US THAT WE ARE TASKED TO BE
RESPONSIVE TO COMMUNITY NEEDS.
WE HAVE A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT
OPTIONS FOR DOING THAT. WE CAN
DO OUTREACH, MAINTAIN
CONNECTIONS WITH
REPRESENTATIVES OF DIFFERENT
DISENFRANCHISED COMMUNITIES
THEN SHARE THAT INFORMATION
WITH PARTNERS. THIS IS A LITTLE
BIT OF THE DATA ON WHAT WE ARE
DOING. THIS IS JUST IN 2024
ALREADY, SO AS I SAID, THE
ORDINANCE REQUIRES THAT WE GO
TO DISTRICTS. WE DO TABLING, WE
DO QUITE A BIT OF DATA
COLLECTION ABOUT WHAT OUR STAFF
IS DOING AND THIS IS THE MOST
IMPORTANT THING WE DID IN 2023
WHEN IT CAME TO COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT. THE REASON IT TIES
BACK TO THE SLIDE EARLIER IS
BECAUSE THAT IS RICK WILLIAMS,
THE BROTHER OF JOHN T. WILLIAMS
WAS ONE OF THE REASONS WE CAME
INTO BEING, AND SO WE HAVE A
MANDATE TO HAVE IT PUBLIC IN A
REPORT MEETING. THIS WAS AT THE
LANGSTON HUGHES CENTER AND YOU
CAN SEE WE HAVE THE SEATTLE
POLICE DEPARTMENT PARTNERS WITH
OPA, OIG WERE THERE, THE CITY
ATTORNEY'S OFFICE WAS THERE.
THE MAYOR'S OFFICE IS THERE,
BUT A LOT OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS
AND THIS IS REALLY A GREAT
EXAMPLE EVEN IN TWO YEARS,
REALLY GOOD EXAMPLE OF
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT BEING
RESPONSIVE TO COMMUNITY,
LISTENING TO THEM, CONNECTING
TO POLICY AND BEING TRUE TO OUR
ROOTS AND WITHOUT THEM HAVING
TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND I
APPRECIATE THE PACE IN WHICH
YOU HAD THAT BRIEFING DONE.
THANK YOU. NOTHING FROM OUR
VICE CHAIR. NOTHING, ANY
QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS?
>> CHAIR, I HAVE ONE QUICK
QUESTION IF I MAY, JUST NOTING
ON THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
REPORTING I DON'T SEE
DISTRICTS FOUR OR SIX
REPRESENTED HERE, AND I KNOW
THE NORTH PRECINCT ADVISORY
COUNCIL IS VERY ACTIVE AND THAT
INCLUDES DISTRICT 4
CONSTITUENTS, BUT I AM JUST
WONDERING WHAT KIND OF
OUTREACHES DONE TO THOSE TWO
DISTRICTS.
>> YES, I KNOW OUR COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT STAFF HAS DONE
THINGS UP THERE. IT MAY NOT
SHOW UP ON THE FORMAT OF THE
SLIDE BUT I WILL MAKE SURE THAT
THAT IS SOMETHING WE PRIORITIZE
BECAUSE I KNOW THERE ARE A LOT
OF DISTRICTS IN THOSE ISSUES,
AS WELL.
>> VERY MUCH SO, AND I WOULD
LOVE TO HAVE A FOLLOW-UP ON THE
KIND OF ENGAGEMENT THAT YOU ALL
ARE DOING . THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER
RIVERA. YES, EVEN TAKEN MY
CHAIR HAD OFTEN BEEN THE
DISTRICT SEVEN REPRESENTATIVE
OF COURSE ALSO RECOGNIZING WHY
CERTAIN DISTRICTS ARE HIGHER .
I APPRECIATE THAT POINT BUT
ALSO TO ENSURE COVERAGE
THROUGHOUT THE CITY,
PARTICULARLY IN THE NORTH
BECAUSE THEY ARE DEFINITELY
DEALING WITH SOME MAJOR
CHALLENGES NOW, NOT SO MUCH --
I SAY THAT FROM A PUBLIC SAFETY
SIDE , AND IT'S NOT SIMILAR TO
OTHER ISSUES. WE NEED TO GET
THAT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
REALLY APPRECIATE THE BRIEFING.
LIKE YOU, WE DO HAVE A
COMMITMENT TO POLICE
ACCOUNTABILITY AND WORKING WITH
ACCOUNTABILITY PARTNERS AND
ALSO SPD . OBVIOUSLY, YOU HAVE
A KEEN INTEREST IN POLICE
CONTRACTS AND A NUMBER OF US
ARE ALSO ON THE LABOR COMMITTEE
AND OBVIOUSLY THERE ARE
RESTRICTIONS IN TERMS OF WHAT
WE CAN SPEAK TO, BUT WE DO HERE
WHAT YOU ARE SAYING ON THAT
FRONT , WHICH IS PROBABLY THE
MOST I CAN SAY ON THAT TOPIC,
AND THEN LASTLY, JUST AS WE ARE
SAYING, WE NEED TO ENCOURAGE
THAT CONTINUING COMMUNITY INPUT
AND I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING
WE AS DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVES
CAN HELP WITH, ENCOURAGE
PARTICIPATION. I HAVE MY
DISTRICT SEVEN NEIGHBORHOOD
COUNCIL, WHICH MAY BE A GREAT
OPPORTUNITY IN THE FUTURE SO
REALLY APPRECIATE THAT OUTREACH
TO COMMUNITY, AND I WILL NOTE
JUST FOR THE RECORD, I
RECOGNIZE THAT IN TERMS OF THE
COMMISSIONERS, THERE ARE TWO
EMPTY SPOTS. WE'VE BEEN
ENGAGING WITH COMMUNITY, TOO
AND WE HAVE A COUPLE OF ASKS
OUT. UNFORTUNATELY I DON'T HAVE
A RESPONSE I CAN GIVE YOU RIGHT
NOW BUT WE DO HAVE ASKS OUT TO
COMMUNITIES TO FILL TWO
POSITIONS RELATED TO THE
COUNCIL SO I JUST WANT TO SAY
THAT TO YOU DIRECTLY BUT ALSO
FOR THE SEATTLE CHANNEL
AUDIENCE AS WELL AND OTHERS AND
YOUR PARTNERS.
>> WE APPRECIATE THAT, THANK
YOU.
>> OKAY. THAT IS IT FOR ME FOR
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS. NOTHING
ELSE HERE. SO AGAIN, THANK YOU
ALL FOR COMING FROM THE
ACCOUNTABILITY PARTNERS AND
REALLY IMPORTANT TO HAVE SPD
REPRESENTED. THANK YOU, MR.
MAXEY, FOR JOINING US AND FOR
THE WORK WE HAVE AHEAD ON SOME
OF THESE ISSUES THAT WERE
BROUGHT UP FROM FRONT-LINE
INVESTIGATIONS TO COMMUNITY
INPUT AND OIG AND ENSURING THAT
WE DO THIS TRANSITION AS WE
LOOK TO MOVE BEYOND THE CONSENT
DECREE SO THANK YOU. WE HAVE
REACHED THE END OF TODAY'S
MEETING AGENDA. IS THERE ANY
FURTHER BUSINESS TO COME BEFORE
THE COMMITTEE BEFORE WE
ADJOURN? I SUSPECT NOT, SO
HEARING NO FURTHER BUSINESS TO
COME BEFORE THE COMMITTEE WE
ARE ADJOURNED. THANK YOU.