ROBERT KETTLE, THE CHAIR OF THE
PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE .
>> COUNCILMEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH,
COUNCILMEMBER MOORE ?
>> PRESENT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER NELSON IS
EXCUSED, THERE ARE THREE
MEMBERS PRESENT .
>> YES, COUNCILMEMBER
HOLLINGSWORTH WILL BE HERE
SHORTLY AND I WANT TO WELCOME
OUR LATEST, NEWEST MEMBER OF
THE SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL,
WELCOME, LOOK FORWARD TO YOU
PARTICIPATING , FULL
PARTICIPATION EXCEPT FOR
VOTING.
>> GOT IT, THANK YOU FOR HAVING
ME.
>> APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA, IF
THERE IS NO OBJECTION, THE
AGENDA WILL BE ADOPTED, NO
OBJECTION, THE AGENDA IS
ADOPTED. FOR THE CHAIR'S REPORT
, FIRST I JUST WANT TO WELCOME
EVERYBODY BACK , IT HAS BEEN A
LONG TIME SINCE WE'VE HAD A
PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING
, SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO
GETTING BACK TO THE WORK THAT
WE'VE BEEN DOING ALL
THROUGHOUT 2024 AND WE RECENTLY
CELEBRATED THANKSGIVING SO I
JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT I'M
THANKFUL, ACROSS MANY FRONTS
FOR THE COMMITTEE'S WORK
THROUGHOUT 2024. AS YOU KNOW,
IT RESULTED IN EIGHT BILLS
BEING PASSED IN OUR COMMITTEE ,
WE ALSO HAD TWO ADDITIONAL
BILLS PASSED AND THE GOVERNANCE
ACCOUNTABILITY ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT, THE REPLACEMENT
REFORM BILL INCENTIVES
BILL. AND OF COURSE ONE IN THE
SELECT LABOR COMMITTEE, THAT
WAS THE SEATTLE POLICE OFFICER
GUILD INTERIM AGREEMENT, SO FOR
A TOTAL OF 11 BILLS , SO FAR IN
2024, THIS IS A TEAM EFFORT AND
I'M GLAD THAT COUNCILMEMBER
RINK IS HERE TODAY BECAUSE IT
IS IMPORTANT THAT THIS IS
BEYOND JUST THE FIVE MEMBERS OF
THE COMMITTEE, WE STARTED OFF
THE YEAR WITH OUR FIRST BILL,
THE VACANT BUILDING ABATEMENT
BILL THAT HAS BEEN SO EFFECTIVE
AND SO HELPFUL TO CHIEF
SCOGGINS AND THE FIRE
DEPARTMENT, THE AUTOMATIC
LICENSE PLATE READER, GREAT
AMOUNT OF WORK THAT MR. BRIAN
MAXEY CAN ATTEST TO , WORKING
THE AMENDMENT PIECES AND THAT
ACTUALLY SHOWED UP AGAIN LATER
ON IN CCTV AND THE RTCC , SO
THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER MOORE
FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THE
BILL, AND MORE IMPORTANT,
COUNCILMEMBER SAKA,
COUNCILMEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH FOR
A NUMBER OF BILLS TO INCLUDE
ONE COMING UP IN OUR SISTER
COMMITTEE RELATED TO AFTER OUR
-- AFTER HOUR CONFERENCES, AND
IN PARTICULAR TO THE PUBLIC
SAFETY TEAM IF YOU WILL, MR.
GREG DOSS, AND MS. GORMAN, I'M
REALLY THANKFUL FOR HER WORK
AND OF COURSE MR. JOHNSON FOR
HIS WORK AS WELL, PARTICULARLY
THOSE THAT HAVE MORE OF A LEGAL
PIECE AND SEPARATELY , I'M
VERY THANKFUL TO THE CLERK
STAFF THAT HAVE BEEN SO HELPFUL
. AND MORE BROADLY, MAYOR
HARRELL AND HIS TEAM, OBVIOUSLY
WITH A LOT OF REPRESENTATIVES
HERE, CITY ATTORNEY DAVISON AND
HER TEAM, AND I ALSO WANT TO
GIVE A SHOUT OUT AND SAY I'M
THANKFUL FOR THE NINE
DEPARTMENTS, OFFICES,
COMMISSION AND COURT THAT OUR
COMMITTEE OVERSEES AND THE WORK
THAT WE DID WITH THE
DEPARTMENT, HEARING DIRECTLY
FROM THE DEPARTMENT, LIKE I
MENTIONED EARLIER, CHIEF
SCOGGINS, HAVING THAT ACCESS
AND THAT CORONATION OF WORK
WITH THE DEPARTMENT HEADS IS SO
HELPFUL, AS WE TRY TO DO THE
WORK OF THE COMMITTEE. AND IN
REVIEW OF 2024, BY THE WAY, WE
ARE BACK AFTER SOME TIME AND
THIS IS OUR LAST MEETING OF
2024 . AS A REVIEW, BEGINNING
OF THE YEAR, WE DID CREATE OUR
MISSION, BASICALLY TO CREATE A
SAFE BASE IN OUR CITY. OUR
VISION IN TERMS OF HOW WE ARE
TRYING TO BRING THIS ABOUT, WE
LOOKED AT THE PUBLIC SAFETY
PROBLEM SET, IDENTIFIED
UNDERLYING CHALLENGES , AND I
KNOW THIS IS ONE OF THE
EXECUTIVES FAVORITE TERMS, THE
PERMISSIVE ENVIRONMENT AND WE
CREATED OUR STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK
PLAN IN SIX PILLARS AND WE
EXECUTED ON THIS AND THE
MISSION VISION AND THE PLANNED
FOCUSES OUR EFFORTS AND REALLY
DRIVES OUR EFFORTS, AND THIS IS
WHAT DRIVES OUR EFFORTS, I KNOW
THERE WAS DISCUSSION ABOUT
DIFFERENT PIECES AND SO FORTH
BUT THIS IS THE MISSION AND THE
PLAN AND WE ARE WORKING THROUGH
THESE PIECES ON A DAILY BASIS
AS WE READ THE PAPER EACH DAY.
AND WE APPRECIATE THE
PARTNERSHIP, AND UNDERSTAND OUR
ROLE AS THE LEGISLATIVE BODY,
WITH RESPECT TO POLICY
OVERSIGHT AND WE JUST LEARNED,
BUDGET, WHICH WAS AN
EYE-OPENING EXPERIENCE FOR ME
AND WILL DRIVE A LITTLE BIT OF
WHAT WE WILL DO IN 2025.
SPEAKING OF 2025, MOVING
FORWARD, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A
FOCUS ON ORDINANCES AND AS IT
HAPPENS, WE WILL BRIDGE OVER
FROM 24 TO 25, BUT THERE'S
OTHERS, I'M INTERESTED IN THE
CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. WE
NEED A VERY HEALTHY CRIMINAL
JUSTICE SYSTEM, IF WE DON'T ,
IF IT FALTERS FOR DIFFERENT
REASONS , THAT CAN BE VERY
PROBLEMATIC FOR US AS A CITY IN
OUR GOALS AND MISSIONS AND SO
FORTH. AND I MENTIONED THE
BUDGET, ONE THING I LEARNED
COMING OUT OF THE BUDGET IS
THAT WE HAVE THE NINE
DEPARTMENTS INCLUDING CARE . WE
HAVE ALTERNATIVE RESPONSE AND
IN FIRE WE HAVE HEALTH 199, WE
HAVE CSO AND SPD AND SO FORTH,
WE HAVE BEEN FOCUSED ON THOSE
BUILDING BLOCKS BUT ONE THING
THAT CAME OUT OF THE BUDGET
PROCESS IS THAT THERE'S A LOT
OF COMMUNITY PUBLIC SAFETY
EFFORTS WITH THE NONPROFITS AND
THE LIKE . AND THEY ARE COMING
FROM DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS, SO
THIS COMMITTEE WILL LOOK AT
THAT AREA AS WELL, SOME ARE IN
DEPARTMENT NEIGHBORHOODS, HUMAN
SERVICES DEPARTMENT, DIFFERENT
PARTS OF THE CITY, ALL THESE
THINGS NEED TO BE LOOKED AT .
WE HAD A LOT OF BUDGET ADS THAT
CAME FROM DIFFERENT MEMBERS,
THAT COME FROM DIFFERENT
DIRECTIONS, WE HAVE TO MAKE
SENSE OF THIS SO WE NEED TO
WORK WITH THE DEPARTMENT, WORK
WITH THE HUMAN SERVICES
DEPARTMENT, THE DIRECTOR OF
PUBLIC SAFETY WHO IS HERE
TODAY, AND TO ENSURE THAT THAT
AREA IS IN SYNC AND WORKING
COLLABORATIVELY WITH THE BIGGER
PICTURE PIECES LIKE SFD AND
SPD, BUT ALSO THE OVERALL PIECE
THAT WE ARE LOOKING TO DO.
2025, THOSE ARE THREE AREAS WE
ARE LOOKING TO DO , SO AGAIN, I
JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO
EVERYONE AND WELCOME YOU BACK
AND WITH THAT, WE WILL NOW OPEN
UP THE HYBRID PUBLIC COMMENT
PERIOD. PUBLIC COMMENTS SHOULD
RELATE TO ITEMS ON TODAY'S
AGENDA AND WITHIN THE PURVIEW
OF THE CITY. AND ONE THING I
WANTED TO NOTE, YOU WILL SAY
THAT IT IS UP TO 60 MINUTES, WE
WILL GO AS LONG AS HE CAN BUT
ONE THING I NEED TO NOTE, WE
ARE A MORNING COMMITTEE, WE DO
NOT HAVE THIS CHAMBER ALL DAY
SO WE CANNOT -- IT IS NOT A
PUBLIC HEARING BASICALLY. SO WE
TRY TO DO THIS AND WE REALLY
APPRECIATE PUBLIC COMMENT WHICH
HAS BEEN INCORPORATED IN THOSE
PIECES OF LEGISLATION THAT I
MENTIONED AND COULD BE
INCORPORATED FOR EXAMPLE IN THE
[INDISCERNIBLE] I'M
PARTICULARLY THANKFUL FOR THE
EMAILS AND ALONG THOSE LINES, I
HAVE GOTTEN THE SEATTLE OCR
REVIEW OF THIS AND MY TEAM WILL
BE REACHING OUT TO OCR IN TERMS
OF ORGANIZING THE MEETING. SO
THAT CLERK, PLEASE COME OVER TO
YOU.
>> CURRENTLY WE HAVE TWO IN
PERSON SPEAKERS AND FOUR REMOTE
SPEAKERS, EACH SPEAKER WILL
HAVE TWO -- SORRY, 16 REMOTE
SPEAKERS. EACH SPEAKER WILL
HAVE TWO AND IS, WE WILL START
WITH IN PERSON FIRST. THE
PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD WILL BE
MODERATED , IT IS UP TO 60
MINUTES, SPEAKERS WILL BE
CALLED IN THE ORDER OF WHICH
THEY REGISTERED, SPEAKERS WILL
HEAR A CHIME WHEN 10 SECONDS IS
LEFT, MICROPHONES WILL BE MUTED
IF THEY DO NOT AND WITHIN THE
ALLOTTED TIME TO ALLOW US TO
CALL ON THE NEXT SPEAKER, THE
PUBLIC COMMENT WILL BEGIN WITH
THE FIRST IN PERSON SPEAKER ON
THE LEFT. THE FIRST IN PERSON
SPEAKER IS BENNETT HAZELTON.
>> GOOD MORNING , BENNETT.
>> GOOD MORNING, COUNCIL .
EVERYONE HERE WHO HAS FOLLOWED
YOU FROM 2020 ONWARD IS
PROBABLY AWARE OF A LOT OF THE
INCIDENTS AND COMPLAINTS
AGAINST SEATTLE PD, MANY OF YOU
PROBABLY SAW THE VIRAL PHOTO OF
THE NINE-YEAR-OLD WHO WAS AT
ONE OF THE PEACEFUL RALLIES AND
THE SEATTLE POLICE OFFICER
ENDED UP SHOOTING HIM IN THE
FACE WITH PEPPER SPRAY, AND THE
VIDEO OF COURSE WENT AROUND THE
WORLD. I'M SURE THE CONFLICTS
SAY LOOK, OBVIOUSLY I DID NOT
INTEND TO SHOOT THAT KID IN THE
FACE WITH PEPPER SPRAY AND THEY
ARE PROBABLY TELLING THE TRUTH
BUT I THINK WHAT HAPPENED WAS,
AND SOMEBODY ELSE DID SOMETHING
ILLEGAL, THE THING TO KEEP IN
MIND IS THAT IF THIS HAD BEEN A
CROWD OF SAY CHRISTMAS SHOPPERS
AND SOMEBODY DOES SOMETHING
ILLEGAL AND RUNS OFF INTO THE
CROWD , THE COPS INSTINCT IS
THESE ARE INNOCENT BYSTANDERS,
I CANNOT SHOOT THE PEPPER SPRAY
BECAUSE I'M PROBABLY GOING TO
HIT SOMEBODY ELSE. IF THEY ARE
WILLING TO DO IT HOWEVER IN A
GROUP OF PROTESTERS, THEY ARE
THINKING OF THAT GROUP OF
PEOPLE DIFFERENTLY . LESS
DESERVING OF THAT LEVEL OF
RESTRAINT BECAUSE THEY ARE
PROTESTERS NOT CHRISTMAS
SHOPPERS AND THEY ARE NOT
SUPPOSED TO LOOK AT IT THAT
WAY. SO I DON'T WANT TO
RELITIGATE EVERYONE OF THESE
ISSUES BECAUSE THAT WAS
LITERALLY LITIGATED AS YOU ARE
ALL AWARE, SEATTLE PD, AND THE
CITY , BY WHICH ME AND MY
FRIENDS HAD TO PAY OUT ABOUT
$10 MILLION TO PROTESTERS ON
TOP OF THE $29 MILLION THEY
SPENT DEFENDING THE CASE BEFORE
THE SETTLEMENT BEGAN AND THEY
PAID THE MONEY OUT. WHAT I
WOULD ASK YOU ALL TO CONSIDER ,
WOULD YOU BE OKAY WITH LIFTING
THE RESTRICTIONS ON SPD LETHAL
MESSAGE , IF EACH OF YOU HAD TO
PAY ONLY 1% OF ANY AMOUNT THAT
SPD HAD TO PAY OUT AS A
SETTLEMENT TO PROTESTERS AS A
RESULT. BECAUSE IF YOU'RE
HESITANT TO DO IT, IF THE MONEY
WOULD COME OUT OF YOUR PERSONAL
POCKET THEN YOU SHOULD ASK
YOURSELF WHY YOU ARE OKAY WITH
IT IF THE CAUSE ARE BORNE BY
SOMEBODY ELSE. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. NEXT, WE HAVE
KATHY W .
>> I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ALSO
ON THE USE OF THE FORCE THAT
HAS HAPPENED . AND BEING A
SENIOR CITIZEN, WHICH I AM,
HAVING A SERVICE DOG , IT'S
FRIGHTENING SOMETIMES TO JUST
BE ABLE TO GET OUT THERE AND
VOICE AND SUPPORT THE CAUSES
THAT I FEEL NECESSARY TO
SUPPORT . I DID A LOT OF THE
MARCHES AND RALLIES AND THERE
WERE A LOT OF TIMES WHEN I
WOULD JUST HAVE TO LEAVE OUT OF
SAFETY CONCERNS. AND I THINK
THAT IT SHOULD BE FAIR FOR
EVERYONE OF EVERY AGE, WHETHER
IT BE A NINE-YEAR-OLD BACKUP
SHOT IN THE FACE OR A SENIOR
CITIZEN SUCH AS MYSELF TO NOT
BE IN FEAR OF BEING ABLE TO GO
OUT WITH A GROUP OF PEOPLE AND
VOICE YOUR OPINION AND SUPPORT
FOR OUR RIGHTS. AND THAT FEELS
LIKE IT IS BEING TAKEN AWAY
WITH A LOT OF THOSE REVERSALS
THAT ARE GOING TO HAPPEN . SOME
OF THE THINGS THAT I SAW, THAT
I HAVE WITNESSED, I WOULD JUST
HAVE TO TURN AROUND , THAT IS
TAKING AWAY MY RIGHT TO
PEACEFULLY PROTEST.
>> THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE
JAMES PESARO.
>> I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE UP
TWO MINUTES, I JUST WANT TO SAY
I'M AGAINST THIS BILL OF
ALLOWING LESLIE'S LETHAL
WEAPONS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN
BANNED AS -- AND I THINK IT
WILL RESULT IN FATALITIES,
INJURIES AND AS WELL AS A
FELLOW POINTED OUT, IT IS GOING
TO COST EVERYBODY MONEY WHEN
THE CITY HAS TO PAY OUT LEGAL
SEDIMENTS TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE
BEEN HARMED AND EVEN THOSE
PEOPLE , EVEN WITH ALL THAT
MONEY BEING SPENT --STAKE. IT
IS NOT GOOD FOR THE COPS, IT IS
NOT GOOD FOR PROTESTERS AND
IT'S NOT GOOD FOR THE PEOPLE
OF SEATTLE, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> THANK YOU. ROSE KING.
>> HI. I GIVE PUBLIC COMMENT
PRETTY OFTEN, USUALLY I HAVE A
SCRIPT , AND TODAY I'M JUST
TRYING TO FEEL THIS, AND TRYING
TO SPEAK ON THE LESS LETHAL
THING, I WANTED TO WAIT UNTIL
JOY WAS HERE BECAUSE SHE IS MY
COUNCILMEMBER BUT, I GUESS I
HAD THREE THINGS . I AM
CURIOUS, WHO IS IN SUPPORT OF
THIS , I'M CONFUSED AS TO WHO
BENEFITS FROM THIS BAN BEING
LIFTED . I DON'T KNOW OF ANY
PEOPLE THAT ARE , I DON'T KNOW
OF ANY CONSTITUENTS THAT ARE,
SO I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND
WHERE IT IS COMING FROM. AND
THE SECOND THING I WANTED TO
SAY WAS TO JOY , I JUST WANTED
TO BE HERE FOR SUPPORT AND
SOLIDARITY AND I'M FEELING SO
MUCH BECAUSE I CAN SEE THE
PEOPLE AREN'T COMING ANYMORE,
THEY DON'T THINK YOU ARE
LISTENING ANYMORE , AND WE WANT
YOU TO REPRESENT US, IT IS HARD
WHEN WE CAN'T TALK TO YOU AND
IT DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE, IT
FEELS HURTS THE MAC THERE MIGHT
BE THREE HOURS OF PUBLIC
COMMENTS, BUT THE VOTE IS GOING
TO BE 8-1 AND THE PERSON WHO
WAS GOING TO VOTE AGAINST WAS
ALWAYS GOING TO VOTE AGAINST
ANYWAYS. SO, I DON'T KNOW WHY
YOU GUYS HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT,
KIND OF. I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE
ARE DOING. THANKS.
>> THANK YOU. JOHNNY PETERSON.
>> GOOD MORNING. I'M HERE
TODAY TO URGE YOU TO REPOST THE
APPEAL OF ORDINANCE 14622 WHICH
PROTECTS PEACEFUL PROTESTERS
AND UPHOLDS OUR COMMUNITIES
RIGHT TO FREE SPEECH. DURING
THE 2020 RACIAL INJUSTICE
PROTEST, THE SEATTLE POLICE
DEPARTMENT VIOLATED THE RIGHTS
OF THOUSANDS OF PROTESTERS BY
USING EXCESSIVE FORCE INCLUDING
TEARGAS, PEPPER SPRAY AND GLASS
BALLS. AS YOU ARE AWARE, A
FEDERAL JUDGE RULED THESE
ACTIONS UNCONSTITUTIONAL AND
THE CITY HAS ALREADY PAID A $10
MILLION SETTLEMENT FOR INJURIES
CAUSED BY SPD. REMITTING THESE
PROTECTIONS NOW WILL OPEN MORE
DOORS TO VIOLENCE, MORE
LAWSUITS AND FURTHER EROSION OF
TRUST IN OUR POLICE. REPEALING
THIS ORDINANCE ALSO CONTRADICTS
RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE
COMMUNITY POLICE COMMISSION AND
THE OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL
BOTH OF WHICH EMPHASIZE THE
IMPORTANCE OF DE-ESCALATION AND
ACCOUNTABILITY AND CROWD
CONTROL. INSTEAD, THIS REPEAL
GIVES SPD BROAD DISCUSSION
WITHIN THE SUBJECTIVE
DEFINITION OF VIOLENT PUBLIC
DISTURBANCE WHICH HISTORY SHOWS
CAN LEAD TO INDISCRIMINATE HARM
TO PEACEFUL PROTESTERS AND
INNOCENT BYSTANDERS. WE CANNOT
AFFORD TO REPEAT THE MISTAKES
OF 2020, TEARGAS AND OTHER
WEAPONS POSE SERIOUS HEALTH
RISKS, DISPROPORTIONATELY HARM
MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES AND
UNDERMINE PUBLIC SAFETY.
FURTHERMORE, SPD'S CONTINUED
PRESENCE UNDER A FEDERAL
CONSENT DECREE SHOULD COMPEL US
TO STRENGTHEN, NOT WEAKEN
OVERSIGHT AND ACCOUNTABILITY.
SEATTLE MUST REMAIN OBEDIENT IN
PROTECTING CIVIL RIGHTS, NOT A
CAUTIONARY TALE, PLEASE DO NOT
UNDO THIS VITAL ORDINANCE,
PLEASE PROTECT YOUR COMMUNITIES
RIGHT TO PROTEST SAFELY AND
WITHOUT FEAR. THANK YOU.
>> THAT CONCLUDES THE IN PERSON
COMMENTERS, WE WILL MOVE TO
REMOTE COMMENTERS, THE FIRST
PERSON IS HOWARD GAIL. AND THE
SECOND WILL BE MARIA RADUCANU .
PLEASE REMEMBER TO PRESS *6.
GO AHEAD, HOWARD.
>> OKAY, GOOD MORNING, FROM
DISTRICT 7, THIS MORNING YOU
WILL BE CONSIDERING LEGISLATION
TO ABOLISH PROTECTIONS FOR
PROTESTERS AGAINST THE HARM
FROM WHAT YOU REFER TO AS LESS
LETHAL WEAPONS, THE COUNCIL
VOTED AGAINST THESE WITHOUT A
SINGLE COUNCIL MEMBER VOTING IN
OPPOSITION, FOUR YEARS LATER
THIS COUNCIL WISHES TO ABOLISH
THOSE PROTECTIONS INCLUDING THE
RIGHT OF LEGAL ACTION IN THE
STATE COURT FOR PEOPLE HARMED
BY SPD. FOR OVER A QUARTER
CENTURY, SEATTLE POLICE HAVE
CONSISTENTLY AND GRACIOUSLY
HARMED PEOPLE WITH THE USE OF
THESE VERY WEAPONS, THEY DID IN
1999, CONTINUING TO DO SO
DURING THE EARLY TO THOUSANDS.
AND REPEATED THE ABUSES IN
2014, 15 AND 16 DURING BLACK
LIVES MATTER AND MAYDAY
DEMONSTRATIONS AND AGAIN IN
2020 IN THE GEORGE FLIGHT
PROTEST, THIS CANNOT BE
EXPLAINED AS SOMETHING UNUSUAL
OR THE RESULT OF A STRESSOR,
YET THIS COUNCIL IS ASKING
SEATTLEITES TO BELIEVE THAT
INSTEAD OF RESTRICTIONS, SIMPLY
RESTATING THE RIGHTS CODIFIED
IN THE U.S. STATE CONSTITUTION
ALONG WITH A BUNCH OF
ASPIRATIONAL STATEMENTS WILL
SOMEHOW MAGICALLY PREVENT
SEATTLE POLICE FROM REPEATING
THIS LONG HISTORY OF ABUSE.
THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS GAMBLE,
ESPECIALLY IN THE CONTEXT.
STAFF NOTES THAT THIS LIES ON
PROUDER MANAGEMENT
RECOMMENDATIONS OUTLINED IN
SEVERAL DOCUMENTS, MOST NOTABLY
THE 2022 PAPER FROM THE POLICE
EXECUTIVE RESEARCH FORUM,
HOWEVER IT STATES ON PAGE 34,
DEVICES SHOULD NOT BE USED FOR
DEMONSTRATION. YET, DESPITE
THIS CURRENTLY PROPOSED
LEGISLATION TO ALLOW BLAST
BALLS TO BE USED BY THE SPD AND
JUST LAST WEEK THE SPD GAVE A
PRESENTATION CLAIMING FALSELY
THEY DO NOT INJURE PEOPLE. THIS
IS BAD LEGISLATION.
>> THANK YOU. NEXT UP IS MARIA
.
>> GOOD MORNING. I STRONGLY
OPPOSE THE INTRODUCTION OF LESS
LETHAL WEAPONS IN SEATTLE, THE
ESSENTIAL AREA OF FOCUS,
ACCOUNTABILITY AND OVERSIGHT
HAS NOT BEEN ADEQUATELY
ADDRESSED, LEAVING SIGNIFICANT
RISK OF MISUSE AND HARM,
EXAMPLES FROM THE 2020 PROTEST
HIGHLIGHTED THE SEVERITY OF
THIS ISSUE, WITH PROTESTERS
SUFFERING DEVASTATING INJURIES
CAUSED BY CHEMICALS AND
EXPLOSIVES, THIS TRAINING
OVERSIGHT HAS TO HAVE POLICIES
IN CRUCIAL AREAS, HIGH-PRESSURE
SCENARIOS, ACCOUNTABILITY THAT
HAS THE POWER, URGENCY AND
SUPPORT TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES
AND OVERSIGHT THAT DEFINED
SUBJECTIVE DEFINITIONS . AS AN
ARTIST, I'M PARTICULARLY
ALARMED BY THE PATENT --
POTENTIAL INJURY. PEOPLE ARE
EXERCISING THEIR CONSTITUTIONAL
RIGHT AND SHOULD NOT FACE THE
RISK OF LIFE ALTERING HARM. I
ASK THE COMMUNITY TO GENUINELY
PRIORITIZE PUBLIC SAFETY AND
BRING MORE EFFECTIVE MESSAGE --
METHODS OF DE-ESCALATING THE
VIOLENCE. WITHOUT THE CHANGE,
THIS CYCLE WILL CONTINUE AS WE
REPEAT THE SAME MISTAKES. THEY
CAN STILL KILL , WEAPONS HAVE
THE RISK OF GETTING MORE
VIOLENCE. I URGE THE COMMUNITY
TO CONSIDER EMPATHETIC AND
ETHICAL SOLUTIONS FOR THE
FUTURE OF OUR FREEDOM OF
SPEECH. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> NEXT UP, WE HAVE ALICE
LOCKHART , FOLLOWED BY LILA B.
>> HELLO, IN THIS MORNING'S
FREEZING WEATHER, SPD AND PARKS
AND REC [INDISCERNIBLE] I
HAPPENED TO BE WALKING MY DOG
IN THE PARK AT THE TIME, THIS
WAS YOUR POLICY, WE KNOW YOU'RE
COMFORTABLE WITH DEBTS OF OUR
HOMELESS NEIGHBORS, TODAY ,
SEATTLE PAID MILLIONS OF
DOLLARS IN CLAIMS IN 2021 SPD
FIRED ON PEACEFUL PROTESTERS, I
FEAR YOU WILL FIND TAXPAYERS
AGAIN. INTESTINE 20, WHEN A
WOMAN DIED, SHE WAS SEVERELY
INJURED BY SO-CALLED DOMESTIC
WEAPONS , IF THE ROLES HAD BEEN
REVERSED, THAT CHILD COULD HAVE
DIED. I'M SORRY. SO ARE YOU
ALL FINE WITH POTENTIALLY
CAUSING THE DEATH OF A CHILD? I
FEAR THAT SEVERAL OF YOU ARE
AND WILL VOTE FOR THIS
LEGISLATION, I HOPE I'M WRONG,
PARTICULARLY GIVEN THE DANGERS
OF A TRUMP PRESIDENCY, NOW IS
NOT THE TIME TO TURN TO FREE
SPEECH AND THIS LEGISLATION IS
DESIGNED TO CURB FREE SPEECH.
THAT IS ALL I'VE GOT.
>> THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE LILA
B. FOLLOWED BY CHARLOTTE
MONROE.
>> HELLO, I'M CALLING
REGARDING THE LESS LETHAL
WEAPONS YOU ARE TRYING TO
JUSTIFY, DURING THE PROTEST OF
2020, TOXIC AS WAS BANNED BY
INTERNATIONAL LAW, THAT IS
KNOWN TO CAUSE HARM TO
REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH, AND KILLED
A WOMAN WHO DIED THREE TIMES
AFTER BEING SUCCESSFULLY
REESE'S HESITATED --
[INDISCERNIBLE] OPD WAS
CONTACTED 22 TIMES , AND THESE
WEAPONS CAN AND WILL BE LETHAL
WITH -- WHICH WE HAVE ALREADY
SEEN HERE, AND JUST THREE WEEKS
AGO, YOU YOURSELVES PARTIALLY
DEFUNDED OPD OVERTIME . AND NOW
THAT THE FUNDS NO LONGER HAVE
GUARDRAILS ON HOW MUCH THE
GENERAL FUND CAN TAKE OUT, I
ASK HOW MUCH MONEY THAT WAS
MEANT TO HELP PEOPLE WILL
INSTEAD BE USED FOR MORE LETHAL
MUNITIONS. I YIELD THE REST OF
MY TIME.
>> THANK YOU. NEXT, WE HAVE
CHARLOTTE .
>> GOOD MARGIN -- MORNING, I'M
AN ELECTED PTO AND THEY MAKE MY
HOME FOUR MINUTES FROM THESE
SITES, I'M SPEAKING TODAY IN
OPPOSITION TO COUNSEL BILL
120926 , AFTER THE RESPONSE TO
THE GEORGE FLIGHT PROTEST, THE
MAYOR SAID HE BELIEVES THAT SPD
SHOULD HAVE UNDERGONE POLICY
SHIFTS, BECAUSE HE BELIEVES
THEY CAN BE TRUSTED WITH
DISCRETION NEEDED TO USE THESE
WEAPONS. I'M APPREHENSIVE TO
THESE VERSIONS, I HOPE THAT
NEITHER THE COMMITTEE NOR
COUNCILMEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH
WILL FORGET THE USE OF TEAR GAS
IN 2020 WAS SO HEAVY THAT IT
WAFTED INTO APARTMENTS UP AND
DOWN THE HILL INCLUDED AREAS
FAR FROM THE FRONT LINES ,
CAUSING ADVERSE HEALTH EFFECTS
TO RESIDENTS AND MINOR CHILDREN
UNINVOLVED IN THE PROTEST LONG
PINE. LIKE OTHERS HAVE SAID,
THIS WOULD OPEN THE CITY UP TO
MULTIMILLION DOLLAR LAWSUITS,
WHEN THE CITY IS ALREADY UP A
CREEK FINANCIALLY. HOW ON EARTH
IS THAT OUR GOVERNANCE? ALL OF
THIS COUNCIL REFUSES TO
ENTERTAIN THESE PROGRESSIVE
REVENUE. I DO NOT TRUST THE
WORDS OF SPD WHO SWEAR UP AND
DOWN THAT THEY WILL BE GOOD
KIDS AGAIN ONLY TO BE CAUGHT
WITH THEIR HANDS IN THE COOKIE
JAR. I URGE THE COMMITTEE TO
REJECT THIS BILL. FINALLY I
WANT TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY
TO SAY THAT THE PEOPLE OF
SEATTLE HAVE YOUR BACK . THANK
YOU.
>> NEXT UP, WE HAVE BJ FOLLOWED
BY JAMIE HANSMYER. I'M SORRY,
IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE WE HAVE
BJ ANYMORE. JAMIE HANSMIER,
YOU'RE UP TO BE FOLLOWED BY
ANDREW RYNES.
>> GOOD MORNING. AS A RESIDENT
OF CAPITOL HILL, IT IS
IMPORTANT TO ME THAT WE ARE
ABLE TO SAFELY PARTICIPANT IN
NONVIOLENT PROTESTS IN THE
DEMOCRATIC PROCESS, IN THE
SUMMER OF 2020, THERE WERE
EXTENSIVE INJURIES TO
PROTESTERS AND BYSTANDERS. TEAR
GAS LEAKING INTO APARTMENTS
TURN MY HOME INTO AN
INESCAPABLE, DANGEROUS
SHOUOF OUR . PROTESTS CA
RIGHTS BUT AT THE RESPONSE OF
THE CITY LAW ENFORCEMENT, THAT
WAS COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE AND
I CAN BE ALLOWED TO HAPPEN
AGAIN. THERE'S ALREADY A BIG
PROBLEM WITH LACK OF TRUST IN
THE SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT
AND ANY USE OF LESS LETHAL
WEAPONS, WHY WASN'T THAT GAP
ADDRESSED BETWEEN THE PEOPLE IN
LAW ENFORCEMENT. BEST PRACTICES
NEED TO BE FOLLOWED AND
MAINTAINING THE SAFETY OF
PROTESTERS AND BYSTANDERS.
PEOPLE ARE DISCOURAGED FROM
PARTICIPATING IN NONVIOLENT
PROTESTS FOR FEAR OF BODILY
HARM, THAT IS THE IMPRESSION OF
FREE SPEECH. LIMITATIONS ARE A
CRUCIAL PART OF THE DEMOCRATIC
POLITICAL PROCESS WITHOUT WHICH
THE DEMOCRACY WOULD CRUMBLE.
PLEASE MAINTAIN THE BAN UNLESS
LETHAL WEAPONS, PROTECT OUR
RIGHT TO FREE SPEECH, KEEP OUR
CITY SAFE AND SET A GOOD
EXAMPLE FOR THE REST OF THE
COUNTRY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR
TIME.
>> THANK YOU, ANDREW WILL BE
NEXT, FOLLOWED BY SAM PATERRA.
>> GOOD MORNING, I ALSO WANT TO
SPEAK TODAY TO STRONGLY OPPOSE
LIFTING THE BAN OF POLICE USAGE
OF SOCON LESS LETHAL WEAPONS, I
THINK DOING SO WOULD BE AN
ENORMOUS DEFECT OF THE CITY, IT
IS ALSO IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE
WHY IT WAS ENFORCED IN THE
FIRST PLACE. AND I WANT TO
RATTLE OFF A FEW ANALYTICS TO
PROVIDE SOME INSIGHTS. THE
MAJORITY OF THE PROTESTS IN
2020 WERE OVERWHELMINGLY
PEACEFUL AND I THINK 94% OF
THEM WERE NONVIOLENT AND
NONDESTRUCTIVE. YET, POLICE
RESPONDED TO THAT 51% OF THESE
DEMONSTRATIONS WITH PHYSICAL
FORCE AND LESS LETHAL WEAPONS
LIKE TEARGAS AND RUBBER
BULLETS. IN RESPONSE TO THESE
PROTESTS, IT OFTEN ESCALATED
THEM, FURTHERING STRAIN BETWEEN
THE PUBLIC AND LAW ENFORCEMENT.
THESE WEAPONS ARE OFTEN FRAMED
AS LESS HARMFUL BUT THEIR
WIDESPREAD USAGE DURING 2020
SHOWED OTHERWISE, BOTH ABOUT
16% OF INDIVIDUALS GETTING
INJURED BY LESS LETHAL
PROJECTILES. THESE INJURIES
INCLUDED THINGS THAT WERE NOT
JUST LIMITED TO THE HEAD, IT
ALSO CAUSED SIGNIFICANT
LONG-TERM PHYSICAL IMPAIRMENTS
IN OTHER PARTS OF THE BODY. I
THINK THIS REALLY EMPHASIZES
THE POTENTIAL FOR LESS LETHAL
WEAPONS TO CAUSE LIFE ALTERING
HARMS, HIGHLIGHTING THE RISK ,
PARTICULARLY AGAINST PEACEFUL
DEMONSTRATORS. ON A POSITIVE
NOTE, I'M GENUINELY PROUD OF
THE WORK THAT SEATTLE HAS DONE
TO FOSTER ACCOUNTABILITY AND
REBUILD TRUST BETWEEN LAW
ENFORCEMENT AND THE COMMUNITY,
BUT LIFTING THIS BAN WOULD
UNDERMINE THAT PROCESS, IT
WOULD SEND THE MESSAGE THAT WE
ARE MORE CONCERNED WITH CONTROL
THAN WITH PROTECTING THE
RESIDENCE RIGHTS TO ASSEMBLE
AND SPEAK FREELY. WE NEED TO
CONTINUE PRIORITIZING
DE-ESCALATION AND RESTORE
PUBLIC TRUST. ONCE AGAIN, I
URGE YOU TO UPHOLD THE BAN AND
CONTINUE BUILDING A CITY THAT
VALUES JUSTICE AND
ACCOUNTABILITY. THANK YOU.
>> NEXT WE HAVE SAM, TO BE
FOLLOWED BY ANDRE MATTIS.
>> HELLO.
>> SAM, CAN YOU TRY AGAIN?
>> YES. THANK YOU. I JUST WANT
TO SAY THE SAME THING EVERYONE
ELSE HAS SAID, BUT MUCH BETTER
THAN A LOT CAN SAY IT, YES, THE
BAN , AGAINST THE USE OF EROUS
NOW TRYING TO REINTRODUCE FOR
SOME REASON , THIS IS A DIRECT
ATTACK ON OUR FIRST AMENDMENT
RIGHTS. DURING THAT TIME, MANY
PROTESTERS , AND PEOPLE NOT
EVEN PROTESTING , MOBILITY
IMPAIRED PEOPLE WERE MOVING TOO
SLOWLY TO AVOID THIS, PEOPLE
WERE BEATEN, USING UMBRELLAS TO
DEFEND THEMSELVES AGAINST THE
GAS, AND YOU KNOW FROM HISTORY
THAT SPD CANNOT BE TRUSTED , TO
PROTECT THE RIGHTS OF
PROTESTERS AND ENDED UP
ASSAULTING THEM. MULTIPLE
JUDGES AND COURT RULINGS HAVE
CONFIRMED THIS WITH THE $10
MILLION SETTLEMENT . AND THE
CONSENT DECREE THAT HAD BEEN
PLACED, AND INSTEAD OF THEM
USING OTHER TOOLS TO DELAY
LETHAL ACTION , IT WOULD
ULTIMATELY UNDO ALL OF THE
REFORMS FROM 2020. STD ALREADY
HAS AN ARSENAL OF WEAPONS ,
THEY ARE NOT GOING TO HAVE ANY
PROBLEMS, THERE'S NO HUGE
RIOTS BREAKING OUT . THIS IS
THE ATTEMPT TO UNDO THOSE
REFORMS, LEADING TO POTENTIALLY
TUMULTUOUS TIMES . THIS BAN
NEEDS TO BE UPHELD ,
[INDISCERNIBLE] OTHERWISE THESE
ARE ALL JUST EXCUSES AND
DISTRACTIONS.
>> THANK YOU, SAM. NEXT WE HAVE
ANDRE MATTIS. TO BE FOLLOWED BY
SUSAN MOSQUA. GO AHEAD.
>> GOOD MORNING MEMBERS OF THE
PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE, MY
NAME IS ANDRE MATTIS AND I'M
JUST COMING OFF OF A 12 HOUR
NIGHT SHIFT TO SPEAK TO YOU
TODAY REGARDING BILL 120516.
FOUR AND HALF YEARS AGO, I WAS
A NURSING ASSISTANT IN THE
EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT AND BLACK
LIVES MATTER PROTESTS , I TOOK
TO THE STREETS IN BLUE SCRUBS
AND RED DUCT TAPE TO OFFER MY
SUPPORT, THE INJURIES AND
PATIENTS I TREATED BECAUSE OF
SPD'S BRUTALITY AGAINST BLACK
LIVES MATTER PROTESTERS STILL
HAUNTS ME TO THIS DAY, I CAN
REMEMBER TO GRASS, RUPTURED
EARDRUMS FROM GLASS BALLS, AND
A LITERAL INTO SOME OF MAC
TRAUMA, YOU ARE DEFINITELY
TRYING TO FIGHT PEPPER SPRAY IN
YOUR OWN EYES, IT IS HARD TO
FIGHT AGAINST THIS. THIS IS
JUST SHORT OF CARING FOR MOST
PEOPLE. YOU ARE ARMING THE
PEOPLE MEANT TO KEEP US SAFE
WITH WEAPONS THEY CAN USE AT
THEIR DISCRETION ON PROTESTERS
FIGHTING FOR CIVIL RIGHTS. THIS
SHOULD NOT AND CANNOT BE THE
STANDARD TO WHICH WE HOLD
OURSELVES TO. IF THIS ORDINANCE
PASSES, I PROMISE YOU THERE
WILL NOT BE ENOUGH NURSES TO
TREAT THE BLACK, BROWN, AND
OTHER MARGINAL VOICES THE SPD
IS GOING TO TERRORIZE USING
THESE WEAPONS. PLEASE, KEEP US
AND OUR FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS
SAFE BY VOTING AGAINST COUNSEL
BILL 120916. THANK YOU.
>> NEXT UP, WE HAVE SUSAN
MOSQUA, FOLLOWED BY AIDEN
McCALL .
>> GO AHEAD, SUSAN POINT
>> HI, I'M A DISTRICT ONE
RESIDENT, MAN, I'M VERY MOVED
EVERYONE'S TESTIMONY THIS
MORNING AND I HOPE YOU ARE ALL
LISTENING BECAUSE WE ARE NOT
JUST -- YOU KNOW, WE ARE
LITERALLY YOUR BOSSES , AND WE
ARE SPEAKING VERY CLEARLY THIS
MORNING AGAINST THE IDEA OF
GIVING MORE LEEWAY AND JUDGMENT
TO SEATTLE PD T IS VIOLENCE
AGAINST US. IF YOU ARE IN FAVOR
OF PUBLIC SAFETY, YOU SHOULD BE
AGAINST INCREASED USE OF
WEAPONS AGAINST CIVILIANS,
TRYING TO SAY THAT SEATTLE PD
NEEDS MORE ABILITY TO USE
VIOLENCE AGAINST US TO KEEP THE
PIECE IS STRAIGHT OUT OF 1984,
RIGHT ? WHEN WE SEE IT IN THE
MEDIA, WHEN WE HEAR IT, WE
WATCH HAMILTON THE MUSICAL AND
THE KING SAYS I WILL HAND THE
FULLY ARMED BATTALION TO REMIND
YOU OF MY LOVE, IT IS CLEAR
THAT VIOLENCE AGAINST CIVILIANS
IS WRONG, SO ARE WE GOING TO BE
ABLE TO SEE THAT IN OUR OWN
CITY AND OUR OWN DECISIONS?
PEOPLE DO NOT WANT SEATTLE
POLICE TO USE MORE WEAPONS
AGAINST US AND I WAS REALLY
MOVED BY THE FIRST COMMENTERS
TESTIMONY, SHOWING THAT , YOU
KNOW, WE HAVE ALL HEARD THE
STATISTICS ABOUT THE TERRIBLE
JUDGMENT THEY USED IN 2020 BUT
THIS IS A LONG HISTORY. YEAR
AFTER YEAR AFTER YEAR, INCIDENT
AFTER INCIDENT, SOCIAL MOVEMENT
AFTER SOCIAL MOVEMENT, SEATTLE
PD IS SHOWING THEIR JUDGMENT
AND USING WEAPONS AGAINST
PEACEFUL PROTESTERS THAT HAS
CLEARLY HAVE AN EFFECT AGAINST
FREE SPEECH. ARE WE GOING TO
PITCH -- PERPETUATE THIS CYCLE
? THEY SAY YES, I SWEAR IT IS
GOING TO BE BETTER, DESPITE THE
EVIDENCE TO THE CONTRARY, THE
PEOPLE ARE SPEAKING VERY
CLEARLY, PLEASE LISTEN TO OUR
VOICE.
>> THANK YOU. NEXT UP IS AIDAN
McCALL, FOLLOWED BY KAREN
TAYLOR.
>> GOOD MORNING PUBLIC SAFETY
COMMITTEE, I'M A STUDENT WHO
ATTENDS UNIVERSITY AND CAPITOL
HILL DISTRICT 3. I OPPOSE
COUNSEL BILL 120916 , GIVING
SPD PERMISSION TO USE LESS
LETHAL WEAPONS , 2020 AND ALSO
PREVIOUS DECADES, THE LESSONS
THAT WE LEARNED SHOULD STICK
AROUND , [INDISCERNIBLE] WHILE
THE JUDGE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR
SPD CONSENT DECREE,
ACKNOWLEDGING THERE HAS BEEN
PROGRESS, I PERSONALLY DO NOT
FEEL REASSURED THAT THESE
WEAPONS COULD BE ON THE TABLE
AGAIN WHEN THIS HAS CAUSED SUCH
HARM IN THE PAST. BUT I DO FEEL
THIS IS A STEP BACKWARDS , THIS
DOES NOT INCLUDE THE POLICING
REGULATIONS FROM 2020, NOR DOES
IT ALIGN BY THE POLICE
EXECUTIVE RESEARCH FORM , AND
EVEN DEPARTMENT AROUND THE
COUNTRY. ALL THAT CONSIDERED,
PLEASE OPPOSE PASSING BILL
120916 . THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. NEXT UP, WE HAVE
KAREN TAYLOR. AND FOLLOWED BY
MICHAEL MORINI.
>> MY NAME IS KAREN TAYLOR .
I'M CALLING IN TODAY TO OPPOSE
LIFTING THE BAN ON SO-CALLED
LESS LETHAL WEAPONS , I WOULD
LIKE TO ECHO A FORMER COMMENTOR
WHO WAS TALKING ABOUT HOW WE
HAVE TOTALLY GIVEN UP ON GIVING
COMMENTS TO CITY COUNCIL, I
PERSONALLY HAVE TALKED TO OVER
30 PEOPLE ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND
TOLD THEM ABOUT THIS COUNCIL
MEETING AND TO THAT PERSON,
THEY SAID I OPPOSE LIFTING THE
BAN UNLESS LETHAL WEAPONS BUT,
I DON'T BELIEVE THIS COUNSEL
LISTENS, SO THEY ARE GOING TO
MAKE THE DECISIONS THEY WILL
MAKE, THEY ARE NOT GOING TO
LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE. I FEEL
LIKE MY CIVIC DUTY IS TO COME
HERE AND SAY, WHY DO THEY NEED
THESE WEAPONS, IF THEY HAVE NEW
TECHNIQUES, AND THEY ARE SO
GOOD AT DE-ESCALATION, WHY
DON'T WE JUST WE
CAN'T HAVE THE CITY SENDING
OUT THESE LARGE AMOUNT AND
INJURING OUR YOUNG PEOPLE WHO
ARE JUST TRYING TO PROTEST. I
FEEL LIKE I HAD TO COME AND
TELL YOU MY THOUGHTS. THANK YOU
AND I WILL YIELD THE REST OF MY
TIME.
>> THANK YOU, NEXT UP, MICHAEL,
FOLLOWED BY DAVID HAYNES AND
OUR LAST REMOTE SPEAKER WILL BE
SEAN ISYM.
>> HELLO, I'M A RESIDENT IN
DISTRICT 3 AND I'M ALSO
CALLING TO OPPOSE THE POTENTIAL
REPEAL OF THESE WEAPONS. DURING
THE 2020 DEMONSTRATIONS, I WAS
SEVERAL BLOCKS FROM CAL
ANDERSON PARK AND LEADING MY
WINDOWS OPEN ON A NICE SPRING
EVENING, MY APARTMENT WAS
FLOODED WITH TEAR GAS AND I WAS
FORCED TO EVACUATE WHICH IS A
REMINDER, DURING THE GLOBAL
PANDEMIC. IF THE COUNCIL AND
MAYOR ARE SO WORRIED ABOUT THE
POTENTIAL UPTICK IN
DEMONSTRATIONS, RATHER THAN
BRINGING BACK THESE HARMFUL
WEAPONS USED AGAINST THEIR OWN
CITIZENS, WE SHOULD BE
EXPLORING POLICIES THAT WILL
SUPPORT THE MARGINALIZED
POPULATIONS WHO MAY BE LOSING
OUR RIGHTS IN THE COMING YEARS
AND KILLING THE NEED TO
DEMONSTRATE RATHER THAN
ALIGNING THEMSELVES WITH THE
VIOLENT TACTICS AND RHETORIC
CALLED OF THE TRUMP
ADMINISTRATION. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU , DAVID HAYNES IS
NEXT, FOLLOWED BY SEAN .
>> THANK YOU, DAVID HAYNES,
PUBLIC SAFETY HAS NOT IMPROVED
BECAUSE CITY HALL AND THE
POLICE CHIEF ARE STILL
ACCEPTING CRIMINALS FROM JAIL,
ALLOWING RIVAL DRUG FISSURES TO
ESCALATE VIOLENCE,
[INDISCERNIBLE] THE POLICE
CHIEF IS MORE CONCERNED ABOUT
GETTING THE FEDERAL CONSENT
DECREE APPROVED REGARDING HOW
COPS RESPOND TO PROTESTERS, I
THINK THAT IS THE MOST PRESSING
ISSUE FOR THE POLICE CHIEF. AND
THE ONLY REASON SHE WAS HIRED.
YET, WE KNOW THE FINAL ACT IS
TO COMBAT HOMELESS PEOPLE, IN
ADDITION, POLICE HAVE GIVEN OUT
THESE NONEMERGENCY PHONE
NUMBERS TO PEOPLE LIKE MY BOSS
FOR CERTAIN BUSINESSES TO
BYPASS THE 911 CALL AND GET A
CRIME-FIGHTING COP TO GO TO
WORKERS EXERCISING THEIR FREE
SPEECH RIGHTS [INDISCERNIBLE]
AND YET , THEY ARE ASKING FOR
MONEY THAT I STILL OWE, YET THE
CRIMINAL [INDISCERNIBLE]
SPONSOR JUDGE THROWS THE BOOK
AT ME. IT'S NOT FAIR THAT WE
HAVE A MISINTERPRETATION OF
POLICE REFORM THAT PRIORITIZES
GENDER-BASED AND SKIN COLOR
PRIORITY HIRINGS, WHILE NOT
MAKING LAWS TO COMBAT REAL
CRIME . IT IS OFFENSIVE THAT
TIM BURGESS WAS ON THE CITY
COUNCIL , AND SABOTAGE POLICE
REFORM , AND WE ARE UNDERMINING
SOCIETY, --
>> THANK YOU, DAVID, OUR LAST
COMMENTOR IS SEAN ISYM.
>> HELLO, I'M HERE TODAY TO
TALK ABOUT THE LESS LETHAL BAN.
THE BROAD DISCRETION THAT
DISALLOWS SPD WITH MORE ACCESS
TO TOOLS FOR HARM AGAINST
CITIZENS, YOUR CITIZENS, YOU
LIVE HERE, YOU ARE ONE OF THESE
PEOPLE. I WISH I WAS THERE IN
PERSON TO ASK YOU AND LOOK AT
YOU IN THE EYES, AT LEAST A FEW
OF YOU WHO DECIDED TO SHOW UP.
HOWEVER, AS YOU MENTIONED
EARLIER , THIS IS NOT A PUBLIC
FORUM, BUT ROBERT SAKA, I LIVE
IN SEATTLE, YOU ARE MY
REPRESENTATIVE, HAVE YOU EVER
BEEN HIT WITH ONE OF THESE
DEVICES ? HAVE YOU EVER BROKEN
A BONE , HAVE YOU EVER HAD A
BONE SHATTERED BY A RUBBER
BULLET? BY THE WAY, HAVE YOU
EVER HAD SOMEBODY THAT YOU
THOUGHT WAS SUPPOSED TO TAKE
CARE OF YOU, LOOK YOU IN THE
EYE AND PERMANENTLY MAIM YOU
FOR SPEAKING YOUR MIND? THE
POLICE EXECUTIVE FIRM SAYS, IT
IS IMPORTANT THAT ANY LAW
ENFORCEMENT RESPONSE TO MASS
GATHERINGS IS MEASURED AND
PROPORTIONATE AND TAKES STEPS
TO AVOID EVEN INADVERTENTLY
HEIGHTENING TENSIONS AND MAKING
THE SITUATION WORSE. YOU ARE
RESPONSIBLE FOR THE HEALTH,
SAFETY AND WELL-BEING OF THE
CITIZENS OF THIS CITY, WHAT YOU
ARE PRIORITIZING NO , IS
PROVIDING HARMFUL TOOLS TO A
GROUP THAT HAS A LONG HISTORY
OF ABUSE OF YOUR CITIZENS. I
WILL YIELD THE REMAINDER OF MY
TIME, THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. THAT CONCLUDES
ALL OF OUR PUBLIC COMMENTERS.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALL
OF THE PUBLIC COMMENTERS, TO
INCLUDE THOSE WHO WERE WITH US
TODAY, AND AS I STATED EARLIER,
PUBLIC COMMENTS CAN BE HELPFUL
IN TERMS OF THE AMENDMENTS AND
DIFFERENT IDEAS IN TERMS OF
POTENTIALLY ADJUSTING ,
AMENDING ANY LEGISLATION THAT
IS BEFORE US, SO OUR PUBLIC
COMMENT IS COMPLETED, WE WILL
PROCEED TO OUR ITEMS OF
BUSINESS, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC
ARE ENCOURAGED TO SUBMIT
WRITTEN PUBLIC COMMENT OR EMAIL
THE COUNCIL . WE'LL MOVE ON TO
OUR FIRST ITEM OF BUSINESS,
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE READ ITEM
ONE INTO THE RECORD.
>> 30 BY 30 REPORT
PRESENTATION. WITH DR. LOIS
JAMES, LIEUTENANT GRETCHEN
HUGHES AND KERRY KEEFE.
>> WELCOME, I APPRECIATE YOU
JOINING US TODAY, SO PLEASE
COME UP, ALSO THANK YOU FOR
YOUR REPORT DATED 8 NOVEMBER,
2024 AND YOUR BRIEFING WHICH HE
WILL GO OVER. I ALSO WANT TO
WELCOME LIEUTENANT HUGHES AND
MISS KERRY KEEFE FROM THE
SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT,
WELCOME AND THANK YOU FOR
JOINING US THIS MORNING.
>> THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER
KETTLE. WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK
THE COUNCIL FOR TAKING THIS
OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR ABOUT THIS
INITIATIVE, AS YOU MENTIONED,
DR. LOIS JAMES FROM WASHINGTON
STATE UNIVERSITY AND LIEUTENANT
HUGHES FROM THE SEATTLE POLICE
DEPARTMENT.
>> CAN I ALSO ADD, WE HAVE
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA JOINING
US. SORRY, I SHOULD HAVE
MENTIONED THAT EARLIER .
>> YES, AND MY NAME IS KERRY
KEEFE, AND THE DIRECTOR OF
PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT AT THE
POLICE DEPARTMENT AND I HAVE
BEEN VERY INVOLVED IN THE 30 BY
30 PROJECT. SO, IF YOU COULD GO
TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE .
>> WE ARE GOING TO BE
PRESENTING A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF
PHASE ONE AND PHASE TWO OF THE
PROJECT AND GO INTO PHASE THREE
WHICH IS WHY DR. JAMES IS
PRESENT , REGARDING THE REPORT
AS WELL AS LIEUTENANT HUGHES
WITH REGARD TO SOME OF THE
HIRING THAT IS UNDERWAY AND
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON OUR
TRAINING AND RECRUITMENT AND
CHILDCARE EFFORTS. I WOULD LIKE
TO REMIND THE COMMITTEE THAT
LAST MAY, DR. TONYA , WHO IS
THE DIRECTOR OF THE 30 BY 30
INITIATIVE AT THE NEW YORK, NYU
POLICING PROJECT CAME BEFORE
COUNCIL TO TESTIFY ABOUT THE
EFFORTS THAT SPD HAS BEEN
UNDERTAKING AS A PART OF ONE OF
THE ORIGINAL SIGNATURES OF THE
30 BY 30 PROJECT, AND BASICALLY
WHAT IS 30 BY 30, A GRASSROOTS
COALITION OF RESEARCHERS,
POLICE, LEADERS, PROFESSIONAL
ORGANIZATIONS, AIMED AT
INCREASING THE NUMBER OF WOMEN
IN ALL POLICE RECRUIT CLASSES
BY 30% BY THE YEAR 2030. AND
RESEARCH SHOWS THAT WHEN YOU
GET THAT LEVEL OF WOMEN WITHIN
A DEPARTMENT , THEN CULTURAL
CHANGE CAN REALLY TAKE SHAPE.
BUT AS DR. MEISERHOLDER NOTED,
THE GOAL IS TO INCREASE THE
REPRESENTATION OF WOMEN
THROUGHOUT POLICING. NEXT
SLIDE, PLEASE. SO, WHY 3530?
WOMEN CURRENTLY COMPRISE 13%
AND THIS IS NATIONAL
STATISTICS, OF THOSE SWORN
OFFICERS, AMONG LEADERSHIP
RANK, WOMEN REPRESENT ONLY 3%.
YET DECADES OF RESEARCH SHOWS
THAT WOMEN OFTEN PRODUCE BETTER
OUTCOMES, SAFETY OUTCOMES IN
MANY OF THE AREAS THAT WE CARE
ABOUT, AND WHAT ARE THOSE AREAS
THAT WOMEN HAVE FEWER
COMPLAINTS, AGAINST THEM, THE
USE OF FORCE IS USED LESS OFTEN
AND BETTER OUTCOMES ARE
REALIZED IN WOMEN OFFICERS AND
CRIME VICTIMS AND ESPECIALLY
VICTIMS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT .
THAT IS WHY IT IS IMPORTANT TO
INCREASE THAT REPRESENTATION OF
WOMEN WITHIN THE POLICING
PROFESSION. AS I MENTIONED ,
MARCH 25th, 2021, IS WHEN
SEATTLE SIGNED ON TO THE 30 BY
30 , SEATTLE AS AN ORGANIZATION
REALIZED THE VALUE OF THIS
INITIATIVE AND WAS ONE OF THE
EARLIEST SIGNATURES OF IT, THE
PHASE ONE WHICH WAS THE
ORIGINAL INITIAL PHASE WAS THE
QUANTITATIVE SURVEY AND SPD
COMPLIED WITH ALL OF THE
REQUIREMENTS OF PHASE ONE AND
THE IMMEDIATE ACTION WHICH
INCLUDED STRATEGIC PRIORITIES
AROUND GENDER DIVERSITY AND
HIRING RETENTION AND PROMOTION
, ZERO-TOLERANCE EEO PRACTICE ,
AND INCREASING NURSING
ACCOMMODATIONS FOR RETURNING
MEMBERS WHICH INCLUDED PRIVATE
, SANITARY NURSING SPACES,
REFRIGERATION , SOMETHING MORE
THAN JUST THE CLOSET THAT MANY
OF US HAD TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF.
SO IT IS RECOGNIZING MAKING THE
WORKPLACE MORE ACCOMMODATING
FOR THE NEEDS OF ITS WORKERS
AND APPROPRIATE EQUIPMENT,
REALIZING THAT WOMEN UNIFORMS
FIT DIFFERENT THAN MEN, SO IT
IS REALLY ADJUSTING TO THE
WORKFORCE TO MAKE IT MORE
ACCOMMODATING AND MORE
WELCOMING FOR WOMEN. SO, SPD'S
COMMITMENT , IN PHASE TWO, THE
QUALITATIVE ASSESSMENT REPORT
OF 2023, THAT WAS CONDUCTED BY
DR. JAMES. THIS WAS INITIATED
BY SPD, IT WASN'T A
REQUIREMENT AT THE 30 BY 30
INITIATIVE, THIS SOMETHING THAT
SPD VOLUNTARILY UNDERTOOK TO
GET A BETTER HANDLE ON WHAT WAS
REALLY THE SENTIMENT OF THE
WORKERS WITHIN SPD, AND BY THAT
REGARD, DR. JAMES CONDUCTED
FOCUS GROUPS OVER A TIME PERIOD
OF AUGUST 7th THROUGH THE NINTH
, 2023 WITH FEMALE WORKERS AT
SPD BOTH SWORN AND CIVILIAN AND
THEY WERE EMERGENT THINGS THAT
CAME FROM THOSE FOCUS GROUPS
WHICH INCLUDED THE PUSH PULL,
WHAT IS HAPPENING WITHIN THE
WORKFORCE THAT IS PUSHING WOMEN
OUT AND WHAT IS HAPPENING
EXTERNALLY THAT IS PULLING THEM
FROM THE WORKFORCE ? AND FROM
THAT, THE THEME EMERGED WHERE
THE MASCULINE CULTURE AND
EXPECTATION FOR WOMEN,
SOMETIMES THERE IS A DOUBLE
STANDARD AND THAT IS SOMETHING
THAT I THINK WOMEN IN THE
WORKFORCE REGARDLESS OF
POLICING HAD EXPERIENCED.
THERE'S GENERATIONAL
DISTINCTIONS THAT WERE GOING
ON, THE CHILDCARE ISSUE WHICH
IS OBVIOUS, WHEN YOU HAVE A
WORKFORCE OF CHILDBEARING AGE ,
THAT THEY HAD THESE COMPETING
INTERESTS THAT ARE TAKING
PLACE. AND PROMOTION AND
LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES , AS
WELL AS EXCLUSION AND
PIGEONHOLES, THOSE WERE THE
UNDERLYING THINGS OF THE FOCUS
GROUPS THAT DR. JAMES CONDUCTED
AND THE KEY RECOMMENDATIONS,
AWARENESS , HAVE A CULTURE OF
RESPECT, DEPARTMENT CHILDCARE
OPTIONS, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT
I REALLY WANTED TO DISH OUT TO
COUNCILMEMBER MOORE AND
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA, THEY HAVE
SHOWN EARLY INTEREST IN THIS,
AND ATTENDED ONE OF OUR
MEETINGS TO REALLY GET IT , GET
INTO THE WEEDS , SO I REALLY
APPRECIATE THE EFFORTS IN THAT
REGARD. AND MENTORSHIP FOR
WOMEN, YOU NEED TO HAVE THOSE
TILT IN WOMEN MENTORS THAT ARE
CHAMPIONING YOU THROUGHOUT YOUR
CAREER AND I THINK ALL OF US
HAVE FOUND OUR MENTORS, THIS IS
MORE ACUTELY NEEDED FOR WOMEN
IN THE WORKPLACE. NEXT SLIDE,
PLEASE. THAT LEADS US TO PHASE
THREE AND THE COMMITMENTS OF
PHASE THREE. SPD CAN FORMULATE
THE INTERNAL 30 BY 30 WORKING
GROUP, AND THAT IS A CROSS
DEPARTMENT , BOTH CIVILIAN AND
SWORN, IT IS ALL WELCOMING AND
THIS WORKING GROUP MEETS EVERY
OTHER WEEK AND HAS DONE SO
SINCE LAST SPRING. AND
IDENTIFYING THE ISSUES THAT ARE
MOST NEEDED AND HOW TO PUT IN
AN ACTION PLAN TO ACHIEVE THOSE
GOALS. THE MISSION HAS
INDICATED IT IS BUILDING OFF OF
THE REPORT AND ADVANCE THE
DOCUMENTED EXTERNAL CHALLENGES,
AND TO DEVELOP AN INTERNAL
CULTURE THAT KEEPS WOMEN AND
SUPPORTS WOMEN WITHIN THAT
WORKPLACE. IN THAT REGARD, THE
TRAINING AND MENTORING , WHAT
STEPS WE HAVE TAKEN SO FAR ,
THE MENTORING PROGRAM HAS BEEN
RE-ESTABLISHED FOR RECRUITS AND
STUDENT OFFICERS AND WE ARE
BUILDING UP THE MENTORSHIP
OPPORTUNITIES FOR IN-SERVICE
EMPLOYEES OF ALL RANKS , SO
THAT IS A TWO TRACK, BOTH WITH
THE NEWER RECRUITS , BUT ALSO
THE EMPLOYEES THAT ARE ALREADY
PRESENT IN THE DEPARTMENT . OUR
WOMEN ONLY DEFENSIVE TACTIC
TRAINING, THAT IS ON THE
TRAINING BOOKS FOR 2025 . THIS
AROSE OUT OF INFORMATION SHARED
BY WOMEN THAT THE DEFENSIVE
TRAINING TACTICS , WHEN IT IS
BOTH GENDERS WITH MEN,
SOMETIMES INHIBIT WOMEN FROM
PARTICIPATING FULLY WITHIN
THOSE TRAINING TACTICS , OR
MAKE IT LESS COMFORTABLE FOR
WOMEN TO BE ABLE TO FULLY
EXPLORE THEIR DEFENSIVE
TRAINING. SO, HEARING THAT, SPD
HAS PUT INTO PLACE A WOMEN ONLY
DEFENSIVE TRAINING TACTIC FOR
THIS NEXT TRAINING PERIOD AND
TRUST CENTERED READERSHIP AND I
JUST WANT TO TAKE A BRIEF
MOMENT ON ADDRESSING WHAT TRUST
CENTERED LEADERSHIP IS. EIGHT
IS A PROGRAM THAT IS IMMERSIVE,
COMPETENCE OF, EQUIPPED IT WITH
THE SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE TO
LEAD EFFECTIVELY, THIS IS A
COMPANY IS A PROGRAM, IT GOES
OVER ABOUT THREE MONTHS, IT IS
BOTH ONLINE, INTERACTIVE,
THERE'S COHORTS OF 24 MEMBERS
WITHIN A COHORT AND THE KEY
TOPICS INCLUDE EMOTIONAL
INTELLIGENCE , EFFECTIVE
COMMUNICATION , AND CULTIVATING
A HEALTHY CULTURE, SO IT IS A
COMPREHENSIVE TYPE OF TRAINING,
IT IS A LEADERSHIP FOCUSED
TRAINING FROM ALL RANKS FROM
SERGEANT TO ASSISTANT CHIEF AS
WELL AS CIVILIAN LEADERS. IT IS
GROUNDED IN TWO CORE
PRINCIPLES, PROMOTING LIFELONG
COMMITMENT TO LEARNING AND
ENSURING LEADERSHIP TRAINING IS
PRACTICAL AND IMMEDIATELY
ACTIONABLE. TODAY, 24 PEOPLE
HAVE COMPLETED THE TRAINING AND
WHAT IS PLANNED FOR 2025 IS
NINE ADDITIONAL COHORT
TRAININGS SO THAT BY THE END OF
2025, THERE WILL BE 240 LEADERS
WITHIN SPD THAT HAVE BEEN
TRAINED IN THIS TRANSFORMATIONA
L PROGRAM WHICH IS TRUST
CENTERED LEADERSHIP. I'M GOING
TO BE COMING BACK AT THE END
BUT RIGHT NOW I'M GOING TO
HAVE DR. JAMES TALK ABOUT THE
IMPERIAL ASSESSMENT GENDER
DISPARITY AND PROMOTION, SO IF
YOU COULD GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE
. IN THE INTEREST OF
TRANSPARENCY, SPD HAS COME ON
THIS SLIDE, THE LINK WHICH HAS
THE REPORT , TECHNICAL APPENDIX
AND PYTHON CODE, SO WITH THAT ,
DR. JAMES WILL BE ADDRESSING
THIS PHASE THREE REPORT.
>> THANK YOU AND WELCOME AGAIN,
DR. JAMES.
>> THANK YOU, AND THANK YOU FOR
HAVING ME. SO, IN BRIEF, THE
QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS THAT WE
DID, THE METHODOLOGY WAS
PROPENSITIES FOR A TECHNIQUE
USED WHEN YOU SEE DISPARITY OF
NUMBERS, FOR EXAMPLE MEN AND
WOMEN EMPLOYED IN AN
ORGANIZATION AND IT USES
VARIABLES TO BALANCE OUT THOSE
DIFFERENCES, TO GET A TRUER
ESTIMATE OF THE DISPARITIES
THAT MIGHT OCCUR. WE LOOKED AT
PROMOTIONS OVER THE PRIOR NINE
YEARS FROM WHEN THE DATA WAS
ACCESSED AND WITHIN THAT
SAMPLE, THERE WERE 2015 CURRENT
AND FORMER EMPLOYEES DURING
THAT STUDY PERIOD, THE DATA
INCLUDED 10 CONTROL VARIABLES
SO ANY VARIABLES THAT COULD
FEASIBLY INFLUENCE PROMOTIONS ,
THEN WE ALSO HAD FOUR TARGET
VARIABLES AND THOSE WERE THE
NUMBER OF PROMOTIONS RECEIVED
PER PERSON, AT THE HIGHEST RANK
ACHIEVED PER PERSON, THE TOTAL
GROSS EARNINGS, AND COMPLAINTS
RECEIVED PER PERSON AS WELL.
AND THE MAJOR RESEARCH
QUESTIONS WERE WHETHER TARGET
VARIABLES WERE SIGNIFICANTLY
DIFFERENT BETWEEN MEN AND WOMEN
FOR EACH OF THOSE FOUR
VARIABLES. SEVERAL FINDINGS
EMERGED FROM THIS ANALYSIS AND
WERE WRITTEN OFF IN THE
SUBSEQUENT COURSE, THE FIRST
ONE WAS THAT THE NUMBER OF
PROMOTIONS RECEIVED BETWEEN MEN
AND WOMEN ACROSS THE STUDY
PERIOD WAS SIGNIFICANTLY
DIFFERENT, BOTH WERE PROMOTED
AN AVERAGE OF TWO TIMES ACROSS
NINE YEARS. THE SECOND MAJOR
FINDING THAT WAS DISCOVERED WAS
THAT THE HIGHEST RANK ACHIEVED
WAS ALSO NOT SIGNIFICANTLY
DIFFERENT BETWEEN MEN AND WOMEN
ACROSS THE STUDY PERIOD AND
THAT AVERAGE RANK FOR BOTH WAS
POLICE OFFICER DETECTIVE . THE
THIRD FINDING WAS, ALTHOUGH
WOMEN DID RECEIVE FEWER
COMPLAINTS THAN MEN ON AVERAGE,
THE DIFFERENCE WAS NOT
STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT, AND
THE FINAL FINDING WAS THERE WAS
A DISPARITY, A SIGNIFICANT
DISPARITY IN GROSS INCOME
RECEIVED BETWEEN MEN AND WOMEN
ACROSS THE STUDY PERIOD AND
WHEN THAT WAS ADJUSTED FOR
HOURS WORKED, THIS RESULTED IN
A 3.7 DISPARITY IN EARNINGS
ACROSS THE STUDY PERIOD . NEXT
SLIDE , PLEASE. THERE ARE
VARIOUS CAVEATS AND DISCUSSION
POINTS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO
MENTION , IT IS OF COURSE
ENCOURAGING THAT WOMEN RECEIVED
AN APPROXIMATE EQUIVALENT
NUMBER OF PROMOTIONS AND ROSE
TO APPROXIMATE EQUIVALENT RANKS
BUT I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO
NOTE THAT THIS DOES NOT
REPRESENT A LACK OF NECESSARY,
GENDER BIAS, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE
LOOK AT THE DISPARITY IN TOTAL
DOLLAR EARNINGS, WHETHER WOMEN
HAD MORE CHALLENGE OR MORE
DIFFICULTY IN RECEIVING THOSE
PROMOTIONS IS NOT SOMETHING
THAT CAN BE ASSESSED FROM A
STATISTICAL ANALYSIS. BEYOND
THE SCOPE OF THIS PARTICULAR
STUDY. WE ALSO FIND WITH THE
PAY EARNING, ADJUSTING FOR
HOURS WORKED DID NOT COMPLETELY
ERADICATE THIS DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN SALARY, SO WHAT IS
LIKELY GOING ON HERE IS
DIFFERENT IN OVERTIME IN TERMS
OF OPPORTUNITIES , WE HAVE SEEN
A LOT IN THIS TYPE OF WORK
ABOUT THE NOTION OF THE KID TAX
AND DIFFERENCES BETWEEN MEN AND
WOMEN IN TERMS OF THE
OPPORTUNITIES THAT THEY CAN GO
FOR BASED ON CHILDCARE AND
OTHER FAMILY-BASED OBLIGATIONS.
IT IS ALSO POSSIBLE THAT MEN
WERE POTENTIALLY RECEIVING
OVERTIME OPPORTUNITIES THAT
WERE MORE LUCRATIVE BASED ON
THAT TIME OF OVERTIME AND TASK,
AGAIN BEYOND THE SCOPE OF THE
STATISTICAL ANALYSIS AND THE
END OF THE DAY ADDITIONAL
RESEARCH IS LIKELY REQUIRED.
THANK YOU.
>> WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO
HAVE LIEUTENANT HUGHES TALK
ABOUT THE RECRUITMENT EFFORTS
AND OUTREACH EFFORTS THAT SPD
HAS BEEN UNDERTAKING.
>> GOOD MORNING, CAN YOU HEAR
ME ? THANK YOU FOR THE
INVITATION TO SHARE THESE
HIGHLIGHTS AND UPCOMING
STRATEGIES. THE RECRUITING TEAM
--
>> A LITTLE BIT CLOSER?
>> HOW THE RECRUITING
TEAM CONTINUES TO ATTEND A
VARIETY OF EVENTS TO FACILITATE
OUTREACH TO FEMALE CANDIDATES ,
A SAMPLING OF SOME OF THE
EVENTS IS POSTED IN THE
POWERPOINT HERE , IT RANGES
FROM TRAIN FARES TO PUBLIC
SAFETY HIRING EVENTS ,
COLLEGES, UNIVERSITIES, TRADE
SCHOOLS, COMMUNITY EVENTS AND
LOCAL ADVISORY BOARDS AND
MILITARY BASES. THE TEAM HAS
ALSO BEEN REFINING THE WORK WE
DO, MOST SUCCESSFULLY IN THE
AREA OF IN-PERSON WORKSHOPS .
THE WORKSHOPS FACILITATE A
PERSONAL INTERACTION WITH
POTENTIAL CANDIDATES AND
SUPPORT A RECRUITING MODEL
WHICH HAS BEEN SHOWN ESSENTIAL
FOR TODAY'S CANDIDATES. THE
WORKSHOPS HAVE ALSO BEEN VERY
WELL RECEIVED , THEY ALLOW THE
TEAM TO MAKE LONG-TERM
CONNECTIONS WITH POTENTIAL
CANDIDATES , WHICH WE ARE ABLE
TO REVISIT AND WE HAVE SEEN AN
INCREASED ATTENDANCE AT EACH
SUCCESSIVE EVENT. ONE OF OUR
WORKSHOPS POSTED NEARLY 50%
WOMEN ATTENDEES AND ANOTHER
WORKSHOP BOASTED OVER 100 TOTAL
ATTENDEES. AND THE WORKSHOPS
FEATURED KEYNOTE SPEAKERS ,
ALSO HAVE FEATURED DEPARTMENT
SPECIALTY -- I WASN'T GOING TO
BRING THAT UP. ALSO, FEATURED A
DEPARTMENT SPECIALTY UNIT LIKE
K-9 HARBOR, THE EMT PROGRAM,
BOMB SQUAD, TO UNDERSTAND WHAT
IS AVAILABLE WITH THE
DEPARTMENTS, WE HAVE ALSO
OFFERED RIDE ALONG'S WITH
THOSE EVENTS, SO PEOPLE COULD
HAVE AN UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL
INTERACTION WITH WHAT WE DO.
AND LASTLY, THEY WERE ABLE TO
CONDUCT THE PHYSICAL AGILITY
TEST SO PEOPLE COULD SAMPLE
WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE AS WELL AS
PEOPLE WHO WERE CURRENTLY IN
THE TESTING PROCESS NEEDED TO
COMPLETE THAT PART OF THE
TESTING. THE TEAM ADMINISTERS
THE SCALA BRIDGE PROGRAM WHICH
IS THE PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES
ACTIVE DUTY SERVICE MEMBERS A
DIRECT ROUTE TO BECOMING A
SILLY -- SEATTLE POLICE
OFFICER, THE PROGRAM WAS
LAUNCHED IN THE SUMMER, IT IS
JUST PICKING UP SPEED AND WE
HAVE 5% OF THE APPLICANTS SO
FAR AS FEMALES. THANK YOU. IN
SUPPORT OF CANDIDATE SUCCESS ,
THE RECRUITING TEAM CONDUCTS
MONTHLY VIRTUAL WORKSHOPS , WE
SHARE RESOURCES WITH TEST
TAKING TIPS , WE ALSO SHARE A
TRAINING APP TO ALLOW FOR
PHYSICAL AGILITY READINESS AND
WE ALSO OFFER ONE-ON-ONE
COACHING FOR THAT PHYSICAL
AGILITY TEST AND IN LATE
SEPTEMBER, IT IS NOT ON THIS, I
GUESS WE CAN MOVE AHEAD TO THE
NEXT SLIDE. IN LATE SEPTEMBER,
SPD WELCOMED JULIE, OUR NEW
POLICE RECRUITING MANAGER, SHE
HAS A WEALTH OF SUBJECT MATTER
EXPERTISE AND ACUMEN TO REFINE
AND BUILD NEW PROCESSES . AND
SHE HAS BEEN FULL SPEED AHEAD
ON ASSESSING CURRENT PRACTICES
AND BUILDING FRAMEWORKS FOR NEW
METHODS WITH PRIORITY PROJECTS
SUCH AS CANDIDATE SOURCING
THROUGH LINKEDIN AND EXPANDED
IN PERSON PRESENTATIONS SO WE
CAN CIRCLE BACK AND CONNECT
WITH COUNCILMEMBER
HOLLINGSWORTH AND COLLEGE
ATHLETES SO WE ARE LOOKING
FORWARD TO THAT. AND LATER THIS
WEEK, JULIA WILL BE A PART OF A
PANEL FOR HIRING A NEW
RECRUITER SO WE CAN BUILD OUR
TEAM A LITTLE BIT MORE. IT IS A
SMALL TEAM , BUT WE NEED ALL
THE ASSISTANCE WE CAN GET.
MOVING ON TO ADVERTISING , IN
2025 , THERE IS A PLANNED
TRANSITION FROM THE CURRENT
MARKETING TEAM TO A TEAM THAT
SPECIALIZES IN POLICE MARKETING
, THEY WILL BE ABLE TO SHOWCASE
THE DEPARTMENT WITH FRESH
BRANDING, MARKETING PHOTOS AND
VIDEOS AND NEW JOBS WEBSITE.
THE POTENTIAL FIRMS WE HAVE
BEEN EXPLORING HAVE SOME PRETTY
AMAZING STATISTICS
DEMONSTRATING HOW THEY HAVE
BEEN ABLE TO INCREASE FEMALE
CANDIDATES AND CANDIDATES THAT
ARE DIVERSE IN NATURE . AND
LASTLY , BUT NOT LEAST, THE
PUBLIC AFFAIRS UNIT HAS
PRODUCED A SERIES OF VIDEOS
CELEBRATING WOMEN ON THE
SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT IN
THEIR UNIQUE ROLES AND
ASSIGNMENTS THROUGHOUT THE
DEPARTMENT AND THOSE SELECT
VIDEOS ARE POSTED ON THE
SEATTLE POLICE JOBS WEBSITE,
THE NATIONAL TESTING NETWORK
WEBSITE WHICH IS THE TESTING
TEAM THAT THE DEPARTMENT USES ,
OR TESTING PLATFORM THE
DEPARTMENT USES ON SOCIAL MEDIA
AS WELL. THANK YOU.
>> NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE . SO,
RECRUITMENT IS OBVIOUSLY VERY
CRITICAL , IN BUILDING UP THE
DEPARTMENT BUT EVEN MORE
CRITICAL IS RETENTION, BECAUSE
TO HAVE A HEALTHY AND
SUSTAINABLE WORKFORCE, WE NEED
TO BE RETAINING THE OFFICERS
THAT WE HAVE . AND WITH REGARD
TO BUILDING OUT OUR RETENTION ,
SPD CONTINUES TO SUPPORT THE
WOMEN'S LAW-ENFORCEMENT SUMMIT
, SENDING REPRESENTATIVES FROM
SPD TO THAT NATIONAL SUMMIT. WE
ARE EXPLORING A NEW PARENTS
FOCUS GROUP TO GET ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION, NOT ONLY JUST THE
CHILDCARE ASPECT, BUT WHAT
OTHER NEEDS THE PARENTS ARE
EXPERIENCING THAT IMPACT THEIR
ABILITY TO REMAIN AT SPD . WE
CONTINUE TO REVIEW DEPARTMENTAL
PRACTICES AND CIVIL-SERVICE
STRUCTURE THAT IMPACTS EQUITY
AND INTERDEPARTMENT MOBILITY,
SO SPECIALTY ASSIGNMENTS,
PROMOTIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR
BOTH SWORN AND NON-SWORN , THAT
IS TOUCHED UPON IN THE WORK
THAT DR. JAMES IS LOOKING AT,
WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH THAT
INTERDEPARTMENTAL MOVEMENT
WITHIN SPD . WE ARE DEVELOPING
AFFINITY GROUPS, BOTH
DEPARTMENTS SPONSORED AND
INDEPENDENT, WE ARE SUPPORTING
THE INDEPENDENT GROUPS ALSO
AUNT THESE GROUPS ARE IMPORTANT
TO PROVIDE , WHETHER IT IS
BASED ON CULTURAL ASSOCIATION,
RACIAL ASSOCIATION, INTERESTS,
TO BUILD THAT NATURAL
MENTORSHIP GROUP AND SUPPORTIVE
ENVIRONMENT FOR GROUPS WITHIN
SPD AND THAT IS ACTIVELY GOING
ON UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF
ASSISTANT CHIEF DAVIS . WE ARE
EXPLORING OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR
ALTERNATIVE WORK SCHEDULES AND
THAT IS REALLY DEPENDENT ON
STAFFING IMPROVING BECAUSE WHEN
YOU ARE WORKING WITH SUCH A
LOWER STAFF LEVEL , IT REALLY
TIES YOUR HANDS IN BEING ABLE
TO IMPLEMENT SOME OF THESE
OTHER WORKPLACE SCHEDULING THAT
WILL HAVE A POSITIVE IMPACT ON
THE FLEXIBILITY THAT IS NEEDED,
THAT HAS BEEN HIGHLIGHTED IN
THE REPORTS BY DR. JAMES. AND
THEN THE CHILDCARE. NEXT SLIDE,
PLEASE. SPD , WHILE WE
COMPLETED OUR INTERNAL SURVEY
OF EMPLOYEES INTERESTS, BECAUSE
THIS IS AN EMPLOYEE DRIVEN --
WE WANT TO FIND OUT WHAT THE
NEEDS ARE, NOT DICTATE WHAT WE
BELIEVE THE NEEDS ARE BUT FIND
OUT FROM EMPLOYEES, WHERE ARE
THOSE NEEDS. AND A SIGNIFICANT
PERCENTAGE OF RESPONDENTS HAVE
CHILDREN OR LIKELY TO HAVE
CHILDREN IN THE NEXT THREE TO
FIVE YEARS WHICH DEMONSTRATES
THAT THE NEED IS VERY ACUTE. A
SIGNIFICANT PERCENTAGE IS JUST
IN CHILDCARE, ESPECIALLY MAJOR
EVENTS AND MANDATORY OVERTIME
WHICH A NUMBER OF SPD OFFICERS
ARE HAVING TO DO WITH THE
STAFFING SITUATION AS IT IS. WE
ARE FINALIZING OUR CONTRACT
WITH THE CONSULTANT TO DEVELOP
CHILDCARE SOLUTIONS FOR SPD
OFFICERS, TO BUILD SUPPORT FOR
SPD'S WORKFORCE. THIS REPORT
WILL LIKELY BE READY IN Q2 OF
2025 AND WILL INCLUDE OPTIONS
FOR EXISTING CHILDCARE CAPACITY
AND HOURS OF AVAILABILITY .
OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXEMPT
LICENSED CARE, COSTS AND
TIMELINES OF SOLUTIONS AND
ANALYSIS OF LEGAL LIABILITY AND
RISKS. AS I'M SURE
COUNCILMEMBERS ARE AWARE, THERE
IS A UNIQUE CHALLENGE WHEN IT
IS SHIPPED WORK BECAUSE
TRADITIONAL CHILDCARE IS, FOR
ANY OF YOU WHO HAVE CHILDREN OR
HAVE EXPERIENCED IT, GENERALLY
FROM 6:00 A.M. THROUGH 6:00
P.M. AT NIGHT, BUT WHEN YOU
HAVE SHIFT WORKERS WORKING
THROUGH THE NIGHT, THAT MAKES
IT EVEN MORE CHALLENGING AND
THOSE NEEDS ARE RECOGNIZED AND
THAT IS WHAT WE ARE REALLY
FOCUSING ON. NEXT SLIDE. WE ARE
AT THE END OF OUR PRESENTATION,
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS?
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH AND I
APPRECIATE THE ABILITY TO WALK
THROUGH BECAUSE YOU DESIGNED
THE BREEDING IN A CERTAIN WAY,
SO I LIKE THE CONTRAST. I THINK
IT WAS GOOD TO HAVE THIS
SEQUENCING. AND I'M SURE, MY
COLLEAGUES WILL HAVE QUESTIONS
AND I ALMOST FORGOT BECAUSE IT
HAS BEEN SO LONG SINCE WE'VE
HAD A COMMITTEE MEETING THAT I
ALWAYS START WITH THE VICE
CHAIR, VICE CHAIR SAKA .
>> THANK YOU AND I APPRECIATE
THE PRESENTATION, I DO HAVE A
COUPLE QUICK QUESTIONS BUT I
WOULD FIRST LIKE TO YIELD THE
OPPORTUNITY TO THE REST OF OUR
COLLEAGUES HERE.
>> OKAY, SO OTHER COLLEAGUES,
ANY QUESTIONS ?
>> THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER
KETTLE , REALLY APPRECIATE
GETTING TO SIT ON THIS
COMMITTEE AND I REALLY WANT TO
SAY THANK YOU TO SPD FOR ALL OF
THEIR WORK ON THE 30 BY 30
EFFORTS, AND I VERY MUCH
APPRECIATE THE INTERIM CHEECH
IS ALSO VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THIS
EFFORT . I ALSO APPRECIATE
BEING ABLE TO SIT IN AND LISTEN
TO OFFICERS AND OTHER STAFF
INCLUDING ADMIN STAFF AT SPD
WHO PROVIDE AN INVALUABLE
SERVICE , AND ALSO WE WANT TO
PROMOTE WOMEN AT THE ADMIN
LEVEL BECAUSE IT IS ONE SPD AND
EVERY PERSON AT SPD ADD VALUE
FROM THE OFFICERS , I KNOW
THERE'S A LOT OF WOMEN ON THE
ADMIN SIDE WERE ALSO EXPENSING
NEEDS AND WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO
RETAIN FOLKS. I VERY MUCH
APPRECIATE IN TERMS OF THE
CHILDCARE PIECE , AND BEYOND
CHILDCARE, THERE'S OTHER
THINGS AND I WAS GLAD TO SEE ON
HERE, AS POSSIBLE, WHAT I CALL
LOW HANGING FRUIT. BEING ABLE
TO PROVIDE A MOTHER WITH A
PLACE TO PUMP , SO THEY CAN
FEED THEIR BABIES WHEN THEY GO
HOME IS REALLY IMPORTANT , AND
I WILL SAY AS A MOTHER WHO HAS
HAD BABIES IN THE LAST 20
YEARS, WHEN I WORKED FOR A
GOVERNMENT AGENCY, WHERE I
DIDN'T HAVE THAT BENEFIT, AND
THE BEST THEY COULD DO IS
PROVIDE ME A BATHROOM WHERE I
COULD PUMP, WHICH IF YOU ARE A
MOTHER, TRYING TO PUMP, THAT IS
A VERY STRESSFUL ENVIRONMENT,
THAT IS NOT CONDUCIVE TO BEING
ABLE TO PRODUCE MILK FOR YOUR
CHILD . AND I HAVE TO SAY ,
WHAT WAS ESPECIALLY
DISAPPOINTING ABOUT MY
EXPERIENCE IS THAT MY
SUPERVISOR AND THE HEAD OF THE
DEPARTMENT WERE BOTH WOMEN AND
MOTHERS , AND IT IS SURPRISING
IN 2024, THAT WE ARE NOT
PROVIDING THOSE EASY , WHAT I
CALL EASY PIECES FOR NEW
MOTHERS AND PARENTS IN GENERAL,
BECAUSE CHILDREN HAVE MOMS THAT
ARE TRYING TO PROVIDE MILK AND
THEY HAVE FATHERS WHO WANT TO
SUPPORT THEIR WIVES , SO IT
PROTECTS EVERYBODY. I'M VERY
HAPPY TO HEAR, LIKE I SAID,
ABOUT THE LOW HANGING FRUIT AND
THE OTHER PIECES THAT I FIND
THAT WE CAN FIND TO SUPPORT ,
THAT ARE EASY IN THAT REGARD. I
REALLY WOULD LOVE TO FIND THOSE
OPPORTUNITIES AND WOULD WANT TO
HEAR MORE ABOUT THAT . I KNOW
THERE ARE OTHER PIECES LIKE THE
CHILDCARE PIECE THAT ARE MORE
CHALLENGING AND FULL
DISCLOSURE, I KNOW THAT A
NUMBER OF YEARS AGO , THIS HAS
BEEN AN ONGOING CONVERSATION
ACROSS THE CITY AND I KNOW THAT
A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO THERE WAS
SOME EXPLORATION ON IF WE CAN
START A CHILDCARE CENTER AT
CITY HALL , THERE WAS NOT SPACE
FOR IT, BUT I'M GLAD TO SEE
THAT WE CONTINUE TO HAVE THIS
CONVERSATION BECAUSE IT IS A
REALLY CRITICAL ONE, SO THIS
WAS MORE A COMMENT THAN A
QUESTION, BUT I REALLY WANT TO
COMMEND THE STAFF AT SPD FOR
ALL THAT YOU ARE DOING AND THE
PARTNERSHIPS THAT YOU ARE
MANAGING IN SUPPORT OF WOMEN AT
SPD, IT IS VERY MUCH NECESSARY
. WE NEED WOMEN ALL ACROSS ALL
ENTITIES AND ALL PROFESSIONS
AND INCLUDING POLICE OFFICERS
AND LIKE I SAID, OTHER STAFF
POSITIONS AT SPD . SO THANK YOU
FOR YOUR EFFORTS, I LOOK
FORWARD TO THE CONTINUING
PARTNERSHIP AND WOULD WELCOME
JOINING ANY FUTURE MEETINGS AND
PLEASE LET ME KNOW HOW I CAN BE
OF PARTICULAR SUPPORT TO THE
CURRENT EFFORTS UNDERWAY. THANK
YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
HOLLINGSWORTH ?
>> THANK YOU, APPRECIATE IT, I
WANT TO THANK MISS KERRY KEEFE,
DR. HUGHES , AND IT'S ALSO
GOOD TO SEE THE ACTIVE WORK
THAT YOU ALL ARE DOING, I KNOW
YOU ARE DOING A LOT, SO REALLY
APPRECIATE THAT, I HAVE A QUICK
COMMENT AND I WILL ASK MY
QUESTION. I CAN'T BEGIN TO
TELL YOU HOW IMPORTANT IT WAS,
I WAS WORKING AN AFTERSCHOOL
PROGRAM WITH A BUNCH OF GIRLS,
20 INNER-CITY GIRLS, AND WE
USED TO HAVE THE DETECTIVE OR
THE FORMER POLICE CHIEF COME
AND SPEAK TO THE GIRLS, AND FOR
THEM TO SEE SOMEONE WHO LOOKED
LIKE THEM, IN UNIFORM, OR JUST
IN THIS PROFESSION, HOW
IMPORTANT IT WAS FOR THEM TO
SEE SOMEONE WHO LOOK LIKE THEM
AND HAVE REGULAR CONVERSATIONS.
SO I LOVE TO SEE THAT YOU ARE
ALL OUT IN THE COMMUNITY, AND
THANK YOU FOR THAT COMMENT, I
KNOW I OWE YOU SOMETHING FOR
THE SPORTS THING. I KNOW YOU
ARE PUTTING ME ON BLAST, SO
THANK YOU FOR THAT. THE
QUESTION I HAD , IS THERE A
DEPARTMENT IN THE COUNTRY THAT
HAS INCREASED THEIR NUMBER OF
FEMALE OFFICERS THAT YOU ALL
ARE LOOKING TOWARDS, LIKE THEY
HAVE DONE IT REALLY WELL AND
THERE IS SOMETHING WE CAN TAKE
FROM IT, SOME EXAMPLES FROM
ACROSS THE COUNTRY POTENTIALLY?
>> THE DEPARTMENTS ARE TRACKED
BY THE 30 BY 30 PROJECT, THE
WEBSITE IS THE NYU LAW SCHOOL
POLICING PROJECT, IT IS A
REALLY COMPREHENSIVE WEBSITE
WITH LEARNING TOOLS , LINKS TO
OTHER DEPARTMENTS, BEST
PRACTICES, I BELIEVE MINNESOTA
, IS IT TO MINNEAPOLIS? ONE OF
THE DEPARTMENTS HAS 30% , AND
SOME OF IT IS DEPENDENT ON THE
SIZE OF THE DEPARTMENT, 30% OF
A VERY SMALL DEPARTMENT IS
MAYBE TWO WOMEN, BUT THAT IS
WHY THAT 30 BY 30 IS CATCHY AND
IT CAPTURES THE SENTIMENT BUT
IT'S NOT A QUOTA BUT, YES, WE
ARE LOOKING ACTIVELY, AND LAST
WEEK , OUR TWICE A MONTH
MEETING, DR. MEISENHOLDER
PARTICIPATED AND TOLD ABOUT
WHAT THEY ARE DOING NATIONALLY,
AND SOME OF THE DIFFERENT ,
HELPFUL TIPS OR JUST
INITIATIVES TAKING PLACE. SO
THE DIALOGUE IS ONGOING AND WE
ARE LEARNING SOME OF THE BEST
PRACTICES FROM OTHER
DEPARTMENTS, TOO.
>> THAT IS GOOD TO KNOW, AND I
KNOW CHIEF MORRIS IS HERE, YOU
HAVE BEEN PHENOMENAL, I JUST
WANTED TO THANK YOU AS WELL,
YOU HAVE BEEN A GREAT
REPRESENTATION OF THE
DEPARTMENT AND I KNOW A LOT OF
PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY THINK
HIGHLY OF YOU, SO THANK YOU.
THAT IS ALL I HAD, MR. CHAIR
AND I WILL THROW IT BACK TO
YOU.
>> THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER
HOLLINGSWORTH. I DON'T SEE ANY
OTHER HANDS UP.
>> I ALSO WANTED TO ECHO THE
COMMENTS OF MY COLLEAGUES AND
SAYING THANK YOU TO EVERYONE
WHO IS HERE TODAY FOR YOUR
PRESENTATION IN THE INCREDIBLE
WORK YOU HAVE DONE, AND FOR THE
CHIEF FOR YOUR COMMITMENT AND
REALLY TO THE CHAIR, FOR
BRINGING FORTH THIS
PRESENTATION TODAY AND TAKING
THIS SERIOUSLY AND MAKING SURE
THAT THE WORK , WE ARE KEPT
APPRISED OF THE WORK THAT IS
BEING DONE AND I THINK THIS
PRESENTATION SHOWS TO THE
PUBLIC THAT WE BELIEVE THIS
EFFORT IS IMPORTANT AND
WORTHWHILE AND OUR SUPPORT IS
BEHIND IT 100%, SO THANK YOU
FOR WHAT YOU HAVE PRESENTED , I
THINK IT IS VERY THOUGHTFUL, IT
SEEMS THAT THIS IS ORGANICALLY
DRIVEN , AND I KNOW THERE WAS
SOME NERVOUSNESS ABOUT WHETHER
THAT WAS GOING TO WORK BUT IT
SEEMS TO BE WORKING VERY WELL,
BUT I ALSO WANT TO DO A SHOUT
OUT TO MY COLLEAGUE,
COUNCILMEMBER SAKA FOR THE
BUDGET TO HAVE MONEY FOR THE
FTE TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL
SUPPORT, I THINK THAT IS
IMPORTANT, WE DON'T WANT TO
MANAGE IT, BUT WE WANT TO BE
ANALYZED AND SUPPORTIVE IN
THAT. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.
AND AGAIN, AS COUNCILMEMBER
RIVERA SAID, THE EXTENT THAT WE
CAN BE HELPFUL AND MOVE THINGS
FORWARD AND HAVE ADDITIONAL
CONVERSATIONS, PLEASE REACH OUT
TO MY OFFICE, THANK YOU SO
MUCH.
>> VICE CHAIR SAKA ?
>> THANK YOU MR. CHAIR AND I
ALSO WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR
THE EXCELLENT WORK YOU DO AND
IT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT,
STRATEGIC INITIATIVE FOR THE
DEPARTMENT AND THE BROADER
CITY. IT IS HIGHLY IMPACTFUL
AND THE WORK MATTERS AND IT
PRODUCES DIRECT, IMMEDIATE
RESULTS TODAY AND HAS THE
POTENTIAL TO YIELD EVEN MORE
IMPACTFUL RESULTS TOMORROW, SO
THANK YOU . THIS IS A GREAT
PRESENTATION . TWO QUESTIONS,
BUT FIRST , I WANT TO COMMENT
ON WHAT COUNCILMEMBER MOORE
SAID, I APPRECIATE YOUR
ACKNOWLEDGMENT ON THAT. YOU AND
I BOTH , I GUESS CO-CHAMPIONED
THAT EFFORT TOGETHER BUT ALL OF
US IN THE BUDGET, THAT WAS
INCLUDED IN THE PACKAGE, SO I
THINK IT IS A GREAT REFLECTION
ON THIS ENTIRE COUNSEL. NOT
JUST ME OR YOU . AND I ALSO
RECOGNIZE THAT THIS WORK
PROCEEDED MY TENURE HERE AND
WILL LIVE ON PAST MY TENURE,
HOPEFULLY . AND THERE HAS BEEN
A LOT OF GREAT WORK TO DATE AND
THROUGH THE LEADERSHIP OF MY
COLLEAGUES HERE, INCLUDING
COUNCILMEMBER MOORE, A SHOUT
OUT TO HER OTHER AMENDMENTS IN
THE RECENT BUDGET , I THINK IT
WAS A CHILDCARE CONSULTANT, TO
BETTER AMPLIFY AND UPLIFT THIS
WORK, SO THERE'S A NUMBER OF
THINGS WE CAN AND CONTINUAL TO
DO -- WILL CONTINUE TO DO TO
AMPLIFY AND UPLIFT THIS WORK.
THE OTHER DAY , ULTIMATELY THIS
INVOLVES CULTURE CHANGE. AND
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE NEED
GREAT LEADERS WITHIN THE
DEPARTMENT TO HELP DRIVE AND
CARRY FORWARD AND MAKE TRULY
MEANINGFUL PROGRESS, THAT IS
WHY I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE
LEADERSHIP OF THE CHIEF IN THIS
SPACE. COUNCILMEMBER
HOLLINGSWORTH HAD AN EXCELLENT
QUESTION, YOU KNOW I ALSO CARE
DEEPLY ABOUT BENCHMARKING AND
UNDERSTANDING PERFORMANCE
ACROSS OTHER COMPARABLE
JURISDICTIONS AND BEST
PRACTICES. I ASK THAT SAME
QUESTION TO AND GORMAN -- ANNE
GORMAN, AND WHAT I JUST HEARD
IS CONSISTENT FROM WHAT I
RECALLED , I BELIEVE THERE IS A
JURISDICTION IN SOUTHERN
CALIFORNIA SOMEWHERE, MAYBE SAN
DIEGO THAT HAS PRODUCED GREAT
INITIAL RESULTS IN THIS AREA
BUT, THAT IS A GREAT QUESTION.
TWO QUESTIONS, FIRST FOR THE
DEPARTMENT, AS YOU KNOW,
RECENTLY, THERE WAS , A REALLY
COOL ORGANIZATION THAT LAUNCHED
THIS SUMMER, THE SEATTLE
WOMEN'S POLICE ALLIANCE, IT
WAS LAUNCHED BY A GROUP OF
AMAZING LEADERS ACROSS THE CITY
AND REGION, INCLUDING A
CONSTITUENT OF MINE, HEIDI
TUTTLE , WHO IS IN HER DAY JOB,
LIEUTENANT SPD, AND THE
FOUNDING MEMBER OF THIS GREAT
NEW ALLIANCE ORGANIZATION AND
HAD THE PLEASURE OF JOINING
THIS ORGANIZATION , THE LAUNCH
EVENT EARLIER THIS SUMMER, AND
I SEE MANY FAMILIAR FACES
INCLUDING THE CHIEF, GREAT
EVENT. AND YOU MENTIONED IN
SOME OF THE REPORT HERE TODAY
THAT YOU'VE BEEN ENGAGING WITH
THE VARIOUS AFFINITY GROUPS,
CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE
ABOUT THAT, AND THAT LEVEL OF
ENGAGEMENT, PARTICULARLY WITH
RESPECT TO THE SEATTLE POLICE
WOMEN'S ALLIANCE , WHAT KIND
OF ENGAGEMENT DO YOU ALL HAVE
WITH THEM SO FAR?
>> THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
ON THE SLIDE DECK, THE NEW
PARENT FORUM IS GOING TO BE IN
COORDINATION WITH THE SEATTLE
POLICE WOMEN'S ALLIANCE, AND
THAT WILL BE COORDINATED WITH
30 BY 30 . WE ARE OPEN TO
COLLABORATION, WE ARE SEEKING
TO COORDINATE ANY OF THE
EFFORTS THAT THE WOMEN'S
ALLIANCE IS GOING TO BE
UNDERTAKING AND PUTTING
MENTORSHIP OR ANY OTHER
INITIATIVES, SO WE ARE ALL
GROWING IN THE SAME DIRECTION
BECAUSE THE POWER OF MULTIPLE
PEOPLE GROWING IN THE SAME
DIRECTION IS A POWERFUL THING.
SO, THAT IS WHERE WE ARE WITH
WOMEN'S ALLIANCE, WE ARE ALSO
SUPPORTING WOMEN GOING TO THE
NATIONAL SUMMIT AND MANY OF
THOSE ARE SEATTLE POLICE
WOMEN'S ALLIANCE MEMBERS, SO
IT IS A NEW ORGANIZATION AND AS
MUCH AS WE CAN COORDINATE OUR
EFFORTS, THAT IS WHERE OUR
INTEREST IS. WE HAVE TWO OF THE
WOMEN'S ALLIANCE MEMBERS ON
THE 30 BY 30 INITIATIVE , BOTH
LIEUTENANT HUGHES AND
LIEUTENANT BETH , WE SEEK
ADDITIONAL MEMBERSHIP ,
ADDITIONAL REPRESENTATION FROM
THE WOMEN'S ALLIANCE ON THE 30
BY 30 INITIATIVE.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, AND MY
SECOND AND FINAL QUESTION, THIS
ONE IS FOR DR. JAMES. TO
PREFACE, BEING INVOLVED IN
VARIOUS EMPLOYEE AFFINITY
GROUPS, OF VARIOUS
ORGANIZATIONS AND PRIOR
EMPLOYMENT AND COMPANIES THAT I
HAVE WORKED WITH AND FOR IN THE
PAST , LIKE BEING INVOLVED IN
WOMEN'S AFFINITY GROUP, FOR
EXAMPLE AT OTHER ORGANIZATIONS,
ONE THING THAT I LEARNED AS A
MALE ALLY IF YOU WILL , IS THAT
-- AND I THINK THIS ADDRESSES
THE CHILD TAX THAT YOU NOTED IN
THE EARLIER PRESENTATION, BUT
ONE THING THAT MEN CAN DO TO BE
BETTER ALLIES IN THIS SPACE IS
TO TALK MORE OPENLY ABOUT OUR
RESPECTIVE CHILDCARE
OBLIGATIONS AND
RESPONSIBILITIES , AND
BASICALLY TO NORMALIZE THAT ALL
PEOPLE CAN HAVE FAMILIES AND
CHILDREN AND ALSO CORRESPONDING
DUTIES ASSOCIATED WITH THAT, TO
LOOK AFTER AND PROPERLY CARE .
I ASPIRE TO BE THE BEST ALLY I
CAN BE IN EVERY SPACE BUT, WE
HEARD COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA
TALKING ABOUT STRUGGLES WITH
PUMPING, I CAN NEVER UNDERSTAND
WHAT THAT IS LIKE, BUT I DO
TALK ABOUT THE IMPACT AND THE
IMPORT OF THE PLEASURES AND
SOMETIMES THE CHALLENGES
ASSOCIATED WITH BEING A PARENT
. FOR EXAMPLE, I REGULARLY HAVE
BEEN LATE TO A FEW OF THESE
MEETINGS AND I EXCUSE MYSELF BY
SAYING SORRY, I HAVE A NEW
CHILDCARE STRUCTURE ROUTINE
WHICH IS USUALLY THE CASE, SO I
JUST OPENLY TRY TO FIND
OPPORTUNITIES PUBLICLY AND FIND
THINGS TO TALK ABOUT AND I'M
PROUD OF BEING A PARENT BUT, I
WOULD JUST BE CURIOUS, DR.
JAMES , I DON'T KNOW IF THIS
IS WITHIN YOUR DIRECT SET OF
EXPERTISE BUT, CULTURE CHANGE
IS SOMETHING THAT IT REALLY
TAKES ALL OF US AND WOMEN LED
AFFINITY GROUPS, LEADERSHIP,
EVERYBODY SETTING THE EXAMPLE,
BUT WE ALSO NEED ALLYSHIP, SO
I'M JUST CURIOUS FROM YOUR
PERSPECTIVE IF THERE'S ANY
BEST PRACTICES , AND BY THE
WAY, I THINK ANY COMMENTS YOU
MAY SAY PROBABLY HAVE UNIVERSAL
APPLICABILITY ACROSS INDUSTRIES
, NOT JUST HISTORICALLY UNDER
OR WORKFORCE ORGANIZATIONS LIKE
POLICING THAT ARE HISTORICALLY
UNDERSERVED BY WOMEN BUT, ANY
BEST PRACTICES FOR MEN , THAT
MEN CAN EMPLOYEE OR NON-BINARY
INDIVIDUALS CAN DEPLOY TO BE
BETTER ALLIES TO ADVANCE THIS
INITIATIVE?
>> GREAT QUESTION, AND I THINK
IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT , YOU
ALREADY NOTED THAT THIS IS A
PROBLEM OBVIOUSLY THAT GOES A
LONG WAY BEYOND POLICING,
POLICING IS A HISTORICALLY MALE
PROFESSION SO OFTEN TIMES THE
CHALLENGES SHOW UP MORE IN
THOSE TYPES OF INDUSTRIES , BUT
IT IS A FAIRLY UNIVERSAL
PHENOMENON IN TERMS OF THE
MAJORITY OF CHILDCARE AND THE
MAJORITY OF THE FAMILY
OBLIGATIONS FALLING TO WOMEN ,
WE SEE NATIONALLY ACROSS
INDUSTRIES . FROM AN ALLIED
PERSPECTIVE, I THINK ONE THING
THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT AND
STRUCTURALLY OBVIOUSLY , IS TO
INVITE THIS TYPE OF
INVESTIGATION AND THAT IS WHERE
I THINK SEATTLE POLICE
DEPARTMENT IS TO AN EXTENT ONE
OF THE LEADERS IN THIS SPACE,
AS ONE OF THE AGENCIES THAT
WOULD INVITE THIS TYPE OF AUDIT
, WHICH IS A GREAT THING TO
INITIATE. SO, PART OF IT IS
UNDERSTANDING THE MAJOR PROBLEM
AND INVESTIGATING OKAY, WHAT
ARE THE SPECIFIC ISSUES THAT
WOMEN ARE RAISING SO THAT MEN
KNOW WHAT THEY CAN DO TO HELP
BECAUSE OFTEN TIMES THESE
AREN'T THINGS THAT ARE
DELIBERATELY OR MALICIOUSLY
PERPETUATED . AS YOU SAY, THERE
IS A CULTURE AND CULTURE TAKES
A LONG TIME TO CHANGE ,
REPRESENTATION WILL HELP BUT
IT'S NOT ENOUGH JUST TO
INCREASE THE NUMBERS OF WOMEN,
IT IS ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT
THOSE CONVERSATIONS AROUND
INCLUSIVITY REALLY OCCUR, SO I
THINK FROM THE ALLIED
PERSPECTIVE, THAT IS ONE OF THE
MOST IMPORTANT THINGS, JUST
BEING OPEN-MINDED,
UNDERSTANDING , BECAUSE YOU
DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE
PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH
SOMETHING, THAT DOESN'T MEAN
IT IS LESS SALIENT OR LESS
REAL. SO, THAT IS AN IMPORTANT
ONE. AND A LOT OF THIS GOES
BACK TO MENTORSHIP AS WELL, WE
KNOW FROM OUR UNDERSTANDING OF
IMPLICIT BIAS, THAT WE TEND TO
SUBCONSCIOUSLY FAVOR THOSE WHO
ARE LIKE US, WE TEND TO REACH
OUT AND MENTOR THOSE WHO ARE
LIKE US, THAT CAN GO ACROSS
GENDER LINES, SO AGAIN, BEING
VERY MINDFUL AND AWARE AND
UNDERSTANDING HOW HUMANS
OPERATE IS IMPORTANT FOR
STARTING TO DISMANTLE SOME OF
THOSE PIECES AND REALLY MAKING
SURE FROM AN ALLY PERSPECTIVE
THAT THOSE MENTORSHIP
OPPORTUNITIES ARE EXTENDED
ACROSS GENDER BOUNDARIES AS
WELL. THAT IS MY BEST ANSWER,
I'M SURE THERE'S MANY MORE
ELEMENTS THAT WE WILL START
WITH THAT.
>> THANK YOU, VERY HELPFUL AND
INSIGHTFUL, NO FURTHER
QUESTIONS.
>> THANK YOU VICE CHAIR .
>> I DO HAVE A QUESTION , ON
THE CHILDCARE PIECE, THIS
REPORT IS DUE OUT THE SECOND
1:45 THOUSAND 25 , SO I'M
WONDERING ALONG THE LINES OF
COUNCILMEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH AND
COUNCILMEMBER SAKA'S QUESTION,
IS THERE A POLICE DEPARTMENT
ACROSS THE COUNTRY THAT IS
CURRENTLY DOING THIS CHILDCARE
PIECE THAT WILL BE A PART OF
WHAT THE CONSULTANT WILL BE
LOOKING AT, JUST AS A PREVIEW,
IF YOU WILL ?
>> YES, IN THE LEAD UP TO
RETAINING , WHICH WE ARE
FINALIZING THAT CONTRACT, SAN
DIEGO, WHERE COUNCILMEMBER SAKA
MENTIONED SAN DIEGO, THAT IS
WHERE THEY HAVE A CHILDCARE
PROVIDED . THERE ARE THOSE
LIMITATIONS AS FAR AS THE
TIMING FOR THE SHIFTWORK , SO
IT IS UNIQUE AND THAT IS WHY
THE SCOPE OF WORK COVERS
MULTIPLE DIFFERENT
INVESTIGATIONS INTO WHAT WORKS
AND IT COULD BE A HYBRID
SITUATION WHERE THERE'S SOME
TYPE OF VOUCHER SYSTEM OR SOME
IN-HOME DAY CARE SEED TO BUILD
UP INDEPENDENT BUSINESSES IN
ADDITION TO POTENTIALLY SOME
TYPE OF CITY FACILITY, IT IS
NOT UNIQUE, THE SHIFTWORK TO
SPD, I THINK CITY LIGHT
PROBABLY HAS SHIFT WORKERS THAT
ARE WOMEN THAT ARE FAMILY
MEMBERS, AND FOR CHILD CARE, IT
ISN'T JUST WOMEN, IT IS A
FAMILY ISSUE , SO THERE ARE
PARENTS OF BOTH THAT NEED
CHILDCARE. SO I THINK LOOKING
AT SAN DIEGO, AND ALSO
COORDINATE WITH THE 30 BY 30
INITIATIVE OUT OF NYU AND
FINDING OUT OTHER DEPARTMENTS
THAT ARE PAVING THE WAY, BUT
THAT WAS THE TOPIC OF OUR
CONVERSATION LAST WEEK AND
AGAIN, DR. MEISENHOLDER WAS
VERY ENCOURAGING , WE WILL KEEP
YOU INFORMED OF HOW THAT
PROGRESSES.
>> TERRIFIC, I KNOW IT IS A
COMPLICATED TOPIC, BECAUSE IF
YOU HAVE A PRESCHOOLER AND A
NIGHT SHIFT, YOU CAN'T
NECESSARILY DROP THEM OFF
SOMEWHERE BECAUSE THEY HAVE
SCHOOL THE NEXT DAY, SO I
UNDERSTAND LOOKING AT THE
IN-HOME CARE AS WELL. SO REALLY
APPRECIATE THAT, I WILL LOOK
MORE INTO SAN DIEGO AND I LOOK
FORWARD TO HEARING MORE IN THE
SECOND QUARTER NEXT YEAR AS TO
WHAT THE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE
FOR THINGS THAT WE N DO AND I
IMAGINE THAT WILL INCLUDE
THINGS MAYBE THAT WE CAN DO
SOONER RATHER THAN OTHER THINGS
THAT MIGHT TAKE MORE TIME
BECAUSE IT IS A COMPLICATED
ISSUE AND I ALSO WANTED TO JUST
SAY THAT MY COMMENT EARLIER, I
VERY MUCH SUPPORT MORE OFFICERS
IN THE FORCE . I JUST BRING UP
THE ADMIN AND THE OTHER HALF OF
THE DEPARTMENT BECAUSE I KNOW
WHEN I HEARD FROM SITTING IN
THE CONVERSATIONS THAT IT IS
ALSO AN ISSUE BECAUSE YOU HAVE
FOLKS THAT WORK AROUND THE
CLOCK IN ALL ASPECTS AT THE
DEPARTMENT SO I DID WANT TO
ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE WANT 30% OF
THE FORCE TO BE WOMEN , OR A
GOOD NUMBER, BECAUSE IT IS NOT
A STATIC NUMBER . AND
ACKNOWLEDGING THAT THERE ARE
WOMEN AND OFFICERS THAT ALSO
NEED SUPPORT AT THE DEPARTMENT.
SO THANK YOU, CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER
RIVERA. OKAY, GREAT , JUST TO
CONCLUDE , THANK YOU VERY MUCH
FOR COMING OUT, EVERYONE , DR.
JAMES, MISS KERRY KEEFE, IT IS
INTERESTING TO ME, I SEE THE
PARALLELS LIKE WITH THE
MILITARY , I'M A CAREER NAVAL
OFFICER, SO I SEE THOSE
PARALLELS AND IT IS INTERESTING
TO SEE THE CONTRAST BUT ALSO
THE SIMILARITIES, ALSO TO YOUR
POINT ABOUT SPD OVERTIME AS A
TOPIC OF INTEREST, THIS IS
ANOTHER ASPECT THAT WE CAN ADD
TO THE LIST REGARDING OVERSIGHT
OF OVERTIME AND IN TERMS OF
MEMBERS AS WOMEN , EVERYBODY
I'M SURE IS JUST HEARING IT,
SO DON'T BE SURPRISED IF THERE
IS A QUESTION. RECRUITMENT , I
HAVE BEEN BEFORE THE BADGE A
NUMBER OF TIMES, I'M NOT SURE
IF THERE HAS BEEN ANY OTHER
COUNCILMEMBERS BUT, WE HAVE
SEEN WOMEN , BUT NOT THAT 30%
LEVEL SO THAT IS ANECDOTALLY TO
ME IN TERMS OF , TO YOUR POINT,
THAT IS ASPIRATIONAL . REALLY
APPRECIATE THE MILITARY
OUTREACH , THANK YOU FOR
KEEPING COUNCILMEMBER
HOLLINGSWORTH ON HER TOES
RELATED TO ATHLETES, NO
PRESSURE , BUT INTERNAL TO THE
COUNCIL, WE WILL HAVE SOME
FOLLOW-UP JUST TO MAKE SURE
EVERYTHING IS TRACKING. ANOTHER
AREA THAT IS NOT ON YOUR SLIDE
, I WAS AT AN EVENT A COUPLE
WEEKS AGO AND WE HAD THREE NEW
COLLEGE PRESIDENTS IN THE
SEATTLE SYSTEM , SEATTLE NORTH
, CENTRAL AND SOUTH. AND GUESS
WHAT, I BROUGHT UP SPD TO ALL
OF THEM AND THEY HAVE PROGRAMS,
THEY HAVE A GROUP OF
INDIVIDUALS THAT COULD BE A
GREAT SOURCE FOR THE SEATTLE
POLICE DEPARTMENT AND I BRING
THIS UP BECAUSE THEY ARE VERY
REPRESENTATIONAL, ACTUALLY MORE
REPRESENTATIONAL IN TERMS OF
THE COMMUNITIES IN THE COMMENTS
THAT WERE COMING UP EARLIER IN
TERMS OF THE COMMUNITIES , THAT
IS VERY WELL REPRESENTED IN OUR
SEATTLE COLLEGE SYSTEM WITH THE
SEATTLE PROMISE PROGRAM AND I
VIEW THAT AS AN OPPORTUNITY , I
JUST WANTED TO BRING THAT UP
AND I KNOW DEPUTY BURGESS KNOWS
ABOUT HISTORY OF THIS FROM
PREVIOUS GENERATIONS THAT I
WANTED TO BRING THAT UP,
LIEUTENANT HUGHES, HAVE YOU
ALREADY DONE SOME OF THAT ?
>> NO, THANK YOU FOR THAT, WE
HAVE CONTACTS FOR THAT, WE'VE
HAD SO MANY DIFFERENT THINGS,
WE JUST HAVEN'T HAD ANYTHING
THAT HAS HAPPENED DEFINITIVELY
FOR 2024 , IN REGARDS TO THE
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SEMINARS
THAT HAPPENED AT THE COMMUNITY
COLLEGE. YES, THEY ARE ON OUR
LIST FOR MORE OUTREACH.
>> EARLY FEEDBACK, THEY SEEM TO
BE RECEPTIVE. MOVING TO
RETENTION, I NOTE ALL OF THIS
AGAIN WITH MY MILITARY
EXPERIENCE, CHILDCARE AND
FAMILY CARE , MAYBE FAMILY CARE
IS A WAY TO ENGAGE AND I WILL
ADMIT, AS A FORMER STAY-AT-HOME
DAD, I GOT SOME FUNNY LOOKS ,
PARTICULARLY BECAUSE I'M OLDER
, BUT BECAUSE I THINK IT IS UP
TO VICE CHAIR SAKA'S POINT, WE
NEED TO LEAD BY EXAMPLE AND
ALSO SUPPORT OUR PARTNERS,
SPOUSES, MOTHERS, WIVES, ALL OF
THE ABOVE, AND THANK YOU
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA REGARDING
THE SWORN AND NON-SWORN ,
THERE'S VARIOUS SUPPORT PIECES
WHICH PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES IN
TERMS OF RECRUITING AND I JUST
WANTED TO CONCLUDE BY SAYING I
REALLY APPRECIATE THE ONE
SEATTLE ONE SPD , THERE IS A
VOICE OF THE FIRE BATTALION
CHIEF IN THE BACK OF MY HEAD
THAT SAYS WE CAN'T HAVE THAT
ONE SEATTLE, ONE SPD , WE
CANNOT A ASS THAT WITHOUT
WORKING WITH ONE ANOTHER, SO
CHIEF DAN -- I FORGOT HIS LAST
NAME, BUT I REALLY APPRECIATE
THAT, THIS WORK CAN HAVE RIPPLE
EFFECTS IN TERMS OF LESS LETHAL
WEAPONS, IF 30% OF THE FORCE IS
ENGAGING WITH THE COMMUNITY, SO
THE WORK CAN SHOW UP IN A LOT
OF DIFFERENT WAYS AND THAT IS
MY TRANSITION TO LESS LETHAL
WEAPONS, SO THANK YOU FOR
JOINING US TODAY. WE WILL MOVE
ON TO OUR SECOND ITEM OF
BUSINESS, WILL THE CLERK READ
ITEM TWO INTO THE RECORD AND I
APOLOGIZE FOR THE DELAY BUT IT
IS VERY IMPORTANT IN TERMS OF
ITEM ONE.
>> ITEM NUMBER TWO, AN
ORDINANCE RELATING TO THE
SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT ,
MANDATING THAT THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT ADOPT AND MAINTAIN
CROWD MANAGEMENT POLICIES THAT
PROHIBIT THE USE OF LESS LETHAL
TOOLS IN CROWD MANAGEMENT
SETTINGS UNLESS SPECIFIC FACTS
AND CIRCUMSTANCES ARE OCCURRING
OR ABOUT TO OCCUR THAT CREATE
AN IMMINENT RISK OF PHYSICAL
INJURY TO ANY PERSON OR
SIGNIFICANT PROPERTY DAMAGE ,
AND REPEALING SECTION 3.2 8.146
OF THE SEATTLE MUNICIPAL COURT
AND ORDINANCE 126422 .
>> THANK YOU CLERK, THANK YOU
DEPUTY MAYOR BURGESS FOR
JOINING US TODAY , THANK YOU
MR. BRIAN MAXEY ALONG WITH
ASSISTANT CHIEF NELSON AND I
WANT TO EXTEND AS WELL A
WELCOME TO OUR INSPECTOR
GENERAL, HE IS A JUDGE , VERY
IMPORTANT THAT YOU ARE HERE.
AND OF COURSE WE ARE GOING TO
START OFF WITH MR. GREG DOSS
FROM CENTRAL STAFF , ALWAYS A
GREAT WAY TO BEGIN THE MEETING,
SO THANK YOU. ACTUALLY, ALSO
THANK YOU FOR A VERY
COMPREHENSIVE CENTRAL STAFF
MEMO ON THIS PIECE OF
LEGISLATION, TOO.
>> THANK YOU MR. CHAIR AND GOOD
MORNING COMMITTEE MEMBERS, GREG
DOSS HERE, TALKING ABOUT
COUNSEL BILL 120916 , SPEAKING
OF , CHAIR YOU ASKED ME TO WORK
WITH FOLKS , THE SPD AND THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE TO DETERMINE
WHAT SOME OF THE BEST PRACTICES
ARE THAT CAN BE EMPLOYED IN
CROWD MANAGEMENT AND I NEED TO
SAY THANK YOU FOR ALL THESE
FOLKS WORKING WITH ME BECAUSE I
COULDN'T HAVE WRITTEN THE
STAFF MEMO OR COME TO
UNDERSTAND HOW COMPLICATED THE
SUBJECT IS AND HOW WE ARE
BECOMING NATIONAL LEADERS IN
THIS TOPIC WITHOUT THEIR HELP.
I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO
THE WORKGROUP FOR GUIDING ME .
I WILL GO AHEAD AND GIVE YOU AN
OVERVIEW OF THIS BILL AND SPD
CROWD MANAGEMENT POLICIES , SPD
AND THE MAYOR'S OFFICE ARE UP
NEXT, I MADE SURE THAT MY
PRESENTATION IS NOT DUPLICATIVE
, BUT WE WILL GET MOVING .
STARTING OUT WITH A HISTORY AND
TIMELINE OF THE COURT ORDERS IN
CROWD MANAGEMENT POLICIES, THE
CITY'S USE OF LESS LETHAL
WEAPONS FOR CROWD CONTROL IS
CURRENTLY UNREGULATED BY EITHER
THE SEATTLE MINI IS A CODE OR
ANY COUNSEL ORDINANCE . WE
HEARD TALKS ABOUT A BAN, THERE
IS CURRENTLY NO SEATTLE
MUNICIPAL LAW OR ORDINANCE THAT
IS AFFECTING LESS LETHAL
WEAPONS. IN SHORT, THIS IS
BECAUSE THE CITY COUNCIL
ORDINANCES ON LESS LETHAL
WEAPONS NEVER WENT INTO EFFECT
AND AS WE MOVE THIS TIMELINE, I
WILL TELL YOU WHY THAT IS THE
CASE. IT STARTED OUT IN JANUARY
, OR JUNE OF 2020, THE COUNCIL
PASSED ORDINANCE 120916 WHICH
ENACTED 328146 , AND THIS IS
THE LAW THAT YOU HEARD ABOUT
THAT COMPLETELY BANNED THE USE
OF ALL LETHAL WEAPONS. SHORTLY
AFTER THE ENACTMENT, THE UNITED
STATES DISTRICT COURT
PROHIBITED IT FROM GOING INTO
EFFECT, SO WHILE THE ORDINANCE
STILL REMAINS ON THE BOOKS, IT
IS STILL IN THE SEATTLE
MUNICIPAL CODE, IT HAS NO LEGAL
ENFORCEABILITY. SOON AFTER THE
COURT JOINED THE ORDINANCE, SPD
BEGAN MAKING A SERIES OF
SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO ITS
CROWD MANAGEMENT POLICIES. THAT
CULMINATED IN 2021 WHEN THE
DEPARTMENT SUBMITTED TO THE DOJ
THE FEDERAL MONITOR AND THE
JUDGE , A SET OF REVISED
POLICIES THAT ARE NOW INTERIM
POLICIES THAT INCORPORATED
SEVERAL IMPROVED PRACTICES FOR
CROWD MANAGEMENT AND USE OF
LESS LETHAL WEAPONS. THE COURT
APPROVED THOSE POLICIES AND
THOSE ARE NOW WHAT IS GOVERNING
THE CITY'S USE OF LESS LETHAL
WEAPONS FOR CROWD MANAGEMENT
SITUATIONS. LATER IN 2021, THE
COUNCIL MADE ANOTHER ATTEMPT AT
REGULATING LESS LETHAL WEAPONS
BYPASSING ORDINANCE 126422 ,
THAT ORDINANCE WOULD HAVE
UPDATED AND REVISED THE SMC TO
ALLOW SOME LESS LETHAL WEAPON
USED IN CERTAIN SITUATIONS BY A
CERTAIN TRAINED SPD OFFICERS.
HOWEVER THAT ORDINANCE DID NOT
TAKE EFFECT , IT HAD A SECTION
THAT REQUIRED THE COURT TO
APPROVE COMPLIANT POLICIES AND
PER RECOMMENDATION FROM THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE, THE FEDERAL
MONITOR DID NOT ALLOW A
SUBMITTAL FOR REVIEW OF THOSE
POLICIES AND THAT ORDINANCE. IT
IS WORTH NOTING THAT NEITHER
COUNSEL ORDINANCE WAS SIGNED BY
THE MAYOR, MAYOR DURKIN AT THE
TIME AND ATTACHED IN MY MEMO
YOU WILL FIND MEMOS THAT SHE
SENT TO THE COUNCIL INDICATING
HER REASONS FOR RETURNING THE
ORDINANCE. AND I WILL LASTLY
SAY THAT ON OCTOBER 16th, 2024,
THE COURT INDICATED THAT THE
CITY IS VERY CLOSE TO BEING
READY TO CONCLUDE THE CONSENT
DECREE AND HOW THE CASE
DISMISSED. BUT FIRST, THE CITY
MUST SUBMIT FINAL SPD POLICIES
ON CROWD MANAGEMENT TO THE
FEDERAL MONITOR, THE DOJ AND
THE JUDGE. THE CITY CANNOT
SUBMIT FINAL CROWD POLICY
MANAGEMENT THAT ARE
INCONSISTENT OR IN CONFLICT
WITH ANY SMC OR ORDINANCE THAT
IS STILL ON THE BOOKS. EVEN IF
THOSE ORDINANCES CARRY NO LEGAL
EFFECT . AS I MENTIONED
EARLIER, WHILE IT HAS BEEN
ENJOINED BY THE COURT, THE SMC
STILL DOES REFLECT PROVISIONS
OF ORDINANCE 126102 .
THEREFORE, SPD BELL, THE
EXECUTIVE'S BILL BEFORE YOU,
120916 WOULD ELIMINATE ALL CITY
LAWS AND ORDINANCES AND CLEAR
THE WAY FOR SPD'S CURRENT
INTERIM POLICIES TO BE
SUBMITTED TO THE COURT FOR
REVIEW AND ULTIMATELY RELEASED
FROM THE CONSENT DECREE. I'M
GOING TO STOP AND ASK ABOUT
QUESTIONS ON THIS OR ON THE
TIMELINE. OKAY . THE FIRST
THING I WANT TO DO IS TALK A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT SPD'S INTERIM
POLICIES, THEY HAVE BEEN
SIGNIFICANTLY OVERHAULED SINCE
2020. THE INTERIM POLICY IS
WRITTEN TO PROVIDE CLEAR
GUIDANCE TO OFFICERS ON HOW TO
EMPLOY CROWD CONTROL
MANAGEMENT, INTERVENTION AND
CONTROL STRATEGIES TO
FACILITATE FREE EXPRESSION AND
PEACEFUL ASSEMBLY. AND MORE
SPECIFICALLY , IT PREVENTS OR
PROVIDES INCIDENT COMMANDERS
WITH GUIDANCE ON HOW TO
DETERMINE WHEN TO USE LESS
LETHAL WEAPONS AGAINST VIOLENT
INDIVIDUALS WITHIN A CROWD OR
USE OF LESS LETHAL WEAPONS TO
MOVE OR DISPERSE A CROWD, AND
THAT IS AN IMPORTANT
DISTINCTION BECAUSE SOME LESS
LETHAL WEAPONS ARE MORE
DISCRIMINANT THAN OTHERS AND
SPD POLICY ALLOWS OFFICERS TO
MAKE BETTER JUDGMENTS ABOUT
WHEN TO USE WHICH LESS LETHAL
WEAPONS AND IN WHAT SITUATIONS.
OFFICERS MAKE THESE
DETERMINATIONS WITH THE
ASSISTANCE OF A MULTILAYERED
MATRIX , AND THE MAYOR'S OFFICE
IS GOING TO GO INTO THAT MATRIX
AND THE POLICIES IN DETAIL
LATER SO I'M NOT GOING TO TALK
TOO MUCH ABOUT IT NOW . I WILL
GO AHEAD AND MOVE TO THE NEXT
SLIDE.
>> THIS RELATES TO YOUR
TIMELINE, CAN YOU GO BACK ON
SLIDE? YOU HAVE NOT MENTIONED
THE RCW RELATED TO TEARGAS,
THAT CHANGE, CAN YOU SPEAK TO
THAT?
>> YES, THE STATE LEGISLATURE
DID PASS A NUMBER OF
RESTRICTIONS AND REFORMS ABOUT
USE OF TEARGAS. I WANT TO NOTE
THAT THE RESTRICTIONS HAVE BEEN
INCORPORATED INTO THIS BILL ,
SO THE MAYOR'S OFFICE WILL
TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW
THAT IS A PART OF THEIR
POLICIES AND I THINK THEY WILL
ALSO TALK ABOUT HOW THE
PROPOSED POLICIES THAT THEY
HAVE GO EVEN FURTHER AND ARE
EVEN STRICTER ON THE USE OF
TEARGAS THAN THE STATE CODE.
>> THAT IS THE FUNCTION IN
TERMS OF ALIGNING WITH THE RCW
CODE.
>> YES, THANK YOU. SO, MOVING
ALONG , IN TALKING ABOUT SPD'S
PROPOSED POLICY, I THINK WHAT
IS IMPORTANT, PROBABLY MORE
IMPORTANT THAN WHAT THE BILL
DOES TO THE COUNCIL IS WHAT IT
DOES NOT DO, SO I WANT TO TALK
ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT, IT
DOES NOT INCORPORATE SPD
INTERIM POLICIES INTO LAW, IT
DOESN'T INCORPORATED AS A
REFERENCE IN THE BILL OR
ATTACHMENT TO LEGISLATION AND
THIS IS BY DESIGN . THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE HAS TAKEN AN
APPROACH THAT WOULD ALLOW SPD
TO ADDRESS EMERGING CHANGES IN
BOTH AVAILABLE CROWD CONTROL
TECHNOLOGY AND BEST PRACTICES .
THAT IS TO AVOID DRAWING THE
COUNCIL INTO TECHNICAL RATHER
THAN POLICY LEVEL DISCUSSIONS
ABOUT THE APPROPRIATE USE OF
LESS LETHAL WEAPONS. THE
COUNCIL CAN CHOOSE TO STAY
WITHIN THIS FRAMEWORK OR CAN
BECOME MORE PRESCRIPTIVE WITH
THIS LEGISLATION. I WILL
PROVIDE SOME OPTIONS THAT YOU
MAY WANT TO CONSIDER. SO, IN
CONTINUING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT SPD INTERIM POLICIES, I
WANT TO NOTE THAT THESE
POLICIES ARE INTENDED TO
PROVIDE OFFICERS CLEAR GUIDANCE
AS TO WHAT JUNCTURE AN ASSEMBLY
BECOMES AN ABRIDGMENT ON LIFE
SAFETY OR THE PROPERTY RIGHTS
OF OTHERS . IT IS THE CASE THAT
INCIDENT COMMANDERS CAN USE
THIS GUIDANCE TO DETERMINE WHEN
LESS LETHAL WEAPONS CAN BE USED
AGAINST VIOLENT INDIVIDUALS
WITHIN A CROWD OR WHEN THEY CAN
BE USED AGAINST TO DISPERSE THE
CROWD ITSELF AND THESE
GUIDELINES ALSO PROVIDE
RESTRICTIONS FOR THE USE OF
LESS LETHAL WEAPONS UNDER TITLE
EIGHT AND FOR THE SPECIFIC
DEPLOYMENT OF WEAPONS IN THOSE
SETTINGS EITHER GLASS BALLS OR
40 MILLIMETER AS I HAVE
INDICATED ON THIS SLIDE. SO,
UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE
CHAIR, I WAS ASKED TO LOOK INTO
BEST PRACTICES FOR CROWD
MANAGEMENT AND LESS LETHAL
WEAPONS AND I WAS CAUTIONED
THAT THERE IS NO ONE DEFINITIVE
SET OF BEST PRACTICES, BUT
RATHER THEIR OWN NOVEL EMERGING
PRACTICES IN THE AREA OF CROWD
PSYCHOLOGY, POLICE FACILITATION
TECHNIQUES AND CIVIL RIGHTS LAW
THAT CAN BE APPLIED TO CROWD
MANAGEMENT SITUATIONS . ALSO AS
I HAVE SAID, SEATTLE OIG HAS
BECOME A LEADER IN IDENTIFYING
SUCH PRACTICES. THE REVIEW
CONTAINED FOUR PHASES OR WAVES
THAT RESULTED IN APPROXIMATELY
136 RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WOULD
ALLOW SPD TO FACILITATE
PEACEFUL DEMONSTRATIONS,
DE-ESCALATE VIOLENT BEHAVIOR
AND SAFELY DISPERSE A CROWD
WHEN THAT IS NECESSARY. SPD HAS
INCORPORATED RECOMMENDATIONS
AND HAS ALSO INCORPORATED
RECOMMENDATIONS FROM SEVERAL
OTHER POLICING ORGANIZATIONS
THAT HAVE STUDIED CROWD
MANAGEMENT AND I HAVE ON THIS
SLIDE A NUMBER OF ORGANIZATIONS
THAT HAVE PRODUCED BEST
PRACTICE DOCUMENTS, THE FORUM ,
THE CENTER FOR POLICING EQUITY,
THE WASHINGTON STATE ATTORNEY
GENERAL'S OFFICE AND THE
INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF
POLICE CHIEFS. AS I SAY ,
AGAIN, I WAS FORTUNATE TO WORK
WITH THE WORKGROUP ON THESE
POLICIES , IN REVIEWING SPD'S
POLICIES AND REVIEWING THEM IN
CONJUNCTION WITH BEST PRACTICES
THAT I REFERENCED EARLIER . AND
COMING OUT OF THESE
DISCUSSIONS, I IDENTIFIED ABOUT
FOUR ISSUES FOR THE COUNCIL AND
SPD TO CONSIDER DURING THE
REVIEW OF 120916 AND IMPORTANT
TO STRESS THAT IN ALL CASES,
THE ISSUES HAVE BEEN
IDENTIFIED, ALL DOWN TO A
POTENTIAL NEED TO HAVE SPD SINK
ITS PRACTICES WITH , OR SYNC UP
PRACTICES WITH POLICIES. I
UNDERSTAND YOU RECEIVED
COMMUNICATION FROM THEM THIS
MORNING, THE COMMUNITY POLICE
COMMISSION IN THE OFFICE OF
POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY, THOSE
LATTER TWO ORGANIZATIONS HAVE
PROVIDED IN THE PAST
RECOMMENDATIONS ON USE OF LESS
LETHAL WEAPONS, THEY ARE
CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF
UPDATING THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS
AND YOU SHOULD BE SEEING THEM
IN THE UPCOMING WEEKS. WITH
THAT I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND
GO INTO SOME OF THE ISSUES THE
WORKGROUP HAS BEEN DISCUSSING.
THE FIRST ONE IS ABOUT PROPERTY
DAMAGE THRESHOLD , THAT THE
PROPERTY DAMAGE THRESHOLD THAT
WILL BE USED FOR DISPERSING A
CROWD, AND WE TALKED ABOUT SPD
INCLUDING ITS MATRIX, THE TERM
SIGNIFICANT OR SUBSTANTIAL WHEN
REFERRING TO PROPERTY DAMAGE
USED TO DISPERSE A CROWD AND
THIS IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF WHAT
I SAID EARLIER ABOUT SPD
NEEDING TO SYNC UP POLICIES .
THE DISPERSAL POLICIES , IN
OTHER AREAS NOTE THAT THERE
NEEDS TO BE SIGNIFICANT OR
SUBSTANTIAL PROPERTY DAMAGE.
IT'S JUST A MATTER OF
INCORPORATING THAT INTO THE
MATRIX SO EVERYTHING IS
CONSISTENT AND THEY ARE GOING
TO DO THAT. THE SECOND THING IS
THAT ONLY OFFICERS THAT ARE
RANKED LIEUTENANT OR HIGHER
SHOULD BE AUTHORIZED FOR CROWD
DISPERSAL, THIS IS A BEST
PRACTICE IDENTIFIED BY MANY
POLICING ORGANIZATIONS, IT IS
CONSISTENT WITH SPD CURRENT
TRAINING PRACTICES AS THEY
TRAIN LIEUTENANTS, WHEN IT IS
APPROPRIATE TO DISPERSE A CROWD
. IT IS JUST THE CASE THAT THE
POLICIES WERE WRITTEN FOR EACH
GROUP OF OFFICERS ARRIVING ON
THE SCENE, HOWEVER , LESS
LETHAL WEAPONS WOULD BE USED
UNTIL A LIEUTENANT ARRIVED ON
THE SCENE. THE NEXT ISSUE IS ON
MUTUAL AID, SOME OF THE
ORGANIZATIONS IN THE PREVIOUS
SITE HAVE MADE RECOMMENDATIONS
, SPD WOULD NEED TO PRIORITIZE
NONCONTROL WORK , FOR EXAMPLE,
THE KING COUNTY SHERIFF'S
OFFICE COULD ANSWER 911 CALLS
AND FREE UP TIME FOR SPD
OFFICERS TO GO OUT AND WORK
CROWD CONTROL ISSUES ALTHOUGH
THAT IS NOT ALWAYS GOING TO BE
FEASIBLE OR PRACTICAL DEPENDING
ON THE EVENT THAT IS HAPPENING.
SPD WILL TALK A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT THAT WHEN THEY PRESENT.
AND FINALLY, WE TALKED ABOUT
LAST BALLS, ALL THREE
ACCOUNTABILITY AGENCIES AS WELL
AS EXTERNAL ORGANIZATIONS HAVE
ISSUED RECOMMENDATIONS TO SPD
ON THE USE OF BLAST BALLS WHICH
HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO INFLICT
SERIOUS INJURY OR EVEN DEATH IF
IT IS CLOSE TO A PERSON. THE
OPA HAS SPECIFICALLY POINTED
OUT THAT BLAST BALLS COMBUSTION
CAN CREATE SOME DEGREE OF
INACCURACY DURING DEPLOYMENT
POTENTIALLY DISRUPTING THE
TRAJECTORY BETWEEN THREE AND
SIX FEET FROM ITS INTENDED
TARGET. SPD'S BLAST BALLS
POLICIES STATE CLEARLY THAT
ABSENT A LIFE SAFETY EMERGENCY,
THEY SHOULD NOT BE THROWN IN A
MANNER THAT WOULD HAVE A
SIGNIFICANT LIKELIHOOD OF
STRIKING A PERSON. HOWEVER,
THEY ALSO SAY THAT BLAST BALLS
SHOULD BE THROWN NEAR A PERSON
WHO IS ENGAGING IN ACTS OF
VIOLENCE, AND THE POTENTIAL TO
HIT PEACEFUL PROTESTERS, IT
MIGHT BE GOOD IF SPD POLICIES
COULD BETTER DIFFERENTIATE
BETWEEN USES FOR CROWD CONTROL
MOVEMENT OR DISPERSAL AS
OPPOSED TO TIMES WHEN IT IS
NECESSARY TO USE THEM TO
CONTRADICT INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE
USING THESE FOR LIFE SAFETY.
SPD HAS BEEN DEMONSTRATIONS AND
ANSWERING QUESTIONS, AND WHAT
THOSE REPRESENTATIVES SAID
SPECIFICALLY IS THAT SPD'S
PRACTICE IS TO THROW BLAST
BALLS AWAY FROM INDIVIDUALS .
SO, ONE POTENTIAL CHANGE THAT
SPD COULD MAKE TO POLICIES
WOULD BE TO SAY THAT DURING
CROWD MANAGEMENT OR CROWD
DISPERSAL, THE BLAST BALLS ARE
THROWN AWAY FROM INDIVIDUALS
AND AGAIN, DIFFERENTIATING
BETWEEN TIMES THAT OUR LIFE
SAFETY EMERGENCIES AND USED
AGAINST INDIVIDUALS WITHIN A
CROWD. I KNOW THE DEPARTMENT IS
TAKING THIS ISSUE VERY
SERIOUSLY AND THEY HAVE SAID
THEY ARE WORKING ON REFINING
THEIR POLICIES TO ENSURE THE
INTENDED USE IS WHOLLY CLEAR .
GO AHEAD AND FLIP TO THE NEXT
SLIDE. THE FRAMEWORK OF THE
COUNCIL BILL ALLOWS SPD THE
FLEX ABILITY TO MODIFY ITS
CROWD CONTROL POLICIES WITHOUT
COUNSEL REVIEW . THAT IS NOT TO
SAY THAT IT WILL BE WITHOUT
REVIEW AT ALL, THE
ACCOUNTABILITY REVIEW REQUIRES
THAT THEY ARE REVIEWED BY
ACCOUNTABILITY AGENCIES AND
CURRENTLY THE COURT, AT THE
TIME THAT THE CITY IS REALLY
MOVING. THE CONSENT DECREE, IT
WILL NO LONGER BE THE COURT BUT
OIG WILL BE TAKING OVER MANY OF
THOSE REVIEW FUNCTIONS. THAT
SAID, THE COUNCIL STILL HAS
OPTIONS THAT THEY CAN EXERCISE
WITH THIS BILL. SO FOUR OF THE
OPTIONS I HAVE IDENTIFIED HERE
, THE COUNCIL COULD ADD ON
CODIFIED DISCRETIONARY OR
META-TABLE -- MANDATORY
HIGH-LEVEL GUIDELINES, AND THAT
IS ESSENTIALLY STAYING WITHIN
THE FRAMEWORK , NOT BEING
PRESCRIPTIVE ON LESS LETHAL
WEAPON USE OR BANNING OR
PROHIBITING CERTAIN LESS LETHAL
WEAPONS. ANOTHER OPTION WOULD
BE TO CREATE A NEW SECTION IN
THE SEATTLE MUNICIPAL CODE AND
TO SPECIFY EITHER ON USE OR
ABILITY TO USE LESS LETHAL
WEAPONS AND THAT OF COURSE IS
THE PATH THAT WAS TAKEN BY THE
PREVIOUS COUNCIL. THE NEXT
OPTION WOULD BE TO INCORPORATE
BY REFERENCE , PORTIONS OF SPD
CURRENT POLICY SO THAT IT IS
FOR LACK OF A BETTER WAY OF
SAYING LOCKED DOWN UNTIL IT
COMES BACK BEFORE COUNCIL FOR
FURTHER CHANGES. THE LAST
OPTION WOULD BE NO CHANGES. SO,
FINALLY I WOULD JUST CONCLUDE
BY SAYING, TODAY , I THINK THE
CHAIR SAID IT IS THE FIRST OF
TWO HEARINGS, THE SECOND ONE IS
ON THE 14th OF JANUARY AND THEN
A FULL COUNCIL VOTE IS
ANTICIPATED FOR THE 21st . WITH
THAT, I WILL STOP AND ASK IF
THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS.
>> ANY QUESTIONS FROM MY
COLLEAGUES? VICE CHAIR ?
>> THANK YOU FOR THIS AWESOME
PRESENTATION, GREG AND I ALSO
APPRECIATE THE PRE-BRIEFING
FROM YESTERDAY AND AFTER LAST
NIGHT, I WENT THROUGH AND
VIEWED THE MEMO, AND ALL THE
ATTACHMENTS HERE , REALLY
INSIGHTFUL MEMO . JUST A QUICK
QUESTION . SOME ADDITIONAL
QUESTIONS FOR THE DEPARTMENT
BUT WE WILL WAIT TILL THAT
COMES UP . I GUESS FIRST YOU
MENTIONED ON ONE OF THE SLIDES
HERE , ON THE SPD INTERIM
MANAGEMENT POLICY, THAT SLIDE
STATES , THE THIRD BULLET ,
STATES THAT IT DISTINGUISHES
BETWEEN LESS LETHAL WEAPON USE
AGAINST VIOLENT INDIVIDUALS
WITHIN A CROWD, OR USE OF
DISPERSING A CROWD, SO JUST
CURIOUS TO BETTER UNDERSTAND
HOW DOES THE SPD MANUAL 14.090
, HOW IT GOES ABOUT
DISTINGUISHING BETWEEN THOSE
TWO THINGS ?
>> THANK YOU, AND I THINK
COUNCILMEMBER, YOU ARE GOING TO
HEAR A REAL IN-DEPTH
EXPLANATION , BUT AT A HIGH
LEVEL, THERE ARE PHASES OF
CROWD MANAGEMENT AND IN THE
FIRST SEVERAL PHASES , MY
UNDERSTANDING IS, YOU MIGHT SEE
INDIVIDUALS WITHIN A CROWD,
ISOLATED INDIVIDUALS, EITHER
DISPLAYING VIOLENT BEHAVIOR OR
DAMAGING PROPERTY . AND THE
MATRIX IS ENCOURAGING OR
REQUIRING SPD OFFICERS , IN
THOSE CASES TO INTERDICT WITH
THOSE SPECIFIC INDIVIDUALS .
I'M GOING TO USE AN EXAMPLE ,
FOR INSTANCE , IF AN INDIVIDUAL
WITHIN A CROWD WHIPPED OUT A
KNIFE AND STARTED THREATENING
OR ASSAULTING OTHERS, THAT
MIGHT BE A CASE WHERE SPD WOULD
NEED TO USE ONE OF ITS 40
MILLIMETERS MUNCHERS TO STOP
THAT INDIVIDUAL OR A BLAST BALL
NEAR THE INDIVIDUAL TO DISRUPT
THEM FROM STABBING OTHERS AND
STOP THAT INDIVIDUAL, SO THAT
IS THE SITUATION WHERE IF
YOU'RE NOT USING A LESS LETHAL
WEAPON TO DISPERSE THE CROWD,
ALTERNATIVELY, ONCE A CROWD HAS
BEEN DECLARED A LEGAL --
ILLEGAL ASSEMBLY, ONCE YOU HAVE
MULTIPLE INDIVIDUALS IN A CROWD
THAT ARE PURSUING VIOLENT
BEHAVIOR OUR PROPERTY
DESTRUCTION, IT IS AT THAT TIME
THAT SPD MAY CALL FOR THE CROWD
TO BE DISPERSED AND THERE'S A
NUMBER OF PROCEDURES THEY HAVE
TO FOLLOW ABOUT ROUTES TO ALLOW
THE CROWD TO LEAVE , MAKING
SURE THAT THERE ARE EASEMENTS
-- ANNOUNCEMENTS AND THE
DEPARTMENT WOULD POTENTIALLY
USE MORE INDISCRIMINATE LESS
LETHAL WEAPONS LIKE PEPPER GAS
. SO THEY WILL GO INTO THOSE
DIFFERENCES , IT IS AN APPROACH
THAT THE INSPECTOR GENERAL
RECOMMENDED AND ALSO ONE THAT
IS AGAIN REFLECTED IN THOSE
VARIOUS BEST PRACTICING
DOCUMENTS. I HOPE THAT ANSWERS
YOUR QUESTION.
>> YES, AND THE SECOND
QUESTION, YOU MENTIONED THE
EVENT REVIEW, THAT WAS
DEFINITELY ONE OF THE
ATTACHMENTS, ONE OF THE FIVE
ATTACHMENTS IN THE UNDERLYING
MEMO , AND THERE WERE 126
RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WERE
INCLUDED IN THAT SENTINELS
EVENT REVIEW RESOURCE . AND YOU
MENTIONED MANY OF THOSE WERE
INCORPORATED INTO THE INTERIM
POLICY . ANY SENSE OF HOW MANY
OF THOSE ULTIMATELY WERE
INCORPORATED INTO THE POLICY ?
>> AS I LOOKED AT THE LIST,
THERE IS A CHECKLIST AT THE
END, NEARLY ALL OF THEM WERE,
IT WAS A MATTER OF SPD AND OIG
COMING TO AGREEMENT ON HOW SOME
OF THEM WERE WORDED, AND IT
APPEARED , AND I'M GOING TO
LET THEM TALK ABOUT ANY
DISCREPANCIES .
>> THAT IS GOOD TO HEAR, THAT
IS SUBSTANTIALLY ALL OF THEM,
SOME MINOR DIFFERENCES WITH
WORDING . SO IN ANY EVENT,
THANK YOU , NO FURTHER
QUESTIONS.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MOORE ?
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR . AND THANK
YOU GREG FOR A VERY THOROUGH
PRESENTATION AND MEMO , I
APPRECIATE EDITING THAT HAS
BEEN PROVIDED, I'M TRYING TO
GRAPPLE WITH WHAT I THINK IS A
PROFOUND AMOUNT OF INFORMATION
AND A LOT OF STUFF IN THE
WEEDS. SO I GUESS I'M JUST
GOING TO PUT MY CARDS ON THE
TABLE INITIALLY. THE IDEA OF
BLAST BALLS IS PROFOUNDLY
GIVING AUTHORITIES UNDER ANY
CIRCUMSTANCE TO USE THEM IS
PROFOUNDLY TROUBLING TO ME. AND
I THINK WE HAVE TO BE VERY
CLEAR THAT THAT AUTHORITY WOULD
BE USED IN A LAST RESORT , AND
IN A FEW REPORTS THAT I WAS
ABLE TO REBUY THE ATTORNEY
GENERAL'S OFFICE, BY SOME OF
THE PROFESSIONAL POLICE
ORGANIZATION , I CAN'T
REMEMBER THE OTHER ONE, THEY
ALL ROUTINELY EXPRESSED SERIOUS
CONCERN ABOUT BLAST BALLS . AND
THERE SEEMS TO BE SOME SORT OF
CONTRADICTORY POSITIONS ABOUT
WHEN THEY WOULD BE USED.
SOMETIMES IT'S SAID WE ARE
GOING TO USE THEM BECAUSE IT IS
THE MOST EFFECTIVE CROWD
DISPERSAL TOOL WE HAVE, AND
OTHER TIMES, IT IS MENTIONED TO
USE THEM TO BASICALLY
INCAPACITATE A PARTACTOR . SO,'
UNCLEAR , FOR WHAT PURPOSE ARE
THEY ACTUALLY GOING TO BE USED
, I THINK WE NEED CLARITY
AROUND THAT. AND THE OTHER
THING THAT I WANTED -- I HAVE
SO MANY QUESTIONS AND I HAVE TO
COME BACK TO YOU WITH THEM, BUT
IN TERMS OF LOOKING AT THE
ORDINANCE THAT WAS PASSED BY
THE LAST COUNSEL THAT WE ARE
BEING ASKED TO REPEAL , THAT
MAYOR DURKAN DID NOT APPROVE
THAT FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS,
BUT YOU VERY HELPFULLY PROVIDED
A CHART THAT SHOWS THE LESS
LETHAL TOOLS THAT WOULD BE
ALLOWED IN THAT ORDINANCE AND
IN THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES IN WHICH
THEY WOULD BE ALLOWED. AND I
WOULD LIKE TO WALK THROUGH THAT
CHART BECAUSE IT SEEMS TO ME
THAT THERE IS ACTUALLY A FAIR
AMOUNT OF OVERLAP AND WE ARE
NOT BEING ASKED TO REPEAL
SOMETHING THAT PROHIBITS THE
USE OF CATEGORICALLY
PROHIBITING THE USE OF LESS
LETHAL WEAPONS, WE ARE BEING
ASKED TO REPEAL SOMETHING THAT
PERHAPS SETS DIFFERENT
PARAMETERS . SO MAYBE YOU COULD
JUST WALK US THROUGH A LITTLE
BIT MORE ABOUT THAT, AND EVEN
IF YOU REFER TO THE CHART
BECAUSE IT SAYS USE OF LESS
LETHAL WEAPONS FOR CROWD
MOVEMENT OR DISPERSAL, THE
CURRENT ORDINANCE THAT HASN'T
BEEN APPROVED BY THE MAYOR
ALLOWS FOR PEPPER SPRAY TEARGAST
NOT CHEMICAL IRRITANTS , PEPPER
SPRAY FOR THE LESS LETHAL
LAUNCHERS, TEARGAS, THE ONE
DIFFERENCE I SEE IS BLAST
BALLS.
>> IF I COULD ASK, IF YOU
WOULDN'T MIND PULLING UP THE
CHART , IN RECOGNITION OF WHAT
YOU SAID COUNCILMEMBER MOORE
ABOUT WEEDS, I'M GOING TO TRY
NOT TO GET TOO MUCH INTO THE
WEEDS , DO YOU BY ANY CHANCE
HAVE THAT CHART AT THE END OF
THE PRESENTATION? YOU MAY NOT.
I WILL SUMMARIZE IT AT A HIGH
LEVEL. I RECOGNIZE WHAT YOU'RE
SAYING, THE ORDINANCE 126422
AND LESS LETHAL WEAPONS
POLICIES , SPD'S INTERIM
POLICY BOTH ESTABLISHED THAT
LESS LETHAL WEAPONS ARE USED
ONLY WHEN CIRCUMSTANCES ARE
OCCURRING, THEY CREATE AN
IMMINENT RISK OF PHYSICAL
INJURY, THE RISK OF INJURY
THROUGH VIOLENT ACTIONS IS
OUTWEIGHING THE RISK OF INJURY
TO BYSTANDERS AND THAT ONLY
PROPERLY TRAINED PERSONNEL
COULD USE THE LESS LETHAL
WEAPONS. THANK YOU . AT A
HIGH-LEVEL, SPD COULD NOT USE
THE DIFFERENCES , SPD COULD NOT
USE THE LAST LESS LETHAL
WEAPONS TO DISPERSE THE CROWD
THAT IS CAUSING PROPERTY DAMAGE
ALONE, THAT IS A LARGE
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE ORIGINAL
ORDINANCE IN THE SPD INTERIM
POLICIES. IT IS ALSO A
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THOSE BEST
PRACTICE DOCUMENTS THAT YOU
NOTED THAT ARE IN MY SLIDESHOW,
ALL OF WHICH SAY THERE IS A
POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT
PROPERTY DAMAGE LIKE A FIRE TO
A BUILDING, THAT IS AN
APPROPRIATE TIME TO USE LESS
LETHAL WEAPONS TO INTERDICT
WITH AN INDIVIDUAL, THE SPD
CANNOT USE LESS LETHAL WEAPONS
TO DISPERSE A CROWD UNTIL 12 OR
MORE INDIVIDUALS ARE CREATING A
VIOLENT PUBLIC DISTURBANCE.
THIS HAS TO DO WITH THE
THRESHOLD BY WHICH SPD WOULD
DETERMINE THAT A CROWD IS TO BE
DISPERSED . THE CURRENT
THRESHOLD IS ONE THAT IS
REFLECTING RCW 'S DEFINITION
OF CRIMINAL MISCHIEF WITH FOUR
VISUALS OR MORE ENGAGING WITH
PROPERTY DESTRUCTION OR
VIOLENCE, THAT IS A THRESHOLD
THAT UNTIL RECENTLY, THE STATE
HAD USED TO DEFINE RIOT . SO IN
TERMS OF DETERMINING A
THRESHOLD , THAT IS ONE THAT
THE STATE HAD USED OBVIOUSLY IN
THE PRIOR COUNSEL OUT ORDINANCE
, THAT IS A DIFFERENT STANDARD
BUT I THINK WHAT YOU ARE GOING
TO HEAR FROM THE DEPARTMENT IS
THAT OVERALL, WHEN THEY ARE
USING IT TO DETERMINE IF A
CROWD SHOULD BE DISPERSED, IT
IS THE TOTALITY OF THE
CIRCUMSTANCES THAT THEY TAKE
INTO ACCOUNT. THERE'S ALSO THE
RESTRICTION AND THE CURRENT
ORDINANCE THAT ONLY S.W.A.T.
MEMBERS CAN USE LESS LETHAL
WEAPONS, I'M SORRY, ORDINANCE
126422 , AND ALSO IT CREATED A
PRIVATE RIGHT OF ACTION SO IF
SOMEBODY WAS INJURED BY MISUSE
OF A LESS LETHAL WEAPON AND BY
THAT I MEAN USE OF LESS LETHAL
WEAPON AGAINST THE ORDINANCE
POLICY, THEN THEY WOULD BE
ENTITLED TO A PRIVATE RIGHT OF
ACTION PURSUANT FOR $10,000.
BUT, I'M NOT GOING TO GO TOO
MUCH INTO THIS CHART BUT WHAT I
WANT TO SAY IS THAT IN MY
WORKGROUP AND REVIEWING BEST
PRACTICES , THE COUNCIL
ORDINANCE IS NOT NECESSARILY IN
ALIGNMENT WITH MANY OF THE BEST
PRACTICES, FOR INSTANCE, THE
COUNCIL ORDINANCE WOULD ALLOW
USE OF 40 MILLIMETER BLUE NOSE
TIPS FOR A CROWD DISPERSAL AND
THAT IS A CASE WHERE YOU ARE
USING A WEAPON THAT IS DESIGNED
FOR INDIVIDUAL INTERDICTION TO
DISPERSE A CROWD AND THAT IS
NOT CONSISTENT WITH BEST
PRACTICES, BEST PRACTICES WOULD
SAY THOSE KINDS OF WEAPONS ARE
USED IN CASES OF EMERGENCY OF
LIFE SAFETY AGAINST AN
INDIVIDUAL NOT TO DISPERSE A
CROWD AND AS CONSISTENT WITH
SPD POLICY. IN THE ORDINANCE
126422 , A PROHIBITION ON BLAST
BALLS, HOWEVER, THE ORDINANCE
DID ALLOW USE OF FLASH-BANGS
AND EFF'S , EXCEPT FOR THEY
DON'T SPLIT IN HALF AND CREATE
THE SAME KIND OF IMPACT
EXPLOSION , IT DOES ALLOW FOR
THE USE OF NDFF'S , SO TRYING
TO SUM UP , SOME OF IT IS NOT
CONSISTENT WITH BEST POLICIES,
SOME OF IT IS MORE RESTRICTIVE
THAN WHAT SPD'S POLICIES ARE
AND SOME OF IT IS LESS
RESTRICTIVE. IT REALLY IS A
MATTER OF GOING THROUGH EACH
SPECIFIC CIRCUMSTANCE AND
FIGURING OUT WHETHER OR NOT IT
IS CONSISTENT WITH BEST
PRACTICES.
>> OKAY, THANK YOU FOR THAT AND
JUST TO CLARIFY ABOUT WHO CAN
USE, SO IS THE COMMUNITY
RESPONSE GROUP DIFFERENT FROM
S.W.A.T. ?
>> YES, THE SPECIAL WEAPONS
TEAM, THE S.W.A.T. TEAM ALL
TRAINED IN USE OF LESS LETHAL
WEAPONS COULD BE DEPLOYED IN
SITUATIONS OF CROWD MANAGEMENT
AND THEY ARE THE ONLY ONES
UNDER THE PREVIOUS COUNCIL
ORDINANCE THAT COULD USE LESS
LETHAL WEAPONS BUT ALSO TRAINED
IN THE USE OF LESS LETHAL
WEAPONS INCONSISTENT WITH THE
DEPARTMENTS CURRENT POLICY IS
THE COMMUNITY RESPONSE GROUP
AND THAT IS THE GROUP THAT
CURRENTLY DOES RESPOND TO CROWD
MANAGEMENT SITUATIONS. SO
AGAIN, IT'S LOOKING AT THE
INDIVIDUAL SITUATIONS OR THE
SPECIFIC SITUATIONS, GIVEN THAT
THE CR G RESPONSE TO CROWD
MANAGEMENT SITUATIONS AND THAT
THEY ARE TRAINED TO USE LESS
LETHAL WEAPONS , IT SEEMS MORE
APPROPRIATE THAT THEY WOULD BE
ALLOWED TO DO THAT WHICH IS NOT
CONTEMPLATED UNDER THIS
ORDINANCE. AND I DON'T IN ANY
WAY MEAN TO SPEAK AGAINST THE
PRIOR COUNSEL THAT DID THIS,
THIS IS A SITUATION WHERE THE
CRG HAS COME MORE INTO ITS OWN
, SO AGAIN, IT IS A SITUATION
BY SITUATION COMPARISON TO SEE
WHAT IS APPROPRIATE NOW.
>> THANK YOU, SO I GUESS MY
THINKING IS , BECAUSE WHAT WE
ARE BEING ASKED TO DO IS TO
REPEAL THAT ENTIRELY AND WE ARE
NOT ASKED TO LOOK AT IT AND GO
THROUGH EACH OF THE DIFFERENCES
THAT YOU HAVE POINTED OUT THAT
ARE PARTICULARLY TROUBLESOME,
LIKE THE DEFINITION OF
REQUIRING 12 VERSUS FOUR POINT
-- FOUR . IT SEEMS THAT WE
COULD TAKE A SCALPEL TO THE
CURRENT ORDINANCE, RATHER THAN
REPEALING IT ENTIRELY AND
BASICALLY JUST SAYING WE ARE
GOING TO RELY ON POLICY. AND
THAT IS JUST MY PARTICULAR
POSITION ABOUT THIS BECAUSE
FRANKLY WE DO NEED TO BE VERY
MUCH IN THE WEEDS OF THIS ISSUE
, THANK YOU TO COUNCILMEMBER
MORALES FOR REQUESTING FROM OUR
OFFICE OF CIVIL RIGHTS, THERE
POSITION AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT
THE PHOTOGRAPHS THAT HAVE BEEN
PROVIDED, THEY ARE DEEPLY
TROUBLING AND I HAVE
PARTICIPATED IN DEMONSTRATIONS,
PARTICULARLY WHEN I TOOK MY
CHILDREN, MY THREE SONS , AND
GOD FORBID WE HAD ONE BAD ACTOR
AT SPD AND ATTEMPTING TO DEAL
WITH THE UTILIZED BLAST BALLS
OR TEARGAS INAPPROPRIATELY ,
AND WE HAVE UNFORTUNATELY SUCH
A POOR TRACK RECORD. AND WE ARE
GOING TO SEE, WHEN TRUMP STARTS
HIS MASS DEPORTATION , IT IS
GOING TO COME HERE AND WE ARE
GOING TO SEE PEOPLE IN OUR
STREETS PROTESTING THAT , AND
WE NEED TO BE VERY CAREFUL AND
THERE WILL BE BAD ACTORS,
THERE'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE
PEOPLE IN THE CROWD AGITATING,
ANARCHISTS IN THE CROWD
AGITATING , SO WE HAVE TO
REALLY GIVE SERIOUS THOUGHT TO
THIS DISCUSSION AND I'M NOT
TRYING TO APPEAR IN THE
INTEGRITY OF THE OFFICERS OUT
THERE, I WOULD NOT WANT TO BE
IN THEIR SHOES . ABSOLUTELY
NOT. BUT, I DO NOT NECESSARILY
THINK THAT IT IS IS APPROPRIATE
FOR US TO SAY THERE ARE CERTAIN
TYPES OF DEVICES THAT ARE
INAPPROPRIATE FOR THE USE OF
CROWD CONTROL WHEN PEOPLE ARE
EXERCISING THEIR FIRST
AMENDMENT RIGHT OR PROTEST IN
ASSEMBLY. AND THE POSITION THAT
SPD DOESN'T LIKE , YOU KNOW,
TEARGAS IS A VIABLE
ALTERNATIVE, SPD DOESN'T LIKE
IT, I APPRECIATE THAT, BUT THEY
DON'T LIKE IT FOR VALID
REASONS. AND THE BLAST BALLS ,
MAYBE THE ONES THAT SPD ARE
CURRENTLY PURCHASING DO NOT
CONTAIN TEARGAS BUT SOME OF
THEM DO . SO, DO WE KNOW FOR
SURE THAT WHAT WE ARE GETTING
DOESN'T CONTAIN SOME LEVEL OF
TEARGAS, THEY CERTAINLY CONTAIN
PEPPER SPRAY WHICH IS A
CHEMICAL IRRITANT . I THINK WE
NEED TO HAVE A VERY HIGH LEVEL
OF THREAT AND VERY CLEAR , WE
NEED TO BE VERY CLEAR, ARE THEY
BEING USED TO DISPERSE A CROWD
OR ARE THEY BEING USED TO
INCAPACITATE A PARTICULAR BAD
ACTOR AND TOO MUCH DISCRETION
HAS BEEN ALLOWED IN THE PAST
AND THAT IS WHY IT IS IMPORTANT
WE REALLY BE IN THE WEEDS AND
ALSO I THINK IF WE ARE LOOKING
AT A CROWD DISPERSAL TOOL LIKE
BLAST BALLS THAT CAN FIND
PEOPLE , THAT CAN CAUSE PEOPLE
TO GO INTO CARDIAC ARREST THREE
TIMES , THAT CAN CAUSE -- IT
CAN COMPLETELY DESTROY
PEOPLE'S LIPS AND JAWS , IF WE
ARE GOING TO AUTHORIZE THE USE
OF THOSE , WHAT I CONSIDER TO
BE MINOR WEAPONS OF WAR AGAINST
OUR OWN CITIZENS , THEN
SOMEBODY AT THE TOP NEEDS TO BE
RESPONSIBLE. RIGHT NOW TEARGAS
, THE MAYOR HAS TO MAKE THAT
DECISION. MAYBE THE MAYOR
SHOULD MAKE THE DECISION ABOUT
TO HAVE THOSE PEOPLE'S EY
PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL AND MENTAL
WELL-BEING AT TOP OF MIND AND
MAKING THAT VERY DIFFICULT
DECISION . I'M NOT MINIMIZING
THE STRUGGLES OF THESE
DECISIONS . BUT, SIMPLY HAVING
IT BE A LIEUTENANT RIGHT NOW,
THERE IS EXCEPTION, THIS COULD
BE IMPLEMENTED BY SERGEANTS AND
ANOTHER DISCUSSION ABOUT MOVING
IT UP THE RANK BUT, EVEN
LIEUTENANTS AND CAPTAINS , I
THINK WE NEED TO HAVE SOME
SERIOUS DISCUSSIONS ABOUT WHO
MAKES THE CALL ON BLAST BALLS.
I WILL GET OFF MY SOAPBOX,
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER
MOORE .
>> THANK YOU CHAIR AND THANK
YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SIT IN
TODAY'S MEETING AND THANK YOU
FOR THE PRESENTATION AND ALSO
TO THOSE WHO CAME OUT TODAY . I
FURTHER SHARE THE CONCERN IN
BLAST BALL USE AS WELL AS
UTILIZATION OF LESS LETHAL
WEAPONS, BUT ALSO BEFORE US IN
THIS BILL IS A MATTER OF
MODIFYING CROWD CONTROL
POLICIES WITHOUT COUNSEL
REVIEW, PROVIDING FLEX ABILITY
TO IMPLEMENT NEW TECHNOLOGIES
SO I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE
HISTORY OF COUNSEL INVOLVEMENT
AND APPROVING THESE
TECHNOLOGIES BECAUSE AT ONE
POINT, BLAST BALLS WERE A NEW
TECHNOLOGY, SO COULD YOU HELP
ME UNDERSTAND ABOUT PREVIOUS
COUNSEL'S ROLE IN APPROVING
LESS LETHAL WEAPONS AND
TECHNOLOGY ?
>> I'M FORTUNATE TO HAVE WITH
ME THE FORMER COUNCIL PRESIDENT
WHO MAY HAVE A BETTER MEMORY ON
IT THAN MINE BUT MY
UNDERSTANDING IS THAT PRIOR TO
ORDINANCE , THE ORDINANCES THAT
CAME ABOUT IN 2020 , THAT
REVIEW WAS EXCLUSIVELY DONE BY
SPD, I DON'T THINK AS NEW
TECHNOLOGIES WERE BROUGHT
FORWARD, THEY WERE BROUGHT FOR
APPROVAL, ARE YOU AWARE OF ANY?
>> ARE YOU REFERRING TO THE
SURVEILLANCE ORDINANCE?
>> NO, NEW TECHNOLOGIES AND
LESS LETHAL WEAPONS, SO WHEN A
BLAST BALL WAS DEVELOPED OR ANY
NEW TECHNOLOGIES, I'M NOT
AWARE THAT THE SPD CAME TO THE
COUNCIL .
>> CHAIR KETTLE, I THINK IT
WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL IF THE
GROUP COULD MAKE ITS
PRESENTATION WHICH MANY OF THE
COMMENTS WILL BE ADDRESSED AND
SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT HAVE
BEEN ASKED WILL BE ADDRESSED BY
OUR TECHNICAL EXPERTS HERE . IF
YOU WANT US TO PROCEED IN THAT
WAY.
>> THE ONE THING FROM THE
ADMINISTRATIVE POINT OF VIEW,
OBVIOUSLY THERE'S A LOT OF
DIFFERENT PIECES TO THIS AND
I'M JUST GOING TO TAKE THE
OPPORTUNITY BEFORE MR. DOSS
FINISHES , HE MENTIONED THE
WORK GROUP, MY TEAM HAS BEEN
WORKING WITH THE VARIOUS
PLAYERS, THE CITY'S
ATTORNEY'S OFFICE HAS BEEN
PARTICIPATING AS WELL SO
THERE'S A LOT OF MOVING PIECES
, WE HAVE THE FEDERAL MONITOR
AND THE JUDGE IS A PART OF THIS
OVERALL DISSENT DECREE PROCESS.
THE POINT I WANT TO MAKE FROM
THE ADMINISTRATIVE POINT OF
VIEW IS THAT IF THERE'S GOING
TO BE ANY AMENDMENTS , THEY
HAVE TO BE DONE SOONER RATHER
THAN LATER, THERE WILL NOT BE
ANY WALKOUT AMENDMENTS FROM
THIS BUILDING BECAUSE EVERY T
NEEDS TO BE CROSSED, AND WE
HAVE A MONTH BEFORE THE NEXT
MEETING, MY RECOMMENDATION IS
IF YOU HAVE ANY PROPOSED
AMENDMENTS TO GET WITH MR. DOSS
PRIOR TO THE RECESS BUT NO
LATER THAN JANUARY 9th, WE
CANNOT HAVE ANYTHING HAPPENING
AFTER JANUARY 9th , THAT REALLY
NEEDS TO HAPPEN BEFOREHAND
BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH
COORDINATION THAT DOES HAVE TO
WORK ON THIS, DUE TO THE FACT
THAT IT HAS OTHER ASPECTS TO IT
RELATED TO THE CONSENT DECREE.
I WILL PUT OUT AN EMAIL AS WELL
BUT I JUST WANTED TO TAKE THIS
POINT AS IT RELATES TO HIS
PRESENTATION AND HIS ROLE IN
THIS PROCESS. WITH THAT WE WILL
MOVE TO THE NEXT PRESENTATION.
>> MR. CHAIR, I MAY HAVE
STEPPED OUT OF MY COMFORT ZONE,
I WAS TRYING TO ANSWER
QUESTIONS BUT I WAS ALSO
ANSWERING QUESTIONS THAT ARE
SPECIFIC TO OPERATIONS SO SPD
I'M GLAD WAS LISTENING AND
PLEASE DO CORRECT ANYTHING OR
OFFER CONTEXT FOR ANYTHING THAT
I SAY. THANK YOU.
>> DEPUTY MAYOR?
>> GOOD MORNING , I'M DEPUTY
MAYOR TIM BURGESS AND WE ARE
HERE TO MAKE A PROPOSAL ON THE
ORDINANCE, FIRST, AS GREG HAS
OBSERVED , NO CITY LAW IS IN
EFFECT TODAY THAT GOVERNS THE
USE OF LESS LETHAL TOOLS IN
CROWD MANAGEMENT ENVIRONMENTS.
THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE INTENDS
TO CHANGE THIS REALITY BY
CLEARLY ESTABLISHING THE VALUES
AND RULES THAT GOVERN USING
LESS LETHAL TOOLS IN CROWD
MANAGEMENT SITUATIONS. TO PUT
IT ANOTHER WAY, THE ORDINANCE
YOU ARE CONSIDERING WILL
ESTABLISH RESTRICTIONS ON WHEN
THESE TOOLS CAN BE USED AND
THESE RESTRICTIONS ARE MORE
SUBSTANTIAL THAN WHAT IS
REQUIRED UNDER STATE STATUTES.
SECOND, CITY ORDINANCES AND
POLICIES MUST BE CONSISTENT SO
THAT THERE'S NO AMBIGUITY
BETWEEN WHAT YOU AND THE MAYOR
ESTABLISHED AS CITY POLICY AND
THE PRACTICES OF OUR POLICE
SERVICE, THE DEPARTMENT WILL
SHARE ITS UPDATED POLICIES WITH
YOU IN THE NEXT DAY OR TWO AND
YOU WILL SEE THAT THEY ARE
CONSISTENT WITH THE PROPOSED
ORDINANCE. FINALLY, ALIGNING
CITY LAW WITH POLICE PRACTICES
AND POLICE POLICIES WILL ALLOW
US TO SEND THESE POLICIES TO
THE FEDERAL MONITOR AND THE
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE FOR THEIR
REVIEW AND THEN TO THE JUDGE
FOR HIS FINAL APPROVAL. JUDGE
ROBILLARD INITIALLY APPROVED
THE CURRENT POLICIES IN 2021
BUT THE SECOND REVIEW IS NEEDED
BECAUSE OF THE CHANGES TO
COMPLY WITH STATE LAW ON THE
USE OF FORCE, THE USE OF
TEARGAS AND CHANGES RECOMMENDED
BY THE INSPECTOR GENERAL .
DIRECTOR WALTON-ANDERSON WILL
SUMMARIZE THE VALUES AND
RESTRICTIONS.
>> THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO
PRESENT WHAT THIS ORDINANCE
DOES . FIRST OF ALL, THIS
ORDINANCE AFFIRMS THE CIVIL
LIBERTIES THAT SEATTLE
RESIDENTS AND ALL THAT COME TO
THE CITY TO DO THE THINGS THAT
ARE MOST IMPORTANT TO US, TO
ENGAGE IN CELEBRATORY
ACTIVITIES, TO GATHER IN LARGE
GROUPS AND BE PART OF AUDIENCES
PARTICULATE -- PARTAKING IN
SPORTING EVENTS AND AFFIRMS THE
RIGHT TO GATHER AND ASSEMBLE TO
EXPRESS OPPOSITION OR DISSENT.
THE FREEDOM THAT EACH
INDIVIDUAL HAS AND THE ABILITY
TO GATHER IN MASSES IS A
FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT AND REQUIRES
THE COMMUNITY TO BE SAFE IN
DOING SO. AND SPD PLAYS A MAJOR
ROLE IN SUPPORTING SAFE
GATHERING SPACES AND WE MUST
CONTINUE TO RECOGNIZE THE
IMPORTANT THAT SPD HAS TO
FACILITATE THOSE CONDITIONS AND
SUPPORT THAT. PART OF ENSURING
SAFETY IS THE WAY IN WHICH SPD
FIRST ENGAGES WITH THOSE
PARTICIPATING IN LARGE GROUPS.
DEMONSTRATIONS OR PROTESTS.
THEY PRIORITIZE FIRST CONTACT
AND AN ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY THAT
IS BASED IN COMMUNICATION AND
DIALOGUE, EACH OFFICER IS
TRAINED IN UTILIZING
DE-ESCALATION STRATEGIES IN
EVERY CROWD MANAGEMENT
SITUATION WHEN IT IS SAFE TO DO
SO AND UTILIZING THESE
DE-ESCALATION TACTICS IS A
FIRST TOOL THAT WILL SET THE
STAGE FOR BETTER OUTCOMES. THIS
ORDINANCE AFFIRMS OUR VALUES
AND PROVIDES TO COUNCILMEMBER
KETTLE'S QUESTION FOR A
HEIGHTENED STANDARD OF USE OF
LESS LETHAL TOOLS , UNLESS
THERE ARE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT
CREATE AN IMMINENT RISK OF
PHYSICAL INJURY AND SIGNIFICANT
PROPERTY DAMAGE . THE ORDINANCE
GOVERNS THE USE OF A CROWD
CONTROL TOOLS AND MANDATES THAT
ANY ACTION TAKEN IS NEEDED AND
OBJECTIVELY REASONABLE AND MUST
BE IN PROPORTION TO THE THREAT.
THESE PROTECTIONS ARE IN FACT
REAL AND THIS ORDINANCE NOT
ONLY INCORPORATES WASHINGTON
STATE'S STRICT REQUIREMENTS
FOR THE USE OF TEARGAS BUT SETS
A HIGHER STHAN THE
STATE LAW, REIMTO LIFE AND A PRN
AND ORDER ISSUED BY OUR
EXECUTIVE OF CIVIL EMERGENCY.
WE REQUIRE INTENSE ONGOING AND
RIGOROUS TRAINING OF OUR
SEATTLE POLICE OFFICERS AND
THIS ORDINANCE REAFFIRMS THAT
EXPECTATION AND MANDATES THAT
POLICE OFFICERS ARE RESTRICTED
TO ONLY USE APPROVED LESS
LETHAL TOOLS IN WHICH THE
COMMAND STAFF THAT IS
DESIGNATED FOR THAT APPROVAL .
WE VALUE OUR COMMITMENT TO
TRANSPARENCY, THAT IS WHY THIS
REQUIRES THE SEATTLE POLICE
DEPARTMENT TO ISSUE AND MAKE
AVAILABLE AN ANNUAL REPORT ON
THE USE AND FREQUENCY OF TOOLS
AND THIS REPORT WILL BE
COMPLETED WITH THE AGENCY THAT
WE HAVE TASKED TO CONDUCT A
SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AND OVERSIGHT
OF SPD'S POLICIES IN THE
OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR
GENERAL. THIS PROPOSED
ORDINANCE ALLOWS SPD TO
INCORPORATE THE EMERGING BEST
PRACTICES REGARDING CROWD
MANAGEMENT AND IN ADDITION IT
CONFIRMS THE CITY'S DEDICATION
AND COMMITMENT TO THE RIGHT TO
ASSEMBLE AND FREE SPEECH
SAFELY.
>> WE ASKED LISA JUDGE TO BE
WITH US TODAY TO SHARE HER
PERSPECTIVE.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON MR. CHAIR AND
COMMITTEE MEMBERS, THANK YOU
FOR LETTING ME BE A PART OF
THIS CONVERSATION, I'VE GOT
SOME REMARKS I WAS ASKED TO
TALK ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF THIS
APPROACH OF REGULATING THE USE
OF THESE TOOLS VERSUS THE
POSSESSION OF SPD , BUT I WANT
TO LAY A LITTLE BIT OF
FOUNDATION FOR WHAT WE ARE
TALKING ABOUT AND COUNCILMEMBER
MOORE , I THINK THAT IS SOME OF
THE WEEDS YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT
HERE AND I THINK THE FACT THAT
WE HAD TWO ORDINANCES
PREVIOUSLY THAT IN SOME WAYS
DIFFER FROM EACH OTHER
HIGHLIGHTS THE PROBLEMATIC
NATURE OF TRYING TO REGULATE
THE POSSESSION OF THESE TOOLS
BY SPD BECAUSE SPD USES LESS
LETHAL WEAPONS IN A VARIETY OF
CIRCUMSTANCES , FOR PEOPLE IN
CRISIS, FOR BARRICADED SUBJECTS
WHO I WANTED, DANGEROUS PEOPLE,
HOSTAGE SITUATIONS. SO WHAT THE
ORDINANCE IS TRYING TO CARVE
OUT IS THIS VERY SMALL SUBSET
IN A CROWD CONTEXT AND EVEN
FURTHER IN A CROWD CONTEXT ONCE
IT IS TURNED INTO A RIOT AND IT
HAS TO BE DISPERSED SO I THINK
IT IS IMPORTANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE
THE CONTEXT IN WHICH WE ARE
TALKING ABOUT THE USE OF THOSE
TOOLS HERE, ALSO IN CROWD
FACILITATION WHICH I THINK IS
THE APPROPRIATE PHILOSOPHY THAT
SPD IS ADOPTING IS, THERE IS
USE OF LESS LETHAL WEAPONS IF
YOU NEED TO DISPERSE A CROWD
THAT HAS INDEED GONE BEYOND
YOUR ABILITY TO CONTROL IN
TERMS OF VIOLENCE AND LIFE
SAFETY CONCERNS . AND THE
ABILITY TO GO IN AND TARGET
SPECIFIC WRONGDOERS WITHIN THE
CROWD AND REMOVE THEM SO
EVERYBODY ELSE CAN CONTINUE TO
DEMONSTRATE AND GATHER IN A
SAFE FASHION AND I THINK SPD
HAS GOTTEN GOOD AT THAT
DIFFERENTIATION BETWEEN THE
TWO. YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT
USING BLAST BALLS AGAINST
PEOPLE , THAT IS NOT AN
APPROPRIATE USE OR RECOGNIZED
USE, IT WOULD BE AREA DENIAL SO
IF YOU ARE TRYING TO MOVE THE
CROWD, YOU ARE CREATING A
BUFFER OR BARRIER BETWEEN
POLICE AND THE CROWD OR
SOMETHING ELSE, WHERE YOU ARE
TRYING TO DENY AREA. SO IF YOU
TAKE AWAY THE ABILITY TO USE
THOSE TOOLS IN A WORST-CASE
SCENARIO, WHAT DO YOU USE
INSTEAD? THAT PUTS SPD IN THE
POSITION OF HAVING TO USE
SOMETHING THAT IS PERHAPS A BIT
MORE ONEROUS BUT I AGREE WITH
YOU , I JUST WANT TO
ACKNOWLEDGE ALL OF THE FOLKS
THAT JOINED US EARLIER TO GIVE
PUBLIC COMMENT, OIG TOOK PUBLIC
SENTIMENT VERY SERIOUSLY WHEN
WE ENGAGED OUR SENTIMENT EVENT
REVIEW AND IT UNDER LIED MANY
OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS WE MADE
BECAUSE WE NEED TO ENSURE THAT
PEOPLE CAN AND
DEMONSTRATE SAFETY . I JUST
WANT TO SAY THAT TAKING THIS
APPROACH ALLOWS SPD TO MAINTAIN
THE CAPABILITY TO ADDRESS
WORST-CASE SCENARIO SITUATIONS
BUT, IT EMPHASIZES
DE-ESCALATION AND OTHER
STRATEGIES TO PREVENT THE NEED
FOR USE OF THOSE TOOLS OF LAST
RESORT, AND I DO BELIEVE BLAST
BALLS AND TEARGAS SHOULD BE
TOOLS OF LAST RESORT WHEN WE'VE
GOT NOTHING ELSE LEFT TO TURN
BACK ON. AND SPD'S PHILOSOPHY,
THEY HAVE TO EMPHASIZE
RELATIONSHIP BUILDING AND
COMMUNICATION BEFORE, DURING
AND AFTER THESE EVENTS. THE
OTHER CENTRAL COMPONENT THAT WE
NEED TO MAKE SURE IS HAPPENING
IS STRONG BACK END
ACCOUNTABILITY, FOR AUTHORIZED
USE OF THESE WEAPONS AND FOR
ENSURING THAT SUCH USE IS
CONSISTENT WITH SPD POLICY AND
COMMUNITY EXPECTATIONS AND ANY
SORT OF USE THAT IS OUTSIDE OF
POLICY OR TRAINING BE DEALT
WITH APPROPRIATELY. IT HAS TO
BE EVENLY APPLIED FOR LINE
OFFICERS USING THOSE WEAPONS
AND FOR COMMANDERS AND
SUPERVISORS WHO ARE AUTHORIZING
THE USE OF THOSE WEAPONS.
STRONG EMPHASIS ON SOUND POLICY
AND TRAINING, ENSURING THAT IS
UNDERPINNED BY APPROPRIATE
PHILOSOPHICAL UNDERSTANDINGS OF
THE RIGHT TO GATHER AND PROTEST
WHILE MAINTAINING LEGITIMACY IN
THE EYES OF THE PUBLIC IN ANY
USE OF FORCE BY THE POLICE IS A
MORE EFFECTIVE APPROACH THAN
SIMPLY REGULATING WHETHER SPD
CAN POSSESS A POTENTIALLY
NECESSARY TOOL. THIS APPROACH
ALLOWS SPD TO RETAIN THAT
CAPACITY FOR HANDLING DISASTER
CIRCUMSTANCES, THAT THREATEN
LIFE SAFETY WHILE EMPHASIZING
INNOVATIONS AND REFORMS THAT
ARE EMERGING OUR UNDERSTANDING
OF HOW CROWDS BEHAVE , AND THAT
KIND OF BEHAVIOR IN WAYS TO
ENSURE THAT YOU CAN PROVIDE
SAFETY DURING CROWD EVENTS. THE
ONE THING THAT I NOTICED IN THE
LANGUAGE OF THE ORDINANCE AS IT
IS PROPOSED BECAUSE THAT'S THE
OPPORTUNITY FOR THE CITY TO SET
EXPECTATIONS FOR OFFICERS , IN
THE COMMUNICATIONS BULLET ABOUT
EMPHASIZING COMMUNICATION AND
RELATIONSHIP BUILDING AND SAYS
IF FEASIBLE. I THINK THAT
SHOULD ALWAYS BE PRIORITIZED.
THERE MAY BE CIRCUMSTANCES
WHERE SPD NEEDS TO USE FORCE,
THEY NEED TO AUTHORIZE FORCE,
THAT DOESN'T REMOVE THE
OBLIGATION THAT THEY ARE STILL
PRIORITIZING COMMUNICATION AND
FACILITATION. SO THOSE ARE MY
REMARKS AT THIS POINT, I WILL
TURN IT BACK OVER TO THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE. THANK YOU.
>> ASSISTANT CHIEF NELSON WILL
LEAD US THROUGH THE CHECKLIST
OR THE PHASES OF ENGAGEMENT
THAT INCIDENT COMMANDERS HE IS
IN A CROWD MANAGEMENT
ENVIRONMENT.
>> THANK YOU DEBBIE MAYER,
CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE
COUNCIL . BEFORE I BEGIN, I
JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT THE
CMSC MEMORIALIZES ARE CHANGE IN
PHILOSOPHY RELATED TO SPD AND
HOW WE ARE APPROACHING
FACILITATING PROTECTIVE
FIRST-PLACE ACTIVITIES. IT
MODELS INTERNATIONAL BEST
PRACTICES AND PRIORITIZING
DIALOGUE WITH EVENT ORGANIZERS
AND THE ENTIRE CROWD AS A
WHOLE, WHEN ADDRESSING
DANGEROUS BEHAVIOR , UNLAWFUL
BEHAVIOR DURING ONE OF THESE
EVENTS. AND IT'S ALSO
IMPORTANT , EACH STEP BUILDS
UPON THE PREVIOUS STEP SO THIS
IS A CONTINUUM , SO AS WE MOVE
THROUGH THE DIFFERENT
PROGRESSIONS, UNDERSTAND THAT
ATTEMPT THAT DE-ESCALATION WILL
STILL CONTINUE, COMMUNICATION
WITH THE CROWD WILL STILL
CONTINUE ALL THE WAY THROUGH
THESE PROCESSES SO IT IS NOT A
CHECKOFF AND NOW GOING TO THE
NEXT STEPS, IT IS A BUILDING
PROCESS. WITH THAT, THE CMSC IS
BROKEN INTO SIX PHASES, AT THE
LOW END OF THE SPECTRUM WE HAVE
PHASE ONE AND THESE ARE EVENTS
THAT ARE TYPICALLY STATIC OR
SMALLER IN SCALE AND DO NOT
REQUIRE ANY POLICE ASSISTANCE.
WE HAVE THESE ALMOST EVERY DAY
IN THE CITY AND THESE REPRESENT
EVENTS, FIRST AMENDMENT
ACTIVITY THAT THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT IS NOT ASSIGNING ANY
RESOURCES TO . WE WILL OFTEN
GIVE THE PRECINCT COMMAND A
HEADS UP, THERE IS A BANNER
DROPPING EVENT HAPPENING OR WE
THINK IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IN
YOUR AREA AROUND THIS TIME,
JUST FOR YOUR AWARENESS AND
THAT IS WHERE WE LEAVE IT. THAT
IS AGAIN, THE LOW-END PHASE ONE
. MOVING UP TO PHASE TWO,
AGAIN, THIS IS LIKELY A LARGER
OR PREPLANNED EVENTS WITH
DESIGNATED ORGANIZATIONS . OUR
PRIMARY RESPONSE IS TO ENSURE
WE HAVE OUR POET OFFICERS,
POLICE OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT
TEAM, THIS IS A TEAM OF
OFFICERS AND SUPERVISORS WHO
HAVE ADDITIONAL TRAINING IN
ENGAGEMENT AND TALKING WITH
COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND HAVE A
VERY HIGH LEVEL UNDERSTANDING
OF OUR CURRENT PHILOSOPHY IN
PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND THEY ALSO
WEAR DIFFERENT UNIFORMS SO THEY
INTEGRATE INTO THE CROWD , THEY
WILL REACH OUT TO COMMUNITY
ORGANIZERS IN ADVANCE OF THE
EVENT AND DURING. SO, THEIR
ROLE IS TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IS
THE INTENT OF THE EVENT, WHAT
DO THEY WANT TO ACCOMPLISH ,
ARE THEY PLANNING TO STAY
STATIC, ARE THEY PLANNING TO
MARCH? ARE THE PEOPLE LOOKING
TO GET ARRESTED, TO MAKE A
POLITICAL SCENE AND SO FORTH.
AS WELL AS PUTTING BOUNDARIES ,
THIS IS ACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOR AND
THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOR
AND ADDITIONALLY, WE WILL HAVE
SOME RESOURCES TO THE CHANGE OF
PHILOSOPHY, PREVIOUSLY, IF
YOU'RE LOOKING AT SPD'S
RESPONSE TO CROWD MANAGEMENT,
YOU HAVE A SWELL OF OFFICERS
JOINING WHATEVER THE
DEMONSTRATION IS, WHICH WE
FOUND IS ALARMING AND ESCALATE
TORY, SO NOW WE HAVE A MUCH
MORE REDUCED FOOTPRINT AT THESE
EVENTS, WE WILL HAVE A COUPLE
FOLKS PUTTING EYES ON AND THE
REMAINDER OF THE RESOURCES
STAGED OUTSIDE OF THE SITE OF
THE COMMUNITY EVENT, BUT CLOSE
ENOUGH TO RESPOND IF NECESSARY
TO PROVIDE PUBLIC SAFETY. MY
GROUP IN THE OPERATIONS CENTER
WILL DEVELOP THE INCIDENT
ACTION PLANS WITH THE
ESTABLISHED CHAIN OF COMMAND,
THE INCIDENT COMMAND'S
RESPONSIBILITY IS TO DEVELOP
THE INCIDENT OBJECTIVES AND
PRIORITIES FOR THAT EVENT WHICH
IS PRESENT IN THE IAP . AND
DETERMINE THE APPROPRIATE LEVEL
OF POLICE RESPONSE. PREVIOUS ,
PRIOR TO ANY TYPE OF
DEPLOYMENT, THERE'S AN
OPERATIONAL PERIOD BRIEFING
DURING WHICH THE INCIDENT
COMMANDER AND DEPUTIES WILL
OUTLINE BEHAVIOR EXPECTATION,
WHAT THEIR INTENT IS, HOW THE
FLOW OF THE DAY AND MAKE SURE
EVERYONE IS AWARE OF THEIR
SPECIFIC ASSIGNMENTS AND ROLE
IN THE OVERALL OPERATIONS AND
THE GOAL IS TO PROVIDE COPIES
SO EVERYBODY HAS AN OPPORTUNITY
TO ASK QUESTIONS AND VERIFY
UNDERSTANDING. MOVING ON .
THREE AND FOUR, PHASE THREE IS
DEFINED AS STARTING TO SEE SOME
ESCALATING BEHAVIOR INSIDE OF
THE CROWD. AND COUNCILMEMBER
MOORE , OUR GOAL IS TO
DIFFERENTIATE CRIMINAL CONDUCT
AND NOT PENALIZE THE CROWD AS A
WHOLE AND WE HAVE DONE A LOT OF
TRAINING, THIS IS FACILITATED
THROUGH OUR POET OFFICERS, WE
ARE GETTING REPORTS FROM THE
CROWD THAT A PERSON IS PUNCHING
PEOPLE OR BREAKING WINDOWS OR
THROWING STUFF OR WHATEVER THAT
IS. OUR INTENT IS TO IDENTIFY
AND ISOLATE AND HOLD THEM
ACCOUNTABLE AND WE WOULD LIKE
YOUR ASSISTANCE IN DOING THAT.
WE RECENTLY HAD A LOT OF REALLY
POSITIVE SUCCESS WITH THIS
STRATEGY, WE'VE HAD FOLKS
WHO'VE HAD INTEGRATION IN
CROWDS WITH THE SUSPECTED
INTENT OF CAUSING MAYHEM OR
DOING BAD ACTS AND THE GROUPS
ARE DOING A VERY GOOD JOB
MANAGING THEMSELVES AND THE
COMMUNITIES ARE THROWING THEM
OUT OF THE ORGANIZATIONS, WHICH
IS REALLY POSITIVE TO SEE, THAT
ELIMINATES OUR NEED FOR
HIGH-LEVEL INTERACTIONS. BUT,
AGAIN, BACK TO OUR RESPONSE ,
WE WILL ATTEMPT TO USE
ORGANIZERS TO MONETARY AND
VOLUNTARY COMPLIANCE, OUTLINE
SPECIFIC BEHAVIORS AND UTILIZE
OUR POET OFFICERS, USING
AMPLIFIED SOUND TO COMMUNICATE
OUR INTENT, THAT WAS ONE OF THE
THINGS WERE OFTEN IN PREVIOUS
DEMONSTRATIONS, WAS THE ONLY
TOOL WE HAD AVAILABLE, THE
INADEQUATE P.A. SYSTEMS , WHICH
WERE NOT ALLOWED ENOUGH AND NOT
CLEAR ENOUGH . AND WHILE WE ARE
TRYING TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE
CROWD THROUGH THESE TOOLS WE
HAD AVAILABLE AT THE TIME, THEY
WERE NOT AN EFFECTIVE RESOURCE.
SO, THE DEPARTMENT HAS ACQUIRED
USE OF LONG-RANGE ACOUSTIC
DEVICES WHICH HAD PREVIOUS
CAPACITY OF BEING WEAPON ICED
-- WEAPONIZED. BUT THEY DO
PROVIDE A VERY CLEAR
DIRECTIONAL ABILITY TO
COMMUNICATE WITH THE CROWD . SO
HOW THIS WORKS , IN CONJUNCTION
WITH IDENTIFYING ISOLATED
CRIMINAL CONDUCT IS WE WILL
WORK WITH THE ORGANIZERS AND
SAY THIS IS REPORTED AND WE ARE
TRYING TO IDENTIFY THIS PERSON.
IF WE IDENTIFY THE PERSON, WE
WILL START TALKING ON THE LRAD
TO THE CROWD AND LET THEM KNOW
OUR INTENT . THERE IS SOMEBODY
IN THE CROWD WHO IS ENGAGED IN
CRIMINAL CONDUCT, WE ARE MOVING
FORWARD TO ARREST THEM, PLEASE
DO NOT INTERFERE WITH OFFICERS,
OUR GOAL IS TO RETURN TO THIS
EVENT AS SOON AS WE CAN. SO WE
ARE BEING THOUGHT PARTNERS AND
COMMUNICATING OUR INTENT SO IT
DOESN'T LOOK LIKE WE ARE GOING
INTO THIS DISPERSED CROWD, THAT
IS NOT OUR INTENT. AND FROM
THERE, WE WILL CONTINUE TO
ASSESS MODULATE RESPONSES AS WE
CONTINUE. ESCALATING UP TO
PHASE FOUR, AGAIN, THIS GOES IN
CONJUNCTION WITH PHASE THREE
BUT WE HAVE ISOLATED UNLAWFUL
BEHAVIOR, INDIVIDUAL BAD ACTS
IN THE CROWD , PROPER
PROTTIVI. HOWEVER,
ISOLATED UNLAWFUL ACTIVITY BY
INDIVIDUALS OR SMALL GROUPS
SHOULD NOT AUTOMATICALLY FORM
THE BASIS FOR DECLARING AN
UNLAWFUL ASSEMBLY, WE ARE
DIFFERENTIATED BY CONTACT. AND
AGAIN , THAT FOLLOWS A VERY
SPECIFIC PROCESS THAT I JUST
DESCRIBED. THE GOAL IS TO
ISOLATE AND ARREST ANY
VIOLATORS . ALL CONTACTS WITH
ANY OF THESE LIMITATIONS WILL
BE CAPTURED ON BODY ONE VIDEO,
AGAIN OUR GOAL IS TO ATTEMPT TO
USE MONITORS TO GAIN VOLUNTARY
COMPLIANCE. AGAIN, THAT COULD
BE IF WE HAVE A BAD ACTOR IN
THE MIDDLE OF A CROWD, THAT IS
NOT THE TIME FOR US TO GO AND
TRY TO HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE SO
WE WILL MONITOR THAT PERSON AND
AS THEY WORK THROUGH THE
FRINGES OF THE GROUP, OR MAYBE
AFTER THE EVENT IS OVER, WE ARE
GOING TO TRY TO PRIORITIZE
THOSE TACTICS TO AGAIN TRY TO
MITIGATE OUR IMPLEMENTATION OF
THE CROWD . ANY FOREST USE
SHOULD BE IN PROPORTION TO THE
ARREST, THESE ARE INDIVIDUAL
OFFICERS MAKING ARRESTS, AND
HAVE ACCESS TO THEIR LESS
LETHAL TOOLS AS PART OF OUR
NORMAL CONTINUE ON. AND IF IT
IS NOT POSSIBLE TO MAKE
ARRESTS, IDENTIFY AND TRACK THE
SUSPECTS FOR LATER ARREST AND
CONTINUE TO MODULATE THESE
BEHAVIOR CHANGES AS WE
CONTINUE. SO THE FIRST FOUR
PHASES DO NOT COVER ANY NEED
FOR USE OF BLAST BALLS OR SES ,
THAT IS ON THE EXTREME END
WHICH WE WILL GET TO IN A
SECOND. AND JUST ANSWER YOUR
QUESTION SPECIFICALLY ON THE
TYPE OF BLAST BALLS WE USE,
CURRENTLY WE HAVE INERT BLAST
BALLS WHICH MAKE A VERY LOUD
BANG AND PRODUCE WHITE SMOKE
AND THERE IS NO CHEMICAL STUFF.
AND ALSO PEPPER BALLS , WE DO
NOT HAVE ANY CS BLAST BALLS,
THAT IS NOT SOMETHING WE HAVE.
AND AGAIN, IT IS IMPORTANT TO
NOTE THAT AS WE TALK ABOUT
CMIC'S , ALL OF THESE ACTIONS
WILL COME AT THE DIRECTION OF
THE INCIDENT COMMANDER . THAT
WILL BE A LIEUTENANT OR HIGHER.
HOW THAT WORKS , BE IT IF
THERE'S ONE LIEUTENANT, IF
THERE IS MORE THAN ONE, WE WILL
HAVE A CAPTAIN ASSIGNED. IF WE
HAVE TWO CAPTAINS, WE WILL HAVE
AN ASSISTANT CHIEF ASSIGNED,
AND SO ON AND SO FORTH, BUT ANY
AUTHORIZATIONS TO USE FORCE ,
TO MOVE THE CROWD WILL BE AT
THE DIRECTION OF THE IC , IF WE
USE THE EXAMPLE AS BLAST BALLS
TO MOVE A CROWD, I AM
RESPONSIBLE FOR DOCUMENTING IT
IN A STATEMENT WHY I MADE THAT
DECISION, WHAT WAS MY
JUSTIFICATION, WHAT WAS MY
UNDERSTANDING, WHAT WAS MY
INTENT . ALL OF THOSE FACTORS,
IN ADDITION TO THE OFFICERS WHO
USE FORCE WRITING INDIVIDUAL
USE OF FORCE STATEMENTS AS
WELL. SO, PHASE FIVE, UNLAWFUL
ASSEMBLY , UNLAWFUL BEHAVIOR
WITHIN A CROWD CANNOT BE
CONTROLLED THROUGH INTERVENTION
STRATEGIES, ASSEMBLIES MAY BE
DISPERSED. AGAIN, WE HAVE
CROSSED OVER FROM THE PLACE
WHERE WE ARE ABLE TO
DIFFERENTIATE AND IDENTIFY
INDIVIDUAL ACTORS IN A CROWD,
SO WE NEED TO ADDRESS THE CROWD
AS A WHOLE. AGAIN, VIOLENT ACTS
BY FOUR OR MORE PERSONS OR
AGAINST SUBSTANTIAL PROPERTY
DAMAGE, SIGNIFICANT TRAFFIC
DISRUPTIONS, MEMBERS -- HARM TO
ITS MEMBERS, AND FOR EXAMPLE
THERE WAS A GROUP THAT WANTED
TO PROTEST ON A FREEWAY OFF
RAMP WEARING ALL BLACK WELL
YOU CAN'T DO THAT BECAUSE YOU
ARE GOING TO GET RUN OVER SO WE
FORCED THEM OFF THE ROAD SO
THAT THEY WOULDN'T INJURE
THEMSELVES OR IN PUBLIC. OTHER
CRIMINAL ACTS IN THE CROWD
CANNOT BE ADDRESSED TO CROWD
INTERVENTION STRATEGIES , SO
OUR RESPONSE IS AGAIN, WHEN
CONSIDERING THE SAFETY MEASURES
IN A CROWD, FORCE MAY BE USED
TO DISPERSE THE CROWD OR
ADDRESS THE VIOLENCE. PRIOR TO
ANY OF THESE ACTIONS, WE ARE
REQUIRED TO GIVE AN ADVISEMENT
TO THE GROUP AND SAY, THIS IS
WHAT IS NOT OKAY ABOUT WHAT IS
HAPPENING RIGHT NOW . THIS IS
OUR INTENT, WE WOULD LIKE YOU
TO DISPERSE, FOLLOWING THE
DISPERSAL ORDER THAT IS
PRESCRIBED IN THE POLICY, WE
ARE GOING TO HIGHLIGHT WHERE WE
WANT THEM TO GO, THERE IS AN
AVENUE OF EGRESS OR EXIT
DIRECTLY BEHIND YOU OR YOUR
LEFT OR RIGHT, WE WILL PROVIDE
THAT DIRECTION. WE WILL
IDENTIFY APPROPRIATE STAGING
AREAS FOR ANY OBSERVERS FROM
THE MEDIA FOLKS, JUST TO MAKE
SURE THERE ARE NOT ANY HARMS .
AND ALSO DESCRIBE WHAT TYPE OF
FORCE WE ARE CONSIDERING. WE
NEED TO MOVE THIS CROWN BECAUSE
OF THIS REASON , WE ARE
ORDERING YOU TO LEAVE, THIS IS
HOW YOU DO THAT. IF YOU DON'T
COMPLY, THIS IS WHAT TOOLS WE
ARE GOING TO BRING AND IT COULD
BE BLAST BALLS OR SO ON AND SO
FORTH. AND AGAIN, CONTINUING TO
ASSESS AND MODULATE RESPONSES
AS BEHAVIOR CHANGES. IF THAT
WARNING DOES IT FOR US , WE ARE
NOT TRYING TO OBSTRUCT THIS,
THEN WE MAY MODULATE THAT DOWN,
THAT IS FINE. WE CAN CONTINUE
COMMUNICATION WITH THE GROUP
AND SO ON AND SO FORTH. MOVING
TO THE FINAL PHASE, IMMEDIATE
LIFE SAFETY, CERTAIN
CIRCUMSTANCES, MANAGEMENT MAY
ESCALATE TO IMMEDIATE ACTION.
SOME EXAMPLES IN THE CMIC, CRY
MEMBERS THROWING MOLOTOV
COCKTAILS OR IF THERE ARE
VEHICLE ATTACKS OR ANYTHING
LIKE THAT. SO AGAIN,
IDENTIFYING THOSE DISPERSAL
ROUTES, UNDERSTANDING THAT THE
USE OF FORCE AUTHORIZATION WILL
COME FROM THE INCIDENT
COMMANDER BUT THAT SHOULD BE
PROPORTIONAL TO THE CROWD . AND
AGAIN, CONTINUING TO ASSESS AND
MODULATE RESPONSES AS BEHAVIOR
CHANGES AND IF WE GET TO THAT
POINT WHERE NOTHING ELSE IS
EFFECTIVE, GLASS BALLS ARE NOT
EFFECTIVE, WE WILL START
TALKING ABOUT THE USE OF CS IF
AUTHORIZED AND THAT IS IN
COMPLIANCE WITH THE CURRENT RCW
IF EVERYTHING ELSE FAILS.
>> I JUST WANTED TO ADD ONE
THING FOR COUNCILS
UNDERSTANDING ABOUT THE
IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNICATION AND
HAVING THE LRAD AND THE ABILITY
TO TELL THE CROWD WHAT IS GOING
ON, THE PRIMARY FACTOR IN
ESCALATING A CROWD TO VIOLENCE
AS A GROUP IS THE PERCEIVED
ILLEGITIMACY OF WHAT THE
OFFICERS ARE DOING IN THAT
CROWD SO, AS NELSON EXPLAINED,
IF YOU ARE COMMUNICATING HERE
IS WHAT WE ARE DOING AND WHY WE
ARE DOING , THAT HAS A DS
GLITTERY EFFECT ON THE CROWD
BECAUSE THEY SAY THEY ARE NOT
JUST GOING TO SHUT US DOWN,
THEY ARE GOING BECAUSE THAT
PERSON IS THROWING A MOLOTOV
COCKTAIL. SO TO THE EXTENT THAT
COMMUNICATION WITHIN THE CROWD
AND TO THE CROWD IS EFFECTIVE,
THAT HAS A STRONG DS GLITTERY
-- DE-ESCALATORY LEGITIMACY, SO
I WANTED TO THROW THAT OUT
THERE, AS WE HAVE SEEN, SINCE
2020, SPD'S ADOPTION OF THIS
APPROACH OF OVER COMMUNICATION
HAS RESULTED IN VERY LITTLE, IF
ANY USE OF FORCE SINCE THEN.
THANK YOU.
>> FINALLY, CHIEF OPERATING
OFFICER, BRIAN MAXEY WILL
SUMMARIZE THE WORKING GROUP AND
SOME OF THE CHANGES THEY HAVE
MADE IN THEIR POLICIES.
>> YES AND THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN
FOR HAVING US, I REALLY
APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR
SPD TO BE AT THE TABLE
DISCUSSING THESE ORDINANCES AND
ALL OF THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN
DONE OVER THE PAST SEVERAL
MONTHS OF ENGAGEMENT WITH
CENTRAL STAFF AND DIRECTLY WITH
MANY OF YOU COUNCILMEMBERS ON
WHAT, WHY, HOW AND TAKING THE
TIME TO UNDERSTAND THIS AND I
APPLAUD THE EFFORT OF THE
COUNCIL TO GET DEEP INTO THE
WEEDS BECAUSE THIS WORK IS
REALLY NUANCED AND IS
MULTILAYERED AND DOES TAKE TIME
TO UNDERSTAND. I REALLY
APPRECIATE THIS ENGAGEMENT. IN
PARTICULAR, THE CENTRAL STAFF
COLLABORATION THAT WE HAVE HAD
OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS HAS
BEEN EXCEPTIONAL AND IN MY
EXPERIENCE, THIS IS A NEW
GOVERNMENTAL APPROACH TO
COLLABORATION THAT IS FAR
DEEPER AND DOES PROVIDE FOR
BETTER UNDERSTANDING SO I WANT
TO THANK THEM FOR THE HARD WORK
WE HAVE DONE BEFORE WE WRITE
THIS TO YOU. OUTSIDE OF THAT
COLLABORATION, THERE HAS BEEN
AN ONGOING MULTIYEAR
COLLABORATION THAT HAS
HAPPENED, IN 2019 , OUR
POLICIES WERE CONSIDERED A
MODEL FOR THE NATION , THEY
WERE APPROVED BY THE FEDERAL
COURT AND THE MONITORING TEAM.
AND, WE THOUGHT WE KNEW WHAT WE
WERE DOING, THEN WE HIT 2020
AND THE RULES CHANGED, WE
WATCHED DEPARTMENTS ACROSS THIS
NATION STRUGGLE WITH THE NEW
COMMUNITY EXPECTATIONS, THE NEW
DEVELOPMENT THAT THE PROTEST
ITSELF WAS ABOUT THE POLICE AND
AT THE POLICE AND WITHOUT GOING
DEEPLY INTO 2020 , THERE WERE
SYSTEMIC LEADERSHIP FAILURES
THAT DECIDED TO PUT SPD
OFFICERS ON LINES FOR 100
STRAIGHT DAYS WORKING 16+ HOURS
PER DAY . THAT WAS NOT A GOOD
SITUATION FOR ANYONE INVOLVED ,
AND CERTAINLY IRONIC TO ME THAT
WE HAVE THE 30 BY 30
PRESENTATION PRIOR TO THIS
BECAUSE ONE OF THE MAJOR
COMPLAINTS I HAVE HEARD FROM
MANY OF OUR OFFICERS WITH
FAMILIES, THEY DIDN'T SEE
THEIR KIDS FOR WEEKS, THEY HAD
TO PUT THEM IN 24-HOUR
CHILDCARE BECAUSE OF WHAT THE
CITY COMPELLED SPD TO DO DURING
2020, NONE OF THAT IS TO
SUGGEST SPD DID NOT HAVE
MISSTEPS OF ITS OWN. CERTAINLY
THERE WERE MANY ERRORS AND I
THINK WE KNOW MANY OF THOSE
STORIES. AT THE END OF 2020,
SPD WAS ALREADY IN THE PROCESS
OF PIVOTING , REALIZING THIS
WAS NOT WORKING, THERE WERE
MANY CHANGES. AND EVEN AS THOSE
INITIAL ORDINANCES WERE
DEVELOPED, SPD WAS NOT AT THE
TABLE TO HELP INFORM OR DISCUSS
OR DEBATE THOSE PROPOSITIONS.
INSTEAD, I THINK OUR FIRST REAL
ENGAGEMENT WITH THE CITY WAS
THROUGH THE CENTRAL EVENT
REVIEW , IT INVOLVED SPD, IT
INVOLVED COMMUNITY MEMBERS, IT
WAS LED BY THE OFFICE OF
INSPECTOR GENERAL AND AS I
SAID, IT WAS MULTIYEAR SO THERE
WERE FIVE PHASES TO THIS THAT
WERE MANY MONTHS OF DISCUSSIONS
AND THOSE DISCUSSIONS CAME BACK
THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT, WE WERE
ALSO LEARNING THROUGH OUR OWN
REVIEW BOARD, LOOKING AT ALL OF
THE OPA FINDINGS THAT WERE
EMERGING DURING THAT TIME AND
WE COMPLETELY REINVENTED CROWD
MANAGEMENT . WE SENT SEVERAL
COHORTS OVER TO EUROPE TO LOOK
AT THE EUROPEAN MODELS. THAT
WAS WITHIN FIFA AND WHAT WE
KNOW IS COMING SOON NEXT YEAR
BUT ALSO JUST LEARN FROM THE
EUROPEAN MODEL, HOW DO THEY
DEAL WITH THESE THINGS? AND
THERE WERE THINGS THAT WERE
REALLY BENEFICIAL AND THINGS WE
COULDN'T IMPLEMENT BECAUSE WE
HAVE A CONSTITUTION AND THEY DO
NOT AND THAT CREATES , I WOULD
SAY WE ARE BETTER FOR IT BUT IT
DEFINITELY CHANGED OUR
APPROACH. WE WENT THROUGH THE
SENTINEL EVENT REVIEW , AND DOJ
CONTINUES TO SEND OTHER
DEPARTMENTS TO US TO LEARN FROM
SOME OF OUR EXPERIENCES AND WE
SHARE NATIONALLY ON LESSONS
LEARNED. I REALIZE IT IS
PROBABLY TOO SOON TO EVER SAY
THAT WAS THEN, THIS IS NOW
REGARDING 2020 AND THAT IS NOT
MY MESSAGE TODAY, MY MESSAGE IS
TO SAY THAT WE HAVE EVOLVED AND
LEARNED A LOT AND THE APPROACH
THAT ASSISTANT CHIEF NELSON
JUST WALKED THROUGH IS VERY
NUANCED, VERY SOPHISTICATED AND
REALLY DOES CENTER THAT
DIALOGUE , LET'S TALK TO THE
PEOPLE THAT WANT TO EXPRESS ,
LET'S FIGURE OUT HOW TO
FACILITATE THEM AND HAVE LOW
IMPACT . AND THAT IS AT THE
FOREFRONT OF ALL OF THE
APPROACHES . SPECIFICALLY
REGARDING THE CENTRAL STAFF
MEMO, AND ONE OF THE REALLY
STRONG BENEFITS OF SUCH A
COLLABORATION, AS ISSUES ARE
RAISED, WE TALK ABOUT THEM, AND
WE SAY OKAY, DOES OUR POLICY
MEET OUR EXPECTATIONS? AND IN
GOING THROUGH THIS CENTRAL
STAFF IDENTIFIED SEVERAL THINGS
WITHIN OUR POLICY THAT WERE
INCONSISTENT WITH OUR PRACTICE,
FOR EXAMPLE, THE SUBSTANTIAL
PROPERTY DAMAGE WAS NOT
ARTICULATED IN OUR POLICIES
PREVIOUSLY. IT WAS IN SOME
SECTIONS, NOT IN OTHERS,
USUALLY TOOLS SPECIFIC. WE
IMPORTED THAT INTO THE CMIC ,
SO THEY CAN CONNECT WITH THIS
ORDINANCE IN A SEAMLESS MANNER
AND THAT WAS BENEFICIAL TO ALL
BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT WE DO THAT
IS NOT WHAT WE SAID WE WOULD DO
AND THAT IS PROBLEMATIC AS ONE
OF THE MAJOR SIGNIFICANT
REASONS WE HAVE PUBLIC FACING
POLICIES IS TO LET OUR
COMMUNITY KNOW EXACTLY WHAT WE
ARE GOING TO DO AND WHY. SO WE
FIXED THAT. AS RECOMMENDATION
NUMBER TWO WAS THE DISPERSAL
ORDERS GIVEN BY OFFICERS THAT
ARE RANKED LIEUTENANT AND ABOVE
, THAT REALLY IS OUR POLICY, WE
REALIZED AS WE HAD IT LAID OUT
IN OUR CROWD MANAGEMENT POLICY,
WE ALLOWED SERGEANTS TO BE
INCIDENT COMMANDERS , THAT DID
NOT RISE TO THE LEVEL OF CROWD
DISPERSAL. BY THE TIME YOU ARE
DEALING WITH SOMETHING WHERE
YOU ARE MOVING FROM A FOURTH
AMENDMENT INTRUSION INTO A
FIRST AMENDMENT , WHERE YOU ARE
SAYING THIS IS NOW AN UNLAWFUL
ASSEMBLY, WE FULLY AGREE THAT
NEEDS TO BE AT A MUCH HIGHER
LEVEL OF THE DEPARTMENT, WE
WOULD ALLOW SOME FLEXIBILITY,
HOWEVER IN PRACTICE AND IN
REALITY, I CANNOT IMAGINE THAT
WOULD NOT BE A WAY UP THE CHAIN
OF COMMAND BEFORE WE START
ISSUING DISPERSAL ORDERS . I'M
GOING TO SKIP TO NUMBER FOUR
WHICH IS SPD SHOULD CONSIDER
CLARIFYING ITS BLAST BALL
DEPLOYMENT POLICY , AND WHEN
USED FOR CROWD CONTROL
DISPERSAL, OFFICER SHOULD
DEPLOY BLAST BALLS AND EMPTY
SPACES AWAY FROM PEOPLE. THAT
IS PRECISELY WHAT WE HAVE
CHANGED OUR POLICY TO SAY,
OFFICERS WILL DEPLOY THEM INTO
OPEN SPACES WHEN FEASIBLE, THAT
IS WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO, WE
TOOK OUT TOWARDS, OR AWAY , OR
ANYTHING WITH PEOPLE, AND WE
ALSO HAVE CLARIFIED IN THE
DEFINITION OF BLAST BALL IN OUR
POLICY 8.050, WHICH MAKES IT
CLEAR THAT THE BLAST BALL IS A
CROWD DISPERSAL TOOL. IT IS
EXTREMELY RARE THAT THE DEVICE
COULD BE USED ON AN INDIVIDUAL,
IF THAT IS WHAT YOU HAVE IN
YOUR HAND AND THERE IS
SOMETHING THAT IS CATASTROPHIC
THAT IS HAPPENING,
THEORETICALLY IT COULD BE BUT
IT IS NOT WHAT WE TRAINED AND
IT IS NOT THE GO TO TOOL IF
THERE ARE AVAILABLE OPTIONS. TO
BE CLEAR, THIS IS FOR CROWD
DISPERSAL, WE WE ARE AT A LEVEL
5 OR ABOVE AND IT IS NO LONGER
LAWFUL TO BE HERE. THE OTHER
TOOL WE HAVE IS CS, WHICH AS
INDICATED HERE, WE HEARD SOME
OF THE PUBLIC COMMENTERS
TALKING ABOUT BEING IN THEIR
HOMES AND HAVING CS COME INTO
THEIR HOMES, THAT IS THE
PROBLEM, IT IS PERVASIVE, BLAST
BALLS ARE NOT A PERFECT TOOL,
NOBODY LOVES THEM, THEY ARE
LESS INDISCRIMINATE THAN CS AND
THOSE ARE THE TWO VIABLE TOOLS
FOR THIS PURPOSE. AGAIN, THAT
IS THE EXCEPTION, THE PAST FOUR
YEARS , WE HAVE NOT DEPLOYED A
BLAST BALL SINCE OCTOBER 26 OF
2020 AND OUR USE DESCRIBED BY
MEMBERS OF THIS PANEL HAS NOT
BEEN CURTAILED BY LAW. THERE
WAS A STRONG PERCEPTION THAT
THE CURRENT ORDINANCES ARE
CONTROLLING SPD'S BEHAVIOR ,
AND WE FOLLOW OUR POLICIES AT
THIS POINT BUT WE HAVE NOT
NEEDED TO RESORT TO CROWD
DISPERSAL, LESS LETHAL TOOLS
VERY MUCH OVER THE LAST FOUR
YEARS SO I JUST ASK THAT THAT
TRACK RECORD BE AT LEAST IN THE
THINKING AS WE CONSIDER WHAT
THE BEST PATH FORWARD IS. JUST
ON THE LAST POINT, NUMBER THREE
, ABOUT MUTUAL AID , WHEN WE
ASK FOR ASSETS TO COME TO SPD
TO SUPPORT US, THERE CAN BE A
VARIETY OF THINGS WE REQUEST,
WE MIGHT GET BIKE OFFICERS FROM
BELLEVUE, WE MIGHT GET A
S.W.A.T. TEAM FROM THE VALLEY
SWAT GROUPS, WE MAY HAVE KANE
COUNTY HELP US AS WELL. THERE
ARE DIFFERENT REQUESTS FOR
DIFFERENT PURPOSES AND WE WOULD
NEVER ALLOW SPD OFFICERS TO
WORK UNDER ANOTHER POLICY, WE
HAVE SEEN THIS UNDER FEDERAL
TASK FORCES, THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT ASKS US TO ALLOW
OFFICERS TO DO PRETAX OPS , WE
SAID NO, THAT IS NOT OUR
POLICY, WE FOLLOW OUR STATE LAW
AND COMMUNITY VALUES . FOR THE
SAME REASON, OTHER DEPARTMENTS
ARE NOT GOING TO FOLLOW OUR
POLICIES , HOWEVER WHAT THEY
ARE GOING TO FOLLOW IS OUR
COMMAND IN CONTROL. THEY MAY
COME TO WORK FOR US, THEY ARE
UNDER OUR SUPERVISION AND THE
DISTINCTION HAS BEEN DRAWN
BETWEEN INDIVIDUAL OFFICER
DISCRETION AND SOMETHING THAT
IS MANAGED AT THE INCIDENT
COMMANDER LEVEL, TWO WAYS WERE
LESS LETHAL TOOLS CAN BE USED.
WHEN WE MAKE A REQUEST, WE ASK
THEM TO ITEMIZE WHAT TOOLS THEY
ARE BRINGING AND CLARIFY WHAT
THE ASSIGNMENT IS GOING TO BE
AND FIGURE OUT THE BEST USE OF
WHATEVER RESOURCE IS COMING TO
US. THOSE DEPARTMENTS WILL
ALWAYS RETAIN THE ABILITY TO
USE LESS LETHAL TOOLS FOR LIFE
AND SAFETY, SELF-DEFENSE , OR
DEFENSE OF OTHERS BUT THEY ARE
NOT GOING TO BE ISSUING
DISPERSAL ORDERS AND THROWING
BLAST BALLS AND TEARGAS WITHOUT
A LOT OF OTHER INVOLVEMENT FROM
COMMAND AND IF IT GETS TO CS
WITH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE. FULLY
UNDERSTAND THE CONCERN ABOUT
MUTUAL AID PARTNERS, THE
RECIPROCAL CONCERN IS --
ANOTHER CONCERN IS THAT WHEN
THE ORDINANCE WAS PASSED IN
2020 AND 2021, OUR PARTNERS
MADE IT CLEAR THEY ARE NOT
COMING TO HELP US AND WE ARE SO
SHORT-STAFFED, WE ARE NOT IN A
POSITION WHERE WE COULD
RESPONSIBLY MANAGE THE CLUB
NEXT YEAR WITHOUT MUTUAL AID
SUPPORT AND WE WILL BE WORKING
WITH OUR PARTNERS IN ADVANCE OF
ALL OF THIS TO GET CLARITY ON
EXPECTATIONS, THEY WILL GET THE
INCIDENT ACTION PLANS AND THEY
WILL BE UNDER OUR COMMAND AND
CONTROL WHEN THAT IS HAPPENING.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT
CLEAR AND I THINK IN THE
COUNCILMEMBER MEMO, GREG DOSS
DID A GOOD JOB OF EXPLAINING
HOW WE THAT AND CONTROL MUTUAL
AID, THAT HOPEFULLY HELPS
INSPIRE CONFIDENCE.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR. THANK YOU
EVERYONE , FROM ALL THE VARIOUS
ELEMENTS FROM THE MAYOR'S
OFFICE, SPD, OIG AND OF COURSE
OUR OWN CENTRAL STAFF , WE ARE
RUNNING LATE, ANY QUESTIONS ,
COUNCILMEMBER MOORE, I SEE YOUR
HAND. AND THANK YOU COUNCIL
PRESIDENT, YES, THE COUNCIL
PRESIDENT JOINED US HERE.
>> I'M SORRY, I DON'T HAVE
ANY QUESTIONS RIGHT NOW, BUT
THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION,
CONTEXT, I APPRECIATE THAT
THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF THOUGHT
PUT INTO THIS , WITH ALL OF THE
ACCOUNTABILITY PARTNERS RUSHING
INTO THE CHANGE , SO I WANT TO
BE VERY CLEAR THAT MY CONCERNS
AND MY QUESTIONS IN NO WAY
EXPRESS AN OPINION THAT I
DON'T THINK THIS HAS BEEN
THOUGHTFULLY AND CAREFULLY
APPROACHED. I JUST DON'T
NECESSARILY AGREE WITH THE
CONCLUSIONS. AND I THINK THAT
IS FAIR, BUT I THINK THE FACT
THAT WE HAVE TAKEN THE TIME TO
TALK ABOUT THIS, WE ARE GOING
TO TAKE THE TIME TO TALK ABOUT
IT, IT IS BEING TALKED ABOUT A
LOT AND SPD HAS TRULY MADE
TREMENDOUS PROGRESS . I WANT TO
ACKNOWLEDGE ALL THE PROGRESS
THAT SPD HAS MADE, AND TO YOUR
POINT, YOU HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING
THIS INTERIM POLICY AND TO DATE
IT HAS BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL AND
THAT SHOWS A GOOD TRACK RECORD
FROM WHICH TO LOOK AT SO IT IS
IMPORTANT TO KEEP THAT IN MIND.
I DID JUST WANT TO SAY THAT I
WILL BE BRINGING AMENDMENTS AND
I ALSO THINK IT IS IMPORTANT ,
I APPRECIATE THAT WE WANT TO
GET OUT OF THE CONSENT DECREE,
I THINK ALL OF US SEE THERE IS
BENEFIT TO GETTING OUT OF THE
CONSENT DECREE, THE JUDGE IS
GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE A
DECISION ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT
THE POLICY OF THIS ORDINANCE
AND THE ATTACHED POLICY
ADDRESSES HIS CONCERNS, EVEN
THOUGH HE MIGHT HAVE APPROVED
THE INTERIM POLICY, I DON'T
KNOW WHERE HE LANDS RIGHT NOW
PARTICULARLY AS THIS IS A
CONDITION TO GET US OUT OF THE
CONSENT DECREE. I KNOW THAT
JUDGE JONES , THAT CASE IS
STILL PENDING AND THERE IS A
RESTRAINING ORDER AND THERE'S
SOME GUIDELINES AROUND WHAT USE
OF FORCE CAN BE USED, WE NEED
TO BE MINDFUL OF THAT AS WELL.
IT CAN BE A FALSE SENSE OF
URGENCY THAT WE HAVE GOT TO GET
THIS DONE SO WE CAN GET THE
CONSENT DECREE LISTED, THERE'S
NO GUARANTEE THAT WHAT WE DO
HERE TODAY IS GOING TO RESULT
IN THE CONSENT DECREE BEING
LIFTED AND I THINK WE CAN USE
THIS OPPORTUNITY TO BE VERY
THOUGHTFUL ABOUT THIS POLICY
GOING FORWARD. JUST MY THOUGHTS
ON THAT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH,
CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU AND YES I DO
EXPECT AMENDMENTS, MY EARLIER
COMMENT WAS RELATED TO THE
TIMING , IT HAS GONE THROUGH
THE BUDGET PROCESS WHAT WE
CANNOT HAVE IS WHAT HAPPENED
WITH THIS TOPIC SO AS I SAID
EARLIER , WE GOT OVER A MONTH
BEFORE THE NEXT MEETING, PLEASE
WORK WITH CENTRAL STAFF, WITH
MR. DOSS AND THIS IS FOR
EVERYBODY. AND IF YOU ARE
WILLING, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY MY
TEAM HAS BEEN WORKING EARLY ON
THIS, AS I MENTIONED, WITH
CENTRAL STAFF AND ALL OF THE
EXECUTIVE SIDE AND THE CITY
ATTORNEY'S OFFICE , SO WE CAN
CONTINUE TO DO THAT AS WELL. I
USUALLY GO FIRST TO VICE CHAIR
BUT SINCE COBEMOORE
WAS THERE, AND CONTINUING FROM
WHERE WE ENDED OFF, VICE CHAIR
, OVER TO YOU.
>> THANK YOU TO SPD AND OIG FOR
YOUR WORK HERE AND SHARING
THESE POLICIES , SOME SPECIFIC
LEARNINGS, BEST PRACTICES,
TRENDS , EMERGING PRACTICES ,
IT IS UP TO US TO DETERMINE
WHETHER THEY ARE TRULY BEST AND
THAT IS FAIR. I WANT TO
DOUBLE-CLICK ON THE CONTRACT OR
THE SPECIFIC TACTIC OF BLAST
BALLS AND FIRST OFF, LET ME
ALSO SAY THANK YOU TO
COUNCILMEMBER MOORE, I
APPRECIATE HER COMMENTS TODAY
AND ESPECIALLY HER EARLIER
COMMENTS RIGHT AFTER THE
PRESENTATION, I WOULD SAY I
GENERALLY AGREE WITH THE
ESSENCE OF EVERYTHING SHE SAID
SO I APPRECIATE YOU BEING
EXPLICIT AND CALLING OUT THE
OPPORTUNITIES HERE , AND I
WOULD ALSO AGREE , FOR EXAMPLE,
THAT I THINK BLAST BALLS SHOULD
BE USED AS A MATTER OF LAST
RESULT WHEN WE ARE TALKING
ABOUT CROWD DISBURSEMENT, AS A
MATTER OF LAST RESORT AND ALSO,
TRICKLING BACK TO THE
OUTSTANDING CENTRAL STAFF
MEMBER HERE, PAGE NINE OF THE
MEMO, THAT VERY FIRST PARAGRAPH
UNDER THE OPTIONS FOR COUNCIL
ACTION, IT TALKS ABOUT THE
IMPORTANCE OF FLEXIBILITY WHICH
I GENERALLY SUPPORT AND THE
SECOND SENTENCE THAT THIS
ORDINANCE WOULD ALLOW SPD TO
ADDRESS CHANGES IN BOTH
AVAILABLE CROWD CONTROL
TECHNOLOGIES AND EMERGING BEST
PRACTICES OR EMERGING TRENDS .
WITHOUT THE DELAY ASSOCIATED
WITH THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS
AND WITHOUT DRAWING THE COUNSEL
INTO TECHNICAL RATHER THAN
POLICY LEVEL JUDGMENTS ABOUT
APPROPRIATE TOOLS AND METHODS
AND THAT IS A PROPOSITION THAT
I STRONGLY AGREE WITH AND I
THINK THE SAME CHALLENGE
MANIFESTS ITSELF IN OTHER
POLICY AREAS AND TOPICS
INCLUDING WITH RESPECT TO
POLICING. I DON'T THINK THE
COUNSELOR SHOULD HAVE TO
PERSONALLY REVIEW AND APPROVE
EVERY SINGLE DEPLOYMENT OF
TECHNOLOGY , SUCH AS HOSTAGE
NEGOTIATIONS . BUT IN ANY EVENT
, I SHOULD ALSO SAY I HAVE NOT
YET HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO READ
THE OCR MEMO THAT WAS
CIRCULATED WITH US, OR ME, THIS
MORNING , RIGHT BEFORE THIS
MEETING . BUT I ALSO DID
QUICKLY SCAN IT AND I SAW THE
PICTURES THAT COUNCILMEMBER
MOORE REFERENCED EARLIER THAT
APPEAR TO BE FROM INCIDENTS ALL
ACROSS THE WORLD AND ONE OF
THOSE WAS FROM SEATTLE IT LOOKS
LIKE, AT LEAST ONE THAT I'M
AWARE OF AT A QUICK GLANCE.
BUT, GLASS BALLS ARE VERY
DANGEROUS CROWD DISBURSEMENT
TOOLS AND THEY SHOULD BE AGAIN,
FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, BE
DEPLOYED ON A VERY RARE BASIS
AND IF THERE'S ANY NUMBER OF
AMENDMENTS AND THINGS WE CAN DO
TO ADDRESS THAT, I'M INCLINED
TO ADDRESS THE APPROPRIATE
AUTHORITY THAT CAN AUTHORIZE
THAT KIND OF ACTION, I DON'T
KNOW WHAT THAT IS OFFHAND BUT,
UNDER THE STATE LAW , WHO TOOK
A DEEPER DIVE INTO THIS
SPECIFIC USE OF TEAR GAS , THE
MAYOR HAS TO AUTHORIZE THE USE
OF TEAR GAS BUT HE OR SHE
DOESN'T LITERALLY AUTHORIZE
THE USE OF TEAR GAS, IT MUST
DECLARE A CERTAIN STATE OF
EMERGENCY , WHICH COULD TRIGGER
POTENTIAL HE THE USE OF TEAR
GAS , I THINK THAT PROBABLY
MAKES A FAIR AMOUNT OF SENSE TO
ADD THE USE AND DEPLOYMENT OF
BLAST BALLS TO THAT ANALYSIS .
BUT, A LIEUTENANT IS PROBABLY
NOT THE APPROPRIATE AUTHORIZED
APPROVER FOR SOMETHING OF THIS
POTENTIAL CONSEQUENCE. ON THE
ISSUE OF STATE LEGISLATIVE ,
DEEP DIVING IF YOU WILL, INTO
SPECIFIC METHODS AND TOOLS OF
CROWD CONTROL , THERE IS A LOT
OF , WELL , THERE'S SOME
REGULATION AS I UNDERSTAND,
MAYBE THIS IS A QUESTION FOR
GREG, I DON'T KNOW, BUT IF
ANYONE HAS THOUGHTS, I WOULD
APPRECIATE IT, THERE'S
DEFINITELY SOME STATE
REGULATION THAT GOVERNS THE USE
OF TEAR GAS, INCLUDING WHICH
AUTHORIZES , REQUIRES THE MAYOR
TO DECLARE CERTAIN STATES , IN
ORDER FOR TEARGAS TO BE
DEPLOYED , WHY DO YOU THINK IT
IS THAT THE STATE LEGISLATURE
TOOK UP THIS SPECIFIC TOPIC OF
TEARGAS DEPLOYMENT BUT AS FAR
AS I UNDERSTAND, DIDN'T ALSO
CONSIDER OR ASSESS OR REGULATE
OR PUT ANY GUARDRAILS AROUND
THE USE OF BLAST BALLS OR ANY
OTHER CROWD DISBURSEMENT TOOLS
?
>> THANK YOU, AS I POINTED OUT
EARLIER, IS -- OUR IOG IS THE
EXPERT IN THIS AREA.
>> I DON'T PURPORT TO BE ABLE
TO READ THE MINDS OF
LEGISLATURES BUT, IF I WAS
HAZARDING A SOMEWHAT EDUCATED
GUESS, I WOULD SAY THAT TEARGAS
IS WIDELY INDISCRIMINATE, BUT
THE PARTICULATE NATURE OF IT,
IT IS VERY SMALL CONCEALMENT TO
THE ENVIRONMENT OF A BLAST
BALL, IT IS DISCRETE, IT IS
SOMETHING THAT CAN HAVE A
BOUNCE AND GO IN A DIFFERENT
DIRECTION, AN UNINTENDED
DIRECTION , IN A FAIRLY SHORT
RADIUS, AND THAT IS IT.
TEARGAS, IN THE AREA THAT IT IS
OCCUPIED , THAT IS DENSELY
RESIDENTIAL, IT COULD IMPACT A
VARIETY OF PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT
EVEN PARTICIPATING IN THE FIRST
AMENDMENT EVENTS, SO THAT IS
ONE OF THE PRIMARY REASONS THAT
THERE WERE REGULATIONS BECAUSE
IT COULD IMPACT FOLKS WHO ARE
NOT EVEN ANYWHERE NEAR THE
DEPLOYMENT OF IT. THAT IS MY
BEST GUESS.
>> THAT MAKES SENSE AND I
REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENT
AND EXPERTISE ON THAT. MY
SECOND AND FINAL QUESTION
PERTAINS TO CURRENT DEPLOYMENT
UNDER CURRENT POLICY OF BLAST
BALLS BEFORE WE GET THERE, AND
ENCOURAGED TO LEARN THAT UNDER
THE CURRENT REVISED POLICY , WE
GENERALLY THROW THAT AWAY FROM
PEOPLE , WHICH BEGS THE
QUESTION, WHAT IS A WAY MEAN --
WHAT DOES AWAY MEAN AND HOW IS
THAT KEGLEY DID , AND THE
IMPACT RADIUS OF THAT DEVICE ,
THAT IS A TECHNICAL DISCUSSION
ESPECIALLY WITH OUR TIME
CONSTRAINTS , BUT I HOPE
ADDITIONAL THOUGHT IS GIVEN TO
WHAT THAT MEANS AND WHO IS
INVOLVED IN THE SCENE, FOR
EXAMPLE, YOU HEARD THE SCENARIO
EARLIER OF THE NINE-YEAR-OLD
BEING IMPACTED BY THIS. SO I
THINK THE MERE PRESENCE OF
TENDER AGE KIDS , MAYBE THAT IS
NOT THE BEST DEPLOYMENT OF
THESE KINDS OF THINGS. AND I
THINK CHILDREN IS THE ONE AND
ONLY, UNLIKE ELDERLY AND PEOPLE
WITH DIFFERENT MENTAL ACUITY
AND CAPACITIES, WHERE YOU
CAN'T ALWAYS DISCERN OUT OF
QUICK JUDGMENT, NOR SHOULD
FRONT-LINE OFFICERS BE ABLE TO
MAKE THAT CALL , LIKE IT IS
PRETTY CLEAR , YOU CAN
UNDERSTAND THE MOTIVES AND
INTENSE -- INTENTS, THAT MAYBE
DEPLOYMENT IN FRONT OF A TENDER
AGE INDIVIDUAL IS NOT THE BEST
CASE. BUT, I DIGRESS , CAN YOU
TALK LITTLE BIT MORE, AND I THE
ON THE CHART OF THE RESPONSE IN
THE CROWD ACTION, CAN YOU A
LITTLE MORE SPECIFICALLY