WILL
>> GOOD EVENING.
IT IS 6:00.
WE ARE GOING TO GET THIS
MEETING STARTED.
TODAY IS WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER
18, 2019 IT IS 6 PM WELCOME TO
THE SPECIAL JOINT MEETING OF
THE CITY COUNCILS GENDER,
EQUITY, SAFE COMMUNITIES
COMMITTEE AND THE SELECT LABOR
COMMITTEE.
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE
COMMUNITY POLICE COMMISSION WHO
IS JOINING US AT THE TABLE.
REPRESENTATIVES OF THEM ARE
JOINING US AT THE TABLE
CURRENTLY.
I AM THE CHAIR OF THIS
COMMITTEE AND JOINING ME
TONIGHT IS THE CHAIR OF THE
SELECT LABOR COMMITTEE AND ALSO
HERE WITH US IS THE COUNCIL
MEMBER WHO SITS ON BOTH OF
THESE COMMITTEES.
I THINK WE EXPECT ONE
ADDITIONAL COUNCILMEMBER
POTENTIALLY IN A MINUTE.
THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.
I KNOW BOTH OF YOU HAVE BUSY
SCHEDULES AND HAVE OTHER
COMMITMENTS THAT YOU HAVE MADE
FOR THIS EVENING.
YOU WILL NEED TO DEPART A
LITTLE EARLY.
BUT WE WILL NONETHELESS MAKE
SURE WE COLLECT THE RECORD ON
PUBLIC TESTIMONY AND OF COURSE
BOTH OF YOU ARE WELCOME TO MAKE
COMMENTS EITHER NOW, AN
INTRODUCTION, OR IMMEDIATELY
BEFORE YOU LEAVE ABOUT THIS,
BEFORE YOU LEAVE US.
REALLY QUICKLY, I AM GOING TO
MOVE TO ADOPT THE AGENDA, IF
THERE IS NO OBJECTION.
HEARING NO OBJECTION THE AGENDA
WILL BE ADOPTED.
I'M GOING TO DO A QUICK REPORT
ON THE CHAIR'S REPORT, REALLY
BRIEFLY.
THANK YOU, WE ARE NOW JOINED BY
COUNCILMEMBER O'BRIEN.
WE ARE HOLDING THIS PUBLIC
HEARING TONIGHT IN ACCORDANCE
WITH THE SEATTLE MUNICIPAL CODE
4.0 4.120 WHICH REQUIRES
COUNSEL TO HOLD A PUBLIC
HEARING AT LEAST 90 DAYS BEFORE
THE CITY BEGINS COLLECTIVE
BARGAINING WITH THE SEATTLE
POLICE MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION.
IN ORDER TO HEAR PUBLIC COMMENT
ON THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE
CITY'S POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY
SYSTEM.
WE ARE HERE TO PROVIDE PUBLIC
TESTIMONY AND YOU HAVE NOT
ALREADY SIGNED UP ON THE PUBLIC
SIGN IN SHEET, THERE ARE TWO
SHEETS IN THE FRONT OF THE ROOM,
I ASK YOU TO PLEASE MAKE YOUR
WAY TO THE FRONT AND SIGN UP ON
ONE OF THE PUBLIC COMMENT
SHEETS.
LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING YOUR
PUBLIC TESTIMONY IN JUST A FEW
MOMENTS.
BEFORE WE BEGIN, THE PUBLIC
TESTIMONY PROCESS, WE ARE GOING
TO HEAR TWO VERY SHORT
PRESENTATIONS FIRST WE'RE GOING
TO RECEIVE A BRIEF PRESENTATION
FROM STAFF WILL GIVE US A
GENERAL OVERVIEW AND BACK
INFORMATION ON THE PURPOSE OF
SUBJECT OF THE HEARING.
AND SECOND WE WILL HEAR FROM
REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
COMMUNITY POLICE COMMISSION WHO
WILL PROVIDE US SOME ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION FROM THEIR
PERSPECTIVE IN THE COMMUNITY'S
PERSPECTIVE REGARDING THE STATE
OF THE ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM IN
RELATION TO THE UPCOMING LABOR
NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE SEATTLE
POLICE MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION.
WE WILL GO AHEAD AND I WILL ASK
CODY COME BEFORE I DO THAT, ARE
THERE ANY COMMENTS FROM MY
COLLEAGUES?
>> NOT FOR ME.
SPECS CAN YOU READ THE FIRST
AGENDA ITEM INTO THE RECORD?
>> AGENDA ITEM 1, ELECTIVE
BARGAINING WITH THE SEATTLE
POLICE MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION,
FOR DISCUSSION.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
LET'S GO AHEAD AND START WITH
INTRODUCTIONS OF THE STAFF.
>> AND THEN WE HAVE A SHORT
PRESENTATION, I DON'T THINK WE
HAVE A POWERPOINT.
TAKE IT AWAY.
>> I WILL START OUT.
I'M GOING TO BRIEFLY GET SOME
BACKGROUND FOR WHY WE ARE HERE
TODAY.
THE SEATTLE POLICE MANAGEMENT
ASSOCIATION CONTRACT IS COMING
UP, IT IS A SMALLER OF TWO
UNITS REPRESENTING POLICE
OFFICERS.
THE LARGER ONE IS THE SEATTLE
POLICE OFFICERS GUILT, WHICH
REPRESENTS MOST OFFICERS.
AS BMA REVISITS ABOUT 80
LIEUTENANTS AND CAPTAINS.
THE PURPOSE OF TONIGHT'S
MEETING IS TO HEAR AND SEEK
INPUT ON THE EFFECTIVENESS OF
THE CITY'S POLICE
ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM.
AND AGAIN, BEFORE THE CITY
BEGAN NEGOTIATIONS, THIS IS A
PROCESS THAT IS REQUIRED FOR
BOTH THEM AND SPMA.
THE CURRENT CONTRACT RUNS FROM
JANUARY ONE 2014 THROUGH
DECEMBER 31 OF THIS YEAR.
THERE ARE TWO TIMING
CONSIDERATIONS THAT AFFECT WHEN
THE NEGOTIATIONS CAN BEGIN, THE
FIRST ONE IS THAT THE CITY
PROVIDED NOTICE ON JUNE 12 TO
THE SPMA OF A FORMAL HUNDRED
80 DAY INTENT TO BEGIN
BARGAINING.
AND THE CITY AND SPMA CAN NOW
BEGIN HARKENING.
BUT NO SOONER THAN 90 DAYS FROM
TONIGHT'S PUBLIC HEARING.
THAT MEANS THE CITY AND SPMA
WOULD BE ABLE TO BEGIN
NEGOTIATIONS IN DECEMBER 2019.
NOW, WITH A LARGER CONTEXT FOR
THE NEGOTIATION PROCESS IS MY
COLLEAGUE.
>> THANK YOU.
>> AS CRAIG MENTIONED I'M GOING
TO PROVIDE A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF
THE LABOR NEGOTIATIONS PROCESS
TO SET SOME CONTEXT FOR THE
STEPS THAT WILL FOLLOW
TONIGHT'S PUBLIC HEARING.
THE REVISED CODE OF WASHINGTON,
CHAPTER 4156 ESTABLISHES THE
RIGHT OF PUBLIC EMPLOYEES TO
JOIN LABOR ORGANIZATIONS, AND
TO BE REPRESENTED IN MATTERS
CONCERNING THEIR PUBLIC
EMPLOYMENT.
STATE LAW ALSO REQUIRES THAT
THE CITY AND UNIONS SUCH AS
SPMA NEGOTIATE IN GOOD FAITH ,
ALL MANDATORY SUBJECTS OF
BARGAINING.
MANDATORY SUBJECTS OF BARGAINING
ARE THOSE GENERALLY RELATING TO
WAGES, HOURS AND WORKING
CONDITIONS.
AND CONSISTENT WITH HIS EARLIER
COMMENTS, AS IN TIGHT.
THROUGH A SEPARATE PROCESS,
NEGOTIATE WITH THE CITY ON
SUBJECTS OF POLICE
ACCOUNTABILITY.
THE CITIES NEGOTIATIONS PROCESS
INCLUDES MEETINGS OF A LEGAL
RELATIONS POLICY COMMITTEE TO
ESTABLISH BARGAINING PARAMETERS,
FOR THE LABOR RELATIONS
NEGOTIATING TEAM.
THE POLICY COMMITTEE CONSISTS OF
CITY COUNCILS LABOR SELECT
COMMITTEE, WHICH IS APPOINTED
BY THE COUNCIL PRESIDENT AND
CONFIRMED THE RESOLUTION.
IN THE EXECUTIVE LABOR
COMMITTEE, WHICH THE MAYOR
APPOINTS.
THE LABOR RELATIONS POLICY
COMMITTEE MEETING MEETINGS,
CONCERN BARGAINING STRATEGY AND
NEGOTIATIONS.
AND THEY ARE THEREFORE EXCLUDED
FROM THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE
STATES PUBLIC MEETINGS ACT.
THE LABOR RELATIONS DIRECTOR,
WILL USE THE LABOR RELATIONS
POLICY COMMITTEE BARGAINING
PARAMETERS TO NEGOTIATE WHAT IS
CALLED THE TENTATIVE AGREEMENT
WITH S PMA.
WITH SPMA.
ONCE AN AGREEMENT HAS BEEN
REACHED, THEY WILL TYPICALLY
CONSIDER RATIFYING THE
POTENTIAL AGREEMENT THROUGH A
VOTE OF ITS MEMBERSHIP, AND THE
CITY'S PROCESS FOR RATIFYING
THE TENTATIVE AGREEMENT WILL BE
THROUGH A MAJORITY VOTE OF THE
FULL COUNSEL IN AN OPEN PUBLIC
MEETING.
THAT CONCLUDES OUR PREPARED
REMARKS.
>> THANK YOU.
GREG AND DAN.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF BEFORE
WE SHIFT OVER TO THE POLICE
COMMISSION?
NO.
>> JUST FOR PURPOSES OF THE
VIEWING PUBLIC, THE MEMBERS OF
THE COUNCILS LABOR SELECT
COMMITTEE INCLUDE MYSELF,
COUNCIL PRESIDENT, MOSQUEDA,
AND BAKESHOP.
I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT
FOR US TO NOTE THAT THAT IS
REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE CITY
COUNCIL PERSPECTIVE AND, RECORD
AND MAYBE YOU CAN MENTION WHO
REPRESENTS THE MAYOR'S OFFICE
IN THE LABOR RELATIONS POLICY
COMMITTEE.
>> IS TYPICALLY THE BUDGET
DIRECTOR, THE SEATTLE
DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES
DIRECTOR.
AND THE DEPUTY MAYOR.
>> THANK YOU.
IF THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS WE
ARE GOING TO MOVE TO THE SECOND
AGENDA ITEM BEFORE WE BEGIN THE
PRESENTATION.
I WILL ASK CODY TO READ AGENDA
ITEM 2 INTO THE RECORD.
>> AGENDA ITEM 2 PRESENTATION
BY THE COMMUNITY POLICE
COMMISSION.
>> YOU CAN LEAVE YOU LIKE.
THANK YOU CODY.
THANK YOU TO OUR COUNSEL
CENTRAL STAFF FOR BEING WITH US
LATE IN THE EVENING.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.
LET'S GO AHEAD AND DO A ROUND
OF INTRODUCTIONS AND THEN I
WILL HAND IT OVER TO YOU ALL TO
WALK US THROUGH A QUICK
PRESENTATION.
>> THANK YOU.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ELISE
COMMISSION.
>> COMMISSIONER.
>> COMMISSIONER COCHAIR.
>> ONE OF THREE COCHAIRS.
>> ONE OF THE COCHAIRS.
>> THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING WITH
US.
YOU GOING TO KICK US OFF.
>> THANK YOU COUNCIL PRESIDENT
AND MADAM CHAIR.
I WILL SPEAK FOR A FEW MINUTES
AND WILL BE FOLLOWED UP BY THE
OTHERS.
I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE
DIRECTOR IS IN THE AUDIENCE AS
WELL AS THE INSPECTOR GENERAL
JUDGE AND THANK THEM FOR BEING
HERE.
SEVERAL COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND
ORGANIZATIONS HAVE LET US KNOW
OF OTHER COMPETING EVENTS THIS
EVENING.
THEY THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO BE
HERE.
THEY REMAIN COMMITTED TO THIS
WORK AND WANT TO STAY ENGAGED
AS WORK ON THE CONTRACTS
CONTINUES.
FIRST, WE SHOULD RECOGNIZE THAT
THIS IS A UNIQUE HEARING.
THE FACT THAT WE ARE HAVING IT
REFLECTS THE MANY YEARS OF
ADVOCACY BY ORGANIZATIONS AND
INDIVIDUALS IN OUR COMMUNITY ON
POLICE REFORM.
IN 2017, AS A RESULT OF
UNPRECEDENTED PARTNERSHIPS
BETWEEN THE CDC, COMMUNITY
GROUPS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS, A
POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY LAW WAS
ADOPTED.
THAT LAW HAS NOT BEEN FULLY
IMPLEMENTED.
POLICE CONTRACT TERMS DO NOT
ALIGN WITH THE LAW, THE FEDERAL
COURT OVERSEEING THE AGREEMENT
BETWEEN THE CITY AND DEPARTMENT
OF JUSTICE HAS FOUND THAT THE
CITY IS OUT OF COMPLIANCE WITH
THE CONSENT AGREEMENT.
IT AGREED THAT MANY PROVISIONS
IN THE CONTRACTS CONFLICT WITH
ACCOUNTABILITY LAW REFORMS AND
ARE INCONSISTENT WITH THE
PURPOSES OF THE CONSENT DECREE.
THE SECRECY CONTINUES TO
STRONGLY SUPPORT THE RIGHT OF
ALL UNIONS, INCLUDING POLICE
UNIONS TO COLLECTIVELY BARGAIN.
BECAUSE OF THE IMPORTANT ROLE
POLICE CONTRACTS PLAY, AND MANY
BARGAINING CYCLES, THE CITY
AGREED TO CONTRACTS THAT DO NOT
INCORPORATE RECOMMENDATIONS TO
STRENGTHEN SEATTLE SYSTEM,
COMMUNITY ADVOCATES WORK WITH
THE CITY COUNCIL OVER THE YEARS
TO ENSURE THAT EACH TIME THE
CITY PREPARES TO BEGIN
NEGOTIATIONS FOR THE POLICE
CONTRACT, THERE WOULD BE
SENSITIVE INPUT FROM COMMUNITY
AND FROM CIVILIAN OVERSIGHT
OFFICIALS AS THE CITY CREATES
AS BARGAINING AGENDAS.
AS MENTIONED, IN 2008,
ADVOCATES WORKED TO ADD A
REQUIREMENT IN CITY LAW FOR THE
CITY COUNCIL AND THE CBC TO
HOLD A JOINT HEARING ON THE
EFFECTIVENESS OF THE CITY'S
POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM.
AT LEAST 90 DAYS BEFORE THE
CITY BEGINS NEGOTIATIONS WITH
EITHER POLICE UNION.
THE PURPOSE IS TO GIVE THE
COMMUNITY A MEANINGFUL
OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT ON HOW
WELL THE POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY
IS WORKING.
AND WHAT THE CITY THEY SHOULD
BE.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>> 2017, ADVOCATES AND
OVERSIGHT OFFICIALS WORK WITH
CITY COUNCIL TO ADD A SECOND
REQUIREMENT, OSHER.
THAN A 2017 ADVOCATES AND
CIVILIAN OVERSIGHT OFFICIALS
WORKED WITH YOU THE CITY
COUNCIL TO ADD A SECOND
REQUIREMENT IN ADDITION TO THE
ONE BESSIE MENTIONED.
THAT THE CITY ELECTED OFFICIALS
ALSO GET INPUT FROM THE CITY
CIVILIAN OVERSIGHT OFFICIALS,
NAMELY THE CBC, THE OFFICE OF
POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY, AND THE
OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL FOR
PUBLIC SAFETY.
AND BECAUSE OF A LAWYER I CAN'T
DROP A REFERENCE TO SECTION 3.29
4608 OF THE ACCOUNTABILITY LAW.
ONE REASON FOR GETTING THIS
INPUT IS THE PARTIES WERE
NEGOTIATING THE CONTRACT, THE
CITY AND UNIONS, HAVE TO BE
CLEAR ABOUT THE AGENDAS BEFORE
BARGAINING BEGINS.
AS WE'VE HEARD BEFORE, YOU
CANNOT JUST ADD OTHER ISSUES
DURING NEGOTIATIONS.
AND AT THE SAME TIME WE HAVE TO
ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE CITY HAS
OTHER ISSUES BESIDES
ACCOUNTABILITY THAT IT WANTS TO
ADDRESS AND ACCOUNTS CONTRACTS.
IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THEY ARE
AWARE OF HOW WELL THE
ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM IS
WORKING OR NOT WORKING.
AND HOW THE WEAKNESSES IN THE
SYSTEM MAY BE CAUSED BY THINGS
EMBEDDED IN THE CONTRACTS
THEMSELVES.
OTHERWISE, THE CONCERN IS THE
ACCOUNTABILITY ASPECTS OF THE
CONTRACTS, WHEN TAKEN IN
COMBINATION WITH ALL THE OTHER
PRIORITIES, THAT THESE
ACCOUNTABILITY ASPECTS CAN GET
THE PRIORITIZED OR PARTIALLY
ADDRESS.
ALSO, AS WE HAVE SEEN, EVEN
WHEN CONTRACTS HAVE REACHED THE
END OF THEIR TERM, THE EXISTING
CONTRACTS REMAIN IN EFFECT FOR
AS LONG AS IT TAKES THE CITY
AND YOU NEED TO REACH AGREEMENT
ON THE NEXT CONTRACT.
THAT CAN OFTEN, HAS RECENTLY
SEEN, TAKE SEVERAL YEARS.
AND SO ANY PROBLEMS THAT HAVE
BEEN IDENTIFIED IN THE
CONTRACTS THAT WERE NOT SECURE
DURING THE LAST ROUND, A
BARGAINING, WOULD REMAIN AS
PROBLEMS UNTIL THE NEW CONTRACT
COMES AROUND.
SO, GETTING INPUT FROM THE
COMMUNITY AND THE CIVILIAN
OVERSIGHT OFFICIALS, AT THIS
STAGE, TO MAKE SURE THE CITIES
AGENDA COVERS EACH OF THE
PROVISIONS THAT NEEDS TO BE
FIXED, IS AN IMPORTANT
IMPROVEMENT THAT WE HAVE SEEN
AS A RESULT OF THE 2017
ACCOUNTABILITY LAW.
SO WE HAVE COVERED TWO KEY
MEASURES, BUT I WANT TO CALL
ATTENTION TO A THIRD REFORM.
THAT THE CBC RECOMMENDED AND
THAT WAS DISCUSSED WHEN THE
ACCOUNTABILITY LAW WAS PASSED
AND IT WAS DISCUSSED, I SHOULD
ADD LAST TIME THE SBA MAKE
CONTRACT FOR APPROVAL WITH THE
CITY COUNCIL.
WHICH IS THE CITY HOUSTON
ADVISORY BARGAINING, WITH
EXPERTISE IN ACCOUNTABILITY
SYSTEM REFORM AND POLICE
CONTRACT REFORM, WE DISCUSSED
THIS SEVERAL TIMES WITH THE
CITY COUNCIL.
I WANT TO BE REALLY CLEAR THAT
THIS WAS NOT THE RECOMMENDATION
FOR OPENING BARGAINING.
AT ALL.
GROPING BARGAINING.
THE RECOMMENDATION IS TO HAVE
SOMEONE RECOMMENDED BY THE
CIVILIAN OVERSIGHT OFFICIALS
WITH EXPERTISE AND KNOWS THE
ISSUES RAISED BY COMMUNITY, AND
EXPERIENCES WITH THE SYSTEM,
AND WHO WILL BE FOCUSED ON THE
RECOMMENDATIONS MADE BY THE
OVERSIGHT ENTITIES TO ADDRESS
THE PROBLEMS THAT HAVE BEEN
IDENTIFIED.
THIS ADVISOR COULD ARE SHOULD
ASSESS BARGAINING AGENDAS
BEFORE THEY ARE FINALIZED AND
THEN BE IN THE ROOM TO PROVIDE
INSIGHT AND ANALYSIS AS
NEGOTIATIONS PROCEED.
GETTING THE BARGAINING
PRIORITIES RIGHT AT THE
BEGINNING IS CRITICAL.
BUT BECAUSE THE BARGAINING
PROCESS IS CLOSED AND I WANT TO
STRESS THIS IS NOT A
RECOMMENDATION FOR OPENING IT,
BECAUSE IT IS CLOSE, UNTIL
AFTER THE CONTRACT HAS BEEN
TENTATIVELY AGREED, IT IS
CRITICAL THE CITY UTILIZE THIS
KIND OF ADDITIONAL EXPERTISE
DURING NEGOTIATIONS.
TONIGHT'S HEARING, AS WE HAVE
HEARD, IS ABOUT THE SPMA
CONTRACT.
BUT WE ALSO KNOW THERE ARE TWO
CONTRACTS.
THE SPMA CONTRACT, AND THE
SPOT CONTRACT.
IDEALLY, A SINGLE HEARING WOULD
BE HELD TO INCLUDE BOTH
CONTRACTS.
BECAUSE THESE CONTRACTS TO WORK
TOGETHER.
AND WE HOPE THAT GOING FORWARD,
THAT WILL BECOME THE PRACTICE
IN THE FUTURE.
EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE DIFFERENT
BARGAINING UNITS, ONE OF THE
RECOMMENDATIONS THAT HAS BEEN
MADE SEVERAL TIMES, IS TO
ENSURE THAT WHEN IT COMES TO
ACCOUNTABILITY, CONTRACTS DON'T
ALLOW FOR DIFFERENT RANKS TO BE
TREATED DIFFERENTLY.
BOTH I WOULD THINK WE WOULD ALL
AGREE THAT BOTH SHOULD HAVE
BEST PRACTICES.
THAT OPA SHOULD NOT HAVE
DIFFERENT APPROACHES TO
INVESTIGATIONS FOR THE SAME
KIND OF MISCONDUCT DEPENDING ON
WHAT RANK IS INVOLVED.
THE DISCIPLINE STANDARDS SHOULD
BE THE SAME.
REGARDLESS OF RANK.
AND I WOULD NOTE THAT THE 2017
ACCOUNTABILITY LAW, THE
CONTRACT TERMS RELATING TO THE
ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM, SHOULD
TREAT ALL RANKS EQUIVALENT.
WITH THAT I WILL PASS IT OVER
TO HELEN.
>> THANK YOU.
THAT BRINGS US TO NOW.
IN A FEW MINUTES WE WILL HEAR
TESTIMONY FROM EVERYONE.
THE CBC, YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR
TESTIMONY FROM EVERYONE THIS
EVENING.
AND WE ARE ALSO, WILL ACCEPT
THE LETTERS OR EMAILS THAT MAY
BE SUBMITTED.
THAN THE CBC, TOGETHER WITH THE
OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL FOR
PUBLIC SAFETY, AND THE OFFICE
OF POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY, WILL
TAKE WHAT WE HEAR TONIGHT, AND
INCORPORATE THAT INTO
RECOMMENDATIONS WE MAKE TO THE
MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.
OUR RECOMMENDATION, WILL
INCLUDE A DETAILED ANALYSIS OF
THE CONTRACTS ACCOUNTABILITY
PROVISIONS, THAT DO NOT REFLECT
BEST PRACTICES.
AND WILL HIGHLIGHT PROVISIONS
THAT DIVERGE FROM THE REFORMS
IN THE ACCOUNTABILITY LAW THAT
WAS ADOPTED IN 2017.
WE ALSO WILL ADD NEW ISSUES AND
SUGGESTED BEST PRACTICES THAT
WE ALL HAVE IDENTIFIED SINCE
THE 2017 LAW WAS ADOPTED.
YOU DO NOT NEED TO BE, I'M
SPEAKING TO THE FOLKS BEHIND
ME, YOU DO NOT NEED TO BE
SPEAKING CONTRACT LAW TO PROVIDE
-- THIS EVENING, CONTRACTS ARE
DENSE.
AND THE IMPLICATIONS OF
SPECIFIC PHRASING CAN BE HARD
TO DISCERN.
THESE DOCUMENTS ARE NOT
PARTICULARLY ACCESSIBLE FOR
MOST OF US.
AND BY THAT I MEAN THEY ARE NOT
EASY TO UNDERSTAND.
BUT ...
THESE CONTRACTS DO HAVE TO BE
ADDRESSED IN ORDER FOR US TO
MOVE FORWARD WITH A STRONG
ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM.
SO WE WANT TO HEAR FROM THE
FOLKS BEHIND ME.
IF REFORM IN THE CONTRACTS IS A
PRIORITY FOR YOU, WE WANT TO
HEAR IF YOU BELIEVE THAT
SEATTLE'S POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY
SYSTEM IS FAIR, AND EFFECTIVE.
WE WENT TO HEAR IF YOU HAVE
TRUST THAT IF SEATTLE POLICE
OFFICERS VIOLATE RULES, THAT
THEY WILL BE APPROPRIATELY
DISCIPLINED AND HELD TO ACCOUNT.
IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO HEAR
YOUR EXPERIENCE AND YOUR VIEWS
ABOUT WHAT DO YOU TRUST THE
SYSTEM.
AND HOW WELL YOU THINK IT IS
WORKING.
FOR DECADES NOW ARE CITY LEADERS
HAVE COMMITTED TO REFORMS IN
THE POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY
SYSTEM.
BUT THEN SOME OF THOSE PROMISES
WERE NOT REALIZED IN THE
CONTRACTS THAT THE CITY
NEGOTIATED WITH THE POLICE
UNIONS.
THIS CAN BE PROBLEMATIC FOR
ENSURING COMMUNITY TRUST.
CPC IS COMMITTED TO WORKING
WITH SEATTLE POLICE OFFICERS
TO MAKE SURE THEY HAVE WHAT
THEY NEED TO DO THEIR BEST.
TO DO THEIR JOBS TO THE BEST OF
THEIR ABILITIES BUT THEY CAN'T
DO THAT WITHOUT COMMUNITY
TRUST.
ONE WAY TO BUILD THAT PUBLIC
TRUST AS NEEDED IS TO MAKE SURE
THESE CONTRACTS FULLY ENABLE
AND DO NOT UNDERCUT A STRONG
ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM.
AND THAT CONCLUDES THE CPC'S
PRESENTATION.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I THINK WE ARE DONE WITH THE
PRESENTATION PORTION.
I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR
JOINING US AT THE TABLE TO
PROVIDE THE PERSPECTIVE FROM
THE COMMUNITY POLICE
COMMISSION'S PERSPECTIVE.
I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO
ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE HAVE QUITE
A FEW PEOPLE IN ATTENDANCE
TONIGHT, SO THANK YOU ALL FOR
MAKING IT OUT THIS EVENING TO
JOIN US FOR THIS TESTIMONY.
THAT EVERYONE HAS SIGNED UP TO
GIVE TESTIMONY, BUT FOR THOSE
OF YOU WHO DID NOT SIGN UP THAT
ARE HERE TO LISTEN, WE
APPRECIATE THAT YOU ARE HERE.
IS A VERY DIVERSE CROWD AND I
REALLY WANT TO APPRECIATE THE
FACT THAT YOU ALL ARE HERE
BECAUSE YOU CARE ABOUT THIS
ISSUE.
SECONDLY I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE,
DIRECTOR WHO IS AN AUDIENCE.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
OUR OFFICE OF INSPECTOR
GENERAL, INSPECTOR GENERAL AND
THERE'S A JUDGE IN THE AUDIENCE
AND WE HAVE REPRESENTATIVES FROM
THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN
RESOURCES AND LABOR RELATIONS
WERE HERE TO LISTEN AND I THINK
THAT IS A GOOD PRACTICE FOR US
TO ALL BE ABLE TO BE HERE IN
THIS ROOM EVEN IF WE ARE NOT
MAKING PRESENTATIONS TO LISTEN
TO EACH OTHER AND TO LEARN FROM
EACH OTHER.
YOU ALL ARE WELCOME TO STAY AT
THE TABLE WITH US IF YOU WOULD
LIKE TO, YOU ARE ALSO WELCOME
TO MOVE BACK INTO THE AUDIENCE
IF THAT IS MORE COMFORTABLE FOR
YOU AS WELL.
I WILL LEAVE IT UP TO YOU.
NO PRESSURE.
EITHER WAY.
WE ARE GOING TO BEGIN THE
PROCESS OF RECEIVING PUBLIC
TESTIMONY, THERE ARE SOME
SHEETS IN THE FRONT, IF YOU
WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE TESTIMONY
ON THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING
AGREEMENT WITH THE SEATTLE
POLICE MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION,
I ASKED THAT YOU MAKE YOUR WAY
UP TO THE FRONT & ONTO THE
SHEET.
EACH INDIVIDUAL HAVE UP TO TWO
MINUTES TO PROVIDE PUBLIC
TESTIMONY, IF YOUR HERE'S A
GROUP, YOU WILL GET UP TO FIVE
MINUTES TO PROVIDE PUBLIC
TESTIMONY, THEIR TIMERS UP IN
FRONT THAT SHOW THE TIME WILL
ALSO BE A LITTLE BELL TO MAKE
SURE THAT BELL IS ON.
TO GIVE PEOPLE AN AUDITORY
QUEUE THAT TIME IS UP AS WELL.
YOU ARE STARTING TO GO UP YOUR
TIME I AM GOING TO GENTLY AND
THEN MORE FORCEFULLY REMIND YOU
THAT YOUR TIME IS UP AND ASK
YOU TO CONCLUDE YOUR REMARKS.
WE DO WANT TO HEAR FROM
EVERYONE WHO SIGNED UP SO I ASK
YOU TO BE VERY COURTEOUS ABOUT
THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT YOU
HAVE ALLOTTED TO YOU TO GIVE
PUBLIC TESTIMONY.
IF YOU ARE SHY, OR DON'T WANT
TO BE ON THE CAMERA, WE HAVE
WRITTEN COMMENT FORMS UP AT THE
FRONT.
THAT YOU CAN COMPLETE AND LEAVE
WITH A COURT.
AND WE WILL GO AHEAD AND PUT
THOSE INTO THE RECORD AS WELL.
YOU CAN ALSO EMAIL MY OFFICE,
ARENA.
TRAN27@SEATTLE.SHE'LL BE.
I ALMOST FORGOT HOW TO SPELL MY
LAST NAME.
WE WILL ALSO BE COLLECTING
THOSE AND PUTTING THOSE INTO
THE PUBLIC RECORD AS WELL.
LOTS OF WAYS FOR YOU TO PROVIDE
INPUT TONIGHT.
THIS IS NOT INCLUDE STANDING UP
WITH THE MICROPHONE.
I KNOW THAT FOLKS ARE ALSO
INTERESTED IN THE SEATTLE
POLICE GUILD CONTRACT, THAT IS
A HEARING WE WILL HAVE LATER.
BUT FOR TONIGHT WE ARE FOCUSED
ON THE SEATTLE POLICE
MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION
COLLECTIVE BARGAINING
AGREEMENT.
OKAY, THAT BEING SAID WE ARE
GOING TO GO AHEAD AND START
PUBLIC TESTIMONY.
ONCE AGAIN, FOR THE AUDIENCE,
REMINDER, SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES
TO HAVE OTHER COMMITMENTS AND
WILL HAVE TO DASH, PLEASE DO
NOT BE OFFENDED BY THAT.
THEY WILL WATCH AND LISTEN
LATER, I AM SURE.
THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.
I'M GOING TO CALL UP THE FIRST
THREE NAMES, AS I CALL YOUR
NAME PLEASE COME UP TO ONE OF
THE TWO MICROPHONES, AND AND WE
WILL GO AHEAD AND GET YOU GOING.
THE FIRST ONE IS ADRIAN WELLER,
THE SECOND PERSON WILL BE
MARRIED TO HERE, THE THIRD
PERSON WILL BE MARGUERITE SHARD.
SHOULD I START?
>> I'M ADRIAN WELLER FOR
RADICAL WOMEN AND THE FREEDOM
SOCIALIST PARTY.
ON THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE
CITY'S POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY
SYSTEM.
THE COMMUNITY POLICE COMMISSION
IS UNDERMINED BY THE MAYOR'S
USE OF THE POLICE UNION
CONTRACT AN OUTSIDE REVIEW
OARD THAT OVERTURNED THE
FIRING OF THE COP WHO PUNCHED
HANDCUFFED BLACK WOMAN IN THE
FACE.
POLICE VIOLENCE IS ALLOWED
AGAINST THE MOST OPPRESSED IN
OUR SOCIETY.
WOMEN OF COLOR, POOR AND
IMMIGRANT WOMEN, SIX WORKERS,
LGBT Q PEOPLE, HOMELESS, AND
THOSE WITH MENTAL HEALTH AND
DISABILITY ISSUES.
THE REAL PROBLEM IS A LACK OF
POWER.
IN 1965, THE SEATTLE BLACK
MOVEMENT DEMANDED INDEPENDENT
REVIEW BOARDS OF POLICE
PRACTICES.
WE STILL NEED AN ELECTED
CIVILIAN REVIEW BOARD.
IT WOULD FUNCTION DIFFERENTLY
FROM THE PRESENT INEFFECTIVE
COMMUNITY POLICE COMMISSION,
BECAUSE IT WOULD BE ELECTED AT
THE GRASSROOTS LEVEL BY THE
COMMUNITIES.
NOT APPOINTED BY CITY OFFICIALS.
AN ELECTED CIVILIAN REVIEW
BOARD WOULD HAVE THE TEETH TO
INVESTIGATE AND SUBPOENA
WITNESSES, AND HAVE A SPECIAL
PROSECUTOR WOULD HAVE POWER TO
DISCIPLINE AND PROSECUTE ABUSE
OF PROPS.
POLICE BRUTALITY WILL ALWAYS
EXIST IN A CAPITALIST SOCIETY,
WHERE IT IS THE FUNCTION OF
COPS TO PROTECT PRIVATE PROPERTY
AND BIG BUSINESS.
ELIMINATING THE ROOT OF POLICE
VIOLENCE WOULD MEAN GETTING RID
OF CAPITALISM.
IN THE MEANTIME, WE URGENTLY
NEED A VEHICLE OF HOLDING THE
POLICE ACCOUNTABLE.
>> THANK YOU ADRIAN.
NEXT UP IS OMAR HE.
>> BOTH OF THEM ARE ON.
MY NAME IS OMARI [
INDISCERNIBLE ]. I WANT TO TELL
YOU THAT IN THE LATE 1950s,
THE POLICE ORDERED ONE OF OUR
13-YEAR-OLD SCHOOLMATES AT A
JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL AND THAT IS
THE FIRST TIME I BECAME AWARE
OF GUN VIOLENCE.
I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO
O'BRIEN, WANT TO SAY GOODBYE
TO MY SCHOOLMATE, WE WANT TO
WELCOME BACK TO THE LEGAL
COMMUNITY, WE NEED ALL THE
LAWYERS THAT WE CAN GET.
BECAUSE GENTRIFICATION IS JUST
THE COMPLETE OPPOSITE OF
REPARATIONS.
OF THEM PAYING US FOR WORKING
IS FOR 400 YEARS SO THAT WE
COULD COME MAKE A COUPLE OF
SOCIETY THEY RAISE THE PRICE ON
EVERYTHING, BUT MY FIRST HOUSE
I WAS 19, AND 1966 FOR $70,000.
NOW THAT HOUSE IS WORTH
$700,000.
IS RIDICULOUS FOR THE POLCE TO
TELL THE PEOPLE THAT HIRED THEM
HOW THEY ARE GOING TO WORK.
WOULD YOU LET A DOCTOR OF A
HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA OPERATE ON
YOU WITH A SCALPEL?
HOW CAN YOU GIVE A POLICEMAN A
WEAPON MUCH MORE DANGEROUS THAN
A SCALPEL AND SEND HIM OUT INTO
THE COMMUNITY TO OPERATE ON THE
COMMUNITY?
ANOTHER PLEA SHOULD ONLY BE
ALLOWED TO BE A POLICEMAN FOR
FIVE YEARS.
DURING THAT TIME, THEY SHOULD
HAVE TO GO TO SCHOOL AND GET A
TEACHING CERTIFICATE AND THEN
TEACH FOR FIVE YEARS AND THEN
THEY CAN COME BACK.
WITH THIS CONSTANT BEING ON THE
BATTLEFIELD AS A TEACHER, IS
RIDICULOUS.
IF YOU ARE GO ON THE INTERNET,
AFTER TWO YEARS, IT IS CALLED A
CUMULATIVE PTSD.
AND THAT IS THE ONLY WAY A
POLICEMAN CAN MURDER A 90 POUND
PREGNANT WOMAN IN FRONT OF HER
KIDS AND NOT THINK ANYTHING
ABOUT IT.
IS MIKE WILLIAMS.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
NEXT PERSON IS MARGUERITE SHARD
FOLLOWED BY ROY MARTIN BROWN.
AND THEN WE HAVE A GROUP.
>> GOOD DAY EVERYONE.
I CAN BARELY HEAR MYSELF.
BUT ANYWAY, IF THIS IS WORKING.
THAT'S GOOD.
I'VE BEEN DOWN HERE QUITE A FEW
TIMES.
AND I KNOW THE SYSTEM IS NOT
WORKING BECAUSE THE OTHER DAY
WHEN I WAS AT THE COMMISSION I
WAS ASKED TO SIT DOWN AND SO
WAS MR. GARRETT.
I HAD TO TELL HIM NOT TO TALK
TO ME LIKE THAT AND SO IF I
DON'T DO WHAT MR. CHARLIE TELLS
ME TO DO THEN THEY CALL THE
GUARDS.
AND THEN THEY CALL THE POLICE.
AND SO DO YOU THINK THAT THAT
IS FAIR?
WHAT I'M SAYING TO YOU, WE HAVE
BLACK ISSUES THAT WE HAVE
MULTICULTURAL PEOPLE THAT GET
INVOLVED IN OUR BUSINESS.
AND THEIR BUSINESS IS NOT OUR
BUSINESS.
AND WE NEED TO LEARN HOW TO
TAKE CARE OF OUR BUSINESS
WITHOUT OTHER PEOPLE GETTING IN
OUR BUSINESS AND TELLING US
ABOUT HOW WE GOT OVER HERE,
WHAT JIM CROW DID TO US, AND
WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
I AM TELLING YOU, YOU ARE NOT
LISTENING.
BECAUSE IF YOU LISTEN YOU WOULD
NOT BE SITTING UP THERE TALKING
ABOUT WHY WE NEED TO BE HERE TO
SEE ABOUT MANAGEMENT.
AND YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT THE
OFFICE OF PROFESSIONAL
ACCOUNTABILITY, THAT IS REALLY
ALL YOU SHOULD NEED.
BUT BECAUSE IT IS NOT
ACCOUNTABLE, THEN YOU HAVE TO
HAVE THIS COMMISSION THAT SITS
THERE AND YOU SAID SPEAK FOR
US?
HOW CAN YOU SPEAK FOR US?
IF YOU DON'T SPEAK LIKE ME,
THEN HOW CAN YOU SPEAK FOR ME?
YOU ARE NOT ME, I HAVE MY OWN
MIND, AND GOD GAVE ME THE MIND
TO SPEAK AND TALK ABOUT THE
ISSUES AT HAND.
AND THAT IS WHAT I'M GOING TO
KEEP ON DOING AND YOU ARE GOING
TO STOP THIS SO PRESCIENT,
REPRESSION, AND SUPPRESSION AND
DEPRESSION, OF THE BLACK PERSON
HERE IN THIS COUNTRY.
IT IS CALLED GENERATIONAL %
POVERTY, AND COMMUNITY TRAUMA.
AND I WANT TO SEND OUT MY
CONDOLENCES TO THE YOUNG MAN
THEY GOT KILLED IN THE TUNNEL
BECAUSE HIS GRANDMOTHER CALLED
ME FROM TEXAS AND TOLD ME IT
WAS HER GRANDSON.
>> THE NEXT PERSON IS ROY
MARTIN BROWN.
FOLLOWED BY THE CUNNINGHAM
GROUP.
AND THEN JEFF ROBINSON.
EXPECT IT EVENING.
MY NAME IS ROY MARTIN BROWN.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK AND HONOR
WAS BACK WE HAVE TO THANK YOU
WHO ARE COMMISSIONERS WHO PUT
ON THIS ROAD FOR A LONG TIME TO
TRY TO MAKE SURE THE POLICE,
OUR COMMUNITY ACCOUNTABLE.
THE OTHER THING I WANT TO THANK
THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, AS PER WAS
PROVIDING THIS OPPORTUNITY TO
US TO SPEAK TO YOU ABOUT OUR
NEEDS.
THE THING I WOULD LIKE TO POINT
OUT IS WE NEED TO HAVE ONE
CONVERSATION ABOUT BOTH
CONTRACTS AT SOME POINT IN TIME.
SO THAT MORE PEOPLE CAN BE
INVOLVED IN OUR COMMUNITIES,
FROM FEMALE COMMUNITIES,
COMMUNITIES AND OTHER
COMMUNITIES THAT ARE AFFECTED.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> THANK YOU SIR.
NEXT UP IS THE CUNNINGHAM GROUP
AND -- FOLLOWED BY ...
>> GOOD EVENING, WELCOME.
>> HI.
I AM 15 YEARS OLD I WOULD LIKE
TO SAY A FEW WORDS.
WE ARE HERE TO SUPPORT THE WORK
OF THE SEATTLE POLICE
DEPARTMENT, WE BELIEVE IN
ACCOUNTABILITY, THERE ARE SO
MANY LAYERS OF ACCOUNTABILITY
AND WE KNOW THAT OFFICERS ARE
LEAVING THIS DEPARTMENT.
IT AFFECTS OUR CITY AND THE
CRIME WE SEE DAILY.
WE ALL NEED TO EXPRESS OUR
SUPPORT FOR THE HARD WORK THEY
ARE DOING IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
>> HI.
I AM 16 YEARS OLD.
I GO TO SCHOOL AT
>> HOST: HIGH SCHOOL.
I WANT TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF
VICOR.
AND THAT WE DO LIE.
ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM, IS KIND
OF RUSHING OUT ALL THE GOOD
COPS WE KNOW AS OFFICER GARCIA,
DS, DETECTIVE COOKIE, AND
RODRIGUEZ, THE THING IS, ABOUT
THE SIX ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM,
THERE ARE NOT SOME BAD COPS OUT
THERE.
THERE ARE SOME IN DIFFERENT
COUNTRIES.
IT'S JUST THAT WE ARE ASSUMING
OR JUMPING TO CONCLUSIONS ON
THINGS.
THAT'S HOW I THINK OF IT IN MY
PERSPECTIVE.
IT IS HARD FOR THE NEW COPS TO
GO AWAY, THEY WORK HARD, THEY
HELP OUR COMMUNITY, WITHOUT THE
GOOD COPS, WE WOULDN'T EXIST.
IT'S JUST THAT THERE'S A THING
CALLED STRANGER DANGER.
IT'S JUST THAT IF THERE'S
SOMEONE NEW, FROM THE POLICE
FORCE AND WE DON'T RECOGNIZE
THAT PERSON, OR WE DON'T EVEN
SEE THAT PERSON AT ALL, IN OUR
HEAD WE ARE THINKING, WHO IS
THIS PERSON?
HOW SHOULD WE APPROACH THIS
SAFELY OR CAUTIOUSLY?
SOMETIMES PEOPLE CAN GET INTO
PANIC MODE, AND WITHOUT
THINKING AHEAD THEY JUST START
GOING CRAZY AND STUFF GETS OUT
OF HAND.
OR OUT OF CONTROL.
I JUST WANT TO SAY, THE
ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM IS KIND OF
NOT OKAY.
I DON'T TRUST IT.
KIND OF WAY.
BUT IS JUST THAT I JUST WANT TO
SAY THAT I JUST DON'T WANT THE
GOOD COPS LEAVING.
I WANT TO LET THEM KNOW THERE
ARE SO MANY GOOD GUYS OUT
THERE.
THEY WORK HARD.
THEY DO EVERYTHING.
WITH ALL NEGATIVE ENERGY AROUND
US, THERE'S NOT MUCH OF ANY
POSITIVE ENERGY AROUND US.
I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT.
PEOPLE WHO ARE AFFECTED FROM
THE POLICE BRUTALITY,
ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM, I WANT
TO TELL YOU ALL THAT THE MATTER
HOW DARK THE DAY IS, JUST
ALWAYS KNOW THERE IS GOING TO
BE A SUNLIGHT SHINING THROUGH
YOUR DAY AND THAT'S PRETTY MUCH
IT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> THANK YOU.
ANYONE ELSE FROM THE GROUP?
WE ARE GOOD?
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
WE ARE GOING TO HEAR FROM JEFF
ROBERTSON, HOWARD GALE, AND
THEN WHEN CHOW.
>> MY NAME IS JEFF ROBINSON,
AND I'M A DEPUTY LEGAL DIRECTOR
AT THE NATIONAL ACLU AND WANTED
TO COMMENT ON A NATIONAL
PERSPECTIVE.
WHEN CONTRACTS WITH POLICE
DEPARTMENTS ARE DONE WITHOUT
TRULY TAKING INTO ACCOUNT INPUT
FROM COMMUNITIES MOST IMPACTED
BY POLICE PRACTICES, IT SENDS A
VERY CLEAR MESSAGE TO THE
COMMUNITY.
YOU WILL HAVE NO SAY IN HOW WE
POLICE YOU.
AND I KNOW THAT IS NOT THE
MESSAGE THAT THE CITY COUNCIL
WANTS TO SEND TO THE COMMUNITY
IN SEATTLE.
IN 2016 A GROUP CALLED CAMPAIGN
ZERO DID AN ANALYSIS OF LEASE
CONTRACTS AND 81 OF THE 100
LARGEST CITIES IN AMERICA.
WHAT THEY FOUND WAS THE VAST
MAJORITY OF THOSE CONTRACTS
HAVE PROVISIONS THAT WERE
ROADBLOCKS TO ACCOUNTABILITY.
DISCIPLINE WAS LIMITED.
PUBLIC ACCESS TO RECORDS WAS
BLOCKED.
EXPUNGING SUSTAINED AND UN-
SUSTAINED DISCIPLINE RECORDS
AND HAVING AN ELEVATED STANDARD
FOR THE MOST SERIOUS KIND OF
POLICE MISCONDUCT, IN OTHER
WORDS, THE MORE SERIOUS THE
POLICE MISCONDUCT, THE MORE
DIFFICULT IT IS TO PROVE IT.
ANYBODY OUT HERE WHO GETS
CHARGED WITH A CRIME DOES NOT
HAVE THAT STANDARD.
SHOPLIFTING, FIRST DEGREE
MURDER, THERE IS ONE STANDARD.
AND IT SHOULD NOT BE DIFFERENT
WITH POLICE OFFICERS
THE SEAL YOU IS ALWAYS
CONCERNED WITH DUE PROCESS.
AND THAT DOES NOT MEAN STACKING
THE DECK IN THE FAVOR OF
OFFICERS.
I AM A FORMER TEAMSTER.
WHO DROVE A FORKLIFT IN WALKIE.
I AM PROUNION.
BUT BEING PROUNION, IS NOT MEAN
HAVING AN ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM
THAT DOES NOT HOLD OFFICERS
ACCOUNTABLE.
WE SHOULD NOT BE LOOKING AT
OTHER CITIES TO SEE WHAT DO
THEY HAVE DONE.
BECAUSE QUITE FRANKLY, THERE
ARE NOT OTHER CITIES IN AMERICA
THAT ARE DOING THIS RIGHT.
THE EYES OF AMERICA ARE GOING
TO BE ON SEATTLE.
BECAUSE SEATTLE IS SEEN AS A
LEADER IN THIS AREA.
I'M ASKING YOU TO PLEASE
UNDERSTAND THAT.
DON'T LOOK AT WHAT OTHER CITIES
DO, LOOK AT WHAT SHOULD BE
DONE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> THANK YOU.
>> [ APPLAUSE ]
>> I WAS GOOD TO SEE JEFF.
ALSO KNOWN AS MY FORMER LAW
PARTNER.
AND FRIENDS.
AND APPRECIATE YOUR WORDS
TONIGHT.
HOWARD, YOU WILL BE FOLLOWED BY
TRENT MING CHOW.
>> I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO
REVISIT HISTORY, TWO YEARS AGO
22 MONTHS AGO WHEN THE SPMA
CONTRACT CAME UP I WAS THE ONE
THAT ERASED THE ALARM.
'S ARTICLE PUBLISHED IN THE
SEATTLE WEEKLY, CONCERNING THE
ISSUE ABOUT ARBITRATION.
AT THAT TIME, THE CPC DID NOT
TAKE THAT ISSUE UP.
AND COUNCILMEMBER GONZALEZ AT
THAT POINT ACTUALLY SAID
ARBITRATION WOULD BE OPEN TO
THE PUBLIC.
YOUR STATEMENT THAT ARBITRATION
WOULD BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AND
TRANSPARENT WAS A STATEMENT
THAT WAS MADE JUST PRIOR TO THE
VOTE ON THAT SPMA CONTRACT.
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT, IT
HIGHLIGHTS THE FACT THAT THERE
IS A FONT PROCESS HERE.
IN THE ENTIRE LABOR RELATIONS
COMMITTEE.
SO TWO QUICK POINTS, ANYONE CAN
BE ON THE COMMITTEE.
ACCORDING TO THE SEATTLE THING
IS FOR, ANYONE CAN BE ON THE
COMMITTEE.
INFECTED MANDATES AND MANDATES
THAT NO BINDING AGREEMENT SHALL
BE ENTERED INTO REGARDING
POLICY FOR WAGES, HOURS OR
WORKING CONDITIONS WITHOUT THE
PARTICIPATION OF THE DIRECTOR
OF LABOR RELATIONS.
THE QUESTION IS WHY IS THERE AN
EQUIVALENCY?
WHY WHEN IT COMES TO MONEY,
THERE SOMEONE WHO OVERSEES
MONEY THAT IS ON THE COMMITTEE.
AND YET WHEN IT COMES TO POLICE
ACCOUNTABILITY THERE IS NO ONE
FROM THE CBC, ONE FOR THE
COMMUNITY.
I THINK THAT IS A VERY SERIOUS
OVERSIGHT.
LASTLY, I WANT PEOPLE TO
REMEMBER, THERE IS INEQUITY
HERE.
POLICE AND ACROSS THE TABLE
FROM THE CITY AND NEGOTIATE A
CONTRACT.
THE POLICE MEMBERS ACTUALLY GET
TO VOTE ON THE CONTRACT.
ONE PERSON, ONE VOTE.
WHEN IT COMES TO THE CITY, WE
GET NO VOTES.
SO THAT IS A REALLY FLAWED PART
OF THE PROCESS.
AND AGAIN, ONE THING THAT THERE
IS NOT TIME BUT SHOULD BE
DISCUSSED, IT'S A LOT OF PEOPLE
DON'T KNOW THIS, THE PEOPLE WHO
ARE ON THE LABOR RELATIONS
POLICY COMMITTEE FROM THE CITY
COUNCIL HAVE NOT SAT IN MOST OF
THE NEGOTIATION SESSIONS. THERE
TWO PEOPLE ELECTED WHO WERE
THERE.
IN WARNER, AND A HIRED
ATTORNEY.
AGAIN, I THINK THERE NEEDS TO
BE A MUCH MORE TRANSPARENT SEE.
>> NEXT PERSON IS MAKING
FOLLOWED BY MARLA MURDOCH AND
THEN DIANA R SAKI.
AND MING ASSIGNED UP AS A GROUP
SO THEY WILL HAVE FIVE MINUTES.
>> WE ARE HERE TO SUPPORT SPD,
WE APPRECIATE THE HARD WORK
THEY DO FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
AS A BUSINESSWOMAN WORKING AT
THE INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT, I
SAW POLICE OFFICERS WORKING
HARD TO PROTECT US.
>> MICHAEL FROM INTERNATIONAL
CHINATOWN, I WILL BE
TRANSLATING FOR THE LADIES.
>> [ SPEAKING IN A FOREIGN
LANGUAGE ]
>> I WANT TO EXPRESS MY
APPRECIATION FOR THE SEATTLE
POLICE DEPARTMENT.
THROUGH THEIR HARD WORK, WE CAN
ENJOY A SAFE NEIGHBORHOOD.
>> [ SPEAKING IN A FOREIGN
LANGUAGE ]
>> I HAVE BEEN A BUSINESS OWNER
IN THE INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT
FOR 26 YEARS.
AND THROUGHOUT ALL THESE YEARS,
I HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH THE
POLICE AND THEY HAVE DONE A
GREAT JOB PROTECTING OUR
INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT IN OUR
COMMUNITY.
>> [ SPEAKING IN A FOREIGN
LANGUAGE ]
>> BEFORE, WHEN WE CALLED 911,
EMERGENCY RESPONSE WAS NOT SO
QUICK.
BUT IN THE PAST TWO OR THREE
YEARS, BUT WE HAVE EXPERIENCED
IS THAT WHEN WE CALL 911, THE
POLICE COME TO OUR HELP IN A
VERY TIMELY MANNER.
>> [ SPEAKING IN A FOREIGN
LANGUAGE ]
>> AS A CITIZEN OF THE CITY, WE
WENT TO ADVOCATE THAT THE POLICE
HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB FOR OUR
COMMUNITY AND WHATEVER THEY ASK
FOR, WE SHOULD SUPPORT THAT
WHOLEHEARTEDLY.
SUPPORT THE 100%.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> [ SPEAKING IN A FOREIGN
LANGUAGE ]
>> MY NAME IS -- I'M 88 YEARS
OLD.
>> [ SPEAKING IN A FOREIGN
LANGUAGE ]
>> POLICE BRUTALITY, A SINGLE,
NOT A VERY COMMON OCCURRENCE.
WE SHOULD KNOW THAT MOST OF THE
COPS, THEY FOLLOW THE RULES.
WHEN THEY ENFORCE THE ROLES.
THEY DO THAT ACCORDING TO THEIR
POLICE DUTIES.
>> [ SPEAKING IN A FOREIGN
LANGUAGE ]
>> WE RECOGNIZE THAT POLICE
WORK IS HARD WORK.
IT IS HARD WORK.
AND IT IS ALSO DANGEROUS.
SO WHATEVER THEY ASKED FOR, WE
ASK THEY SHOULD BE 100% BEHIND
THEM TO SUPPORT THEM.
WHETHER IT IS ASKING FOR A
RAISE, OR ASKING FOR MORE TIME
OFF, WE SHOULD BE 100% IN
SUPPORT OF THEM.
>> THANK YOU.
UNFORTUNATELY THE FIVE MINUTES
IS UP WITH THANK YOU SO MUCH
FOR BEING WITH US THIS EVENING.
>> THANK YOU.
>> WE ARE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND
MOVE ON TO MARLA MURDOCH
FOLLOWED BY DIANE MASAKI AND
ANDRE TAYLOR.
>> GOOD EVENING.
MY NAME IS MARLA MURDOCH.
I BELIEVE HAVING STRONG AND
ROBUST POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY,
BARGAINED IN THE SPMA CONTRACT,
BASED ON THE ACCOUNTABILITY
MEASURES THAT ARE IN THE 2017
POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY ORDINANCE,
IS IT REALLY MATTER IS A MATTER
OF LIFE AND DEATH FOR THOSE
IMPACTED COMMUNITIES.
THE CONTRACT, THE SPOG DID NOT
HOLD UP ACCOUNT OF THE MEASURES
REQUIRED BY THE CONSENT DECREE.
IN ADDITION, THE JUDGE ASKED
THE CITY TO WORK WITH THE CPC
AND THE COURT MONITOR TO COME
UP WITH A PLAN TO BE IN
COMPLIANCE.
INSTEAD, WHAT HAPPENED IS A
GROUP WAS HIRED OUT-OF-STATE TO
STUDY THIS PLAN.
I KNOW FROM COMING TO MEETINGS
THAT THERE WAS A LOT OF
RESEARCH THAT WENT INTO, AND A
LOT OF WORK ON GONZALEZ PART AND
TEMPERATURES THIS PART, GOING
TO THAT LEGISLATION.
RIGHT NOW TO SIT THERE AND
THROW MORE MONEY WHEN IT'S
READY BEEN DONE IS A WASTE OF
RESOURCES THAT WE COULD USE FOR
OTHER IMPORTANT PROBLEMS IN OUR
COMMUNITY.
PLEASE LISTEN TO THE COMMUNITY
ORGANIZATIONS FOR THE CBC AND
ESPECIALLY TO THOSE COMMITTEES,
COMMUNITIES THAT ARE REALLY
IMPACTED BY THE LACK OF POLICE
ACCOUNTABILITY IN OUR CITY.
IT IS TIME TO TAKE REAL ACTION
AND REBUILD COMMUNITY TRUST AND
FAIR AND JUST POLICING.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
NEXT UP IS DIANE R SAKI
FOLLOWED BY ANDREW TAYLOR AND
THEN JOSEPH WALKMAN.
EXPECTED EVENING.
ASIAN PACIFIC ISLANDER,
COALITION COCHAIR.
WE JOIN OVER 30 ORGANIZATIONS
IN OUR DEEP CONCERN ABOUT OUR
CITIES BROKEN ACCOUNTABILITY
SYSTEM.
MADE POSSIBLE BY THE CITY'S
FAILURE TO NEGOTIATE CONTRACTS
WITH THE POLICE UNIONS WHICH DO
NOT ALLOW FOR THE FULL
REALIZATION OF THE LAWS AND
PERFORMS.
FOR YEARS, PRIOR TO THE PASSAGE
OF THE ORDINANCE, WE URGE
STRONGER ACCOUNTABILITY MEASURES
IN THE WAKE OF POLICE
MISCONDUCT.
INCLUDING EXCESSIVE USE OF
FORCE AND BIASED POLICING, ONLY
TO BE TOLD THAT NOTHING COULD
BE DONE UNTIL NEW CONTRACTS
WERE NEGOTIATED.
WE THEN LEARNED THAT NEW
CONTRACTS HAD BEEN NEGOTIATED
WITHOUT NEEDED REFORMS, AND
TRAGIC INCIDENTS OF POLICE
MISCONDUCT CONTINUED UNABATED.
THIS IS WHY WE JOIN THE ACLU
AND OVER 30 ORGANIZATIONS IN
2010 AND ASKED THE DEPARTMENT
OF JUSTICE TO INVESTIGATE THE
SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR
EXCESSIVE USE OF FORCE AND
BIASED POLICING.
WE STRONGLY ADVOCATED FOR
CIVILIAN OVERSIGHT ROLE, AND
MANY OF US WORKED WITH
COMMUNITY POLICE COMMISSION
FROM THE RESULTING CONSENT
DECREE.
WE JOIN THE CPC CIVILIAN
OVERSIGHT ADVOCATES AND THE
COUNSEL TO PASS A 2017
ACCOUNTABILITY ORDINANCE WHICH
INCLUDED MANY OF OUR
RECOMMENDATIONS.
WE WERE THEREFORE SHOCKEDTO
LEARN IN 2018 THAT DESPITE THE
ORDINANCES LEGAL MANDATE, THE
CITY FAILED TO NEGOTIATE WITH
SPMA AND SPOG TO REALIZE THE
REFORMS IN THEIR CONTRACTS.
THIS TIME, THE CITY MUST STOP
REPEATING HISTORY.
ENGAGE IN POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY
SYSTEMS AND CONTRACT PROPONENT,
RECOMMENDED BY THE CITY
CIVILIAN OVERSIGHT LEADERSHIP,
TO HELP THE CITY DURING
NEGOTIATIONS AND ENSURE THE
CONTRACTS ALIGNED WITH THE
ACCOUNTABILITY ORDINANCE.
BRING THE CITY BACK INTO FULL
COMPLIANCE WITH THE CONSENT
DECREE.
THE 2017 ACCOUNTABILITY
ORDINANCE WAS PASSED, THE
NATION LOOKS TO SEATTLE AS A
MODEL FOR THE REST OF THE
COUNTRY.
FOLLOW THROUGH ON YOUR PROMISES
TO ENABLE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE
ORDINANCE, RESTORE LOST
COMMUNITY TRUST, AND LET
SEATTLE THE THE NATION ONCE
AGAIN.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU DIANE.
>> [ APPLAUSE ]
>> NEXT UP IS ANDRE TAYLOR
FOLLOWED BY JOSEPH LUCKMAN AND
THEN PAUL BENDS.
>> FOUNDER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
OF NOT THIS TIME.
I'M BRAGGING OF WHAT WE'VE BEEN
DOING HERE.
AROUND THE COUNTRY, I JUST CAME
BACK FROM HOUSTON.
AT THE MARCH, THE YOUNG AFRICAN-
AMERICAN MAN WHO IS HAVING A
MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS, TO HORSE
MOUNTED OFFICERS DRAGGED INTO
THE STREETS ON A ROPE.
LIKE HE WAS A RUNAWAY SLAVE.
BUT I GIVE THEM HOPE AND I TOLD
HIM ABOUT WHAT WE WERE DOING
HERE IN WASHINGTON.
I WANT TO MAKE SOME THINGS
CLEAR.
WASHINGTON IS PROBABLY THE 18th
LARGEST STATE, LAST YEAR, IN
POLICE KILLINGS.
WE WERE IN FIFTH.
THE 18th LARGEST STATE, WE WERE
IN FIFTH AND KILLINGS.
FROM POLICE OFFICERS.
SCANDAL WAS UNDER A CONSENT
DECREE, WHAT THAT MEANS IS
SOMETHING DOES NOT GO RIGHT,
SOMETHING IS GOING TRAGICALLY
WRONG.
WE PASSED IN THE STORK POLICE
ACCOUNTABILITY MEASURE WITH
INITIATIVE 940.
BECAUSE THE PEOPLE SAID
SOMETHING IS GOING WRONG, BUT
IN WASHINGTON, WERE NOT WAITING
ON ANYBODY TO LEAVE.
60% OF WASHINGTON STATE SHOWED
UP, ENCOURAGE HISTORY IN THIS
COUNTRY, 71% IN KING COUNTY,
SHOWED UP.
DURING THE PROCESS OF
ACCOUNTABILITY, GUESS WHAT,
SOMETHING WONDERFUL HAPPENED.
THREE OF THE LARGEST POLICE
ORGANIZATIONS AND COMMUNITY GOT
TOGETHER.
THREE OF THE LARGEST, GOT
TOGETHER, NEGOTIATED WITH THE
COMMUNITY, AND WE DID THIS
THING TOGETHER.
ONE PARTICULAR POLICE UNION I
HAVE NEVER COME TO THE TABLE
AND THAT IS SPOG AND I HAVE TO
SAY THAT, SPOG, IF YOU ALLOW
IT, THEY WILL ALLOW SEATTLE TO
GO BACK INTO THE DARK AGES.
WHILE EVERYBODY ELSE IS MOVING
FORWARD.
YOU WILL BE REMEMBERED BY WHAT
HAPPENS TODAY AND TOMORROW AS
WE MOVE FORWARD.
NO ONE WILL FORGET IT WHEN YOU
HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY, TO CHANGE
THINGS, IT IS OUR
RESPONSIBILITY TO DO SO.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU ANDRE.
>> JOSEPH IS NEXT FOLLOWED BY
PAUL BENDS AND THEN ALLISON
HOLCOMB.
>> THANK YOU. MY NAME IS JOSEPH
BUCKMAN TIME THE CIVICS
ENGAGEMENT PROGRAM MANAGER. I'M
ALSO PART OF THE ASIAN-PACIFIC
ON A COALITION OF WASHINGTON
AND JOINING 30 ORGANIZATIONS
INCLUDING THE ACLU HERE TODAY
TO TALK ABOUT THE NEED TO LIMIT
THE SPIRIT AND LETTER OF THE
2017 POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY
ORDINANCE, NOT TO FOLLOW THE
GUIDANCE AND REGULATIONS OF THE
COMMUNITY COMMISSION.
I WANT TO SAY THAT I'M HERE ON
THE HALF, IN MY PERSONAL
CAPACITY, I WILL BE TESTIFYING
AGAINST THE KING COUNTY
SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT REGARDING
THE KILLING OF TOMMY LEE BY THE
POLICE.
AND THAT'S WHAT REALLY HAPPENS
WHEN YOU DON'T SEE TRUE
ACCOUNTABILITY.
I HAD TO LOOK AT THE PHOTOS OF
HIS BODY WITH THE BOLT HOLES
SHOWING THAT HE WAS SHOT IN THE
BACK MULTIPLE TIMES.
AND HAD TO RECALL ALL THE TIMES
THE SHERIFF LIED TO US.
AND TOLD US HE HAD BEEN SHOT
RUNNING AFTER THEM, BUT HE HAS
BEEN SHOT IN THE SIDE, AND THE
AUTOPSY REPORT SHOWING HE HAD
BEEN SHOT IN THE BACK MULTIPLE
TIMES AND DIED FROM THOSE
WOUNDS.
THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE
UNDERMINE ACCOUNTABILITY FOR
LAW ENFORCEMENT.
I WANT TO SAY THERE ARE AT
LEAST, MULTIPLE EXAMPLES THAT
COME UP IN SPMA'S CONTRACT THAT
ARE INCREDIBLY CONCERNING.
THERE'S NO MENTION OF FAIR AND
EFFECTIVE ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM
IN THE PURPOSE SECTION THIS
IDEA THAT THERE IS A STANDARD
HIGHER THAN A PREPONDERANCE OF
EVIDENCE, THIS MINIMUM CIVILIAN
OVERSIGHT, FOR COMPLAINTS, AND
INVESTIGATION OF SERIOUS
CRIMINAL MISCONDUCT.
HUNDRED 80 DAY LIMIT, WHICH
CAME UP IN THE SPOG CONTRACT IS
CONCERNING, INCREDIBLY.
IT'S CLEAR WHEN THE CLOCK
STARTS ON THE.
CONCERNS OVER THE DISCIPLINARY
APPEAL HEARINGS, INCLUDING
ARBITRATION.
WERE YOU MAY HAVE AN ARBITRATOR
THAT IS PAID BY POLICE AND
COUNCIL.
WITHOUT PROPER EXPERTISE IN
AREAS OF POLICE DISCIPLINE.
AND AGAIN, THERE IS NO STRICT
TIMELINE ON THIS AS WELL.
MY POINT HERE IS, PLEASE DO NOT
TAKE A FIX IT NEXT TIME
ATTITUDE TO THIS.
AND PLEASE UPHOLD THE SPIRIT OF
THE 2017 POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY
ORDINANCE.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
NEXT UP IS PAUL FOLLOWED BY
ALLISON HOLCOMB AND THEN IS IT
SUNDAY SMITH?
>> CODIRECTOR AND FAITH ACTION
NETWORK.
PROGRAM AND POLICY.
WE WERE INVOLVED IN MANY OF THE
NEGOTIATIONS ON INITIATIVE 940
AND THE USE OF FORCE BY LAW
ENFORCEMENT.
EVEN BEFORE IT WAS AN
INITIATIVE, WHEN IT WAS A BILL
BEFORE THE LEGISLATURE.
THAT WAS NEVER PASSED.
WE HAVE BEEN VERY INVOLVED OVER
THE YEARS, AND MANY THE
CONVERSATIONS BETWEEN POLICING
COMMUNITY.
CALLING FOR THINGS SUCH AS DE-
ESCALATION, BEST PRACTICES,
TRANSPARENCY, AND
ACCOUNTABILITY.
AND NOW CALLING FOR THOSE SAME
THINGS IN THE SPMA AND SPOG
CONTRACTS.
WE HAVE ALWAYS MADE IT CLEAR WE
HAVE THE GREATEST RESPECT FOR
THOSE WHO PUT ON THEIR UNIFORMS
EVERY DAY.
AND THE CHALLENGES AND
RESPONSIBILITIES THAT LIE
THEREIN.
BUT THERE IS NOT MORE
TRANSPARENCY AND COMMUNITY
INPUT GIVEN AND MORE
ACCOUNTABILITY LANGUAGE
PARTICULARLY FROM THE MAY 2017
UNANIMOUSLY PASSED ORDINANCE BY
THIS BODY, BY THE CITY COUNCIL,
THEN THE COMMUNITY TRUST AND
THE DEPARTMENT FROM TOP TO
BOTTOM WILL NOT BE THERE.
AS WE CONTINUE AS WE MOVE
FORWARD AND CONTINUE THESE
DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS, PLEASE
DON'T SEE US IN THE COMMUNITY
AS ANTI-,. OR ANTIUNION.
WE WENT ALL TO BE SAFE.
THOSE IN THE UNIFORM AND ALL OF
OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
BUT WE NEED THE ASSURANCE, THAT
THIS CONTRACT, SPMA ALIGNS WITH
SOCIAL JUSTICE PRINCIPLES, MUCH
OF WHICH IS CONTAINED IN THAT
2017 ACCOUNTABILITY ORDINANCE.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
ALLISON HOLCOMB FOLLOWED BY
SUNDAY SMITH AND THEN JASON
PROCTOR.
SPECKLED EVENING.
I AM SPEAKING, ON THE POLITICAL
DIRECTOR FOR THE ACLU IN
WASHINGTON.
I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE
38 DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS FROM
THE SEATTLE AREA WHO SIGNED
ONTO A LETTER THAT WILL BE
SUBMITTING HIS WRITTEN
TESTIMONY AND I JUST WANT TO
TAKE A MOMENT TO LIFT UP A FEW
OF THE POINTS FROM THE LETTER
BECAUSE MANY OF THE
ORGANIZATIONS OF SIGN-ON WERE
UNABLE TO BE HERE BECAUSE IT IS
A BUSY SEASON IN SEATTLE.
FIRST I WANT TO PUT THIS IN
CONTEXT, THESE 30 ORGANIZATIONS
WERE FOLLOWING DECADES OF WORK,
THEY AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS
HAVE UNDERTAKEN, ARE REALLY
DOING THIS WORK FOR A COMMON
GOAL THAT WE ALL SHARE WHICH IS
TO REDUCE THE UNNECESSARY USE
OF FORCE AND ESPECIALLY DEADLY
FORCE.
NOBODY WANTS THAT.
POLICE OFFICERS DON'T WANT TO
UNNECESSARILY USE FORCE AND
NEITHER DO COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
WE NEED TO REMEMBER AND WHAT
COMMUNITY WANTS, THE CITY TO
REMEMBER WHEN THEY GO TO
NEGOTIATIONS, POLICE CONTRACTS
ARE DIFFERENT.
AS IS STATED IN THE
ACCOUNTABILITY ORDINANCE, THE
POLICE ARE GRANTED
EXTRAORDINARY POWER TO MAINTAIN
PUBLIC PEACE.
INCLUDING THE POWER OF ARREST
AND STATUTORY AUTHORITY TO USE
DEADLY FORCE IN THE PERFORMANCE
OF THEIR DUTIES.
UNDER SENSITIVE CIRCUMSTANCES.
POLICE CONTRACTS ARE DIFFERENT.
AND, THEREFORE, IT IS
CONSISTENT THAT COMMUNITIES
STRONGLY SUPPORT ELECTIVE
BARGAINING RIGHTS.
WHAT THEY ARE ARGUING FOR HERE
IS POLICE CONTRACTS ALSO NEED
TO ALIGN WITH SOCIAL JUSTICE
PRINCIPLES IN ADDITION TO
SUPPORTING WORKERS AND SAFE
CONDITIONS AND JOB STABILITY
FOR WORKERS.
COLLECTIVE BARGAINING
AGREEMENTS SHOULD TREAT
OFFICERS FAIRLY, THEY ALSO NEED
TO MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT CREATING
UNFAIR SYSTEMS THAT
DISADVANTAGE, HARM AND SANCTION
THE VIOLATION OF CONSTITUTIONAL
RIGHTS OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS ARE
IMPACTED BY POLICE MISCONDUCT.
COMMUNITY ALSO WANTS TO MAKE
SURE THAT EVERYTHING YOU ARE
HEARING TONIGHT IS CONSISTENT.
THERE ARE MAINLY THE
OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF POLICE
OFFICERS ARE GOOD OFFICERS, WHO
ARE CREATING SAFE CONDITIONS.
IT IS THE FEW PEOPLE THAT CAUSE
UNNECESSARY HARM THAT POLICE
ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEMS ARE
DESIGNED TO ADDRESS.
THE COMMUNITY ASKED THAT YOU
NEGOTIATE STRONGLY ON BEHALF OF
YOUR CONSTITUENTS.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING THAT
LETTER IN OUR INBOXES FROM YOU
AS WELL.
WE WILL ADD THAT TO THE RECORD.
>> GOOD EVENING.
I'M STANDING HERE TODAY AS A
REPRESENTATIVE OF THE SEATTLE
KING COUNTY NAACP BUT I'M ALSO,
AS OF OCTOBER 1, IN THE KING
COUNTY PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE
WHERE I WORKED FOR FIVE YEARS.
I WILL SPEAK LETTER.
AND THAT I SERVED TWO YEARS AS
A PUBLIC DEFENDER AS WELL.
I'M COMING TO YOU WITH BOTH
PERSPECTIVES AS A COMMUNITY
MEMBER.
AND IS A PUBLIC DEFENDER.
SEEING THE DIRECT IMPACT OF
SEATTLE POLICE AND THE
COMMUNITY EVERY SINGLE DAY.
IS CONCERNING THAT WHEN WE HAVE
A DISCUSSION ABOUT THE RIGHTS
AND INTERESTS AND CIVIL RIGHTS
OF THE PEOPLE, WE KEEP HAVING
TO REPEAT THE INTEREST OF
POLICE OFFICERS.
POLICE OFFICERS ARE HERE TO
SERVE THE COMMUNITY.
NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND.
POLICE OFFICERS OPTED TO THEIR
JOBS AND POSITIONS.
INDIVIDUALS IMPACTED BY POLICE
OFFICERS ARE LIVING THIS
EXPERIENCE WITH IMMUTABLE
CHARACTERISTICS.
DIDN'T GET TO TAKE OUT THEIR
BADGE AND NOT BE BARACK OBAMA
AND NOT BE UNDER THREAT OF
STATE SECTION VIOLENCE.
THEY NEED TO BE CLEAR, IN THIS
COUNTRY, POLICING AS A JOB IS
NOT DANGEROUS.
YOU CAN LOOK UP THE STATISTICS
ON THE SBD SITE, FROM 2000 TO
2010, FOUR OFFICERS DIED IN THE
LINE OF DUTY.
ONLY ONE OF THEM WAS BECAUSE OF
COMMUNITY VIOLENCE.
THE LAST TWO YEARS, 16
COMMITTEE MEMBERS HAVE BEEN
MURDERED BY POLICE OFFICER.
IN OUR VIDEO AND THERE BEEN NO
PROSECUTIONS.
WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT
COUNTY BUILDING WE NEED TO
PICTURE TO CORRECT THE
NARRATIVE WHEN WE ARE TALKING
ABOUT IT.
WE NEED TO ALSO ADDRESS THE
FACT THAT IF WE ARE GOING TO
SAY THAT WE ARE IN PROGRESSIVE
CITY, IF WE SAY WE ARE BETTER
PEOPLE AND BETTER COMMUNITY,
THAT IS NOT JUST INCLUDING
OFFICERS, THAT MEANS WE HAVE TO
NOT JUST HAVE PEOPLE OF COLOR
SITTING AT TABLES, EARNING
HOURS HAVING DISCUSSIONS, WE
HAVE TO FOLLOW THROUGH WITH
PROMISES.
WE ALSO NEED TO NOT BE SO
FORGIVING.
WHEN POLITICIANS ELECTED
OFFICIALS DON'T FOLLOW THROUGH
WITH THOSE PROMISES.
AS A COMMUNITY MEMBER AND AS A
PUBLIC DEFENDER, I'M GOING TO
SAY THIS AGAIN, WE CANNOT
CONTINUE TO HAVE THIS NARRATIVE
IN THE MOST PROGRESSIVE CITY IN
THIS COUNTRY WHILE WE ARE
SITTING HERE WITH CHILDREN IN
CONCENTRATION CAMPS OF THE
BORDER.
IT IS TIME FOR US TO STAND UP
AND DO WHAT WE NEED TO DO.
THANK YOU SO
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR EXPECT
POPS BACK JASON PROCTOR.
AND THEN AFTER JASON WILL BE
MICHAEL FULLER.
>> MANY GREAT THINGS TO SAY
HERE TONIGHT.
WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE
PEOPLE THAT LEFT, FEELS LIKE
THEY ALMOST GOT PAID OFF BY THE
SBD.
I WILL KEEP MY COMMENTS SHORT
TONIGHT.
AND THIS IS TOWARDS BOTH
CONTRACTS.
I'M HOPING FOR SOME GOOD REFORMS
SO THAT WE WON'T HAVE, WE WILL
REPEAT HISTORY AND ALLOW
OFFICERS LIKE OFFICER WOULD
LATCH TO GET HER JOB BACK,
OFFICER SHEPHERD, OR RECENT
COMMENTS FROM TO ALLOW THAT ONE
OFFICER THAT HAD THE CANINE
THAT BUT THE GUY, MISCONDUCT
FINDING, IT IS JOB BACK,
REVERSE MISCONDUCT FINDING.
THAT IS VERY INAPPROPRIATE IN
GOING FORWARD.
WITH THE CONSENT DECREE.
ALSO, SERGEANT FRANK, PROBABLY
BUTCHERING HIS NAME, NO ONE
EVER MENTIONS OF THAT CASE.
THAT WAS HORRIBLE.
YOU TO WAIT OUTSIDE FOR SOMEONE,
IN A CHAIR, IT'S RIDICULOUS.
GETTING BACK TO THE CONTRACT, I
HAVE NOT SEEN THE MOST RECENT
DRAFT, I SAW THE ONE BEFORE.
THERE SO MUCH LANGUAGE IN THEIR
THAT IS COMPLETELY BIASED
TOWARDS THE SPOG.
FOR ONE, ACHING ARBITRATORS,
COMPLETELY BIASED.
THAT NEEDS TO BE CHANGED.
AND THEN MOVING ON FROM THAT,
THE STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS
PERIOD, INCREASE THAT.
BECAUSE 180 DAYS, BY THE TIME
PEOPLE DELAY IN INVESTIGATIONS,
WE NEED TO A FAIR
INVESTIGATION.
AND LASTLY, CARMEN'S COMMENTS,
A GREAT WOMAN, BUT COMMENTS
ABOUT OFFICERS LEAVING SEATTLE,
WERE NOT POLICE IN CERTAIN
AREAS, DUE TO THIS?
A POLITICAL ISSUE?
THAT'S COMPLETELY UNCALLED FOR.
SETTING US BACK.
>> THANK YOU.
NEXT UP IS MICHAEL FULLER.
>> I'M THE HONORABLE MICHAEL B
FULLER.
I AM TIRED OF BEING SICK AND
TIRED, ALL OF YOU AROUND THIS
TABLE.
I HOLD YOU ACCOUNTABLE FOR
VIOLATING THESE.
YOUR OATH OF OFFICE.
AND SIENA POLICE DEPARTMENT,
THE SURRENDERS KILLINGS AND NOT
BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE, TURPITUDE,
MISCONDUCT, AND IRREPARABLE
INJURY AND HARM TO BLACK LIES
MATTER, NEW GENERATION, WHO
FOUGHT TO MAKE THIS COUNTRY SAFE
, IN 1986, THAT WAS SIGNED BY
PRESIDENT RONALD REAGAN, AND
THAT ACT, AUGUST 24, 1954 THAT
WAS SIGNED BY PRESIDENT DWIGHT
EISENHOWER, AND OCTOBER 3, 1965
THAT WAS SIGNED BY PRESIDENT
DWIGHT EISENHOWER PARDON,
PRESIDENT GEORGE HW BUSH, PUT
INTO LAW, AMERICANS WITH
DISABILITY ACT AND SECTION 504
THE CITY COUNCIL SAY ONE
AMERICA.
AND YOU BEEN WORKING FOR PEOPLE
OF COLOR AND DENYING OUR OWN
>> HOST: THAT MAKE OUR COUNTRY
SAFE IMMIGRATION AND
NATIONALITY ACT, BACK
HONORABLE, YOUR TIME IS UP.
THANK YOU.
>> I'M TRYING TO ...
>> I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE
DOING.
GOT IT.
>> THANK YOU HONORABLE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> ANNEX PERSON I THINK IT IS
AWESOME MOHAMED.
THERE IT IS.
IT ALMOST LOOK LIKE A E AT THE
END.
>> GOOD EVENING.
SPECULATE OVER.
>> IT NEVER IS.
SPECULATE OVER.
>> IT IS BEEN REFLECTED.
>> AT EVENING MY NAME IS
AWESOME MOHAMED, I'M THE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE
FAMILY AND YOUTH CLUB,
COMMUNITY POLICE COMMISSIONER,
TONIGHT I'M HERE AS A MOTHER.
I WANT TO APPLAUD THE WORK THAT
WE DO.
THESE CONVERSATIONS ARE HARD.
I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT AND
UPHOLD, DUE PROCESS IS
IMPORTANT.
SEATTLE IS CHANGING.
WE ARE NOT IN 1960.
OR 70.
OR 80.
WE ARE HERE.
WE ARE AMERICANS TOO.
THIS IS OUR COMMUNITY TO.
ENGLISH IS NOT OUR FIRST LEG
WHICH.
WE ARE SCARED TO.
WE CANNOT MOVE THE CONVERSATION
THAT AFRICAN-AMERICANS HAVE
BEEN UNDER ATTACK FOR 300 YEARS.
I OF THE WORK OF THE REVEREND,
I UNDER THE WORK OF
>> AND I OUT OF THIS WORK OF
THE CITY MAYOR.
LET'S NOT FORGET THAT PEOPLE
ARE FIGHTING HARD TO WHERE WE
ARE HERE TODAY.
I SEND THEM IS WHAT IS HURTING
US.
DUE PROCESS, IMMIGRANT
COMMUNITY, DO NEED TO
PARTICIPATE.
WE NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB, IS
NOT ABOUT PEOPLE, IT'S ABOUT
SYSTEMS.
THE SYSTEM IS CREATED TO EAT UP
PEOPLE OF COLOR.
AND WE CANNOT SHY AWAY FROM
AMERICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITIES
TO BE AT THE FRONT AND CENTER,
TO LEAVE THIS, AND FOR THE REST
OF US TO BACK THEM UP...
I EN OF THAT.
IT TAKES A LOT OF COURAGE B█UT
THERE IS ALSO A LOT OF PAIN.
WE HAVE BEEN BETRAYED AT THE
HIGHEST LEVEL OF OFFICE.
WE HAVE BEEN BETRAYED TO THOSE
FOLKS THAT PROMISE TO PROTECT
AND SERVE.
WE ARE HURT.
BUT WE ARE RESILIENT.
AND WE WANT ACCOUNTABILITY NOW.
HANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
THAT WAS THE LAST PERSON WE HAD
WHO SIGNED UP ON THE PUBLIC
COMMENT SIGN IN SHEET.
IS OR ANYONE WHO IS WITH US
THIS EVENING WHO DID NOT HAVE A
CHANCE TO SIGN UP WHO WOULD
LIKE TO OFFER PUBLIC TESTIMONY
BEFORE WE CLOSE OUT?
OKAY.
SING NO ONE, WE'RE GOING TO GO
AHEAD AND CLOSE OUT THE.
A PUBLIC COMMENT.
I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR
BEING HERE WITH ME, I WANT TO
THANK EVERYBODY IN THE PUBLIC
WHO CAME OUT TO PROVIDE PUBLIC
TESTIMONY.
THIS IS OBVIOUSLY THE BEGINNING
OF THIS CONVERSATION AND
DISCUSSION.
PLEASE REMEMBER YOU CAN STILL
SUBMIT COMMENTS TO MY OFFICE
AND THE CITY ON THESE ISSUES
AND OBVIOUSLY TO THE COMMUNITY
POLICE COMMISSION AS WELL.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING
OUR WORK ON MAKING SURE THAT WE
DEFINE THE PARAMETERS ON THIS
COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT
IN A FAIR AND JUST AND
TRANSPARENT WAY I LOOK FORWARD
TO CONTINUING TO WORK WITH
IMMUNITY POLICE COMMISSION, AND
THE GENERAL PUBLIC AT LARGE AND
THE COMMUNITY PARTNERS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING
HERE, WE ARE ADJOURNED.