A.M. ON JANUARY 13, 2026. I AM
ROBERT KETTLE, CHAIR OF THE
PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE. WILL
THE CLERK PLEASE CALL THE ROLE
-- ROLL?
>> [ ROLL CALL ]
>> THERE ARE FOUR MEMBERS
PRESENT.
>> THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER
JUAREZ IS EXCUSED UNTIL SHE
JOINS US. I DO WANT TO WELCOME
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA TO MY LEFT
IN COUNCILMEMBER LIN TO MY
RIGHT, WHO ARE ON THE COMMITTEE
WITH US . GREAT TO HAVE OUR
NEWLY FORMED COMMITTEE. I WOULD
ALSO LIKE TO WELCOME
COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER, WHO IS
JOINING US TODAY. AS I HAVE
ALWAYS SAID FOR YOURSELF IN THE
OTHER COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS IN
THE OTHERS, ALWAYS WELCOME TO
JOIN US AT ANY TIME. IF THERE IS
NO OBJECTION, THE AGENDA WILL BE
ADOPTED. HEARING AND SEEING NO
OBJECTION. THE AGENDA IS
ADOPTED. GOOD MORNING. I WANT TO
START WITH CHAIR,. LAST WEEK ARE
VICE CHAIR, COUNCILMEMBER SAKA
HAS JOINED US IN PERSON.
WELCOME. LAST WEEK WE HAD A
TRAGIC DEATH . A DEATH TO MORE
THAN CONDEMN IN MINNEAPOLIS BY
FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT. AN
I.C.E. AGENT. YOUR IN SEATTLE IN
OPERATION BY I.C.E. THE SAME DAY
APPREHENDED THREE INDIVIDUALS ON
AURORA NEAR HOME DEPOT. I HAVE
SAID FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT HAS
THE RIGHT AND ABILITY TO OPERATE
THROUGHOUT OUR COUNTRY, OUR
STATE AND COUNTY AND IN SEATTLE.
IT DOES HAVE THE RIGHT, BUT ALSO
HAS THE RESPONSIBILITY TO ACT
RESPONSIBLY. WE NEED FEDERAL LAW
ENFORCEMENT ACT RESPONSIBLY AND
MEET THE HIGH STANDARDS WE SET
FOR OUR OWN SEATTLE POLICE
DEPARTMENT. I HAVE THE POLICIES
IN MY HEAD RIGHT NOW. JUST TO
SAY THAT SPD POLICIES AND
PROTOCOLS REQUIRE OFFICERS IN
UNIFORM ARE PLAYING CLOSE TO
IDENTIFY THEMSELVES, SHOW THEIR
NOTIFICATION AND EXPLAIN THE
REASON FOR ARREST. OFFICERS ARE
NOT PERMITTED TO HIDE THEIR
RIGIDITY BY COVERING THEIR
FACES. IF THERE IS ANY
INDICATION A SUBJECT MIGHT
RESIST ARREST OR THAT ARREST
COULD BE PROBLEMATIC, AND IF
CIRCUMSTANCES PERMIT, UNIFORMED
OFFICERS SHOULD BE SUMMONED TO
BE PRESENT. FURTHER, WHEN TAKING
A SUSPECT INTO CUSTODY, SWORN
EMPLOYEES WILL IDENTIFY
THEMSELVES AND INFORM THE
SUSPECT THEY ARE UNDER ARREST
AND STATE THE REASON FOR THE
ARREST AS EARLY AS PRACTICAL. IT
SHOULD BE NOTED A SERGEANT OR
ABOVE APPROVES ADMINISTRATIVE
ARREST WARRANT SERVICE. A
LIEUTENANT OR ABOVE APPROVES
DYNAMIC OR HIGH RISK ARREST
WARRANT SERVICE AND HIGH RISK
OPERATIONS. IF ANY HIGH RISK
FACTORS ARE PRESENT, THE
LIEUTENANT WILL CONSULT WITH
S.W.A.T. SPD S.W.A.T. IS THE
DESIGNATED UNIT TO SERVE HIGHER
ARREST AND CONDUCT HIGH RISK
ARREST. THAT IS THE STANDARD FOR
THIS LEVEL -- SEATTLE POLICE
DEPARTMENT AS NOTED IN POLICIES.
IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO
ENSURE THEY DO SO. OUTSIDE OF,
PERHAPS, IN OPERATION AGAINST AN
ARMED DRUG GANG, FOR EXAMPLE, WE
NEED FROM OUR FEDERAL LAW
ENFORCEMENT NO MASK. WE NEED
THEM TO IDENTIFY THEMSELVES, AND
TO ACT PROFESSIONALLY. IT IS
THAT SIMPLE. BUT WE'RE NOT
SEEING THAT HERE IN SEATTLE, AND
DEFINITELY NOT ACROSS THE NATION
, AND ESPECIALLY MOST RECENTLY,
AND SADLY, IN MINNEAPOLIS. I
NOTE , AND I ASK EVERYONE, TO
SEE WHAT WAS POSTED BY THURSTON
COUNTY SHERIFF SANDERS . HE
NOTED, AS HE STARTED OFF, POOR
TACTICS, POOR OUTCOMES. LATER HE
WROTE IN HIS POST, THE REALITY
IS IT DOESN'T MATTER IF RENEE
GOOD MADE CONTACT WITH A FEDERAL
AGENT WITH HER CAR, BECAUSE
EVERY RESPECTABLE MODERN LAW
ENFORCEMENT AGENCY IN THE
COUNTRY HAS TRAINING A POLICY
THAT, IF IT HERE TOO, WOULD
RESULT IN RENATE STILL BEING
ALIVE TODAY. POLICE CANNOT, AND
SHOULD NOT, INDUCE OUR OWN
JEOPARDY AND CREATE AN
UNNECESSARILY DEADLY FORCE
SCENARIO. PER THURSTON COUNTY
SHERIFF'S OFFICE POLICY AND
TRAINING, WE DO NOT SHOOT AT
MOVING CARS UNLESS THE CAR IS
BEING INTENTIONALLY USED AS A
DEADLY WEAPON, AND WE CANNOT
PHYSICALLY GET OUT OF THE WAY.
WE DON'T HANG ONTO THE DOORS OF
FLEEING CARS. WE DON'T STAND IN
FRONT OF CARS THAT ARE
NONCOMPLIANT DRIVERS BEHIND THE
WHEEL. WHEN CRIMINALS RUN, WE
GET BACK IN OUR CAR, SET UP FOR
THE GRAPPLER AND HANDLE
BUSINESS. LAW ENFORCEMENT, HE
FURTHER SAYS, IS ONE OF THE MOST
CHALLENGING PROFESSIONS ON THE
PLANET. LONG SHIFTS, DEEP
TRAUMA, HIGH DEMAND AND
CONSTANTLY CHANGING LANDSCAPES
WEIGH HEAVY ON OFFICERS ACROSS
THE COUNTRY. NONE OF THIS CAN BE
AN EXCUSE TO NEVER ADAPT OUR
TACTICS FOR SAFER OUTCOMES. EVEN
WHEN THE PEOPLE WE ARE TRYING TO
ARREST DON'T FOLLOW COMMANDS.
THE QUESTION WE MUST ANSWER IN
LAW ENFORCEMENT WHEN MAKING THE
CRITICAL DECISION IS, IT ISN'T
WHETHER WE CAN, BUT WHETHER WE
SHOULD. SHERIFF SANDERS NOTES IN
HIS REMARKS. SPOT ON. IT GOES TO
THE POINTS WE HAVE BEEN TALKING
ABOUT THE SEATTLE POLICE
DEPARTMENT. POOR TACTICS -- BY
THE WAY, CONTRARY NOT JUST TO
LAW ENFORCEMENT, LOCAL LAW
ENFORCEMENT -- CONTRARY TO
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE POLICY,
AND MIGHT I ADD, UNDISCIPLINED
OPERATIONS IS WHAT WE ARE SEEING
OUT OF I.C.E. SUCH CONDITIONS,
IT IS STANDARD PUT IN PLACE A
STANDOUT. WE SAW THIS MANY TIMES
IN THE MILITARY SERVICE, BOTH IN
TERMS OF OPERATIONS AND FOR
SAFETY. WE HAVE STAND DOWNS.
THEREFORE, I CALL FOR AN
OPERATIONAL STANDOUT OF I.C.E IN
SEATTLE. A STANDOUT IS NEEDED
BECAUSE I.C.E CANNOT CONDUCT ITS
OPERATIONS SAFELY AND
PROFESSIONALLY. IT NEEDS TO
REVIEW ALL ELEMENTS OF ITS
OPERATIONS . THEREFORE, I CALL
FOR AN OPERATIONAL STANDOUT OF
I.C.E IN SEATTLE. UNTIL THEY DO
THAT REVIEW AND LOOK AT WHAT
THEY ARE DOING. LOOK AT THEIR
POLICIES AND INABILITY TO FOLLOW
THEIR POLICIES. SEPARATELY, HOW
I.C.E IS CONDUCTING OPERATIONS
IS ESSENTIALLY PSYCHOLOGICAL
OPERATIONS. THE MASKS AND
TACTICAL GEAR ARE NOT NEEDED
WHEN TARGETING INDIVIDUALS AT
HOME DEPOT , DAY LABORERS. IT IS
NOT NEEDED. IT REMINDS ME
INSTEAD OF BEING IN IRAQ. I SAID
THIS RECENTLY TO NEWSRADIO.
THERE'S ONLY ONE PIECE WHERE I
TALKED ABOUT BATTLE RATTLE. I
WILL SAY THAT WHEN I WAS IN
IRAQ, MY ARMY FRIENDS WITH THEIR
KEVLAR , THEY WOULD HAVE ALL
GEARED UP THE BODY ARMOR AND THE
LIKE, WHICH I HAD AS WELL, THEY
SAID, BATTLE RATTLE. THEY ARE
ALL GEARED UP IN THEIR QUOTE AND
QUOTE BATTLE RATTLE. WE DO NOT
NEED THAT IN AMERICA. WE DON'T
NEED I.C.E AGENCE RAPLEY DOWN
FROM A BLACK HAWK LIKE WE SAW IN
CHICAGO. THAT IS NOT NEEDED.
THEY ARE DOING THAT FOR
PSYCHOLOGICAL WARFARE AFFECTS.
THEY ARE TRYING TO CREATE
EFFECTS. WHAT I.C.E IS LOOKING
TO DO IS ACHIEVE INTIMIDATION OF
IMMIGRANT AND REFUGEE
COMMUNITIES. THEY DO SO AGAINST
ALL OF US. ALL COMMUNITIES.
THEIR ACTIONS ARE NOT LIMITED
TO, YOU KNOW, IMMIGRANT OR
REFUGEE COMMUNITIES. IT IS
TARGETING ALL OF US. IT IS
IMPACTING ALL OF US. FEDERAL LAW
ENFORCEMENT IS BEING USED
AGAINST ALL OF US ALIKE, AND
THAT IS WRONG. I WILL SAY
COUNTERING PSI OPS IS CALLING
OUT WHAT IT ACTUALLY IS AND
REPEATEDLY DOING SO. I THINK IT
IS IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE LIKE
MYSELF WITH MY BACKGROUND TO
CALL IT OUT AND CALL IT OUT IN
THIS WAY . I RECOGNIZE THAT I AM
MAKING MY STATEMENTS RELATED TO
I.C.E A FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT
WERE BROADLY, AND THE NATIONAL
GUARD, DIFFERENTLY. BUT I THINK
IT IS IMPORTANT TO CALL IT OUT
FROM THE PERSPECTIVE I GET, IN
ADDITION TO ALL THE GREAT
STATEMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE
BY THE MAYOR, CITY ATTORNEY AND
MY COLLEAGUES HERE ON THE DAIS.
TO CLOSE, WE NEED TO BE BETTER
PREPARED AND TO ACT RESPONSIBLY.
THAT IS WHAT WE NEED ACROSS THE
BOARD. THAT IS WHAT WE NEED FROM
FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT. I WANT
TO JUST ADD ONE LAST THING SINCE
I JUST MENTIONED NATIONAL GUARD.
I THINK SUMMER OUT THERE
THINKING THAT, OH, BECAUSE THE
SUPREME COURT DECISION,
EVERYTHING IS SETTLED WITH THE
NATIONAL GUARD. THINGS ARE NOT
SETTLED. THAT DECISION BASICALLY
REVOLVED ON THE TERM REGULAR
FORCES. THE ADMINISTRATION WAS
TRYING TO SAY REGULAR FORCES WAS
FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT, I.C.E
AND THE OTHERS. SUPREME COURT
SAID NO. BASICALLY, THAT MEANS
ARMED FORCES. OUR MILITARY. I
ASK ALL OF US TO BE ON GUARD TO
NOTE THAT IT IS QUITE POSSIBLE
WITH THIS ADMINISTRATION THAT,
SINCE THEY HAVE BEEN REBUFFED IN
TERMS OF USING THE NATIONAL
GUARD, THEY MAY IN TURN LOOK TO,
DESPITE LEGAL PRECEDENT AND
LEGAL ISSUES, PUTTING MILITARY
ON OUR STREETS. COLLEAGUES, I
JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT . THE
LAST THING IS , AND IT GOES TO
BE PREPARED AND ACTING
RESPONSIBLY, WE HAVE A SOI --
SLI COSPONSORED BY RINCK. IT IS
A SLI RELATED TO SPD REPORT OF
FEDERAL IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT
POLICIES. I ASK THAT SPD DO THAT
WORKING WITH OUR NEW MAYOR AND
HER ADMINISTRATION TO SEE WHAT
CAN BE DONE AND WHAT POLICIES WE
CAN ACT AND BASICALLY SHOW OUR
INTENT, SHOW OUR VALUES, BUT
ALSO LOOK TO HAVE A SAFER
ENVIRONMENT IN SEATTLE.
COLLEAGUES, THESE ARE THINGS
THAT ARE REALLY IMPORTANT , AND
CLEARLY WE NEED IN -- AN I.C.E
STANDDOWN IN SEATTLE. CLEARLY
THEY CREATE UNSAFE CONDITIONS BY
ILL DISCIPLINED OPERATIONS. I
THINK ALL OF US IN SEATTLE
SHOULD BE CALLING FOR THAT.
THANK YOU. WITH THAT SAID, WE
WILL NOW OPEN HYBRID PUBLIC
COMMENT PERIOD. PUBLIC COMMENTS
SHOULD RELATE TO ITEMS ON
TODAY'S AGENDA OR WITHIN THE
PURVIEW OF THE COMMITTEE. CLERK,
HOW MANY SPEAKERS ARE ON FOR
TODAY.
>> THERE IS ONE REMOTE SPEAKER.
>> LET'S START TWO MINUTES WITH
THE IN PERSONS.
>> THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD
WILL BE MODERATED IN THE
FOLLOWING MANNER. PUBLIC COMMENT
PERIOD IS UP TO 60 MINUTES.
SPEAKERS WILL BE CALLED IN THE
ORDER IN WHICH THEY REGISTERED.
SPEAKERS WILL HEAR A CHIME WHEN
10 MINUTES ARE LEFT. SPEAKERS
MICROPHONES WILL BE MUTED IF
THEY DON'T AND COMMENTS WITHIN
THE ALLOTTED TIME TO ALLOW US TO
CALL IN THE NEXT SPEAKER. THE
PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS NOW
OPEN, AND WE WILL BEGIN WITH THE
FIRST SPEAKER ON THE LESS. THE
FIRST IN-PERSON SPEAKER IS
MICHAEL.
>> THE TALLER ONE IS PROBABLY
BETTER.
>> GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU FOR
THOSE COMMENTS. APPRECIATE THEM.
I AM A FORMER STUDENT BODY
PRESIDENT AT . AS A LAWYER I
HAVE TO SAY I AM SPEAKING ONLY
FOR MYSELF, NOT MY FIRM OR ANY
CLIENT. JUST AS A RESIDENT OF
COLUMBIA CITY. I AM HERE TO
SPEAK ON WHAT CHAIR KETTLE WAS
SPEAKING ABOUT TODAY ABOUT
I.C.E. I AM ASKING THE CITY
COUNCIL TO INVESTIGATE WHETHER
IT CAN DO A LITTLE MORE THAN
ASKING I.C.E TO FOLLOW THOSE
PROTOCOLS. I ASKED THE CITY
COUNCIL TO INVESTIGATE ,
PUBLICLY COMMENT ON, AND PASS A
RESOLUTION REGARDING THE SPD
AUTHORITY TO ARREST FEDERAL
AGENCY CLEARLY OUTSIDE THE SCOPE
OF THEIR OWN DUTIES AND
AUTHORITIES, COMMIT CRIMES IN
SEATTLE. I AM NO EXPERT ON THIS
TOPIC. I'M NOT OFFERING A LEGAL
OPINION, BUT I NOTICED THAT
LARRY KRASNER, D.A. FOR
PHILADELPHIA, STATED HIS OFFICE
WOULD ARREST I.C.E AGENTS WHO
COMMIT CRIMES THERE. MEANWHILE,
J.D. VANCE CLAIMS ABSOLUTE
IMMUNITY FOR THOSE AGENTS .
LOOKS LIKE THERE IS A DECENT
AMOUNT OF LEGAL COMMENTARY AND
SCHOLARSHIP SAYING J.D. VANCE IS
WRONG. ONE ARTICLE NOTED AN
INTERESTING CASE FROM THE
PROHIBITION ERA WHERE A FEDERAL
OFFICIAL SHOT A FLEEING CAR WHO
WAS SUSPECTED OF TRANSPORTING
WHISKEY . ONE OF THE PEOPLE IN
THAT CAR DIED . THE FEDERAL
AGENT WAS CAREFUL ENOUGH TO SAY
IN COURT HE WASN'T TRYING TO
HURT ANYONE , BUT HE DID, AND
SOMEONE DIED. HE WAS CHARGED
WITH MURDER. THE COURT REFUSED
TO GIVE THAT FEDERAL AGENT
IMMUNITY. THAT CASE IS 254
254F917 IN THE EIGHTH CIRCUIT IN
1970. LAWYERS ON YOUR TEAM WOULD
NEED TO INVESTIGATE AND RESEARCH
THAT CASE AND OTHERS, BUT PLEASE
DO LOOK AND FIND OUT WHAT THE
CITY COUNCIL CAN DO TO ENSURE
THAT I.C.E OFFICIALS COMMITTING
CRIMES THERE ARE APPROPRIATELY
CHARGED. I AM A LITTLE SICK OF
HEARING PLEASE TO THE FEDS TO DO
SOMETHING.
>> THANK YOU.
>> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS HOWARD.
>> MAKE SURE EVERYONE HAS A COPY
OF THIS. THANK YOU. GOOD
MORNING. I APPRECIATE YOUR
COMMENTS, CHAIR KETTLE. YOU
STATED A FEW DAYS AGO, WHILE
FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES
HAVE THE RIGHT TO CONDUCT THEIR
DUTIES WITHIN THE CITY, WE
EXPECT THEM TO CARRY OUT THEIR
MISSIONS UNAIDED BY LOCAL
POLICE. THAT IS NO LONGER
SUFFICIENT. I SPOKE WITH YOU IN
AUGUST. YOU HOPEFULLY REMEMBER
THIS. 36 DISTRICT DEMOCRATS HAVE
PASSED A RESOLUTION DEMANDING
THAT THE SEATTLE POLICE DO THEIR
SWORN DUTY, WHICH IS TO PROTECT
PEOPLE FROM CONSTITUTIONAL
VIOLATIONS. INCLUDING AND
ESPECIALLY FOURTH AMENDMENT
VIOLATIONS. THE MISSING PIECE
HERE IS , NOT THAT THE SEATTLE
POLICE SHOULD NOT AID IN
IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS,
SEATTLE POLICE NEED TO PURSUE ,
AFTER WHAT WE HAVE SEEN THE LAST
12 MONTHS, THAT OVER 75% OF THE
ACTIONS THAT THEY TAKE DO NOT
HAVE ACTUAL JUDICIAL WARRANTS
AND DO NOT HAVE REASONABLE
SUSPICION ON AN INDIVIDUALIZED
BASIS. THAT MAKES HER ACTIONS
ILLEGAL. SO AGAIN, SEATTLE
CANNOT ENFORCE LAWS THAT ARE NOT
THAT SEATTLE CANNOT ENFORCE
LOCAL LAWS OVER FEDERAL LAWS.
BUT SEATTLE DOES HAVE THE RIGHT
TO ENFORCE CONSTITUTIONAL LAWS
THAT ALL FEDERAL AGENTS ARE
SUBJECT TO. THAT IS THE MISSING
PIECE. AND SO, WHAT I AM CALLING
UPON ALL OF YOU, BUT ESPECIALLY
CHAIR KETTLE, TO ENDORSE THE 36
DISTRICT DEMOCRATIC RESOLUTION,
WHICH IS VERY SPECIFIC ABOUT
WHAT CAN BE DONE -- AGAIN, THIS
IS NOT ABOUT ARRESTING, NOT
ABOUT MASK LAWS, THIS IS ABOUT
VERY SPECIFICALLY ASSUMING
WITHOUT PROOF TO THE CONTRARY
THAT A FEDERAL AGENT'S ACTION
AND ABDUCTING SOMEONE IS ALMOST
CERTAINLY GOING TO BE A FOURTH
AMENDMENT VIOLATION. IT IS VERY
SIMPLE. AGAIN, I WILL NOTE THAT
TODAY'S AGENDA FOR UPDATED
PUBLIC SAFETY FRAMEWORK LACKS
ANY DISCUSSION OF THIS
IMMIGRATION . I WILL SAY THAT
THIS IS THE GREATEST THREAT IN
156 YEARS TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY
OF PEOPLE IN SEATTLE. BEYOND THE
PANDEMIC, -- THIS IS ABSOLUTELY
THE GREATEST THREAT.
>> THANK YOU.
>> OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE A
REMOTE SPEAKER. DAVID. PLEASE
PRESS STAR SIX, WHEN YOU HEAR
THE PROMPT. YOU HAVE BEEN
UNMUTED.
>> THANK YOU. HAVE YOU EVER
NOTICED THAT SEATTLE ALWAYS
LIVES VICARIOUSLY THROUGH WHAT
IS GOING ON IN MINNESOTA, NEW
YORK CITY, SAN FRANCISCO, AND
L.A. AND A COUPLE OF OTHER
INFLOWS OF BLUE CITY STATES ?
THERE IS A REAL PROBLEM WITH
PUBLIC SAFETY IN SEATTLE. ALL I
HEAR IS VIRTUE SIGNALING TO
BUTTON PUSH VOTING BLOCS
REFERENCING NATIONAL AND
ELSEWHERE POLITICS . I THINK IT
IS A TELLTALE SIGN OF THE
EFFORTS OF THE PROGRESSIVES IN
SEATTLE THAT MAKE A REAL
CONCERTED TRY TO TRICK THE
PEOPLE INTO BELIEVING THEY HAVE
THE BEST POLICY BY COMPLAINING
ABOUT ELSEWHERE SITUATIONS WHILE
THE WHOLE TIME EVIL PREDATORY
WICKED REPEAT OFFENDERS BEING
EXEMPTED FROM JAIL, BEING
DISPERSED BY THE COPS. AND THEN,
THE COPS ARE ALWAYS MORE FOCUSED
ON PLAN, PROPAGANDA POLITICS,
LETTING US KNOW THE EXCUSES OF
WHY THEY CAN'T COMBAT THE EVIL
THAT WE CAN'T GET AROUND THE
SIDEWALK . YET WE NOTICE HOW THE
POLICE CHIEF KEEPS DISPERSING
PEOPLE FROM THE DOWNTOWN COURT
TO CATER TO THE CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE, WHO SAID ALL THESE
WHACKED OUT PEOPLE INTO
BELLTOWN. BUT YET, ALL I HEAR
FROM THE COUNCIL IS THINGS ABOUT
TRUMP. THINGS ABOUT I.C.E.
THINGS ABOUT MINNESOTA. THINGS
ABOUT SOMALIA. BUT YET, WHEN
YOU COME ROUND -- RIGHT DOWN TO
IT AND STOP LOOKING THROUGH THE
RACIST LENS SEATTLE IS REQUIRED
TO LOOK THROUGH BEFORE THEY
DECIDE HOW TO MAKE THEIR
JUDGMENTS, YOU REALIZE THAT
SEATTLE IS LITERALLY RUNNING
INTERFERENCE FOR EVIL, BLACK AND
BROWN DRUG PUSHERS WHO DESTROYED
FELLOW MAN'S LIFE DAILY. RUINED
A CERTAIN PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS
BECAUSE THEY ARE DEEMED THEY
DON'T KNOW ANY BETTER. YOU ALL
ARE REWARDING PEOPLE WHO ARE
COMMITTING CRIMES WITH ALL THE
HOUSING AND CAPACITY, AND YOU
ARE JUST BLINDLY CAPITULATING ,
WHICH WAS CREATED BY GEORGE
SOROS, NOT CHEWING JOB PROPERLY
WHAT COMES TO BREAKING
ADDICTION. USING PEOPLE FOR
NONPROFITS TO GET RICH, SKIMMING
MEDICAID.
>> THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU,
EVERYONE, FOR YOUR PUBLIC
COMMENT. I WILL QUICKLY SAY,
FOLLOWING MY CHAIR, ON I.C.E
OPERATIONS, WE HAVE A GROUP OF
STUDENTS WHO MISSED THAT OR
MAYBE HEARD IT OUTSIDE. TO
FOLLOW UP ON COMMENTS. I AM
CHECKING WITH LEGAL COUNSEL. WE
ARE DOING DIFFERENT PIECES. I
HAVE MET WITH FORMER DEPUTY ,
BECAUSE WITH THE PRIOR
ADMINISTRATION, THERE WAS A
FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT
WORKGROUP, IF YOU WILL. I'VE
MET WITH THEM. OBVIOUSLY, WE
HAVE A CHANGE IN ADMINISTRATION
. A LITTLE BIT OF A RESTART. BUT
WITH THE SLI WE HAVE IN TERMS OF
HAVING, YOU KNOW, A REPORT FROM
SPD ON FEDERAL IMMIGRATION
ENFORCEMENT POLICIES , WE WILL
BE MOVING FORWARD WITH THE NEW
ADMINISTRATION TO TAKE MORE
ACTION. I WILL SAY THERE IS THIS
THING CALLED STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK
PLAN FOR SAFER SEATTLE, WHICH IS
WHAT I USUALLY TALK ABOUT TO
INCLUDE THE 36 PIECES OF
LEGISLATION DONE IN THE LAST
TERM OF THE COUNCIL, WHICH I
CAN'T SPEAK ANYMORE. THAT IS MY
COMMENT. AND YES, WE ARE DEALING
WITH, ARGUABLY, THE GREATEST
THREAT TO OUR DEMOCRACY, AT
LEAST SINCE THE CIVIL WAR. THANK
YOU. WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO THE
FIRST ITEM OF BUSINESS. WILL THE
CLERK PLEASE READ ITEM 1 INTO
THE RECORD.
>> BERK 2025 OFFICE OF EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT ORGANIZATIONAL
ASSESSMENT.
>> OKAY. MR. MURPHY AND MR.
HIRN, WELCOME. PLEASE JOIN US AT
THE TABLE. ONCE YOU SIT,
INTRODUCE YOURSELF FOR THE
RECORD. AND THEN, ONCE READY,
WITH THE CLERK AND START YOUR
PRESENTATION?
>> GOOD MORNING. MR. CHAIR,
COUNCIL MEMBERS, I AM BRIAN
MURPHY, PRINCIPAL AT BERK
CONSULTING BASED YOUR IN
SEATTLE. I WAS PROJECT MANAGER
FOR THIS EFFORT.
>> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS
OLIVER HIRN. I AM IN -- AN
ANALYST AND HELP SUPPORT
ENGAGEMENT IN THE ANALYST
COMPONENT OF THIS PROJECT.
>> COLLEAGUES, LET'S HOLD
QUESTIONS UNTIL THE END .
DO WE HAVE IT IS A POWERPOINT?
>> I WANTED TO SHARE THAT I'M
HERE. COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ.
>> COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ IS HERE
FOR THE RECORD. THANK YOU. IS IT
POSSIBLE TO BRING IT UP AS A
POWERPOINT?
>> GOOD MORNING AGAIN. THANK YOU
FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BRIEF YOU
ON OUR WORK. WE WILL PLAN TO
STEP THROUGH A SUMMARY OF OUR
WORK AND FINDINGS, OUR
RECOMMENDATIONS, AND THEN WE ARE
HAPPY TO TAKE QUESTIONS FROM
COUNCIL. WE ARE CONTRACTED IN
ABOUT MARCH 2025 TO CONDUCT A
HIGH LEVEL ASSESSMENT OF THE
OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.
LOOKING TO SEE HOW THEY WERE
PERFORMING , AND REALLY TO FOCUS
ON HOW THEY WERE SET UP FOR
SUCCESS IN TERMS OF WHERE THEY
ARE PLACED WITHIN CITY
GOVERNMENT, AND HOW THEY ARE
RESOURCE. THIS WAS IN RESPONSE
TO A SLI THAT I BELIEVE TO BOTH
COUNCIL AND MAYORAL INTEREST. WE
FINALIZED A REPORT IN ABOUT JUNE
2025. I RECENTLY DUSTED IT OFF
TO COME BACK AND SHARE SUMMARY
OF OUR FINDINGS. OLIVER WILL
DESCRIBE THE METHODOLOGY, THE
DIFFERENT INPUTS WE USED TO COME
TO OUR CONCLUSIONS, BUT I JUST
WANTED TO NOTE THAT WE DID
ENGAGE WITH OFFICE OF EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT STAFF BOTH EARLY IN
THE PROCESS AND LATER . EARLY
ON, THEY HELPED US SORT OF
REFINE OUR SCOPE AND APPROACH.
THEY PUT US IN DIRECT CONTACT
WITH EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
DIRECTORS OF THE OPERATING
DEPARTMENTS. TOWARDS THE END, WE
SHARED A DRAFT REPORT. THEY
PROVIDED SOME HELPFUL FACTUAL
CLARIFICATIONS, BUT DID NOT
WEIGH IN ON OUR RECOMMENDATIONS.
WE ARE WORKING DIRECTLY WITH THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE HONOR WORK ON A
DAY-TO-DAY BASIS.
>> YES. I WILL JUST ADD , BOTH
IN THIS PRESENTATION, THE LARGER
REPORT WE SHARE, ARE BASED OFF
OF MULTIPRONGED APPROACH THAT WE
TOOK THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS. IT
WAS A REVIEW OF LITERATURE
LOOKING AT MORE THE NATIONAL AND
REGIONAL SEEN ABROAD. A CONCEPT
OF THE CHANGING ROLES OF OEM
HISTORICALLY AND CURRENTLY.
LOOKING AT ACCREDITATION, BEST
PRACTICES, OTHER EXISTING
LITERATURE. ALSO REVIEWING
SEATTLE OEM SPECIFIC OH RG
DOCUMENTS, FTE ALLOCATIONS,
ORGANIZATIONAL CHARTS, AND
THINGS ALONG THOSE LINES. AS
BRIAN MENTIONED, CITY
STAKEHOLDERS WERE INTERVIEWED,
INCLUDING OEM, AS A PART OF THE
PROCESS. WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY
TO SPEAK WITH SEVERAL
ORGANIZATIONS THAT OEM OPERATES
WITH AND COMMUNICATES WITH
DURING AN EMERGENCY AND GATHER
THEIR PERSPECTIVE ON THOSE
OPERATIONS. LAST BUT NOT LEAST,
UNDER A MAJOR COMPONENT OF THIS
ANALYSIS IS THE BENCHMARKING
PORTION WHERE WE HAD AN
OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH THE
CITIES OF DENVER, PORTLAND, SAN
FRANCISCO AND VANCOUVER BRITISH
COLUMBIA. I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY
TO SPEAK WITH THEM AND LOOKED AT
SOME OF THEIR INTERNAL DOCUMENTS
AND HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SORT
OF COMPARE SEATTLE TO WHAT SOME
HERE CITIES ARE DOING AS WELL.
>> WE WILL TALK THROUGH A
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS BEFORE
MOVING INTO RECOMMENDATIONS. A
LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND. IN
2020, IN SEATTLE ANNOUNCED THAT
OEM WOULD BE MOVED OUT OF THE
POLICE DEPARTMENT AND INTO A
STANDALONE OFFICE REPORTING TO
THE MAYOR. THIS WAS IN RESPONSE
TO THE DEATH OF GEORGE FLOYD AND
SHIFTING OF SOME POLICE
DEPARTMENT RESPONSIBILITIES. IT
ACTUALLY BROUGHT THE CITY MUCH
MORE IN LINE WITH THE COMMON
PRACTICE AROUND THE COUNTRY.
WHAT IS TYPICALLY VIEWED AS THE
BEST PRACTICE OF HAVING AN
INDEPENDENT EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
FUNCTION THAT IS NOT DIRECTLY
HOUSED WITH THE POLICE OR FIRE
AGENCY. ALTHOUGH OBVIOUSLY THEY
WERE TOGETHER A GREAT DEAL. ONE
OTHER NOTE IS THAT OEM IS
ACCREDITED BY A NATIONAL BODY
CALLED EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
ACCREDITATION PROGRAM. OLIVER
WILL NOTE THAT SOME PEER CITIES
ARE ACCREDITED AS WELL, AND
OTHERS ARE NOT. PER CITY CODE,
OEM IS RESPONSIBLE FOR QUITE A
LOT. THERE HELPING TO PREPARE
THE SEATTLE COMMUNITY FOR
DISASTER . THEY ARE HELPING TO
UNDERSTAND OUR RISKS HERE IN
SEATTLE AND HOW WE CAN MITIGATE
THOSE HAZARDS. SEATTLE TAKES IN
ALL HAZARDS APPROACH. THEY'RE
LOOKING AT THINGS LIKE AN
EARTHQUAKE, BUT ALSO TERRORISM.
THEY'RE LOOKING AT THINGS LIKE
CLIMATE CHANGE OR CYBERATTACKS.
BUT THEY ARE REALLY DOING THAT
IN COLLABORATION WITH OTHER CITY
DEPARTMENTS. IN THE INSTANCE OF
CYBERATTACKS, I.T. IS REALLY THE
LEAD. I THINK THAT RAISES A
THEME YOU WILL HEAR AS WE WALKED
THROUGH PRESENTATION THAT THEY
ARE A PRETTY SMALL DEPARTMENT.
HAVE ABOUT 15, 20 FTE. THEY ARE
VERY LEVERAGED. THEY ARE WORKING
ACROSS THE ENTIRE CITY
ORGANIZATION WITH OTHER CITY
DEPARTMENTS TO LEVERAGE THEIR
RESOURCES, THEIR EXPERTISE , AND
HELP GET THEM PREPARED AND READY
FOR A DISASTER AS WELL. THEY
ALSO TRAIN CITY EMPLOYEES,
VOLUNTEERS AND COMMUNITY
MEMBERS. WE ARE ALL READY TO GO
WHEN SOMETHING HAPPENS.
OBVIOUSLY, THAT IS ANOTHER HUGE
POINT OF LEVERAGE. THOUSANDS AND
THOUSANDS OF CITY EMPLOYEES AND
800,000 SEATTLE RESIDENTS.
ANOTHER POINT WERE SMALL
DEPARTMENT IS LEVERAGED ACROSS
QUITE A LARGE SPAN OF
RESPONSIBILITY. OEM DOES MANAGE
THE CITY 'S EOC OR EMERGENCY
OPERATIONS CENTER. THAT IS HOW
THE CITY RESPONDS AND
COORDINATES ON SOME IN PERSON
AND REMOTE OPERATIONS WHEN THERE
IS AN EVENT HAPPENING. THERE ARE
OTHER EOCS AND OTHER OPERATING
DEPARTMENTS AROUND THE CITY. WE
WILL TOUCH ON THAT. THEY ALSO
COLLECT AND REPORT AND
INFORMATION FOLLOWING A
DISASTER. THEY ARE INVOLVED IN
RESPONSE AND RECOVERY , AND ALSO
A PRACTICE OF AFTER ACTION
REVIEWS FOLLOWING AN EMERGENCY.
IN GENERAL, THERE RESPONSIBLE
FOR OVERSEEING THE CITY'S
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
ORGANIZATION OR FUNCTION ACROSS
THE CITY . OVERSEE IS AN
INTERESTING WORD. THEY ARE
REALLY IN A COORDINATING ROLE.
IF WE LOOK REALLY BROADLY AT THE
FIELD OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
BEFORE WE DELVE INTO SOME MORE
SPECIFIC FOR SEATTLE OEM, WE SEE
THAT THAT SPAN OF RESPONSIBILITY
IS COMMON. PLANNING, MITIGATION,
DISASTER RESPONSE AND RECOVERY.
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT IS REALLY A
COORDINATING FUNCTION. IT IS
OFTEN MORE ABOUT COORDINATING
THAN IT IS ABOUT LEADING OR
DOING DIRECTLY . IN MANY CASES,
THE EOS -- OPERATE QUITE
INDEPENDENTLY MUCH OF THE TIME,
AS DOES OTHER OPERATING
DEPARTMENTS LIKE SPU, SDOT OR
CITY LIGHT. EVEN WHEN THE EOC IS
ACTIVATED, OEM IS SORT OF
GETTING EVERYBODY READY FOR
THAT, BUT THEY MAY NOT BE IN AN
INCIDENT COMMAND ROLE. THERE MAY
BE ANOTHER COMMANDER WHO WAS
CALLING THE SHOTS IN THE EOC AND
THE OEM'S ROLE IN THAT CASE IS
TO COORDINATE AND HELP SHARE
INFORMATION AND HELP THAT
OPERATE EFFECTIVELY. SO REALLY
WE FOCUS ON THINGS LIKE PROJECT
MANAGEMENT, CORONATION,
COMMUNICATION, FACILITATION .
THOSE ARE COMMON ROLES ACROSS
THE NATION AND EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT. THE REAL ANSWER TO
THE RIGHT NOW IS FEDERAL FUNDING
. LIKE OTHER LARGE CITIES,
SEATTLE REALLY DOES RELY ON
FEDERAL FUNDS SIGNIFICANTLY FOR
BOTH PLANNING AND MITIGATION .
THOSE CERTAINLY ARE MORE
UNCERTAIN . THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT'S ROLE IN DIRECT
RESPONSE AND DIRECT RECOVERY IS
ALSO UNCERTAIN. WE NEED TO BE
LOOKING AT BEING MORE
INDEPENDENT AT A LOCAL LEVEL AND
LESS RELIANT ON FEDERAL
RESOURCES. BECAUSE EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT IS OFTEN GOOD AT
COORDINATION, IT CAN GET DRAWN
INTO MORE AND MORE COMPLEX
CHALLENGES THAT ARE FACED BY
GOVERNMENT. ON THIS SLIDE WE
MENTIONED CYBERSECURITY, CLIMATE
CHANGE, CLIMATE ADAPTATION AND
OTHER MULTIDISCIPLINARY
CHALLENGES. A GOOD EXAMPLE IS
THE SAN FRANCISCO DEPARTMENT OF
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, WHICH IS
MASSIVE COMPARED TO OUR HOURS.
IT IS ACTUALLY THE RESPONSE TO
HOMELESSNESS. IT IS JUST SO GOOD
AT SHARING INFORMATION ACROSS
DISCIPLINES. BECAUSE EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT IS SO DIFFUSE AND
LEVERAGED, IT CAN BE DIFFICULT
TO COMMUNICATE WHAT IT DOES AND
THE VALUE OF IT. A NATIONAL
SURVEY OF BIG-CITY EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT AGENCIES FOUND THAT
STAKEHOLDER CONFUSION, I THINK
THAT WOULD BE THE MAYOR'S
OFFICE, THE COUNCIL AND OTHER
DEPARTMENTS, HAVE A COMMON
MISUNDERSTANDING ABOUT THE ROLE
OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT. THIS IS
A REAL CHALLENGE. THAT CAME IN
JUST BELOW THE LACK OF FUNDING ,
LACK OF STAFFING AND COMPETING
PRIORITIES. WHICH YOU WILL HEAR
US TALK ABOUT AS WELL. SUCCESS
CAN ALSO BE DIFFICULT TO MEASURE
. EMERGENCIES HAPPEN
PERIODICALLY. IT IS HARD TO ASK
WHAT WOULD'VE HAPPENED IF WE
HAD NOT PREPARED OR RESPONDED IN
THE WAY WE DID. WE CAN TRY TO
HIGHLIGHT SOME PERFORMANCE
MEASURES THAT MAY BE HELPFUL. IT
IS OFTEN SAID THAT THE WEST
COAST IS UNPRACTICED BECAUSE WE
DON'T HAVE AS MANY ACTIVATIONS
AS THEY DO BACK EAST OR IN THE
SOUTH, ALTHOUGH WE ARE SEEING
THAT HAPPEN MORE AND MORE.
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DOES HAVE A
GOOD PRACTICE OF DOING AFTER
ACTION REVIEWS. THAT IS ONE OF
THE OUTCOMES WE MIGHT TALK
ABOUT, FOLLOWING ACTIVATION,
THEY WILL DO A REVIEW OF WHAT
WENT WELL AND WHERE THERE ARE
OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT.
IT IS A GREAT ASPECT OF THE
PROFESSION.
>> ANOTHER COMPONENT OF THE
REPORT THAT WE WILL HIGHLIGHT,
AND I BRIEFLY TOUCHED ON BEFORE,
IS THE PEER CITY BENCHMARKING.
WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO REACH
OUT AND COMMUNICATE WITH AND
SHARE RESOURCES WITH THE CITIES
OF DENVER, PORTLAND, SAN
FRANCISCO AND VANCOUVER ,
BRITISH COLUMBIA. I HAVE TWO
SLIDES HERE. THE FIRST LIGHT IS
A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A
QUANTITATIVE NUMERICAL
EVALUATION OF HOW SEATTLE
COMPARES WITH SOME OF THOSE
OTHER CITY'S ORGANIZATIONS. THE
NEXT LINE WILL FOCUS A LITTLE
BIT MORE ON THE CONVERSATIONS WE
HAVE HAD WITH THOSE GROUPS IN
THE QUALITATIVE ASPECT THERE.
LET ME START WITH JUST SORT OF
THE KEY TAKE AWAY FROM THE
QUANTITATIVE NUMERICAL SIDE. THE
TWO KEY TAKEAWAYS WE HAVE THERE
ARE SEATTLE'S OEM RECEIVES LESS
FUNDING THEIR PEER CITIES, AND
OTHER ORGANIZATIONS HAVE
SIGNIFICANTLY MORE COMMUNITY
OUTREACH AND EDUCATION FTEs. I
RECOGNIZE EVEN SAYING THIS NOW,
AND SAYS THE REPORT HAS COME
OUT, WE RECOGNIZE THAT THERE
HAVE BEEN ADDITIONAL FUNDS ADDED
TO THE PROPOSED 2026 OEM BUDGET,
RECOGNIZING THAT THERE IS
ANOTHER MILLION GOING IN THERE
AN ADDITIONAL FTEs ALLOCATED
THERE AS WELL. IT'S A GREAT
STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. I
THINK THESE KEY TAKEAWAYS ARE
PROBABLY STILL RINGING TRUE.
THAT IS A GOOD STEP. BUT MORE
STEPS ARE LIKELY REQUIRED
TOWARDS THAT DIRECTION. LET ME
BRING ATTENTION NEXT TO THE SORT
OF TABLE WE HAVE OUTLINED .
BEFORE I HIGHLIGHT A FEW
SPECIFIC LINE ITEMS, I JUST WANT
TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE FAR RIGHT
SAN FRANCISCO, IF YOU LOOK AT
SAN FRANCISCO, YOU WILL SEE SOME
SIGNIFICANTLY LARGER NUMBERS
THAN WE SEE WITH SEATTLE, DENVER
AND PORTLAND. JUST HIGHLIGHTING
THAT WHEN WE SPOKE TO THESE
DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS AND
DIFFERENT CITIES, EACH WAS
UNIQUE. EACH ORGANIZATION ,
WHILE PERFORMING SOMEWHAT
SIMILAR ROLES, HAVE THEIR OWN
UNIQUE QUALITIES TO THEM. SAN
FRANCISCO WAS ESPECIALLY UNIQUE
IN THE FACT THAT THEY HOUSE
THEIR 911 CALL CENTER, AS WELL
AS A LOT OF THEIR EMS FUNCTIONS,
WITHIN THEIR EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT. I JUST
WANT TO FLAG THAT IS WHY YOU'RE
GOING TO SEE SOME SIGNIFICANTLY
LARGER NUMBERS THERE. WE HAD
CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM AND
STARTED TO UNDERSTAND THAT
DIFFERENCE. WE WERE ABLE TO PULL
THOSE SORT OF CORE RELEVANT
NUMBERS OUT OF THEIR BUDGET. LET
ME CALL ATTENTION TO JUST A FEW
LINE ITEMS STARTING WITH FISCAL
YEAR 24 OEM BUDGET. WE SEE
SEATTLE IS JUST ABOUT $3
MILLION. WE CAN CALL THAT A
LITTLE OVER FOUR BASED OCTOBER
20 26 PROPOSED BUDGET IS. STILL
SEEING THAT AS SIGNIFICANTLY
LESS THAN DENVER AND PORTLAND.
WE SEE THE FISCAL YEAR 23 BUDGET
PER CAPITA. SEATTLE IS ABOUT
$3.75 SPENDING, WHICH IS
SIGNIFICANTLY LESS THAN DENVER
AT 11 AND PORTLAND AT 16. ALSO
WORTH LOOKING AT IS THE FISCAL
YEAR 24 BUDGET AS A PERCENTAGE
OF TOTAL EXPENDITURE. WE SEE
SEATTLE IS ABOUT 0.04%, SPENDING
LESS THAN DENVER AND PORTLAND'S
0.17 AND ZERO POINTS 12
RESPECTIVELY. THE LAST THING IS
THE EMAP CERTIFICATION. JUST
HIGHLIGHTING THAT SEATTLE DOES
HAVE THAT CERTIFICATION . WHEN
WE SPOKE TO DENVER, THEY LET US
KNOW THEY ARE ACTIVELY SEEKING
RECERTIFICATION . THEY'RE GOING
THROUGH THAT PROCESS RIGHT NOW.
WILL RESPOND TO PORTLAND,
NEITHER PORTLAND NOR SAN
FRANCISCO HAVE THE CERTIFICATION
OR ARE ACTIVELY SEEKING
CERTIFICATION. I WILL SPEAK A
LITTLE BIT MORE TO THAT ON THE
NEXT SLIDE. BEFORE I MOVE ON TO
THE NEXT SLIDE, THE LAST THING I
WANT TO HIGHLIGHT HERE IS JUST
AN APPRECIATION TO THESE PEER
CITIES . THEY WERE EXTREMELY
HELPFUL IN THE PROCESS. VERY
WILLING TO SHARE RESOURCES. IT
WAS A GREAT COLLABORATIVE
EXPERIENCE. AS SEATTLE OEM GOES
FORWARD, I WOULD DEFINITELY
RECOMMEND CONTINUING TO LEAN ON
THAT RELATIONSHIP. AS I
MENTIONED, THEY WERE VERY
COLLABORATIVE AND MORE THAN
WILLING TO HELP. I THINK THERE
IS A STRONG PARTNERSHIP TO BE
HAD IN THE FUTURE. AS I
MENTIONED, THE NEXT LINE TALKS A
LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE
QUALITATIVE SIDE OF THINGS. HERE
ARE SOME OF THE MAIN KEY FOCAL
POINTS OF WHAT WE HEARD IN
CONVERSATIONS WITH PEERS CITIES.
THE FIRST BEING THE CONCEPT OF
BALANCING LEADERSHIP AND
FACILITATION AS A MAJOR
CHALLENGE. I THINK THIS IS
PROBABLY THE LARGEST, MOST CRUX
OF A CHALLENGE WE SAW WITH PEERS
CITIES. THIS IS BALANCING CLEAR
AND CONCISE AND FAST
COMMUNICATION IN A MEANINGFUL
AND IMPACTFUL WAY IN AN
EMERGENCY WHEN THINGS ARE
HECTIC. BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE
THAT CLEAR COMMUNICATION. ALSO
HAVING THE PROPER AUTHORITY TO
DO SO. ONE OF THE THINGS WE
HEARD FROM PEER CITIES IS THAT
THERE ARE DIFFERENT LEVELS OF
AUTHORITY OF WHAT THEIR
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENTS
ARE ABLE TO TAKE ON IN AN
EMERGENCY AND TRYING TO FIND THE
RIGHT LEVEL OF AUTHORITY TO
RESPOND ADEQUATELY IS ,
CONTINUES TO BE A CHALLENGE FOR
PEER CITIES. THE NEXT ITEM I
WANT TO DRAW ATTENTION TO IS THE
PLACEMENT OF EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT WITHIN THE MAYOR'S
OFFICE. AS HE SPOKE TO PEER
CITIES, THAT WAS BROADLY
SUPPORTED. A FEW OTHER CITIES
HAD EXPERIENCES WHERE THEIR
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT
MIGHT'VE BEEN LOCATED SOMEWHERE
ELSE . I THINK THE GENERAL
CONSENSUS WAS THAT, UNDER THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE, UNDER THAT
EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP, WAS A
STRONG PLACE FOR IT THAT
PROVIDES A PEER TO PEER
RELATIONSHIP WITH OTHER
DEPARTMENTS AND ORGANIZATIONS
THAT THEY ARE COMMUNICATING WITH
AND HELPING FACILITATE
COMMUNICATION WITH , AND IT ALSO
PROVIDES DIRECT ACCESS TO
DECISION-MAKING IN A TIME OF
EMERGENCY OR NEED.. THE NEXT
ITEM I WANTED TO BRING UP WAS
DEDICATED TRAINING AND
COMMUNICATION STAFF ARE
ESSENTIAL. I WILL NOD BACK TO
THE ADDITIONAL FTEs ADDED THIS
COMING YEAR. I THINK THAT IS A
GREAT STEP. I THINK THOSE
ADDITIONAL FTEs ARE A STRONG
DIRECTION. PEER CITIES REINFORCE
THAT IDEA OF HOW IMPORTANT
COMMUNICATION, BOTH WITH THE
GENERAL PUBLIC, AS WELL AS
COMMUNICATION WITHIN
DEPARTMENTS, ARE IN HELPING TO
FACILITATE LARGE TRAININGS
THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. LAST BUT
NOT LEAST, WE TALKED ABOUT EMAP
CERTIFICATION WITH PEERS CITIES
. THE GENERAL CONSENSUS WAS THAT
IT MAY BE BENEFICIAL, BUT IT IS
CERTAINLY NOT SUFFICIENT
PRACTICE HIGHLIGHTING HERE THAT
I THINK THE EMAP CERTIFICATION
IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A
STRONG ORGANIZATION EVEN BETTER
AND REALLY PROVIDE A FOUNDATION
FOR THEIR PLANS AND ACTIONS. THE
CONSENSUS WE GOT FROM PEER
CITIES WAS THAT AN EMAP
CERTIFICATION IS NOT GOING TO
MAKE A WEAK EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
ORGANIZATION A STRONG ONE. AS WE
HAVE WRITTEN, IT IS NO GUARANTEE
OF PREPAREDNESS OR
EFFECTIVENESS.
>> IN RESPONSE TO THE QUESTION
ABOUT WHETHER OEM IS SET UP FOR
SUCCESS, WE WANTED TO CALL OUT A
COUPLE OF STRUCTURAL AND
RESOURCE CHALLENGES. OLIVER HAS
BROKEN UP INTO SOME OF THE
RESOURCE CHALLENGES. ON THE
STRUCTURAL SIDE, I THINK IT IS
IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT OEM'S
HAS REPORTED TO FOUR DIFFERENT
INDIVIDUALS AND ABOUT THE SAME
NUMBER OF YEARS. BOTH THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE AND COUNCIL HAVE
EXPRESSED VARYING LEVELS OF
INTEREST DEPENDING ON THE
CIRCUMSTANCES. PARTICIPATION BY
DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS AND SENIOR
STAFF IN THE EMERGENCY EXECUTIVE
BOARD IS NOT CONSISTENT. I THINK
THIS IS, ON ONE HAND, COMPLETELY
UNDERSTANDABLE. EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT IS AN EXERCISE TO BE
PREPARED FOR SOMETHING THAT
ISN'T HAPPENING TODAY. WE ALL
HAVE TO DO LISTS AND URGENT
ITEMS TODAY THAT ARE EXTREMELY
IMPORTANT. BUT THE TYRANNY OF
THE IMMEDIATE CAN LEAD TO A LACK
OF FOCUS ON SUPPORTING OEM AND
ITS ROLE IN SUPPORTING THE WHOLE
CITY AND BEING READY FOR AN
EMERGENCY.
>> CAN YOU HOLD ON FOR ONE
SECOND. NO QUESTIONS. BUT I DID
WANT TO THANK THE STUDENTS WHO
JOINED US. WHICH SCHOOL? THANK
YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING. MAKE
SURE TO ASK YOUR TEACHER TONS OF
QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT WE TALKED
TODAY. OKAY? IF YOU HAVE ANY
OTHER QUESTIONS, PLEASE TALK TO
MY VICE CHAIR, COUNCILMEMBER
SAKA. MR. MURPHY, SORRY FOR THE
INTERRUPTION. JUST WANTED TO
GIVE THEM AN ABOLISHMENT.
>> I WILL ALSO NOTE THAT IS A
NEW AND INDEPENDENT APARTMENT,
OEM HAS HAD TO BUILD UP ITS
ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY. IT
DOESN'T HAVE THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT TO HELP SHAPE A
BUDGET REQUEST OR PERFORM OTHER
ADMINISTRATIVE FUNCTIONS WITHIN
THE CITY. IT IS BUILDING THAT
MUSCLE. OLIVER HAS NOTED THAT
OEM DOESN'T HAVE AUTHORITY FOR
RESOURCE ALLOCATION
SPECIFICALLY. THAT IS SOMETHING
WE DO SEE IN SOME OF THE PEER
CITIES. THAT MEANS THAT IN AN
EMERGENCY, OEM CAN ASK OTHER
DEPARTMENTS TO SHARE RESOURCES
BUT CAN'T DIRECT THAT. THAT IS
SOMETHING THAT IS WORTH LOOKING
AT IN MORE DETAIL. WE WILL TOUCH
ON THAT IN A BIT MORE. RESOURCE
CHALLENGES HAVE BEEN NOTED. AS A
SMALL DEPARTMENT, THERE IS
ACROSS-THE-BOARD CUTS THAT
REALLY HIT HARD. THEY HAVE
IMPACTED TRAINING AND
COORDINATION, COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT, RATHER SPECIFICALLY.
THERE HAS BEEN SOME REMEDY TO
THAT. BUT I THINK THIS IS WORTH
CONTINUING TO PAY ATTENTION TO .
THAT RELIANCE ON FEDERAL GRANTS
AS WELL IS CERTAINLY A RISK.
OLIVER NOTED WE SPOKE WITH
STAKEHOLDERS THROUGHOUT THE
COMMUNITY. WE SPOKE WITH SOMEONE
IN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, FOLKS IN
CBO, POLICE, FIRE, CITY LIGHT,
SEATTLE PUBLIC UTILITIES, SDOT
AND OEM AS WELL. I AM GOING TO
PRESENT SOME SUMMARY THEMES ON
THE SLIDE, AND THEN ON THE NEXT
I GET INTO A LITTLE BIT MORE
DETAIL. WE HEARD SOME
APPRECIATION. WE ALSO HEARD SOME
CRITICISM. I WOULD PHRASE THAT
PROCESS AND REALLY AS A DESIRE
FOR MORE . I HAVE DESCRIBED
OEM'S ROLE AS A COORDINATING
ROLE. I THINK THAT IS TRUE. BUT
THERE'S ALSO A DESIRE FOR MORE
PROACTIVE LEADERSHIP. HELPING
THE CITY TO IDENTIFY PRIORITY
THREATS. HELPING THE CITY
PREPARE FOR AND PLAN FOR THOSE
THREATS , STRENGTHENING THE EOC
OPERATIONS SO IT WORKS FLUIDLY
AND FLUENTLY, AND THEN ADDING
MORE VALUE AND INFORMATION
SYNTHESIS AND ACTIVE
COORDINATION. I WILL EXPAND ON
THAT IN JUST A MOMENT. THE OTHER
RECOMMENDATION FROM STAKEHOLDERS
WAS TO HAVE OEM FOCUS ON CORE
FUNCTIONS. REALLY FOCUSED ON THE
BASIS. HAZARD ASSESSMENT, THAT
SHOULD INFORM PLANNING, TRAINING
EXERCISES AND RESOURCES.
FOCUSING ON EOC. AND BUILDING
RELATIONSHIPS AND TRUST WITH THE
OPERATING DEPARTMENTS , AND WITH
CITY LEADERSHIP. I THINK THAT
POINT IS IMPORTANT. AND THEN, AS
MORE RESOURCES ARE ALLOWED TO
EXPAND ITS ROLE, OEM'S ROLE IN
COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND
COMMUNICATIONS. TAKING SOME OF
THOSE SAME IDEAS AND ORGANIZING
THEM BY WHAT HAPPENS BEFORE A
DISASTER, WHAT HAPPENS DURING A
DISASTER AND WHAT HAPPENS AFTER
A DISASTER. THERE WAS A DESIRE
EXPRESSED THAT OEM TAKE A MORE
PROACTIVE ROLE IN IDENTIFYING
RISKS AND HELPING SET STRATEGIC
PRIORITIES . SO HELPING THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE AND CITY
DEPARTMENTS REALLY FOCUS ON WHAT
WE NEED TO FOCUS ON RIGHT NOW.
FIFA IS A GREAT EXAMPLE.
ACTUALLY, THE OEM ROLE IN KCPAO
PREPAREDNESS WAS GENERALLY
REVIEWED VERY POSITIVELY.
HELPING MAKE SURE THAT
DEPARTMENTAL CONTINUITY OF
OPERATION PLANS ARE IN PLACE .
THOSE ARE ASKED OF ALL CITIES,
ALL CITY DEPARTMENTS, BUT I
DON'T THINK THEY ARE IN PLACE.
OEM DOESN'T HAVE THE AUTHORITY
TO REQUIRE THEY BE SO, BE READY.
WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT MAKING SURE
THAT THE FOLKS FROM ACROSS THE
CITY WHO ARE COMING INTO THE
EOC, MAKING SURE THEY ARE
PREPARED FOR THEIR ROLE AND ABLE
TO OPERATE EFFECTIVELY IN THAT
ENVIRONMENT. MORE TRAINING FOR
STAFF AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS
BEFORE AN EMERGENCY, AND THEN
SMOOTHING THE WAY THAT THE CITY
STRATEGIC WORKGROUP, DISASTER
MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE AND
EMERGENCY EXECUTIVE BOARD WORK .
IT IS A LOT OF COMMITTEES, BUT
IT IS A BIG CITY WITH A LOT OF
NEED TO COORDINATE. I DON'T
THINK THE STRUCTURE IS WRONG.
THERE WAS ACTUALLY STRONG
SUPPORT FOR THAT STRUCTURE, BUT
THERE COULD BE WAYS, I THINK,
THOSE BODIES ARE USED MORE
EFFECTIVELY. WITHIN RESPONSE
HELPING GATHER INFORMATION ,
PROCESS IT, DISSEMINATE IT IN A
WAY THAT CLUES US ALL TOGETHER.
THAT WAS A COMMENT FROM ONE OF
THE STAKEHOLDERS. SOMETIMES THE
CRITICISM HERE IS THAT
INFORMATION COMES TO OEM, THEY
REPACKAGE IT AND SEND IT BACK
OUT WITHOUT SYNTHESIS, WITHOUT
SORT OF THE VALUE ADD OF HELPING
TO DISTILL AND IDENTIFY WHAT IS
MOST IMPORTANT AND WHAT NEEDS TO
HAPPEN. INCREASING THE
OPERATIONAL FOCUS OF OEM.
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT INVOLVES A
LOT OF PLANNING, TRAINING AND
EXERCISE . AND THAT IS A BIG
PART OF THE PROFESSION. WHEN
SOMETHING HAPPENS , WE ACTIVATE.
THAT SHIFT INTO ACTIVATION
REALLY CALLS ON OEM STAFF AND
OTHERS TO CHANGE AND PLAY A VERY
DIFFERENT ROLE. THEY NEED TO BE
READY FOR THAT. THEY NEED TO
HAVE PRACTICE AND THAT, AND THE
NEED TO TREAT IT AS A CORE PART
OF THEIR JOB WHEN THEY'RE
HIRING FOR THAT POSITION. IN
RECOVERY, I THINK IT IS
IMPORTANT TO BETTER DESCRIBE
ROLES , OEM'S ROLE IN
DEPARTMENT ROLES, AND TO PLAN
FOR NEIGHBORHOOD LEVEL RECOVERY.
THE CITY HAS A CITYWIDE DISASTER
RECOVERY FRAMEWORK, BUT IT
DOESN'T GET PRACTICED VERY
OFTEN, AND RECOVERY CAN BE
CHALLENGING, BECAUSE IT IS SO
INTERDISCIPLINARY. THERE COULD
BE MORE FOCUS ON CLARIFYING
ROLES THERE. WE ARE GOING TO
STEP THROUGH THREE SETS OF
RECOMMENDATIONS HERE THAT REALLY
BRING TOGETHER ROLES THAT THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE CAN PLAY, AS
WELL AS OEM. THEN WE WILL MOVE
ON TO YOUR QUESTIONS. WE THINK
THE MAYOR'S OFFICE COULD DO
MORE TO HELP PRIORITIZE THE
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT FUNCTION .
THINK OF EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS
IS A VERY HIGH VALUE INSURANCE
POLICY THAT WILL PROTECT SEATTLE
RESIDENTS AND THE ABILITY OF THE
CITY ITSELF TO PERFORM WELL IN
CHALLENGING MOMENTS. HAS GOT A
HIGH ROI WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE
DOLLARS SPENT ON EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT, BUT I THINK WE NEED
TO EXTEND THAT THINKING INTO HOW
TIME IS SPENT ON EMERGENCY
PREPAREDNESS. WE CAN'T OUTSOURCE
THAT TO THE OFFICE OF EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT. IT HAS TO BE A HIGH
PRIORITY FOR THE MAYOR'S
OFFICE, AND FOR THE DEPARTMENTS,
OPERATING DEPARTMENTS, AS WELL
IN THE FACE OF THAT TYRANNY OF
THE IMMEDIATE. WE THINK IT IS
IMPORTANT TO KEEP OEM'S
POSITION AS AN INDEPENDENT
ENTITY WITHIN THE CITY'S
ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE TO
DEMONSTRATE EXECUTIVE SUPPORT
FOR OEM VIA THE EMERGENCY
EXECUTIVE BOARD AND OTHER
OPPORTUNITIES. WE THINK THAT
ESTABLISHING A STAFF TRAINING
REQUIREMENT WITH MINIMUM
EXPECTATIONS -- SO THIS WOULD BE
FOR STAFF NOT AND OEM, BUT OTHER
DEPARTMENTS. THAT IS SOMETHING
ONLY THE MAYOR'S OFFICE CAN DO.
OEM CAN'T REQUIRE THAT. AS I
MENTIONED EARLIER, EXPLORING
OPPORTUNITIES TO GIVE OEM, OR
OTHERS, MORE AUTHORITY TO
MANDATE COOP DEVELOPMENT AND
MAINTENANCE, AND ALSO RESOURCE
ALLOCATION DURING AN EMERGENCY.
WE TALKED ABOUT PROTECTING, AND
EVEN EXPANDED, OEM'S RESOURCES
. FINALLY, WE MENTIONED
ELEVATING THE EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT FUNCTION IN THE KEY
OPERATING DEPARTMENTS SO THE
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DIRECTOR
WITHIN THOSE DEPARTMENTS REPORTS
TO THE DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR AND
NOT ELSEWHERE. FROM THE OEM
SIDE, OPERATIONAL READINESS
REALLY INVOLVES FOCUSING ON THE
CORE, FUNDAMENTALS. MAKING SURE
THE EOC IS GOING TO BE EFFECTIVE
WHEN IT OPERATES. A MEASURE I
WOULD LOVE TO SEE IS THAT
INDIVIDUALS REPORT TO THE EOC
REPORT THAT THEY FEEL READY.
THEY FEEL WELL-PREPARED,
WELL-TRAINED. THEY HAVE
EXERCISED. THEY KNOW WHAT TO DO,
WHERE TO SIT, WHO TO TALK TO,
HOW TO OPERATE WITHIN THE EOC.
MORE CAN BE DONE TO CLARIFY THE
EOC ACTIVATION POLICY. WHEN WILL
THE EOC OPERATE, ACTIVATE? WHEN
WILL DEPARTMENTAL EMERGENCY
OPERATIONS CENTERS ACTIVATE? HOW
WILL THEY COORDINATE? WHO IS
GOING TO BE WHERE? AND THEN,
ONCE THEY COLTER MENTIONED A
MORE AGGRESSIVE ACTIVATION
POLICY. IT IS ALL ABOUT
PRACTICE. SO GETTING FOLKS
TOGETHER FOR BOTH UNPLANNED
EVENTS WHEN THEY HAPPEN, A WIND
STORM AND THE LIKE, AND ALSO
PLANNED EVENTS. WE KNOW THERE'S
GOING TO BE A PARADE, A LARGE
CIVIC ACTION, AND THAT IS AN
OPPORTUNITY TO ACTIVATE THE
ALEXANDRIA OCASIO-CORTEZ AND GET
EVERYBODY TO PRACTICE. USE THAT
TIME TO DO TABLETOP EXERCISES
AND MAKE SURE THAT IS A
FREQUENTLY USED MUSCLE. THERE
WAS ENCOURAGEMENT TO REVIEW THE
CITY'S EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
PLANS AND RESOURCES. MAKE SURE
THEY ARE ALL STEMMING FROM HER
VULNERABILITIES AND THE SHIVA.
AND SIMPLIFY THAT STRUCTURE.
THERE ARE A LOT OF PLANS, AND
SOMETIMES IT CAN BE VERY
DIFFICULT TO FOLLOW. TRYING TO
SIMPLIFY THAT. USE MORE PLAIN
ENGLISH AND REALLY BREAK IT
DOWN. WITH ADDITIONAL RESOURCES,
AS WE MENTIONED, I THINK
THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO FOCUS
MORE ON THE COMMUNITY FACING
PREPAREDNESS AS WELL. A FINAL
RECOMMENDATION IS TO LEVERAGE
THE CITY'S EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
PROGRAM STRATEGIC PLAN. THIS IS
A PROCESS OR DOCUMENT THAT OEM
COORDINATES ACROSS THE CITY TO
IDENTIFY AND DEVELOP A SHARED
PLAN. I THINK IT IS A GREAT
STARTING POINT. THERE ARE LOTS
OF OPPORTUNITIES TO IMPROVE IT.
THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO
PROACTIVELY IDENTIFY WHAT OUR
IMMEDIATE THREATS OR IMMEDIATE
AREAS OF FOCUS THAT WE WANT TO
PREPARE FOR OUR, EVEN IF THE
THREAT ITSELF IS NOT IMMEDIATE.
AND TO IDENTIFY CLEAR ROLES AND
RESPONSIBILITIES WITHIN THAT .
THERE IS SOME OF THAT WITHIN THE
STRATEGIC PLAN RIGHT NOW, BUT
NOTHING LIKE A MATRIX OR
SOMETHING THAT REALLY BREAKS
DOWN AND SAYS WHO IS GOING TO DO
WHAT, WHEN, AND WHAT THE
RESPONSIBILITIES ARE OF EACH
DEPARTMENT. THE STRATEGIC PLAN
IS ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY TO
ADDRESS OEM'S LONG-TERM
ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT. IN
ADDITION TO WHAT THEY ARE DOING
NOW, THEY CAN DESCRIBE WHAT THEY
WOULD LIKE TO DO NEXT AND THE
RESOURCES THAT WOULD BE
NECESSARY TO SUPPORT THAT. THIS
IS THE LAST SLIDE. I WANTED TO
RECAP SOME KEY TAKEAWAYS. WE
THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO KEEP
OEM WHERE IT IS AS AN
INDEPENDENT DEPARTMENT ,
EVALUATE RESOURCES, FOCUS ON THE
CORE, AND THEN THIS
ENCOURAGEMENT TO REALLY BRING
THEM CLOSE. THE MAYOR'S OFFICE
AND OEM LEADERSHIP NEED TO WORK
TOGETHER IN COLLABORATION. WE
THINK MEETING AT LEAST TWICE A
YEAR ON A PLANNING BASIS TO
REVIEW THE PRIOR YEAR, WHAT WENT
WELL, WHAT DID NOT GO WELL, SET
PRIORITIES FOR THE COMING YEAR,
AND THEN VALIDATE THAT UPDATED
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PROGRAM
STRATEGIC PLAN ONCE IT IS
DRAFTED BY THE DEPARTMENT, BY
OEM AND OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE AS
WE WALKED THROUGH THAT. I WOULD
BE GLAD TO TAKE YOUR QUESTIONS
AT THIS POINT.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, MR. MURPHY
AND MR. HIRN, ON THIS EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT REVIEW AND,
BASICALLY, STUDY. VERY
IMPORTANT. I WOULD ADD, VERY
GOOD TIMING. I RECOGNIZE YOU
WERE INTERVIEWING THE PREVIOUS
ADMINISTRATION, BUT THE
DEPARTMENTS ARE LARGELY THE SAME
. THERE IS GREAT OVERLAP. I
THINK THE TIMING OF THIS
STARTING AT THE VERY BEGINNING,
THIS IS THE FIRST COMMITTEE OF
THE NEW TERM OF THE COUNCIL. IT
IS GREAT, BECAUSE IT GIVES MAYOR
WILSON AN OPPORTUNITY, AND HER
TEAM COMING IN, MAYOR WILSON AND
ALSO THE DEPUTY MAYOR AND
DIRECTOR FROM THE DIRECTOR OF
OPERATIONS, AN OPPORTUNITY TO
SEE WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE. THE
EARTHQUAKE DOESN'T NECESSARILY
WAIT . IMPORTANTLY, WE HAVE THE
FIFA WORLD CUP COMING UP. WE
NEED TO ENSURE WE ARE SET FOR
THAT. I THINK THIS IS ACTUALLY
REALLY GOOD TIMING WITHIN THE
CHANGE OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF
THE MAYOR. I JUST WANT TO THANK
YOU FOR COMING AND FOR
CONDUCTING THE STUDY. I ALWAYS
ASK FOR OUR NEW MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE , I ALWAYS ASKED MY
VICE CHAIR IF HE HAS ANY
QUESTIONS FIRST. VICE CHAIR
SAKA, ANY QUESTIONS?
>> -- THIS IS A CHANGE IN THE
NEW TERM.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR. APPRECIATE
THE CUSTOMARY RIGHTS OF FIRST
REFUSAL. WILL ACTUALLY TAKE YOU
UP ON THIS ONE THIS TIME. FIRST
AND FOREMOST, WANT TO THANK OUR
PRESENTERS FOR SHARING YOUR
PRESENTATION TODAY. I LOVE THE
OFFICE OF OUR CITY 'S OWN
OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
AND THE BROADER FUNCTIONING
CAPABILITY IT REPRESENTS. FUN
FACT ABOUT MYSELF PERSONALLY, IN
MY OLD RESERVE UNIT, 20 PLUS
YEARS AGO NOW, I SUPPOSE, I WAS
THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
REPRESENTATIVE. THAT WAS ONE OF
MY ANCILLARY FUNCTIONS.
COORDINATING AT THE UNIT LEVEL
ALL THE WINGS , EM ROLES AND
RESPONSIBILITIES AND MY OWN UNIT
LEVEL, AND THEN HAVE MANY JOBS
IN MY LIFE FROM FLIPPING BURGERS
AND REFEREEING YOUTH SOCCER AND
SERVING TABLES, CONSUMER
ELECTRONICS AT A BIG BOX RETAIL,
OBVIOUSLY SERVING THE MILITARY,
BUT WHEN MY VERY FIRST OFFICE
JOBS WAS WAS AN INTERN IN OUR
CITY 'S OWN SEATTLE PUBLIC
UTILITIES AND OFFICE OF
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT. AS WE
LEARNED AS PART OF THIS PROCESS,
THERE IS THE CENTRALIZED RULE,
THAT IS THE THRUST OF THIS
PRESENTATION I AM HEARING, BUT
YOU KNOW, INDIVIDUALIZED
FUNCTIONS. IT IS KIND OF A
FEDERATED APPROACH WHERE
INDIVIDUALIZED FUNCTIONS LIVE
ELSEWHERE. ALSO, I AM REALLY
GEEKING OUT ABOUT THE RACY
MATRIX REFERENCE. I WOULD LOVE
TO HEAR MORE. I KNOW YOU ALL ARE
NOT CITY DEPARTMENTS, BUT I
WOULD LOVE TO HEAR MORE CITY
DEPARTMENTS TALK ABOUT RACY
MATRIX, MATRICES, AND WHAT THAT
REPRESENTS . YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY
ENGAGE WITH US. THAT SHOWS
OWNERSHIP, ACCOUNTABILITY AND
SOPHISTICATED NUANCE AND
UNDERSTANDING OF THEIR OWN
REMIT, HOW IT RELATES OR NOT TO
WHAT OTHERS ARE WORKING ON, ET
CETERA. SHOUT OUT TO RACY.
SUBSTANTIVE QUESTIONS. FIRST,
STARTING WITH, I DON'T KNOW
WHICH SLIDE NUMBER -- I DO KNOW
YOU SPECIFICALLY COMMENTED ON
AND CALLED OUT THE FACT THAT,
WITH RESPECT TO OUR PEER CITY
ANALYSES AND SIDE-BY-SIDE
BENCHMARKING, WHICH I LOVE , YOU
NOTED THAT THE CITY OF SAN
FRANCISCO , AS AN EXAMPLE, HAS
911 CALLS, EMS RESPONSE , AND
HOMELESSNESS WITHIN ITS PURVIEW
OR REMIT, IN ADDITION TO WHO
KNOWS WHAT ELSE. THAT SEEMS TO
BE REFLECTED ON SLIDE SIX THAT
SHOWS THEIR TOTAL CITY BUDGET IS
$140 MILLION . BUT JUST A MOMENT
ON THE HOMELESSNESS RESPONSE. I
KNOW THAT WAS NOT SOMETHING YOU
ALL FOCUSED IN ON . YOU ARE MORE
FOCUSED ON THE BROADER
ASSESSMENT. BUT THAT IS AN
INTERESTING OR PECULIAR FEATURE,
I THINK AT LEAST , BASED ON WHAT
I AM AWARE OF. IS THAT A
SPECIFIC -- WOULD YOU
CHARACTERIZE THAT AS A SPECIFIC
RECOMMENDATION FOR HOMELESSNESS
RESPONSE TO LIVE WITHIN , OR AT
LEAST PRIMARILY WITHIN, THE CITY
'S OFFICE OF EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT? OR WOULD YOU
CHARACTERIZE THAT AS A BEST
PRACTICE OF SOME SORT FOR THAT
SPECIFIC MISSION TO LIVE WITHIN
AN OFFICE OF EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT?
>> I WOULD BE HAPPY TO --
>> I AM HAPPY TO TALK TO THAT A
LITTLE BIT. YEAH, I THINK SAN
FRANCISCO HAS SORT OF THAT
MYRIAD OF THINGS IT IS
ADDRESSING. HOMELESSNESS BEING
ONE OF THEM. WHAT ALSO CAME UP
IN OUR CONVERSATION WITH
PORTLAND AS WELL, THEY TALKED
ABOUT HAVING FUNCTIONALITY
THERE. WILL BE SPOKE TO OTHER
CITIES ABOUT THIS, THEY REALLY
EMPHASIZED THAT THERE
HOMELESSNESS RESPONSE WAS A
RESPONSE IN SORT OF AN EMERGENCY
NATURE. IT WAS NOT NECESSARILY
LIVING WITHIN THEIR EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT ORGANIZATION TO BE
PROACTIVE AND TRY TO FIX THE
MORE SYSTEMIC CAUSES AROUND
THAT. IT WAS MORE IN A RESPONSE
WHEN NEEDED. I'M THINKING OF
WHITE FLAG NIGHTS WHEN THE
TEMPERATURE DROPS TO A CERTAIN
LEVEL. THAT MIGHT BE AN INSTANCE
WHERE I THINK THEIR ROLE REALLY
COMES INTO PLAY. I THINK THEY
ARE ABLE TO RESPOND EFFECTIVELY
IN THAT MANNER. BUT LESS SO
LIVING IN A MORE SYSTEMIC SENSE
WITHIN THE OFFICE OF EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT THERE.
>> I WOULD JUST ADD THAT IT IS
NOT NECESSARILY A COMMENT --
COMMON OR BEST PRACTICE. I WILL
KNOW IN TALKING TO STAKEHOLDERS
HERE IN SEATTLE, BRING IT DOWN
TO HERE IN SEATTLE, THERE IS A
LOT OF INTEREST IN FOCUSING ON
THE FUNDAMENTALS AND FOCUSING ON
BEING READY FOR THE EARTHQUAKE
THAT WE ALL KNOW WILL COME AT
SOME POINT. OR FIFA. I WOULD NOT
STRETCH THE ORGANIZATION AT THIS
POINT TO SOMETHING AS CAPITATED
AS HOMELESSNESS AND ONGOING
ENDEMIC AS HOMELESSNESS. IT
COULD BE SOMETHING TO ASPIRE TO.
I THINK IT IS A CASE WHERE
COMPETENCY COMES WITH SOME
PUNISHMENT. SAN FRANCISCO IS
PHENOMENAL AT DOING THAT,
FILLING THAT ROLE, AND
THEREFORE, THEY GOT THAT
RESPONSIBILITY. WE ARE NOT THERE
YET.
>> GOT IT. THANK YOU. YOU ALSO
MENTIONED -- AND I LEARNED MORE
HISTORY ABOUT THIS -- OUR OWN
CITY 'S EN DEPARTMENT AND HOW
IT WAS ESSENTIALLY PULLED OUT OF
THE BROADER FUNCTIONING
CAPABILITY ESSENTIALLY PULLED
OUT OF SPD AFTER GEORGE FLOYD'S
MURDER IN 2020 . THAT STRIKES ME
AS SOMETHING THAT MAKES SENSE.
AS PART OF YOUR PEER ASSESSMENT,
ANY INDICATIONS OF OTHER KIND OF
KEY FUNCTIONS THAT -- LEG
STRUCTURAL CHANGES TO THE
DEPARTMENT AT ARE THE ROLES AND
RESPONSIBILITIES AGREEMENT WITH
RESPECT TO THEIR OEM
DEPARTMENTS, CHANGES THAT WERE
MADE SPECIFICALLY IN RESPONSE TO
THE RACIAL RECKONING WE HAD IN
2020?
>> I CAN'T SAY THAT IS
SOMETHING THAT CAME UP IN OUR
CONVERSATIONS SPECIFICALLY.
>> OKAY. MOVING ON. I NOTE THAT
ONE OF THE , ON SLIDE EIGHT, YOU
KNOW THAT OEM HAS NO AUTHORITY .
I UNDERSTAND HOW THAT COULD
POTENTIALLY WORK OUT IN
PRACTICE. THAT MAKES SENSE. JUST
WANT TO PULL THROUGH , AS PART
OF THE CONTRACTUAL FRAMEWORK
USED TO IT, ISSUE IDENTIFICATION
AND SOME OF THE SOLUTIONS OR
RECOMMENDATIONS. JUST WANT TO
PULL THE THREAD THROUGH THE
QUALITY THAT CONNECTS ALL THESE
TOGETHER. HOW WOULD YOU SUGGEST
BEST TO REMEDIATE THAT? OEM HAS
NO AUTHORITY OR LIMITED
AUTHORITY. HOW WOULD YOU SUGGEST
THAT WE BEST REMEDIATE THAT?
WOULD THAT BE ONE OF YOUR,
PERTAINING TO ONE OF YOUR OTHER
RECOMMENDATIONS TO PUT ,
ESSENTIALLY, THE DEPARTMENT
SQUARELY WITHIN THE MAYOR'S
OFFICE ? WHAT OTHER EMPOWERMENTS
ARE NEEDED TO BETTER ADDRESS
THAT SPECIFIC ISSUE?
>> I WILL SPEAK TO THAT,
COUNCILMEMBER. I THINK THAT,
ONE, SIMPLER AND EASIER TO
ADDRESS IS A REQUIREMENT FOR
TRAINING OF CITY STAFF ACROSS
THE CITY . I THINK THAT IS
SOMETHING THAT THE MAYOR'S
OFFICE COULD STIPULATE AND SAY
THAT THERE ARE STAFF IN CERTAIN
FUNCTIONS AND ROLES ACROSS THE
CITY THAT MUST HAVE THIS LEVEL
OF TRAINING THAT OEM WOULD THEN
PROVIDE. IT IS NOT A SHIFT IN
AUTHORITY TO OEM, IT IS AN
ACTUAL DESIGNATION MADE BY THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE. WE ALSO SPOKE
ABOUT -- SORRY. THE ABILITY TO
SHARE RESOURCES, I THINK THAT IS
MORE ABOUT BUILDING
RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE OPERATING
DEPARTMENTS AND BUILDING A
TRUSTED RELATIONSHIP SO THAT
THEY ARE PULLING IN THE SAME
DIRECTION. WE KNOW THAT IN AN
EMERGENCY THE ALLOCATION OF
STAFF AND STAFF TIME AND DOLLARS
IS REALLY WHERE THE RUBBER MEETS
THE ROAD. THERE IS GOING TO BE
DISAGREEMENTS. THE RELATIONSHIPS
ALLOW YOU TO WORK THROUGH THIS
-- AND THE MAYOR'S OFFICE HAS
THE ABILITY TO MAKE EMERGENCY
CALLS WITHOUT HAVING TO DELEGATE
THAT RESPONSIBILITY NECESSARILY
TO OEM.
>> THANK YOU. I CAN SEE HOW, IF
THAT FUNCTION LIVES DIRECTLY
WITHIN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE , AS
OPPOSED TO BEING ONE OF THE 40
PLUS FEDERATED APARTMENTS ACROSS
THE CITY, THAT THERE WOULD BE --
THAT WOULD AT LEAST, IN PART,
ADDRESSED THE ISSUE OF AUTHORITY
AND LACK, PERCEIVED LACK OF
EMPOWERMENT. BUT MY FINAL
QUESTION , AND THANK YOU CHAIR
AND COLLEAGUES FOR INDULGING ME
ON THIS -- I AM A POLICY GEEK
FOR OEM RELATED TOPICS. MOVING
ON TO YOUR SLIDE 15 . THE FIRST
BULLET, RECOMMENDATION SAYS OEM
SHOULD REMAIN AN INDEPENDENT
DEPARTMENT . CAN YOU TALK A
LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHAT
SPECIFICALLY IS INTENDED THERE
AND IF, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT LIVES
MORE -- WELL, IT'S ALWAYS GOING
TO BE PART OF THE EXECUTIVE
DEPARTMENT. IT CURRENTLY IS
TODAY. NOT ALWAYS. IT CURRENTLY
IS TODAY AN EXECUTIVE
DEPARTMENT. BUT IF THAT HAD A
MORE DIRECT RELATIONSHIP WITH
THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, WOULDN'T
THAT FURTHER ABROGATE THE
PERCEPTION THAT IT IS AN
INDEPENDENT DEPARTMENT?
>> HERE THE DISTINCTION WE WANT
TO MAKE IS THAT , I THINK IT IS
IN THE RIGHT PLACE. OTHER
OPTIONS INCLUDE HOUSING IT WITH
THE POLICE OR FIRE. THERE ARE
SOME ADVANTAGES TO THAT. THOSE
ORGANIZATIONS HAVE RESOURCES,
THEREFORE, OEM WOULD HAVE THE
ABILITY TO DIRECT THOSE
RESOURCES. BUT EOM IS EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT, AN INTERDISCIPLINARY
DISCIPLINE. IF IT LIVES WITHIN
POLICE, IT IS GOING TO FOCUS ON
POLICE LAW ENFORCEMENT
PRIORITIES. IF IT WAS WITHIN
FIRE, IT IS GOING TO FOCUS ON
FIRE PRIORITIES. I THINK IT IS
WELL-PLACED WHERE IT IS IN THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE. IT GIVES IT
MORE THAT INDEPENDENT
RELATIONSHIP WITH THOSE
OPERATING DEPARTMENTS.
>> THANK YOU. FINAL QUESTION
PERTAINS TO THE SECOND BULLET ON
SLIDE 15. OEM NEEDS ADDITIONAL
RESOURCES. WE HAVE LEARNED
THROUGH THIS PRESENTATION, AND I
DO APPRECIATE THE FOCUS ON THE
POLICY BENCHMARKING PEER REVIEW
THROUGH THE CONTEXT OF THOSE
FOUR OR FIVE OTHER COMPARABLE
JURISDICTIONS . THAT EARLIER
SLIDE THAT SHOWS THE
SIDE-BY-SIDE COMPARISON OF THE
CITY UP AS BUDGETS AGAINST
WHATEVER OTHER POPULATION ,
WHATEVER OTHER METRICS YOU
INCLUDED , IS REALLY ONLY
OBVIOUSLY JUST A SNAPSHOT. THE
HIGHEST OF THE HIGH LEVELS ONLY
OF WHAT THOSE DEPARTMENTS DO.
THIS BULLET HERE , WITHOUT MORE
CONTEXT, IS NOT PARTICULARLY
HELPFUL FROM A POLICY MAKER'S
PERSPECTIVE. EVERY DEPARTMENT
WOULD SAY THEY NEED MORE
RESOURCES. MY QUESTION TO YOU
WOULD BE, IF THAT IS, INDEED,
PART OF YOUR ASSESSMENT AND YOUR
RECOMMENDATIONS HERE, MORE
RESOURCES FOR WHAT EXACTLY?
WHICH SPECIFIC NEW FUNCTIONS OR
CAPABILITIES DO YOU RECOMMEND
THAT OUR CITY OEM DEPARTMENT
PICK UP? WE SHOULD NOT , AS
LEGISLATORS HOLD THE PRINCIPAL
POWER OF THE PURSE, I DON'T
THINK WE SHOULD BE IN THE
BUSINESS OF JUST WRITING CHECKS
FOR THE SAKE OF WRITING CHECKS.
WE NEED TO HAVE, YOU KNOW,
APPROPRIATE RESOURCES FOR A
SPECIFIC POLICY PRIORITY,
SPECIFIC NEED, ALIGN WITH
CURRENT PRIORITIES AND MAKING
SURE WE HAVE KPIS AND RACY
MATRICES IN PLACE TO MAKE SURE
WE'RE TRACKING AND MONITORING
PERFORMANCE OF THOSE THINGS. ALL
THIS TO SAY, FOR WHAT EXACTLY,
ASSUMING WE APPROPRIATED MORE
RESOURCES FOR OEM, WHAT WOULD
THAT LOOK LIKE EXACTLY? WHICH
SPECIFIC FUNCTIONS BASED OFF
YOUR REVIEW OF OUR DEPARTMENT IN
THE CONTEXT OF THE PEER REVIEW?
WHAT WOULD THOSE RESOURCES GO
TOWARDS?
>> I CAN START BY ANSWERING A
PORTION OF THAT QUESTION. I WILL
GO BACK TO OUR COMMENT ABOUT THE
COMMUNICATION AND TRAINING STAFF
. I THINK WHEN WE LOOKED AT
THOSE COMPARISON BUDGETS WITH
OTHER CITIES, SOME OF THE SPACE
WE SAW THAT DISCREPANCY WAS
WITHIN THE COMMUNICATION
DEPARTMENT AND WITHIN THE
TRAINING DEPARTMENT. THE FULL
REPORT HAS A TABLE THAT INCLUDES
FTE ALLOCATIONS FROM EACH CITY.
YOU CAN LOOK THERE . I WILL SHOW
IT IN A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL
WHERE SOME OF THE FTEs, WHAT
DIVISIONS AND WHAT ROLES THEY
FUNCTION THERE. BUT I THINK ONE
MAJOR COMPONENT IS THAT
COMMUNICATION BOTH WITH OTHER
DEPARTMENTS, COMMUNICATION WITH
THE GENERAL PUBLIC, AND AS BRIAN
WAS TALKING TO, THAT SORT OF
INSURANCE POLICY GETTING THE
COMMUNICATION OUT WITH THE
GENERAL PUBLIC AND PREPAREDNESS,
AS WELL AS FACILITATING BOTH
INDIVIDUAL TRAINING, AND ALSO
INTERDEPARTMENTAL TRAINING, LIKE
LARGE-SCALE INTERDEPARTMENTAL
TRAINING.
>> I ABSOLUTELY AGREE THAT THEY
ARE UNDER RESOURCED IN THAT
CAPACITY. WE ALSO RECEIVED
PRETTY STRONG INPUT FROM
STAKEHOLDERS TO FOCUS ON CORE
FUNCTIONS FIRST . I THINK I
WOULD SAY, COUNCILMEMBER, JUST
AS YOU DID, IT IS NOT THE ROLE
HERE OF A CONSULTANT TO SUGGEST
HOW THAT SHOULD BEST BE
ALLOCATED. I THINK WE TRY TO
REALLY END ON THIS. -- POINT,
THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AND OEM THE
TO COME TOGETHER AND IDENTIFY
WHERE THERE ARE ROLES THAT NEED
CLARIFICATION. WHAT ARE THE
EXPECTATIONS AND
ACCOUNTABILITIES, KPIS AND THE
LIKE? THE OUTCOMES THEY WANT TO
SEE. WHERE DOES OEM NEED MORE
RESOURCES? AND THAT CAN BE
PLOWED INTO UPDATING THE
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PROGRAM
STRATEGIC PLAN, BOTH IN
SHORT-TERM AND IN THAT LONG-TERM
ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT.
>> GOT IT. THANK YOU. REALLY
APPRECIATE YOUR PRESENTATION,
THE ANALYSIS HERE. THE
UNDERLYING ANALYSIS, AND
ANSWERING MY THOUGHTFUL
QUESTIONS. OR AT LEAST PESKY
QUESTIONS. I THINK WE CAN ALL
AGREE ON THAT. FROM A FELLOW OEM
NERDS. THANK YOU, CHAIR.
>> VICE CHAIR OEM . BY THE WAY,
I HAVE THE CLERK OEM NERDS.
MULTIPLE DIRECTIONS. I
APPRECIATE YOUR QUESTIONS.
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC SAFETY.
SOMETHING I HAVE BEEN
COMMUNICATING WITH THE MAYORS
OFFICE ABOUT. VERY IMPORTANT.
COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ. YOU ARE UP
NEXT.
>> THANK YOU. FIRST OF ALL,
THANK YOU TO THE PRESENTERS . I
UNDERSTAND THE REPORT WAS DONE
IN JUNE 2025. THAT IS CORRECT,
RIGHT?
>> CORRECT.
>> THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THE
ROLE OF THE CONSULTANT ON OUR
OEM PROGRAM. BACK IN 2021 IS
ALSO ONE OF THE REASONS WHY OEM
WAS MOVED OUT OF SPD WAS DUE TO
COVID. IS THAT CORRECT?
>> I ACTUALLY DON'T HAVE DIRECT
KNOWLEDGE. I AM SEEING A
HEADSHAKE FROM COUNCILMEMBER
RIVERA. I THINK IT WAS LARGELY
IN RESPONSE TO THE MURDER OF
GEORGE FLOYD AND THE
RECONSTITUTION OF THE POLICE
FUNCTIONS. OFFICE OF EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT WAS MOVED OUT, AS
WELL AS PARKING AND OTHER
FUNCTIONS.
>> IT WAS WHEN WE MOVED 911 OUT
AS WELL. OKAY. NOW I UNDERSTAND.
TRYING TO REMEMBER. GOING BACK
THROUGH YOUR REPORT. LOOKING AT
PAGE 8 , I HAVE A FEW PAGES I
HAVE PULLED UP THAT I PRINTED
OUT YOUR POWERPOINT. YOU SAID
OEM IS HIGHLY RELIANT ON FEDERAL
GRANTS. CAN YOU SHARE A FEW OF
THOSE GRANTS AND WHICH ONES
WOULD BE IN JEOPARDY NOW?
>> THAT WOULD BE A GREAT
QUESTION FOR OEM STAFF. I AM
AWARE THERE ARE FUNDS FOR URBAN
AREA STRATEGIC INITIATIVE ,
SEATTLE AND THE BROADER REGION.
THERE ARE ALSO PLANNING GRANTS
AND MITIGATION GRANTS, SOME OF
WHICH I BELIEVE ARE IN JEOPARDY,
EVEN GRANTS THAT HAVE BEEN
AWARDED, IS MY BELIEF. THIS IS
NOT SOMETHING I AM CURRENT ON.
>> LET ME GO BACK HERE. FROM
WHAT I CAN GATHER FROM LOOKING
AT SOME OF THE OTHER CITIES AND
WHAT WE ARE LOOKING AT, IS IT
FAIR TO SAY THAT YOU SHARING
THAT OEM SHOULD BE , HAVE MORE
COMMUNICATION WITH THE MAYORS
EMERGENCY EXECUTIVE BOARD . IF
YOU LOOK AT IT, I PULLED UP THE
OLD ONE . IF YOU LOOKED AT THE
MAYOR'S EMERGENCY EXECUTIVE
BOARD, JUST EXECUTIVE PIECE
ALONE IS 13 FOLKS. OF COURSE,
THE EXECUTIVE AND TITLE FOLKS
ARE LIKE 27 CITY DEPARTMENTS.
WAS THERE AN IDEA -- AGAIN,
THANK YOU FOR YOUR REPORT. IT
WAS 47 PAGES, AND I WOULD BE
LYING IF I SAID I READ EVERY
SINGLE PAGE. WHAT WOULD BE YOUR
RECOMMENDATION TO HOW YOU WOULD
, LIKE YOU SAY, BE ABLE TO
RESPOND TO THE MAYORS OFFICE
MORE QUICKLY WITH RESOURCES ?
AND ALSO, DIRECTION OF WHO CAN
DO WHAT. WHAT DOES SUCCESS LOOK
LIKE THERE?
>> I THINK THE STRUCTURE OF THE
EMERGENCY EXECUTIVE BOARD IS
PROBABLY A GOOD ONE AND THE
RIGHT ONE. IT IS ABOUT MAKING
SURE THAT THOSE FOLKS WERE
LITERALLY DIRECTING LARGE
DEPARTMENTS , WE HAVE A LOT OF
PRESSING NEEDS, MAKE SURE THEY
ARE PARTICIPATING IN THE
PLANNING AND TRAINING SO THAT
WHEN AN EMERGENCY HAPPENS, THEY
ARE PRACTICED IN THAT AND
UNDERSTAND THEIR ROLE. THE
UNDERSTAND THE ROLES OF OTHERS.
AND THEY CAN MAKE THE RESOURCE
ALLOCATIONS NECESSARY. OEM IS IN
THIS HIGHLY LEVERAGED POSITION.
IF OTHER FOLKS AREN'T AS
FOCUSED ON EMERGENCY
PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE IS
THEY ARE, AT LEAST IN SOME
PORTION OF THEIR YEAR , OR EVEN
THEIR MONTH OR QUARTER, THAT I
THINK OEM IS GOING TO COME UP
SHORT. THERE THAN RELYING ON
CITY DEPARTMENTS AND CITY
INDIVIDUALS WHO DIRECT THOSE
DEPARTMENTS TO BE PRACTICED AND
UNABLE TO MAKE ON THE FINE
DECISIONS ABOUT RESOURCES.
>> YOU MADE A COMMENT ON PAGE 7.
I JUST IT DOWN BECAUSE I THINK I
UNDERSTAND WHAT THE
SENSIBILITIES WERE ON THAT. YOU
HAVE THE RESOURCES, BUT NOT THE
RIGHT LEVEL OF AUTHORITY. WHAT
WOULD THAT LOOK LIKE?
>> -- THAT IS WHERE I HAVE THE
THOUGHT. BESIDES ADDITIONAL
FTEs.
>> OEM , WE DO THINK, COULD USE
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES AND
ADDITIONAL STAFF.
>> I UNDERSTAND THAT. YOU ALSO
SAID YOU NEED THE PROPER
AUTHORITY TO -- THE RIGHT LEVEL
OF AUTHORITY, THAT WOULD BE AN
EXPANSION, IF I UNDERSTAND IT
CORRECTLY.
>> IT WOULD. OTHER PEER
DEPARTMENTS, AND MAYBE OLIVER
CAN SPEAK TO THIS, DO HAVE THE
ABILITY TO OBLIGATE OTHER CITY
DEPARTMENT RESOURCES IN AN
EMERGENCY. OEM DOES NOT HAVE
THAT AUTHORITY . THAT IS A
COMPLICATED THING. I WOULD
RECOMMEND IT DESERVES MORE STUDY
THAN MY ANSWERING YOUR QUESTION
RIGHT NOW ON WHAT THE RIGHT
ANSWER IS FOR SEATTLE HE OEM --
OEM AT THIS POINT MAC.
>> IS IT FAIR TO SAY THAT OEM
HAS OBVIOUSLY GROWN MORE BECAUSE
OF GEORGE FLOYD AND COVID BEYOND
JUST DISASTER RELIEF? ALL THE
911 AND EVERYBODY MOVED OUT OF
SPD AND MADE OEM A STANDALONE
ORGANIZATION. MY UNDERSTANDING
WAS I THOUGHT THE POINT OF DOING
THAT WAS TO PINPOINT AND
CONCENTRATE POWER AND RESOURCES
AND AUTHORITY TO RESPOND TO
ISSUES OF COVID AND WHAT WE SAW
IN THE SUMMER OF 2020 AND THE
FALL. AND YOU ARE SAYING THAT,
NOW THAT WE ARE THERE, WE NEED
MORE. WITH THAT BE A FAIR
STATEMENT?
>> I THINK THEY NEED MORE
RESOURCES, COUNCILMEMBER. I DO
NOT WANT TO GO ON RECORD AS
SAYING SEATTLE OEM NEEDS MORE
AUTHORITY, BECAUSE IT IS ONE
THING WE TOUCHED ON IN OUR
FAIRLY HIGH LEVEL STUDY. I THINK
THAT RESOURCE ALLOCATION
AUTHORITY PROBABLY DESERVES MORE
CONVERSATION THAN WE CAN GIVE IT
RIGHT NOW. WE CAN POINT OUT THAT
OTHER PEER CITIES DO INVEST MORE
AUTHORITY IN THEIR EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT, BUT THAT
MAY NOT NECESSARILY BE THE
CORRECT ANSWER FOR SEATTLE AND
THAT FEDERATED MODEL THAT
COUNCILMEMBER SAKA WAS SPEAKING
TO.
>> OKAY. GO AHEAD, I'M SORRY.
>> I WAS GOING TO ADD THAT ONE
PEER CITY CONVERSATION THAT CAME
UP WAS WITH PORTLAND. THEY HAVE
A DIFFERENT SORT OF STRUCTURE TO
THEIR ORGANIZATION AND HAVE MORE
, THEY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO
DICTATE MORE AUTHORITY IN
EMERGENCIES IN SOME
CIRCUMSTANCES. IT MIGHT BE WORTH
FOLLOWING UP WITH THEM AFTER
THIS CONVERSATION .
>> I HAVE ONE LAST QUESTION.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. BACK
BEFORE 2020 , AND AGAIN, THIS
DOESN'T REALLY TACHÉ GOES YOUR
PRESENTATION OF WHAT YOU ARE
SAYING AS THE CONSULTANTS HIRED
TO DO AN ASSESSMENT FOR US --
HOW WOULD WE CONNECT WITH
NATIONAL, LIKE FEMA ? WOULD YOU
SAY, OR IS THIS IN YOUR REPORT
AGAIN, I DID READ ALL 47 PAGES.
WOULD IT BE GOOD FOR THE
LEGISLATIVE BRANCH TO ENGAGE IN
AN EXERCISE LIKE THAT AGAIN POST
2020? 2021, NOW THAT YOU ARE A
STANDALONE, SEPARATE CONSULTING
GROUP SAYING WHAT OEM NEEDS TO
DO TO BE PREPARED FROM 2026
LOOKING FORWARD?
>> ABSOLUTELY, COUNCILMEMBER. I
THINK PRACTICE HELPS MAKE
BETTER. WE ALL NEED THAT
PRACTICE AGAIN AND AGAIN. I
THINK IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO
GET LEGISLATIVE BRANCH, AND ALSO
DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS AND THE
MAYORS OFFICE, GET THEIR
ATTENTION AND TIME IN THE FACE
OF THAT TYRANNY OF THE
IMMEDIATE. BUT I THINK IT IS
EXTREMELY IMPORTANT, AND IT IS
EXTREMELY IMPORTANT THAT OEM
DELIVER AN EXERCISE, WHETHER A
FULL EXERCISE OR TABLETOP, THAT
IS WORTH EVERYBODY'S TIME AND
YOU ARE ALL GLAD YOU SET ASIDE
THE DAY TO DO THAT.
>> I SHOULD SHARE THAT WHEN WE
DID THAT , VERY INTERESTING,
BECAUSE I THINK FOR A MOMENT --
I'M GOING TO SPEAK PLAINLY. WE
CAN QUIT -- WE QUIT POLITICIZING
AND ACTUALLY TALKED ABOUT THE
PHYSICALITY AND HOW PREPARED WE
WOULD BE IF, INDEED, SOMETHING
LIKE THAT HAPPENED WHERE WE KIND
OF HAD TO STEP AWAY FROM ANY
KIND OF POLITICAL IDEOLOGY AND
TALK ABOUT WHY WE WOULD HAVE TO
SUSPEND CIVIL RIGHTS, WHAT TYPE
OF PEOPLE WERE LOOTING WHEN I
SAY TYPE, I MEAN EVERYWHERE .
HOW SPD WOULD RESPOND, HOW OEM
WOULD RESPOND, HOW SPD, HOW THE
FIRE WOULD RESPOND , WITH THE
EXECUTIVE BRANCH COULD DO AS
OPPOSED TO WHAT THE LEGISLATIVE
BRANCH CAN DO , HOW THE MAYOR
WOULD IMPOSE AN EMERGENCY
EXECUTIVE ORDER, AND HOW THE
LEGISLATIVE BRANCH WOULD EXECUTE
THAT . SO YOU ARE RIGHT. I'M
FEELING A LITTLE UNPREPARED IN
THAT IF WE WERE TO DO THAT NEXT
WEEK. BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW
SINCE 2021, OEM IS A STANDALONE,
BASED ON YOUR REPORT , AND SOME
OF THE OTHER CITIES COMPARED TO
WERE DOING NONTRADITIONAL
THINGS, SUCH AS FENTANYL AND
HOMELESSNESS . I AM NOT SURE HOW
WE WOULD RESPOND . I MEAN, WE
BARELY HANDLE MURDER HORNETS AND
THE BOMB CYCLONE AND TOILET
RATS. I DON'T KNOW HOW WE WOULD
RESPOND IF THE BIG ONE HIT, OR
WE HAD A MAJOR FIRE IN SOME OF
THOSE MAJOR INFRASTRUCTURES THAT
PROTECT OUR CITY , ACTUAL
BRICK-AND-MORTAR INSTITUTIONS,
HOW THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH WOULD
RESPOND TO THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH
TO HAVE 18 CITY DEPARTMENTS THAT
ARE CRUCIAL , AND FIRST
RESPONDERS, TO GET OUT THERE AND
DO THAT. I GUESS, MESSENGER,
THAT IS GOING TO BE ON YOU TO
FIGURE OUT HOW WE DO THAT AND IF
WE, IN FACT, HAVE ONE OF THESE
DISASTER SCENARIOS THAT WE
ACTUALLY GO THROUGH THE EXERCISE
OF THAT. WE CERTAINLY LEARNED A
LOT FROM THAT. I KNOW I DID.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.
>> YES, COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ,
THE ANSWER IS YES. WE WE HAD A
TWO DAY TRAINING SESSION LAST
YEAR. I WAS WITH THE MAYOR ONE
DAY, AND THE NEXT DAY THEY
BROUGHT DIFFERENT PEOPLE IN.
THERE ARE THOSE PIECES. IN
ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION, THIS IS
THE REASON WHY WE HAVE OEM HERE
TODAY AS A TOPIC. BECAUSE I HAVE
BEEN WORKING WITH MY TEAM ON
THESE VARIOUS OEM ISSUES. AND
NOW, PARTICULARLY AGAIN WITH THE
TIMING WITH THE NEW
ADMINISTRATION, IT IS ACTUALLY
REALLY GOOD. WE DO NEED TO STEP
UP EARLY AS THINGS ARE
DEVELOPING RIGHT NOW.
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR. THANK YOU
FOR BEING HERE AND FOR THIS
PRESENTATION AND FOR THE WORK
THAT YOU DID IN PUTTING THE
REPORT TOGETHER. I WILL SAY I
WAS HERE WHEN THE OEM GOT PULLED
DOWN. IT REALLY WAS IN RESPONSE
TO GEORGE FLOYD , AND REALLY
ALTERNATIVE RESPONSE OF WHAT
ACTUALLY NEEDS TO BE IN SPD
VERSUS NOT. YOU KNOW, 911 NOW IS
ITS OWN CALL CENTER. AND THAT,
OEM , AND THE OEM FUNCTION WAS
VERY MUCH A COORDINATING BODY.
IT WAS THE CENTRAL REPOSITORY .
IT IS A PLACE FOR ALL CITY
DEPARTMENTS HAVE A POINT OF
CONTACT WHEN THERE IS, NOT JUST
AN EMERGENCY, OEM GETS ACTIVATED
VIA THE EMERGENCY OPERATION
CENTER DURING ANY EVENT,
INCLUDING PARADES, BIG GAMES,
PROTESTS , ANYTHING OF THAT
NATURE IT GETS ACTIVATED, AND IT
IS, YOU KNOW, ACTUALLY,
COLLEAGUES, I SHOULD STEP BACK
AND SAY THAT DURING THE
ADMINISTRATION AS AN OPERATIONS
MANAGER, OEM WAS IN MY
PORTFOLIO. I WORKED VERY CLOSELY
WITH OEM AND WAS THE MAYORS
OFFICE CONTACT FOR THE OEM AND
EEOC ACTIVATIONS. I SPENT A LOT
OF TIME WITH A WONDERFUL,
WONDERFUL FOLKS AT OEM . I GOT
TO SEE THIS FIRSTHAND. OF
COURSE, I WAS THERE DURING COVID
. WE HAD AN ACTUAL EMERGENCY.
AND SO, IN THAT REGARD, OEM HAS
BEEN PART OF A MAJOR EMERGENCY,
COVID , SHUTTING DOWN THE CITY,
REOPENING THE CITY. AND REALLY
SOLVE THE COORDINATING PIECES,
AND OF COURSE, THE MAYORS OFFICE
, OEM IS A CITY DEPARTMENT. AS A
CITY DEPARTMENT, THE MAYOR
OVERSEES THAT CITY DEPARTMENT.
IT IS THE MAYOR WHO IS MAKING
THE DECISIONS AROUND
EMERGENCIES. AND SO, I DO FEEL
THAT OEM IS AN INDEPENDENT
ORGANIZATION OR DEPARTMENT .
THAT IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT
GIVES THEM THE ABILITY TO
COORDINATE AROUND WITH THE
SISTER DEPARTMENTS. AND I WILL
SAY THAT DURING AN EMERGENCY,
REALLY, THE MAYOR IS MAKING
THESE DECISIONS. HOW I READ YOUR
OEM , THE STRUCTURAL CHALLENGE
AROUND OEM HAS NO AUTHORITY. IT
CAN ONLY ASK OTHER DEPARTMENTS
TO SHARE RESOURCES. I REMEMBER
DURING COVID , AND EVEN BEFORE
COVID, BECAUSE THE COOP, THESE
OPERATION PLANS THE DEPARTMENTS
ARE SUPPOSED TO BE PUTTING
TOGETHER IN CASE OF AN
EMERGENCY. EVERY CITY DEPARTMENT
NEEDS TO HAVE A COOP PLAN. THE
PLAN DELINEATES ORDER OF
OPERATIONS IN CASE OF AN
EMERGENCY, INCLUDING WHO IS ON
DECK FROM THE DEPARTMENT
DIRECTOR ON DOWN, BECAUSE THE
DIRECTOR IS NOT AVAILABLE DURING
THAT EARTHQUAKE, THEN WHO IS
NEXT ON THE LIST. THEY ARE
SUPPOSED TO BE KEEPING THESE
PLANS UPDATED. THAT IS NOT
ALWAYS HAPPENING. THAT REALLY IS
THE MAYOR'S RESPONSIBILITY. IT
IS NOT SOMETHING REALLY THE
MAYOR CAN DELEGATE -- DELEGATE
TO OEM BECAUSE THEY ARE THE
OVERSEER OF ALL THE CITY
DEPARTMENTS. I THINK THERE IS
OPPORTUNITY NOW WITH THE NEW
ADMINISTRATION, NOT IN ANY WAY
TO MALIGN PRIOR ADMINISTRATIONS
BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHAT
HAPPENED DURING THE PRIOR
ADMINISTRATION WITH OEM, BUT I
DO KNOW IN THE PAST THE COOP
PLANS HAVE NOT ALWAYS BEEN
UPDATED TIMELY. I APPRECIATE
WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT OTHER THINGS
ARE HAPPENING DAY TODAY, AND IT
MAKES IT CHALLENGING TO BE ABLE
TO GO AND UPDATE COOP PLANS. BUT
THAT IS A PRIORITY. I KNOW , I
AM SURE IT WAS A PRIORITY DURING
THE HARRELL ADMINISTRATION. IT
IS JUST A MATTER OF MAKING SURE
THE DEPARTMENTS HAVE THOSE
UPDATED. I SEE THAT IS AN AREA
WHERE -- OF IMPROVEMENT . AND
THEN, I APPRECIATE THE CLARITY
AROUND OEM'S RESPONSIBILITIES
AS REGARDS THEIR SISTER
DEPARTMENTS. SOMETIMES THE
DEPARTMENTS DON'T UNDERSTAND
WHAT OEM'S RESPONSIBILITY IS.
IT IS VERY MUCH A COURTLIN
ARRINGTON -- COORDINATING
RESPONSIBILITY THEY HAVE. ALSO,
WE LOOK TO OEM TO , THE
DEPARTMENTS DO ANYWAY, TO TELL
US ALMOST WHAT TO DO OR WHAT
COMES NEXT. HAVING THE POINT OF
CONTACTS AT THE CITY
DEPARTMENTS, MAKING SURE THEY
ARE PARTICIPATING IN ALL THE
ACTIVATIONS AS THEY SHOULD BE
AND MAKING THAT A PRIORITY IS
IMPORTANT. WHAT DO I MEAN BY
THAT? IF THERE IS A PARADE,
EVERY CITY DEPARTMENT IS BOTH
HAVE THEIR PERSON. IN THOSE
DAYS, IT WAS IN PERSON AT THE
OEM, WHICH IS NEAR, USED TO BE
THE NEW FIRE STATION, NOT SO NEW
ANYMORE. JUST PAST THE FEDERAL
BUILDING. YOU WOULD BE THERE. IT
TAKES THE DEPARTMENT OR DIRECTOR
PRIORITIZING THE NEEDS TO BE
PERSON THERE WHEN THERE IS AND
ACTIVATION FROM THEIR
DEPARTMENT. THAT IS HOW THEY
COORDINATE AND YOU KNOW WHAT TO
DO. DURING COVID , WE WERE
COORDINATING THE OEM SO THAT --
BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW WHICH
DEPARTMENT IS GOING TO BE ON
DECK FOR A PARTICULAR ITEM
RELATED TO AN EMERGENCY. I THINK
HOW I READ HAS NO AUTHORITY. THE
CAN'T TELL A DEPARTMENT WHAT TO
DO, SO THEY NEED THE MAYOR 'S TO
DO THAT. THAT IS HOW I READ THAT
PIECE. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT IS
HOW IT WAS INTENDED, BUT THAT
WAS MORE I READ IT. THEY REALLY
NEED THE MAYOR 'S BEEN ASSURING
THAT THESE THINGS THEY ARE
REQUESTING OF THEIR SISTER
DEPARTMENTS ACTUALLY GET DONE.
AND THEN , IN TERMS OF -- I HAD
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE SISTER
DEPARTMENTS, BECAUSE -- NOT
SISTER DEPARTMENTS. THE PEER
CITIES. DENVER AND PORTLAND HAVE
ABOUT THE SAME NUMBER OF FTEs ,
GIVE OR TAKE, AS SEATTLE, BUT
THEIR BUDGETS ARE A LOT LARGER.
I'M WONDERING IS THE DIFFERENCE
IN BUDGET RELATED TO THE
TRAINING? BECAUSE I KNOW THERE
IS ALWAYS IMPROVEMENTS EVERY
CITY CAN MAKE. I'M GOING TO
MAKE THAT BOLD STATEMENT. JUST
KNOWING FROM GOING THROUGH AN
EMERGENCY LIKE COVID AND ALL THE
THINGS WE HAVE TO DO , AS MUCH
AS YOU CAN PREPARE AS MUCH AS
YOU CAN, THERE ARE ALWAYS THINGS
THAT ARE GOING TO COME UP. AND
YOU ARE NOT GOING TO KNOW. YOU
JUST AREN'T. THAT IS JUST HOW
LIFE IS. I WONDER ON THE
TRAINING FRONT, IS THAT IT IS
MAKING UP THE DIFFERENCE?
BECAUSE I KNOW ON THE TRAINING
PIECE, TABLETOP EXERCISES OR A
GOAL, BUT THEY DON'T ALWAYS
HAPPEN.
>> I CAN SPEAK TO THAT A LITTLE
BIT. I LIKE YOUR POINT ABOUT THE
CONSTANT ITERATION. I WILL GO
BACK TO WHAT BRIAN SAID ABOUT
PRACTICE MAKES BETTER. I THINK
THIS IS A GREAT POINT OF
PRACTICE MAKES BETTER. TO ANSWER
YOUR QUESTION SPECIFICALLY ON
THE FTEs, AGAIN, I WOULD REFER
TO THAT TABLE IN THE FULL REPORT
WERE WE HAVE A ROUGH ALLOCATION
OF FTEs AND THEIR ROLES FROM
EACH OF THE DIFFERENT
ORGANIZATIONS FROM THE PEER
CITIES. I THINK YOU ARE CORRECT
IN SAYING THAT A LOT OF THAT
DISPARITY CAME FROM BOTH THE
TRAINING, AS WELL AS THE
COMMUNICATION , EMPHASIZING BOTH
INTERNAL COMMUNICATION ,
INTERDEPARTMENTAL COMMUNICATION,
AS WELL AS PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT
COMMUNICATION.
>> THANK YOU. AND THE PUBLIC
ENGAGEMENT COMMUNICATION IS
IMPORTANT. I KNOW THAT OUR OEM
DOES THE ALERT 911 I THINK IT IS
CALLED. WE CAN ALL OPT IN. YOU
RECEIVE EMERGENCY MESSAGES ON
YOUR PHONE. I KNOW THAT CAN GET
BEEFED UP. NOT EVERYONE, NOT
EVERY CITY RESIDENT, IS AWARE
THAT THAT IS AVAILABLE. FOR
INSTANCE, A POINT OF
COMMUNICATION IS MAKING SURE
THAT ALL CITY RESIDENTS, YOU
KNOW, ARE AWARE AND OPT INTO THE
SERVICE AS A POINT OF
COMMUNICATION. I DO WANT TO SAY,
COLLEAGUES, I'M HAVING A LITTLE
BIT OF PTSD FROM COVID AND THE
ENGAGEMENT WITH OEM. I REALLY
WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO OEM
FOR ALL THE GREAT WORK THEY DID
DURING COVID. VERY STRESSFUL
TIMES. THEY DID A REALLY GREAT
JOB . I WILL SAY THAT I DO
THINK, LIKE I SAID EARLIER,
THERE IS ROOM FOR MORE ON THE
TRAINING FRONT ACROSS CITY
DEPARTMENTS. THERE IS MORE
OPPORTUNITY FOR CLARITY OF
OEM'S ROLE, WHICH I SEE MORE IS
THAT COORDINATING BODY ROLL,
WHICH DOESN'T SOUND LIKE A BIG
ROLE, BUT IT IS. THAT IS HUGE TO
BE ABLE TO HAVE THE CENTRAL
REPOSITORY AND LOOK TO THEM TO
BE THAT. IT IS REALLY CRITICAL.
AND ALSO, WE ALWAYS TALK ABOUT
THE BIG ONE, BUT THE SMALLER
EVENTS THAT THE EOC GETS
ACTIVATED FOR ARE EQUALLY
IMPORTANT. I DON'T THINK PEOPLE
ALWAYS THINK ABOUT THAT. SO
MAKING SURE THAT THE DEPARTMENT
HAS WHAT THEY NEED TO BE ABLE TO
DO THAT WELL. MAINLY, I THINK
FOR THE MAYOR, IT IS MAKING SURE
THAT THE OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS
UNDERSTAND HOW IMPORTANT IT IS
FOR THEM TO COORDINATE WITH OEM
AND ENSURING THEY ARE
PARTICIPATING IN THOSE
ACTIVATIONS , I THINK, IS A
CRITICAL POINT, FROM MY
VANTAGE.HAVING HAD THAT
EXPERIENCE. COLLEAGUES, I HAVE
BEEN WITH THE CITY FOR A LONG
TIME. I JUST HAPPEN TO HAVE THIS
EXPERIENCE WITH OEM. I AM JUST
SHARING MY VANTAGE.FOR WHATEVER
IT'S WORTH, BECAUSE, AS I SAID
EARLIER, I WAS INVOLVED IN AN
ACTUAL EMERGENCY WITH OEM. THE
LAST THING I WILL SAY ABOUT OEM,
AND SORRY CHURKIN MY MAKING MORE
COMMENTS THAN ASKING QUESTIONS,
BUT I THINK IT IS PERTINENT TO
THIS CONVERSATION. SOMETHING I
WANT TO UNDERSCORE THAT DIDN'T
COME UP HERE THAT OEM DOES IS
COORDINATE WITH THE REGIONAL
CITIES. AS PART OF THEIR -- THEY
HAVE A BODY WHERE THEY HAVE A
REPRESENTATIVE FROM SNOHOMISH
AND OTHER CITIES, AND MAYBE IT
ROTATES AT THIS POINT, BUT THERE
IS A COORDINATION POINT WITH
OTHER CITIES, REGIONAL CITIES,
TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN AN EVENT
HAPPENS, WE HAVE THOSE
RELATIONSHIPS, AS YOU TALKED
ABOUT EARLIER, AND THE
IMPORTANCE OF MAKING SURE THOSE
RELATIONSHIPS ARE ESTABLISHED SO
IF WE NEED HELP FROM A REGIONAL
CITY, WE KNOW WHO TO TALK TO AND
WHAT TO DO. THAT PIECE IS REALLY
IMPORTANT. I DON'T THINK THAT
REALLY CAME UP HERE IN TERMS OF
OTHER CITIES, SURROUNDING
CITIES, THAT I KNOW OEM WORKS
REALLY HARD TO DO. ONE COOL
FACT, THEY HAVE A HAM RADIO. THE
RADIO OPERATOR, WHO IS A
VOLUNTEER, A RESIDENT VOLUNTEER
, WHO MANAGES THAT. IT IS
ACTUALLY VERY COOL. I THINK,
CHAIR, IT WOULD BE -- IF I COULD
SAY TO OUR COLLEAGUES -- IF YOU
WANT TO VISIT THE OEM, I AM SURE
THEY WOULD LOVE TO HAVE YOU. IT
IS A REALLY GREAT EXPERIENCE TO
GO DOWN THERE AND MEET WITH THEM
AND SEE THE OPERATIONS AND ALL
THE CAMERAS AS ACTIVATIONS
HAPPEN. THEY CAN SEE WHAT IS
HAPPENING ON THE GROUND. ANYWAY,
THANK YOU CHAIR FOR INDULGING
ALL MY COMMENTS.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
RIVERA. ANOTHER REASON WHY YOU
ARE ON THE COMMITTEE. I HAVE
BEEN -- ACTUALLY TOOK A CLASS
THERE. IT WASN'T A FULL DAY. I
DON'T REALLY HAVE A FULL DAY TO
COMMIT LIKE THAT, BUT SOME
TRAINING. I AM MORE THAN HAPPY
TO GO DOWN THERE WITH MY
COLLEAGUES. AND ALSO, WITH THE
EXECUTIVE, MAYOR WILSON, DEPUTY
MAYOR OR DIRECTOR , AND NOW OUR
NEW PUBLIC SAFETY PERSON . OKAY.
COUNCILMEMBER LIN.
>> THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THIS
PRESENTATION. A COUPLE OF
QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS. I HAVE
READ THAT , LOOKING BACK AT
EMERGENCIES ACROSS THE GLOBE,
THAT THERE HAVE BEEN STUDIES
WHERE , YOU KNOW, COMPARING LIKE
DEMOGRAPHICS, RACIAL
DEMOGRAPHICS, ECONOMIC
DEMOGRAPHICS, THAT WHEN YOU
COMPARE THESE COMMUNITIES , THEY
FOUND WHEN THERE IS BETTER
SOCIAL CAPITAL, SOCIAL COHESION,
THAT THE EMERGENCY RESPONSE IS
MUCH BETTER THAN -- YOU KNOW,
NEIGHBORS HELPING CHECKING ON
ELDERS AND EACH OTHER. BOTH IN
IMMEDIATE RESPONSE AS WELL AS
LONG-TERM. YOU KNOW, REBUILDING
WHEN THERE IS BETTER SOCIAL
COHESION. YOU KNOW, KIND OF
CHIMING IN ON SOME OF MY
COLLEAGUES' COMMENTS. I THINK
IN AN EMERGENCY REALLY SEE HOW
POLITICAL DIVISIONS, OTHER
DIVISIONS, WE SEE OUR
COMMUNITIES COME TOGETHER. IT
CAN BE A UNIFYING RESPONSE IN
CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES. BUT YOU
KNOW, I SAW SOME OF THE
RECOMMENDATIONS ABOUT COMMUNITY
OUTREACH AND EDUCATION . I WAS
JUST WONDERING ABOUT, I KNOW
THAT OEM , AT LEAST THIS SEEMS
TO BE FOCUSED ON THE CITY'S
RESPONSE. THAT MAKES SENSE.
OBVIOUSLY, THE CITY GOVERNMENT
HAS AN ENORMOUS RESPONSIBILITY
IN AN EMERGENCY. BUT I JUST
WONDER ABOUT THINGS . WHAT I
READ ABOUT COMMUNITY COHESION
AND SOCIAL CONNECTIONS,
OFTENTIMES IT IS THINGS IN URBAN
PLANNING WHERE WE HAVE INFORMAL
WAYS THAT PEOPLE GET TO KNOW
THEIR NEIGHBORS AND WHERE THERE
IS BETTER ABILITY TO GET TO KNOW
YOUR NEIGHBORS. AGAIN, BETTER
OUTCOMES IN AN EMERGENCY. I
WANTED TO UPLIFT THIS AND SORT
OF SEE IF THAT IS PART OF, YOU
KNOW, I APPRECIATE THE FOCUS ON
THE BUDGET . I THINK, YOU KNOW,
PART OF THE REPORT IS ABOUT
OUTCOMES. WE NEED TO FOCUS ON --
AND I KNOW IT IS HARD TO FOCUS
ON OUTCOMES AND EMERGENCIES ARE
UNIQUE, AND SO ON , BUT AGAIN,
ARE THERE WAYS WE CAN BE
FACILITATING BETTER SOCIAL
CONNECTIONS, SOCIAL COHESION,
SO, AGAIN, OFTENTIMES THE FIRST
RESPONDER IS A NEIGHBOR. I WOULD
LOVE TO HEAR YOUR RESPONSE TO
THAT. ALSO, I JUST WANT TO,
WOULD LOVE TO HEAR LITTLE BIT
ABOUT HOW TO MAKE SURE WE ARE
ENGAGING DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES .
I REPRESENT SOUTHEAST SEATTLE,
OUR MOST DIVERSE DISTRICT. YOU
KNOW, THERE ARE DIFFERENT
CULTURAL , DIFFERENT CULTURES,
DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES, DIFFERENT
POTENTIAL LANGUAGE BARRIERS TO
OUR COMMUNICATIONS. JUST WANT TO
BE MINDFUL AND THOUGHTFUL. I
WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE
PLANNING AND EMPOWERING
DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES TO
RESPOND. ANY THOUGHTS OR
RECOMMENDATIONS WOULD BE
APPRECIATED.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER. I
SUPPORT SO MUCH OF WHAT YOU SAID
AND HAVE SEEN THE STUDIES AS
WELL. I THINK THINGS LIKE
NEIGHBORHOOD NIGHT OUT REALLY
HELP TO BRING A GROUP OF
NEIGHBORS ON A BLOCK OUT
TOGETHER WHERE THE INTERCONNECT.
THERE IS ALSO PREPAREDNESS HUBS
HAPPENING AROUND THE CITY THAT
THE CITY IS PROVIDING SOME
SUPPORT TO. THOSE KINDS OF
THINGS ARE HUGELY IMPORTANT. IF
ONLY WE THINK OF IT AS A NUMBERS
GAME, THERE ARE 800,000 CITY
RESIDENTS AND ONLY LESS THAN 20
OEM . ONLY SO MANY COUNCIL
MEMBERS AND ONLY SO MANY CITY
STAFF. REALLY, IT IS AN
INVESTMENT IN HELPING COMMUNITY
MEMBERS, NEIGHBORHOODS,
BUSINESSES GET READY AND STAY
READY . THERE IS A TENSION, I
THINK, IN OUR RECOMMENDATIONS
THAT WE HAVE OFTEN SAID, YOU
KNOW, FOCUS ON THE CORE FIRST.
THAT IS REALLY BUILDING AT SOME
OF THE STAKEHOLDER INPUT, AND
THEN ON THE BOTTOM OF THE SLIDE,
WE SAY WITH ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
FOCUS MORE ON THOSE COMMUNITY
FOCUSED ALERTS. THE
COMMUNICATION, THE SOCIAL
NETWORK BUILDING AND THE LIKE. I
THINK IT IS ABSOLUTELY
ESSENTIAL. PARTICULARLY PRIOR TO
THE ADDITIONAL BUDGET , THEY
WERE NOT , THE OEM WAS NOT
RESOURCE TO DO THAT. THEY HAD
THOSE POSITIONS CUT. I THINK IS
GREAT IF THEY CONTINUE TO DO
THAT. THE TRICK IS HOW TO
LEVERAGE THEIR VERY FEW PEOPLE
THROUGH COMMUNITY-BASED
ORGANIZATIONS AND
COMMUNITY-BASED TRAINERS AND THE
LIKE TO SORT OF DO THAT ON THE
GROUNDWORK THAT TAKES A LOT MORE
PEOPLE . IT TAKES PEOPLE OF ALL
WALKS OF THE CITY AND LANGUAGES
AND BACKGROUNDS TO GET US READY.
AS ONE OF MY FRIENDS SAID, NO
ONE CAN SAY WE WARDS TOLD THIS
ISN'T COMING. WE HAVE A
RESPONSIBILITY AS INDIVIDUALS,
AND ALSO TO GET THE RESIDENTS OF
THE CITY READY FOR
SELF-SUFFICIENCY BECAUSE THE
FEDS ARE NOT COMING, THE STATE
IS NOT COMING. MAYBE SOME
NEIGHBORS WILL COME, BUT THEY
MAY BE FACING THEIR OWN
CHALLENGES AS WELL. IT IS REALLY
INCUMBENT ON NEIGHBORHOODS AND
COMMUNITIES TO BE
SELF-SUFFICIENT FOR LONGER THAN
WE WISH WAS THE FACT.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT. TOTALLY
UNDERSTAND THE ISSUE AROUND
RESOURCES AND WHICH DEPARTMENT
MIGHT BE DOING THIS, WHETHER OEM
OR, YOU KNOW, ONE OF OUR OTHER
DEPARTMENTS, LIKE DEPARTMENT OF
NEIGHBORHOODS. I DO THINK, IN MY
MIND, THAT SOCIAL COHESION, YOU
KNOW, COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS , IT
IS NOT JUST A BENEFIT IN AN
EMERGENCY. WE KNOW THAT IT ALSO
IMPROVES PUBLIC SAFETY MORE
GENERALLY. IN IMPROVES MENTAL
HEALTH . SO I JUST THINK AS WE
THINK ABOUT RESOURCES , I THINK
IT CAN BE A MULTIPLIER IF THERE
ARE WAYS WE CAN FACILITATE
COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS. I THINK A
LOT ABOUT OUR LAND-USE PLANNING.
YOU KNOW, AND THERE MAY BE A
NO-COST WAY TO FACILITATE
IMMUNITY CONNECTIONS TO BUILD
THESE SENSE OF RESILIENCY.
THAT'S ANOTHER PART I WOULD
MAYBE FOR ANOTHER MEETING , HOW
WE BUILD OEM INTO OUR LAND-USE,
PLANNING FRAMEWORK BUT I'M SURE
IT IS THERE IN PART, BUT YOU
KNOW, WE SICK ABOUT THINGS LIKE
PUBLIC SAFETY NEEDS TO BE
CENTRAL TO OUR PLANNING EFFORTS.
THANK YOU . JUST ONE LAST
COMMENT. I THINK I WOULD BE
REMISS NOT TO MENTION , AS WE
WILL TALK MORE IN OUR NEXT STEPS
ABOUT THINGS LIKE I.C.E AND THE
FEDERAL RESPONSE, AND IT IS JUST
DISHEARTENING THAT EMERGENCY
RESPONSE SHOULD NOT BE
POLITICAL, BUT WE SEE IT
BECOMING POLITICAL. YOU KNOW, WE
SEE WHAT IS IN PART DEVASTATING
ABOUT I.C.E IS DESTROYING TRUST
IN GOVERNMENT. TRUST IN
GOVERNMENT IS A CENTRAL TO A
GOOD EMERGENCY RESPONSE. AND SO,
JUST KIND OF STATING THE OBVIOUS
ABOUT THE CHALLENGES WE FACE
HERE AND WHY IT IS CRITICAL FOR
US TO FOCUS ON WHAT WE CAN DO
HERE. I DO THINK THIS IS AN
OPPORTUNITY AGAIN TO BRING OUR
COMMUNITY TOGETHER. AS WE DO
THOSE TABLETOP EXERCISES, IT
GOES BEYOND OUR POLITICS . I
THINK IT IS AN OPPORTUNITY HERE
FOR US TO COME TOGETHER.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER LIN.
VERY IMPORTANT POINTS ABOUT THE
NEIGHBORHOOD PIECE. AND ALSO, ON
THE GRANTS OF THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT. MOST PEOPLE DON'T
KNOW UNTIL THE TRUMP
ADMINISTRATION, OEM BROUGHT IN
WAY MORE MONEY INTO OUR BUDGET
THAN WHAT THEY HAVE USED IN
THEIR BUDGET ITSELF. THE GRANT
WRITING AND THE LIKE WAS
PHENOMENAL. THEY DEFINITELY PAID
THEIR WAY IN TERMS OF THE
BUDGET. IF YOU LOOK IN TERMS OF
MONEY COMING IN AND WHAT WE
SPENT ON OEM, I DON'T THINK
THERE IS ANY OTHER EQUIVALENT.
COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR KETTLE.
THANK YOU FOR A GREAT
PRESENTATION. I WANT TO ECHO
SOME OF THE POINTS MY COLLEAGUE,
COUNCILMEMBER LIN, MADE AROUND
COLLABORATION WITH THE
DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS,
PARTICULARLY WHEN IT COMES TO
TRUST YOUR NOTES AROUND STAFFING
REDUCTIONS. I THINK YOU HAVE
THAT ON SLIDE EIGHT. REGARDING
STAFF REDUCTIONS HAVE IMPACTED
TRAINING AND COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT. I WAS VERY CURIOUS
ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT YOU ALL
WERE ABLE TO LOOK AT
COLLABORATION WITH OTHER
DEPARTMENTS AS A WAY TO SORT OF
INNOVATE OR FILL SOME OF THE
GAPS WERE THERE ALREADY MAYBE
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ROLES
ACROSS THE CITY. I THINK NOT
LIMITED TO DEPARTMENT OF
NEIGHBORHOODS. I THINK THAT ALSO
GOES TO OTHER DEPARTMENTS WHO
ARE SPECIFICALLY TASKED WITH
OUTREACH TO IMMIGRANT AND
REFUGEE COMMUNITIES OR
COMMUNITIES WHO WE NEED TO MAKE
SURE WE ARE BEING PROACTIVE
ABOUT CONNECTING WITH. I WAS
CURIOUS ABOUT THAT. I ALSO
WANTED TO ASK, I KNOW ANOTHER
COLLEAGUE ASKED IF YOU HAD
LOOKED AT RECOMMENDATIONS FOR
THE ADDITIONAL BUDGET. I HEARD
THAT WAS SOMETHING FOR OEM TO DO
IN THE FUTURE. BUT I AM CURIOUS
IF YOU WERE ABLE TO IDENTIFY
PARTICULAR VULNERABILITIES THAT
HAVE RESULTED FROM THE STAFFING
REDUCTIONS THAT YOU MENTIONED IN
YOUR REPORT.
>> MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE
STAFFING REDUCTIONS WERE
SPECIFICALLY AROUND COMMUNITY
OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT AND
TRAINING. I BELIEVE SOME OF THAT
HAS BEEN REMEDIED. IN TERMS OF
COLLABORATION WITH OTHER
DEPARTMENTS, ABSOLUTELY. I THINK
THERE IS PUBLIC SAFETY OUTREACH,
PARKS AND COMMUNITY -- PARKS IS
DOING OUTREACH. AND OTHERS. I
THINK I WOULD COME BACK TO THE
STRATEGIC PLAN AND THAT RECEIVE
MATRIX. LET'S SET A GOAL ACROSS
THE DEPARTMENTS THAT WE ARE
GOING TO FOCUS ON PREPAREDNESS
AND OUTREACH AND DRIVING UPTICK
OF ALERT SEATTLE. LET'S TRACK
THAT IS A METRIC, FOR EXAMPLE,
AND HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE
SUBSCRIBED TO ALERT SEATTLE. HOW
MANY PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ENGAGED .
AND FRANKLY, I THINK THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE NEEDS TO BE A
GALVANIZING FORCE ACROSS LITTLE
OEM AND THESE OTHER CITY
DEPARTMENTS AND SAY, LET'S WORK
TOGETHER TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN. IN
THE ABSENCE OF THAT CALL, THERE
IS GRAVITATION BACK TO
ORGANIZATIONAL MISSION THAT MAY
NOT FOCUS ON EMERGENCY
PREPAREDNESS AND THAT SOCIAL
COHESION.
>> OKAY. THANK YOU ,
COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER. AGAIN,
ALWAYS WELCOME TO JOIN THE
COMMITTEE. WE HAVE GONE A LITTLE
BIT LONG ON OEM. IT IS A VERY
IMPORTANT TOPIC. I JUST WANTED
TO REALLY -- I WANT TO MAKE A
FEW STATEMENTS. MAYBE ONE
QUESTION. OUTREACH IS SO
IMPORTANT . TO COUNCILMEMBER LIN
, I AM STILL BLOCK WATCH FOR MY
NEIGHBORHOOD. I AM ALSO SNAPPED
CAPTAIN. ESSENTIALLY THIS
FUNCTION. IN TERMS OF OUTREACH,
WE DON'T GET IT THE WAY WE USED
TO. SPD. THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING
WHERE WE ENGAGE OEM ON . CAUSE
THEY CAN PICK UP ON THAT WORKING
WITH SPD TO REALLY RAMP THAT UP.
THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT. WE DO
NEED A NEIGHBORHOOD LEVEL
RECOVERY. I SUSPECT, LIKE IN MY
NEIGHBORHOOD, WE'RE WAY MORE
PREPARED THAN DISTRICT TO. BUT
WE NEED TO DO IS LOOK AROUND THE
CITY AND SEE HOW WE CAN THE SET
UP. WE HAVE A QUEEN ANNE BLOCK
WATCH NETWORK THAT IS WORKING
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT. WE HAVE 43
ACTIVE BLOCK WATCH CAPTAINS
ENGAGED. THEY JUST HAD A MEETING
BUT I AM PART OF THIS.
DEVELOPING THAT CAPACITY IS
HUGE. WE ALSO HAVE THE HELP
NETWORK IN QUEEN ANNE. IN WITH
THE HAM RADIOS , AS
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA WAS
SPEAKING ABOUT. BUILDING UP THAT
NEIGHBORHOOD LEVEL RECOVERY IS A
THEME. AS I WAS WRITING NOTES TO
MYSELF, IT IS SOMETHING WE
REALLY NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT I
THINK WE HAVE TO HAVE A STRONG
PARTNERSHIP WITH THE MAYOR AND
THE DEPARTMENT, BUT ALSO WITH
US. I OFFER ALL OF US REALLY,
BUT THE TICKLY MYSELF AS CHAIR,
TO THE ADMINISTRATION, TO THIS
NEW, DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC SAFETY,
I DON'T KNOW THE EXACT TITLE,
BUT ALSO TO MAYOR WILSON AND THE
DEPUTY MAYOR AND DIRECTOR TO DO
THIS. I THINK IT IS REALLY
IMPORTANT. I THINK THE ENTIRE
COUNCIL WOULD BE IN FOR THAT.
JUST ONE BASIC QUESTION. IT GOES
TO THE NUMBERS IN THE BUDGET AND
SO FORTH. DIFFERENT CITIES ,
SOMETIMES CITIES AND COUNTIES
ARE ESSENTIALLY THE SAME THING
WITH THE SAME FOOTPRINT.
OBVIOUSLY, WE DON'T HAVE THAT.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT KING COUNTY
DOES FOR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
AND HOW THAT PLAYS FOR US IN
SEATTLE. COULD THAT BE PART OF
THE CALCULATION? COULD THAT BE
PART OF THE REASON WHY OUR
NUMBERS ARE NOT QUITE LIKE,
PARTICULARLY FOR DENVER AND
PORTLAND? RECOGNIZING SAN
FRANCISCO WAS KIND OF IN ITS OWN
CATEGORY. IS THAT A FACTOR IN
TERMS OF THE CITY AND COUNTY
RELATIONSHIP AND IN TERMS OF
ESSENTIALLY THE SAME AND/OR HOW
IT PLAYS OUT IN OUR SCENARIO?
>> I THINK THAT IS A GREAT
QUESTION. CERTAINLY WORTH
LOOKING INTO IN MORE DETAIL. I
CAN'T SAY THAT , AS PER THE
RESEARCH WE HAVE DONE HERE, WE
REALLY LOOK THAT THE CITY AND
COUNTY RELATIONSHIP TOO MUCH. I
WOULD REITERATE, SIMILAR TO WHAT
YOU SAID, SAN FRANCISCO HAS A
MAJOR FUNDAMENTAL DIFFERENCES .
AGAIN, I THINK IT IS REALLY
HELPFUL TO COMPARE SEATTLE WITH
DENVER, PORTLAND AND SAN
FRANCISCO. BUT EVEN DENVER AND
PORTLAND TO LOOK AT LITTLE BIT
MORE SIMILAR ON PAPER AND HAVE
THEIR OWN UNIQUE CAPACITIES AND
FUNCTIONS THEY SERVE AS I SAID,
PORTLAND HAS MADE AN EFFORT TO
HELP AND MORE THAT CAPACITY WITH
HOMELESSNESS. I THINK THEY ARE A
GOOD BROAD COMPARISON. I THINK
MORE RESEARCH WOULD CERTAINLY
HELP .
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, MR. MURPHY
AND MR. HIRN. I REALLY
APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE TODAY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. COLLEAGUES,
REALLY BRIEFLY, WERE GOING TO GO
TO ITEM 2 ON THE AGENDA. WE DO
HAVE A SECOND AGENDA ITEM TODAY.
EFFECT, WE HAD A THIRD, AND I
KICKED IT OFF, THANK GOD. GORE,
CAN YOU READ ITEM 2 SO WE CAN
GET THIS INTO THE RECORD, AND
THEN QUICKLY WE WILL REVIEW IT?
>> -- WITHIN EIGHT MINUTES.
>> PUBLIC SAFETY LEGISLATIVE
WORK PLANNING.
>> OKAY. AGAIN, THANK YOU SO
MUCH. OKAY. WITHIN EIGHT
MINUTES. COLLEAGUES, THIS IS THE
FIRST COMMITTEE MEETING OF THIS
TERM. WELCOME , PARTICULARLY OUR
NEW COLLEAGUES. I JUST WANTED TO
RUN THROUGH A FEW PIECES IN
TERMS OF GENERAL COMMITTEE WORK
PLANNING AND WHAT WE ARE DOING
AS A COMMITTEE, BUT ALSO
SPECIFIC TO WORST STRATEGIC
FRAMEWORK FOR A SAFER SEATTLE.
WE HAVE UPDATED THE SIX PILLARS.
ONE HAS BEEN A COMBINATION.
NUMBER FOUR USED TO HAVE VACANT
BUILDINGS AND LAWS AS ITS OWN ,
AND NOW IT HAS BEEN COMBINED. IS
BASICALLY THE URBAN FLIGHT. --
POLITE. BLIGHT. IT HAS A PUBLIC
SAFETY PIECE, BUT ALSO ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT. SIMPLY, AS WE HAVE
DONE OUR WORK, OBVIOUSLY GUN
VIOLENCE PREVENTION AND
COMMUNITY SAFETY HAS COME TO THE
FORE. ALSO, ADDRESSING THE SEAM
BETWEEN PUBLIC SAFETY, PUBLIC
HEALTH, HOUSING AND HUMAN
SERVICES. THE LAST THING I WILL
SAY, BEFORE IT WAS MORE TAILORED
ON PILLAR TWO, BUT WE REALLY
HAVE TO HAVE A FULL FUNCTIONAL
CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. THIS
GOES TO A LOT OF OUR WORK WITH
THE SEATTLE MUNICIPAL COURT, FOR
EXAMPLE, IN TERMS OF MAGISTRATES
AND THINGS WE HAVE DONE WITH THE
BUDGET AND OTHERWISE. BUT THIS
IS THE UPDATED PUBLIC SAFETY
FRAMEWORK FOR THE STRATEGIC
FRAMEWORK PLAN FOR A SAFER
SEATTLE. WHAT WE ARE LOOKING TO
DO IN QUARTER ONE, AND I WANT TO
ENGAGE WITH EVERYONE, I'VE
ALREADY STARTED WITH
COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ. NEXT
MEETING WE HAVE KING COUNTY
PROSECUTING ATTORNEY COMING TO
US. SPEAKING REGARDING SEX
TRAFFICKING AND OTHERS. OTHER
ISSUES SHE IS FACING FROM HER
POSITION. THAT IS REALLY
IMPORTANT. AS YOU KNOW, PUBLIC
DRUG USE AND POSSESSION IS A BIG
PIECE. WE HAVE BEEN DOING SOME
WORK WITH DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDERS
TO INCLUDE , BUT WE ALSO HAVE
THIS OIG REPORT THAT HIGHLIGHTS
DIFFERENT ISSUES. THIS IS A
GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO
TACKLE THESE CHALLENGES WE HAVE
REGARDING THIS SUBJECT AREA
BROADLY. ANYWAY, THE OTHER ONE I
WANTED TO NOTE PARTICULARLY FOR
QUARTER ONE IS ALTERNATIVE
RESPONSE . WE NEED TO LOOK AT
WHAT WE ARE DOING FOR POLICE AND
FIRE , AND OF COURSE CARE, AND
THE DIFFERENT PIECES. I DON'T
THINK MOST PEOPLE REALIZE WITHIN
SPD THERE IS ALTERNATIVE
RESPONSE PIECES WITH MENTAL
HEALTH PROFESSIONALS, THE POET
PROGRAM. OBVIOUSLY, FIRE WITH
HEALTH ONE AND OTHERWISE. WE
NEED TO BRING THESE PIECES
TOGETHER AND HAVE THAT HOLISTIC
LOOK. AND THEN, ENSURE THE
DIFFERENT PARTS ARE WORKING WELL
TOGETHER. THAT IS A BIG PIECE
FOR US IN QUARTER ONE. LOOKING
AT DIFFERENT PIECES. WE HAVE OUR
OVERSIGHT, LIKE THE FIFA
SECURITY PIECE. WE HAVE DONE A
LOT OF WORK THAT RELATES TO
FIFA, PARTICULARLY OVER THE LAST
YEAR, BUT WE NEED TO ENSURE WE
ARE THERE. WE WILL WORK WITH
PARKS SINCE WE HAVE PARKS ON OUR
COMMITTEE AS WELL WITH COUNCIL
MEMBER JUAREZ. THERE ARE
DIFFERENT PIECES. OF COURSE,
EACH YEAR WE HAVE OUR
ACCOUNTABILITY PARTNERS COME
BEFORE COUNCIL WE WILL LOOK TO
DO THAT. I SUSPECT IN QUARTER
TWO WE WILL HAVE, WE WILL WORK
WITH THE ADMINISTRATION TO COME
BACK ON OEM TOO. LONG-TERM
LEGISLATIVE PLANNING . THE
COMMUNITY SAFETY PIECE IS REALLY
IMPORTANT. I DON'T THINK IT IS
GOTTEN A LOT OF ATTENTION AND
OVERSIGHT. WE NEED TO DO THAT. I
MENTIONED THE PUBLIC DRUG USE
AND PREVENTION EARLIER. WORKING
WITH THE DIVERSION PIECES AND
HOW WE CAN FURTHER THAT, AND
ALSO FURTHER NEIGHBORHOOD
SAFETY. YOU KNOW, WORKING
THROUGH THESE PIECES. AND
BOTTOMLINE TOO IS TO ENSURE
IMPLEMENTATION OF OUR STRATEGIC
FRAMEWORK PLAN FOR SAFER
SEATTLE, WHICH INCLUDES, AS I
MENTIONED DURING RESPONSE TO THE
VERY BEGINNING WITH PUBLIC
COMMENT, INCLUDES THOSE 36
PIECES OF LEGISLATION. WE REALLY
NEED TO WORK THESE PIECES. YOU
KNOW, I DO WANT TO SAY THAT
ACROSS ALL THREE BRANCHES , WE
HAVE ALL TAKEN THAT OATH TO THE
CITY , THE CHARTER OF THE CITY
OF SEATTLE, BUT ALSO ITS
ORDINANCES. WE NEED TO TAKE
THESE ORDINANCES AND PUT THEM
INTO PLACE WITH FULL
IMPLEMENTATION. THEY DO WORK
TOGETHER. AS AN EXAMPLE WITH THE
OVERNIGHT ESTABLISHMENTS BILL
COMBINED WITH CHRONIC NUISANCE
PROPERTY. WE ARE REALLY TACKLING
THE GUN VIOLENCE WE ARE SEEING
IN THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. NOT
PERFECT, BECAUSE WE SAW LAST
WEEKEND, BUT THERE HAS BEEN A
DRAMATIC REDUCTION. THIS IS
WHERE THE ORDINANCES WE HAVE
BEEN WORKING OVER THE LAST TWO
YEARS REALLY COME INTO PLAY. WE
NEED TO MAKE SURE THEY CONTINUED
TO BE IMPLEMENT A FULLY SO WE
CAN CREATE A SAFE CITY. I WENT
TO THIS REALLY QUICK I'M SORRY.
WE DID TAKE QUITE A BIT OF TIME
WITH OEM. I WELCOME YOUR INPUT
AND CONSIDERATION. WITH
COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ, STARTING
US OFF IN TERMS OF THAT
COORDINATION AND BRINGING PIECES
TOGETHER THAT ARE OF INTEREST TO
ALL OF US HERE ON THE COMMITTEE
IN TERMS OF HER WORK WITH
PROSECUTING ATTORNEY . THANK
YOU. I KNOW THAT IS RUSHED. ONLY
THREE MONTHS. -- MINUTES. ANY
COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS, VICE
CHAIR OR OTHERWISE? HAPPY TO
TAKE THEM. WE CAN ALSO DISCUSS
OFF-LINE . I DON'T SEE ANYTHING
FOR MY VICE CHAIR. ONE QUICK
ONE. COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA HAD
HER HAND UP.
>> GO AHEAD, VICE CHAIR.
>> OKAY. QUICKLY, THANK YOU,
CHAIR, FOR PUTTING THIS
TOGETHER. THIS PROPOSED
FRAMEWORK TOGETHER. GENERALLY
SUPPORTIVE , CERTAINLY, OF THE
WORK PLAN COMPONENT . ALL THIS
TO SAY , THE CARE EXPANSION AND
ENSURING OUR NEW CARE DEPARTMENT
IS SET UP FOR SUCCESS AND FULLY
EMPOWERED IS GOING TO BE
CRITICAL FOR US THIS YEAR.
LETTER H 1, HALF ONE OF THE YEAR
TIMEFRAME. I KNOW YOU HAVE IT
SLOTTED IN Q2 FOR BRIEFING OR
DISCUSSION . BUT WITH THE
APPROVAL OF THE POLICE
CONTRACTS, THERE NOW, THE CARE
DEPARTMENT IS NOW MUCH MORE
EMPOWERED THAN THEY WERE BEFORE.
THAT IS FAIR TO SAY . TO
PROACTIVELY ENGAGE AND INTERACT
WITH MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC. SO
MAKING SURE, AS THEY ROLL OUT,
HIRE MORE EXPERTS, INCLUDING
SOCIAL WORKERS TO DO THIS WORK .
YOU KNOW, THAT THEY ARE FULLY
SET UP FOR SUCCESS IS GOING TO
BE IMPORTANT FOR US FROM THE
LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT
PERSPECTIVE. THANK YOU, CHAIR.
>> ABSOLUTELY. THAT IS WHY ONE
WAY WE ARE STARTING OFF WITH A
BROADER ALTERNATIVE RESPONSE,
AND THEN WE NET DOWN. IT IS SO
IMPORTANT THAT THIS -- THIS IS
MAJOR RELATED TO CARE. WE HAVE
TO ENSURE IT IS GOING WELL. EVEN
THIS DISCUSSION RIGHT NOW CAUSE
A HINT TO CARE THAT WE NEED TO
BE, AS YOU LIKE TO SAY, THE
BASICS. COUNCIL PRESIDENT
HOLLINGSWORTH TALKS ABOUT
FUNDAMENTALS AND NUTS AND BOLTS.
WE HAVE TO ENSURE THAT THE BASIC
BUILDOUT OF CARE IS DONE RIGHT
SO THEY CAN CARRY OUT THEIR
MISSION. THANK YOU, VICE CHAIR.
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR. I JUST
WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR PUTTING
THIS TOGETHER. IT'S REALLY
HELPFUL TO HAVE A FRAMEWORK. YOU
KNOW, I ASSUME, AS EVERYTHING
ELSE AS WE GET COMING HERE AT
THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, THERE
IS ALWAYS OPPORTUNITY TO ADD TO
IT OR MAKE TWEAKS. I REALLY
APPRECIATE THIS STARTING
FRAMEWORK AND YOUR LEADERSHIP IN
GETTING US OFF IN THE RIGHT
DIRECTION. REALLY, IT WAS MORE
TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THE THOUGHT
YOU PUT AND THE WORK BEHIND
THIS. THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
JUAREZ, FOR YOUR ENGAGEMENT AS
WELL WITH OUR CHAIR ON THIS. I
LOOK FORWARD TO ENGAGING AS
WELL, CHAIR. I'M HERE TO
PARTNER AS WE MOVE FORWARD ON
THESE PUBLIC SAFETY PIECES.
THERE ARE MANY PIECES TO THIS.
IN TERMS OF CARE, COUNCILMEMBER
SAKA, AGREED. ALSO, I KNOW THEY
WILL TAKE TIME TO HIRE FOLKS.
AND SO, I UNDERSTAND PROBABLY
THAT MAY HAVE FED INTO THE ORDER
TWO. THEY WILL PROBABLY BE IN A
BETTER POSITION IN ORDER TO GET
INFORMATION FROM THEM. YOUR
POINT IS WELL TAKEN. AND I
AGREE. THANK YOU, CHAIR.
>> COUNCILMEMBER LIN.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. JUST
WANTED TO SAY, YOU KNOW, PUBLIC
SAFETY OBVIOUSLY A CITYWIDE
ISSUE. BUT DISTRICT 2 IN MANY
WAYS FACES SOME OF OUR GREATEST
PUBLIC SAFETY CHALLENGES AROUND
GUN VIOLENCE AND WHAT WE SEE IN
LITTLE SAIGON. AND SO, I KNOW WE
DON'T HAVE A LOT OF TIME. I'M
GOING TO RATTLE OFF. WE CAN CHAT
OFF-LINE ABOUT SOME OF THESE
TOPICS. LITTLE SAIGON IS GOING
TO BE A TOP PRIORITY FOR OUR
DISTRICT. IN SOME WAYS, IT MIGHT
DESERVE SORT OF ITS OWN FOCUS
HERE IN PUBLIC SAFETY. CROWD
MANAGEMENT AND SAFETY. I KNOW
THE OIG IS DOING A REVIEW , AND
CERTAINLY IMAGINE LOT OF FIRST
AMENDMENT PROTESTING HAPPENING
THIS COMING YEAR AND WITH FIFA.
BIAS CRIMES. WE SEE THEY ARE ON
THE RISE AGAIN, UNFORTUNATELY.
THE CITY ATTORNEY HAS SAID SHE
WILL HAVE SOMEBODY DEDICATED TO
BIAS CRIMES. I THINK THAT IS
WORTH LOOKING AT. WOULD LOVE TO
UNDERSTAND WHAT RESOURCES WE
HAVE FOR VICTIMS OF CRIME ,
VICTIMS OF GUN VIOLENCE, AND
VICTIMS OF OTHER CRIME.
CERTAINLY I HEARD A CALL FROM
THAT FROM RESIDENTS. I WOULD
LOVE TO HAVE BETTER INFORMATION
AND UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT
RESOURCES WE HAVE FOR VICTIMS.
EARLIER WE HEARD ABOUT THE
THREATS , PUBLIC SAFETY THREATS
OF I.C.E. I DO THINK THAT
WARRANTS PROBABLY MORE IMMEDIATE
ATTENTION JUST BECAUSE I THINK
WE ARE ALL CONCERNED ABOUT THE
PUBLIC SAFETY THREAT THAT POSES.
FINALLY, I WILL JUST SAY, YOU
KNOW, WE VOTED ON THE SPOT
CONTRACT. A LOT OF DISCUSSIONS
AROUND ACCOUNTABILITY . I DO
THINK THAT IS A PUBLIC SAFETY
ISSUE. I THINK IT GETS BACK TO
TRUST IN GOVERNMENT, TRUST OF
THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. BUILDING
A BETTER RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN
THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND OUR
COMMUNITIES , AND MAYBE THAT
FALLS UNDER COMMUNITY SAFETY,
COMMUNITY-BASED POLICING, WHICH
I KNOW THE POLICE CHIEF IS
INTERESTED IN. I WOULD LOVE TO
LEAN IN ON THAT . I KNOW THAT
YOU ARE FOCUSED ON, YOU KNOW,
BUILDING THOSE RELATIONSHIPS
WITH NEW HIRES TO MAKE THOSE
COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS. I THINK
THAT IS ALWAYS AN AREA WE COULD
DO BETTER. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. AND YES, IT KIND
OF GOES TO IMPLEMENTATION OF
LEGISLATION. YOUR POINT ABOUT
CROWD MANAGEMENT AND REALLY
ENGAGING WITH ACCOUNTABILITY
PARTNERS. THAT IS WHY THEY WILL
BE BEFORE US. YOU CAN ASK THE
OIG. BUT NOT JUST OIG. WE HAVE
CPC IN THE CHAMBERS TODAY. THOSE
PIECES. 100% REGARDING DISTRICT
2 AND LITTLE SAIGON. I THINK WE
ARE SCHEDULING, BUT YOU AND I
CAN HAVE A WALKABOUT , IN THE
DISTRICT AND IN THE AREA. I
THINK IT IS IMPORTANT. I'VE
BEEN THERE BEFORE, BUT I THINK
IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO MEET
AND DISCUSS THE CHALLENGES. IT
COULD BE A TEMPLATE FOR OTHER
AREAS. THE, WHAT WE ARE DOING IN
OTHER AREAS COULD BE A TEMPLATE
FOR JACKSON AND KING.
COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHAIR. I
WANTED TO SAY THAT I APPRECIATE
THE INCLUSION OF MAKING SURE WE
ARE WORKING COLLABORATIVELY
ACROSS THE PUBLIC SAFETY
COMMITTEE WITH THE HOUSING AND
HUMAN SERVICES SPACES,
PARTICULARLY AS CHAIR OF THE
HOUSING MIDI, I WANT TO MAKE
SURE WE ARE WORKING
COLLABORATIVELY AND HAVE STRONG
COMMUNICATIONS. THANKS FOR
INVITING ME HERE TODAY. I WANTED
TO REALLY MAKE SURE THAT WE ECHO
IN THE SPACE TO DIVE INTO GUN
VIOLENCE. I KNOW MY OFFICE, JUST
IN THE LAST 12 DAYS, HAS
RECEIVED A NUMBER OF EMAILS
ABOUT GUN VIOLENCE AND
SHOOTINGS. I APPRECIATE THAT.
AND THE ONE THING I WANTED TO
SAY, I'M JUST NOT QUITE SURE
WHERE IT FITS OR WHERE IT WILL
BE ADDRESSED, IS THE CONCERNS
ABOUT FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND
PUBLIC SAFETY. I KNOW ALL OF A
SHARE OF THE CONCERNS THERE. WE
SEE IT AS A THREAT TO BOTH
PUBLIC AND COMMUNITY SAFETY. WE
WILL BE GETTING PILOT POINT --
REPORTS TO COUNCIL LATER THIS
YEAR. UNCLEAR TO ME WHETHER THAT
FITS INTO THE COLLABORATION WITH
COUNTY AND STATE PART OF THE
FRAMEWORK OR THE WORKPLAN. I
WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE KNOW
WE WILL BE SEEING THAT. THANK
YOU SO MUCH, CHAIR.
>> 110%. ALSO WITHIN THE COUNCIL
ITSELF. I HAVE HAD DISCUSSIONS
WITH COUNCILMEMBER RINCK. WERE
GOING TO HAVE A JOINT MEETING IN
MARCH WITH HER COMMITTEE ON
GETTING THE RESPONSE RELATED TO
THE SLI. IN BETWEEN, WORKING
WITH THE COUNTY AND STATE.
BECAUSE THEY ARE THE TWO LEVELS
OF GOVERNMENT BETWEEN US AND THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. WE DO HAVE
OUR CHALLENGES. I THINK IT IS
IMPORTANT TO BE REALISTIC. BUT
TO THE POINT MADE IN DIFFERENT
WAYS THAT WE DO NEED TO KEEP THE
PRESS ON RELATED TO FEDERAL LAW
ENFORCEMENT AND CALLING IT OUT
IN ALL THE DIFFERENT WAYS WE
CAN. COUNTY AND STATE
COORDINATION, IN ADDITION TO THE
COORDINATION WITHIN THE COUNCIL
WITH THE SELECT COMMITTEE, BUT
ALSO WITH THE MAYOR'S TEAM. I
LOOK FORWARD TO MEETING WITH MS.
HOLCOMBE TO TALK ABOUT THAT,
ALONG WITH MAYOR AND DEPUTY
MAYOR.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, EVERYONE.
AGAIN, THIS IS ALL DESIGNED TO
FACILITATE DISCUSSION RELATED TO
WORKING THESE CHALLENGES WE
FACE. BUT WE HAVE REACHED THE
END OF COMMITTEE. I KNOW WE'RE
SIX MINUTES OVER. I APOLOGIZE.
ANY FURTHER BUSINESS TO COME
BEFORE WE ADJOURN?