IT IS 9:35 A.M. , JUNE 10th,
2025. I'M ROBERT KETTLE, CHAIR
OF
THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE.
WILL THE COMMITTEE CLERK
PLEASE CALL THE
ROLL.
>> COUNCILMEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH.
COUNCILMEMBER MOORE.
>> PRESENT.
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT
NELSON.
>> PRESENT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SAKA.
CHAIR KETTLE.
>> HERE.
>> THERE ARE THREE MEMBERS
PRESENT.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
SAKA IS EXCUSED, AND
COUNCILMEMBER
HOLLINGSWORTH IS UNTIL SHE
ARRIVES.
THANK YOU.
IF THERE IS NO OBJECTION,
THE AGENDA WILL BE ADOPTED.
HEARING AND SEEING NO OBJECTION,
THE AGENDA IS ADOPTED.
GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE.
FOR I WANTED TO RELAY SOME OF
THE EXPERIENCES I'VE HAD IN
THE LAST WEEK SINCE OUR LAST
MEETING.
GOING OUT IN THE COMMUNITY,
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I DO
OFTEN
IS WALKS, BUT ALSO GO TO
DIFFERENT
LOCATIONS, LIKE A SCHOOL.
THAT'S WHAT I DID LAST WEEK.
AND FOR THE BETTER PART OF
AN HOUR PLUS, HOUR AND A HALF,
YOU
KNOW, WE HAD DOZENS OF
KIDS, HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, AND
THEY
WERE TELLING THEM, US, WHICH
INCLUDED TWO SPD OFFICERS
FROM WEST PRECINCT, SHERIFF FROM
KING
COUNTY, AND ANOTHER KING COUNTY
SHERIFF OFFICER AND THEN
SOME OTHER INDIVIDUALS, AND
WE'RE PART OF A PANEL AND I WAS
AT THE
END OF IT, AND I WAS JUST
THERE TAKING IT IN, AUGMENTING
A LITTLE BIT AT THE END,
BUT LISTENING TO THE
TESTIMONIALS OF
THESE YOUNG PEOPLE.
AND IT WAS INCREDIBLY SAD TO
ME, YOU KNOW.
MOST OF THEM WERE YOUNG WOMEN,
GIRLS, AND THEY WERE
TALKING ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCES
ON THE
BUSES, BECAUSE THIS SCHOOL
HAD TO USE BUSES.
AND, YOU KNOW, THEY
WERE JUNIORS AND SENIORS, BUT
THEY'RE
RECOUNTING THEIR EXPERIENCES
FROM WHEN THEY WERE FRESHMEN AND
SOPHOMORES. AND IT IS HORRIFIC
WHAT
THESE YOUNG WOMEN HAD TO GO
THROUGH.
AND, AGAIN, AND AGAIN AND
AGAIN I WAS HEARING THESE
TESTIMONIALS, THERE WAS
SOME YOUNG MEN TESTIMONY TOO IN
TERMS
OF SOME OF THE THINGS THEY HAD
TO DEAL WITH, LIKE WITH
DRUG DEALERS AT A BUS STOP AND
THE
LIKE. BUT PRIMARILY WOMEN WHO --
YOUNG WOMEN WHO WERE BEING
ACCOSTED
BY MEN, RANGING FROM 20
SOMETHING
AND ONE TESTIMONY SAID
SHE SOMEBODY WAS 60 YEARS OLD.
AND I BRING THIS UP BECAUSE IT
IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR
COUNCILMEMBERS TO GET OUT
IN COMMUNITY AND HEAR THIS
VERBATIM.
IT IS MORE THAN JUST HEARING
THE WORDS.
I'M SITTING THERE AT THIS
PANEL LOOKING AT THESE YOUNG
WOMEN
SPEAKING, AND I
COULD SEE IT IN THEIR VOICE --
IN THEIR
FACES AND HEAR IT IN THEIR
VOICES,
YOU KNOW, THE PAIN, THE TRAUMA
THEY
WENT THROUGH WHEN THEY'RE ON
THE
BUS, WHEN THEY'RE BEING
ACCOSTED
BY SOME YOUNG MAN.
AND I WOULD ARGUE THAT
THE SYSTEM FAILED THEM.
YOU KNOW, WE DID NOT -- WE
KIND OF WENT LIKE THIS WITH OUR
HANDS.
OKAY, WE'RE GOING TO ALLOW
THIS TO HAPPEN ON OUR BUSES IN
KING
COUNTY. KING COUNTY METRO BUSES.
THIS IS A SHARED RESPONSIBILITY,
BY THE WAY.
WE HAVE KING COUNTY SHERIFF
AND BROADER OFFICER REPRESENTED,
WE HAD
SOME OTHER OFFICES REPRESENTED
INCLUDING SPD
WEST PRECINCT AND I THINK WE
NEED
TO SAY THIS, BECAUSE WHEN WE
MAKE
DECISIONS, AND WE KIND OF SAY,
OH, WE'RE GOING TO LET IT
HAPPEN, WE KIND OF FORGET ABOUT
THE COST.
YOU KNOW WHAT THE COSTS ARE?
THE COSTS ARE WHEN YOU'RE
SITTING THERE AND
YOU'RE LISTENING TO THIS YOUNG
WOMAN
GIVE HER TESTIMONY FOR
SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED A YEAR,
TWO, THREE
AGO, THERE ARE COSTS.
I THINK SOMETIMES WE KIND OF
GO LIKE THIS AND WE SAY, HEY, IT
IS ALL RIGHT, IT IS JUST, YOU
KNOW, THIS PERSON HAS GOT THIS
ISSUE, YOU KNOW, ALL THE THINGS
THAT
WE KNOW THAT HAPPEN ON OUR
BUSES.
WE TEND TO GO, OH, FOR
DIFFERENT REASONS.
AND I KNOW MY VICE CHAIR IS
NOT HERE TODAY BECAUSE HE'S
BEEN WORKING TRANSIT SAFETY.
BUT THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT
WE NEED TO BE MINDFUL OF.
I ALSO DID A NEIGHBORHOOD
WALK ON THURSDAY NIGHT AT THIRD
PIKE
AND PINE.
THE RESIDENTS ARE HURTING THERE.
AGAIN, I SAW IT.
SOMETIMES WE GET KIND OF NUMB
AND IT IS JUST THIRD PIKE
AND
PINE. BUT THE STORIES I WAS
GETTING FROM RESIDENTS FROM 3rd
TO
1st AND BACK, THE SAME THING.
DIFFERENT, NOT AS SHOCKING,
NOT AS RIVETING, NOT AS POWERFUL
AS THOSE YOUNG WOMEN, BUT STILL
THE
SAME. TESTIMONY THAT ALL OF US
NEED
TO UNDERSTAND AND UNDERSTAND
WHAT WE DO OR DON'T DO IN THIS
BODY.
AND -- BUT I THINK THERE'S
HOPE.
I THINK THERE'S POSSIBILITIES.
YESTERDAY I WAS OUT ON
THE STREETS IN BELLTOWN WITH
CARE,
WITH LEAD AND WE DELIVER
CARE, WORKING THROUGH ISSUES.
AND WHILE THERE, I MET A
NUMBER OF OFFICERS FROM SPD
FROM DIFFERENT UNITS ANDAND
THING I
HAVE ADVANTAGE OR
DISADVANTAGE NOW IS THE OFFICERS
KNOW ME,
SO I CHECKED IN WITH THEM,
THEY CHECK IN WITH ME, GIVING
UPDATES AND THEY'RE WORKING THE
ISSUES. SO I DO WANT TO END ON
A POSITIVE NOTE IN A SENSE OF
THAT ENGAGEMENT WITH
THE POLICE OFFICERS AND ALSO
WITH CARE
AND ALSO LEAD AND WE DELIVER
CARE.
BUT WE DO NEED TO GET OUT AND
ABOUT.
WE NEED TO SEE WHAT'S
HAPPENING ON OUR STREETS.
WE CAN'T JUST BE SOME ACADEMIC
EXERCISE.
FOR THOSE WHO DON'T THINK
ABOUT THESE THINGS, I'LL INVITE
YOU
TO THE NEXT MEETING WHERE THERE
IS GOING TO BE TWO DOZEN
YOUNG WOMEN HAVING THEIR
TESTIMONIALS READ AND/OR SPOKEN
IN THEIR
OWN VOICE BECAUSE IT IS REALLY
POWERFUL.
OKAY, THAT'S IT FOR CHAIR'S
COMMENTS TODAY.
I'LL NOW
OPEN THE HYBRID PUBLIC COMMENT
PERIOD.
CLERK, HOW MANY SPEAKERS
ARE SIGNED UP FOR TODAY?
>> CURRENTLY WE HAVE FIVE
IN PERSON AND FOUR REMOTE.
>> OKAY.
EACH PERSON -- EACH
SPEAKER WILL HAVE
TWO MINUTES, WE'LL START WITH
THE IN PERSON SPEAKERS.
CLERK, CAN
YOU PLEASE READ THE PUBLIC
COMMENT INSTRUCTIONS.
SPEAKERS MICS WILL BE MUTED IF
THEY DON'T END THEIR COMMENT IN
THE ALLOTTED TIME TO ALLOW US TO
CALL ON THE NEXT SPEAKER.
WE'LL BEGIN WITH THE FIRST
SPEAK ON THE LIST.
THE FIRST IN PERSON SPEAKER
IS DR. CHARLIE WALKER III.
>> WHEREVER YOU
WOULD LIKE, MR. WALKER.
RIGHT THERE, PLEASE.
CLERK, COUNCILMEMBER
HOLLINGSWORTH HAS JOINED US.
GOOD MORNING.
THAT ONE IS RESERVED FOR
THE TALL
GUYS. THERE YOU GO.
>> MY NAME IS DR. CHARLIE WALKER
III.
PAST GRAND MASTER FOR THE STATE
OF WASHINGTON AND 17 COUNTRIES.
LONG, LONG AGO, LIKE LAST
MONTH, I WAS IN PHILADELPHIA
WITH MR.
SHON FITZGERALD BARNES
TO RECEIVE AN INVESTITURE OF THE
KNIGHTS, COMMANDERS OF THE CODE
OF HONOR.
HE AND I ARE AMONG THOSE WHO
HAVE SERVED AS MASON.
BECAUSE OF THAT, LESS THAN
2% EVER OBTAIN THE DEGREE OF
33rd
DEGREE. I'M ONE OF THEM.
AND SO IS HE.
I WANT TO YIELD THE BALANCE
OF MY TIME TO GIVE SOME ADVICE
TO
OUR NEW CHIEF, BUT THIS
COMES FROM MY GRANDMOTHER.
SHE WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE
THIRD GRADE.
NOW, I WENT DOWN THE STREET, 13
YEARS, WITH MY DOCTORATE DEGREE,
MAGNA CUM LAUDE, THANK YOU,
LORD, BUT THIS IS WHAT SHE
SAID, BE WHAT YOU IS AND NOT
WHAT
YOU AIN'T BECAUSE IN YOU IS
WHAT
YOU IS THEN YOU AIN'T WHAT YOU
AIN'T.
I YIELD BACK THE REST OF MY
TIME.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR.
WALKER.
CLERK.
>> NEXT UP WE HAVE MARY SIPHERS.
>> HI, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL,
MY NAME IS MARY SIPHERS, THE
REGIONAL DIRECTOR FOR THE
ANTI-DEFAMATION LEAGUE'S
PACIFIC
NORTHWEST OFFICE.
WE'RE AN ORGANIZATION THAT
WAS ESTABLISHED OVER 100 YEARS
AGO, WITH A MISSION THAT TO
FIGHT HATE AND BUILD AN
INCLUSIVE AND
JUST SOCIETY.
AS YOU KNOW, THIS IS A TIME OF
A LOT OF ANXIETY, IN
LACK OF SECURITY FOR THE
JEWISH COMMUNITY AND MANY
VULNERABLE
GROUPS, WHETHER WE SAW
RECENT VIOLENCE IN WASHINGTON,
D.C. ,
OR BOULDER, COLORADO, AND
UNFORTUNATELY MANY INSTANCES OF
HATE- FUELED VIOLENCE
AND TARGETING IN THE SEATTLE
AREA IN
RECENT YEARS.
YOU KNOW, WE AS A COMMUNITY ARE
EXPERIENCING A LOT OF FEAR, YOU
KNOW, ABOUT OUR YOUNG PEOPLE
AND OUR INSTITUTIONS AND OUR
COMMUNITY.
I WANT TO BE HERE TODAY TO
OFFER STRONG SUPPORT FOR
THE CONFIRMATION OF CHIEF SHON
BARNES, WHO I BELIEVE WILL BE
AN EXCELLENT LEADER FOR THE
SEATTLE
CITY COUNCIL. IT IS A TIME WHERE
OBVIOUSLY NEED VERY STRONG
LEADERSHIP
AT THE SEATTLE POLICE
DEPARTMENT.
AND FOLKS WHO ARE WILLING
TO CALL OUT HATE AND ALSO
DEDICATE THEIR RESOURCES TO DO
SO.
I BELIEVE CHIEF SHON BARNES
NOT ONLY TALKS THE TALK, BUT
WALKS THE WALK.
IN THE TIME I'VE GOTTEN TO
KNOW HIM OVER THE LAST COUPLE
OF MONTHS I DEEPLY APPRECIATE
HIS
ACCESSIBILITY, BEING AVAILABLE
WHEN ISSUES OF CONCERN ARISE FOR
OUR COMMUNITY, BEING PRESENT
AT MULTIPLE COMMUNITY
GATHERINGS TO HEAR WHAT'S GOING
ON, AND TO
BE AVAILABLE FOR CERTAIN
REQUESTS AND EFFORTS IN SUPPORT.
AND I THINK HE'S ALSO
SOMEBODY WHO IS REALLY CLEAR
ABOUT HIS
VALUES.
HATE HAS NO PLACE IN SEATTLE
AND WE WANT TO BUILD A
COMMUNITY WHERE PEOPLE FEEL
SAFE,
THEY FEEL THAT THEY BELONG, AND
THEY
FEEL THAT THEY CAN BE FREE TO BE
THEMSELVES.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR
TIME.
>> THANK YOU.
>> NEXT UP WE HAVE
REVEREND
TERRENCE PROCTER. HOPE I GOT
THAT RIGHT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER, CITY OF
SEATTLE, I'M PROUD TO STAND, IT
IS AN HONOR TO STAND
AND SPEAK ON BEHALF OF CHIEF
BARNES. AS A PROUD MEMBER OF
KAPPA ALPHA
SI INCORPORATED, HE'S A
MEMBER SINCE 1996.
I AM SENIOR PASTOR OF THE
CHURCH BY THE SIDE OF THE ROAD
HERE
IN
SEATTLE. CHIEF BARNES IS A MAN
COMMITTED TO COMMUNITY
RELATIONSHIP AND
ONE OF THE MOST OBVIOUS,
HE WASN'T EVEN IN SEATTLE, I
DON'T
KNOW, TWO OR THREE DAYS BEFORE
CONNECTED WITH US, BUILD
RELATIONSHIPS, WE HAD A
SUPER BOWL SOIREE AND I'M NOT
SURE
HE WAS EVEN UNPACKED, BUT
GETTING CONNECTED WITH FOLK IN
THE COMMUNITY TO HEAR HOW
THIS REGION MOVES.
HE'S A HIGHLY
HIS RESUME SPEAKS FOR ITSELF.
ONE OF THE MOST HONORABLE
THINGS, HE'S BEEN REWARDED
FOR HIS COMMUNITY SERVICE.
A LOT OF TIMES LEADERS IS A
POSITION AND SERVICE
IS WHAT THEY DO ON THEIR
PLATFORM.
IN MY EXPERIENCE, SERVICE
IS YOUR POSITION.
LEADERSHIP IS YOUR GIFT
TO COMMUNITY AND I AM HUMBLED
AND HONORED TO STAND ON HIS
BEHALF.
HE'S BEEN DECORATED IN KAPPA,
IN COMMUNITY, EVERY COMMUNITY
WHERE HE'S BEEN ROOTED.
HE'S AN APPROACHABLE LEADER
THAT EXCELS IN ALL ENVIRONMENTS.
AND THAT'S DIFFICULT FOR A LOT
OF PEOPLE TO SAY.
SOMETIMES WHEN FOLKS ARE
OUTSIDE OF THEIR COMFORT ZONE,
IT STANDS
OUT AS A FISH TO WATER.
WHEN YOU HAVE A SERVANT'S
HEART AND LEADERSHIP IS YOUR
GIFT TO
COMMUNITY, YOU CAN STAND
AND LEAD FROM WHEREVER YOU ARE.
SO, I OFFER MY WHOLE HEARTED
SUPPORT AS YOU ALL CONTINUE TO
PROCESS VETTING.
I WOULD LIKE TO BE PROUD
ABOUT THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN
MALE CHIEF POLICE TO THIS GREAT
CITY OF SEATTLE.
WE HAVE A MOTTO, ACHIEVEMENT
IN EVERY FIELD OF HUMAN
ENDEAVOR.
>> THANK YOU, REVEREND.
?
>> NEXT UP, STEVE ROSTELLO.
>> GOOD MORNING.
>> I THINK SEATTLE IS AT A
CROSSROADS.
I THINK THAT WE HAVE
ENDURED POLICE POLICIES IN THIS
CITY THAT ARE NOT EFFECTIVE.
AND ASSAULTS IS JUST ONE OF
THE THINGS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN
DONE
OR HANDLED IN A RESPONSIBLE
MANNER.
AND I HOPE AND I'M NEUTRAL
ON THE NEW CHIEF AT THIS
MOMENT, BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW
WHAT
HIS PLANS ARE, I WOULD LIKE TO
SEE
A RESTORATION OF CHIEF HAVING A
LINE WHERE PEOPLE CAN CALL AND
COMPLAIN. AND KEEP AN ACCURATE
LOOK
OF WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE
POLICE FORCE BECAUSE ALL
POLICING
IS NOT EQUAL.
EVERY POLICE OFFICER IS NOT
EQUAL.
I THINK THE BOOM IN
PRIVATE SECURITY IS SHOWING WHAT
THE REAL PROBLEM IS IN THE CITY.
AND I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE
PLANS TO MOVE FORWARD.
WE USED TO HAVE UNITS THAT
HANDLED SENIORS WHERE YOU
HAVE THE FRAUD AND ALL THINGS
GOING
ON, SEXUAL ASSAULT, USED TO
HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF THINGS THAT
WE DON'T HAVE ANYMORE.
ARE WE GOING TO RESTORE SOME
OF THESE THINGS AND ARE WE GOING
TO
BRING BACK A POLICE FORCE THAT
SERVES THAT MIDDLE 90 SOME
PERCENT.
RIGHT NOW, I DON'T BELIEVE IT
IS.
AND I'M REALLY INTERESTED
TO KNOW WHAT THE CHIEF'S PLANS
ARE BECAUSE RIGHT NOW,
SEATTLE, SINCE COVID, AND SINCE
THE
INCIDENTS AT THE EAST PRECINCT,
HAS REALLY SUFFERED.
AND I THINK IT IS TIME THAT WE
HAVE A POLICE FORCE THAT IS
FUNCTIONAL AND WE DON'T HAVE
TO LEAN NEARLY AS HARD ON
PRIVATE
SECURITY. AND I'M REALLY VERY
INTERESTED TO HEAR WHAT WE CAN
DO.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, MR.
ROSTELLO.
>> AND LAST IN PERSON SPEAKER IS
CHIKUNDI
SALISBURY.
>> GOOD MORNING.
I'M HERE TO SPEAK
WHOLEHEARTEDLY
IN SUPPORT OF CHIEF SHON BARNES.
I KNOW HIM AS A GRADUATE OF
HBCU ELIZABETH CITY STATE
UNIVERSITY.
MORE IMPORTANTLY, I'VE SEEN HIS
IMPACT AS HE'S HIT THE
GROUND RUNNING HERE IN SEATTLE,
WASHINGTON.
HE HAS BECOME -- FASTLY
BECOME THE TYPE OF CHIEF I WOULD
LIKE TO SEE AS A PERSON THAT HAS
BEEN
WORKING IN AND AROUND
POLICE ISSUES FOR THE LAST 25
YEARS
HERE.
AS YOU MAY OR MAY NOT KNOW,
I WAS THE FORMER -- I WAS
THE FORMER MEMBER OF THE
AFRICAN AMERICAN ADVISORY TO THE
CHIEF, CHIEF NORM STAMPER, SO I
HAVE DONE THIS WORK, THIS IS NOT
JUST ME BEING A FAN OF CHIEF
BARNES. I'VE SEEN WHAT WE NEED
IN THIS
COMMUNITY.
AND WE NEED A PERSON WHO IS
ABLE, A CHIEF WHO IS ABLE
TO MAKE TRUE AUTHENTIC
CONNECTIONS
TO COMMUNITY AND INROADS.
I'VE SEEN THE CHIEF IN
DIFFERENT
COMMUNITIES, WALKING
AROUND, TALKING TO PEOPLE,
GETTING
THEIR FEEDBACK, GOING OUT AT
NIGHT
LIFE, RIGHT?
WE NEED A PERSON WHO IS IN
THE DIFFERENT AREAS AND
ACTUALLY SEEING WHAT'S ON THE
GROUND
AS THE SPEAKER BEFORE ME TALKED
ABOUT.
I'M VERY EXCITED TO HAVE A
CHIEF THAT CAN HAVE THE
RIGHT COMBINATION OF COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT, GETTING PEOPLE
INVOLVED.
AND BRINGING DIFFERENT FOLKS
TO THE TABLE.
THOSE COMMUNITY
COUNCILS, BECAUSE IT -- THE
POLICE
CANNOT SOLVE ALL OF OUR PUBLIC
SAFETY
ISSUES.
THE OTHER THING I WOULD LIKE
TO SEE ONCE CONFIRMED IS THAT
THIS COMMITTEE AND THE CITY
COUNCIL ALONG WITH THE MAYOR'S
OFFICE RATIFIES CONTRACTS AND
TOOLS TO
HAVE THE CHIEF TO HAVE
THE AUTHORITY AND THE AUTONOMY
TO
UPLIFT THE GREAT OFFICERS
THAT WE HAVE AND MOVE SOME OF
THE
ONES THAT SEEM LIKE THEY DON'T
REALLY WANT TO WORK
WITH COMMUNITY ALONG THE WAY.
SO, WHOLEHEARTEDLY SUPPORT THE
CHIEF.
AND I CAN'T WAIT FOR THIS
CONFIRMATION.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THE FIRST REMOTE
SPEAKER WE HAVE IS HOWARD GILL.
PLEASE PRESS STAR 6
WHEN YOU HEAR THE PROMPT.
YOU HAVE BEEN UNMUTED.
>> MR. GILL?
>> GOOD MORNING.
HOWARD GILL.
TODAY THIS COMMITTEE
WILL DISCUSS THE CONFIRMATION OF
SHON BARNES AS CHIEF OF POLICE.
WHEN CHIEF BARNES STARTED
130 DAYS AGO, HE SAID, QUOTE,
I SHARE A VISION OF
SAFETY, THRIVING COMMUNITIES AND
A POLICE DEPARTMENT THAT
IS COMMITTED TO
INCLUSIVITY, INNOVATION AND THE
HIGHEST STANDARD OF EXCELLENCE,
UNQUOTE.
JUST DAYS AGO WHEN ANSWERING
COUNCIL QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW HE
WOULD HANDLE THE PROTESTS,
CHIEF BARNES
SAID, QUOTE, POLICE DEPARTMENTS
SHOULD EMPHASIZE A
LESS IS MORE, FIXED LINES
DRESSED IN TACTICAL GEAR TO
SERVE AS A FLASHPOINT
FOR PROTESTERS AND SHOULD
BE MINIMIZED TO THE EXTENT
POSSIBLE, UNQUOTE.
YET WE SEEING SOME RADICALLY
AT ÷÷ODDS
WITH THESE STATEMENTS OVER HIS
BRIEF PERIOD AT THE HELM OF
SPD. WE HAVE WITNESSED TWO
DEEPLY
EMBEDDED CULTURAL CONSTANTS
IN SEATTLE POLICING SHOCKINGLY
REASSERT THEMSELVES.
THE BRUTAL KILLING OF IRVIN
KRRKS,
CA ON MARCH 19th, THE 14th SPD
KILLING IN LESS THAN 14 YEARS
OF A PERSON IN CRISIS WITH ANAN
WEAPON OR NO WEAPON AT ALL
IN THEIR HAND AND THE SPD'S
DISPLAY OF BRUTALITY, BIAS AND
REPEATED FAILURES TO DE-
ESCALATE AT
THE DEMONSTRATIONS ON MAY 24th
AND MAY 27th.
WHY SHOULD POLICE WHO
ARE ALLOWED TO KILL SO EASILY
EXPECT ITS APPROVAL FOR
ASSAULTING PROTESTERS AND
JOURNALISTS?
THE 2015 PRESIDENT'S TASK
FORCE ON 21st CENTURY POLICING
CREATED
IN RESPONSE TO THE 2014
POLICE MURDER OF MICHAEL BROWN
IN
FERGUSON, MISSOURI, NOTED THAT
ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE
EATS POLICY FOR LUNCH AND THAT,
QUOTE, BEHAVIOR IS MORE
LIKELY TO CONFORM TO CULTURE
THAN
RULES.
IN SEATTLE, WE SEE NO
SERIOUS ATTEMPTS TO CHANGE
POLICE
CULTURE.
IT WOULD BE UNFAIR TO EXPECT
CHIEF BARNES TO CHANGE
POLICE CULTURE IN 130 DAYS.
FAILURE TO RESPOND
APPROPRIATELY TO THE RECENT
DISPLAYS OF
DEEPLY EMBEDDED AND DESTRUCTIVE
POLICE CULTURE IS A COMPLETE
FAILURE OF
LEADERSHIP AND -- FOR HOW
THE SPD WILL DEAL WITH
THE INCREASINGLY
HEATED DEMONSTRATIONS UNFOLDING
IN
THE COMING DAYS AND WEEKS.
>> THANK YOU, MR. GILL.
NEXT.
>> NEXT UP WE HAVE ALBERTO
ALVAREZ.
>> THANK YOU.
GOOD MORNING, COUNCILMEMBER
KETTLE. I HAVE A MAJOR CONCERN
ON WHY
THE HATE GROUPS THAT RALLIED
AT CITY HALL ON MAY 27th WERE
ALLOWED TO QUESTION
PEOPLE'S RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION
OR LACK
THEREOF FOR ENTRY.
WHILE THE GROUP MAY HAVE A LEGAL
RIGHT TO PREACH THEIR HATE,
BY THE SAME VIRTUE, ANY
GOVERNMENT CANNOT ENFORCE A
RELIGIOUS TEST
FOR ENTRY ON TO PUBLIC PROPERTY,
ESPECIALLY CITY HALL.
THE CITY GRANTED PUBLIC
RESOURCES, TRAFFIC REROUTES,
AND SPD WAS USED TO ENFORCE THAT
RELIGIOUS EXCLUSION.
ALL IN VIOLATION OF THE FIRST
AMENDMENTS, SEPARATION OF CHURCH
AND STATE.
WHAT OVERSIGHT ACTION
OR ACCOUNTABILITY REVIEW CAN
YOU MAKE TO ENSURE THIS DOES NOT
HAPPEN AGAIN?
THAT IS ALL. THANK YOU AND HAVE
A GOOD DAY.
>> THANK YOU.
>> NEXT UP, B.J. LAST.
>> MY NAME IS B.J. LAST.
I WANT TO FOCUS ON SPD
MISLEADING THE COUNCIL ABOUT
THESE AT THE LAST PUBLIC SAFETY
MEETING.
SPD IMPLIED THESE WERE REQUIRED
TO COMPLY WITH STATE LAW.
THAT IS COMPLETELY FALSE.
RCW 10.116.060.2. D READS IN
FULL, AS SOON AS
PRACTICABLE, AFTER INITIATING A
VEHICULAR
PURSUIT,
THE PURSUING OFFICER SUPERVISING
OFFICER IF
APPLICABLE OR REASONABLE AGENCY
SHALL DEVELOP A PLAN TO END THE
PURSUIT THROUGH THE USE OF
AVAILABLE OPTIONS SUCH AS
THESE PURSUIT INTERVENTION
TECHNIQUES,
DEPLOYMENT OF SPIKE STRIPS
OR OTHER PURSUIT INTERVENTION
TACTIC END. THAT IS IT.
IT SAYS NOTHING ABOUT ACQUIRING
NEW
ITEMS, NOR DOES IT SUGGEST THAT
HAPPENS.
COUNCILMEMBER
NELSON, TO THE QUESTION OF
WHETHER THIS IS A
TIMELINE THAT SPD WAS BEHIND
AND THEY COULD NOT ANSWER, NO,
THERE IS NO TIMELINE BECAUSE IT
HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH
THE ACQUISITION OF NEW
TECHNOLOGY
OR THE ADOPTION OF ANYTHING
DIFFERENT.
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE, TO
YOUR QUESTIONS ABOUT THE LETTER
AND SPIRIT OF THE LAW, THIS
SHOWS THAT THIS IS NOT NEEDED
UNDER
THE LETTER OF THE LAW
AND GOES AGAINST THE SPIRIT OF
THE
LAW BECAUSE THE SPIRIT OF THE
LAW
IMPLIES NOT TO GO OUT AND PURSUE
OTHER TECHNOLOGIES.
AS CAPTAIN BRITT MENTIONED, SPD
WON'T BE CHANGING ITS PURSUIT
POLICY.
IF SPD AND THE COUNCIL WANTED TO
CUT DOWN ON PURSUITS, WHICH
IT ABSOLUTELY SHOULD, INSTEAD
OF INCREASING
SURVEILLANCE, AND THE PURSUIT
ICY WOULD BE GETTING
MODIFIED INSTEAD OF A CHECK FOR
MORE SURVEILLANCE TECHNOLOGY.
ALSO IT IS SAYING THIS IS BEING
CONSIDERED JUST A MATERIAL
UPDATE, EVEN THOUGH IT IS A
BRAND-NEW TECHNOLOGY.
AND THAT IT HAS REALLY
LOCKED THE PUBLIC OUT OF THIS
ENTIRE
PROCESS.
LESS THAN TWO WEEKS TO COMMENT
ON THE PUBLIC MATERIAL
UPDATE AND THERE IS VERY LITTLE
OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO EVEN
LEARN WHAT IS
GOING ON WITH THESE
TECHNOLOGIES.
>> THANK YOU.
>> NEXT UP, DREW BACHELOR.
>> I'M DREW BACHELOR.
I'M ASKING THE COMMITTEE
TO OPPOSE COUNCIL BILL 120994.
A FASCIST AUTHORITARIAN
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS NO LONGER
AN IMPENDING DANGER.
IT IS A REALITY.
IT TOOK THE PEOPLE OF SEATTLE IN
GREAT DANGER.
THEY DETAINED AN AMERICAN --
INNOCENT AMERICAN CITIZEN,
A CITY MAYOR THEY DETAINED A
UNION PRESIDENT, THEY DETAINED
JOURNALISTS, THIS IS NOT
THE TIME TO GIVE THE POLICE
MORE SURVEILLANCE POWER.
JUST LAST WEEK IT WAS
REVEALED THAT LOCAL POLICE
LICENSE
PLATE SCANNERS NATIONWIDE ARE
BEING USED TO TRACK WOMEN
WHO ARE TRAVELING ACROSS STATE
LINES FOR
ABORTION. THE PROPOSED
SURVEILLANCE
TECHNOLOGIES HAVE ENORMOUS
POTENTIAL FOR ABUSE.
THE LIST OF INCIDENTS
WHERE OFFICERS HAVE MISUSED
SYSTEMS FOR PERSONAL VENDETTAS
IS LONG.
OFTEN TO STALK AND ATTACK WOMEN.
IF YOU'RE GOING TO DELIVER
A SPEECH ABOUT YOUR CONCERN FOR
WOMEN, THEN DON'T ENABLE
THEIR ABUSE WITH THIS DANGEROUS
TECHNOLOGY.
GOOGLE 40% OF POLICE.
DESPITE BEING A MATURE
TECHNOLOGY THERE IS NO
EVIDENCE THAT THESE PURSUIT
TRACKERS
REDUCE THE FREQUENCY OF
DANGER IN PURSUITS.
OPPOSE COUNCIL BILL 120994.
>> AND OUR LAST REMOTE
SPEAKER IS DAVID HAINES.
>>
>> MR. HAINES.
>> REJECT -- REJECT SHON
BARNES AS PERMANENT CHIEF.
WE DON'T NEED ANOTHER
GEORGE SOROS JIM CROW LAW
SOUTH AFFIRMATIVE ACTION DUMPING
THEIR AGENDA FOR ANOTHER
MISEDUCATION OF HATE, BLAME SKIN
COLOR, RACE
CARD, LOOKING FOR AN EASIER
PAYDAY.
THIS CITY COUNCIL'S CONFLICT
OF INTEREST AND COWARD
'CAPITULATION TO THE MAYOR'S
BAD POLICIES HAVE EXACERBATED
PUBLIC SAFETY CRISIS AND
IMPAIRED YOUR
JUDGMENT, CONTINUING A THEME
OF PUBLIC SAFETY WHILE
PURPOSEFULLY NOT MAKING THE LAWS
PROPER
AND PURPOSEFULLY NOT PICKING
THE RIGHT TIME OF CRIME
FIGHTING POLICE CHIEF TO
IMPLEMENT IT.
YOU ALL ARE STILL DEALING THE
RACIST VIRTUE SIGNALING
OF HOW MUCH YOU LIKE BLACK
PEOPLE.
WHY IS THE COMMUNITY ABOUT
SAFETY?
BASED ON POLICE CHIEF ABUSE OF
MEDIA, DATA AND
STATISTICS, BASED ON PLACE
MANUFACTURING, PERCEPTIONS OF
SAFETY, DISPERSING
THE EVIL, MISMANAGING THE CRIME-
FIGHTING TOOLS
WHILE PRIORITIZING OVERTIME AT
LAW ABIDING EVENTS, WITH
DEPLOYED
COPS, YET NONDEPLOYABLE DURING
THE CRIME HOT SPOT SHUTDOWN
FOR ANOTHER
UNCONSTITUTIONAL PRIORITY AND
TREASONOUS
POLICY OF FOCUSING ON OVERTIME
AT LAW
ABIDING EVENTS AND ROLLING
THROUGH THE LAW ABIDING
NEIGHBORHOOD, LETTING US
KNOW HOW NICE THE COPS
ARE, DISPERSING WHILE THE CHIEF
IS
DISPERSING THE DRUG PUSHING
GANG BANGERS AROUND THE CORNER
UNTIL THE FEDS SHOW UP AND SAY
WE
NEED YOUR ASSISTANCE, WE NEED
MOBILE CRIME FIGHTERS AND CHIEF
CLAIMS CREDIT FOR IT.
INSTEAD, HE JUST ROLLS UP A
FEW COPS
AND DISPERSES THE OPEN DRUG
MARKET.
LOOK AT ALL THESE
BLACK CRIMINALS IN THE
NEIGHBORHOOD, AND HE DOESN'T
FOCUS ON THEM.
HE FOCUSES ON LAW
ABIDING COMMUNITY ROLLING
THROUGH
THE NEIGHBORHOOD BOTHERING
US LETTING US KNOW HOW NICE HE
IS
AND HOW COOL HE IS AND --
YOU SHOULD REJECT SHON BARNES.
HE'S NOT TRUSTWORTHY.
HE WAS RECHECK THEED REJECTED BY
CHICAGO
BECAUSE HE'S NOT A REAL CRIME
FIGHTER, HE'S A --
>> THANK YOU, MR. HAINES.
>> THERE ARE NO
ADDITIONAL REGISTERED SPEAKERS.
>> THANK YOU, CLERK.
THE PUBLIC COMMENT HAS EXPIRED.
WE WILL NOW PROCEED TO OUR
ITEMS OF BUSINESS.
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ARE
ENCOURAGED TO EITHER
SUBMIT WRITTEN PUBLIC COMMENT ON
THE
SIGNUP CARDS AVAILABLE ON
THE PODIUM OR EMAIL THE COUNCIL
AT
COUNCIL@SEATTLE.GOV.
OKAY.
WILL YOU PLEASE READ ITEM 1
INTO THE RECORD?
>> COUNCIL BILL 120996, AN
ORDINANCE RELATING TO EMERGENCY
MEDICAL SERVICES AUTHORIZING
EXECUTION, PURSUANT TO
INTERLOCAL COOPERATION ACT OF
AN AGREEMENT WITH KING
COUNTY REGARDING THE IMPOSITION
AND
ALLOCATION OF PROPERTY TAX
REVENUES GENERATED BY SIX
YEAR VOTER APPROVED KING COUNTY
WIDE
TAX LEVY FOR EMERGENCY
MEDICAL SERVICES APPROVING THE
SUBMITTAL
BY KING COUNTY OF A PROPOSITION
TO THE VOTERS SEEKING
AUTHORITY TO LEVY THOSE
ADDITIONAL
TAXES AND RATIFYING AND
CONFIRMING
CERTAIN PRIOR ACTS.
>> THANK YOU, CLERK.
THANK YOU, EVERYONE, FOR JOINING
US.
MR. SANTOS, MISS FORD, AND, OF
COURSE, CENTRAL STAFF'S OWN
MISS
BULL. ARE WE GOING TO START
WITH ESSENTIAL STAFF OVERVIEW
FIRST?
>> YES, GOOD MORNING, COMMITTEE
MEMBERS.
THIS MORNING YOUR FIRST AGENDA
ITEM REGARDS THE
EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES LEVY
RENEWAL.
AND COUNCIL BILL 120996 WOULD DO
TWO THINGS.
IT WOULD AUTHORIZE AN
INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE
CITY
OF SEATTLE AND KING COUNTY ON
THE IMPOSITION AND ALLOCATION
OF PROPERTY TAX REVENUES
GENERATED BY THE PROPOSED EMS
LEVY AND
ALSO APPROVE KING
COUNTY SUBMITTAL OF THE BALLOT
MEASURE FOR THE PROPOSED LEVY AT
THE NEXT GENERAL ELECTION
ON NOVEMBER 4th.
AND AS A QUICK SUMMARY, THE LEVY
WOULD BE UP TO AMOUNTS OF 25
CENTS PER THOUSAND
ASSESSED VALUE ON ALL TAXABLE
PROPERTY
WITHIN KING COUNTY.
THE KING COUNTY COLLECTS
THE MONEY ON A COUNTY WIDE BASIS
AND
REMITS THE REVENUE THAT IS
COLLECTED FOR PROPERTY IN
SEATTLE TO THE CITY AND
IT GOES INTO THE GENERAL FUND TO
PAY FOR
THE SEATTLE FIRE DEPARTMENT'S
EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES.
>> THANK YOU.
AND ONE LAST INTRODUCTION,
WOULD YOU LIKE TO INTRODUCE
YOURSELF BEFORE WE GO TO CHIEF
SCOGGINS?
>> MYSELF, YES.
CAN YOU HEAR ME?
YES, FOR THE RECORD, MY NAME
IS MICHELLE PLORDE, THE
EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES
DIVISION DIRECTOR FOR KING
COUNTY.
>> EXCELLENT, THANK YOU.
WELCOME.
>> THANK YOU.
>> CHRIS SANTOS, DIRECTOR OF
FINANCE WITH SEATTLE FIRE
DEPARTMENT.
>> THANK YOU, MR. SANTOS.
AND NOW, WITHOUT FURTHER
, CHIEF
SCOGGINS, WHO I BELIEVE IS ON
WITH US REMOTELY.
>> YES, I
AM. GOOD MORNING.÷÷THANK YOU TO
MICHELLE AND
CHRIS FOR BEING THERE AND
COUNCIL CENTRAL STAFF FOR THAT
EXCELLENT SUMMARY.
I THINK YOU SUMMED UP THE
SLIDES REALLY, REALLY WELL.
I'LL GO THROUGH THEM ANYWAY.
CHAIR KETTLE AND MEMBERS OF
THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE, I
APOLOGIZE I COULDN'T BE THERE
IN
PERSON.
I'M IN WISCONSIN RIGHT
NOW, WE'RE DOING INSPECTIONS ON
NEW FIRE APPARATUS, SO I'LL BE
HERE FOR ANOTHER DAY.
BUT I'LL COVER THIS BRIEFLY.
IF WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE,
PLEASE --
>> CHIEF IF YOU'RE IN
MADISON, PLEASE TELL THE MAYOR
THERE
AND THE COUNCIL AND ANYBODY ELSE
THAT WE CANNOT HAVE A SWAP,
WE CANNOT GIVE YOU UP IN PLACE
OF CHIEF BARNES.
CAN'T HAVE A TRADE HERE.
>> NO, I'M IN APPLETON.
>>
OKAY, GOOD.
>> I FULLY SUPPORT CHIEF
BARNES' CONFIRMATION.
JUST TO ROLL THROUGH THE SLIDES
REALLY QUICK HERE, AS
COUNCIL CENTRAL STAFF CLEARLY
LAID
OUT, THE KING COUNTY EMS LEVY
FIRST BEGAN IN 1979 AND IT WAS
MOST
BY VOTERS
FOR A SIX- YEAR LEVY CYCLE IN
2019. THE LEVY FUNDS ELSE MS
SERVICES ACROSS KING COUNTY AND
THE CITY IS BEING ASKED TO LOCAL
AN
INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT THAT WILL
TRANSFER A PORTION OF REVENUE TO
TAXABLE PROPERTY BE WITH
WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS.
THE KING COUNTY COUNCIL
WILL VOTE IN JULY TO CONSIDER
PLACING A LEVY ON
THE NOVEMBER BALLOT. NEXT SLIDE,
PLEASE.
AND SO IF THIS IS ADOPTED,
2025 OPERATIONS BUDGET
IS APPROXIMATELY $261 MILLION.
APPROXIMATELY 73% OF OPERATIONS
IS EMS RELATED.
THAT'S NOT OUR ENTIRE BUDGET.
THAT'S THE OPERATIONS PORTION
OF OUR BUDGET.
IN 2025, SFD RECEIVED JUST OVER
$64 MILLION FROM THE LEVY,
WHICH IS A SIGNIFICANT PORTION
TO GO
TOWARD COVERING THAT 73%.
THE 2026 ENDORSED
BUDGET ASSUMES THAT THE EMS LEVY
WOULD BE
RENEWED, AND BUDGETED
AVAILABLE GENERAL FUND REVENUES
TO
ADDRESS THE COSTS.
THERE IS NO NEW UNPROGRAMMED
MONEY.
100% OF THE EMS LEVY REVENUE
SUPPORTS THE SFD
EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO, THE MEDIC ONE/EMS TASK
FORCE IS A 20 BODY GROUP
COMPRISING ELECTED AND
APPOINTED OFFICIALS FROM AROUND
THE COUNTY
DEVELOPING THE DETAILS OF
THE LEVY OVER A YEAR OF
MEETINGS, AND I WAS HONORED TO
REPRESENT THE CITY DURING THIS
PROCESS,
AS I DID BACK IN 2018.
THE 2020 TO 2025 LEVY BROUGHT IN
JUST UNDER $400 MILLION AND
THE LEVY RATE WAS JUST OVER 25
CENTS PER $1,000 OF ASSESSED
VALUE.
THE 2026 TO 2031 LEVY
IS ESTIMATED TO BRING
IN APPROXIMATELY $479 MILLION AT
A
25% PER $1,000 ASSESSED VALUE
AS A STARTING POINT.
IT WILL DEPEND ON WHAT
THE PROPERTY VALUES DO OVER THE
NEXT SEVERAL YEARS, THAT RATE
CAN GO
UP OR DOWN.
GENERALLY I THINK WE SEE
THE RATE GO DOWN OVER TIME.
I DO BELIEVE THAT'S THE LAST
SLIDE.
AND BETWEEN MICHELLE AND CHRIS
AND CENTRAL STAFF,
WE'RE
PREPARED TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS
YOU MAY HAVE.
>> THANK YOU.
ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS NOW
FROM THE TABLE BEFORE I GO TO MY
NEXT STEP AS CHAIR?
NO?
OKAY.
COLLEAGUES, AS I MENTIONED LAST
WEEK AND COUNCIL, I
THINK YESTERDAY IN COUNCIL
BRIEFING, NORMALLY WE HAVE TWO
MEETINGS PER TOPIC, BUT THIS IS
UNIQUE BECAUSE OF THE TIMING AND
THE COORDINATION WITH KING
COUNTY COUNCIL IN ORDER TO GET
THIS
ON THE NOVEMBER BALLOT.
SO, THIS IS GOING TO BE
A BRIEFING DISCUSSION AND VOTE
TODAY. AIDED BY THE FACT THAT
THIS
IS PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD AND
IN FACT NOT PRETTY
STRAIGHTFORWARD, VERY
STRAIGHTFORWARD, AND
SO WITH THAT, I MOVE THAT THE
COMMUNITY RECOMMEND PASSAGE
OF BILL 120996.
IS THERE A
SECOND.
>>
SECOND.
>> ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS,
QUESTIONS, FOR CHIEF SCOGGINS
OR THE FOLKS AT THE
TABLE? BY THE WAY, I SHOULD HAVE
NOTED
BEFORE, I GOT SIDE TRACKED
WITH CHIEF BEING IN WISCONSIN,
THAT
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA HAS JOINED
US.
AND COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA.
>> THANK YOU,
CHAIR. I JUST HAVE A QUICK
QUESTION
ABOUT THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT.
IS IT STRICTLY JUST TO TRANSFER
THE MONEY OVER OR OTHER
THINGS INCLUDED IN THE
INTERLOCAL
AGREEMENT?
>>
CORRECT. THAT'S JUST AN
AGREEMENT ON
THE BEHALF OF THE COUNTY THAT
WE WILL TRANSFER THE
MONEY.
>> OKAY.
THANK YOU, CHAIR.
THANK YOU.
>> NORMALLY I WOULD GO TO MY
VICE CHAIR, BUT HE'S NOT HERE
TODAY. COUNCILMEMBER
HOLLINGSWORTH,
VICE CHAIR FOR TODAY FOR ME?
>> THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR,
I APPRECIATE THE HONOR.
>> OKAY.
ANY
QUESTIONS?
>> NO QUESTIONS FROM ME, MR.
CHAIR, THANK YOU.
>> OKAY.
ALL RIGHT, THIS IS
GOING TO BE -- GET US BACK ON
TIME, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE CALL
THE ROLL ON THE
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION TO PASS
COUNCIL
BILL
120996.
>> COUNCILMEMBER
HOLLINGSWORTH.
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER
MOORE.
>> AYE.
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT NELSON.
COUNCILMEMBER SAKA.
AND CHAIR KETTLE.
>> AYE.
>> THERE ARE THREE IN FAVOR
AND NONE OPPOSED.
>> THE MOTION CARRIES AND THE
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
THAT THE BILL IS RECOMMENDED
WILL BE
SENT TO THE JUNE 17th COUNCIL
MEETING.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
APPRECIATE IT.
HAVE A SAFE FLIGHT BACK, CHIEF.
>> THANK YOU.
>> WILL THE CLERK PLEASE CALL --
WILL THE CLERK MOVE TO
OUR SECOND ITEM OF BUSINESS, CAN
YOU READ NUMBER 2 INTO THE
RECORD,
PLEASE.
>> COUNCIL BILL 120994.
AN ORDINANCE RELATING TO
SURVEILLANCE
TECHNOLOGY IMPLEMENTATION
AUTHORIZING APPROVAL OF USES AND
ACCEPTING THE 2025 UPDATED VAEBS
IMPACT REPORT AND 2025 EXECUTIVE
OVERVIEW FOR THE SEATTLE POLICE
DEPARTMENT'S USE OF TRACKING
DEVICES AND RATIFYING
AND CONFIRMING CERTAIN PRIOR
ACTS.
>> THANK YOU FOR JOINING US MR.
JOHNSON FROM CENTRAL STAFF
AND CAPTAIN BRITT.
I'LL READ IT AFTER
THE PRESENTATION.
IN TERMS OF MOVING -- I'LL MOVE
THE BILL AFTER THE INITIAL
PRESENTATION, THANK YOU.
>> I APPRECIATE YOUR
TIME THIS MORNING.
THIS WILL BE AN
ABBREVIATED VERSION OF THE
PRESENTATION
YOU ALL RECEIVED ABOUT TWO WEEKS
AGO IN THE SAME COMMITTEE.
THE REASON WE'RE HERE IS
BECAUSE
WHEN SEEKING NEW TECHNOLOGY,
WE'RE REQUIRED UNDER
ORDINANCE TO COMPLETE A
SURVEILLANCE
RECORD.
THE ORIGINAL S.I.R. FOR
TRACKING DEVICES WAS ADOPTED IN
2023, THAT COVERED OUR ABILITY
TO PLACE COVERT GPS TRACKING
DEVICES SUBJECT TO WARRANT.
NOTHING RELATED
TO THAT S.I.R. IS GOING TO
CHANGE
SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO THE
COVERT TRACKING
DEVICES. WHAT WE ARE SEEKING IS
TO
ADD THE OPPORTUNITY TO
USE TECHNOLOGY SIMILAR TO AND
IN THIS CASE STARCHASE.
WE RECEIVED A $250,000 GRANT TO
FUND PURSUIT
MITIGATION TECHNOLOGY AND OUR
GOAL IS
TO TRY AND USE THAT MONEY
TO PURCHASE STARCHASE.
IN SPEAKING WITH OUR
FRIENDS OVER AT SEATTLE I.T. AND
THE FOLKS THAT WORK IN THE
PRIVACY
OFFICE, IT WAS DETERMINED
THAT AN AMENDMENT TO THE
EXISTING
S.I.R. WAS THE MOST APPROPRIATE
VENUE.
SO WE'RE SEEKING A MATERIAL
UPDATE TO THE S.I.R.
THAT AUTHORIZES TRACKING
DEVICES.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
THE MATERIAL UPDATE
IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE
RCW, TO DEVELOP A PLAN TO END
THE
PURSUIT, THE CALLER THAT
CALLED IN EARLIER IS PARTIALLY
CORRECT.
WHAT WE ARE SEEKING IS AN
OPPORTUNITY TO ADD
ADIPGSAL OPTIONS THAT ALLOW US
TO
CONTINUE OUR LAW
ENFORCEMENT PURPOSE WITHOUT
PUTTING
THE PUBLIC AT RISK IN AN EFFORT
TO
ACTUALLY APPREHEND THE PARTIES
INVOLVED.
THIS SPECIALIZED GPS
TRACKER WOULD ALLOW US TO TRACK
THE PRECISE LOCATION OF A
VEHICLE FOR WHICH PROBABLE CAUSE
OR REASONABLE SUSPICION FOR
THE INVOLVEMENT OF A CRIME HAS
BEEN
ESTABLISHED.
AND ACCOMPLISH THAT TASK
OF RECOVERY OR ARREST WITHOUT
THE NEED FOR INITIATING
OR CONTINUING A VEHICLE PURSUIT.
THE GRANT WOULD ALLOW US TO
PURCHASE
25 GPS TRACKING LAUNCHERS THAT
WOULD BE
ATTACHED TO THE FRONTS OF PATROL
VEHICLES.
WE'LL TRAIN ALL SPD
PERSONNEL FOR THE USE OF THE
TECHNOLOGY, AND IT WILL BE
MONITORED
BY THE REAL CRIME CRIME CENTER
AS
THERE IS INTEGRATION TO THE
PLATFORM
THAT IS USED THERE.
PATROL UNITS CAN MONITOR
THE
TRACKERS IF THE RTCC IS
UNAVAILABLE.
COUPLE OF QUESTIONS FROM
THE LAST SESSION THAT I WANTED
TO MAKE SURE WE ADDRESSED.
THE QUESTION WAS HOW LONG
HAD STARCHASE BEEN IN BUSINESS
AND
SPEAKING WITH THEM, THEY
CAME INTO BUSINESS IN 2011.
THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF
DISCUSSION ABOUT THE
EFFECTIVENESS RATE.
STARCHASE REPORTS THAT THROUGH
2023, NATIONWIDE, THEY REPORT A
92% TAG ADHESION RATE AND
86% APPREHENSION RATE ON
DEPLOYMENT OF THOSE TAGS.
NOW, BECAUSE IT RAINS HERE IN
WASHINGTON, WE HAD INTEREST
IN THE LOCAL NUMBERS.
I ASKED THEM FOR THOSE AS WELL.
THEY REPORTED THAT IN 14
AGENCIES THEY
WERE ABLE TO GATH DATA FROM
APRIL 24 OF APRIL
25, THE SUCCESS RATE IS 52%.
AND THAT'S DUE TO A VARIETY OF
FACTORS.
FOR THE LOCAL REPORT SUCCESS
WAS DEFINED AS ADHESION OF THE
DART TO THE VEHICLE, AND A
SUSPECT
IN CUSTODY.
IT IS INTERESTING TO NOTE
THAT ONE OF THE MORE RECENT
DEPLOYMENTS KING COUNTY SHERIFF
OFFICE'S AT THE TIME WE PULLED
THIS DATA, THEY DEPLOYED
FIVE TIMES AND HAD FIVE
SUCCESSFUL ADHESIONS AND
APPREHENSIONS
ASSOCIATED WITH IT.
SO WE'RE GOING TO LEARN A LOT
FROM TALKING TO OUR FRIENDS
OVER AT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
AND THE METRICS FOR SUCCESS AS
STARCHASE REPORTED, THEY
RECORD ADHESION AND ARREST ARE
THE METRICS MOST USED.
I HAVE AN INCREDIBLE TEAM
OF RESEARCH SCIENTISTS THAT
WORK FOR SPD THAT ARE CAPABLE
OF COMING UP WITH
ADDITIONAL METRICS SO WE'RE
WORKING
WITH OUR PERFORMANCE ANALYTICS
AND
RESEARCH UNIT TO DISCUSS
OTHER METRICS THAT CAN SHOW
WHAT EFFECT THE USE OF STARCHASE
IS HAVING IN A VARIETY OF
CATEGORIES TO
INCLUDE POTENTIALLY SPECIFIC
TYPES
OF CRIMES AND THE
REDUCTION THEREIN AS WELL AS
CONVICTION
RATES ASSOCIATED WITH THOSE
EVENTS.
WE'LL LOOK AT SEVERAL DIFFERENT
FEATURES THERE.
AS ALWAYS, TRYING TO KEEP
IT BRIEF FOR THE MAIN EVENT
FOLLOWING, BUT I WOULD OPEN TO
ANY QUESTIONS YOU ALL MAY HAVE.
>> THANK YOU, CAPTAIN BRITT.
MR. JOHNSON FROM CENTRAL
STAFF.
>> YES, THANK YOU, CHAIR.
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE,
TAMASO JOHNSON, CENTRAL STAFF,
AS CAPTAIN BRITT MENTIONED,
THE ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE
USE
OF TRACKING DEVICES WAS
PREVIOUSLY APPROVED BY COUNCIL
IN FEBRUARY
2023.
THIS ORDINANCE CONCERNS
BOTH COVERT AND NONCOVERT
TRACKING
DEVICES.
THE ORIGINAL ORDINANCE, THAT IS.
THIS MATERIAL UPDATE WOULD
SIMPLY ADD THE ABILITY
TO AUTHORIZE
SPD TO UTILIZE PURSUIT
MITIGATION TRACKERS WHICH ARE A
NONCOVERT TRACKER, WOULD RETAIN
THE PRE- EXISTING ABILITY FOR
SPD TO CONTINUE TO USE
COVERT TRACKING DEVICES.
THE ONLY THING THAT I WOULD ADD
IN ADDITION TO WHAT WAS
SAID EARLIER ABOUT THE SUBSTANCE
OF THIS ORDINANCE IS ON THE
FISCAL
SIDE, AS IT WAS
MENTIONED, THIS -- THE INITIAL
COST OF THIS
TECHNOLOGY WOULD BE BORN
BY GRANTS RECEIVED BY SEATTLE,
THE
STATE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE,
THOSE GRANT FUNDS WERE ACCEPTED
VIA GRANT ACCEPTED ORDINANCE
BY THIS COUNCIL IN NOVEMBER 2024
AT A COST OF $250,000 FOR
THE INITIAL TWO- YEAR PERIOD.
SPD ESTIMATES THAT
MAINTAINING THIS TECHNOLOGY
BEYOND THE
TWO- YEAR INITIAL GRANT
FUNDED PERIOD WOULD COME WITH
A COST OF APPROXIMATELY $37,500
PER YEAR
ONGOING.
THERE ARE NO ADDITIONAL FUNDING
SOURCES, GRANT OR
OTHERWISE, IDENTIFIED TO FUND
THIS
SHOULD THE DEPARTMENT CHOOSE
TO CONTINUE AT
THIS POINT, SO THAT WOULD MEAN
THAT WOULD BE AN
ADDITIONAL GENERAL FUND
OBLIGATION, AND I'M HAPPY TO
ANSWER ANY OTHER QUESTIONS
YOU MAY HAVE.
>> THANK YOU, MR. JOHNSON.
AT THIS POINT, BEFORE ASKING
QUESTIONS, I WANTED TO MOVE
THAT THE COMMITTEE RECOMMEND
PASSAGE OF COUNCIL BILL 120994.
IS THERE A SECOND?
>>
SECOND.
>> THANK YOU.
HONORARY -- TODAY'S VICE CHAIR.
IT IS MOVED AND SECONDED
TO RECOMMEND PASSAGE OF THE
BILL.
ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS, ANY
QUESTIONS?
I USUALLY START WITH MY VICE
CHAIR.
VICE
CHAIR?
>> I DON'T HAVE ANY.
JUST WANT TO THANK MR.
JOHNSON FOR YOUR WORK, CENTRAL
STAFF
AND THEN THANK YOU, CAPTAIN
BRITT,
FOR ALL YOUR WORK AND THEN
BACKGROUND AND INFORMATION
THAT YOU PROVIDED US WITH
THE COMMITTEE AND THEN ALL THE
STUFF
BEHIND THE SCENES AS WELL.
SO THANK
YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>> OKAY.
YOU'RE ON THE DAIS OR UP ABOVE,
REMOTE.
>> I'M NOT SEEING ANY
QUESTIONS.
I JUST WANTED TO FOLLOW UP ON
THE POINTS THAT YOU WERE MAKING.
AND ALSO WE DO LISTEN TO PUBLIC
COMMENT AS WE HEARD THIS
MORNING.
THANK YOU.
ON THESE DIFFERENT THINGS TO
INCLUDE THE GENTLEMAN THAT
WAS TALKING ABOUT THIS PROGRAM.
AND I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT
TO NOTE THAT, A, IN TERMS OF THE
REVIEW AND THE PROCESS, WITH
THE SURVEILLANCE UPDATE PIECE,
THE FACT THAT COMING THROUGH
COUNCIL
FOR THIS APPROVAL, THE FACT
THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT RCW
AND THE
STATE PROGRAM THAT HAS FUNDED
THIS, SO IT IS COMING FROM
STATE ITSELF, OBVIOUSLY A
STATE APPROVED PROGRAM, AND IT
IS
COMING TO US. AND MOST
IMPORTANTLY IS, YOU
KNOW, KEEPING UP WITH, YOU
KNOW, THE DESIRE OF BETTER,
MORE EFFICIENT POLICING.
SAFER.
AND AS SOMEONE WHO IS WORKING IN
COMMUNITY WHEN THERE WAS A
HOST OF PUBLIC SAFETY BILLS,
I REMEMBER MR. JOHNSON, JESSE
JOHNSON, HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES, DOWN IN
OLYMPIA, OVER A NUMBER
OF SESSIONS PASSED A NUMBER
OF PUBLIC SAFETY REFORM BILLS TO
INCLUDE PURSUIT, VERY IMPORTANT.
THE CONCERN WAS THE SAFETY
OF THOSE PURSUIT CHASES.
HERE WE ARE WITH THE POTENTIAL
SOLUTION.
NOW, OBVIOUSLY IT A PILOT,
BUT IT GOES TO THE INTENT OF
ALL THOSE REFORM PACKAGES IN
OLYMPIA IN TERMS OF HOW TO BE
SAFER
AND HOW TO HAVE A MORE
EFFECTIVE POLICING AT THE SAME
TIME.
AND I THINK THIS IS IN KEEPING
WITH THE LAW AND THE SPIRIT
GOING BACK TO THE PUBLIC
COMMENTER.
AND I THINK IT IS IN KEEPING
WITH WHAT THE -- MR.
JOHNSON, FORMERLY OF THE HOUSE
OF
REPRESENTATIVES, AND
OTHERS, DOWN IN OLYMPIA, WERE
TRYING TO
ACCOMPLISH.
SO WITH THAT, I THINK THIS IS
A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO LEVERAGE
A STATE PROGRAM, STATE FUNDING
TO
BASICALLY EFFECTUATE SAFER
PURSUIT. AND KEY IS THE
FUNCTIONING CRIMINAL JUSTICE
SYSTEM AND
THIS IS PART OF THAT.
THANK YOU, CAPTAIN BRITT.
THANK YOU, MR. JOHNSON.
I DON'T SEE ANY MORE QUESTIONS.
ONE LAST CHECK.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE CALL
THE ROLL ON COMMITTEE
RECOMMENDATION
TO PASS COUNCIL BILL
120994.
>> COUNCIL
HOLINGSWORTH.
>>
YES.
>> COUNCIL
MOORE.
>>
AYE.
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT NELSON.
AND CHAIR
KETTLE.
>> AYE.
>> THERE ARE THREE IN FAVOR
AND NONE
OPPOSED.
>> THE MOTION CARRIES
AND RECOMMENDATION WILL PASS AS
--
AS AMENDED PASSED WILL BE
SENT TO THE JUNE 17 th COUNCIL
MEETING.
THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. WE'LL NOW MOVE AS CAPTAIN
BRITT NOTED -- THEY'RE ALL MAIN
EVENTS, TO BE FAIR, BUT TO
OUR THIRD MAIN EVENT, OUR THIRD
ITEM OF BUSINESS, WILL THE
CLERK PLEASE READ ITEM 3 INTO
THE
RECORD.
>> APPOINTMENT
03175, APPOINTMENT OF SHON
FITZGERALD BARNES AS SEATTLE
POLICE CHIEF.
>> WELCOME, CHIEF BARNES.
I BELIEVE OUR -- FROM THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE, CHIEF OF
THE PUBLIC SAFETY
MISS WALTON-ANDERSON WILL BE
JOINING
YOU.
WE HAVE A BRIEFING THAT HAS
BEEN CONFIRMED WITH ME
AND INTRODUCTORY REMARKS.
PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF
FOR THE RECORD, BOTH CHIEF
BARNES AND MISS WALTON-ANDERSON.
>> FOR THE RECORD,
SHON FITZGERALD
BARNES.
>> FOR THE RECORD, NATALIE
WALTON-ANDERSON, WITH THE
MAYOR'S
OFFICE.
>> THANK YOU.
WE'LL START THIS PRESENTATION.
COUNCILMEMBERS, PLEASE HOLD
YOUR QUESTIONS UNTIL AFTER
THIS INTRODUCTION AND
PRESENTATION HAS BEEN COMPLETED.
>> GOOD MORNING.
THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER
KETTLE AND COUNCILMEMBERS
TODAY. I'M HONORED TO BE HERE
TODAY ON
BEHALF OF MAYOR HARRELL --
SORRY. OKAY.
HOW NOW?
GOOD
MORNING, COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE
AND COUNCILMEMBERS.
I'M HONORED TO BE HERE ON
BEHALF
OF MAYOR HARRELL TO
INTRODUCE MAYOR HARRELL'S
NOMINEE FOR
CHIEF OF POLICE FOR THE SEATTLE
POLICE DEPARTMENT. SELECTING A
POLICE CHIEF
WITH STRONG LEADERSHIP AND
DEDICATION TO ENSURE AN
EFFECTIVE
AND EQUITABLE POLICE
DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN A PRIORITY
FOR THE
MAYOR. OUR NEXT LEADER MUST
GUIDE
THE FUTURE OF THE SEATTLE
POLICE DEPARTMENT BY FOCUSING ON
INNOVATION, UTILIZING RESEARCH
AND DATA TO PREVENT CRIME IN
OUR CITY, AND OUR NEXT CHIEF
MUST
ALSO FOCUS -- CONTINUE TO
FOCUS ON PROPER TRAINING AND
THE WELL- BEING OF OUR SWORN
AND CIVILIAN STAFF.
THE STAFF THAT SERVE OUR
DEPARTMENT AND ALSO OUR
COMMUNITIES. OUR NEXT LEADER
MUST ALSO
INVEST TIME IN FOSTERING
DEEP CONNECTIONS AND
RELATIONSHIPS
WITH THE COMMUNITY AND BUILD ON
THE EXISTING PARTNERSHIPS
WHILE CREATING NEW ONES TO
IMPROVE PUBLIC SAFETY AND
FURTHER THE
MAYOR'S ONE SEATTLE
RESTORATION GOAL OF ENSURING
EVERYONE
FEELS AND IS IN FACT SAFE.
SHON F. BARNES EXEMPLIFIES AND
EMBODIES ALL OF THESE
QUALITIES AND CHARACTERISTICS.
OUR CITY IS MORE THAN READY
TO RECEIVE HIS CALIBER
OF LEADERSHIP WHICH COMES FROM
25 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE DEDICATED
TO
POLICE WORK.
PATROL TO COMMAND STAFF AND
HE'S ALSO DIVERSIFIED HIS
EXPERIENCE
IN TERMS OF ACCOUNTABILITY
AS WELL AS HIS PREVIOUS ROLE
AS SERVING AS THE CHIEF.
STARTING HIS CAREER IN -- AS
A TEACHER DEMONSTRATES
HIS PRIORITIZATION OF EDUCATION.
AND I'VE SEEN THAT, THAT'S
A PILLAR IN TERMS OF
HIS LEADERSHIP STYLE AND
HIS CONTINUING COMMITMENT TO
EVOLVING. HIS ONGOING COMMITMENT
TO PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
THROUGH
EDUCATION AND TRAINING IS
A CORNERSTONE OF HIS SUCCESS
AND WHY HE'S BEEN IDENTIFIED AS
THE NATIONAL LEADER IN LAW
ENFORCEMENT.
DURING FIRST FOUR MONTHS OF HIS
APPOINTMENT, HE'S DEDICATED
CONSIDERABLE TIME AND EFFORT
TO MEETING AND HEARING FROM ALL
OF
YOU. AND HEARING ABOUT THE
UNIQUE
AND DIVERSE COMMUNITIES YOU
ALL SERVE AS COUNCILMEMBERS.
HE'S INVESTED TIME IN GETTING
TO
KNOW HIS DEPARTMENT
AND EVALUATING THE DEPARTMENT --
WHAT THE DEPARTMENT NEEDS AND
HE STARTED FOSTERING AND
BUILDING
COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS
WITH GROUPS IN EVERY SINGLE
COUNCIL
DISTRICT, WHICH ASSISTED HIM
IN DEVELOPING WHAT I BELIEVE IS
THE DEEP APPRECIATION FOR THE
UNIQUE AND DIVERSE COMMUNITIES
IT MAKE
UP OUR
CITY. CHIEF BARNES IS FOCUSED
ON PARTNERSHIP INCLUDES
ENGAGEMENT AND COLLABORATION
WITH OUR LOCAL
AND REGIONAL PUBLIC
SAFETY PARTNERS AND DEPARTMENTS.
AND BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS
WITH KEY LEADERSHIP FROM ALL
THREE
OF OUR POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY
PARTNERS.
THE WORK THAT HE'S
DONE INTERNALLY WITHIN THE
DEPARTMENT AND EXTERNALLY WITHIN
OUR COMMUNITY HAS CONTRIBUTED
TO BROAD SUPPORT AND ENTHUSIASM
FOR CHIEF BARNES' NOMINATION.
AFTER YOU
CONSIDER YOUR CONNECTION POINTS
WITH CHIEF
BARNES, THE MATERIALS
AND RESPONSES THAT HAVE
BEEN SUBMITTED AND IN SHORT
ORDER HEARING HIS LONG- TERM
STRATEGY TO PREVENT AND ADDRESS
CRIME
IN OUR CITY, I'M SURE YOU
WILL SHARE THAT SUPPORT.
AGAIN, IT IS MY PRIVILEGE AND
HONOR TO PRESENT MAYOR
HARRELL'S NOMINEE FOR POLICE
CHIEF
IN FRONT OF COUNCIL
TODAY. CHIEF BARNES IS A
MOTIVATED LEADER AND WE ARE JUST
BEGINNING TO SEE THE POSITIVE
IMPACTS ON
HIS LEADERSHIP.
ON BEHALF OF MAYOR
HARRELL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR
CONSIDERATION.
>> THANK YOU, MISS
WALTON-ANDERSON. AND FOR THE
RECORD, I WANTED TO
NOTE COUNCILMEMBER RINCK
HAS JOINED US.
WELCOME.
AS STATED
BEFORE, WE ALWAYS WELCOME
NONCOMMITTEE MEMBERS
SO REALLY HAPPY TO
HAVE COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA AND
RINCK JOIN US TODAY.
CHIEF BARNES.
>> CHAIR, COUNCILMEMBER
KETTLE, COUNCILMEMBERS AND THE
FELLOW RESIDENTS OF SEATTLE,
GOOD
MORNING.
IT IS BOTH AN HONOR AND
A PROFOUND RESPONSIBILITY
TO APPEAR BEFORE YOU TODAY AS
THE INTERIM CHIEF OF POLICE FOR
THE
SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
MY JOURNEY TO THIS MOMENT
BEGAN NOT IN THE SQUAD CAR, BUT
AS PREVIOUSLY STATED IN THE
CLASSROOM. AS A HISTORY TEACHER,
AND
THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM.
I BELIEVE THEN AS I DO NOW IN
THE POWER OF HUMAN POTENTIAL.
THAT BELIEF WAS SHAKEN WHEN I
LOST A STUDENT, ONE
OF EXTRAORDINARY PROMISE, TO
A SENSELESS ACT OF COMMITTED GUN
VIOLENCE.
THAT MOMENT CHANGED MY LIFE AND
THE CONVERSATION WITH MY
SRO, OUR SCHOOL RESOURCE
OFFICER, IGNITED A NEW CALLING,
ONE ROOTED IN PUBLIC
SERVICE, GROUNDED IN JUSTICE,
AND
FOCUSED ON PREVENTING THE NEXT
LOSS OF
HUMAN POTENTIAL.
THAT CALLING LED ME TO JOIN
THE GREENSBORO POLICE DEPARTMENT
IN NORTH CAROLINA, WHERE I
WAS INTRODUCED TO COMMUNITY
POLICING, CRIME ANALYSIS,
AND PROBLEM SOLVING.
APPROACHES WHICH HAVE SHAPED
MY POLICING PHILOSOPHY TO THIS
DAY.
FOR 20 YEARS, I WORKED
IN NORTH CAROLINA TO UNDERSTAND
HOW COMMUNITY RELATIONSHIPS,
DATA AND OFFICER ACCOUNTABILITY
CAN
CO- EXIST TO REDUCE HARM AND
IMPROVE PUBLIC SAFETY.
I COMMITTED MYSELF TO
IMPROVING MY EDUCATIONAL
INSIGHT,
HAVING PREVIOUSLY GRADUATED FROM
ELIZABETH CITY STATE UNIVERSITY,
A HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGE
OR UNIVERSITY IN NORTH CAROLINA,
AND I SUBSEQUENTLY ACHIEVED A
MASTERS DEGREE IN
CRIMINAL JUSTICE÷÷JUSTICE THE
UNIVERSITY OF
CINCINNATI.
I EARNED A Ph.D. IN LEADERSHIP
STUDIES FROM NORTH CAROLINA
AGRICULTURAL AND TECHNICAL
STATE UNIVERSITY, THE COUNTRY'S
LARGEST HBCU.
MY PUBLISHED DISSERTATION
EXAMINED POLICE
LEADERSHIP DECISIONS AND RACIAL
PROFILING IN TRAFFIC STOPS.
I CHOSE THIS TOPIC FOR THREE
REASONS.
ONE, MY FIRST AND
ONLY EXPERIENCE WITH THE
POLICE OFFICER CAME AS A
TEENAGER WHEN
I WAS PULLED OVER, DETAINED,
AND SEARCHED WITHOUT LEGAL
JUSTIFICATION, SIMPLY BECAUSE
I WAS IN A VEHICLE WITH MY
TWO FRIENDS WHO HAPPENED TO BE
WHITE.
I WAS THE ONLY PERSON
SEARCHED, I WAS THE ONLY PERSON
DETAINED.
I WAS THE ONLY PERSON
HANDCUFFED.
NUMBER TWO, I WANTED TO
EXPLORE HOW I AS A POLICE LEADER
COULD MAKE BETTER DECISIONS TO
REDUCE
RACIAL DISPARITIES
AND PERHAPS PROVIDE A ROAD MAP
FOR OTHERS.
AND LASTLY, SOMETIMES DOING
THE RIGHT THING REQUIRES US
TO EXPLORE UNCOMFORTABLE TOPICS.
LATER, DURING THE CIVIL
UNREST IN 2020, I WITNESSED
FIRSTHAND
THE URGENCY OF SERVANT
LEADERSHIP, IN TIMES OF NATIONAL
CRISIS.
I THEN SHIFTED MY FOCUS TO
OFFICER ACCOUNTABILITY, AND
WORKED AS THE DIRECTOR
OF TRAINING AND
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR THE
CIVILIAN OFFICE OF POLICE
ACCOUNTABILITY IN CHICAGO,
ILLINOIS.
THERE I WORKED TO DEVELOP A
TRAINING CURRICULUM TO
TETO
PROPERLY CONDUCT OFFICER
MISCONDUCT INVESTIGATIONS THAT
ARE FAIR AND
COMPLETE. IN MADISON, WISCONSIN,
THE
30th CHIEF OF POLICE, I CONTINUE
TO
PRACTICE SERVANT LEADERSHIP.
A PRINCIPLE THAT DEMANDS LEADERS
SET THE VISION AND MISSION
OF THE ORGANIZATION, THEN EQUIP
THE ORGANIZATION WITH THE TEAM,
TOOLS, TRAINING AND TRUST TO
CARRY IT FORWARD.
UNDER THIS APPROACH, WE REBUILT
A FULLY STAFFED
DEPARTMENT, INCREASED WOMEN
REPRESENTATION AMONG OUR RANKS
TO 28%, ONE OF
THE HIGHEST IN THE COUNTRY,
AND WE IMPLEMENTED THE
STRATIFIED
MODEL OF POLICING.
THAT MODEL NOT ONLY REDUCED
CRIME ACROSS EVERY MAJOR
CATEGORY, BUT ALSO FOR
FIRST TIME AND PERHAPS A VERY
LONG
TIME, REDUCED MINORITY
ARRESTS AND VIOLENT CRIME
CATEGORIES.
SADLY, OUR DEPARTMENT JOINED
AN EVER GROWING LIST OF AMERICAN
COMMUNITIES THAT EXPERIENCED
A DEADLY SCHOOL SHOOTING.
I WAS ABLE TO NAVIGATE
THE TRAGIC INCIDENT WITH THE AID
OF A WELL TRAINED DEPARTMENT
AND THE LOVE AND SUPPORT OF
A GRATEFUL COMMUNITY.
THIS IS THE PRODUCT OF SERVANT
LEADERSHIP WHEN LEADING
WITH BOTH ACCOUNTABILITY AND
COMPASSION.
NOW, IN SEATTLE, I BRING THAT
SAME VISION, OVER THE COURSE OF
MY FIRST 100 DAYS, I LISTENED
DEEPLY TO OFFICERS, TO OUR
COMMUNITY, TO OUR BUSINESS
OWNERS, AND I'VE HEARD
THEIR CONCERNS AND I HAVE ALSO
HEARD THEIR HOPE.
WHAT I'VE SEEN IN SEATTLE
REMINDS ME OF OUR CITY'S
HISTORY, THIS CITY IS
NO STRANGER TO RESILIENCE,
GOING ALL THE WAY BACK TO 1889
AND
THE GREAT SEATTLE FIRE.
SEATTLE'S PUBLIC SAFETY
STORY, THE STORY THAT WILL BE
WRITTEN
ABOUT HOW THE SEATTLE POLICE
DEPARTMENT BECAME A
NATIONAL MODEL FOR EXCEPTIONAL
POLICING NOW BELONGS TO ALL OF
US.
THIS DEPARTMENT HAS FACED
ADVERSITY, RECKONED WITH ITSELF
AND IS NOW CHOOSING TO
POLICE FORWARD WITH RESILIENCE,
WITH
COURAGE, AND WITH UNITY.
UNDER MY LEADERSHIP, THE
SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT WILL
FOCUS
RELENTLESSLY ON CRIME
PREVENTION, COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT, EMPLOYEE SAFETY AND
WELLNESS, AND BUILDING
A QUALIFIED SUSTAINABLE
WORKFORCE THROUGH CONTINUOUS
IMPROVEMENT.
THESE ARE NOT JUST DEPARTMENT
PRIORITIES, THEY ARE
SHARED COMMITMENTS TO BE
ACHIEVED IN
PARTNERSHIP WITH THIS COUNCIL
AND WITH OUR COMMUNITY.
WE WILL STRENGTHEN THIS
DEPARTMENT, NOT JUST BY STAFFING
NUMBERS, BUT BY VALUES.
THOSE VALUES OF SERVICE,
PROFESSIONALISM, AND DEDICATION
ARE MORE THAN JUST WORDS
THAT YOU SEE ON THE HALLWAYS IN
OUR
POLICE DEPARTMENTS.
THEY ARE THE COMPASS THAT
DEFINES OUR CULTURE AND DRIVES
OUR MISSION FORWARD.
IN SAFETY, VALUES MATTER.
THEY SHAPE BEHAVIOR, BUILD
TRUST, AND DELIVER RESULTS.
AND IT IS THROUGH OUR
VALUES THAT WE WILL IMPROVE
PUBLIC
CONFIDENCE, WE WILL REDUCE
CRIME, WE WILL REIMAGINE
PUBLIC SAFETY AS SOMETHING THAT
IS
NOT DONE TO COMMUNITIES, BUT
IN COOPERATION WITH THEM.
THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY
TO SERVE.
I LOOK FORWARD TO ANSWERING YOUR
QUESTIONS AND ENGAGING IN
A MEANINGFUL DIALOGUE ABOUT WHAT
MATTERS MOST TO YOUR
CONSTITUENTS' PUBLIC SAFETY.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, CHIEF
BARNES. BEFORE SHIFTING TO
QUESTIONS, WE HAVE A
PRESENTATION, WOULD
YOU LIKE TO GO STRAIGHT TO THAT?
>> YES.
>> OKAY.
CLERK, CAN YOU BRING THAT UP,
PLEASE?
>> AGAIN, GOOD MORNING, COUNCIL.
I AM PLEASED TO PRESENT
BRIEFLY THE SEATTLE CENTRIC
POLICING
PLAN, THIS IS A
PLAN THAT WE HAVE BEEN WORKING
ON FOR
THE PAST 100 DAYS.
IT ENCOMPASSES WHAT WE KNOW
WE DO WELL IN THE DEPARTMENT AND
AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT, AS
WELL AS COMMUNITY FEEDBACK
AND COMMUNITY FEEDBACK THAT I
HAVE HEARD FROM OUR COUNCIL.
IT HAS BEEN A VERY LONG
TIME SINCE OUR DEPARTMENT HAS
HAD
AN ACTUAL CRIME REDUCTION PLAN.
I THINK THE LATEST PLAN I FOUND
WAS ALMOST 15 YEARS OLD, BUT
INDEED, OUR
MICROCOMMUNITY POLICING PLANS
ARE PROBABLY
THE CLOSEST THING WE HAVE TO A
ROAD
MAP.
SO, I'M VERY PLEASED TO
PRESENT JUNE 25 POLICING FORWARD
SEATTLE CENTRIC POLICING.
SEATTLE CENTRIC POLICING IS
ABOUT PARTNERSHIPS.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT POLICING
OR POLICE CANNOT SOLVE OR
GET TO THE UNDERLYING CAUSES OF
CRIME AND DISORDER BY OURSELVES.
THIS PLAN INCLUDES INTEGRATED
PARTNERSHIPS, IT IS COMMUNITY
CENTERED, CRIME AND HARM
FOCUSED, CITY SUPPORTED,
AND SERVICE ORIENTED.
AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE
THREE PILLARS ABOVE, THERE
ARE SOMETIMES IN THIS PLAN WHEN
THE POLICE WILL LEAD AND OTHER
TIMES WHEN WE WILL FOLLOW AND
THERE
ARE OTHER TIMES WHERE WE WILL
WALK SHOULDER TO SHOULDER
WITH OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR
ELECTED
OFFICIALS.
THIS DOCUMENT IS A LIVING
DOCUMENT, WHICH MEANS IT
IS CURRENTLY BEING EVALUATED
CONSTANTLY.
BEFORE PRESENTING THIS PLAN,
I PRESENTED THIS PLAN TO SEVERAL
MEMBERS OF
THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE COMMUNITY
WHO YOU KNOW, DR.
LUM WHO DID THE REPORT ON OUR
INVESTIGATIONS, ARIZONA
STATE WHO DID THE REPORT ON OUR
SEXUAL ASSAULT INVESTIGATIONS,
AND
OTHERS THROUGHOUT THE
COUNTRY WHO GAVE THEIR INPUT.
THIS PLAN WILL BE REVIEWED AND
UPDATED EVERY 18 MONTHS
BECAUSE WE WANT TO MAKE SURE
THAT WE ARE
RESPONDING TO THE SPECIFIC
NEEDS OF THE SEATTLE COMMUNITY.
SO WHAT IS THIS ABOUT?
SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT,
WE'RE HERE TO PROMOTE PUBLIC
SAFETY
THROUGH COMMUNITY
PROBLEM SOLVING AND
PARTNERSHIPS.
THE MEETINGS THAT I
HAVE ATTENDED ARE NOT
JUST INTRODUCTORY MEETINGS.
THESE ARE MEETINGS THAT WE
WILL BE HAVING THROUGHOUT THE
COURSE OF MY TENURE HERE AND
HOPEFULLY
AFTER I LEAVE THE
DEPARTMENT WILL STILL BE
COMMITTED TO
DOING THAT.
SEATTLE CENTRIC IS ABOUT
BEING HARM FOCUSED,
INTELLIGENCE LED, EVIDENCE-BASED
AND
MORE IMPORTANTLY SUSTAINABLE.
WE KNOW WHAT WORKS AND WHEN
THINGS ARE WORKING WE NEED TO
ENSURE THAT THEY ARE
SUSTAINABLE AND WE CAN CONTINUE
THOSE
DESPITE ANY CHANGE IN
LEADERSHIP.
THE PLAN IS EVIDENCE-BASED.
IF YOU REMEMBER FROM
THE INSPECTOR GENERAL'S REPORT,
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT
WAS HIGHLIGHTED WAS A LACK OF
EVIDENCE- BASED POLICING IN
OUR CRIME REDUCTION STRATEGIES.
WE FIXED THAT WITH MAKING SURE
WE'RE A COMMUNITY ORIENTED
AND FOCUSED
ON EVERYTHING WE HAVE TO DO.
EVERY OFFICER, EVERY
EMPLOYEE HAS A ROLE TO PLAY IN
REDUCING
CRIME, INCLUDING MYSELF.
THIS IS A MODEL OF WHAT EACH
PRECINCT WILL BE WORKING ON AND
COOPERATION WITH OTHER PEOPLE.
WE UNDERSTAND HOW CRIME
OPERATES IN EVERY CITY AND
INDEED
THIS IS THE SAME.
THERE ARE ALWAYS INCIDENTS
AND INDEED POLICE DEPARTMENTS
ACROSS THE COUNTRY WE HAVE THIS
FIGURED OUT.
IF THERE IS A BANK ROBBERY,
OR IF THERE IS AN ACCIDENT,
WITH PERSONAL INJURY, OR IF
THERE
IS A STOLEN FLOWERPOT, WE KNOW
WHO IS GOING TO RESPOND, AND AT
WHAT LEVEL.
BUT WE OFTEN DON'T DO VERY WELL
IS A MORE COMPLEX THINGS,
LIKE THINGS THAT ARE SIGNIFICANT
OR
REPEAT CALLS FOR SERVICE
OR CRIME PATTERNS OR PEOPLE WHO
ARE CAUSING ISSUES IN OUR
COMMUNITY
OR PRIORITY ADDRESSES.
WE OFTEN LACK A PLAN AND
A STRUCTURE FOR DEALING WITH
THOSE. AND SO WE ARE STRATIFYING
IF
YOU WILL, WHO WILL BE
RESPONSIBLE
AND ASSIGNED TO THESE
PARTICULAR PROBLEMS AND THEY
WILL WORK IN
CONJUNCTION WITH EVERYONE IN
THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
YOU MAY BE FAMILIAR WITH
THE TERM SILOS, OR
SOME ORGANIZATIONS ARE SILOED.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO
THAT ANYMORE IN THE SEATTLE
POLICE
DEPARTMENT.
THESE INCIDENTS OR THESE
CATEGORIES WILL CORRESPOND WITH
MEETINGS AND THERE ARE MORE
THAN JUST MEETINGS, BY THE WAY.
THERE ARE PROBLEM
SOLVING SESSIONS WHERE WE ARE
SHARING
DATA, SHARING INFORMATION,
AND SHARING RESOURCES TO ENSURE
THAT WE CAN REDUCE CRIME IN OUR
CITY.
THIS IS JUST AN EXAMPLE.
I CHOSE THIS PARTICULAR
DISTRICT, COUNCILMEMBER SAKA
IS NOT HERE, SO, YOU KNOW, I
WASN'T TRYING TO WIN
BROWNIE POINTS WITH HIM.
I DO LIKE HIM.
HE'S NOT MY FAVORITE,
OBVIOUSLY,
COUNCILMEMBER MOORE IS MY
FAVORITE, JUST KIDDING, BUT
I JUST WANTED TO THROW THAT ON
THERE.
SO YOU CAN SEE AN EXAMPLE OF
WHAT WE'LL BE DOING.
WE'LL BE LOOKING AT DATA
TO DETERMINE AREAS THAT
ARE PRIORITY FOR US AND WE'LL
BE USING ALL RESOURCES, NOT JUST
IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, BUT
THE
MAYOR'S ONE SEATTLE
FRAMEWORK WHERE I NOW HAVE
ACCESS NOT JUST
THROUGH NATALIE WALTON-
ANDERSON, BUT ALSO THROUGH THE
DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS,
PEOPLE I'VE
HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO
ESTABLISH RELATIONSHIP WITH IN
ORDER TO
RESOLVE SOME OF OUR PRESSING
PROBLEMS.
THESE ARE OUR
SIGNIFICANT CATEGORIES WE'RE
SEEKING A
3% REDUCTION IN THESE
CATEGORIES BECAUSE THEY'RE
CURRENTLY TRENDING UNDER THE
FIVE- YEAR
AVERAGE. THESE ARE SOME OF THE
EXAMPLES
OF WHAT WE'LL BE LOOKING
AT IN RELATION TO REPEAT
LOCATIONS, OFFENDERS AND DRUG
MARKETS.
AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE
IDENTIFIED DRUG --
COMMUNITY HAS IDENTIFIED DRUG
MARKETS AS ONE OF
OUR BIGGEST ISSUES OR BIGGEST
PRIORITIES, SO WE'LL BE
WORKING TO PUT TOGETHER DRUG
MARKET
STRATEGIES.
AS YOU KNOW, WE RECENTLY DID AN
OPERATION IN OUR
CHINESE INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT
THAT
TOOK DOWN A MAJOR DRUG MARKET.
AND THAT'S GOING TO BECOME THE
STANDARD AND NOT THE EXCEPTION.
SO SOME WHO, WHAT, WHEN,
WHERE AND HOW OF THIS.
THE WHO IS SEATTLE COMMUNITY.
THE WHAT, IDENCE-
BASED STRATEGIES AS INDICATED IN
THE
REPORT.
WE'RE DOING THIS NOW.
WE'RE CURRENTLY UNDER WAY.
OUR RESIDENTS IN OUR COMMUNITIES
WILL HELP US WITH THIS
PARTICULAR PROBLEM.
OKAY. TRYING TO MOVE THROUGH
SOME
OF THE HOW YOU MAY BE INTERESTED
IN.
WE DID HIRE A NEW
COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR WHO WILL
BE TELLING NOT
ONLY WHAT HAPPENS, BUT SOME
OF THE GOOD STORIES, THOSE
WEEKS AND WEEKS AND MONTHS THAT
WE DO
NOT HAVE CRIME AND DISORDER.
WE WANT TO GET THAT OUT.
THE COMMUNITY CONCERN PORTAL.
THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO
ME BECAUSE WE MUST NOW BEGIN A
WAY
OF HEARING FROM THE COMMUNITY.
WHEN COMMUNITY MEMBERS
HAVE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THINGS
THAT THEY'RE SEEING FOR CRIME
AND
DISORDER, WE ARE CREATING
A METHOD FOR THOSE
COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO TELL THE
POLICE, ONE
CENTRAL LOCATION, BY THE WAY,
TO TELL THE POLICE WHERE
THOSE CONCERNS ARE AND THEN THEY
WILL
BE, AGAIN, GIVEN TO THE
RIGHT PERSONS TO RESOLVE THOSE
AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, MOST
IMPORTANTLY, TO RESPOND BACK
TO THE COMMUNITY ABOUT HOW
WE ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES, AND
MORE
SPECIFICALLY WHAT ACTIONS
WE HAD IN THEM.
WE'RE EXPANDING OUR COMMUNITY
PRECINCT MEETINGS, WE'RE
WORKING WITH OUR RELATIONAL
COMMUNITY AS
WELL AS OUR DEMOGRAPHIC ADVISORY
COMMUNITIES, AND WE WILL
BE PILOTING A POLICE
NEIGHBORHOOD
RESOURCE CENTER, SO PLEASE BE
ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THAT.
I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
I'VE WORKED WITH CERTAIN
MEMBERS OF OUR COUNCIL AND SO WE
WANT
TO HAVE A GREAT PRESENTATION FOR
THAT.
SO, PLEASE BE ON THE LOOKOUT
FOR THAT.
I THINK IT IS GOING TO BE GREAT.
AGAIN, ACCOUNTABILITY IS
VERY, VERY IMPORTANT TO ME.
WE HAVE REORGANIZED OUR COMMAND
STAFF A BIT.
WE'RE BRINGING ON SOME NEW
PEOPLE.
WE'RE CHANGING OUR REPORTING
STRUCTURE TO MAKE SURE
THAT PEOPLE KNOW WHERE TO GO TO
FOR
INFORMATION, WHERE TO GO TO FOR
RESOURCES.
OUR C STAT MEETING IS A PHOTO
OF OUR C STAT MEETING AND HOW
NOW WE HAVE OUR PRECINCT
COMMANDERS WHO ARE PRESENTING
ON HOW THEY'RE ENGAGING THE
COMMUNITY AND MORE IMPORTANTLY
WHAT
ACTIONS THEY ARE TAKING
TO REDUCE CRIME.
AND THOSE ACTIONS AND
THAT REPORT OUT CAN THEN BE
GIVEN IN
SOME WAY TO YOU SO YOU
CAN DEMONSTRATE TO YOUR
CONSTITUENTS WHAT WE'RE
ACTUALLY DOING
TO REDUCE
CRIME. I'M EXCITED ABOUT OUR
COMMUNITY C STAT.
THIS IS SOMETHING I'VE WANTED
TO DO FOR A VERY, VERY LONG
TIME.
COMMUNITY MEETINGS WHERE
WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT CRIME,
AND CRIME REDUCTION, BUT
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HOW WE'RE
BEING RESPONSIVE TO THE NEEDS OF
THE
COMMUNITY.
AND THE DIRECTOR OF
NEIGHBORHOODS, JENNIFER CHOW,
HAS AGREED TO PARTNER WITH ME
TO DEVELOP THAT MEETING.
THE HOW, WE DO HAVE -- WE
BROUGHT ON SOMEONE WHO IS
GOING TO BE OUR EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR
OF CRIME AND HARM REDUCTION.
MOST OF THE STRATEGIES THAT
WE TALKED ABOUT, HE HAS BEEN ON
THE GROUND FLOOR WITH THAT.
WE'RE ALL FAMILIAR WITH CRIME
ANALYSIS. HE HELPED TO CREATE
SOME OF THE
VERY FIRST TOOLS IN CRIME
ANALYSIS.
WE'RE EXPANDING OUR SET
TASK, SOMETHING I'M SURE YOU
ALL KNOW.
WE'RE EXPANDING OUR
REALTIME CRIME CENTER AND
WE'RE IMPLEMENTING
RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE
CONSULTANT AND FROM THE
EXPERTS.
AND LASTLY, RECRUITMENT AND
RETENTION.
WE CANNOT DO THIS WORK
WITHOUT HAVING A QUALIFIED
WORKFORCE.
I THINK WE ARE CERTAINLY HEADED
IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION WHEN
IT COMES TO RECRUITMENT AND
RETENTION. WE'RE SEEING A NET
THIS YEAR 40 OFFICERS.
WE HAVE A LOT OF CLASSES THAT
ARE GOING THROUGH NOW AND
WE'RE SO GRATEFUL FOR THE
PEOPLE
AT THE JUSTICE ACADEMY FOR DOING
THAT.
IT IS NOT JUST BRINGING
ON PEOPLE, IT IS BRINGING ON
THE RIGHT PEOPLE.
AND THEN LASTLY, AND WE'LL END
HERE, IT IS CONTINUOUS
IMPROVEMENT.
WE'RE LEARNING, GROWING CITY,
WE SHOULD BE A LEARNING,
GROWING POLICE DEPARTMENT.
AND WE'RE COMMITTED
TO CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT.
THANK YOU.
>> I THANK YOU, CHIEF.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
ONE THING I WANTED
TO NOTE BEFORE GOING TO
QUESTIONS IS
THAT I GOT A LOT OF
QUESTIONS FROM DIFFERENT PEOPLE,
THE
MEDIA, AND THE LIKE,
SAYING, WHEN IS THE
CONFIRMATION?
AND I BELIEVE THAT, LIKE CHIEF
O'TOOLE, 30 DAYS IS TOO
SHORT.
I BELIEVED IT WAS IMPORTANT TO
HAVE AN OUTSIDE CANDIDATE AND
WE MET FIRST IN NOVEMBER.
AND I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT
FOR YOU TO HAVE THE CHANCE TO
MEET
SEATTLE, THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THE
PEOPLE, THE COMMUNITY
ORGANIZATIONS, YOU KNOW.
AS MENTIONED EARLIER IN PUBLIC
COMMENTS, SO, THANK YOU,
REVEREND,
FOR BEING HERE. AND FOR THE
OTHERS
THAT SPOKE. AND ALSO FOR THOSE,
IF YOU HEARD
THE QUESTION, I THINK IT
WAS IMPORTANT NOT TO DO IT
EARLY,
I THINK MAY JUNE WAS A GOOD
WINDOW, IF WE HAD GONE
FURTHER THAN NOW, THAT WOULD BE
PROBLEMATIC.
IT IS IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO HAVE
YOUR FEET ON THE GROUND,
LEARN OUR CITY TO A DEGREE AND
TO MEET
FOLKS TO KIND OF HAVE
AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE
CHALLENGES
THAT WE'RE FACING AND HOW IT
MAY
PLAY INTO -- HOW YOU'RE
DEVELOPING YOUR AND THE
LIKE. I'VE BEEN GETTING
QUESTIONS,
LIKE, HEY, WHY HASN'T
THIS HAPPENED ALREADY?
CHIEF O'TOOLE THAT WAS 30 DAYS.
BUT I THINK IT WAS IMPORTANT
TO HAVE YOU -- THE OPPORTUNITY
TO DO SO AND BESIDES, PROBABLY
TOOK YOU SOME TIME TO DO 40,
WHATEVER, PAGES ON
YOUR RESPONSES TO THE QUESTIONS
TOO.
>> BUSY WEEKEND.
>> THERE YOU GO.
ALL RIGHT.
SO WITH THAT, QUICK
INTRODUCTION. I ALWAYS DO
QUESTIONS LAST.
ACTING VICE CHAIR, ANY
QUESTIONS FOR CHIEF BARNES?
>> THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.
THANK YOU, CHIEF BARNES,
FOR BEING HERE, AND ALSO FOR
ALL OF THE HARD WORK THAT YOU
HAVE
DONE IN THE COMMUNITY FOR THE
LAST
100 PLUS DAYS.
I KNOW THAT IT IS A
DELICATE BALANCE TO, YOU KNOW,
BE CONNECTED TO COMMUNITY,
TO CONNECT WITH PEOPLE, AND THEN
ALSO DO THE IN- HOUSE STUFF
AS THE INTERIM CHIEF AS WELL
WITH YOUR DEPARTMENT.
AND THAT BALANCE.
AND REALLY APPRECIATE YOU
PRIORITIZING JUST MEETING WITH
PEOPLE, ALSO LISTENING,
SHOWING UP FOR COMMUNITY
MEETINGS, MEETING WITH ALL OF US
ONE
ON ONE OR AT COMMUNITY MEETINGS
AS
WELL, AND I KNOW THAT FROM THE
FEEDBACK WE HAVE GOTTEN HAS BEEN
GREAT, WITH PEOPLE SAYING,
HEY, WHEN I MEET WITH CHIEF
BARNES,
I FEEL A SENSE OF AUTHENTICITY
AND
CONNECTION AND REALLY FEEL
LIKE HE WANTS TO DO A GOOD JOB
AND WANTS TO -- AND IS INVESTED
IN THIS COMMUNITY.
AND COULDN'T BE MORE
GRATEFUL FOR THAT.
AND I KNOW THAT -- IS THIS
A TIME FOR US TO ASK QUESTIONS?
OKAY, AWESOME, THANK YOU, CHAIR.
ONE OF THE QUESTIONS AND I
SAW THE PRESENTATION AND JUST
WANT YOU TO SPEAK A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT WHAT THE RELATIONSHIP THAT
YOU
FEEL, WHERE ARE SOME
GROWTH POINTS THAT YOU THINK FOR
THIS DEPARTMENT COULD HAVE IN
OUR COMMUNITY AND WHERE YOU
SEE OPPORTUNITIES TO REALLY
MAKE AUTHENTIC CONNECTIONS WITH
PEOPLE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW,
PEOPLE OFTEN FEEL LIKE STUFF IS
VERY
TRANSACTIONAL, WITH SOME CITY
DEPARTMENTS, AND WHAT
THEIR EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN WITH
THE
CITY.
CAN YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT
TRANSFORMATIONAL
RELATIONSHIPS LOOKS LIKE TO YOU?
>> SURE.
I THINK THAT THERE IS A LOT
OF ROOM FOR RELATIONSHIP
BUILDING IN COMMUNITIES THAT
QUITE
FRANKLY QUESTION OUR ABILITY
TO DO OUR JOBS EFFECTIVELY.
I DON'T BELIEVE IN SHYING
AWAY FROM TOUGH CONVERSATIONS
AND I
CERTAINLY DON'T BELIEVE IN
THE IDEA THAT CRITICISM IS
OFTEN SHIED AWAY FROM.
I WANT TO FULLY EMBRACE THAT.
I BELIEVE THAT WHEN YOU SIT
DOWN AND YOU TALK TO THESE
POLICE OFFICERS, AND YOU HEAR
THEIR PERSONAL STORIES ABOUT WHY
THEY ENTERED THE JOB, IT FORMS
CONNECTIONS.
AND WE DON'T DO THAT ENOUGH.
YOU KNOW, I, YOU KNOW, I WEAR
FOUR STARS, I
GUESS, I TRY TO LEAD WITH WHO I
AM AS A PERSON, AS A FATHER, AS
A HUSBAND, AS A
HUMAN BEING FIRST. AND SO I
THINK THERE IS
ALWAYS ROOM TO GROW THERE.
I WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE
TO ESTABLISH RELATIONSHIPS
WITH PEOPLE WHO THINK WE COULD
DO BETTER AND SO THOSETHOSE
TOUGH CONVERSATIONS TO HAVE, BUT
AS I
LEARNED A VERY LONG TIME
AGO, MAYBE NOT THAT LONG AGO,
BECAUSE I'M NOT THAT OLD, FROM
A
FRIEND OF MINE YOU HAVE TO BE
ABLE
TO TAKE A HIT.
YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO HEAR
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING, AND YOU
HAVE TO BE ABLE TO ASK YOURSELF
A VERY IMPORTANT QUESTION, WHAT
CAN I DO TO MAKE IT BETTER?
AND I THINK THAT THIS
DEPARTMENT IS WILLING TO DO
THAT.
SECOND, I THINK WE CAN DO
BETTER OR THERE IS ROOM FOR
GROWTH WITH
OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT DREW
ME HERE WAS THE PLEDGE OF OUR
MAYOR THAT I WOULD HAVE ACCESS
TO OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS.
BECAUSE THAT HAS NOT ALWAYS
BEEN MY -- BEEN THE CASE.
I'LL LEAVE THE INNOCENT OUT,
BUT THERE HAS BEEN TIMES I'VE
GONE
TO CITY I.T. AND BEGGED FOR
HELP AND GOTTEN NOWHERE.
THERE HAS BEEN TIMES I'VE
GONE TO TRANSPORTATION, GONE TO
PARKS AND REC, AND SAID, CAN YOU
HELP
ME, I WANT TO DO THIS THING.
AND I'VE GOTTEN, YOU KNOW,
THE DOOR SLAMMED IN MY FACE, I
WENT BACK AGAIN AND AGAIN AND
AGAIN, BECAUSE THAT'S MY
RESOLVE,
BUT THAT HAS NOT HAPPENED HERE.
WHEN I ASKED PEOPLE FOR HELP,
THEY SAY, WHAT CAN WE DO TO
HELP?
THAT'S ONE THING I REALLY
ENJOY ABOUT THE CITY.
NOT ONLY WITH THE CITY, BUT
ALSO THERE IS PRIVATE
BUSINESSES, AND
CIVIC GROUPS THAT WANT TO
KNOW HOW TO HELP.
WE HAVE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE
OF THAT AS A CITY.
WE HAVE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE
OF WHAT CAN I DO TO HELP, WHAT
DO YOU NEED, CHIEF, AND HAVE
TO HAVE -- WE HAVE TO HAVE AN
ANSWER.
EVEN IF IT IS JUST WELL,
WILL YOU AGREE TO MEET WITH ME
AGAIN SO I CAN HEAR YOUR
PERSPECTIVE?
THOSE ARE SOME OF THE AREAS I
BELIEVE THERE IS ROOM FOR
GROWTH, HAVING THAT
COMMUNICATION, BUILDING
THOSE RELATIONSHIPS WITH PEOPLE
WHO QUITE FRANKLY DON'T
BELIEVE WE'RE DOING SUCH A
GREAT JOB. AND THEN BUILDING
RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUR CITY,
INTERNAL
PARTNERS AND BUSINESS COMMUNITY.
I HAVE A VERY BIG HEART FOR
OUR BUSINESS -- ESPECIALLY OUR
SMALL BUSINESS COMMUNITY.
MY FATHERS WITH A SMALL BUSINESS
OWNER, OWNED A COUPLE OF TOW
TRUCKS, YOU KNOW, WOULD DO
ROTATION.
I'VE BEEN AROUND POLICE
OFFICERS MY ENTIREENTIRE LIFE.
BUT I JUST KNOW THE VALUE
THAT MY FATHER PROVIDED FOR THE
COMMUNITY.
AND FIXING PEOPLE'S CARS WHO
COULDN'T AFFORD IT AND
I REMEMBER ONCE HAVING
A CONVERSATION WITH HIM AND
I'LL END WITH THIS, WHEN I GOT
OLD
ENOUGH TO THINK I
KNEW EVERYTHING ABOUT THE
WORLD, PROBABLY ABOUT 16, I
ASKED
MY FATHER WHY HE CHARGED SO
LITTLE FOR SIMPLE OIL CHANGES.
I SAID, YOU KNOW, THE DEALERSHIP
CHARGES -- AND I GAVE HIM THE
AMOUNT. I SAID, WHY DO YOU
CHARGE HALF
THAT?
HE SAID BUSINESSES WERE NOT
IN PLACE TO MAKE MONEY, THEY'RE
IN
PLACE TO PROVIDE A SERVICE TO
THE COMMUNITY.
MY DAD SAID HE NEVER CHARGED
ANYTHING FOR ANYONE THAT
THEY DIDN'T DESERVE.
SOME OF THAT STUCK ME FOR
A LITTLE BIT AND THAT'S PART OF
MY PHILOSOPHY AS A LEADER.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
HOLLINGSWORTH AND CHIEF.
LOOKING FOR QUESTIONS.
YOU MADE A POINT.
MOST PEOPLE DON'T KNOW
THIS, PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY IN
THE
PRESS, THE MEDIA AND THE
LIKE, REGARDING OUR MAYOR, AND,
YOU
KNOW, PEOPLE, POLICIES MAY
SAY THIS OR THAT, BUT I WILL
BACK YOU UP IN THE SENSE OF --
I THINK THIS GOES TO THE
MAYOR'S
LEADERSHIP, ACCESS, I
WORK CLOSELY WITH THE VARIOUS
DEPUTY
MAYORS, DIRECTORS, YOU KNOW,
THE DEPARTMENT HEADS, MY TEAM
DOES.
AND LIKE YOU NOTED,
THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN EVERYWHERE.
I WANTED TO CONFIRM THAT
POINT THAT YOU JUST MADE.
WE OFTEN TALK ABOUT
DIRECTOR, DOCTOR CHAPPELL, WE
HAVE DR. PRESIDENT COUNCIL
NELSON AND
DR. CHIEF BARNES, THERE IS A
LOT OF Ph.D. s FLOATING AROUND
HERE IN CITY HALL.
I JUST WANTED TO CHECK OVER
MY SHOULDER TO SEE IF DR.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT WANTED TO ASK
A QUESTION FOR DR. CHIEF BARNES.
>> YOU'RE MAKING ME FEEL A
LITTLE BIT IMPOSTOR
SYNDROME GOING ON HERE.
ANYWAY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH
FOR COMING TODAY AND YOUR
ELOQUENT AND THOROUGHTHOROUGH
AND ALSO YOUR ANSWERS TO THE
QUESTIONS.
I DID NOT SUBMIT A QUESTION,
AND I REGRET THAT.
WHEN WE WENT TO DWRB WHEN
SOME OF US WERE PARTICIPATING IN
A PRESS CONFERENCE DOWN THERE
AT THE TRAINING FACILITY TO
TALK ABOUT THE INCREASE IN
HIRING,
I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET
TO KNOW OR TALK WITH THE
NEW RECRUITS THAT WERE ON THE
WAY
TO BEING, YOU KNOW,
UNDERGOING FIELD TRAINING AND
THEN
GOING TO BE OUT IN OUR
NEIGHBORHOODS
AND THAT REMINDED ME ABOUT THE
--
BEFORE THE BADGE PROGRAM, AND DO
YOU -- I KNOW WE'RE -- I
DIDN'T SEE THAT MENTIONED IN
YOUR --
IN YOUR RESPONSES TO QUESTIONS,
BUT IT IS MY IMPRESSION THAT
THAT
IS A POSITIVE PROGRAM AND IT IS
A POSITIVE INITIATIVE AND WHEN
YOU SAID WE NEED TO HIRE THE
RIGHT
PEOPLE, HELPING FORM THE
RIGHT PEOPLE IS THIS PROGRAM
THAT REALLY DOES EDUCATE
NEW RECRUITS TO MANY DIFFERENT
COMMUNITIES
IN OUR CITY.
SO, WITH ALL THE BUDGET CUTS,
NOT BUDGET CUTS NECESSARILY, BUT
WITH OUR FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES,
IS THERE ANY THOUGHT TO
DISCONTINUE THAT PROGRAM? I
THINK OF IT AS A BIG VALUE
ADD. THAT'S WHY I ASK.
>> THANK YOU FOR ACKNOWLEDGING
THE -- BEFORE THE BADGE PROGRAM.
I WISH I HAD THOUGHT OF IT IN
MY CAREER EARLIER ON.
BUT I'M VERY PROUD OF THAT
PROGRAM, I'M VERY PROUD OF
THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ASSOCIATED
WITH
THAT PROGRAM.
I HAVE NO PLANS ON ENDING THAT
PROGRAM, ONLY EXPANDING IT.
I'VE GONE TO COMMUNITY MEETINGS
AND SURPRISINGLY TO ME,
BEFORE THE BADGE, FOLKS WERE
THERE
WITH THE STUDENTS WHO WILL BE
JOINING THE ACADEMY.
AND THEY
INTRODUCED THEMSELVES TO THE
COMMUNITY.
THAT'S SOMETHING I DID NOT GET
A
CHANCE TO DO.
I WENT STRAIGHT FROM, YOU
KNOW, APPLICANT INTO THE
ACADEMY,
DID NOT HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO
GET TO KNOW THE COMMUNITY.
AND I THINK THAT IS AN AMAZING
PROGRAM, AND I HOPE TO KEEP
THAT PROGRAM AROUND AND MAYBE
EVEN EXPAND IT.
I GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK
TO THE BEFORE THE BADGE
PROGRAM, NORMALLY WHEN THEY HAVE
A
NEW CLASS IN, AND I TALK TO
THEM ABOUT WHAT IT TAKES TO BE A
POLICE OFFICER AND BE
SUCCESSFUL.
I TELL THEM THAT WE HIRED YOU.
WE WANT YOU TO BE YOUR
AUTHENTIC SELF.
WE DON'T WANT YOU TO BE
THE VERSION OF A POLICE OFFICER
THAT YOU'VE SEEN ON TELEVISION,
OR
EVEN SOMEONE YOU KNOW.
YOU HAVE TO STAY TRUE TO
YOURSELF.
ONE THING I ALWAYS TELL THEM
IS YOU HAVE HOMEWORK, AND I
GUESS THAT'S THE TEACHER COMING
OUT OF
ME. I REALIZE SAYING THAT NOW.
HOMEWORK, I SAID, I SAID,
TODAY, AT SOME POINT, YOU NEED
TO
WRITE YOURSELF AN
EMAIL, EXPLAINING WHY YOU JOINED
THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT. AND THEN YOU FILE
THAT AWAY IN
YOUR FILE.
YOUR EMAIL DOESN'T CHANGE.
ON THOSE DAYS, WHEN YOU'RE
THINKING ABOUT QUITTING, AND
ON THOSE DAYS WHEN YOU ARE
THINKING THAT TIMES ARE A LITTLE
TOUGH, AND YOU'RE UNAPPRECIATED
AND THINGS AREN'T GOING WELL
FOR
YOU OR YOU LOST YOUR WAY, OPEN
THAT EMAIL AND READ IT.
AND THAT WILL ALWAYS GUIDE YOU
BACK TO WHERE YOU STARTED.
AND SO I'M VERY PLEASED WITH
THE
BEFORE THE BADGE PROGRAM AND I
INTEND TO CONTINUE IT.
>> THANK YOU.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT?
OKAY.
>> THANK YOU FOR THE
SHOUTOUT BEFORE THE BADGE.
I ENGAGED WITH IT AS
A COMMUNITY MEMBER, CANDIDATE,
AND
COUNCILMEMBER, THREE OF US AS
A KNOW HAVE SPOKEN TO BEFORE
THE BADGE CLASSES.
AND THE CLASS THAT WAS AT THAT
PRESS -- THAT WAS ONE OF
THE GROUPS I MET WITH.
SO, THANK YOU.
AND DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT, YOU
KNOW, GETTING RID OF IT, IT
IS ONLY -- IT CAN ONLY BE
ENHANCED.
BEFORE GOING TO OUR VISITING
COUNCILMEMBERS, I WANTED TO
GIVE COUNCILMEMBER MOORE
AN OPPORTUNITY AS A COMMITTEE
MEMBER.
COUNCILMEMBER MOORE.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR.
I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I
JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU
SO MUCH FOR EVERYTHING THAT
YOU'VE
DONE SO FAR.
YOU'VE BEEN INCREDIBLY
ACCESSIBLE AND I KNOW WE HAVE
A LOT OF CHALLENGES AROUND
AURORA.
AND I APPRECIATE THE FACT
THAT YOU STEPPED UP IMMEDIATELY
AND THAT YOU WERE WILLING TO
TAKE THOSE CONCERNS SERIOUSLY
AND REALLY DO YOUR BEST TO
DESIGNATE
A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF
RESOURCES AND TO PROVIDE
THE SUPPORT TO THE NORTH
PRECINCT
CAPTAIN TO MAKE SURE HE'S
ABLE TO GET THAT JOB DONE.
AND I KNOW THAT YOU HEAR A
LOT FROM MYSELF AND
COUNCILMEMBER
RIVERA.
AND SO I JUST REALLY APPRECIATE
THAT.
AND I DID HAVE THE PLEASURE
OF HEARING YOU INTRODUCE
YOURSELF AT THE NORTH PACK
COMMITTEE
MEETING, NORTH PRECINCT
ADVISORY COUNCIL MEETING THERE
AND I
WAS SO INCREDIBLY IMPRESSED WITH
THE
STORY THAT YOU TOLD.
AND QUITE MOVED BY THAT STORY.
AND I JUST FELT FOR THE
FIRST TIME I REALLY FELT LIKE WE
WERE IN GOOD HANDS.
AND WE HAD QUITE A HISTORY TO
DATE AND WE HAVE A LOT OF
HEALING TO DO.
AND I JUST FELT THAT YOU
WERE THE INITIAL IMPRESSION I
HAD OF
YOU, CHIEF BARNES, IS THAT YOU
WERE SOMEBODY THAT CAN BRING
THE NECESSARY HEALING TO THIS
CITY.
AND WE ARE GOING TO GO THROUGH
A VERY ROUGH TIME AHEAD.
AND SO WE'RE GOING TO NEED THAT
STEADY HAND.
AND I DO FEEL VERY CONFIDENT
THAT YOU ARE CALM AND THOUGHTFUL
AND ACCESSIBLE AND
PROFESSIONAL IN YOUR APPROACH
AND YOU BRING A
CERTAIN, JUST, KIND OF HOMESPUN
WISDOM.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S
THE NORTH CAROLINA ROOTS OR NOT,
BUT
WE CAN USE SOME OF THAT IN THE
CITY.
SO, AND I'M ALSO REALLY
EXCITED BY THE PLAN THAT YOU
HAVE
DEBUTED HERE TODAY WITH
THE EMPHASIS ON COMMUNITY.
AND KIND OF GETTING BACK TO
THAT BEAT POLICE.
BUT ALSO, UTILIZING DATA
TO REALLY KNOW WHERE WE NEED TO
BE PUTTING THOSE RESOURCES, BUT
JUST CREATING THOSE CONNECTIONS.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
THAT. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO
YOUR
TENURE HERE.
EVEN THOUGH MINE IS SHORT, MAYBE
THAT'S WHY I'M YOUR
FAVORITE, BECAUSE I WON'T BE
HERE
TO BOTHER YOU, BUT I APPRECIATE
ALL OF THAT.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU FOR YOUR KIND
WORDS AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR
SERVICE.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
MOORE.
BY THE WAY, THIS 120 DAYS,
130 DAYS IS YOUR OWN VERSION
OF BEFORE THE BADGE, IN A SENSE.
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR.
AND THANK YOU FOR
ALWAYS WELCOMING ME TO YOUR
COMMITTEE AND ALLOWING ME TO
ALWAYS
ASK QUESTIONS OR MAKE COMMENTS.
CHIEF BARNES, I REALLY WANT
TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST
IN
THE JOB TO BEGIN WITH.
IT IS A HUGE JOB THAT COMES
WITH A HUGE RESPONSIBILITY.
AND I HAVE TO SAY THAT IN THE
130 DAYS THAT YOU'VE BEEN HERE
OR ABOUT GIVE OR TAKE, I'VE
BEEN
SO IMPRESSED WITH
YOUR ENGAGEMENT AND COMMUNITY.
SO, NOT ONLY DO I FEEL LIKE
IN THAT SHORT PERIOD OF TIME WE
MET MULTIPLE TIMES AND WE HAVE.
MORE IMPORTANTLY, YOU'VE
MET MULTIPLE TIMES WITH FOLKS IN
THE
COMMUNITY AND THE DISTRICT THAT
I REPRESENT.
AND IT DOES NOT GO UNNOTICED OR
UNAPPRECIATED.
YOU ARE VERY APPROACHABLE IN
THE WAY YOU SPEAK WITH PEOPLE.
YOU MAKE FOLKS FEEL HEARD.
AND I'VE SEEN YOU SPEAK WITH
CONSTITUENTS.
SO IT IS NOT I FEEL LIKE
YOU'RE HEARING ME AND I'M ALSO
WATCHING YOU, HOW YOU ENGAGE
WITH
OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND THEY
FEEL
HEARD.
AND I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THAT.
I'VE SAID -- I STARTED
MY BACKGROUND IN OUTREACH AND SO
OUTREACH IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO
ME.
AND I ALSO APPRECIATE THAT
YOU HIT THE GROUND RUNNING BY
STARTING TO BUILD
RELATIONSHIPS WITH COMMUNITY,
WITH US, BUT
ALSO MORE IMPORTANTLY LIKE I
SAID EARLIER WITH COMMUNITY.
AND I APPRECIATE THAT BECAUSE
THESE ARE THE FOLKS THAT
YOU SERVE AND HOW YOU SERVE
PEOPLE
IF YOU'RE NOT LISTENING TO
THEM AND MEETING THEM.
I APPRECIATE THAT'S WHAT
YOU HAVE STARTED TO DO -- WHAT
YOU STARTED DOING RIGHT OUT OF
THE
GATE.
I WILL SAY, I ASKED YOU A
QUESTION ABOUT COMMUNITY
POLICING, AND I ACTUALLY,
FOR THE RECORD, CHAIR, IF I MAY,
I WANT TO READ A LITTLE BIT OF
THE
CHIEF'S RESPONSE BECAUSE IT
GOES TO HOW HE APPROACHES THIS
WORK.
AND HE SAYS, MY BELIEF IS
SIMPLE.
YOU CANNOT UNDERSTAND
A COMMUNITY FROM A DISTANCE.
AS POLICE OFFICERS,
AND ESPECIALLY AS LEADERS,
WE MUST
BE PROXIMATE. THIS PRINCIPLE
INFORMS OUR
STRATEGY AT EVERY LEVEL.
PRECINCT COMMANDERS ARE
EMPOWERED TO ENGAGE AT THE
SECTOR, NEIGHBORHOOD, FOR
EXAMPLE, MICROCOMMUNITY
POLICING PLAN AREAS AND BEAT
LEVEL
WORKING DIRECTLY WITH
THE COMMUNITY TO UNDERSTAND
THEIR SPECIFIC NEEDS.
OFFICERS ARE ENCOURAGED
AND EXPECTED TO SPEND TIME
IN COMMUNITIES WHEN NOT
RESPONDING TO CALLS FOR
SERVICE, PROXIMITIES ESSENTIAL
TO EFFECTIVE PROBLEM SOLVING.
WHEN WE ARE NOT PRESENT, WE
MISS IMPORTANT CONTEXTUAL
DETAILS
AND MORE CRITICALLY WE
MISS OPPORTUNITIES TO CONNECT
WITH THE PEOPLE THAT WE SERVE.
AND I HEARD
YOU TALK A LOT ABOUT THIS IN THE
MEETINGS
THAT WE HAVE -- I'VE BEEN TO
INCLUDING LAST NIGHT AT A
COMMUNITY MEETING IN THE
DISTRICT THAT I
SERVE.
SO I VERY MUCH
APPRECIATE YOUR -- THIS
IMPORTANT COMMUNITY
BUILDING RELATIONSHIP
BUILDING PIECE THAT YOU BRING.
I ALSO REALLY APPRECIATE
THE FACT THAT YOU'RE A
HISTORY TEACHER AT HEART.
AND YOU ARE A TEACHER AT HEART,
WHICH
MEANS YOU APPROACH THIS WORK IN
THIS VERY RELATIONAL WAY
AND YOU CARE ABOUT KIDS,
WHICH ARE REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME
AS
A MOM OF TWO HIGH SCHOOLERS,
OR ONE IS IN COLLEGE NOW, BUT
WHO YOU KNOW HAVE SADLY HAD AN
EXPERIENCE WITH GUN VIOLENCE.
AND ONE THING THAT I -- I WOULD
LOVE TO HEAR A LITTLE BIT MORE
ABOUT, CHIEF, IF YOU CAN TALK
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR
APPROACH TO KIDS, BECAUSE I'VE
HEARD
YOU SAY AND TY I AGREE WITH YOU,
KIDS DO NOT BELONG IN JAIL, AND
TO TALK ABOUT YOUR STUDENT, WHO
WAS
AN A STUDENT AND GOT INVOLVED
IN SOMETHING THAT WAS NOT GOOD
FOR YOUR STUDENT THAT THEN
CHANGED THEIR LIFE.
CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THAT?
I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT IN
TERMS OF HOW PEOPLE VIEW THE
POLICE.
I ALWAYS SAY WE NEED
MORE RELATIONSHIP BUILDING
BETWEEN YOUNG PEOPLE AND POLICE
AND COMMUNITY IN GENERAL AND
POLICE ARE THERE TO SERVE YOU
AND
WE NEED TO BUILD
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN YOUNG
PEOPLE AND
POLICE, WE'RE GOING TO START TO
CHANGE THE RELATIONSHIPS AND
THE NARRATIVE WHEN WE DO THAT.
AND IF WE'RE ALWAYS AT
A DISTANCE BETWEEN OUR
YOUNG PEOPLE AND POLICE, THEN
THEY'RE GOING TO FEAR POLICE.
AND WE DON'T WANT THAT.
SO CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT?
I HEARD YOU TALK ABOUT THAT.
WOULD YOU MIND TALKING A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT NOW?
>> I WILL, ABSOLUTELY.
WE HAVE TO CREATE
OPPORTUNITIES AND SPACES FOR OUR
YOUNG
PEOPLE TO FEEL SAFE.
WE HAVE TO CREATE OUR
PARKS, WHICH I KNOW IS SOMETHING
THAT
IS A PRIORITY FOR THIS
ADMINISTRATION, FOR CITY
COUNCIL AND FOR OUR MAYOR, AS A
SAFE SPACE FOR OUR KIDS AND
QUITE FRANKLY WE HAVE A LOT OF
WORK
TO DO THERE.
WE HAVE TO CREATE
OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR YOUNG
PEOPLE TO NOT ONLY
WORK, WHICH IS SOMETHING
THAT CERTAINLY KEPT ME OUT OF
TROUBLE AS A YOUNG MAN.
BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY WAS
THE WORK -- IT WAS THE
MENTORSHIP, BEING AN
APPRENTICE, WORKING WITH SOMEONE
WHO WAS WILLING TO
SHOW ME HOW TO OPERATE A
BUSINESS, SOMEONE WHO WAS
WILLING TO GIVE ME GUIDANCE
AND TELL ME
I WAS ON THE RIGHT PATH. I TRULY
BELIEVE THAT THE
ANSWER IS THAT WE HAVE TO
EMBRACE
OUR KIDS AND IF THEY MAKE A
MISTAKE, THEN WE HAVE TO DO
EVERYTHING
IN OUR POWER TO TRY TO FIX THEM.
I'M A VERY BIG PROPONENT OF
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE.
IN MY FORMER LIFE, CITY COUNCIL
PASSED AN ORDINANCE THAT
REQUIRES ANYONE WHO
RECEIVED THE MUNICIPAL CITATION
THAT WAS A
JUVENILE, THEY HAD
MANDATED RESTORATIVE JUSTICE,
THE CITATION DID NOT GO TO THE
CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, IT
WENT TO RESTORE STIFF JUSTICE.
IF THE CHILD REFUSED TO
COOPERATE, THEN IT WENT TO
THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.
BUT THEY WENT
THROUGH RESTORATIVE JUSTICE
FIRST,
A PROGRAM THAT WAS FUNDED BY THE
CITY, BUT IT WAS ALSO MANAGED
BY THE YWCA.
WE SAW A LOT OF GREAT
RESULTS FROM THAT.
CHILDREN HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY
TO UNDERSTAND HOW THEIR BEHAVIOR
AFFECTS EVERYONE, WHAT IT
MEANS TO BE A GOOD COMMUNITY
MEMBER, WHAT IT MEANS TO CAUSE
DAMAGE
AND MORE IMPORTANTLY WHAT
IT MEANS TO REPAIR HARM.
AND SO I'M A VERY BIG PROPONENT
OF THE RESTORATIVE JUSTICE
PROGRAMS, A VERY BIG
PROPONENT OF APPRENTICESHIPS AS
WELL AS
SUMMER JOBS PROGRAMS FOR OUR
KIDS.
AND THE POLICE, WE HAVE A
ROLE TO PLAY IN THAT AS WELL.
WE'RE SOMETIMES THE FIRST ARM
OF GOVERNMENT TO RECOGNIZE
UNDERLYING CAUSE OR ISSUE WHAT
WE SEE.
WE'RE THE FIRST PERSONS
TO REALIZE THAT A CERTAIN PLACE,
A PARK OR A CERTAIN AREA IS
ATTRACTING HARM.
AND SO WE THEN HAVE
A RESPONSIBILITY TO REACH OUT
TO OTHER RESOURCES AND SAY, HOW
CAN
YOU HELP US?
AND THAT'S WHAT SEATTLE
CENTRIC POLICING PLAN DOES.
IT GIVES US THAT
RESPONSIBILITY AND IT ALSO GIVES
US
THE AUTONOMY TO SAY WHO ELSE DO
WE NEED TO HELP.
A BIG PART OF SEATTLE
CENTRIC POLICING AND WE'RE
DOING THIS
IN COOPERATION WITH THE
MAYOR'S EXECUTIVE TEAM, WE'RE
CREATING
A RESOURCE LIST THAT EVERY
OFFICER WILL HAVE AND EVERY
OFFICER
WILL HAVE A RESOURCE AND
ARE MANDATED TO GIVE IT OUT TO
PEOPLE IF WE
THINK IT DOESN'T RISE TO
THE LEVEL OF CRIMINALITY OR EVEN
IF
IT DOES, SO PEOPLE KNOW WHERE
THEY CAN GO TO GET HELP.
THIS CITY IS, I THINK, WELL
RESOURCED FROM THE STANDPOINT
OF PEOPLE WANTING TO HELP AND
DO THE RIGHT THING.
AND SO I THINK WE JUST NEED TO
BE ABLE TO PROVIDE
THE OPPORTUNITIES AND
THE CONNECTIVITY BETWEEN THOSE
PEOPLE WHO NEED HELP AND
THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE LOOKING FOR
HELP.
>> THANK YOU, CHIEF.
AND IF I MAY, ONE LAST
QUESTION, JUST AN EXTENSION OF
WHAT
YOU JUST MENTIONED, BECAUSE I
HEARD YOU TALK ABOUT RESOURCE
OFFICERS AND THE SCHOOLS AND
WHEN
THAT CHILD GOT, YOU KNOW, WHEN
THAT HAPPENED AND WHEN YOU WERE
A
TEACHER, THERE WAS A RESOURCE
OFFICER IN THE SCHOOLS, CAN
YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
THAT?
I KNOW YOU SUPPORT -- THERE IS A
PLACE YOU TALKED ABOUT FOR
RESOURCE OFFICERS AND THAT'S
A CONVERSATION THAT WE HEARD A
LOT
RECENTLY IN THE CITY.
PERTINENT TO GARFIELD HIGH
SCHOOL, CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE
BIT ABOUT THAT, CHIEF?
>> SURE.
I SUPPORT SCHOOL RESOURCE
OFFICERS, SCHOOL ENGAGEMENT
OFFICERS, PROGRAM, WHEN IT
IS DONE WELL.
AND THROUGHOUT THE
COUNTRY, WE HAVE SEEN -- I'VE
SEEN SO
MUCH VARIATION IN THE PROGRAM
THAT
I ALMOST DON'T RECOGNIZE IT
ANYMORE.
I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE
A SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER, LIKE
A NATURAL PROGRESSION, THAT
CAN WAIT TO PLUCK ME FROM PATROL
AND PUT ME IN THE SCHOOL.
BUT I ENJOYED IT.
BUT MY ROLE AND
MY RESPONSIBILITY WAS THERE AS A
RESOURCE, WAS THERE TO
CONNECT WITH STUDENTS, TO
DEMONSTRATE
THAT, YOU KNOW, POLICING,
GOVERNMENT, WE'RE HERE TO SERVE
YOU AS WELL.
AND TO MAKE SURE THAT SCHOOL IS
A SANCTUARY FOR KIDS.
UNDER THE PROGRAMS THAT I
WAS INVOLVED WITH,
DETECTIVES DIDN'T -- COULD NOT
COME
ON CAMPUS TO INTERVIEW STUDENTS
WHO WERE INVOLVED IN CRIME.
UNDER THE PROGRAM I WAS
INVOLVED IN, POLICE OFFICERS
WERE
NOT INVOLVED IN DISCIPLINE.
UNDER MY PROGRAM, WE WERE
NOT INVOLVED IN
CLASSROOM DISRUPTIONS OR
CLASSROOM
MANAGEMENT.
WE ANSWERED QUESTIONS, WE WERE
VISIBLE.
WE WERE USUALLY ON THE
OUTSIDE OF THE SCHOOL.
WE CAME
IN WHEN WE NEEDED TO DURING THE
LUNCH HOURS,
WE'RE AROUND GIVING HIGH FIVES
AND
THINGS TO STUDENTS. AND WE WERE
MAKING OURSELVES
AVAILABLE. AND BECAUSE SOMEONE,
I
DON'T KNOW WHO, TOLD THE
PRINCIPAL THAT I WAS A FORMER
TEACHER, I
TAUGHT TWO BLOCKS DURING MYMY
TIME. I TAUGHT A SMALL BLOCK ON
THE CIVIL WAR AND THEN, OF
COURSE, I
LOVE THE ILIAD AND THE ODYSSEY.
I TAUGHT THAT IN A LITERATURE
CLASS.
I WAS DOING THAT IN
UNIFORM, JUST TO DEMONSTRATE,
YOU KNOW,
MY RESPONSIBILITY,
MY ACCOUNTABILITY TO OUR
STUDENTS.
>> THANK YOU, CHIEF.
THANK YOU, CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU,
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA.
THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION
ON SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS.
I FEEL I SHOULD SAY TOO,
I UNDERSTAND THAT POINT YOU SAID
THERE, CHIEF BARNES, AND
PARTLY BECAUSE MY BROTHER USED
TO BE
A SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER WITH
THE STAFFORD
COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT IN
VIRGINIA BEFORE
HE WAS MEDICALLY RETIRED,
LONG STORY THERE.
NOT RELATED TO BEING A SCHOOL
RESOURCE OFFICER.
IT IS AN INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT
JOB, AND I WON'T GO INTO
THE DETAILS ABOUT THAT, BUT
SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TRAGIC
SITUATIONS, LIKE YOU WERE
SAYING AND WHEN YOU'RE THE
FIRST TO ARRIVE ON SCENE, IT CAN
BE A
CHALLENGE.
COUNCILMEMBER RINCK.
>> THANK
YOU.
>> WELCOME.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR KETTLE,
FOR ALLOWING FULL
COUNCIL PARTICIPATION TODAY IN
THIS
IMPORTANT CONFIRMATION PROCESS
AND THANK YOU INTERIM
CHIEF BARNES FOR BEING HERE
AND ANSWERING OUR QUESTIONS
LEADING UP TO TODAY.
I HAVE ABOUT TEN MINUTES,
CORRECT?
>> YES.
A LITTLE BIT EARLIER, BUT
WE'LL STAY WITH THE TEN MINUTES
SINCE
WE'RE AT
11:12.
>> THANK
YOU. I APPRECIATE IT.
I PROMISE TO STAY IN MY
TIME LIMIT AND I'LL SAVE ANY
REMAINING QUESTIONS
FOR FOLLOWING CONFIRMATION
DISCUSSION.
AND MY QUESTIONS FOR TODAY ARE
A BIT MORE TOPICAL IN NATURE
THAN WHAT I SUBMITTED IN THE
PACKAGE.
PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS
FEDERALIZED THE CALIFORNIA
NATIONAL
GUARD AND EMPLOYED THEM
ALONGSIDE
ACTIVE DUTY MARINES TO
CONFRONT PROTESTERS IN LOS
ANGELES.
AND THIS WAS DONE AGAINST THE
WISHES OF LOCAL LAW
ENFORCEMENT, THE MAYOR, AND THE
GOVERNOR OF
CALIFORNIA. IT IS CLEAR THAT THE
FEDERAL ADMINISTRATION IS ACTING
IN BLATANT DISREGARD TO THE
LAW AND THE CONSTITUTION
AND INTENTIONALLY ESCALATING
A SITUATION THAT IN BEST
CASE SCENARIO WOULD HAVE BEEN
HANDLED PEACEABLY LOCALLY.
SINCE YOUR ARRIVAL, INTERIM
CHIEF, TO SEATTLE, WE HAD
THE CAL ANDERSON PARK AND CITY
HALL
EVENTS AND SEEN THE LENGTHS SPD
WILL GO TO PROTECT THE RIGHTS.
LOOKING AHEAD, HOW WILL SPD
SHOW UP UNDER YOUR LEADERSHIP
TO SERVE AND PROTECT OUR
RESIDENTS WHEN SEATTLEITES ARE
PROTESTING THE FEDERAL
ADMINISTRATION
AND ARE FACING THE U.S. MILITARY
ON
THE STREETS OF SEATTLE?
>> COUNCILMEMBER, THANK YOU
FOR THAT QUESTION.
BECAUSE LET ME BE CLEAR, THE
SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS
NEUTRAL IN ALL MATTERS OF
PROTESTS. WE ARE NOT ON THE SIDE
OF ANYONE
OTHER THAN THE CONSTITUTION
AND THE ABILITY FOR PEOPLE
TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES.
THAT ABILITY IS INHIBITED
WHEN THERE IS DAMAGE TO PROPERTY
OR DAMAGE TO HUMAN BEINGS.
THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT'S DECISION TO BRING
IN
THE MILITARY AND I WAS A MARINE,
IS NOT WARRANTED.
THE LOS ANGELES POLICE
DEPARTMENT HAVE DEALT
WITH PROTESTS FOR A VERY LONG
TIME.
AND I HAVE KNOWN MANY CHIEFS IN
L.A. , ONE IS MY MENTOR, I
WON'T MENTION HIS NAME, HE'S
NOT CURRENTLY THE
CHIEF, BUT I CAN ASSURE YOU THEY
CAN HANDLE
IT, JUST LIKE IF THERE ARE
PROTESTS IN SEATTLE, WE CAN
HANDLE IT.
WE HAVE MUTUAL AID, WE HAVE
OPERATIONAL PLANS, AND AS THE
YOUNG FOLKS WOULD SAY, WE'RE
NOT NEW TO THIS.
WE KNOW HOW TO HANDLE THIS.
AND I WILL DO EVERYTHING IN MY
POWER, I WANT TO BE CLEAR,
TO PROTECT ANYONE IN SEATTLE
FROM
ANYONE WHO COMES TO THIS
CITY WITH THE INTENTION TO HURT
THEM OR INHIBIT
THEIR FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS.
AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS, AT SOME
POINT, I WILL PROBABLY GO
TO JAIL AND BE IN PRISON
BECAUSE WE HAVE AN
ADMINISTRATION THAT
HAS THREATENED TO JAIL
POLITICIANS
AND, INDEED, HAS DONE SO IN
MILWAUKEE, IF YOU REMEMBER THAT,
AND HAS THREATENED TO JAIL A
GOVERNOR, I'M JUST A
SIMPLE PUBLIC SERVANT.
THAT'S ALL I AM.
I'M JUST A SIMPLE PUBLIC
SERVANT.
I'M GOING TO DO THE RIGHT
THING FOR THE PEOPLE IN SEATTLE,
AND
I WOULD HOPE THAT IS YOUR
EXPECTATION OF ME.
AND I HOPE YOU WILL HOLD ME
ACCOUNTABLE TO THAT.
WHATEVER HAPPENS HAPPENS.
BECAUSE WE'RE LIVING IN A
VERY -- I'M A STUDENT OF
HISTORY, RIGHT, AND
SOMETIMES HISTORY REPEATS
ITSELF.
WE'RE LIVING IN A VERY
DIFFICULT
TIME WHEN PEOPLE WANT TO KNOW
THAT THE CONSTITUTION IS STILL
ALIVE AND WELL.
THEY WANT TO KNOW THAT THEY
CAN STILL EXERCISE ALL OF THOSE
AMENDMENTS THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE
FAULT FOUGHT AND DIED FOR AND
SERVED IN THE MILITARY FOR, LIKE
MYSELF
AND COUNCILMEMBER
CHAIRMAN KETTLE AND OTHERS AND
THAT'S WHAT I INTEND TO DO AS
YOUR
CHIEF OF POLICE.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT RESPONSE.
AND BUILDING ON THIS
POINT, THERE HAS BEEN ANOTHER
POINT THAT HAS CERTAINLY SOME
POINTS FROM COMMUNITY AND
QUESTIONS ABOUT I.C.E. IN
BROADER SEATTLE.
SEEING SOME OF THE IMAGES
COMING OUT OF L.A. , THERE HAVE
BEEN I.C.E. OFFICERS SEEMINGLY
AND WHAT I'VE SEEN AS JEGGINGS
AND
CONVERSE AND SOME
QUESTIONS ABOUT IF THERE ARE
FOLKS WHO
ARE ACTUALLY I.C.E. , IF THOSE
FOLKS ARE ACTUALLY I.C.E.
OFFICERS
AND SO, OUR OFFICE RECEIVED
SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT
I.C.E. OFFICERS SHOULD LOOK LIKE
AND
NAMELY I'M CURIOUS HOW IS SPD
VERIFYING THE AUTHENTICITY
OF I.C.E. OFFICERS IN THE CITY?
THERE ARE CONCERNS THAT
THERE ARE VIGILANTES PERHAPS
POSING
AS I.C.E., AND HUE HOW WILL SPD
DELINEATE BETWEEN OFFICERS AND
OTHERS.
>> I'VE SEEN ON TELEVISION, IF
YOU WILL, SO- CALLED I.C.E.
RAIDS OR I.C.E. ENFORCEMENT, AND
OFTEN FACES ARE COVERED, THERE
IS NO
IDENTIFYING MARKERS, WE
DON'T EVEN DO THAT.
AND WE KNOW THE COMMUNITY.
AND SO I WOULD SAY FOR YOUR
CONSTITUENTS, ASK FOR
IDENTIFICATION.
EVERY LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER
SHOULD HAVE A BADGE OF SOME
TYPE, AND THEY SHOULD HAVE
AN IDENTIFICATION
OF SOME TYPE. AND IT IS NOT
UNREASONABLE TO
ASK, MAY I SEE YOUR
IDENTIFICATION, PLEASE?
IF THEY DO NOT HAVE BOTH, THEN
CERTAINLY THEY CAN CALL
THE POLICE AND WE CAN TRY TO
VERIFY.
NOW, I DON'T KNOW IF THEY
ARE UNDER A REQUIREMENT, USUALLY
A COURTESY THAT THEY NOTIFY US
IF THEY ARE IN THE CITY.
I CHECKED ON THIS -- AS
RECENTLY AS YESTERDAY.
LAST NIGHT, LATE LAST
NIGHT, WHETHER OR NOT THEY
NOTIFY US
AND HOW THAT HAPPENS.
AND I'M STILL WAITING ON AN
ANSWER.
BECAUSE THERE IS SOME
DISCREPANCY ABOUT HOW THAT
COURTESY IS CALLED OUT.
I CAN TELL YOU THEY DON'T
CALL MY OFFICE BECAUSE I'VE
NEVER RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FROM
I.C.E., AND NEITHER HAVE MY
DEPUTIES.
THEY ARE TECHNICALLY UNDER
HOMELAND SECURITY, WE HAVE TWO
TASK FORCE OFFICERS UNDER
HOMELAND SECURITY, BUT
NOT ASSIGNED TO ANY IMMIGRATION
AND THEY HAVE ORDERS THAT IF
THEY
ARE REASSIGNED, THEY ARE
TO RETURN TO THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT AND DOCUMENT THAT
OVER THE
RADIO, SO WE KNOW WHERE THEY
ARE.
BUT THEY HAVE NOT TOLD ME
THAT THERE IS A COURTESY OR HOW
THAT
HAPPENS.
SO IF YOU WILL ALLOW ME, I NEED
TO DO MORE RESEARCH BECAUSE
I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT COURTESY
IS
EXTENDED.
I THINK IT MAY BE EXTENDED
BY PERHAPS CALLING 911 AND THEY
MAY
BE THINKING THAT THEY'RE
CALLING THE POLICE DEPARTMENT
BUT ACTUALLY NOT.
911 IS A SEPARATE ORGANIZATION
THAT IS THE CARE TEAM,
AND THEY'RE NOT ACTUALLY
CALLING US.
SO THEY DO NOT ELEVATE THAT
TO US AS A CALL FOR SERVICE OR
AS
INFORMATION, THEN WE DON'T
KNOW ABOUT IT.
SO, AGAIN, TO ANSWER YOUR
QUESTION, I HOPE IT DOES,
ANYONE, EVEN IF IT IS US,
EVEN IF WE'RE IN FULL UNIFORM,
YOU
CAN ASK TO SEE
IDENTIFICATION AND÷÷ THEY SHOULD
BE ABLE TO
PROVIDE THAT.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT.
MY LAST QUESTION FOR
TODAY, THERE WAS RECENTLY A
HIGH PROFILE INCIDENT WHERE
SPD OFFICERS DEMONSTRATED A LACK
OF UNDERSTANDING AROUND LAWS
AROUND PUBLIC NUDITY.
HOW DO YOU MAKE SURE
OFFICERS HAVE A CLEAR
UNDERSTANDING
OF LAWS MOVING FORWARD
ESPECIALLY WITH KEEP WASHINGTON
WORKING
ACT AND THE STATE'S SHIELD LAW?
THESE ARE SOME OF OUR
PROTECTIVE LAWS FOR COMMUNITIES
UNDER ATTACK BY THE
CURRENT PRESIDENTIAL
ADMINISTRATION.
>> THERE WAS SOME
CONFUSION AROUND THE PUBLIC
NUDITY LAW.
WE SINCE CLARIFIED THAT,
ISSUED A PUBLIC STATEMENT, MET
WITH REPRESENTATIVES FROM
THE COMMUNITY THAT WERE AFFECTED
BY
THAT, IF YOU WILL.
AND OFFERED MY APOLOGIES TO
THEM.
SOMETIMES WE DO
MISS THE MARK, SOMETIMES WE
MISINTERPRET THINGS.
BUT I THINK WHAT HAS
BEEN LACKING IS POLICE
DEPARTMENTS AND SOMETIMES CHIEFS
BEING
WILLING TO SAY, WE MISSED
THE MARK ON THIS ONE, THIS IS
HOW
WE'RE GOING TO FIX THAT, AND
THIS IS HOW WE'RE GOING TO MOVE
FORWARD.
WHEN THERE IS
AMBIGUITY, QUESTIONS AROUND THE
LAW, WE HAVE LEGAL COUNSEL IN
OUR
POLICE DEPARTMENT.
WE HAVE LAWYERS IN OUR --
WE HAVE LAWYERS THAT ARE ON
STAFF, AND I WON'T TELL YOU HOW
MANY LAWYERS THERE ARE IN
SEATTLE, BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF
THEM.
AND
SO WE OFTEN WILL REACH OUT TO
OUR LEGAL STAFF AND
THEY'RE VERY RESPONSIVE, 24/7,
I
BELIEVE, THAT CAN ANSWER THOSE
PARTICULAR QUESTIONS.
I'M CURRENTLY WORKING ON
A TRAINING NOW FOR SOME SOCIAL
DISORDER,
DISORDER THINGS THAT
PEOPLE HAD QUESTIONS ABOUT,
THINGS LIKE USING DRUGS ON THE
STREET, OPEN AIR DRUG
MARKETS, THINGS OF THAT NATURE,
WHAT
CAN WE DO, WHAT CAN WE NOT DO?
WE'RE GOING TO DO SOME
TRAINING TO KIND OF CLARIFY THAT
FOR POLICE OFFICERS SO THEY
KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THE LAW SAYS.
WE SHOULD BE
IN A CONSTANT STATE OF TRAINING.
WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT
WHERE ARE AREAS THAT HAPPENED IN
2024, THAT WE HAD CONFUSION
ABOUT.
AND IN 2025, THOSE AREAS SHOULD
LEAD THE YEAR WITH OUR, WHAT WE
CALL IN SERVICE OR PROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT TRAINING.
>> THANK YOU.
I ALSO WANT TO EXPRESS
MY APPRECIATION FOR THE
HUMILITY FROM THE DEPARTMENT
REGARDING
THE SITUATION WITH JENNY BLAINE
AND WITH THAT,
THAT CONCLUDES MY QUESTIONS FOR
TODAY, CHAIR.
AND I WANT TO THANK YOU
FOR ALLOWING ME TO ASK THE
HARD HITTING QUESTIONS.
THESE ARE THE TOPIC WANTS, AL
ONES AND
FRONT OF MIND FOR MANY IN OUR
COMMUNITY.
>> COUNCILMEMBER RINCK HAD
A NUMBER OF QUESTIONS WHICH
ARE DOCUMENTED AND BY THE WAY,
CHIEF, I APPRECIATE THE TABLE
OF CONTENTS FOR ALL THE
VARIOUS QUESTIONS AND THE CROSS
REFERENCING. AS A FORMER
TEACHER, I'LL
GIVE YOU AN A PLUS FOR THIS.
AND ALSO FOR THE PUBLIC.
WE HAVE THE CONFIRMATION
PACKAGE AND THE ANSWERS TO OUR
QUESTIONS. SO I APPRECIATE
THAT. I WANTED TO FOLLOW UP.
BECAUSE IS COUNCILMEMBER
RINCK HAD A NUMBER OF QUESTIONS.
I DON'T THINK
SHE MEET COUNCILMEMBER SAKA,
I'LL DOUBLE- CHECK WHO HAS THE
LEAD IN THE MOST QUESTIONS.
COUNCILMEMBER RINCK, I WANTED TO
THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUESTIONS
AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY AND
FOLLOW UP HER QUESTION AND TO
YOUR ANSWER THAT LARGELY WHAT
WE'RE SEEING IN LOS ANGELES IS
PERFORMATIVE.
THE DEPLOYMENTS OF THE NATIONAL
GUARD AND THE MARINES ARE NOT
BASED ON ANY OPERATIONAL
CONSIDERATIONS, REALLY.
BUT RATHER POLITICS AND
THE CARRYING OUT OF AN AGENDA
BY OTHER MEANS.
CLEARLY BATTALION MARINES IS
NOT NEEDED, AS YOU NOTED.
AND SECURITY, SECURING
FEDERAL BUILDINGS AND THE LIKE,
THERE
IS BASICALLY TWO LOCATIONS, THIS
IS
STRAIGHTFORWARD.
AND SO REALLY IT IS
PERFORMATIVE.
SO WHAT IS THE GOAL HERE?
AND IT IS UNFORTUNATE BECAUSE
I DO BELIEVE THAT MY REQUEST AS
AN
ELECTED OFFICIAL, FOR
FEDERAL, ALSO STATE,
COUNTY, LAW ENFORCEMENT TO BE
PROFESSIONAL,
AND THAT ESPECIALLY FOR
ANY MILITARY ACTIVE DUTY
NATIONAL GUARD AND THE
LIKE, ENGAGEMENT TO BE FULLY
DONE IN FULL
COORDINATION.
AND THAT GOES TO THE POINT
ABOUT RECEIVING THAT
PHONE CALL. SHOULD NOT JUST BE A
COURTESY.
I RECOGNIZE A POINT OF DECLARING
IT A COURTESY, BUT STILL THIS
IS SOMETHING THAT IS REALLY
IMPORTANT.
THIS COUNCIL, WE'RE
PROFESSIONALS. AND TO THE POINT
OF THIS
QUESTION, WHAT IS HAPPENING IN
L.A. , ONE- THIRD OF US ARE
VETERANS.
TWO AIR FORCE, ONE NAVY,
A MARINE AS A POLICE CHIEF.
SO, AS A COURTESY, AS, YOU
KNOW, FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE AS
WELL, THIS SHOULD BE GIVEN.
AND WE WILL LEAD, WE WILL
ENGAGE, AGAIN IN A PROFESSIONAL
MANNER, IN A ONE SEATTLE WAY,
BACK TO THE POINT EARLIER,
WITH OUR EXECUTIVE COUNTERPARTS
AND
THE JUDICIAL CITY ATTORNEY AS
WELL.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT
IN FOLLOW- UP TO THE QUESTION
FROM COUNCILMEMBER RINCK.
TO THIS CONFIRMATION, AND
THE SIX REMAINING MINUTES OF THE
MEETING, FIVE REMAINING
MINUTES OF THE MEETING, I WANTED
TO SAY,
AS NOTED IN MY
QUESTION, LEADERSHIP IS VERY
IMPORTANT.
AND I WAS CONCERNED EARLY
ON, PARTLY BECAUSE WE HAVE
ACCOUNTABILITY PARTNERS IN THE
AUDIENCE THAT, YOU KNOW,
PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING HAS TO GO
TO
OPA, OFFICE OF POLICE
ACCOUNTABILITY.
I THINK THAT TAKES AWAY THE
ABILITY FOR LEADERSHIP TO BE
DEVELOPED, YOU KNOW, WITH
THE YOUNG -- THE SERGEANTS, IF
YOU CAN'T DO THE DISCIPLINE
YOURSELF, IF YOU CAN'T
LEARN THOSE LESSONS OF
LEADERSHIP,
IF YOU HAVE TO DO A MOTHER MAY I
TO
OPA, THAT'S SUPER IMPORTANT.
THAT'S AN AREA I'M INTERESTED
IN.
I ENGAGED ON THAT EARLY.
THEN LATER I FOUND OUT IT
IS CALLED FRONT LINE
INVESTIGATION AND PART OF A
BROADER
TOPIC. ANOTHER PART OF
LEADERSHIP
TOO IS OPERATIONAL LEADERSHIP.
I DEFINITELY BELIEVE
AS THE REVEREND NOTED,
SERVANT LEADERSHIP, YOU MADE
THAT
POINT, THAT'S KEY.
LEADERSHIP, SERVANT
LEADERSHIP, THOSE
WHETHER IT IS DE-
ESCALATION, WHETHER IT IS
REDIRECTING,
OR WHETHER IT IS USING YOUR
RESOURCES APPROPRIATELY.
AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE
DO THAT.
WE ALSO HAVE TO UNDERSTAND
THAT LEADERSHIP HAPPENS VERY
QUICKLY
IN THE TIME OF A CRISIS.
SO HOW WELL YOU ARE PREPARED,
HOW WELL YOU ARE TRAINED
WILL DICTATE YOUR PERFORMANCE
AND
YOUR LEADERSHIP DURING THE
TIME OF CRISIS.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS
DEPARTMENT IS
COMPLETELY PREPARED AND TRAINED
FOR EVERY
POSSIBLE SCENARIO.
WHEN THE OFFICERS ARE
COMPLAINING ABOUT ANOTHER
TRAINING, THEN I KNOW I'M ON
THE RIGHT PATH.
BECAUSE IT IS JUST THAT
IMPORTANT. AND SO, THAT'S PART
OF THE
ACCOUNTABILITY, MY DEFINITION
OF ACCOUNTABILITY AS I WROTE
IS GIVING PEOPLE THE
TOOLS, TRAINING TIME, ROUTINE
THEY NEED
TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
ACCOUNTABILITY BEGINS THERE.
NOT WHEN IT GOES TO
A.
>> THANK YOU.
ONE LAST QUESTION,
ACCOUNTABILITY.
I MENTIONED WE DO
HAVE ACCOUNTABILITY PARTNERS IN
THE
AUDIENCE.
AND I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT
AND AS YOU NOTED IN YOUR
RESPONSE, VERY DIFFERENT, LIKE,
YOUR EXPERIENCE IN MADISON, AND
THAT WAS A QUESTION I RECEIVED
FROM SOMEONE AND I INCLUDED
THAT.
I WAS GOING TO ASK ABOUT
ACCOUNTABILITY.
THAT SPECIFIC PART WAS BASED ON
A SUGGESTION I RECEIVED FROM
SOMEONE.
I WANTED TO INCLUDE IT IN.
AND MY POINT IS, I'VE SAID
THIS AT EACH PRECINCT ROLL CALL,
WHEN
YOU'RE THE BEST, YOU WANT
ACCOUNTABILITY.
YOU WELCOME ACCOUNTABILITY.
AND I DO BELIEVE THAT WE
HAVE THE BEST.
THE POLICE FORCE
PARTICULARLY WITH
ALL THE REFORMS AND THE WORK WE
HAVE BEEN DOING
BEFORE THE BADGE AND ALL THE
DIFFERENT THINGS YOU'RE
NOTICING WITH
ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT, CAN YOU
CLOSE US OUT WITH, YOU KNOW,
WHAT WE HAVE HERE IN SEATTLE,
WITH ACCOUNTABILITY PARTNERS,
BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, NOT
IMPORTANTLY, EQUALLY
IMPORTANT IS THAT KIND OF
INTERNAL
PIECE THAT I SPEAK TO, YOU KNOW,
AND
HOW DO YOU SEE HAVING
THAT
ACCOUNTABILITY ITSELF OR THAT
SMALL GROUP, THAT UNIT, AND
IN YOUR POSITION, THE
DEPARTMENT.
>> SO I HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH
OUR ACCOUNTABILITY PARTNERS.
WE HAVE MET INDIVIDUALLY AND
MET A COUPLE OF TIMES
COLLECTIVELY.
THEY KNOW THAT I SUPPORT THEIR
WORK.
I DO BELIEVE AS YOU BELIEVE
THAT SOME THINGS THAT ARE
PERFORMANCE METRIC SHOULD BE
GIVEN BACK
TO OUR FIRST LINE SUPERVISORS TO
HELP DEVELOP THEM.
TO THE ISSUE OF
ACCOUNTABILITY WITHIN THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT,
THE WORD THAT I HAVE
BEEN HEARING REALLY KIND OF IN
MY
GUT, IN MY HEART, SINCE I
HAVE TAKEN THIS JOB, IS
PROFESSIONALISM.
I WANT THIS DEPARTMENT TO BE
THE MOST PROFESSIONAL POLICE
DEPARTMENT IN THE
COUNTRY. AND I THINK IF WE
DEVELOP A
CULTURE OF
PROFESSIONALISM, WHERE
EVERYTHING WE SAY
OR EVERYTHING THAT WE DON'T SAY
BY THE WAY, BECAUSE PEOPLE
PAY ATTENTION TO THAT, RIGHT?
SOME PEOPLE -- I'VE OFTEN
GOTTEN THIS QUESTION ABOUT, YOU
KNOW, WHERE DO WE STAND ON
STUFF?
WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO
SAY SOMETHING, SILENCE IS
VIOLENCE, IN MY POLICE
DEPARTMENT.
IF YOU SEEING SOME, THAT'S
UNPROFESSIONAL, EVERYONE HAS A
DUTY TO SAY SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
YOU CAN NO LONGER BE QUIET.
I WANT THIS POLICE DEPARTMENT
TO BE KNOWN FOR THAT INTEGRITY,
FOR THAT SERVICE AND FOR THAT
PROFESSIONALISM. AND I THINK IF
WE DO
THAT, EVERYTHING ELSE WILL TAKE
CARE OF ITSELF.
>> THANK YOU, CHIEF.
AND FROM YOUR PRIOR LIFE, I'LL
SAY, OO-RA.
THANK YOU.
AND THANK
YOU EVERYONE FOR JOINING US
TODAY ACROSS THE
BOARD. TO INCLUDE MEMBERS FROM
THE EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT.
WE HAVE REACHED THE END OF
TODAY'S MEETING AGENDA.
WELL, IS THERE ANY
FURTHER BUSINESS TO COME BEFORE
THE COMMITTEE BEFORE WE ADJOURN?
THIS IS WHERE I NEED TO WEAR MY
GLASSES.
I HEARING AND SEEING NONE
NO