[MUSIC] [MUSIC]
-- AND GOOD MORNING. BONJOUR. I
SHOULD SAY TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY
COMMITTEE WILL COME TO ORDER.
IT'S 9:34 A.M. JULY 14th, 2026.
BASTILLE DAY. SO I THOUGHT I'D
THROW THAT IN. I'M ROBERT
KETTLE, CHAIR OF THE PUBLIC
SAFETY COMMITTEE. WILL THE
COMMITTEE CLERK PLEASE CALL THE
ROLL? COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ HERE.
-- COUNCILMEMBER LIN HERE.
-- COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA.
-- PRESENT.
-- COUNCILMEMBER SAKA HERE.
CHAIR. KETTLE. HERE. CHAIR.
THERE ARE FIVE MEMBERS PRESENT
-- GREAT. THANK YOU. FOR CHAIR.
COMMENT. THIS MORNING I WANTED
TO START OFF WITH A THANK YOU. I
WANTED TO THANK YOU FROM THE
FEDERAL DOWN TO THE LOCAL.
STARTING WITH THE FEDERAL LEVEL,
WITH THE SECURITY EFFORT THAT
WAS DONE FOR THE FIFA WORLD CUP,
STARTING AGAIN AT THE FEDERAL
LEVEL, THE SECRET SERVICE, WHICH
HAS THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR AT
THE FEDERAL LEVEL, BUT ALSO
OBVIOUSLY WITH. SUPPORTED BY THE
FBI AT THE STATE, ACTUALLY AT
THE STATE LEVEL, THE LEAD IS THE
OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT,
BUT ALSO WITH WASHINGTON STATE
POLICE AND OTHERS. AND FROM THE
COUNTY LEVEL, KING COUNTY
SHERIFF, KING COUNTY, METRO
SECURITY, PLUS BASICALLY ALL THE
OTHER JURISDICTIONS THAT WERE
PROVIDING MUTUAL AID. THANK YOU
TO THEM. BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY,
NOT MORE IMPORTANTLY, BUT I WANT
TO EMPHASIZE A THANK YOU TO THE
SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE
FIRE DEPARTMENT, AND THE CARE
DEPARTMENT, OUR FIRST
RESPONDERS, FOR ALL THE WORK
THAT THEY DID IN SUPPORT OF OUR
FIFA WORLD CUP 26 EXPERIENCE
WITH ALL SIX GAMES MATCHES, IF
YOU WILL. BEING HELD HERE AND
BEING DONE WELL. SO THANK YOU TO
ALL OF THEM. NOW FOR MY MAIN
CHAIR COMMENT. I WANTED TO NOTE
THAT RECENTLY I'VE BEEN
CONTACTED BY FOLKS RELATED TO
DIFFERENT CHALLENGES THAT WE'RE
SEEING NORTH AURORA AND LITTLE
SAIGON, AS IT TURNS OUT, WHICH
ARE TWO AREAS THAT I'VE BEEN
SPEAKING TO IN MY CHAIR COMMENT.
I'VE BEEN GETTING REPORTS FROM
NORTH AURORA THAT THINGS ARE
SLIDING BACK TO THE NORM. I'VE
SEEN SOME DRAWDOWNS TO LITTLE
SAIGON, YOU KNOW, PARTLY IN
TERMS OF THE PARTNERSHIP
BETWEEN, YOU KNOW, SPD AND KING
COUNTY SHERIFF AND THE LIKE. SO
IT'S BEING NOTICED, AND THIS IS
WHAT I'VE SPOKEN TO BEFORE IN
TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, THE
CHALLENGES THAT WE FACE AS WE
TRY TO MOVE FORWARD ON PUBLIC
SAFETY. AT THE BOTTOM LINE IS
CAPACITY. THAT'S ALWAYS GOING
TO BE A KEY FACTOR HERE. AND
THIS GOES TO STAFFING OF SPD AND
OTHER DEPARTMENTS. BUT WE ALSO
NEED THE LEADERSHIP THAT IS
SUSTAINED. AND THIS IS WHERE IT
BECOMES IMPORTANT BECAUSE NORTH
AURORA AND LITTLE SAIGON AND
OTHER AREAS IN THE CITY WILL
NOTICE THAT WHETHER THERE IS A
FOLLOW UP IN THE FOLLOW THROUGH
OF THE EFFORT OR NOT, AND AS I
SAID BEFORE, TO IMPLEMENTATION
OF LAWS, BILLS PASSED INTO LAW.
THIS IS SO, SO IMPORTANT. AND
THIS SHOWS UP, YOU KNOW, WITH
OUR AND SINCE WE'RE TALKING
PUBLIC DRUG USE AND POSSESSION
WITH OUR STAY OUT OF DRUG AREA
BILL. SO THE BILL IT'S OFTEN
BEEN CHARACTERIZED AS LIKE A
REPUBLICAN CITY ATTORNEY BILL.
WELL, THAT'S NOT TRUE. THAT WAS
ACTUALLY A A MAYOR'S TEAM BILL,
A SPD TEAM BILL, A CITY
ATTORNEY, OBVIOUSLY A CITY
ATTORNEY, TEAM BILL WITH DATA
SCIENTISTS FROM BOTH THE SPD AND
THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE,
ALONG WITH ME AND MY TEAM. I
WOULD ARGUE THAT IT WAS A VERY
POSITIVE EXAMPLE WITH RESPECT TO
THE DEVELOPMENT OF SODA LAW OF
THE EXECUTIVE, LEGISLATIVE AND
JUDICIAL BRANCHES WORKING
TOGETHER, AND SODA WAS HAVING AN
IMPACT ON THE DRUG MARKETS IN
PLACES LIKE BELLTOWN. IT WAS A
CRUEL TOOL TO BE IN THE TOOLBOX.
IT WASN'T GOING TO SOLVE
EVERYTHING BY ITSELF, BUT IT WAS
AN IMPORTANT TOOL IN THE
TOOLBOX. AND I REMEMBER BEING IN
BELLTOWN WHEN AN OFFICER CAME TO
ME AND SAID, SIR, WE HAD OUR
FIRST SODA ORDER VIOLATION
ARREST, YOU KNOW, AND IT WAS
MAKING AN IMPACT. BUT AS I SAID
BEFORE, LIKE IN TERMS OF WHAT
WE'RE SEEING IN NORTH AURORA,
LITTLE SAIGON, THE EFFORT
WASN'T SUSTAINED. IN FACT, IT
WAS PUSHED AGAINST AND IT WAS
PORTRAYED NEGATIVELY, WHICH
WASN'T TRUE. THINK ABOUT THE
DIVERSITY OF THE LEADERSHIP OF
THOSE TEAMS. THE MAYOR, THE
CHIEF OF POLICE AT THE TIME, A
FEMALE CITY ATTORNEY, AND OURS
IN A DIFFERENT. IN ADDITION TO
THE DIVERSE TEAMS THAT WERE
PRESENT, CREATING THAT LAW. BUT
HERE WE ARE TODAY LOOKING AT
PUBLIC DRUG USE AND POSSESSION,
TALKING ABOUT DRUG MARKETS AND A
BILL THAT COULD BE HELPING IS
NOT. SO IF WE WONDER AS A CITY
WHY WE DON'T MAKE PROGRESS ON
THE PUBLIC SAFETY CHALLENGES
THAT WE FACE. WELL, THIS IS PART
OF THE ANSWER. OKAY AS CHAIR
COMMENT, IF THERE'S NO
OBJECTION, THE AGENDA WILL BE
ADOPTED. HEARING AND SEEING NO
OBJECTION, THE AGENDA IS
ADOPTED. WE'LL NOW MOVE OPEN THE
PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD. PUBLIC
COMMENT SHOULD RELATE TO ITEMS
ON TODAY'S AGENDA OR WITHIN THE
PURVIEW OF THE COMMITTEE CLERK.
HOW MANY SPEAKERS ARE SIGNED UP
TODAY?
-- CURRENTLY, WE HAVE SEVEN
SIGNED UP. TWO OF THOSE ARE
REMOTE
-- OKAY. EACH SPEAKER WILL HAVE
TWO MINUTES AND WE'LL START
WITH THE IN-PERSON SPEAKERS.
CLERK CAN YOU PLEASE READ THE
PUBLIC COMMENT INSTRUCTIONS? AND
I THINK WE HAVE ONE MORE
-- THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD
WILL BE MODERATED IN THE
FOLLOWING MANNER. THE 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 SECONDS ARE LEFT
OF THEIR TIME. SPEAKERS MICS
WILL BE MUTED IF THEY DO NOT END
THEIR COMMENTS WITHIN THE
ALLOTTED TIME TO ALLOW US TO
CALL THE NEXT SPEAKER. THE
PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS NOW
OPEN, WILL BEGIN WITH THE FIRST
SPEAKER ON THE LIST. THE FIRST
IN-PERSON SPEAKER IS STEVE
-- GOOD MORNING GOOD MORNING.
-- WE NEED A BETTER SEATTLE, AND
WE'VE GOT A LOT OF ROOM TO
MOVE. I'M STILL WAITING FOR A
POLICE FORCE THAT IS EFFECTIVE.
SINCE COVID, WE HAVE NOT HAD
ONE. IN MY NOT SO HUMBLE
OPINION, WE NEED TO BRING BACK
THE SQUADS THAT DO THINGS LIKE
MINERS CAR PROWLS AND GO UP TO
RAPE AND OTHER SERIOUS CRIMES,
BECAUSE I'M NOT SEEING FOLLOW
THROUGH, WHICH I FIND VERY, VERY
DIFFICULT. WE'RE NOT EVEN
CATCHING THE LOW HANGING FRUIT.
PEOPLE CAN PUT UP SCAMS ON OTHER
SIGNS, STEAL MONEY. NOW THIS
GOES TO AN ACCOUNT WHICH SHOULD
BE TRACEABLE, BUT THIS APPEARS
TO BE TOO MUCH EFFORT FOR THE
CITY OF SEATTLE. YOU KNOW, IF
YOU CAN'T GET THE LOW HANGING
FRUIT, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET
THE REALLY BIG ONES. I'LL DROP
THIS HERE IN THE COMMENTS. I
HAVE PULLED MANY, MANY, MANY OF
THEM. SO THIS IS NOT A GREAT
LOSS. ALSO, I SEE THE TIME THAT
POLICE OFFICERS ARE SPENDING.
NOW. I DON'T THINK THAT THEY
SHOULDN'T PROTECT FIREFIGHTERS
AND OTHER PEOPLE DEALING WITH
HOMELESS AND TOUGH SITUATIONS,
BUT THEY SPEND SO MUCH TIME
TRYING TO HELP PEOPLE. THEY'RE
NOT REALLY SPENDING TIME
ACTUALLY PROTECTING PEOPLE. AND
THE SEATTLE POLICE AT THIS POINT
SEEM TO HAVE AN ATTITUDE LIKE
THE OLD NO PROBLEM CHARTS. I
DON'T KNOW IF YOU EVER REMEMBER
THOSE BLACK AND WHITE WITH ALL
THE ARROWS GOING AROUND.
EVERYTHING ENDS UP AT NO
PROBLEM. AND YOU KNOW, PEOPLE
WILL CALL THEM AND ARE ASSAULTED
ARE SILLY. THEY'RE WASTING
THEIR TIME. NOW, IT MAY JUST BE
BECAUSE I'M AN OLD WHITE MAN,
BUT I DID SEE ONE WHO DID THE
SAME THING WITH A BLACK WOMAN
THAT DID GO AWAY IN HANDCUFFS.
-- THANK YOU. NEXT UP, WE HAVE
GANO. ROBINSON. SORRY. COULDN'T
READ IT.
-- DIDN'T PUT IT ON THERE
CORRECTLY. HI. MY NAME IS
GARRETT. I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF
OF LEAD. I HAVE BEEN IN THIS
PROGRAM SINCE PROBABLY THE VERY
BEGINNING. I HAVE BEEN PULLED
OUT FROM MY WORK JUST BASICALLY
TO SPEAK ON MY EXPERIENCE. I
GUESS. I HAD STARTED OUT IN 2013
AND WHERE MY LIFE IS TODAY IS A
DRAMATIC EXPERIENCE. SO I
YEAH. SO THE, THE RESOURCES THAT
THEY HAVE ARE WHAT TRANSFORM ME.
DEF DEFINITELY. AND I'M SORRY.
-- NO WORRIES. JUST TELL ME
ABOUT LEE JUST DIRECTLY.
-- TELL YOU ABOUT WHAT.
-- YOU'RE. JUST PRETEND YOU'RE
HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH ME.
DON'T WORRY ABOUT BEING HERE IN
CHAMBERS OR ANYTHING.
-- YEAH, SO I, I, MY LIFE HAD
DEFINITELY TOOK A TURN. AND SO
THEY HAVE REACHED OUT TO ME. MY
DAUGHTER HAD REACHED OUT TO MY
COUNSELOR AND BASICALLY PULLED
ME FROM THE STREETS AND GAVE ME
ANOTHER MEANING. IT'S PROBABLY
WHAT PULLED ME AWAY FROM
EVERYTHING. I DIDN'T THINK THAT
THIS WAS GOING TO HAPPEN. I WAS
WAY MORE PUT TOGETHER, BUT.
-- WELL, NO. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH.
-- FOR SO MUCH. I JUST.
-- THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC
COMMENT.
-- NEXT UP WE HAVE JOHNNY
BOUSQUET.
-- GOOD MORNING. FIRST, I WANT
TO THANK CITY COUNCILMEMBERS FOR
BEING HERE. THANK YOU, COUNCIL
CHAIR. MY NAME IS JOHNNY
BOUSQUET. BEFORE PEOPLE CALLED
ME JOHNNY BOUSQUET IN 2014, WHAT
PEOPLE CALLED ME WAS A DRUG
ADDICT, A BUM, A THIEF, A LIAR,
SOMEBODY THAT WAS RESISTANT TO
SERVICES. TODAY, PEOPLE CALL ME
SIR. THEY CALL ME JOHNNY
BOUSQUET. A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW
HOW TO SAY JOHNNY BOUSQUET. AND
THAT STARTED WITH I HAVE TO
START AT THE BEGINNING. IN 1991,
MY MY RELATIONSHIP WITH THE
CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM STARTED.
AND THAT CYCLE PERPETUATED ALL
THE WAY UP UNTIL 2014. I WAS
FORCED INTO TREATMENT. I WAS I
WAS INVOLVED IN A LOT OF
COMPLIANCE BASED PROGRAMS THAT
DID NOT SUPPORT LONG TERM
CHANGE. AND IN 2014, I SOLD A
SMALL AMOUNT OF DRUGS TO AN
UNDERCOVER OFFICER. INSTEAD OF
GOING TO PRISON, I WAS GIVEN AN
OPPORTUNITY, AN OPPORTUNITY LIKE
I WAS NEVER GIVEN BEFORE. THIS
OPPORTUNITY CAME WITH BEST IN
CLASS CASE MANAGEMENT, WHERE
PEOPLE THAT DIDN'T CALL ME
NAMES MET ME. WHERE I WAS AT,
HAD THE SAME AMOUNT OF EMPATHY
AS ACCOUNTABILITY BUILT IN. AND
THEY ASKED ME, WHAT DID I WANT
TO DO? INSTEAD OF TELLING ME
WHAT TO DO? THAT CHANGED MY
LIFE. IT DIDN'T CHANGE THAT DAY.
OVER THE NEXT FOUR YEARS, I WENT
TO TREATMENT FIVE TIMES. EVERY
SINGLE TIME I WENT TO TREATMENT,
I WOULD DO GOOD FOR A LITTLE
BIT. SOMETIMES I WOULD GET
KICKED OUT OF TREATMENT. BUT
WHAT WHAT WAS DIFFERENT IS MY
CASE MANAGERS, MY LEAD CASE
MANAGERS WERE THERE TO MEET ME
AND RALLY THE TROOPS AGAIN. WHAT
THE HELL WENT WRONG? AND WHAT
CAN WE DO DIFFERENT NEXT TIME?
THEY ASKED ME, THEY DIDN'T TELL
ME. THAT CHANGED MY LIFE. AFTER
GOING TO TREATMENT 15 TIMES IN
MY LIFE AND FAILING MISERABLY IN
OTHER PROGRAMS, I WAS ABLE TO BE
ABLE TO GET A JOB, JOIN THE
FORMAL ECONOMY, AND TODAY I AM A
LEAD PROJECT MANAGER, THE LEAD
PROJECT MANAGER FOR THE NORTH
PRECINCT IN THE SOUTHWEST
PRECINCT WITH EIGHT YEARS CLEAN
AND RECONNECTED WITH MY SON
AFTER ALMOST 15 YEARS. 14 YEARS.
THIS SATURDAY LEAD WORKS. I AM
PROOF
-- THANK YOU AND
CONGRATULATIONS. NEXT UP.
-- NEXT UP WE HAVE LIZ, STEVE,
STEVE, STEVE, STEVE. SORRY
STEVE.
-- HI. I'M NOT A SPEAKER. I WAS
UP UNTIL 1 A.M. TRYING TO
RECOVER OUR FAMILY'S ACCOUNTS
FOR SOME SCHOOL. OUR FAMILY WAS
HACKED. SERIOUSLY HACKED THROUGH
GOOGLE, FACEBOOK, SQUARE
BUSINESS. ALL THE ACCOUNTS, ALL
THE ACCOUNTS. I DON'T KNOW IF
YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH SOME OF
THE PROBLEMS OF THE TECH
COMPANIES, BUT ESSENTIALLY
GOOGLE HAS BECOME LIKE THE FORD
PINTO, WHERE IF YOU'RE REAR
ENDED, THE CAR JUST EXPLODES. SO
WE WERE ESSENTIALLY A REAR ENDED
OR HAD A MINOR ACCIDENT WITH A,
A DISGRUNTLED CLIENT THREE YEARS
AGO. AND HE WAS ABLE TO USE THIS
TECH COMPANIES AND THEIR PRODUCT
TO JUST DESTROY OUR FAMILY'S
LIFE. IT'S BEEN AWFUL. AND PART
OF DEALING WITH THIS IS WE'VE
DISCOVERED THAT THIS IS PRETTY
COMMON. YOU BECOME PART OF THIS
CLUB WHERE PEOPLE FIND YOU AND
THEY'VE ALSO BEEN HACKED, AND
THEY'VE ALSO DEALT WITH
IDENTITY THEFT. AND THEY'VE ALSO
GONE THROUGH THE CIRCLES. AND I
HAVE TO SAY, I MEAN, EVERY
INTERACTION THAT I'VE HAD WITH
SEATTLE POLICE HAS BEEN REALLY
GOOD. IT'S THEIR TRAINING IS
GREAT. THEY'VE BEEN RESPECTFUL.
THEY'VE BEEN ORGANIZED, THEY'VE
BEEN GREAT. I THINK CARE HAS
SOME MAYBE SOME ISSUES WITH
RECORD KEEPING. THEY'VE THEY'VE
LOST SOME FILES. THEY'VE
THEY'VE LOST SOME FILES.
THEY'VE LOST SOME PAPERWORK,
BUT NOTHING TOO SERIOUS. DEALING
WITH THE CITY HAS BEEN GREAT. I
JUST THINK THAT THE CITY IS
MISSING A REVENUE OPPORTUNITY
BECAUSE WHY AREN'T WE REGULATING
GOOGLE. AND I'M NOT SAYING TAX
THEM. WE CAN JUST FIND THEM
THEIR USAGE FEES. I WORK FOR THE
THE NOT WORK FOR. I VOLUNTEER AT
THE KING COUNTY LAW LIBRARY, AND
THEY'RE MOSTLY FUNDED BY FILING
FEES. AND PEOPLE WILL PAY, WE
WILL PAY TO FILE A REQUEST FOR
OUR OWN DATA. IF WE HAD A
PRIVACY, JUST A REGULATORY
STRUCTURE. AND THAT'S ALL I'M
ASKING IS TO PLEASE CONSIDER A
REGULATORY STRUCTURE THAT THE
CITY CAN USE FOR FUNDING AND TO
PROTECT FAMILIES LIKE ME. THANK
YOU.
-- THANK YOU.
-- NEXT UP, WE HAVE ASHLEY
-- HI. THIS MIGHT NOT WORK. SO
IF IT GOES TERRIBLY, LET ME
KNOW. BUT THIS IS FROM ONE OF
OUR LEAD.
-- MY NAME IS JULIA, AND I WAS
ONE OF THE FIRST CLIENTS LEAD
TOOK WITH THEIR FIRST BATCH OF
PEOPLE. LEADS GOT ME THROUGH
PREGNANCY, HOMELESSNESS, DRUG
ADDICTION, YEARS OF GOING IN AND
OUT OF JAIL. THEY HELPED ME IN
COURT. THEY GOT ME HOUSING. THEY
WERE THERE FOR ME. WHEN I
CHECKED INTO REHAB. ACTUALLY, MY
WORKER WAS ONE OF THE ONLY
PEOPLE THAT CAME TO THE
TREATMENT CENTER TO CHECK IF I
WAS OKAY. THEY HELPED ME WITH MY
MENTAL HEALTH, MY PHYSICAL, AND
WERE THERE FOR ME IN TOUGH
TIMES. THEY WERE THEY WERE THE
PEOPLE THAT THAT CHEERED ME ON
THE MOST WHEN I GOT SOBER.
CURRENTLY, I AM 15 MONTHS CLEAN
GOING TO COLLEGE AGAIN. I'M
WORKING AND I AM LIVING WITH MY
CHILDREN. SOMETHING I DIDN'T
THINK WAS GOING TO EVER BE
POSSIBLE. HONESTLY, WHEN I WAS
IN THE DEPTHS OF MY ADDICTION,
IF IT WASN'T FOR MY WORKER AND
THE PEOPLE AT THE LEAD PROGRAM,
I DON'T THINK I'D BE WHERE I'M
AT TODAY FOR THAT. I AM SO
GRATEFUL. IF I HAD A CHANCE TO
GIVE EVERYBODY IN LEAD A RAISE,
I WOULD, BECAUSE THEY'RE PART
OF MY FAMILY THAT I, IN MY
OPINION, THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME
THE CHANCE TO SHARE MY TESTIMONY
WITH YOU GUYS HERE TODAY.
-- FOR THE PAST WEEK, ALL I'VE
BEEN DOING IS INTERVIEWING OUR
PREVIOUS GRADUATES WHO HAVE MADE
IT THROUGH THIS PROGRAM, AND
SOME OF THEM ARE PLUMBERS NOW. A
LOT OF THEM ARE WITH THEIR KIDS.
A LOT OF THEM ARE GOING BACK TO
SCHOOL. SO I JUST CONTINUE TO
APPRECIATE THE COUNCIL'S SUPPORT
FOR THIS PROGRAM. I CAN SEE IT
MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN
EVERYONE'S LIVES AND GARRETT IS
SOMEONE WHO'S BEEN ONE OF THOSE
PEOPLE WHO'S JUST VERY
IMPRESSIVE AND MANAGING
BUILDINGS NOW AROUND TOWN. I
IT'S JUST A IT'S BEEN A
BEAUTIFUL EXPERIENCE TALKING TO
ALL OF THEM. THANK YOU GUYS.
-- THANK YOU.
-- I THINK WE HAVE ANOTHER 15
THAT HAVE SIGNED UP OUTSIDE. I
DON'T HAVE THE PAGE RIGHT NOW.
THEY'RE STILL SIGNING UP. I'VE
GOT MORE ONLINE. YOU WANT TO
PIVOT TO THOSE.
-- YES. DO THE FOUR ONLINE.
OKAY.
-- THE FIRST REMOTE SPEAKER IS
CHRIS PLOTNICK. PLEASE PRESS
STAR SIX WHEN YOU HAVE WHEN YOU
HEAR THE PROMPT, YOU HAVE BEEN
UNMUTED.
CHRIS, IF YOU CAN PRESS STAR
SIX.
ALL RIGHT. WE'LL COME BACK TO
YOU IF YOU'RE ABLE TO AT THE
END NEXT UP, WE'VE GOT DAVID
HAYNES. DAVID, PLEASE PRESS STAR
SIX.
-- HI. DAVID. HOW WAS CITY
COUNCIL EVER GOING TO GET IT
RIGHT IN PUBLIC SAFETY WHEN THEY
KEEP DOUBLING DOWN AND APPROVING
AND ATTEMPTING TO COSMETICALLY
CODIFY LEGISLATION THAT WAS
FLAWED FROM THE BEGINNING? AND
IT'S PHILOSOPHY THAT THOUGHT
THAT IT WOULD BE MORE EFFECTIVE
TO MAKE IT MORE DIFFICULT FOR
PIMPS AND PUSHERS TO FIND THEIR
CUSTOMERS, WHILE EXACERBATING
PUBLIC SAFETY. IT'S IT'S
DISINGENUOUS TO CLAIM THAT
YOU'RE DIALING DOWN THE AMOUNT
OF PEOPLE ARRESTED BY PURPOSELY
RUNNING INTERFERENCE FOR THEM.
AND THEN, AFTER ALL THE 911
CALLS THAT THEY CREATED AND
CAUSED, THEY DON'T GET ANY
LEGITIMATE REQUIREMENT OF
FOCUSING ON THEIR ADDICTION.
THEY JUST GET REWARDED WITH MORE
AND MORE HOUSING FIRST AS THEY
TRASH EVERYTHING THAT THEY LIVE
IN AND DENY INNOCENT HOMELESS
ACCESS TO CAPACITY. REMEMBER
WHEN TAMMY MORALES QUIT THE CITY
COUNCIL BECAUSE SHE HAD MENTAL
PROBLEMS BEFORE SHE LEFT? SHE
TOOK HER OWN LIVED EXPERIENCE
LENS AND DUMPED IT ON THE REST
OF THE COMMUNITY BY WEAPONIZING
THE RACIST RACIAL EQUITY
TOOLKIT, WHERE YOU'RE REQUIRED
TO JUDGE PEOPLE'S SKIN COLOR
AND THEIR INTERACTION,
INTERACTIONS WITH LAW
ENFORCEMENT AND CLAIM THAT. AND
IF THERE'S A DISPROPORTIONATE
AMOUNT OF, LET'S SAY, BLACK
DRUG PUSHERS WHO ARE COMMITTING
CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY SOMEHOW,
BECAUSE THAT'S WRONG. THEY
CLAIM YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO
JUDGE THOSE PEOPLE OR THROW THEM
IN JAIL BECAUSE THEY'VE HAD A
DIFFERENT HISTORICAL
PERSPECTIVE. AND PEOPLE
SYMPATHIZING WITH THE DEVIL WHO
ARE DESTROYING PEOPLE'S LIVES
DAILY AND BASING YOUR
ASSESSMENTS ON SKIN COLOR
BECAUSE OF RACIST PERVERTS IN
OUR GOVERNMENT HAVE UNDERMINED
THE INTEGRITY OF THE LENS THAT
YOU LOOK TO WHEN YOU JUDGE
PEOPLE ON THE MERITS AND THE
PROPER POLICIES. BUT INSTEAD, WE
HAVE A IGNOBLE AGENDA BY CENTRAL
STAFF WHO, LET'S SEE, CENTRAL
STAFF CLAIMS IT'S ALL ABOUT THE
RACIAL EQUITY TOOLKIT, BUT GET.
THEY'RE THEY'RE EXPERTS AT
ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN, URBAN
PLANNING. THEY HAVE NOTHING TO
DO WITH PUBLIC SAFETY OTHER THAN
MAKING SURE THAT THE COPS HAVE
OVERTIME.
-- THANK YOU. NEXT UP, WE HAVE
STEVEN GASTON. STEVEN, PLEASE
PRESS STAR SIX.
-- HI, MY NAME IS STEVEN GASTON.
I'VE BEEN A LEAD CLIENT SINCE
OCTOBER 2020. AT THE TIME, I WAS
HOMELESS USING FENTANYL AND METH
AND COMMITTING CRIMES TO SURVIVE
AND SUPPORT MY HABIT. I DON'T
REMEMBER MUCH OF THAT TIME, BUT
I REMEMBER COMING TO THEIR DROP
IN AND GETTING COFFEE, SNACKS, A
TENT, SLEEPING BAG, AND CLOTHING
TO SURVIVE. AFTER GOING TO JAIL
IN 2022, I ENTERED TREATMENT.
WHEN I GOT OUT, MY CASE MANAGER,
DANIELLE CHECKED IN WITH ME
EVERY WEEK ABOUT MY GOALS AND
HAD A TON OF. I HAD A TON OF
WARRANTS ALL OVER WASHINGTON.
SHE HELPED ME NAVIGATE THE COURT
DATES, STRATEGICALLY RECONNECT
WITH MY FAMILY BUDGET, AND
BALANCE ALL THIS WHILE WORKING
FULL TIME FOR THE FIRST TIME IN
MANY YEARS. LEAD ALSO HELPED ME
PAY FOR MANY THINGS, INCLUDING
MY CDL SOBER LIVING AND MOVING
TO MY FIRST INDEPENDENT HOME IN
THE WINTER OF 2024. DANIELLE
REFERRED ME TO THE LEAD LEGAL
TEAM OF ATTORNEYS WHO COULD HELP
ME WITH MORE COMPLICATED ISSUES
I WAS FACING. THEY SUPPORTED MY
GOAL OF BECOMING A PARENT TO MY
EIGHT YEAR OLD SON. THEY HELPED
ME NAVIGATE THE CONFUSING AND
COMPLICATED LEGAL PROCESS. AND
TOMORROW THEY'LL STAND WITH ME
IN COURT AS I SEEK FULL CUSTODY
WITHOUT LEAD, READING, MY LIFE
WOULD HAVE BEEN MUCH HARDER.
THEY GAVE ME THE SUPPORT AND
GUIDANCE I NEEDED TO MOVE
FORWARD. THANK YOU.
-- THANK YOU. AND THEN WE'RE
GOING TO REVISIT CHRIS PLOTNICK
CHRIS, IF YOU CAN PRESS STAR
SIX.
-- SORRY, GUYS. I HAVE THANK
YOU. OKAY, CHRIS, ARE YOU READY?
OKAY, GO.
-- MY NAME IS CHRISTOPHER
PLOTNICK. I'VE BEEN IN THE LEAD
PROGRAM FOR WELL OVER TEN YEARS.
JUST LIKE A LOT OF THESE OTHER
CLIENTS. I COMMITTED A LOT OF
CRIME AND DID A LOT OF DRUGS FOR
A LONG TIME. THE BIGGEST THING
LEAD DID FOR ME WAS THEY WERE
THERE TO GIVE ME THE TIME I
NEEDED TO WORK ON MYSELF FOR MY
RECOVERY. THEY LET ME DO IT AT
MY PACE. THE HOUSING THAT THEY
GAVE ME LET ME STOP EVERYTHING
AROUND ME AND FOCUS ON MY
RECOVERY, WHICH IS VERY, VERY
HARD TO DO. AND IT TAKES A VERY,
VERY LONG TIME. I WAS UP ON
180MG OF METHADONE. IT'S TAKEN
OVER FIVE YEARS TO GET DOWN TO
WHAT I AM TODAY, WHICH IS UNDER
19MG. IT'S A VERY SLOW PROCESS
AND IT TAKES TIME. AND TIME IS
WHAT YOU NEED TO RECOVER. TODAY
I'M FULLY RECOVERED. I HAVE A
FULL TIME JOB, MY OWN APARTMENT,
A CAT, A CAR. I PAY FOR MY
INSURANCE. LIFE IS IS NORMAL AND
I DO HAVE THE LEAD PROGRAM AND
COUNSELORS TO THANK FOR THAT
-- THANK YOU.
-- ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE 14 MORE IN
PERSON. SAM WOLF NEXT UP WOULD
BE LISA BAKER AFTER HIM
-- MORNING, SAM.
-- GOOD MORNING COUNCIL.
-- MY NAME IS SAM WOLF AND I
WORK FOR PDA AS A SEATTLE KING
COUNTY POLICY DIRECTOR. I JUST
WANTED TO SAY MAKING A PLAN FOR
A PLACE OR A NEIGHBORHOOD IS AN
ASSIGNMENT THAT'S VERY DISTINCT
FROM MAKING PLANS FOR
INDIVIDUALS. THIS IS WHY LEAD
COMPLEMENTS THE EFFORTS OF LAW
ENFORCEMENT AND AMBASSADOR TEAMS
AND OTHER ENTITIES AROUND THE
CITY AS THEY WORK TO CARE FOR
PLACES AND NEIGHBORHOODS, ALL OF
WHOM, IN THE COURSE OF DOING
THAT COMPLEX JOB, ARE GOING TO
RUN INTO INDIVIDUALS WHO NEED
SOME COMBINATION OF SHELTER,
HOUSING, FINANCIAL SUPPORT,
RECOVERY, OTHER BEHAVIORAL
HEALTH SUPPORTS, AND ABOVE ALL,
A PLAN. YOU'VE HEARD THE AGE
OLD MANTRA, NO, THERE'S NO ONE
SIZE FITS ALL SOLUTION. IF
EVERYONE'S ISSUES COULD BE
SOLVED BY SIMPLE PLANS OR
SINGULAR CONNECTIONS TO
RESOURCES, JUST SENDING SOMEBODY
TO A PLACE, OUR CITY'S ISSUES
WOULD LOOK VERY DIFFERENT THAN
THEY DO TODAY, LEAD CONTENDS
WITH THIS REALITY BY MAKING
INDIVIDUALIZED PLANS FOR
PARTICIPANTS THAT FOCUS ON
SUSTAINABLE RECOVERY STRATEGIES
AND WORK TOWARDS THE ULTIMATE
GOALS OF STABILITY AND BEHAVIOR
CHANGE. SUSTAINABLE LONG TERM
RECOVERY DOES NOT OFTEN COINCIDE
WITH OVERNIGHT CHANGE, BUT OUR
DATA SPEAKS FOR ITSELF. JUST A
MONTH OR TWO AGO, WE SAT HERE
AND GAVE A PRESENTATION ABOUT
LEAD OUTCOMES, WHICH MIRROR THE
MANY EVALUATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN
DONE ON THIS PROGRAM OVER THE
YEARS. LEAD IS THE MOST
RIGOROUSLY EVALUATED DIVERSION
FRAMEWORK IN OUR REGION, AND
WHAT YOU'RE HEARING TODAY ARE
FIRSTHAND ACCOUNTS OF HOW THIS
HAS WORKED FOR INDIVIDUALS ON A
HUMAN SCALE. AS SEATTLE
CONTINUES TO CHANGE, THE OUTLOOK
FOR NEIGHBORHOODS AROUND THE
CITY, IT'S MORE IMPORTANT THAN
EVER THAT WE HAVE A STRATEGY TO
CHANGE THE OUTLOOKS FOR THE
INDIVIDUALS IN THOSE
NEIGHBORHOODS. THANK YOU TO
COUNCIL FOR PUTTING THESE PIECES
TOGETHER AND CONTINUING TO BUILD
A SYSTEM THAT WILL WORK FOR ALL.
-- THANK YOU.
-- NEXT UP, LISA BAKER, TO BE
FOLLOWED BY ERNEST BLAKENEY.
-- HI.,
-- ALL.
-- CAN YOU HEAR ME? OKAY. HI.
I'M GOING TO BE HERE ON BEHALF
OF LISA BAKER. I'M HER CASE
MANAGER, MORNINGSTAR. I'M GOING
TO GO AHEAD AND READ OFF FOR
HER. SHE'S A LITTLE NERVOUS
TODAY. LISA IS A BIPOC WOMAN IN
LONG TERM RECOVERY. SHE HAS
ALMOST 100 DAYS CLEAN AND SOBER,
WHICH IS THE LONGEST THAT SHE'S
HAD IN OVER TEN YEARS. SHE HAS
COMPLETED THE 28 DAY INPATIENT
TREATMENT AND IS NOW IN
INTENSIVE OUTPATIENT TREATMENT
PROGRAM THROUGH LAKESIDE, MILAN,
HER BIGGEST SUPPORTER HAS BEEN
ME, HER CASE MANAGER AT REACH,
AND ALSO HAS HAD EVERYONE AT THE
JUBILEE WOMEN'S CENTER WHO HAS
ALSO BEEN EXTREMELY HELPFUL AND
SUPPORTIVE THROUGH THIS JOURNEY.
RECOVERY CAFE HAS ALSO BEEN A
SAFE AND HELPFUL SOBER SUPPORT
FOR HER IN HER TIMES OF NEED.
LISA ALSO ATTENDS 12 STEP
MEETINGS EVERY SEVERAL TIMES A
WEEK. LISA HAS HAD A TREMENDOUS
SOBER SUPPORT SYSTEM THAT SHE
HAS NEVER HAD BEFORE. PATHWAYS
HAS ALSO BEEN A HUGE HELP.
PATHWAYS IS WHERE LISA
RECOVERED, RECEIVES HER VIVITROL
INJECTIONS, WHICH HAS HAD A HUGE
IMPACT ON HER CRAVINGS. WE'VE
BEEN A LITTLE BIT BETTER COMING
FROM LISA, BUT.
-- THANK YOU. NEXT UP WE HAVE
ERNEST BLAKELY TO BE FOLLOWED BY
AARON JOHNSON.
-- OKAY. HI, MY NAME IS ERNEST
BLAKELY. I'M A MEMBER OF THE
LEAD PROGRAM. BASICALLY, I'VE
BEEN AN ADDICT SINCE THE AGE OF
16, UP IN ABOUT TWO AND A HALF
YEARS AGO. I WAS AT THE LOWEST
POINT IN MY LIFE, AND I JUST
DIDN'T THINK I COULD EVER GET
RIGHT. BUT I RAN INTO THE LEE
PROGRAM, AND FROM THEN ON, I HAD
TWO AND A HALF YEARS SOBER. I'M
THEY'VE HELPED ME GET MY INCOME
STRAIGHT. THEY'VE HELPED ME GET
A PLACE TO STAY, A STABLE PLACE
TO STAY. THEY HAVE BEEN JUST A
FORCE IN MY LIFE THAT I'M VERY
THANKFUL FOR. YOU KNOW, I'M ABLE
TO BE A FATHER TO MY KIDS NOW.
YOU KNOW, I'M ABLE TO. I'VE
GAINED TRUST BACK IN MY FAMILY.
YOU KNOW, I'M JUST AT A GOOD
PLACE IN MY LIFE TODAY. THIS IS
THE LONGEST I'VE HAD SOBER IN
MY WHOLE LIFE. YOU KNOW, I'VE
BEEN IN AND OUT OF INSTITUTIONS
ON THE STREET, LIVING IN A TENT.
YOU KNOW, I'VE NEVER HAD A PLACE
OF MY OWN UP UNTIL NOW. SO I'M
VERY THANKFUL FOR THE PROGRAM
AND WHAT THEY'VE DONE FOR MY
LIFE
-- THANK YOU.
-- NEXT UP, WE HAVE AARON
JOHNSON TO BE FOLLOWED BY
DARNELL WILLIAMS
-- HELLO, MY NAME IS AARON
JOHNSON. I'M RUNNING TO A
PROGRAM THROUGH AND I'M TRYING
TO FIGURE OUT WHAT I WAS GOING
TO DO IN MY LIFE AND MY MAJOR
CONCERN WAS GETTING MY
RELATIONSHIP BACK WITH MY KIDS
HEALTHY. AND SO THAT'S REALLY
WHAT DREW ME TOWARDS LEE.
ANYTIME I CALLED HIM FOR HELP OR
NEEDED TO UNDERSTAND OR FIGURE
OUT WHATEVER WAS GOING ON IN MY
LIFE AT THAT MOMENT, I COULD
CALL MY CASE MANAGER AND THEY
WOULD COME TO ME WITH SOME TYPE
OF ANSWER. NOT THEY NEVER LEFT
ME BY HANGING, IGNORED ME, OR
LIKE JUST MISS ME OR FORWARDED
ME OR WHATEVER THE PHONE.
ESPECIALLY MY LAST CASEWORKER
I'M HAVING. HE'S BEEN LIKE MY
REAL DEAL, LIKE GUARDIAN ANGEL,
LIKE MY PLACE. I HAVE NOW. I'VE
BEEN THERE FOR OVER A YEAR. MISS
MY HOME PLACE, A STABLE, CLEAN.
I DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT
BEING ON THE STREET OR PEOPLE
STEALING FROM ME. NONE OF THAT.
AND YOU KNOW, IT WAS VERY
IMPORTANT TO ME TO GET SITUATED
SO I COULD SEE MY KIDS AND HAVE
A BETTER RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM.
SO THAT'S WHAT IT MEAN TO ME.
THANK YOU.
-- THANK YOU.
-- [APPLAUSE]
-- DARNELL WILLIAMS, TO BE
FOLLOWED BY SANDRA SAPORITO.
-- GOOD MORNING COUNSEL. HI,
I'M DARYL WILLIAMS. I'M A
CLIENT OF THE LEAD PROGRAM.
BEFORE COMING TO THIS PROGRAM, I
WAS HOMELESS ON DRUGS AND LOW
SELF-ESTEEM. I HAD NO I ACTUALLY
HAD NO HELP SINCE I BECAME A
CLIENT. I HAVE HOUSING, I'VE
BEEN THROUGH TREATMENT. I'M A
FULL TIME COLLEGE STUDENT, AND I
NOW HAVE HIGHER EXPECTATIONS OF
MYSELF. MY CASE MANAGER IS A
HUGE IMPACT IN MY LIFE. SHE HAS
SHOWN ME THAT IT'S OKAY TO LIVE
AGAIN AND LOVE AND TO LOVE
MYSELF. I BELIEVE THIS PROGRAM
SAVED LIVES AND HELP PEOPLE LIKE
MYSELF BELIEVE IN THEMSELVES AND
HAVE HOPE AND BECOME AND BECOME
A POSITIVE PRODUCT IN SOCIETY
TODAY. AND THEY WILL ALSO HAVE A
POSITIVE OUTLOOK IN LIFE AND
THEMSELVES. YEAH I THINK THAT'S
ALL I HAVE TO SAY. THANK YOU.
-- THANK YOU.
-- GOOD MORNING, COUNCILMEMBERS.
-- GOOD MORNING.
-- MY NAME IS SANDRA SAPORITO
AND I'M HERE TO ASK FOR
CONTINUED FUNDING FOR THE LEAD
PROGRAM BEFORE THE LEAD PROGRAM,
I WAS FACING A MASSIVE MENTAL
HEALTH BREAKDOWN, LEGAL ISSUES,
DRUG ADDICTION, AND LIVING IN A
VERY UNSAFE ENVIRONMENT LEAD
GAVE ME MORE THAN A RESOURCE. IT
GAVE ME HOPE. MY CASE MANAGER
WAS ALWAYS THERE WHEN I NEEDED
SUPPORT. HE LISTENED WITHOUT
JUDGMENT. HE OFFERED GUIDANCE
AND GENUINELY CARED ABOUT MY
SUCCESS. BECAUSE OF LEAD, I WAS
ABLE TO SUSTAIN STABLE HOUSING.
I HAVE SINCE BEEN REUNITED WITH
MY CHILDREN. I'VE BEEN EMPLOYED
FOR OVER A YEAR AND A HALF WITH
A VERY LARGE GAP IN MY
EMPLOYMENT. I'VE BEEN ABLE TO
FOCUS ON MY MENTAL HEALTH. I'VE
BEEN CLEAN AND SOBER SINCE JULY
1st OF 2024. PEOPLE LIKE EDWARD
JACKSON DON'T JUST DO THEIR
JOB. THEY ANSWER A CALLING. HE
UNDERSTANDS WHAT IT'S LIKE TO
NAVIGATE DIFFICULT SYSTEMS WITH
COMPASSION BECAUSE OF HIS
SUPPORT, I FELT SEEN, GUIDED AND
EMPOWERED. I ASK FOR CONTINUED
FUNDING TO HELP PEOPLE SUCCEED
JUST LIKE I HAVE. THANK YOU.
-- THANK YOU.
-- AND I'M SORRY I CAN'T FULLY
READ THIS NEXT ONE, BUT I THINK
IT'S ELLIOTT RAMOS I'LL TAKE A
TRY AT CHRISTOPHER.
-- ELLIOTT.
-- ELLIOTT. ELLIOTT. ANY.
ELLIOTT. OKAY. I'M SORRY I
COULDN'T READ IT. IT'S IT WAS
IN CURSIVE. IF YOU WROTE IN
CURSIVE.
-- THE CURSE OF THE YOUNGER
GENERATION IT'S LIKE ELLIOTT
DOMAN, I THINK IS WHAT IT SAYS.
BUT BUT I MIGHT BE WRONG.
-- [LAUGHTER]
-- SOMEBODY.
-- SEE, IT'S GOOD TO BE A GEN
XER WHO CAN READ CURSIVE.
-- THE NAME IS PRONOUNCED
ELBERT.
-- OKAY.
-- YEAH. GOOD AFTERNOON. I
DON'T HAVE MUCH TO SAY, BUT I
DIDN'T HAVE MY UPS AND DOWNS IN
LIFE. I HAD GOOD TIMES AND I HAD
BAD TIMES. I HAD DRUG ISSUES,
ALCOHOL ISSUES, YOU NAME IT. BUT
I MET THE RICH PROGRAM AND THAT
WAS ONE OF THE BEST THINGS
THAT'S HAPPENED FOR ME. SINCE
THEN, I'VE BEEN LIVING A NORMAL
LIFE, GOT MY OWN PLACE, DOING
GOOD, BUT IT'S MY KID.
EVERYTHING'S LOVELY, AND I
APPRECIATE YOU. GOD BLESS YOU
AND THANK YOU.
-- THANK YOU
-- I THINK WE'VE GOT EDDIE M
NEXT EDDIE M JUST SAYS M. IT
JUST SAYS M. SO.
-- GOOD MORNING, GOOD PEOPLE AND
GOD BLESS AND KEEP YOU.
-- GOOD MORNING
-- MY. I'VE BEEN THROUGH. LEAP
LEAP MAN JUST BROUGHT ME UP.
MAN. TEN YEARS. STEVE CURRY
GEORGE. OH MAN. THEY'RE GOOD.
THEY'RE GOOD FOR PEOPLE.
THEY'RE GOOD FOR SEATTLE. OKAY.
THEY BRING US UP OUT OF THE
DUMPS WHERE WE DIVE HEAD FIRST.
OKAY. TRYING TO DO SOME STUPID
STUFF. MAN, I'VE BEEN HIT IN
THE FACE. I LOST MY I SHOT IN
THE CHEST OVER SOME DRUGS, AND
IT'S JUST. IT'S NOT WORTH IT.
IF GOD BLESSES YOU AND TELLS YOU
TO KEEP AWAY FROM IT, YOU BETTER
PAY ATTENTION BECAUSE IT'S JUST
NOT NO GOOD. GOD BLESS YOU GUYS.
AND THANK YOU.
-- THANK YOU.
-- MARIBEL IS UP NEXT. AND THEN
AFTER THAT, EDWARD JACKSON.
-- THE OTHER ONE, EITHER ONE.
OKAY.
-- GOOD MORNING. I HAD TO WRITE
THIS DOWN SO I'M GOING TO READ
IT. OKAY. NUMBER ONE, WHAT YOUR
LIFE WAS LIKE BEFORE. LEAD MY
LIFE AS A WOMAN WAS SAD AND.
THIS, YOU KNOW, I COULDN'T FIND
A PROGRAM THAT COULD HELP ME,
LIKE LEAD. IT WAS
DISAPPOINTMENT. DISAPPOINTMENT
HOW OTHERS NOT REALLY CARE ABOUT
MY NEEDS. AND THIS PROGRAM
REALLY DID. I APPRECIATE THEIR
HARD WORK AND CARE FOR OTHERS TO
BEING BEING CONNECTED TO THIS
PROGRAM THROUGH A CLIENT OF THEM
THAT I MET IN MY STRUGGLING
LIFE. HE WAS VERY HELPFUL.
THANKS TO HIM, I STARTED TAKING
CARE OF MY ISSUES, MY PROBLEMS,
AND MY CASE MANAGER. NOT ONLY
SUPPORT ME, BUT EVERY SINGLE
WORKER OF LEAD HAS BEEN SO
HELPFUL IN MY NEEDS AND TO REACH
MY GOALS ONE DAY SERVICE AND
RESOURCES. THEY HELPED ME WITH
MAINLY IS MY LEGAL SUPPORT. THEY
MADE ME SURE I MAKE IT TO MY
COURTS AND TREATMENT AND
EVERYTHING THAT I NEED TO GET
DONE. ISSUES, ET CETERA. VERY
IMPORTANT. THEY GOT ME A SECURE
PLACE TO LIVE. AND ALSO MY LIFE
HAS CHANGED, SWEET AND MY LIFE
HAS CHANGED. 360 DEGREES. THAT
SAYS IT ALL. AND I DO BELIEVE
LEAD PROGRAM TO CONTINUE FOR THE
SIMPLE FACT THAT THEY ARE REALLY
DOING WHAT THEY WHAT THE PROGRAM
OFFERS AND TO MANY SOULS OUT
HERE TO RESCUE IN ANY MANNER
MATTER RUN OUT OF TIME. THANK
YOU VERY MUCH.
-- THANK YOU.
-- [APPLAUSE]
-- EDWARD JACKSON JOHN MORRIS
WILL BE AFTER THAT
-- GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS
EDWARD JACKSON. I'M A CASE
MANAGER WITH LEAD CONTINUED
FUNDING FOR LEAD MEANS THAT WE
ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE SERVICES FOR
CLIENTS THAT AREN'T ABLE TO
REACH A LOT OF SERVICES. I COME
TO YOU. I STAND HERE A GUY WHO
WENT THROUGH A LOT OF THOSE
THINGS THAT MY CLIENTS HAVE BEEN
THROUGH, WHICH MAKES ME A GOOD
RESOURCE FOR THEM BECAUSE I'M
NOT SPEAKING TO THEM OF THINGS
THAT I'VE BEEN TOLD ABOUT. I'M
SPEAKING TO THEM ABOUT THINGS
I'VE LIVED THROUGH. WHEN I WAS
OUT IN THE STREETS, THEY DIDN'T
HAVE THESE PROGRAMS. THERE WAS
NO ONE TO SHOW ME A WAY OUT. I
STAND HERE TODAY BEING GRATEFUL
FOR 30 YEARS OF SOBRIETY AND
BEING ABLE TO REACH OUT AND HELP
OTHERS TO GET TO WHERE THEY WANT
TO GO. MAYBE SOBRIETY IS NOT
WHAT THEY WANT. THAT'S OKAY.
BUT PEOPLE WANT TO DO BETTER.
AND THANKFULLY, I'VE BEEN PUT IN
THIS POSITION TO HELP THEM. AND
THANKFULLY, YOU ALL ARE IN A
POSITION TO HELP ME HELP THEM.
PLEASE CONTINUE TO FUND THE LEAD
PROGRAM. I WORK IN THE RAINIER
BEACH OFFICE. WE HAVE A MEAL USE
SITE THAT ALLOWS CLIENTS TO COME
IN, GET SNACKS, GET THINGS THAT
THEY NEED, AND JUST HAVE A SAFE
PLACE TO SIT AND BREATHE. THAT
MEANS A REAL LOT, A WHOLE LOT.
WHEN YOU SEE SOMEONE THAT'S BEEN
UP FOR 3 OR 4 DAYS COMING TO THE
MILIEU AND JUST SIT DOWN AND
THEY'RE ABLE TO JUST CLOSE
THEIR EYES FOR FIVE MINUTES AND
KNOW THAT THEY'RE SAFE. THAT
MEANS A LOT. AND IT ALSO MEANS A
LOT TO ME BECAUSE I DIDN'T HAVE
THAT. SO PLEASE, PLEASE CONTINUE
TO FUND THE LEAD PROGRAM. THANK
YOU.
-- THANK YOU
-- [APPLAUSE]
-- JOHN MORRIS TO BE FOLLOWED BY
ARNELL RUIZ.
-- HI. GOOD MORNING.
-- GOOD MORNING.
-- JUST GOT A TESTIMONY WRITTEN
HERE MY NAME IS JOHN MORRIS. I
STAND BEFORE YOU AS A
PARTICIPANT OF THE LEAD PROGRAM.
I FIRST HEARD OF LEAD BACK IN
2021. AT THAT TIME, I'VE BEEN
ON THE STREETS FOR ABOUT THREE
YEARS. I WAS ADDICTED TO
OPIATES, AMPHETAMINES MY MY
ADDICTION WAS RUNNING MY LIFE AT
THAT TIME AND I JUST WANT TO BE
HONEST ABOUT WHERE I CAME FROM.
YOU KNOW, I HAD NEVER BEEN ON
THE STREETS BEFORE UNTIL UNTIL I
CAME TO SEATTLE. AND WAS
ADDICTED TO DRUGS. BUT DURING
THOSE TIMES I WAS ARRESTED FOR
STEALING, TRESPASSING, DRUG
POSSESSION AND PARAPHERNALIA. I
WAS IN AN ADULT JAIL OVER AND
OVER AGAIN. I WAS AT THE LOWEST
POINT OF MY LIFE. AND DURING
THOSE TIMES WHEN WHEN I WHEN I
THOUGHT EVERYBODY FORGOTTEN
ABOUT ME, LEAD WAS THERE. THAT
SHOWED UP FOR ME IN JAIL AND IN
COURT. THEY ADVOCATED FOR ME
WHEN I COULDN'T ADVOCATE FOR
MYSELF. MY CASEWORKER, WHO AM I
CREDIT FOR HELPING ME SAVE MY
LIFE TO WHERE I AM TODAY. SHE
TREATS ME WITH RESPECT, WITH
DIGNITY AS A HUMAN BEING. SHE
NEVER GAVE UP ON ME. SHE STILL
SHE'S SHE'S STILL THERE,
RIGHT? TODAY AND I WROTE IF IT
WEREN'T FOR THE LEAD PROGRAM, I
DON'T I DON'T TRULY KNOW WHERE
I'D BE TODAY. LEAD. THEY
ADVOCATED FOR ME. THEY HELPED ME
WITH HOUSING, MEDICAL NEEDS,
MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT, AND JUST
CHECKING ON CHECKING IN WITH ME
ON A DAILY BASIS. THAT MAKES A
DIFFERENCE. I'VE BEEN IN
RECOVERY FOR ABOUT A YEAR NOW
AND LEAD HAS BEEN THERE EVERY
STEP OF THE WAY. I WILL FOREVER
BE GRATEFUL FOR THE LEAD PROGRAM
AND MY CASEWORKER DID THAT. THAT
PROGRAM REALLY WORKS. AND AND,
AND IT HELPS. THANK YOU.
-- THANK YOU.
-- ANGEL RUIZ DUVALL. DANIELLE
HAMMOND.
-- GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS
ANGEL RUIZ. AND I STARTED WITH
THE LEAD PROGRAM FIVE YEARS AGO
AS A CASE MANAGER. AND DURING MY
TIME, I'VE REALLY BEEN ABLE TO
SEE JUST THE IMPACT THAT WE'VE
HAD ON THE CLIENTS THAT WE
SERVE. YOU KNOW, I MEAN, IT
STANDS TODAY, THESE FOLKS ARE
HERE REALLY SPEAKING ON WHAT
THEY'VE EXPERIENCED THEMSELVES.
AND SO BEING ON THIS SIDE OF
THINGS FROM, AS A CASE MANAGER
PERSPECTIVE, JUST REALLY BEING
ABLE TO WALK ALONGSIDE PEOPLE
AND BE FOR MANY, JUST ONE OF THE
ONLY SUPPORT SYSTEMS THAT THEY
HAVE AND BEING THAT PERSON, THAT
TRUSTED PERSON THAT THEY CAN
CALL, THAT THEY CAN NAVIGATE
THESE DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES
WITH AND TRULY LIKE, SEE IT
THROUGH AND SEE IT FOLLOW
THROUGH AND BE ABLE TO ACTUALLY
SUPPORT THEM. AND I HAD A VERY
PROFOUND MOMENT AS A CASE
MANAGER SUPPORTING A CLIENT OF
MINE WHO HAD A LOT OF LEGAL
THINGS THAT HAD BEEN SORT OF
UNATTENDED, NOT RESOLVED. AND HE
HAD GOTTEN TO A PLACE OF
STABILITY WHERE WE WERE ABLE TO
FINALLY START MAKING PROGRESS
TOWARDS ADDRESSING THOSE THINGS.
AND I MEAN, IT WAS IT WAS AN OLD
CASE. AND WHEN I STOOD UP THERE
AND I ADVOCATED FOR HIM AND
EXPLAINED TO THE COURT, LIKE ALL
OF THE PROGRESS HE HAD DONE,
EVERYTHING THAT HE HAD WORKED SO
HARD, AND TO LOOK AT HIM AS A
WHOLE PICTURE, AND NOT JUST WHAT
THAT REPORT SAID. IT, IT WAS
REALLY PROFOUND. MY CLIENT
AFTERWARD SAID, I'VE NEVER HEARD
ANYONE TALK ABOUT ME SO
POSITIVELY, AND THAT MADE A
REALLY BIG IMPACT ON ME AND MADE
ME REALIZE THAT THIS WORK
MATTERS AND IT DOES ACTUALLY
AFFECT CHANGE, EVEN IF IT'S
SOMETHING AS SMALL AS SPEAKING
POSITIVITY AND APPLAUDING PEOPLE
FOR THINGS THAT THEY'VE DONE,
THE THINGS THAT THEY'VE
ACCOMPLISHED, THE THINGS THAT
THEY HAVE YET TO DO, IT REALLY
DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE. AND I'M
VERY THANKFUL TO HAVE THIS
OPPORTUNITY. THANK YOU.
-- THANK YOU.
-- HELLO.
-- MY NAME IS DANIELLE HAMMOND
AND I'M A SCREENING AND
OUTREACH COORDINATOR FOR THE
LEAD PROGRAM OUT OF THE WEST
PRECINCT. AND I'M A RESIDENT OF
DISTRICT THREE. I'VE WORKED AT
LEAD FOR ABOUT THREE YEARS. YOU
ACTUALLY HEARD FROM MY CLIENT,
STEVE GASTON? HE WAS ONLINE A
FEW MINUTES AGO. AND I JUST WANT
TO SAY AGAIN THAT HE HAS A
HEARING TOMORROW TO GET FULL
CUSTODY OF HIS EIGHT YEAR OLD
SON. IT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN
POSSIBLE WITHOUT LEAD. IT JUST
WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN. WHEN I
THINK ABOUT LEAD, I THINK ABOUT
BEING ABLE TO OFFER PEOPLE
TAILORED SUPPORT FOR THEIR LEGAL
ISSUES. MOST PEOPLE I COME
ACROSS HAVE AT LEAST ONE
WARRANT, AND USUALLY WAY MORE
THAN THAT ALL ACROSS WESTERN
WASHINGTON OR FARTHER AWAY. AND
THE THREAT OF JAIL IS ALWAYS
LOOMING IN THE BACK OF THEIR
MINDS. WHEN PEOPLE TALK WITH ME
ABOUT THEIR LEGAL OBLIGATIONS,
THEY'RE OFTEN OVERWHELMED WITH
ANXIETY AND HOPELESSNESS AROUND
EVEN BEGINNING TO TRY TO START
ADDRESSING THEIR WARRANTS. I MET
A CLIENT WHEN SHE WAS GETTING
ARRESTED AND REFERRED TO LEAD
VIA AN ARREST DIVERSION FOR A
VISA ON 12th AND JACKSON A FEW
MONTHS AGO, WHEN I TOLD HER
ABOUT THE PROGRAM AND ABOUT THE
LEGAL SPECIALTY OF IT ALL, SHE
SAID, I KNOW I HAVE COURT
TOMORROW IN RENTON, BUT I LOST
MY PAPERWORK. I'VE BEEN
OUTSIDE, I KNOW IT'S TOMORROW. I
DON'T REMEMBER WHO MY ATTORNEY
IS. LIKE, WHAT CAN WE DO? SO I
WAS WAS ABLE TO SAY, OH, LET'S
CALL THE SEATTLE MUNICIPAL
PROSECUTOR. AND WE PUT HER ON
SPEAKERPHONE AND SHE WAS ABLE TO
SAY, OH YEAH, YOU'VE GOT COURT.
AND ACTUALLY TWO DAYS IT'S AT
930, HERE'S YOUR ATTORNEY'S
NUMBER AND HERE'S THE LINK TO
APPEARING VIRTUALLY. SHE CAME TO
OUR OFFICE LATER THAT DAY AND WE
WERE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, KIND OF
FIGURE SOME THINGS OUT AND GET
HER GOING TO COURT. SO IT'S
JUST THAT REALLY QUICK KIND OF
CARE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO
PROVIDE, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF
THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT
KINDS OF CASE MANAGEMENT IN THE
CITY, BUT LEAD IS ABLE TO MOVE
REAL FAST WITH THE LEGAL STUFF.
AND WE'VE JUST GOT THAT NICE
SPECIALTY. SO WE CAN DEFINITELY
HELP PEOPLE OUT WITH A NUMBER OF
OTHER THINGS THAT YOU'VE HEARD
ABOUT TODAY. BUT THAT LEGAL
SPECIALTY IS KIND OF WHAT MAKES
LEAD WORK SO WELL. THANKS. BYE.
-- THANK YOU.
-- WE HAVE GEORGE HAZEL TO CLOSE
OUT OUR IN PERSON SPEAKERS.
-- [LAUGHTER]
-- EXCUSE ME. GOOD MORNING.
-- MY NAME IS GEORGE HAZEL. I'M
A CASE MANAGER WITH THE LEAD
PROGRAM. ONE OF THE MOST
EFFECTIVE THINGS THAT ONE CAN DO
IS WALK ALONGSIDE OF A HUMAN
BEING THAT'S GOING THROUGH A
STRUGGLE. I GET TO WALK
ALONGSIDE THE CLIENTS. THAT'S
GOING THROUGH PAIN AND WHAT THAT
LOOKS LIKE. THE PAIN OF BEING
HOMELESS, OR THE PAIN OF MENTAL
HEALTH, OR THE PAIN OF GOING
THROUGH SUBSTANCE, AND TO BE
ABLE TO WALK ALONGSIDE OF
SOMEONE AND NOT GIVE UP. SO WE
ARE A NON GIVE UP PROGRAM. WE
WALK ALONGSIDE OUR CLIENTS
DESPITE OF WE MEET THEM WHERE
THEY'RE AT DESPITE OF SOMETIMES
THEY TRY TO TO SUCCEED TO
SUCCESS AND SOMETIMES THEY MIGHT
THEY MIGHT DROP THE BALL LIKE WE
ALL DO. BUT ONE OF THE IMPORTANT
THINGS WITH WORKING WITH THE
CLIENTS THAT LEAD IS BEING
AVAILABLE. AND I PRIDE MYSELF IN
BEING AVAILABLE WITH THE CLIENTS
WHERE THEY KNOW THEY CAN CALL
ME, THEY KNOW THEY CAN REACH OUT
AND I'M GOING TO BE THERE,
WHATEVER THAT MAY LOOK LIKE. THE
EXPECTATION IS JUST TO LIVE ONE
DAY AT A TIME. AND SO I'VE BEEN
GIVEN THE PRIVILEGE TO BE ABLE
TO WALK ALONGSIDE OF MY CLIENTS
OR CLIENTS AND SHOW THEM WHAT
VICTORY LOOKS LIKE. SMALL
VICTORIES LIKE GOING FROM
UNHOUSED TO BEING HOUSED, GOING
FROM NOT HAVING ID TO HAVING ID,
GOING FROM FROM NOT EATING TO
EATING, GOING FROM DIRTY CLOTHES
TO CLEAN CLOTHES, ALL THOSE
SIMPLE THINGS IN LIFE THAT
SOMETIMES WE CAN TAKE FOR
GRANTED MEANS A LOT TO OUR
CLIENTS. AND WITHOUT THE PROGRAM
OF LEAD, THEY WILL HAVE A PLACE
THEY CAN GO AND RECEIVE THAT
SUPPORT UNCONDITIONALLY. AND SO
I'M HONORED TO BE HERE TODAY.
I'M HONORED TO BE A CASE
MANAGER WITH LEE, AND I THANK
YOU GUYS FOR LISTENING. HAVE A
GREAT DAY.
-- THANK YOU. ONE MORE ONLINE.
-- AND WE HAVE ONE LAST REMOTE
COMMENTER. PLEASE PRESS STAR
SIX, STAR SIX. AFTER YOU HEAR
THE PROMPT, YOU HAVE BEEN
UNMUTED. BOSLEY
-- HI, MY NAME IS ERICA BOSLEY
AND I'M A PART OF HOLY IS A A
COMPANY THAT HAS THREE PHASES.
IT HAS THE LEGAL PHASE, THE
HOUSING AND THE AFTERCARE.
BEFORE I CAME TO CO-LEAD, I
DIDN'T HAVE ANY HOPE. BUT THEY
CAME AND GOT ME. AND I'M HERE
AND I'M VERY GRATEFUL. IT'S A
WRAPAROUND SERVICE. WHATEVER YOU
NEED HELP WITH FROM HOUSING TO
JOBS OR CLOTHING, MENTAL HEALTH,
COVID IS HERE. THEY GIVE US THE
MAP AND WE DRIVE THE CAR. SO
WHATEVER WE NEED, WE HAVE. AND
I'M THANKFUL FOR JUST THE WHOLE
TEAM. THEY HAVE REALLY
GRACIOUSLY HELPED ME ALONG THE
WAY. AND PEOPLE ALWAYS THINK
THAT EVERYONE OUT THERE THAT IS
UNHOUSED IS, IS ON SOME KIND OF
DRUGS, ARE GOING THROUGH
ADDICTION. AND THAT'S NOT
ALWAYS THE CASE. I MEAN, PEOPLE
ARE JUST ONE PAYCHECK AWAY FROM
HOUSING. WE REALLY NEED THESE
PROGRAMS. I'M GRATEFUL FOR THEM.
I WAS LOST WHEN THEY CAME TO ME
AND SAID, A TINY HOUSE. I WAS
LIKE, BECAUSE I HAD NO FAITH OR
HOPE IN A TINY HOUSE. BUT
CO-LEAD ACTUALLY DOES WHAT THEY
SAY. AND THEY ASKED ME, WHAT DO
I WANT TO DO? I TELL THEM, AND
THEY JUST GIVE ME THE RESOURCES.
SO I'M VERY GRATEFUL. AND THEY
ALSO HAVE A COMPANY, I MEAN, NOT
A COMPANY, BUT THEY ALSO HAVE
AFTERCARE AND AFTERCARE WITH
AFTERCARE. DOES. THIS IS ANOTHER
WRAPAROUND SERVICE WHEN WE GET
HOUSED, WHICH I AM. I JUST
HAVEN'T MOVED YET. THEY JUST
THEY, THEY DO EVERYTHING AS WELL
FROM EVERYTHING THAT HOLY DID
WHEN I WAS LODGING, THEY DO IT
WHEN I'M HOUSED IN MY PLACE. SO
IF I NEED FURNITURE, IF I NEED
HELP WITH RENT, ANYTHING THAT I
NEED, THEY'RE THERE. AND I'M
VERY, VERY, VERY GRATEFUL FOR.
THANK YOU
-- THANK YOU. AWESOME. OKAY. THE
60 MINUTE PERIOD FOR PUBLIC
COMMENT IS EXPIRED. I SHOULD
NOTE TOO THAT NORMALLY EARLY ON
I WOULD SAY PLEASE, NO CLAPPING,
JUST DO JAZZ HANDS OR SNAPS. BUT
GIVEN THAT YOU'RE CELEBRATING
DIFFERENT INDIVIDUAL SOBRIETY, I
FIGURED THIS COULD BE A GOOD
EXCEPTION TO THAT RULE. AND AND
WITH THAT SAID, I THINK WITH THE
NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN,
YOU KNOW, JUST WANT TO RECOGNIZE
THE WORK THAT THEY'VE DONE
FACING THE HURDLES. AND THEN AS
ONE PERSON WAS SAYING, YOU KNOW,
YOU KNOW, GAINING HOPE. SO GIVEN
ALL THAT ONE LAST ROUND OF
APPLAUSE FOR ALL THOSE THAT HAVE
BEEN SOBER FOR WHATEVER, FROM 30
YEARS TO, I THINK A YEAR OR LESS
THAN A YEAR. SO PLEASE
-- [APPLAUSE]
-- OKAY. NOW, WITH THAT SAID, WE
WILL NOW PROCEED TO OUR ITEMS OF
BUSINESS. MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC
ARE ENCOURAGED TO SUBMIT WRITTEN
PUBLIC COMMENTS ON SIGN UP CARDS
AVAILABLE, OR EMAIL THE COUNCIL
AT COUNCIL@SEATTLE.GOV IN THE
FUTURE. SO NOW WE'LL MOVE ON TO
OUR FIRST ITEM OF BUSINESS. WILL
THE CLERK PLEASE READ AGENDA
ITEM NUMBER ONE INTO THE RECORD
-- AN ORDINANCE RELATING TO
CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES. UPDATING
CITY POLICY FOR THE ENFORCEMENT
OF THE CRIMES OF KNOWING,
POSSESSION AND USE OF CONTROLLED
SUBSTANCES. AMENDING SECTION
3.28.14. ONE OF THE SEATTLE
MUNICIPAL CODE AND REPEALING
SECTION FOUR OF ORDINANCE
126896.
-- THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING. WE
HAVE MR. DOSS FROM CENTRAL STAFF
JOINING US. WHO'S GOING TO
INTRODUCE FIRST HIMSELF, BUT
THEN ALSO THE ORDINANCE THAT WE
HAVE BEFORE US, MR. DOSS.
-- THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. GREG
DOSS HERE, YOUR CENTRAL STAFF
HERE TO DISCUSS COUNCIL BILL
121248.
-- OKAY. HAVE A GOOD DAY.
-- I'LL TRY NOT TO BE OFFENDED
-- OKAY. SO YES, LET'S LET'S
WALK THROUGH THE THE BILL. AND
ITS MAIN PIECES. AND COLLEAGUES,
IF YOU WANT TO JUMP IN, YOU CAN
DO SO. OR WE CAN WAIT TOWARDS
THE THE END OF HIS COMMENTS.
-- ALL RIGHT. SO I'LL BEGIN
WITH SOME BACKGROUND ON THE
CITY'S CURRENT ENFORCEMENT OF
PUBLIC USE AND POSSESSION LAWS.
DESCRIBE THE PROVISIONS OF THE
BILL ONE, TWO, ONE, TWO, FOUR,
EIGHT AND DISCUSS THE POTENTIAL
IMPACTS OF THE BILL. I'D ALSO
NOTE THAT THERE IS A STAFF MEMO
AVAILABLE ONLINE ON THE
COMMITTEE'S WEBSITE. SO BY WAY
OF BACKGROUND, IN MAY 2023, THE
WASHINGTON STATE LEGISLATURE
PASSED ENGROSSED SECOND
SUBSTITUTE BILL 5536, WHICH
RECLASSIFIED AS GROSS
MISDEMEANORS. THE KNOWING,
POSSESSION OR USE OF A
CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE IN A PUBLIC
PLACE. THE BILL ENCOURAGED LAW
ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS TO OFFER
ANY INDIVIDUAL ARRESTED FOR
SIMPLE POSSESSION OR USE ACCESS
TO ASSESSMENT, TREATMENT OR
SERVICES IN LIEU OF BOOKING THE
INDIVIDUAL INTO JAIL OR
REFERRING THE CASE TO
PROSECUTION IN AUGUST OF 2023,
THE SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL PASSED
ORDINANCE 126896, WHICH
INCORPORATED INTO THE SEATTLE
MUNICIPAL CODE. THE STATE'S
RECLASSIFICATION OF PUBLIC USE
AND POSSESSION CRIMES. IT ALSO
SPECIFIED THAT DIVERSION,
TREATMENT AND OTHER ALTERNATIVES
TO BOOKING ARE THE PREFERRED
APPROACH WHEN ENFORCING THESE
CRIMES. IN APRIL OF THIS YEAR,
COUNCIL CENTRAL STAFF PROVIDED
TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE
AN OVERVIEW OF THE CITY DRUG
ORDINANCE ORDINANCE 126896 AND
PRESENTED DATA ON 2024 AND 2025
SPD ARRESTS AND DIVERSIONS. IT
SHOWED TRENDS IN HOW THE SEATTLE
POLICE DEPARTMENT IS ENFORCING
PUBLIC USE AND POSSESSION LAWS.
THE DATA SHOWED THAT SPD
INCREASED ARRESTS FOR DRUG USE
OR POSSESSION CRIMES BY 47%, AND
DECREASED ITS USE OF LAW
ENFORCEMENT ASSISTED DIVERSION
BY 30% IN THE SAME PERIOD, SPD
INCREASED ITS USE BY 56% OF
CHARGED BY OFFICER REFERRALS TO
THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
THESE CHARGED BY OFFICER
REFERRALS FOR PERSONAL
POSSESSION CAN BYPASS JAIL
BOOKINGS, BUT IT ALSO. THEY ALSO
TRANSFER TO THE CEO. THE
DECISION TO DIVERT AND DO NOT
ALWAYS OFFER INDIVIDUALS
IMMEDIATE IN-FIELD ACCESS TO A
SET ASSESSMENT, TREATMENT OR
OTHER SERVICES. CHIEF SHON
BARNES AND LEADERS FROM PURPOSE,
DIGNITY ACTION HAVE INDICATED
THAT A LACK OF CAPACITY IN 2025
IN PDA'S LEAD PROGRAM MAY HAVE
CONTRIBUTED TO THE REDUCTION IN
SPD'S USE OF LEAD SERVICES
BETWEEN 2024 AND 2025. SO THAT
IS BACKGROUND. I'LL MOVE ON TO
THE PROVISIONS OF THE BILL
COUNCIL BILL ONE, TWO, ONE, TWO,
FOUR, EIGHT WOULD AMEND THE
CITY'S DRUG ORDINANCE TO
PRIORITIZE THE USE OF IN
PRE-BOOKING DIVERSION THROUGH A
DIRECT PERSON TRANSFER OR A WARM
HANDOFF OF AN INDIVIDUAL TO LEAD
SERVICE PERSONNEL. THIS CHANGE
WOULD NOT PRECLUDE OTHER
ALTERNATIVES TO BOOKING, SUCH AS
A CHARGE BY OFFICER REFERRAL OR
AN ARREST AND RELEASE, BUT IT
WOULD SET A PREFERENCE, A CITY
POLICY PREFERENCE FOR DIRECT
HANDOFF TO RECOVERY SERVICE
PROVIDERS. THE BILL WOULD ALLOW
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ADVISORY
COMMITTEE THAT WAS CREATED IN
THE ORIGINAL DRUG ORDINANCE, BUT
WAS NEVER ESTABLISHED BY THE
EXECUTIVE. THE CHAIR IS
CURRENTLY WORKING WITH
STAKEHOLDERS TO DETERMINE
WHETHER A NEW COMMITTEE SHOULD
BE ESTABLISHED TO PROVIDE
OVERSIGHT OF CITYWIDE DRUG
POLICIES AND ENFORCEMENT
OPERATIONS, DEPENDING ON THE
OUTCOME OF THESE CONVERSATIONS,
THE COMMITTEE COULD ADOPT AN
AMENDMENT THAT WOULD ADD BACK AN
OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE AND SPECIFY
ITS DUTIES AND STAFF
ACCORDINGLY. FINALLY, THE BILL
WOULD MAKE SOME MINOR CHANGES TO
EXISTING DATA COLLECTION
REQUIREMENTS IN ORDINANCE
126896. WITH REGARDS TO COST.
THIS, THE BILL STATED PREFERENCE
FOR FIELD BASED DIVERSIONS COULD
INCREASE THE OVERALL NUMBER OF
DIVERSIONS MADE BY SPD OFFICERS.
THE ADDITIONAL DIVERSIONS WOULD
LIKELY CREATE STAFFING AND
ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS FOR THE
CITY'S CONTRACT WITH LEAD WITH
THE LEAD PROGRAM. THESE COSTS
CAN'T BE DETERMINED UNTIL IT IS
KNOWN THAT SPD WILL BE
INCREASING ITS USE OF DIVERSION
SERVICES. ANY INCREASED COSTS
FOR LEAD WOULD NEED TO BE
ADDRESSED AS PART OF THE CITY'S
2020 728 PROPOSED BUDGET REVIEW
PROCESS. ALTERNATIVELY, TO THE
EXTENT THAT SPD OFFICERS
CONTINUE TO USE ALTERNATIVES TO
BOOKING, SUCH AS CHARGED BY
OFFICERS OR OR ARREST AND
RELEASE, THE CITY ATTORNEY'S
OFFICE MAY HAVE TO FOCUS
ADDITIONAL STAFF OR PRETRIAL
DIVERSION PROGRAM, WHICH ALSO
USES LEAD SERVICES. OTHER
ALTERNATIVES TO BOOKING, AGAIN
SUCH AS ARREST AND RELEASE, ARE
NOT EVIDENCE BASED STRATEGIES
THAT REDUCE REOFFENDING, AND IT
IS POSSIBLE THAT FEWER INFIELD
DIVERSIONS MAY RESULT IN
ADDITIONAL ARRESTS OR USE OF THE
CRIMINAL CITY'S CRIMINAL LEGAL
SYSTEM, AND THAT COULD HAVE
OTHER DIFFERENT FISCAL IMPACTS.
THIS CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION,
AND I'D FINISH BY NOTING THAT
THE CHAIR IS PLANNING ON HAVING
ANOTHER HEARING ON THIS BILL ON
JULY 28th, AND IT WILL BE OPEN
FOR AMENDMENTS AT THAT TIME. AND
THE COMMITTEE MAY TAKE A VOTE.
AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE, AND I'M
AVAILABLE FOR YOUR QUESTIONS.
-- THANK YOU, MR. DOSS. NORMALLY
I WAIT TILL THE END, BUT I'M
GOING TO THIS TIME CHANGE UP AND
START AT THE BEGINNING. AND
THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND I'M ALSO
COLLEAGUES. I'M LOOKING TO HAVE
A COUPLE PRESENTATIONS FROM LIKE
PDA LEAD, ALSO HARBORVIEW AND
SOME OTHER ENTITIES ON THE 28th.
IT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE THIS
BILL IS LOOKING TO UPDATE A
BILL, WHICH I VIEW AS LARGELY
UNSUCCESSFUL, THAT WAS DATED THE
20th OF SEPTEMBER 2023 BY MY
COLLEAGUE TO MY LEFT. BUT THERE
WAS CHALLENGES, AND NOW WE HAVE
THE PASSAGE OF TIME TO LOOK AT
WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING ON THE
GROUND. ONE OF THE CHALLENGES
IS, AND WE'VE SEEN THIS AGAIN
AND AGAIN. YES, THE COMPASSION
TO HELP THOSE INDIVIDUALS IN
CRISIS. BUT DUE TO THE
CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE PUBLIC DRUG
MARKETS AND THEN ALSO
SEPARATELY, THE PUBLIC DRUG USE
IS THE IMPACT ON NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND THAT'S BEEN IN SOME PLACES,
TRAGIC, CATASTROPHIC, DEPENDING
ON THE NEIGHBORHOOD. SO I THINK
IT'S IMPORTANT. ONE OF THE
RECITALS NOTES THAT AND THESE
NEIGHBORHOODS THAT HAVE BEEN
IMPACTED EXIST THROUGHOUT ALL
SEVEN DISTRICTS. AND AGAIN, I
THINK WE ALL KNOW THOSE WHERE
THEY'RE LOCATED ALSO EARLIER
THIS YEAR. AND THIS IS TIED, IT
WAS KIND OF A SETUP. WE HAD AN
OIG REPORT AND BRIEFING TO
COMMITTEE. AND ON THIS TOPIC,
BUT IT DIDN'T REALLY PROVIDE
ANYTHING BECAUSE OIG WAS NEVER
ABLE TO BASICALLY INVESTIGATE
BECAUSE THERE WAS NO DATA. AND
THAT WAS A PROBLEM. SO ONE OF
THE THINGS THAT YOU'LL SEE WITH
THIS BILL IS THE GENERATION OF
DATA FROM MULTIPLE DIRECTIONS,
BECAUSE WE NEED TO ASCERTAIN
WHAT IS GOING ON AND FIX WHAT IS
HAPPENING. ONE OF THE THINGS
THEY DID SAY THOUGH, AT THE END,
BECAUSE THEY DID INTERVIEWS AND
WAS AT THE TOWARDS THE END OF
THE OIG REPORT, WAS THAT
INDIVIDUALS WERE NOTING THAT THE
OFFICERS WERE BASICALLY SAYING,
MOVE ALONG OR DOING NOTHING.
THAT'S NOT A GOOD ANSWER FOR
OUR CITY. IT'S NOT A GOOD ANSWER
FOR ALL THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS IN
CRISIS. WE NEED TO BE DOING
DIVERSION AND DOING DIVERSION,
RIGHT? AS SEEN WITH THE
TESTIMONY TODAY. AND FOR THOSE
INSTANCES, PARTICULARLY THOSE
THAT ARE WORKING IN THE DRUG
MARKET THAT ARE FUNCTIONING, YOU
KNOW, THE, YOU KNOW, UNDER,
UNDER TAKE THE FUNCTIONING OF
THE MARKET AND SOME OTHER CO
OCCURRING CRIMES AND THE LIKE
SHOULD BE GOING TO JAIL. BUT
HERE'S THE PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM
LIES IN THE FACT THAT THE
OFFICERS ON THE STREET DON'T
HAVE A LOT OF CONFIDENCE IN THE
PDA LEAD PROGRAM. SO THIS IS
SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO
ADDRESS. AND THIS BILL IS A
START IN THAT THEY ALSO DON'T
HAVE ANY CONFIDENCE IN CASEY J.
KING COUNTY JAIL KCJ HEALTH WITH
THE MEDICAL DECLINES AND THAT
THAT POINT IS ALSO IN THIS BILL.
AND IT ALSO GOES TO THE DATA
POINT. SO THESE ARE THE THINGS
THAT, YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE GOING
TO MOVE FORWARD ON THE GROUND,
WE NEED TO STEP FORWARD. AND
THIS BILL IS A STEP TO DO THAT.
IS TO ACKNOWLEDGE WHAT'S
HAPPENED TO OUR NEIGHBORHOODS,
ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE DON'T HAVE
ANY DATA TO REALLY MAKE GOOD
DECISIONS, TO LOOK TO IMPROVE
THE DIVERSION OPTIONS AND
OPPORTUNITIES. BUT THEN WHEN
NEEDED AGAIN, FOR OUR CITY AND
OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, THE JAIL AND
THEN THE JAIL HAS ITS OWN
ISSUES. AND THESE ISSUES ARE
IMPACTING FAR AND WIDE. IT'S
IMPACTING HARBORVIEW. HARBORVIEW
HOSPITAL IS IMPACTED BY THE
MEDICAL DECLINES AT CASEY J. AND
THAT'S A PROBLEM. AND TO TO SUM
UP AND TO BRING IT BACK TO OUR
STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK PLAN,
CLEARLY, ONE OF THE PILLARS IS A
FUNCTIONAL CRIMINAL JUSTICE
SYSTEM THERE'S A WHOLE LOT OF
BUMPS IN HICCUPS IN THIS PART OF
THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. AND
THIS BILL IS LOOKING TO ADDRESS
THOSE. AND SECONDLY, IS TO
ADDRESS THE SEAM, AS I SAID,
BETWEEN PUBLIC SAFETY AND PUBLIC
HEALTH, HOUSING AND HUMAN
SERVICES, AND IN THIS CASE,
HUMAN SERVICES. AND SO THESE ARE
THE THINGS THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO
DO. AND THIS BUILDS ON THE WORK
THAT WE'VE DONE ALREADY IN THESE
AREAS TO INCLUDE BRINGING PD AYE
LEAD FROM HSD HUMAN SERVICES
DEPARTMENT OVER TO THE CARE
DEPARTMENT. THIS BILL BUILDS ON
THE RECENTLY COMPLETED CARE
UPDATED BILL. AND AGAIN, THIS IS
THE INTENT AND SOME OF THE
PIECES THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO DO
WITH THESE THESE BILLS. SO WITH
THAT, COLLEAGUES, I WILL GO TO
MY VICE CHAIR, VICE CHAIR, SAKA.
-- THANK YOU, CHAIR. THANK YOU
FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD.
EXCUSE ME. I'VE I'M STILL
WORKING MY WAY THROUGH THE
LEGISLATION AND THE CENTRAL
STAFF ANALYSIS MEMO. THANK YOU,
MR. DOSS, FOR FOR SHARING THAT
OUT AT A FIRST BLUSH, SEEMS TO
BE THE PROPOSED LEGISLATION AND
REVISIONS HERE SEEM TO BE PRETTY
RATIONAL. MAKE SENSE? FROM MY
PERSPECTIVE, KIND OF MODERNIZING
THE LEGISLATION TO. A LOT HAS
HAPPENED IN THE INTERVENING
THREE YEARS, AS WAS NOTED,
INCLUDING THE ORIGINAL. BILL
CONTEMPLATES A THEN UNSCALED
CARE TEAM. WELL, NOW WE. SINCE
AT LEAST WE'VE BEEN IN OFFICE
FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS, TWO AND
A HALF YEARS, WE WERE ABLE TO
GROW AND SCALE OUR CRISIS CARE
DEPARTMENT OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
SPECIALISTS, SOCIAL WORKERS AND
THE LIKE TO PROVIDE APPROPRIATE
ALTERNATIVE RESPONSES ACROSS THE
CITY FROM, JUST FROM. AND IT
STARTED WHEN WE WERE IN OFFICE
FROM A DOWNTOWN PILOT OPERATING
IN A LIMITED NUMBER OF DAYS,
LIMITED NUMBER OF HOURS DURING
THE WEEK. AND WE SCALED IT
CITYWIDE AND INCLUDING IN MY
DISTRICT IN WEST SEATTLE. SO
AGAIN, AT INITIAL READ OF THE
REVISIONS HERE SEEMS TO MAKE
SENSE. BUT MY FIRST QUESTION,
MAYBE I'LL ASK THIS OF BOTH THE
CHAIR AND MR. DOSS, CAN YOU HELP
BETTER HELP ME BETTER UNDERSTAND
THE SORT OF THE THE, THE PURPOSE
AND GOAL HERE WITH THIS
LEGISLATION. WHAT SPECIFIC
PROBLEM OUTSIDE OF LIKE
CLARIFICATION MODERNIZATION
TWEAKS. WHAT SPECIFIC PROBLEM
DOES THIS SEEK TO RESOLVE
-- I WOULD SAY AS A LEAD IN FOR
MR. DOSS, IS THAT THE CURRENT
PUBLIC DRUG USE AND POSSESSION
BILL LAW AND ITS EXECUTION IS A
FAILURE FOR THE CITY. SO I'LL
START WITH THAT. MR. DOSS
-- THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. SO IT
REALLY HAS TO DO WITH CHANGING
THE WAY THAT DRUGS ARE ENFORCED
IN THE CITY BY SPD. THE PRIOR
COUNCIL ORDINANCE, THE DRUG
ORDINANCE SET A PREFERENCE FOR
SORT OF ANYTHING THAT WASN'T A
JAIL BOOKING, ANYTHING THAT
WASN'T GOING TO BRING PEOPLE
INTO THE CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM.
AND DIDN'T SPECIFY THAT
DIVERSION, FIELD BASED DIVERSION
SPECIFICALLY, WAS THE
PREFERENCE. THE PREFERENCE,
AGAIN, JUST DIVERSION SERVICES.
ANY ALTERNATIVES TO ARREST,
ARREST OR RELEASE THE THE SPD
HAD SORT OF A WIDE MENU TO
CHOOSE FROM, BUT THE OVERALL
MESSAGE IN THE DRUG ORDINANCE IS
AGAINST JAIL BOOKING AND
CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM
INVOLVEMENT. CONSEQUENTLY, WHEN
SPD BEGAN ENFORCING, THEY DID SO
IN A WAY THAT UTILIZED ARREST
AND RELEASE UTILIZES. CHARGED BY
OFFICER, WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY A
TICKET THAT THEY GIVE TO A
PERSON WHO IS USING. AND THEN
THEY WALK AWAY. THE CITY
ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IS NOTIFIED,
AND THEN THE CITY ATTORNEY'S
OFFICE HAS TO MAKE A DECISION
ABOUT WHETHER THAT INDIVIDUAL
GETS DIVERTED. THE CHALLENGE
WITH THAT IS, IS THAT THE CITY
ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, ONCE THEY
TURN INFORMATION OVER TO LEAD,
IF THEY WISH TO HAVE A PERSON
DIVERTED, THEY HAVE TO FIND THAT
PERSON AND THEIR SUCCESS RATE IN
FINDING THOSE FOLKS ON THE
STREET. ONCE THEY'RE NOT IN THE
CUSTODY OF SPD, IS IS QUITE LOW.
HOWEVER, WHEN SPD HAS SOMEONE IN
CUSTODY UNDER ARREST, A
TRANSFER, A WARM HANDOFF BY THE
OF THE INDIVIDUAL TO A LEAD
COUNSELOR THAT HAS A MUCH HIGHER
SUCCESS RATE OF ENROLLING FOLKS
IN THE PROGRAM, AND FOLKS
AGREEING TO PARTICIPATE IN THE
PROGRAM. SO I THINK THE PURPOSE,
THE PROBLEM THAT IT'S TRYING TO
SOLVE IS THAT THE CITY IS THE
CITY IS USING ALTERNATIVES TO
ARREST, BUT THOSE ALTERNATIVES
TO ARREST ARE NOT EVIDENCE
BASED, TO PRODUCE, TO REDUCE
RECIDIVISM IN THE WAY LEAD IS.
AND SO THE THE SOLUTION IS TO
SET A CITY PREFERENCE FOR A
PROGRAM THAT HAS PROVEN SUCCESS.
-- THANK YOU SO. THAT MAKES
SENSE. SO SETTING THAT
CODIFYING. WE'RE NOT SETTING
THAT. WE'RE CODIFYING THAT
PREFERENCE AT THE AT THE
LEGISLATION LEVEL. AND AND
UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE
EXECUTIVE. WELL, AS THE CHAIR
APTLY NOTED BOTH IN CHAIR'S
COMMENTS AND A MOMENT AGO, LIKE
THIS IS THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH
OF GOVERNMENT. WE WRITE THE
LAWS, WE PASS LAWS. WE, UNDER
OUR DEMOCRATIC SYSTEM OF
GOVERNMENT AND CHARTER, WE DO
NOT AT ALL ENFORCE LAWS. WE ARE
NOT EMPOWERED TO ENFORCE LAWS.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT, YOU
KNOW, AS PART OF THE ENFORCEMENT
PREROGATIVES AND POWERS OF THE
EXECUTIVE, YOU KNOW, LIKE THE
FRAMEWORK THAT IS NOW BEING
CODIFIED IS ESSENTIALLY BEING
IMPLEMENTED AND EXECUTED, YOU
KNOW, ROUGHLY IN LINE WITH THE
FRAMEWORK IS THAT IS THAT
CURRENTLY TRUE TO YOUR BEST OF
YOUR KNOWLEDGE, MR. DOSS, OR IS
MY UNDERSTANDING OFTEN ANYWAY.
-- IT IS TRUE THAT THE SPD HAS
ADOPTED POLICIES THAT REFLECT
THE CITY'S DRUG ORDINANCE AS
PASSED IN 2023, AND THAT THOSE
POLICIES DO ALLOW FOR OTHER
ALTERNATIVES TO BOOKING SUCH AS
CHARGE BY OFFICER. AND SO THE
SPD HAS POLICIES THAT THAT THAT
SAY THAT THERE'S A PREFERENCE
FOR DIVERSION, BUT THEY ALSO
ALLOW FOR THEY ALSO ALLOW FOR
OTHER KINDS OF ALTERNATIVES TO
ARREST. AND SO THOSE POLICIES
THAT WERE ADOPTED IN 2023 ARE
BEING EFFECTUATED AND
IMPLEMENTED BY OFFICERS
ACCORDINGLY AND ACCURATELY. THIS
BILL WOULD SET A STRONGER
PREFERENCE FOR INFIELD TRANSFER
OF OF INDIVIDUALS. AND SO IT
WOULD ALSO ASK SPD TO ADOPT NEW
POLICIES THAT SET A POLICY FOR
INFIELD TRANSFER. AND IDEALLY,
THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WOULD
TRAIN THEIR FOLKS ON THESE
POLICIES AND WOULD PERFORM MORE
INFIELD TRANSFERS RATHER THAN,
SAY, ARREST AND RELEASE.
-- GOT IT. THAT SORT OF WARM
HAND. OKAY, NO, THAT MAKES
SENSE. AND EVEN IF THIS THE
EXECUTIVE IS ALREADY
IMPLEMENTING OPERATIONALIZING
CERTAIN LAWS SUBSTANTIALLY IN
LINE WITH ANY PROPOSED, YOU
KNOW, LEGISLATIVE REVISION OR,
YOU KNOW, FIX, THERE'S STILL
PERFECTLY VALID REASONS TO
CODIFY THOSE PRACTICES AT THE
THOSE INTERNAL POLICIES OR
EXECUTIVE PREFERENCES AND
PERFECTLY VALID REASONS TO
CODIFY THOSE, BECAUSE IT ENSURES
THAT, WELL, IT MAKES IT MORE
DURABLE BECAUSE ANY EXECUTIVE
HAS A LOT OF FLEXIBILITY TO, TO
DETERMINE HOW. AND AS WE LEARN
IF TO ENFORCE SPECIFIC LAWS AND
OR AT LEAST PRIORITIZE THEM. SO
PERFECTLY ACCEPTABLE IN, IN
JUSTIFIABLE REASONS TO CODIFY
THOSE PRACTICES, EVEN THOSE
PRACTICES, EVEN IF THEY ARE
SUBSTANTIALLY, YOU KNOW, IN LINE
WITH KIND OF HOW THEY ARE TODAY.
THANK YOU FOR THIS ONE FINAL
MORE. THAT WAS A KIND OF SERIES
OF HIGHER LEVEL QUESTIONS. ONE
KIND OF SPECIFIC, MORE TECHNICAL
QUESTION. AND THE SECTION, THE
REVISED SECTION ONE. I THINK
IT'S ONE. YEAH. REVISED SECTION
ONE. E WITH THE HEADING A
DIVERSION OF THE PROPOSED
LEGISLATION. IT SPEAKS TO FIELD
BASED PRE-BOOKING THAT IT TALKS
ABOUT THE WARM HANDOFF TO
RECOVERY SERVICE PROVIDERS WHO
UTILIZE THE THE QUOTE, THE
CITY'S LAW ENFORCEMENT
DIVERSION FRAMEWORK. IS THAT A
DEFINED TERM SOMEWHERE UNDER
THIS UNDER THIS LEGISLATION OUR
FUTURE BODIES, EXECUTIVES,
COURTS TO. TO UNDERSTAND WHAT
WHAT THE CITY'S LAW ENFORCEMENT
DIVERSION FRAMEWORK IS.
-- YEAH. THANK YOU,
COUNCILMEMBER. THE TERM RECOVERY
RECOVERY SERVICE PROVIDER IS NOT
DEFINED IN THIS LEGISLATION.
IT'S ALSO NOT DEFINED IN A
SINGLE AUTHORITATIVE FEDERAL,
STATE OR LOCAL STATUTE. HOWEVER,
SAMHSA, THE FEDERAL SUBSTANCE
ABUSE AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES
ORGANIZATION, DEFINES RECOVERY
AT A FEDERAL LEVEL IN A WAY THAT
LIKELY CAPTURES THE RECOVERY
BASED SERVICES PERFORMED BY
EVERGREEN TREATMENT SERVICES, OR
REACH WHEN THEY'RE EXECUTING
THEIR LEAD PROGRAM.
ADDITIONALLY, THE R C, W HAS A
DEFINITION FOR RECOVERY
NAVIGATOR PROGRAMS, AND IT
MANDATES THAT THE STATE FUND
SUCH RECOVERY NAVIGATOR PROGRAMS
AND EVERGREEN TREATMENT CENTER
IS THE STATE'S RECOVERY
NAVIGATOR PROGRAM IN THE CITY OF
SEATTLE. SO THERE'S GOOD REASON
TO UNDERSTAND THAT THAT LEAD
SERVICES THAT ARE PROVIDED BY
EVERGREEN TREATMENT SERVICE AND
REACH UNDER THE PDA ARE RECOVERY
SERVICES. ALTHOUGH THE COUNCIL
COULD CHOOSE TO DEFINE IT
FURTHER IF THEY SO WANTED. IF
YOU SO WANTED THE THE ONE
CAUTIONARY NOTE ON ON DEFINING
IT FURTHER IS THAT THIS IS A
VERY GENERAL DESCRIPTION.
RECOVERY SERVICES. DEFINING IT
FURTHER MIGHT CREATE A BARRIER
FOR OTHERS TO. FOR OTHERS TO GET
INTO FIELD BASED RECOVERY
SERVICES. CURRENTLY, THE STATE
LAW DOES DEFINE ELEMENTS OF A
LEAD PROGRAM AND ONLY. AT THIS
POINT IN TIME, EVERGREEN
TREATMENT SERVICES AND REACH
QUALIFY UNDER THAT. BUT OTHER
PROVIDERS, IF THEY DECIDED TO
LAUNCH A FIELD BASED PROGRAM
THAT THAT MET THE QUALIFICATIONS
OF THE R, C, W UNDER THIS
STATUTE, UNDER THE BILL COULD BE
SEEN AS RECOVERY SERVICE
PROVIDERS. SO IT'S TALKING
ABOUT IT IN A GENERAL WAY. WE
ONLY HAVE ONE PROVIDER RIGHT NOW
THAT MEETS THAT DESCRIPTION. BUT
BECAUSE IT'S A GENERAL
DESCRIPTION, OTHER PROVIDERS
THAT SORT OF, IF YOU WILL GET
INTO THE BUSINESS LATER ON,
COULD MEET THAT DEFINITION.
-- THANK YOU. AS A AS A TRAINED
LAWYER, I'VE BEEN I'VE BEEN
TRAINED TO SORT OF ANTICIPATE,
YOU KNOW, POTENTIAL ISSUES, LOOK
AROUND CORNERS QUITE LITERALLY.
AND SO I'M JUST WONDERING, YOU
KNOW, YOU KNOW, SHALL THIS
PROVISION BE LITIGATED AT SOME
POINT, YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S
SUFFICIENT CLARITY IN THERE TO,
TO, TO HELP FOLKS BETTER
UNDERSTAND WHAT IS SPECIFICALLY
INTENDED THERE. AND I WOULD, I
AGREE ON THE ONE HAND THAT IT
COULD POTENTIALLY BE LIMITING IN
TERMS OF ONCE YOU START
VENTURING DOWN THAT PATH. ON THE
OTHER HAND, IT ALSO DEPENDS ON
HOW YOU STRUCTURE IT. IF YOU
STRUCTURE IT IN SUCH A WAY THAT.
SO IT'S, IT'S FLEXIBLE. IT'S
BOTH DURABLE AND FLEXIBLE. YOU
USING, FOR EXAMPLE, LANGUAGE
LIKE, YOU KNOW, INCLUDING
WITHOUT LIMITATION OR INCLUDING,
BUT NOT LIMITED TO X, Y, AND Z.
YOU KNOW, THAT THAT LEAVES ROOM
FOR MORE FLEXIBILITY. BUT I
GENERALLY HAVE A BIAS FOR
CLARITY. BUT, BUT I DO
APPRECIATE THIS, THIS
LEGISLATION AND THANK YOU, CHAIR
AND MR. DOSS. NO FURTHER
QUESTIONS.
-- THANK YOU, VICE CHAIR. AND
FOR THE PEOPLE IN THE CHAMBERS,
FOR THOSE WATCHING ON SEATTLE
CHANNEL, IT SHOULD BE NOTED,
I'M THE ONLY ONE WITHOUT A JD
IN THIS COMMITTEE. AND SO THIS
COMMITTEE IS AND THERE'S SOME
OUT IN THE AUDIENCE THAT HAVE JD
THAT NO DOUBT WILL BE LOOKING AT
THIS ORDINANCE AS WELL. AND SO I
THINK WE'RE GOING TO BE WELL
COVERED AND. AND ON THAT FRONT,
I WILL ADD TO YOUR POINT ABOUT
EXECUTIVE LEGISLATIVE PIECES, I
NOTED EARLIER IN CHAIR. COM
ABOUT HOW THE SODA BILL WAS
ACTUALLY CAME ABOUT. YOU KNOW,
THERE WAS A THERE WAS ACTUALLY
EXECUTIVE LINE EDITS IN THAT
BILL BEFORE IT CAME FROM THE
CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. AND
THAT SHOWED THE, YOU KNOW, THE
PARTNERSHIP. I BRING THAT UP A.
BECAUSE PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE
THAT WITH THE SODA BILL BECAUSE
IT'S BEEN SO. MISS
CHARACTERIZED OVER THE LAST
COUPLE OF YEARS. BUT TWO, WE
HAVE BEEN DOING A LOT OF
ENGAGEMENT WITH MR. DOSS, WITH
CENTRAL STAFF, WITH PDA, WITH
THE EXECUTIVE AND OTHERS ON THIS
BILL. IN ADDITION TO, YOU KNOW,
STARTING TO REACH OUT TO OTHER
ELEMENTS AS IT RELATES TO SOME
OF THESE TOUCH POINTS, YOU KNOW,
ACTUALLY GETTING SUCCESS AND
DIVERSION. AND AS I NOTED, THE
THE ISSUES THAT CASEY J. KING
COUNTY JAIL. SO SO WE'LL
CONTINUE THAT ENGAGEMENT BECAUSE
YOU'RE RIGHT, AT THE END OF THE
DAY, IT'S ABOUT IMPLEMENTATION.
AND THAT'S BEEN A CHALLENGE.
SOMETIMES. OKAY. COUNCILMEMBER
LIN HAS HIS HAND UP.
-- THANK YOU, CHAIR. AND ONE, I
JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU. EVEN
THOUGH FOLKS HAVE LEFT FOR
EVERYONE WHO CAME AND TESTIFIED,
JUST INCREDIBLY POWERFUL AND
MOVING AND JUST TO HEAR THE
STORIES OF THE MANY LIVES THAT
HAVE BEEN SAVED AND THE MANY
FAMILIES AND CHILDREN THAT NOW
HAVE PARENTS BACK IN THEIR
LIVES, PRETTY, PRETTY
COMPELLING. I WANT TO THANK YOU
FOR FOR BRINGING THIS. I HAVE A
FEW QUESTIONS. YOU KNOW, HAD THE
OPPORTUNITY TO OVER THE PAST SIX
MONTHS TO MEET QUITE A LOT WITH
SPD, WITH PDA, TO LEARN ABOUT
THE HISTORY OF OF LEAD AND SORT
OF THE SENSE THAT I'VE GOTTEN
IS THAT WE WERE SEEING A LOT OF
SUCCESS WITH THE LEAD PROGRAM.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, COVID HIT.
WE HAD THE WASHINGTON SUPREME
COURT CASE THAT SORT OF THREW
OUR DRUG POSSESSION LAWS, SORT
OF, YOU KNOW, INTO TURMOIL FOR A
BIT. AND, YOU KNOW, WE HAD A LOT
OF TURNOVER IN SPD. AND SO I
THINK AND SOME OF THE FUNDING
FOR LEAD WAS CUT FOR A BIT. AND
SO I THINK SOME OF THAT SUCCESS
THAT WE WERE SEEING WE SAW A
DROP OFF BECAUSE OF BECAUSE OF
ALL THAT TURMOIL THAT WAS
HAPPENING. AND I SEE OPPORTUNITY
HERE TO, TO, TO BUILD BACK ON
THE SUCCESS OF THIS PROGRAM. AND
WHAT I HAVE HEARD IS AND I, YOU
KNOW, I THINK FOR FOR SOME OF
THE OFFICERS WHO, WHO HAVE SEEN
THAT SUCCESS, THEY THEY
UNDERSTAND THE BENEFIT OF THIS
PROGRAM. THEY UNDERSTAND, YOU
KNOW, THE FRUSTRATION OF, OF
ARRESTING FOLKS TIME AND TIME
AGAIN. AND THEN JUST SEEING
THOSE SAME PEOPLE BACK ON THE
BEAT AND THAT THAT'S NOT A GOOD
USE OF THEIR RESOURCES. AND, AND
THAT THEY'VE SEEN HOW, HOW THIS
CAN CHANGE LIVES. AND THAT, THAT
WARM HANDOFF IS INCREDIBLY
IMPORTANT. SO ONE QUESTION, I
JUST WANT TO CLARIFY WHEN IT
SAYS FIELD BASED, I'VE HEARD
THAT OFTENTIMES THAT WARM
HANDOFF HAPPENS AT THE PRECINCTS
THAT THAT'S A GOOD PLACE TO DO
THOSE WARM HANDOFFS. I JUST WANT
TO CLARIFY THAT FIELD BASED DOES
NOT PRECLUDE SORT OF WARM
HANDOFFS HAPPENING AT THE
PRECINCT. SO FOR EITHER CHAIR,
MR. DOSS, IF YOU COULD CLARIFY.
-- THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER. IT
I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY SPD THAT
THEY ARE OFFICERS ARE NOT
ENFORCING THAT WAY AS MUCH
ANYMORE. ARREST AND TAKEN TO A
PRECINCT AND THEN A HANDOFF TO
LEAD. I THINK THAT THE POINT OF
FIELD BASED IS THE IDEA THAT THE
REPRESENTATIVE OF THE
ORGANIZATION, IN THIS CASE,
LEAD, COMES TO MEET THE PERSON
IN THE OFFICER, WHEREVER THEY'RE
AT, AS OPPOSED TO OTHER RECOVERY
SERVICES LIKE, SAY, DSA, WHERE
YOU HAVE TO GO THERE TO BE
ASSESSED AND, AND ENROLLED. IF
LIKE THE QUESTION THAT
COUNCILMEMBER SAKA ASKED ABOUT
DEFINITIONS, IF THE COUNCIL
WANTED TO FURTHER SPECIFY THAT
THAT WOULD BE AN OPTION VIA
AMENDMENT.
-- OKAY. THANK YOU. AND I JUST
WOULD WOULD LOVE SOME, SOME
CLARITY BECAUSE I HAVE HEARD, AT
LEAST AS OF YESTERDAY, I WAS
TALKING TO SPD ABOUT SOME OF
THEIR EFFORTS AT 12th AND
JACKSON, AND I'VE CERTAINLY
HEARD THAT A LOT OF THE HANDOFFS
ARE HAPPENING AT THE PRECINCT.
AND SO I JUST DON'T WANT TO
PRECLUDE THAT. IF THAT IS
SOMETHING THAT BOTH LEAD AND THE
POLICE DEPARTMENT ARE FINDING
USEFUL OR EFFECTIVE. SO WE CAN
CONTINUE TO DISCUSS THAT. AND
JUST SORT OF FINAL POINT IS THAT
A LOT OF THIS, I THINK, IS GOING
TO DEPEND ON THE AVAILABILITY OF
LEAD TO DO THOSE WARM HANDOFFS,
AND THAT'S A CAPACITY AND A
FUNDING ISSUE. AND SO I THINK
THAT THAT'S JUST GOING TO BE A
CRITICAL PIECE OF THIS AS, AS
OBVIOUSLY, WE'RE GOING TO BE
HEADING INTO A VERY TOUGH BUDGET
SEASON. BUT I DO THINK THIS IS
CRITICALLY IMPORTANT. AND SO
HOPEFULLY WE CAN FIND A WAY TO
DO THAT. THANK YOU.
-- THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER LIN.
THAT'S DEFINITELY BEEN A PIECE
FOR THIS COMMITTEE, IS TO WORK
THE ISSUES THAT IN ANY
DEPARTMENT, YOU KNOW, FOR OEM,
THERE'S A LOT OF ISSUES WITH
THE FUNDING AND HOW THINGS, YOU
KNOW, GRANT BASED FOR THE
POSITIONS, JUST CLEANING UP THE
LINES, AS I LIKE TO SAY, WE DID
THAT WITH OEM. AND IT'S THE
SAME THING WITH PD. A, THEY WERE
GETTING THEIR FUNDING SOURCES
FROM A VARIED SOURCES. AND JUST
TO GET IT ORGANIZED AND TO BE
FRANK, TO BRING IT UNDER THIS
COMMITTEE'S OVERVIEW. SO THAT
WAS A BIG PIECE THAT WE WANTED
TO DO. AND SO SO WE'RE WORKING
THESE PIECES TO FROM A BUDGET
PERSPECTIVE, BUT ALSO FROM AN
OPERATIONAL PERSPECTIVE. AND,
AND I HEAR EVERYTHING I'VE HEARD
SO FAR, AND I AGREE AT THE SAME
TIME, THE FLEXIBILITY IS KEY
BECAUSE, FOR EXAMPLE, THE
PRECINCTS ARE ALL DIFFERENT. YOU
KNOW, IT, I'VE BEEN TO ALL OF
THEM AND YOU KNOW, THE
CIRCUMSTANCES WITH THOSE
NEIGHBORHOODS IS, YOU KNOW,
IT'S DIFFERENT AND HAS
DIFFERENT DYNAMICS. SO PRECINCT
VERSUS, YOU KNOW, IN THE FIELD
AND SO FORTH SO THANK YOU.
COUNCILMEMBER LIN COUNCILMEMBER
JUAREZ.
-- THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. I'M
JUST GOING TO BE
STRAIGHTFORWARD. I THE PROBLEM I
HAVE WITH THIS IS SO INSTEAD OF
WHAT WE DID BEFORE THE CHARGE BY
OFFICE OF THE CBO AND THE
CONCERNS AND I THINK
COUNCILMEMBER SAKA TOUCHED ON
THIS AS WELL, ON THE
ENFORCEMENT, THE IMPLEMENTATION
OF THIS LAW, THIS PROCEDURE,
THIS INFIELD DIVERSION. I JUST
WANT TO GO THROUGH THIS LINE OF
QUESTIONING. SO THE INFIELD
DIVERSION, IS THAT SOMETHING WE
CAME UP WITH? THE CITY OF
SEATTLE? IS THIS DONE IN OTHER
CITIES IN FIELD DIVERSION?
-- YES, IT IS. IN WORKING WITH
OUR OUR LEAD PROGRAM
ADMINISTRATOR, PD AYE, AND THEN
ALSO WITH THE EXECUTIVE'S OFFICE
AND WITH THE CEO. IT CAME IT
BECAME CLEAR THROUGH DISCUSSIONS
THAT THE INFIELD DIVERSION, THE
WARM HANDOFF, IF YOU WILL, IS
REALLY THE EVIDENCE BASED
PRACTICE THAT THAT HAS SUCCESS
WITH WITH DIVERSION. OKAY. AND
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT'S USED BY
US NATIONALLY.
-- OKAY. SO INFIELD DIVERSION
HAS BECOME A TERM OF ART AND NOW
A PROCEDURE THAT WE WANT TO
IMPLEMENT AND CODIFY INTO LAW.
IT'S AN ALTERNATIVE TO ARREST.
SO YOU HAVE A KIND OF A
TRANSITION PERIOD IN THERE. WE
UNDERSTAND THAT AN OFFICER HAS
PROBABLE CAUSE TO COME UP TO
SOMEBODY AND SAY, YOU'RE EITHER
USING DRUGS OR POSSESSION, AND
WE'RE MAKING ASSUMPTIONS. IT'S
A MISDEMEANOR. CORRECT. OKAY. SO
WE'RE GOING TO RELY ON THE
POLICE OFFICER'S DISCRETION,
WHETHER AN INDIVIDUAL WANTS OR
NEEDS INFIELD DIVERSION. WHAT IF
SOMEBODY DOESN'T?
-- YEAH. FIRST, I MIGHT NOTE
THAT IT'S NOT AN ALTERNATIVE TO
ARREST. OKAY. IN MOST IT IS AN
ALTERNATIVE TO ARREST, BUT IT.
INFIELD DIVERSION CAN ALSO BE
USED. POST-ARREST. SO IT CAN BE
USED. EITHER WAY, IF AN
INDIVIDUAL IS NOT INTERESTED IN
RECEIVING DIVERSION, THEN THE
OFFICER WILL HAVE THE OPTION FOR
OTHER ALTERNATIVES TO
INCARCERATION. AGAIN, ARREST AND
RELEASED OR CHARGED BY OFFICER
OR THE OFFICER COULD TAKE THAT
PERSON TO JAIL ENTIRELY,
DEPENDING ON THE OFFICER
DISCRETION. AS YOU NOTE.
-- SO DO WE HAVE SEE WITHIN AND
AGAIN, I DON'T I'M JUST ASKING
I'M NOT TRYING TO IMPLY
ANYTHING THAT SPD IS OPEN TO
THEIR OFFICERS HAVING THE
DISCRETION TO ACTUALLY IMPLEMENT
AND ASK SOMEBODY BECAUSE, YOU
KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THIS
GREAT PERIOD IN TRANSITION WHERE
AN OFFICER IS GOING TO HAVE TO
MAKE. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO
RELY ON THEIR EXPERTISE THAT
THEY'RE STOPPING THIS PERSON
FOR A MISDEMEANOR CRIME OF DRUG
POSSESSION OR USE, AND HAVE TO
MAKE A DECISION AND ASK THAT
PERSON SUSPECT ALLEGEDLY, DO YOU
WANT ARE THEY SUPPOSED TO JUST
CALL CALL, LEAD AND SAY, HEY,
THERE'S SOMEONE DOWN HERE THAT
WANTS TREATMENT? CAN YOU JUST
TELL ME HOW THAT'S GOING TO
WORK? BECAUSE AS A FORMER JUDGE
AND PUBLIC DEFENDER AND DID
CRIMINAL MATTERS FOR MANY, MANY
YEARS, I JUST DON'T SEE HOW THIS
IS GOING TO WORK. AND I COULD BE
WRONG. I JUST WANT YOU TO WALK
ME THROUGH A SCENARIO, AND I
THINK COUNCILMEMBER SAKA TOUCHED
ON THIS A LITTLE BIT, BECAUSE
THERE'S TWO THINGS GOING ON.
THERE'S WE HAVE TO LOOK AT SPD
AND WHAT THEY'RE WILLING TO DO
AND EXPERTISE. AND WE'RE GOING
TO HEAR FROM THEIR UNION. I'M
GUESSING IF THINGS AREN'T GOING
TO KIND OF GO THE WAY THEY WANT
ABOUT WHAT THEY THINK IS WITHIN
THEIR JOB DESCRIPTION. AND THEN
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DEAL
WITH ANY TYPE OF ANY TYPE OF, OF
CONCERNS ABOUT MAYBE THEY DON'T
MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION. IF
SOMEBODY EITHER DOESN'T WANT
TREATMENT OR WOULD RATHER HAVE A
TICKET OR, AND SAYS, I WILL SHOW
UP IN COURT, WHETHER IT'S
PRE-ARREST OR POST AT THE POLICE
STATION. SO CAN YOU JUST WALK ME
THROUGH THAT, THAT FACT PATTERN?
-- YEAH, SURE. SO THIS THE
EXISTING LAW THAT THAT YOU ALL
PASSED IN 2023 SETS UP THAT
FRAMEWORK THAT YOU'RE TALKING
ABOUT. IT REQUIRES SPD TO WRITE
POLICIES. AND THEY DID WRITE
POLICIES ON HOW OFFICERS ARE
SUPPOSED TO ENGAGE WHEN
ENFORCING DRUG CRIMES. AND SO
THOSE POLICIES THAT SPD WROTE
ARE CONTAINED IN 151 50 UNDER
THE SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT
MANUAL. AND WHAT THEY WHAT THOSE
POLICIES REQUIRE. AGAIN, UNDER
THE EXISTING LAWS IS THAT WHEN
AN OFFICER HAS PROBABLE CAUSE TO
BELIEVE THAT SOMEONE IS
POTENTIALLY GUILTY OF A PUBLIC
USE OR POSSESSION CRIME, THEY
MAY ENGAGE WITH THAT INDIVIDUAL
AND THEN THEY FOLLOW THE SPD
POLICY ABOUT A THREAT OF HARM
ASSESSMENT, DETERMINING WHETHER
THIS PERSON IS A THREAT OF HARM
TO THEIRSELF, OR WHETHER THIS
PERSON IS A THREAT OF HARM TO
OTHERS, TO SUBJECTS IN THE AREA,
AND THE POLICY THAT SPD HAS PUT
INTO PLACE GIVES SPECIFIC
ELEMENTS THAT ARE TO BE
CONSIDERED BY OFFICERS WHEN
THEY'RE DOING THIS THREAT OF
HARM ASSESSMENT, THINGS LIKE
WHETHER THE LOCATION IS NEAR
OTHER COMMUNITY MEMBERS,
COMMERCIAL ENTITIES, BUSINESSES
OR OTHER ORGANIZATIONS. AND AS
THEY GO THROUGH THAT THREAT OF
HARM ASSESSMENT, THEY'RE
DETERMINING WHETHER OR NOT THIS
PERSON SHOULD BE ARRESTED. AND
IF THIS PERSON SHOULD BE
ARRESTED AND BOOKED INTO JAIL,
DEPENDING ON THEIR ASSESSMENT,
THEY WOULD BE TAKEN TO JAIL. IF
THEY CHOOSE TO DIVERT, WHICH IS
MORE IN LINE WITH THE CITY
POLICY OVERALL, IF IT'S IF IT'S
POSSIBLE OR ALLOWABLE UNDER
THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES, THEN THEY
HAVE THE OPTION TO CALL A LEAD
COUNSELOR. THERE IS A 247 LINE
THAT IS MAINTAINED BY LEAD THAT
OFFICERS HAVE THE NUMBER FOR.
IT'S IN THEIR POLICIES. THEY'RE
TRAINED ON HOW TO FIND THAT
NUMBER AND TO CALL A LEAD
PROVIDER TO COME OUT INTO THE
FIELD AND DO A WARM HANDOFF. SO
THAT'S SORT OF, I HOPE I'M
WALKING YOU THROUGH.
-- YEAH. YOU ARE. AND I REMEMBER
SOME OF THIS GOING BACK TO 2023
IN THE LINE AND THE ARGUMENTS
THAT WERE GOING ON BACK THEN
POST 2020 AND THE KIND OF DO NO
HARM IF PEOPLE ARE WELL, THAT'S
A WHOLE 'NOTHER STORY. SO LET
ME JUST SO SO BASICALLY WE'RE
SAYING THIS IS THE TACTIC THAT
WE WOULD PREFER THIS INFIELD
DIVERSION.
-- THAT'S EXISTING LAWS UNDER
THE LAW THAT GOT PASSED IN 2023.
JUST TO PUT IT SIMPLY, THE THE
CITY WAS SAYING WE WE PREFER
ALTERNATIVES TO INCARCERATION.
WE PREFER ALTERNATIVES TO THE
CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM, DIVERSION
BEING ONE OF THOSE ALTERNATIVES,
BUT ALSO CHARGED BY OFFICER OR
ARREST BY RELEASE. WE WOULD BE
YOU ALL WOULD BE UPDATING TO SAY
NOT ONLY DOES THE CITY PREFER
ALTERNATIVES TO THE CRIMINAL
JUSTICE SYSTEM, THE CITY PREFERS
A WARM HANDOFF IN THE FIELD TO
DIVERSION PROVIDERS.
-- I'M ALWAYS ANNOYED BY THE
TERM WARM HANDOFF, BUT THAT'S
THAT'S ME ON ANOTHER ISSUE. LET
ME ASK YOU THIS. SO WHEN WE WERE
WE WERE DOING THAT BACK IN THE
2020 223 IN RESPONSE TO THE
STATE LAW. CORRECT? CORRECT. SO
THIS STILL IS IN LINE WITH WHAT
THE STATE LAW IS STILL GOOD LAW.
CORRECT. OKAY. AND THEN I
REMEMBER THAT AND I HAD TO
LAUGH. I DID READ YOUR MEMO, BUT
I WAS I REMEMBER THAT THE
COMMITTEE WAS NEVER ESTABLISHED
-- THAT'S TRUE. THE BEHAVIORAL
HEALTH ADVISORY COMMITTEE THAT
WAS CREATED TO OVERSEE CITY WIDE
DRUG POLICY AND OPERATIONS, THE
EXECUTIVE NEVER ESTABLISHED THAT
COMMITTEE. THE CHAIR'S BILL
REMOVES THAT COMMITTEE. BUT AS I
MENTIONED, THE CHAIR IS SETTING
UP A PROCESS TO WORK WITH
STAKEHOLDERS TO DETERMINE IF
THAT COMMITTEE SHOULD BE
RECREATED AND INCLUDED IN THIS
LEGISLATION AND, IF SO, HOW IT
MIGHT LOOK, WHAT ITS DUTIES
WOULD BE AND HOW IT WOULD BE
STAFFED. AND SO THOSE ARE SORT
OF ALL OPEN QUESTIONS RIGHT NOW.
AND IN THE MEANTIME, THAT
LANGUAGE IS TAKEN OUT. IF THE
CHAIR AND THROUGH THIS PROCESS
DETERMINES THAT SOMETHING SHOULD
BE ADDED BACK, IT COULD BE ADDED
BACK BY AMENDMENT.
-- THANK YOU. THANK YOU, CHAIR.
-- THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
JUAREZ. ONE OF THE POINTS THIS
BILL DOES NOT TOUCH HARM, BUT
WHAT IS CLEAR IS ANY HARM
ASSESSMENT AT THIS POINT HAS TO
TAKE INTO EFFECT OF ALL THE HARM
THAT'S BEEN DONE TO THE
NEIGHBORHOODS THROUGH THESE DRUG
MARKETS AND, AND THE USE. AND
THAT'S WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING
FROM FROM NORTH AURORA, BUT
DEFINITELY IN BELLTOWN DOWNTOWN,
THE CITY AND ACROSS THE ENTIRE
CITY.
-- MR. CHAIR, CAN I SAY
SOMETHING IN RESPONSE TO WHAT
YOU JUST SAID?
-- YES.
-- THANK YOU. IF I REMEMBER
CORRECTLY, AND YOU WERE THERE
TOO, GREG. SO CORRECT ME IF I'M
WRONG. WHEN THESE WERE BEING
PASSED, AND I'M GLAD WE'RE
DOING IT NOW. THE CONVERSATIONS
AROUND HOW HARM, WHAT HARM WAS
DOING TO NEIGHBORHOODS AND
BUSINESSES AND THAT WAS LIKE
POLITICALLY A HOT TOPIC. LIKE
NOBODY WANTED TO ADDRESS THAT.
-- WELL, WE'RE ADDRESSING IT
NOW.
-- IT WAS POLITICALLY NOT, YOU
KNOW, IT WASN'T MY MOM. I WAS
GOING TO SAY SOMETHING. I
PROBABLY WON'T. IT WAS IT WAS
POLITICALLY NOT A GOOD THING TO
SAY, HEY, THIS PERSON IS ON
DRUGS. IT'S A MISDEMEANOR. THEY
DO NEED TREATMENT. SOME OF THEM
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO ARREST
IF THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, IF
THEY'RE A DANGER. BUT WHEN WE
WOULD BRING UP LITTLE
-- SAIGON AURORA.
-- LAKE. CITY WAY.
NEIGHBORHOODS. PARKS.
BUSINESSES. PARTICULARLY SMALL
BUSINESSES WHERE WE JUST COULD
NOT GET PEOPLE AWAY FROM IN
FRONT OF BUILDINGS SMOKING
FENTANYL. PEOPLE WOULD JUST NAIL
YOU TO THE CROSS LIKE YOU'RE
JUST A HORRIBLE PERSON FOR
BRINGING THAT UP, YOU KNOW? AND
IT'S JUST LIKE, NO. AND I'M
JUST GOING TO SAY THIS, AND THIS
WOULD BE MY LAST COMMENT. THIS
IS LIKE ABOUT GETTING OLDER AND
SAYING, I TOLD YOU SO. EXACTLY
WHAT WE SAID WOULD HAPPEN HAS
HAPPENED. AND THAT'S WHAT YOU
HAVE AT LITTLE SAIGON IN THESE
NEIGHBORHOODS, BECAUSE WE
BASICALLY WERE SHOUTED OUT OF
THE ROOM FOR SAYING, YES, ALL
THOSE OTHER THINGS ARE TRUE, BUT
WE ALSO HAVE TO TAKE INTO
ACCOUNT WHAT THIS OPEN AIR DRUG
USE DOES TO NEIGHBORHOOD
SCHOOLS, BUS STOPS, PARKS, YOU
NAME IT. AND THAT DOESN'T MEAN
THAT YOU'RE AN EVIL PERSON OR
YOU DON'T HAVE EMPATHY, BUT
THAT THE LAW SHOULD HAVE
ACCOUNTABILITY AND HAVE ALL
KINDS OF TOOLS TO ADDRESS PEOPLE
WHO ARE IN NEED OF TREATMENT, IF
INDEED THAT'S WHAT THEY WANT.
SO I'M JUST GOING TO LEAVE IT
AT THAT. SO THANK YOU.
-- THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER
JUAREZ. YES. THE MISGUIDED IS
THE WORD THAT COMES.
-- IS THAT THE.
-- WORD WE USE? IT'S MISGUIDED
AND IT'S CLEARLY MISGUIDED. AND
TODAY WE START WITH THE
COMPASSION FOR OUR NEIGHBORS IN
CRISIS. BUT EQUALLY WITH THE
WISDOM OF KNOWING THAT OUR
NEIGHBORHOODS ARE IN CRISIS TOO.
AND THAT GOES TO THE HARM POINT.
AND, AND I WOULD NOTE TOO, YOU
KNOW, THIS DIVERGENCE
PRE-BOOKING, POST-ARREST. AND,
YOU KNOW, SO THIS IS REALLY TO
SET UP PDA FOR SUCCESS IN TERMS
OF DIVERSION PIECE, BUT THEN
ALSO IF NEEDED, AND AGAIN, WITH
A FOCUS ON THE MARKET AND THOSE
PIECES REALLY DRIVING. AND THIS
IS THE SHAME OF THE SODA BILL
GETTING, YOU KNOW, PUNTED TO THE
SIDE. WE NEED EVERYTHING TO, TO
ATTACK THESE DRUG MARKETS. AND
UNFORTUNATELY, WE'RE NOT DOING
THAT. AND NOW WE'RE SEEING SOME
SLIDE BACKS, LIKE IN LITTLE
SAIGON AND NORTH AURORA RIGHT
NOW, BASED ON THE PEOPLE I'VE
BEEN TALKING TO OVER THE PAST
WEEK. AND IT'S CONCERNING
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA.
-- THANK YOU, CHAIR. I WANT TO
THANK YOU FOR OPENING THIS
CONVERSATION BACK UP, ACTUALLY,
BECAUSE YOU AND I HAVE BEEN HERE
AND COUNCILMEMBER SAKA FOR THE
LAST ALMOST THREE YEARS.
COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ YOU'VE BEEN
HERE A LOT LONGER THAN THAT PRE
THAT AND, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THIS
IS A PIECE THAT WE HAVEN'T BEEN
ABLE TO MAKE THE INROADS THAT WE
WANTED TO MAKE IN. AND I WOULD
SAY THAT THE HARM ISN'T I DON'T
THINK OF IT AS NEIGHBORHOOD, AS
SMALL BUSINESSES BECAUSE THEY'RE
HUMANS. AND THAT MAKES IT SEEM
LIKE LOCATIONS AND PLACES. BUT
IT'S THE BUSINESS. SMALL
BUSINESS OWNERS, AND IT'S THE
KIDS AT THE PARK AND IT'S OUR
NEIGHBORS IN THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS
LIKE THE NEIGHBORS, KIDS,
FAMILIES, SINGLE PEOPLE UP ON
AURORA THAT HAVE TO DEAL WITH
THE CONSEQUENCE OF THE DRUG
MARKETS UP THERE. THOSE ARE
HUMANS. AND I DON'T THINK WE
SHOULD BE IN THE BUSINESS OF
PICKING SOME HUMANS OVER OTHER
HUMANS. SO WE NEED TO HAVE
SOLUTIONS THAT ARE GOING TO WORK
FOR ALL THE HUMANS. AND I THINK
FOR A LONG TIME NOW, WE'VE BEEN
THINKING ABOUT JUST ONE SET OF
HUMANS, BUT WE REALLY NEED TO
TAKE CARE OF ALL HUMANS. SO WE
NEED TO TAKE CARE OF THE HUMANS
THAT NEED TREATMENT. AND WE NEED
TO TAKE THE HUMANS CARE OF THE
HUMANS, LIKE UP ON AURORA, WHO
HAVE TO DEAL WITH THAT DRUG
TRAFFICKING. AND WE NEED TO TAKE
CARE OF THE GIRLS THAT ARE
GETTING SEX TRAFFICKED ON
AURORA. THAT IS ALL PART OF THE
DRUG TRADE AS WELL. THESE ARE
ALL HUMANS. WE ALSO HAVE TO TAKE
CARE OF. SO I DO APPRECIATE YOU
OPENING THIS CONVERSATION BACK
UP, BECAUSE THERE ISN'T A
NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE CITY THAT
ISN'T IMPACTED BY THIS, SOME TO
MORE DEGREES, OBVIOUSLY, LITTLE
SAIGON AND NORTH AURORA AND SOME
TO LESSER DEGREES, WHICH ARE
POCKETS IN ALL OF THE
NEIGHBORHOODS ACROSS THE CITY.
AND EVERY DISTRICT THAT WE ALL
COLLECTIVELY REPRESENT. AND WE
DO NEED TO MAKE CHANGES TO MAKE
SURE THAT WE ARE ADDRESSING
THIS, THIS NEED. I DO HAVE
QUESTIONS. COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE,
ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR, YOU KNOW,
WE'RE NOW PRIORITIZING FIELD
DIVERSION. I NEED MORE
INFORMATION AND MY DUE DILIGENCE
FASHION ABOUT WHAT THAT MEANS.
AND, YOU KNOW, IF WE IF WE'RE
SAYING THAT THE ONLY ONES WHO
CAN MEET THIS NEED IN SEATTLE AT
THE MOMENT IS LEAD, I WANT TO
KNOW WHAT THE IMPACTS OF THAT
ARE. AND THEN TO THE POINT ABOUT
FUNDING, I KNOW WE GAVE LEAD
LAST YEAR FOR THIS AND THIS FOR
THIS BUDGET. THIS YEAR, $20
MILLION. SO I KNOW THERE IS
FUNDING THAT WE BECAUSE WE
BELIEVE SO MUCH IN THIS
DIVERSION PIECE. I VOTED FOR IT
TOO. AND I WANT TO KNOW HOW
THOSE THAT FUNDING IS ACTUALLY
HELPING PEOPLE BECAUSE IF
DIVERSIONS ARE DOWN, THEN WHO
ARE WE HELPING WITH THAT
FUNDING? AND THEN TO THE POINT
I'VE MADE OVER AND AGAIN ABOUT
THE CARE CRISIS RESPONDERS, IS
THERE A WAY THAT, YOU KNOW,
WHILE THE I BELIEVE IN THE WARM
HANDOFF 100%, I'VE HAD THE
CONVERSATION WITH LEAD ABOUT IF
IT WAS PICKED UP AND BROUGHT
DOWN TO COUNTY AND RELEASED AND
THEY'RE NOT THERE TO, TO, TO DO
THAT WARM HANDOFF, THEN THAT
PERSON IS GOING BACK TO THE
STREET. AND THEN IT'S LIKE THE
REVOLVING DOOR. AND THAT'S
HELPING NO ONE, NOT THE PERSON
WE'RE TRYING TO GET TREATMENT
FOR OR THE HUMANS THAT WE'RE
TRYING TO HELP IN THE VARIOUS
LOCATIONS WE'VE SPOKEN ABOUT
EARLIER. SO I DO WANT TO KNOW
HOW THIS IS GOING TO WORK BETTER
BECAUSE NOTWITHSTANDING THE FACT
THAT THERE HASN'T BEEN A WARM
HANDOFF, I DON'T HAVEN'T SEEN
THE DIVERSION PIECE WORKING AS
WELL AS I THINK IT SHOULD,
BECAUSE IN MY CONVERSATIONS WITH
LEAD, THEY KNOW THE FOLKS THAT
HAVE BEEN RELEASED AND THEY
COULD APPROACH THEM IF THEY FIND
THEM. AND SO I, I HAVE QUESTIONS
ABOUT WHY, TO WHAT EXTENT THAT
HOW WELL THAT'S WORKING. MY
UNDERSTANDING IS NOT WELL, BUT I
DON'T WANT TO BE UNFAIR AND I
NEED MORE DATA AND INFORMATION.
SO. AND ARE THERE OTHER, YOU
KNOW, ENFIELD, YOU KNOW, HOW TO
TO COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ POINT,
HOW HAS THIS WORKED IN OTHER
CITIES? IS IT ONE MAIN GROUP
THAT IS DOING THIS WORK, OR IS
IT MULTIPLE ORGANIZATIONS DOING
THE WORK? I DO NOT KNOW. IS IT
THAT WE'RE FOCUSING ON THE
TREATMENT FACILITIES AND ARE
THEY DOING THE WORK? BECAUSE
ULTIMATELY, IF SOMEONE NEEDS
TREATMENT THAT REQUIRES A
TREATMENT FACILITY, LEADS NOT
DOING THE ACTUAL TREATMENT,
THEY'RE THE ONES THERE. THE
CASE MANAGERS HELPING FOLKS GET
INTO TREATMENT. SO THAT REQUIRES
A WHOLE 'NOTHER POT OF MONEY.
UNLESS THE 20 MILLION WE GIVE TO
LEAD ALSO RESULTS IN THOSE
INDIVIDUALS GETTING TREATMENT. I
DO NOT KNOW. SO I THINK ALL OF
THESE WE NEED MORE DATA BY WHICH
WE'RE WE'RE COMMITTING SOME
DECISIONS AS EVERYONE. MOST
PEOPLE UP HERE HAVE SAID TODAY.
SO THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
KETTLE. IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT
TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION. I'M
SO GLAD YOU OPENED THIS BACK UP
AND I'LL BE REACHING BACK OUT,
GREG, TO GET SOME OF THESE
ANSWERS TO MY QUESTIONS SO THAT
AS WE MOVE FORWARD AND
EVENTUALLY WE'LL HAVE TO TAKE A
VOTE ON THIS, WE'LL SEE IF
IT'S IF IT NEEDS ANY TWEAKING.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, CHAIR.
-- THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER
RIVERA. YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO
REMEMBER PART OF THE THE MISSION
OF THIS BILL IS TO CREATE DATA.
BECAUSE A LOT OF WAYS THERE'S
NOT. SO THAT'S A CHALLENGE. I
DON'T WANT TO GET YOU
FRUSTRATED AT THE BEGINNING, BUT
STAND BY. THERE'S YOU KNOW, THIS
IS THE REASON WHY WE'RE DOING
THIS BILL, IN PART, IS FOR THE
DATA SETS THAT NEED TO BE
CREATED AND UNDERSTOOD, YOU
KNOW, MOVING FORWARD.
-- BUT THE BILL ALSO, AT THE
SAME TIME IS CREATING THIS NEW
PRIORITIZATION. SO I WANT TO
UNDERSTAND HOW THAT WOULD WORK.
SO THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THAT
PART OF THE OF THE BILL, AND
LOOK FORWARD TO FINDING OUT
MORE. THANK YOU. COUNCIL CHAIR
KETTLE.
-- THANK YOU. AND MY VICE CHAIR
HAS JUMPED BACK ON VICE CHAIR.
-- THANK YOU, CHAIR. A LOT OF
IMPORTANT CONVERSATION AND
DIALOG THAT JUST HAPPENED IN THE
LAST, YOU KNOW, 30, 40 MINUTES
OR SO. AND I WANT TO BRIEFLY
PILE ON TO TWO POINTS. FIRST
OFF, WITH RESPECT TO THE THE
COMMENTS IN THE HISTORICAL
CONTEXT PROVIDED BY COUNCIL
MEMBER JUAREZ A MOMENT AGO ON,
ON HOW THE THE DIALOG, THE
DISCUSSION AND SOMETIMES DEBATE,
YOU KNOW, AROUND THESE ISSUES
WAS PREVIOUSLY FRAMED. LIKE HOW
DARE YOU ESSENTIALLY FOR
BRINGING UP THE SUFFERING OF
NEIGHBORHOODS AND SMALL
BUSINESSES, SMALL BUSINESS
OWNERS, SMALL BUSINESS WORKERS,
THEIR CUSTOMERS, THEIR
SUPPLIERS, OUR KIDS. HOW DARE
YOU BRING BRING THOSE UP. I, I
AM DISAPPOINTED, BUT SADLY NOT
AT ALL SURPRISED. THAT'S KIND OF
THE NATURE OF THINGS AND WHAT
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE. THAT
WAS THE NATURE OF THINGS. THEN
WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE
IS NUANCE. WHAT WE'RE TALKING
ABOUT HERE IS COMPLEXITY. AND
THAT'S WHY, CHAIR, I WANT TO
THANK YOU FOR FOR BRINGING BACK
UP THIS CONVERSATION SO WE CAN
HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS ANEW
BUT DO IT IN A MANNER THAT
CENTERS COMPLEXITY AND CENTERS,
NUANCE AND CENTERS, HUMAN, THE
HUMAN EXPERIENCE. YES, I HAVE
ENDLESS EMPATHY FOR PEOPLE IN
THE THROES OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
CRISES, CHALLENGES, WHETHER
IT'S DRUG DEPENDENCY, MENTAL
HEALTH CHALLENGES, THE LIKE. AND
WE NEED ORGANIZATIONS LIKE LEAD
CO-LEAD, ET CETERA. COMMUNITY
PARTNERS TO HELP UPLIFT THOSE
PEOPLE SUFFERING. AND WE NEED TO
FUND THEM FROM A CITY
PERSPECTIVE. AND I AND I ALSO
HAVE THAT'S TRUE. AND I ALSO
HAVE ENDLESS EMPATHY FOR SMALL
BUSINESS OWNERS. OUR KIDS IN
NEIGHBORHOODS THAT WANT RELIEF
AS WELL FROM SOME OF THESE
BROADER SOCIETAL CHALLENGES. AND
IT'S NOT ONE OR THE OTHER OR,
YOU KNOW, THIS IS THIS IS WHY
WE'RE HERE TOGETHER. WE'RE,
WE'RE BETTER TOGETHER AND WE'RE
BETTER WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THESE
IN THE COMPLETE CONTEXT. SO, SO
POINT ONE. THE SECOND THING I
WANT TO JUST BRIEFLY REMARK ON
PILING ON SOME, SOME
OBSERVATIONS EARLIER FROM
COUNCILMEMBER LIN, WHICH I
APPRECIATE ABOUT THE PUBLIC
COMMENTERS WHO TOOK THE TIME
EARLIER TODAY, WITHIN THE LAST
HOUR, HOUR AND A HALF, WE HEARD
A LOT OF TERRIFIC PUBLIC COMMENT
AND FEEDBACK, ESPECIALLY FROM
PEOPLE WITH DIRECT KIND OF
PERSONAL EXPERIENCES IN VARIOUS
STAGES OF RECOVERY, OVERCOMING,
YOU KNOW, THE THE RESILIENCE
THERE. THERE'S WE HEARD A LOT
AND IT WAS TERRIFIC VERY. I ALSO
WANT TO THANK THE PUBLIC
COMMENTERS FOR SHOWING UP TO
TESTIFY. I FOUND IT TO BE VERY
REMARKABLE, SUPER PROFOUND. SOME
OF THE MOST UNIQUELY INSIGHTFUL
PUBLIC COMMENTS THAT I'VE HEARD,
YOU KNOW, IN A WHILE, FOR A
NUMBER OF REASONS, VERY
POWERFUL, COMPELLING,
PERSUASIVE. I'LL WHAT STICKS
WITH ME IS CERTAINLY SOME OF THE
INDIVIDUAL STORIES AND
NARRATIVES AND ANECDOTES, YOU
KNOW, UNIQUELY ONE OF THE FIRST
TIMES, FOR EXAMPLE, SOMEONE WAS
SPOKEN ABOUT IN A POSITIVE
MANNER IN COURT, THE RENEWED
ABILITY FOR CARETAKERS TO
PROPERLY CARE, TAKE CARE OF
THEIR OWN KIDS, AND I'LL
REMEMBER SOME OF THOSE STORIES
AND ANECDOTES. BUT ONE OF THE
THINGS THAT STICKS WITH ME THE
MOST ABOUT SOME OF THE THAT
PUBLIC COMMENT, WHICH WE WE
DON'T OFTEN HEAR SOMETIMES IN
THIS IN THIS CHAMBER WAS DESPITE
SOME OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES, THERE
WAS THIS PREDOMINANT THEME WHERE
PEOPLE WERE QUITE LITERALLY
PRACTICING AN ATTITUDE OF
GRATITUDE, AN ATTITUDE OF
GRATITUDE, AND I DON'T PRETEND
TO KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO, YOU
KNOW, HAVE BEEN ABLE TO OVERCOME
ANY, YOU KNOW, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
CHALLENGES, BE AT A STAGE OF
RECOVERY. I DON'T PRETEND TO,
TO, TO KNOW WHAT THAT'S LIKE.
WE'VE ALL HAD OUR OWN UNIQUE
PERSONAL EXPERIENCES, BUT THAT
IS SOMETHING VERY UNIQUE. BUT I
THINK WE CAN ALL LEARN, ALL
LEARN FROM WHAT WE JUST
WITNESSED AND OBSERVED THAT
DESPITE THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES,
THERE IS AN ATTITUDE, PREVAILING
ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE, AND
WHATEVER IT IS WE'RE SEEKING, I
THINK WE PRACTICE THAT, LIVE UP
TO IT. WE CAN ALL LEARN FROM IT.
SO THANK YOU.
-- THANK YOU, VICE CHAIR. NOW,
QUICKLY, COUNCILMEMBER LIN
-- THANK YOU, CHAIR. AND I JUST
WANT TO KIND OF HIGHLIGHT ONE
THING THAT'S SORT OF IN THIS
NAME, LAW ENFORCEMENT ASSISTED
DIVERSION. IT IS NOT IN CHAIR
KETTLE I'VE HEARD YOU SPEAK A
LOT ABOUT THIS, ABOUT THE TWO
MINDS OF LIKE, THIS IS NOT A
POLICE OR SOCIAL SERVICES. THIS
IS SPD WORKING VERY CLOSELY,
HAND IN HAND WITH OUR SOCIAL
SERVICE, WITH WITH PDA. SO I
JUST WANT TO AND, YOU KNOW, I
THINK THAT THAT'S WHY THOSE
WARM HANDOFFS ARE SO CRITICAL
BECAUSE THIS IS A PARTNERSHIP,
THIS REQUIRES TRAINING, THIS
REQUIRES FOLKS TO DEVELOP THOSE
RELATIONSHIPS. SO AND REALLY,
IT'S A, IT'S A FORCE
MULTIPLIER FOR OUR POLICE WHO,
YOU KNOW, DON'T HAVE THE TIME
TO SPEND HOURS AT THE, YOU KNOW,
TRYING TO, TO DO A BOOKING
BECAUSE OF A MEDICAL DECLINE OR,
YOU KNOW, JUST DON'T HAVE THE
RESOURCES TO THEY KNOW SOMEBODY
NEEDS SOMETHING OTHER THAN JAIL.
AND SO THEY WANT TO GET THEM
THOSE RESOURCES, BUT THEY DON'T
HAVE THEM AVAILABLE. SO MAKING
SURE THAT THEY CAN DO THAT, THAT
WARM HANDOFF, WHEN WE KNOW
SOMEBODY IS IN DIRE NEED FOR
HELP. SO I JUST BUT I JUST WANT
TO CLARIFY THAT THIS IS A
PARTNERSHIP. IT'S NOT AN EITHER
OR SITUATION.
-- THANK YOU. YES. THANK YOU.
COUNCILMEMBER LIN. YEAH, THIS IS
DEFINITE PARTNERSHIP THAT GOES
TO THE STAKEHOLDERS AND THE THE
DIFFERENT PIECES THAT WE'VE
DONE. AND THE OF TWO MINDS IS A
MORE OF A STRATEGIC KIND OF
CHALLENGE THAT WE HAVE AS A CITY
THAT DOES SHOW UP IN DIFFERENT
AREAS. BUT TO YOUR POINT, THIS
IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT. OKAY,
WE'VE REACHED THE END. I JUST
WANTED TO NOTE TOO, BY THE WAY,
IT'S NOT BY ACCIDENT. YOU KNOW,
WE HAD OIG HERE EARLIER IN THE
YEAR TALKING ABOUT THE
CHALLENGES WE HAD IN APRIL 28th
OF THIS YEAR. WE HAD LEAD AND
CENTRAL STAFF DOING A DRUG
ORDINANCE OVERVIEW, PLUS THE
LEAD DIVERSION, LEAD UTILIZATION
UPDATE. THEN WE HAD THE CARE
BILL THAT I BELIEVE THE MAYOR'S
PROBABLY SIGNING TODAY. AND THE
ORDINANCE THAT WE JUST PASSED
AND AND NOW HERE, IT'S NOT BY
ACCIDENT. THE THE PUBLIC SAFETY
WALKS I'VE DONE WITH
COUNCILMEMBER LIN MARCH IS ON
NORTH AURORA. IT ALL LEADS TO,
YOU KNOW, SEEING WHERE WE ARE ON
THE GROUND AND MAKING CHANGES.
ONE LAST WORD TO MR. DAWSON.
-- YEAH. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.
WITH THE PERMISSION OF THE
CHAIR, I MIGHT SUGGEST THAT
COUNCILMEMBERS WHO ARE
INTERESTED IN AMENDMENT, WHETHER
IT IS ONE THAT WOULD CLARIFY ANY
TERMS LIKE MR. OR COUNCILMEMBER
SAKA AND COUNCILMEMBER LIN HAVE
SUGGESTED OR ANY ANY OTHER
OPTIONS THAT YOU MAY WISH TO
CONSIDER? AYE. I'D ASK, PLEASE,
THAT YOU GET TO CENTRAL STAFF
THIS WEEK. THIS SUBJECT IS NOT
JUST A POLICY CHALLENGE, BUT
ALSO SOMETIMES CAN BE LEGAL
CHALLENGES BECAUSE WE'RE TALKING
ABOUT THE CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM.
SO IT IS POSSIBLE THAT ANY OF
THE AMENDMENTS THAT YOU ALL WANT
TO SEEK WILL TAKE SOME TIME FOR
THE LAW DEPARTMENT TO REVIEW. SO
I'D ASK, PLEASE, IF YOU COULD
GET AHOLD OF ME THIS WEEK, THAT
WOULD BE APPRECIATED.
-- THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR.
DOSS. OF COURSE, THIS IS A
BEAUTIFULLY
-- [LAUGHTER]
-- DRAFTED BILL.
-- [LAUGHTER]
-- SO I, YOU KNOW, BUT YES, YES,
PLEASE, COLLEAGUES, LOOK AT THE
OIG REPORT THAT WE HAD THE, YOU
KNOW, THE APRIL 28th MEETING,
WHAT WE'VE JUST DONE WITH CARE
AND SO FORTH, AND THEN WORK WITH
MR. DOSS AND AND OBVIOUSLY MY
TEAM AS WELL. OKAY. WITH THAT,
WE'VE REACHED THE END OF
TODAY'S MEETING AGENDA. IF
THERE'S NO FURTHER BUSINESS NOT
SEEING BEFORE WE ADJOURN. NOPE,
NOPE, NOPE. HEARING NO FURTHER
BUSINESS TO COME BEFORE THE
COMMIT