THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THE FEBRUARY 22, 2022 MEETING
OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY AND HUMAN
SERVICES COMMITTEE WILL COME
TO ORDER.
IT IS 9:30 A.M.
CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA.
COUNCILMEMBER NELSON.
>> PRESENT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN.
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS .
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD .
>> WE HAVE THREE CURRENTLY
PRESENT.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
ON TODAY'S AGENDA WE WILL BE
HEARING A REPORT FROM CENTRAL
STAFF ON THEIR 2021 YEAR AND
STAFFING REPORT AND YOUR AND
CRIME REPORT.
WILL ALSO OF A PRESENTATION
FROM SPEEDY ON THE RETAIL THEFT
PROGRAM.
IF THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS WE
WILL MOVE OUR COMMITTEE
MEETING.
TODAY'S AGENDA WILL BE ADOPTED.
HEARING NO OBJECTIONS TODAY'S
AGENDA IS ADOPTED.
AT THIS TIME WE WILL TRANSITION
TO PUBLIC COMMENT.
I WILL MODERATE THE PUBLIC
COMMENT PERIOD IN THE FOLLOWING
WAY.
THE NUMBER OF SPEAKERS TODAY,
EACH SPEAKER WILL BE GIVEN TWO
MINUTES TO SPEAK.
I WILL: EACH SPEAKER BY NAME AND
IN ORDER REGISTERED ON THE
WEBSITE.
IF YOU HAVE NOT YET REGISTERED
TO SPEAK, YOU CAN STILL SIGN UP
BEFORE THE END OF PUBLIC
HEARING.
BY GOING TO THE COUNCIL WEBSITE.
ALSO LISTED ON TODAY'S AGENDA.
ONCE I CALL A SPEAKER'S NAME
YOU HEAR A PROMPT AND WANT TO
HEAR THAT PROMPT YOU NEED TO
HIT STAR SIX TO UNMUTE YOURSELF.
YOU CAN BEGIN BY STATING YOUR
NAME AND THE ITEM.
YOU HEAR A CHIME WHEN 10
SECONDS ARE LEFT IN YOUR
ALLOTTED TIME.
ONCE THE SPEAKER HERE'S THAT
TIME WE ASK YOU WRAP UP YOUR
COMMENTS.
IF SPEAKERS DO NOT IN THEIR
COMMENTS AT THE END OF THE
ALLOTTED TIME PERIOD PROVIDED
YOUR MICROPHONE WILL BE MUTED
AFTER 10 SECONDS TO ALLOW US TO
HEAR FROM THE NEXT SPEAKER.
ONCE YOU'VE COMPLETED YOUR
PUBLIC COMMENT WE ASK THAT YOU
DISCONNECT FROM THE LINE.
IF YOU WANT TO CONTINUE
FOLLOWING THE MEETING WE
ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO SO VIEW THE
LISTING OPTIONS LISTED ON THE
AGENDA.
TODAY WE HAVE 12 PEOPLE SIGNED
UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
AGAIN, I WILL READ IT NAMES
INTO THE RECORD.
>> GOOD MORNING.
HOWARD GAIL.
WHEN YOU'RE GO THIS MONTH THE
SPD MURDERED DEREK HAYDEN, A
MAN IN CRISIS.
LAST MONTH OUR ACCOUNTABILITY
SYSTEM ANNOUNCED THIS MURDER
WAS LAWFUL AND PROPER.
40 DAYS AGO THIS PRETTY
MURDERED OTHER MEN IN CRISIS
WHO 48 DAYS LATER REMAINS
UNNAMED BY FAILED AND HEARTLESS
POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM.
NOT QUITE THE 85 DAYS THAT WAS
UNNAMED AND UNREMARKED UPON IN
2020 JUST SIX DAYS BEFORE
GEORGE FLOYD'S ORDER.
THIS MARKS NINE YEARS SINCE THE
SPD KILLED ANOTHER PERSON IN
CRISIS.
YESTERDAY MARKED SIX YEARS
SINCE THE MURDER OF TAYLOR.
EACH TIME FAILED AND HEARTLESS
SYSTEM HAS POLICE POLICING THE
POLICE HAS DETERMINED THESE
MURDERS ALONG WITH ALL OF THE
32 KILLINGS SINCE THE MURDER OF
JOHN WILLIAMS TO BE "AWFUL AND
PROPER.
DISRESPECT TO THE MEMORY OF
JOHN WILLIAMS THAT THE PERSON
WHOSE MURDER STARTED US ON THIS
NEARLY 12 YEAR JOURNEY WHERE WE
NOW FIND OURSELVES LOST IN THE
PAST GETTING US EVER FURTHER
FROM THE PATH OF JUSTICE.
ON JANUARY 25 IF PEOPLE IN
CRISIS HAD BEEN LEFT OUT OF THE
SPD CRISIS DATA.
THREE TIMES THEY'VE
UNEQUIVOCALLY STATED" IT WAS
DOCUMENTED UNQUOTE.
ON THE SAME DAY I DATA THE NINE
NAMES AND DATES OF THE PEOPLE
MISSING FROM THE DATABASE.
YET TWO WEEKS LATER AT A PUBLIC
MEETING HE REQUESTED PEOPLE
SEND HIM THIS INFORMATION.
THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED CASE.
AT THE SAME MEETING HE CLAIMED
INFORMATION PROVIDED TO HIM
MONTHS AGO ABOUT SEATTLE
OFFICERS SEXUALLY ABUSING
HOMELESS YOUTH WAS FORWARDED TO
THE FBI.
NOT TO THE COUNCIL, NOT TO THE
CPC, NOT TO THE OIG OR FEDERAL
COURT BUT TO THE FBI.
SYSTEMS OF INJUSTICE WILL
CREATED AND RUN BY PEOPLE --
ONLY PERSISTENTLY BE
PERPETUATED BY WELL-MEANING
PEOPLE SUCH AS YOURSELF.
BEING A FACDE FOR JUSTICE IS
IN ITSELF AN INJUSTICE.
>> THANK YOU.
LET'S SEE, OUR NEXT SPEAKER,
PETER.
PETER, ARE YOU WITH US?
I AM NOT SEEING PETER IN THE
QUEUE.
I DO SEE MARK PRESENT.
BUT I DO NOT SEE HIM LISTED ON
THE SCREEN.
WE WILL MOVE ON.
PETER WILL BE FOLLOWED BY DJ.
>> MY NAME IS MICHAEL.
I AM A RESIDENT IN DISTRICT 3
AND I'M CALLING FOR THE
ENTIRETY OF SPD 2022 SALARIES
OF $1.4 MILLION BE TRANSFERRED
TO THE COMMUNITY FOR INVESTMENT
IN PUBLIC SAFETY.
POLICING AND CRIMINALIZATION
DOES NOT ADDRESS THE UNDERLYING
ISSUES OF INEQUITY THE FOREST
PEOPLE IN UNSTABLE LIVING
SITUATIONS AND ACTS OF
SURVIVAL.
WE ARE STILL LIVING THROUGH A
PANDEMIC THAT HAS CAUSED
WIDESPREAD EMOTIONAL AND
PHYSICAL TRAUMA AND IT'S NOT
FAIR THE REMAINS UNADDRESSED BY
CURRENT SYSTEM.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS DJ.
FOLLOWED BY IVANA.
>> I BALLARD RESIDENT AND SMALL
BUSINESS OWNER.
AFTER MONTHS OF SPD AND
CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE MAKING
HYPERBOLIC CLAIMS WITHOUT A
CRIME WAVE OF ORGANIZING
SHOPLIFTING, SPD LAUNCHED
OPERATION TODAY.
ARREST FROM THE PROGRAM HAVE
BEEN PEOPLE SHOPLIFTING THINGS
A SHIRT AND A BELT OR BABY
FORMULA.
NOT THE MASSIVE ORGANIZING
SHOPLIFTING RINGS THAT SPD AND
THE BUSINESS GROUPS HAVE BEEN
CLAIMING.
THIS SHOWS THAT THE ORGANIZED
SHOPLIFTING IS WIDELY
OVERBLOWN.
COUNCIL NEEDS TO REMEMBER THAT
WHEN EVALUATING ADDITIONAL
CLAIMS BY BUSINESS GROUPS ABOUT
THIS CRIME WAVE.
RESTING, PROSECUTING AND
JAILING PEOPLE IS EXPENSIVE.
INCARCERATING SOMEONE IN KING
COUNTY IS $154,770.
BUT DOESN'T INCLUDE THE COST OF
THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS SPENT ON
ARRESTING.
WHY IS THE CITY PAYING SUCH A
MASSIVE PREMIUM TO PROSECUTE
POOR PEOPLE INSTEAD OF USING
THE FUNDS TO ADDRESS THE
UNDERLYING ISSUES OF POVERTY?
WHY IS THE CITY PRIORITIZING
THE INTEREST OF BIG
CORPORATIONS LIKE TARGET OVER
THE STRUGGLES OF POOR AND
UNHOUSED COMMUNITY MEMBERS?
THIS LACK OF CONCERN FOR
UNHOUSED COMMUNITY WAS EVIDENT
ON SUNDAY WHEN THE CITY TRIED
TO DO A SWEEP WITH ONLY SPD AND
PARKS DEPARTMENT PRESENT.
NO HOPE TEAM.
NO OUTREACH WORKERS.
NO OFFERS OF SHELTER.
JUST SPD AND PARKS.
ALL SPD SAVINGS SHOULD BE
TRANSFERRED TO COMMUNITY WIDE
INVESTMENTS IN PUBLIC SAFETY.
SPD CLEARLY HAS MORE MONEY AND
OFFICERS THAN IT NEEDS IF IT
CAN ACT AS A TARGET LOSS
PREVENTION DEPARTMENT.
THANK YOU.
I YOU MY TIME.
>> THANK YOU.
NEXT WE HAVE TRIMANA FOLLOWED
BY PENNY.
>> HELLO, I'M A RESIDENT OF
DISTRICT 2. I AM A BLACK WOMAN
WHO WORKS IN COMMUNITY CARE.
I TRULY DO CARE ABOUT THE CITY,
ESPECIALLY THE BY POK COMMUNITY
MEMBERS.
[INDISCERNIBLE]
WE DEMAND IN ENTIRETY BE
TRANSFERRED TO THE COMMUNITY
FOR INVESTMENT INTO PUBLIC
SAFETY.
WE NEED TO PUT OUR RESOURCES
[INDISCERNIBLE]
TO HAVE BEEN IMPACTED BY THE
PANDEMIC.
[INDISCERNIBLE]
WHY WE GIVE POLICE DEPARTMENT
WITH A BLOATED BUDGET THE
ABILITY TO ARREST MORE PEOPLE?
SINCE THE TOPIC OF SPD RETAIL
PROGRAM [ INAUDIBLE ] PROVIDES
NO SERVICES AND FURTHER
DESTABILIZES PEOPLE CRITICAL TO
PUBLIC SAFETY FOR EVERYONE.
[ INAUDIBLE ] FOR EXAMPLE A
PERSON WHO ALLEGEDLY STOLE
ITEMS FROM TARGET VALUED AT
$44.70 -- [ INAUDIBLE ] I YIELD
THE REST OF MY TIME.
>> THANK YOU.
NEXT SPEAKER IS O'GRADY
FOLLOWED BY JESSICA. PENNY?
>> HELLO, MY NAME IS PENNY.
I AM A SEATTLE RESIDENT FOR
MORE THAN 30 YEARS.
THE RETAIL THEFT PROGRAM
TARGETS POOR PEOPLE.
IT FURTHER DESTABILIZES FOLKS
WHO ARE ALREADY SUFFERING
DECREASING PUBLIC SAFETY FOR
EVERYONE.
IT CONSUMES SIGNIFICANT
RESOURCES AND PROVIDES NO
SERVICES TO PEOPLE WHO NEED
HELP, NOT MORE HARM.
WE NEED TO INCREASE INVESTMENTS
IN TRUE PUBLIC SAFETY, RECENTLY
A PERSON WAS ARRESTED FOR
STEALING A SHIRT, BELT AND
THREE DRINKS FROM TARGET ALL OF
WHICH COST $43.54.
THE COURT FOUND THEY WERE
SUFFERING FROM EXTREME POVERTY.
BAIL?
$1000.
ANOTHER PERSON WAS CHARGED WITH
STEALING GOODS WORTH $6.99 FROM
TARGET.
SPD ARRESTED AND BOOKED THEM IN
JAIL ON A $1000 BAIL.
SOMEONE ELSE WAS CHARGED WITH
STEALING ITEMS TOTALING $24.70
-- 4470.
THE CEO TARGET MADE $77 MILLION
IN 2020.
THIS PROGRAM IS A PIPELINE FROM
SPD TO POOR PEOPLE'S COURT TO
JAIL.
A TRAUMA FACTORY.
WHAT ABOUT THIS PROGRAM IS DATA
DRIVEN?
WHY HAVEN'T HOMELESS SERVICE
PROVIDERS AND THE DEPARTMENT OF
PUBLIC CONSULTED ABOUT THE
IMPACT OF IT ON THE PEOPLE
BEING TARGETED?
WHY HAVE PANDEMIC RELATED JAIL
BOOKING RESTRICTIONS BEEN LIFTED
FOR SHOPLIFTING CHARGES?
THIS IS NOT A PUBLIC SAFETY
ISSUE.
AND WHY ARE WE USING CITY
RESOURCES ON THIS PROGRAM
RATHER THAN ADDRESSING THE
UNDERLYING ISSUES OF POVERTY?
PROTECTING THOSE RAKING IN
MILLIONS.
IT DOES NOT LEAD TO PUBLIC
SAFETY.
THANK YOU.
I CONCEDE MY TIME.
>> THANK YOU.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JESSICA.
JESSICA IS NOT ON SCREEN IS
PRESENT SO WE WILL MOVE DOWN BY
TANYA . FOLLOWED BY JULIA.
>> HI.
AM A 39-YEAR-OLD BLACK NINE
BERNI PERSON IN DISTRICT 2. WE
DEMAND THE ENTIRETY OF SPD 2022
SALARY SAVINGS BE TRANSFERRED
TO COMMUNITY FOR INVESTMENT IN
TRUE PUBLIC SAFETY.
THINGS LIKE HOUSING, AND
HELPING OUR UNHOUSED FOLKS
TRANSITION FROM WHERE THEY ARE
CURRENTLY TWO MORE STABLE
HOUSING. WE DEMAND THE POLICING
AND CRIMINAL STATION DO NOT
ADDRESS THE UNDERLYING ISSUES
OF INEQUALITY.
THAT FORCE PEOPLE INTO UNSTABLE
LIVING SITUATIONS AND ACTS OF
SURVIVAL SUCH AS STEALING BABY
FORMULA, HYGIENE PRODUCTS FOOD.
EXPERTS SUGGEST HOMICIDES ARE
INCREASING DUE TO THE PANDEMIC
AND ECONOMIC STRESS. INCREASED
GUN SALES AND CLOSURES OF
COMMUNITY INSTITUTIONS.
THIS IS WHY WE DEMAND SALARY
SAVINGS GO TO COMMUNITY LED
PROGRAMS TO PROVIDE SERVICES
THAT ADDRESS ROOT CAUSES AND
MAKE OUR COMMUNITY SAFER FOR
EVERYONE.
THE RETAIL THEFT PROGRAM
TARGETS AND CRIMINALIZES POOR
PEOPLE, PROVIDES NO SERVICES,
AND FURTHER DESTABILIZES PEOPLE
DECREASING PUBLIC SAFETY FOR
EVERYONE.
AS PREVIOUS CALLERS HAVE STATED,
FOLKS HAVE BEEN ARRESTED FOR
STEALING FROM TARGET, A BIG BOX
STORE THAT HAS BILLIONS OF
DOLLARS OF INCOME.
AND GIVEN BALES AT $1000 AND IN
ONE CASE $2000 FOR THEFT UNDER
$100.
EVEN ONE DAY IN JAIL IS VERY
DESTABILIZING TO A PERSON AND
ONLY FURTHER EXACERBATES
POVERTY AND PUTS PEOPLE'S
HEALTH AT RISK.
WHY ARE WE USING CITY RESOURCES
ON THIS PROGRAM RATHER THAN
ADDRESSING THE UNDERLYING ISSUE
OF POVERTY?
WHY HASN'T HOMELESS SERVICE
PROVIDERS AND THE DEPARTMENT OF
PUBLIC CONSENT BEEN CONSULTED
TO TALK ABOUT THE IMPACT OF
THIS PROGRAM?
>> THANK YOU.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JULIA
FOLLOWED BY DAVID.
>> NAME IS JULIE I'M A RESIDENT
[ INAUDIBLE ]. I AM ALSO
CALLING TO ASK WHY THE CITY OF
SEATTLE HAS DECIDED TO PUT OUR
PUBLIC MONEY TOWARD BEING
TARGETS LOSS PREVENTION PROGRAM?
NOT ONLY THAT, BUT AS ANOTHER
CALLER MENTIONED, ATTEMPTING TO
STEAL GOODS IT $6.99.
OKAY.
LESS THAN SEVEN DOLLARS.
SPD ARRESTED THIS PERSON, SENT
THIS PERSON TO JAIL.
IT COST US ABOUT $400 PER DAY
TO INCARCERATE SOMEBODY.
BAIL IS SET AT $1000.
THEY PROBABLY DON'T HAVE $1000.
SO WE ARE PAYING HUNDREDS OF
DOLLARS TO PREVENT THE LOSS OF
SEVEN DOLLARS WORTH OF GOODS.
AND ON TOP OF THAT, I CAN'T
IMAGINE THERE'S ANYTHING
PARTICULARLY FANCY OR
SUPERFLUOUS YOU CAN GET FOR
$6.99.
SO, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE WE DOING?
WHY HAVEN'T WE HAD SERVICE
PROVIDERS OR INTERVENTIONS THAT
ARE NOT CHRIS FARRELL FOR THIS
KIND OF THEFT?
DID CITY COUNCIL MISTAKE THE
MESSAGE OF LES MISERABLES IS
THE STORY OF THE HEROIC
INSPECTOR WHO IS FRUSTRATED BY
THE TERRIBLE PERSON WHO STOLE
BREAD?
THIS PROGRAM IS TERRIBLE.
THANK YOU.
I YIELD MY TIME.
>>> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS DAVID
HAYNES FOLLOWED BY KATIE.
>> DAVID?
>> YES.
>> THANK YOU.
>> I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH MY
PHONE.
THANK YOU. CITY COUNCIL TO
KEEP CRIMINALS OUT OF STALE --
IS A SEATTLE POLICE HARTMAN
LYING TO THE PEOPLE ABOUT
CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY NOT
BEING EVEN LISTED AS A CRIME?
THEY SEEM TO NOT ACKNOWLEDGE
THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE SOCIETAL
IMPLOSION ORIGINATE WITH CITY
HALL AND COPS DESTROYING LIVES
DAILY -- WHY ARE YOU ALLOWING
AN UNQUALIFIED RACIST POLICE
CHIEF TO CONTINUE TO SABOTAGE
EVERY CRIME FIGHTING SEVEN --
FIGHTING UNITS.
IT'S OBVIOUS THE POLICE CHIEF
IS THE WORST WE EVER HAD WAS
YOUR A DRUG DEALER.
SECONDLY, IF THE HUMAN SERVICES
DEPARTMENT, BOTHERED TO MAKE
IMPROVEMENT TO THE HALFHEARTED
EFFORTS TO SHELTER HOME LET'S
HOMELESS DURING ANOTHER
EMERGENCY WEATHER SITUATION
OR'S IS ANOTHER FAILURE THEY
CAN LEARN FROM?
NOTE NONPROFITS WANT TO STEP UP
OR BOTHER SHOWING THE.
AFTER ALL IT IS SNOWING AND
FREEZING RIGHT NOW. NO HOMELESS
SHOULD BE DENIED HELP BECAUSE
NONPROFITS WANT TO KEEP IT A
SECRET SO YOU FIND SERVICE
NAVIGATOR ONLY HELPING TO HELP
CERTAIN SKIN COLOR REPEAT
OFFENDERS IN THE UNNECESSARY
SUFFERING OF HOMELESS ALL --
THE CITY COUNCIL KEEPING TABS
ON HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT OR
CITY COUNCIL RUNNING UP THE TAB
FAILING TO KEEP HUMAN SERVICE
ALMOST PROVIDERS AND COPS
HONEST.
THE PUBLIC SAFETY AND HUMAN
SERVICE OVERSIGHT SHOULD RESIGN
AT A PRINCIPAL.
YOU FAILED TO SOLVE ANY
PROBLEMS OTHER THAN DRUG
PUSHERS ALLOWED TO CONTINUE
GETTING AWAY WITH IMPLODING
SOCIETY.
I YIELD MY TIME.
>> THANK YOU.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS KATIE AND
KATIE WILL BE FOLLOWED BY JAMES
SAUNDERS.
>> THIS IS KATIE VICTOR.
I AM A RESIDENT IN BALLARD
DISTRICT 6. AM CALLING ABOUT
THE RETAIL THEFT PROGRAM.
I WANT TO BRING UP A QUESTION A
PREVIOUS CALLER ASKED, WHAT ARE
WE DOING?
WHAT ARE WE DOING?
YOU ARE THE PUBLIC SAFETY AND
HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE.
YOU HAVE ONE ISSUE TO SOLVING
ITS ECONOMIC INEQUALITY.
I LIVE NEAR A SAFEWAY AT 16th
AND MARKET.
IF YOU WALK IN YOU CAN SEE A
SECTION BEHIND THE COUNTER
WHERE THINGS ARE LOCKED UP.
THERE IS BABY FORMULA BACK
THERE.
BABY FORMULA.
TO UNDERSTAND? THAT IS SO
MESSED UP.
AND YOU ALL ARE THE PUBLIC
SAFETY AND HUMAN SERVICES
COMMITTEE AND WE LIVE IN ONE OF
THE RICHEST CITIES IN THE
WORLD.
AND YOU LOOK AT THIS PROBLEM
AND THINK, WE SHOULD SUPPORT
SAFEWAY IN ITS DECISION TO LOCK
UP BABY FORMULA.
BECAUSE OF THERE IS A MOTHER
TRYING TO FEED HER BABY AND SHE
HAS TO STEAL FORMULA.
SO WE LIVE IN SEATTLE, AND
INSTEAD OF USING CITY RESOURCES
TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MEET
PEOPLE'S BASIC NEEDS, YOUR
SUPPORTING CORPORATIONS WHO
LOCK UP BE FORMULA.
SO I HOPE YOU UNDERSTAND HOW
BACKWARDS AND TWISTED THAT IS.
AND I HOPE YOU LISTEN TO THE
PEOPLE CALLING IN TODAY.
AS WE TELL YOU, THAT IS NOT
WHAT WE WANT OUR CITY RESOURCES
TO BE USED FOR.
WE DON'T WANT SPD INVOLVED IN
THESE SITUATIONS.
PLEASE STOP CRIMINALIZING
POVERTY AND GET TO WORK DOING
THE REAL JOB OF THIS COMMITTEE
WHICH IS PUBLIC SAFETY AND
HUMAN SERVICES.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JAMES
SAUNDERS, SHOWING IS NOT
PRESENT.
WE WILL GO TO LEAH.
LEAH?
>> REMEMBER TO PRESS START SIX
TO UNMUTE YOURSELF.
>> HI, I AM LEAH.
I LIVE IN DISTRICT 9. AND I AM
ALSO CALLING ABOUT THE RETAIL
THEFT PROGRAM LIKE MANY OTHERS
TODAY.
AND SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE
CONCERNING REPORTS THAT THERE
HAVE BEEN RECENT WAVE OF
ARRESTS AT TARGET DOWNTOWN WITH
EXAMPLES OF A PERSON ALLEGEDLY
STEALING $6.99 WORTH OF GOODS
AND BEING BOOKED IN JAIL ON
$1000 BAIL. SOMEONE ARRESTED
FOR ALLEGEDLY STEALING $23.54
IN GOODS AND BEING BOOKED ON
$1000 BAIL.
AND SOMEONE ARRESTED FOR
ALLEGEDLY STEALING $44.70 OF
GOODS FROM TARGET AND BAIL
BEING SET FOR $2000.
SO, WE HAVE HEARD ALL OF THE
IMPORTANT ARGUMENT SO FAR TODAY
ALREADY, THE PROGRAM IS
TARGETING POOR PEOPLE AS OTHERS
HAVE SAID.
IT'S OBVIOUS THAT ECONOMIC
INEQUALITY AND POVERTY ARE
HUGE, HUGE ISSUES IN OUR CITY
AND THEY ARE NOT PROBLEMS WE
ARE GOING TO SOLVE THE
CRIMINALIZING POVERTY.
ONE THING I'M NOT SURE HAS BEEN
MENTIONED IS THAT KING COUNTY
JAIL HAS BEEN GOING THROUGH AN
ONGOING CRISIS WITH COVID-19
CIRCULATING IN THE JAIL AND
THAT HAS INHIBITED ACCESS TO
SHOWERS, ATTORNEY MEETINGS,
LAUNDRY AND MORE.
SO IT IS RIDICULOUS TO ME THAT
WE WOULD BE PUTTING PEOPLE IN
THE JAIL AND THEN SETTING
IRRITABLY HIGH BAIL.
IN ADDITION TO EVERYTHING ELSE
THAT HAS BEEN SAID, WHY ARE WE
USING CITY RESOURCES ON THIS
PROGRAM RATHER THAN ADDRESSING
THE UNDERLYING ISSUE OF POVERTY?
THE DEMAND OR SUGGESTION OR THE
DEMAND THAT WE TRANSFER $1.4
MILLION IN SPD SALARY SAVINGS
TO COMMUNITY IS A GOOD ONE.
TAKE CARE.
BYE.
>> OUR LAST SPEAKER SIGNED UP
IS CHLOE HUBER.
CHLOE IS NOT SHOWING IS
PRESENT.
ONE OF OUR EARLIER SPEAKERS WHO
IS NOT SHOWING PRESENT NOW
SHOWS PRESENT.
SO WE WILL TRY TO GO BACK TO
PETER.
PETER?
>> GOOD MORNING, THANK YOU FOR
COMING BACK TO ME.
THIS IS PETER IN DISTRICT 6.
I'M CALLING ABOUT BOTH ITEMS ON
TODAY'S AGENDA.
FIRST I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT
OFFICERS HAVE CONTINUED THE
TREND OF LEAVING A CITY FASTER
THAN NEW WINDSOR JOINING.
WE KNOW FROM DECADES OF
EVIDENCE SPD CONTAINS ANTI-
BLACK AND ANTI-INDIGENOUS
RACISM.
WE KNOW FROM TWO YEARS OF LIES,
COVERUPS UNDER LEADERSHIP THAT
SPD WILL NOT CHANGE UNLESS THEY
ARE HELD FINANCIALLY
ACCOUNTABLE.
THE SPD CAN AND SHOULD BE
SMALLER AND HAVE A SMALLER
BUDGET.
THEIR SALARY SAVINGS MUST BE
REMOVED ENTIRELY FROM THE
DEPARTMENT AND TRANSFERRED TO
THE COMMUNITY FOR NONPOLICE
APPROACHES TO PUBLIC SAFETY
THAT CENTER PEOPLE'S BASIC
NEEDS.
THE SECOND THING I'M CALLING
ABOUT IS THE RETAIL THEFT
PROGRAM WHICH DEPUTIZE HIS
PRIVATE SECURITY TO FURTHER
CRIMINALIZE POVERTY.
THIS IS A BLATANT CAPITULATION
TO THE INTEREST OF CORPORATE
PROFITS OVER THE STRUGGLES OF
POOR AND UNHOUSED PEOPLE.
YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO ADDRESS THE
CAUSE OF THE CITY PROBLEMS THAT
THE EFFECTS.
THERE'S NO PART OF SPD'S
PROGRAM THAT ADDRESSES THE
CAUSE OF SHOPLIFTING.
CONSIDER THE IMPACT OF THIS
PROGRAM ON THE PEOPLE BEING
TARGETED.
SPD BOOK 5 PEOPLE ACCUSED OF
SHOPLIFTING AT THE DOWNTOWN
TARGET INTO THE COUNTY JAIL.
ONE PERSON ALLEGEDLY SOLD $6.99
OF TODAY'S.
ANOTHER TOOK VITAMINS AND BABY
FORMULA.
THESE ACTIONS ARE NOT THREATS
TO PUBLIC SAFETY.
IS IMMORAL AND FINANCIALLY
ILLOGICAL TO RESPOND TO THESE
ACTIONS BY SPENDING OVER $300
PER NIGHT TO JAIL PEOPLE.
EVEN A SHORT TIME IN JAIL IS
DESTABILIZING, EXACERBATES
POVERTY AND PUTS PEOPLE'S LIVES
AT RISK.
PLEASE DO NOT LIFT PANDEMIC
RELATED JAIL RESTRICTIONS WITH
COVID STILL RAMPANT.
I WILL END WITH A REMINDER THAT
THE REPORT LAST YEAR SHOWED
THAT UNARMED COMMUNITY BASED
RESPONDERS COULD HANDLE MORE
THAN HALF OF THE CALLS THAT SPD
CURRENTLY RECEIVES.
PLEASE DEFUND SPD, ESPECIALLY
THE ONE POINT FOR ME AND
DOLLARS THAT THEY ARE NOT
PRESENTLY USING.
THANK YOU FOR LISTING.
>> GOING BACK TO PUBLIC COMMENT
, TO SEE IF ANYONE ELSE HAS
RETURNED.
CHLOE IS NOW WITH US.
CHLOE?
>> IN MY UNMUTED?
>> YOU ARE.
>> GREAT, TODAY I AM ALSO
CALLING ABOUT THE RETAIL THEFT
PROGRAM. I UNDERSTAND THAT WE
WILL BE USING COMMUNITY FUNDS TO
BUILD FURTHER CRIMINALIZE FOLKS
ARE TAKING BASIC SURVIVAL NEEDS
FROM STORES.
AND THAT WOULD MAYBE BE
EXPANDING THIS PROGRAM WHEN I
FEEL LIKE, OFTEN THOSE NEEDS
COULD BE MET ANOTHER WAY. AM
CONCERNED THE BY CONTINUING TO
FUND THE POLICE SO HEAVILY THAT
WE WON'T INVEST IN ALTERNATIVES
AND MORE COMPASSIONATE PROGRAMS.
I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE MORE
MAYBE LIKE OUTDOOR TEMPORARY
THEY CENTERS.
OR DISTRIBUTION OF ITEMS.
I SEE A LOT OF COMMUNITY GROUPS
ARE ALREADY DOING THIS WORK.
I FEEL LIKE WE ARE MUCH LOWER
COST THAN JAILING SOMEONE AND
EMPLOYING AN OFFICER OR GIVING
MONEY TO EMPLOY MORE OFFICERS.
I WOULD REALLY LIKE FOLKS TO
CONSIDER AN ALTERNATIVE TO THIS.
IF POSSIBLE.
THAT IS ALL FOR ME.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THAT WAS OUR LAST PUBLIC
SPEAKER WHO IS PRESENT.
SO WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC
COMMENT PERIOD.
AND MOVE INTO THE ITEM.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE READ INTO
THE AGENDA ITEM NUMBER TWO?
>> COMMITTEE AGENDA NUMBER ONE
--
>> SORRY.
I AM READING MY INSTRUCTIONS.
IT SAYS NUMBER TWO.
>> COMMITTEE AGENDA NUMBER ONE
SPD 2021 URINE STAFFING REPORT
AND YEAR-END CRIME REPORT.
>> YOU SO MUCH.
SO, WE'RE GOING TO START WITH
AGENDA ITEM NUMBER ONE, THANK
YOU, ALEX.
AND THIS ITEM, WE ARE FIRST
GOING TO HEAR FROM GREG DOSS OF
COUNCIL CENTRAL STAFF WITH THE
YEAR-END STAFFING REPORT.
AFTER THAT ADRIAN DIAZ WILL
SPEAK TO THE YEAR-END CRIME
REPORT.
AND SO WITH THAT I WILL TURN
OVER TO ADRIAN DIAZ -- GREG
DOSS OF COUNCIL CENTRAL STAFF.
>> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
GREG DOSS TOWNSELL CENTRAL
STAFF.
GOOD MORNING MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE AND CHIEF DIAZ.
I WILL GO AHEAD AND START AS
THE CHAIR MENTIONED WITH THE
BRIEF PRESENTATION OF THE SPD
STAFFING REPORT.
I'M GOING TO START BY PUTTING UP
-- SHARING MY SCREEN AND
PUTTING UP THE PRESENTATION I
HAVE PREPARED.
WHEN MOMENT.
CAN EVERYONE SEE THAT?
>> IT LOOKS GREAT.
>> I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND
JUMP RIGHT IN.
WHAT I DID WAS TOOK DATA THAT
WAS TRANSMITTED BY THE
DEPARTMENT FOR THE ENTIRE YEAR
OF 2021, I'M GOING TO PRESENT
THOSE TO YOU THIS MORNING.
FOR SOME CONTEXT, FOR TODAY'S
PRESENTATION, IT IS SORT OF A
ONE OFF.
JUST A PRESENTATION THAT THE
CHAIR HAS ASKED ME TO DO ON THE
2021 STAFFING SITUATION, A
RECAP OF LAST YEAR.
BUT THERE WILL BE REGULAR
STAFFING VISITATIONS AND
FINANCE PRESENTATIONS THAT WILL
BE DONE THROUGHOUT THIS YEAR,
2022, SO I WANT TO CALL YOUR
ATTENTION TO THAT.
THERE IS A SLIDE PAST IN THE
2022 BUDGET THAT MANDATES THAT
WILL BE QUARTERLY
PRESENTATIONS, SPD 001-8001. IT
MANDATES PRESENTATIONS ON APRIL
15, JULY 15 AND OCTOBER 5. I'M
SORRY THAT'S WHEN THE DATA
COMES IN.
THE PRESENTATIONS WILL BE A
LITTLE LATER.
ON STAFFING.
IT WILL BE THE SAME AS TODAY
AND ALSO PLANNED AND ACTUAL
EXPENDITURES FOR SPD AND THEN
THERE WILL ALSO BE PERFORMANCE
MEASURES, 911 STATS AND THE
NUMBER OF DAYS THAT A
DEPARTMENT HAS TO GO INTO
LIMITED 91 RESPONSE.
PRIORITY CALL HANDLING METRICS.
AND THEN, VARIOUS OTHER METRICS
OVER TIME, RESPONSE, ET CETERA.
TODAY IS A BIT OF A ONE OFF
JUST DOING THE STAFFING.
BUT THERE WILL BE REGULAR
PRESENTATIONS QUARTERLY THAT
WILL DO STAFFING AND FINANCE
METRICS.
>> REAL QUICK, ONE THING TO
ADD, GREG, THE REASON IT IS A
ONE OFF IS THE REGULAR REPORTING
CADENCE WE HAVE IDENTIFIED HAS
THE LAST REPORT IN OCTOBER AND
THEN WE DON'T START AGAIN UNTIL
THE END OF THE FIRST QUARTER.
SO, WE DO NOT GIVE OURSELVES
THE BENEFIT IN A REGULAR
RECORDING CADENCE OF HAVING A
YEAR-END REPORT.
SO THAT IS THE REASON WHY I
ASKED GREG TO PRESENT THE
INFORMATION THAT SPD HAS
PROVIDED.
>> THANK YOU.
SO, JUMPING INTO STAFFING.
THIS IS A CHART I THINK MANY OF
YOU HAVE SEEN BEFORE.
WHAT I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE
BIT ABOUT IS THE STAFFING DATA
THAT I AM BRINGING BEFORE YOU
TODAY.
IT IS DATA THAT IS PROVIDED BY
SPD IN TERMS OF THE ACTUALS
THAT WERE MEASURED LAST YEAR.
SO WE HAVE ACTUAL SEPARATIONS
AND ACTUAL HIRES THAT WERE
PROVIDED BY SPD.
AND THEN WE HAVE PROJECTIONS FOR
HIRES THAT WERE PROVIDED BY SPD
FOR 2022.
HOWEVER, SPD DID NOT PROVIDE
SEPARATION PROJECTIONS FOR 2022
IN THE SENSE THAT SPD ONLY
BELIEVES THAT 94 OFFICERS WILL
SEPARATE IN 2022.
AND THAT IS THE STAFFING PLAN
THEY SUBMITTED TO THE COUNCIL
DURING THE BUDGET.
DURING THE BUDGET PERIOD THE
COUNCIL ASSERTED ITS OWN HIRING
AND SEPARATION PROJECTIONS AND
THE COUNCILS HIRING AND
SEPARATION PROJECTIONS WERE THAT
THE SAME ON THE HIRING SIDE IS
A DEPARTMENT THAT THERE WOULD
BE 125 HIRES BUT THERE WOULD BE
MORE SEPARATIONS.
THAT THERE WOULD BE 125
SEPARATIONS.
SO WHAT I HAVE DONE HERE TODAY
FOR THE STAFFING UPDATE THAT I
AM PRESENTING TO YOU IS CREATE
A SORT OF A HYBRID VISITATION.
IT USES THE SPD ACTUALS FOR
WHAT HAPPENED IN 2021 IT USES
THE SPD PROJECTIONS FOR HIRES
AND IT USES THE COUNCIL
PROJECTIONS FOR SEPARATIONS.
125.
AND HOW I DID THAT WAS I SIMPLY
TOOK THE DEPARTMENT 94
SEPARATIONS AND LAYERED IN SOME
ADDITIONAL SEPARATIONS FOR THE
COUNCIL'S ASSUMPTIONS BACK IN
THE BUDGET.
WHAT YOU CAN SEE HERE IS IN 2021
THERE WERE 171 ACTUAL
SEPARATIONS.
AND THAT THERE WERE 81 HIRES.
SO TO TELL YOU HOW THOSE
BREAKOUT FROM A DEMOGRAPHIC
STANDPOINT, THERE WERE ABOUT,
ON THE HIRING SIDE, ABOUT 67
MEN, 14 WOMEN, PEOPLE OF COLOR
WERE 41% REPRESENTED AND WHITE
PEOPLE WORK 57 PERCENT
REPRESENTED.
ON THE SEPARATION SIDE THERE
WERE PEOPLE OF COLOR WERE 25%
REPRESENTED.
WHITE PEOPLE WERE 69%
REPRESENTED.
MEN, ONE HUNDRED 42, WOMEN, 29.
SO THAT IS HOW THE DEMOGRAPHICS
BREAKOUT ON THE ACTUAL HIRES
AND SEPARATIONS. LAST YEAR.
SO GOING AHEAD AND MOVING INTO
THE CHART, WHAT YOU SEE IS THAT
FULLY TRAINED OFFICERS AND
OFFICERS IN SERVICE OVER THE
LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, IT IS A
QUARTERLY MEASURE, STARTING IN
2020, QUARTER ONE, AND THEN
MOVING ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE
END OF THIS YEAR, 2022.
IN THE TOP LINE BEING FULLY
TRAINED OFFICERS.
OFFICERS THAT HAVE COMPLETED AT
LEAST THROUGH THE FIRST PHASE
OF FIELD TRAINING AND CAN BE
DEPLOYED ON THEIR OWN.
AND WHAT YOU SEE THE SECOND
LINE, OFFICERS IN SERVICE OFTEN
CALLED DEPLOYABLE OFFICERS,
THOSE ARE THE FOLKS THAT SHOW
UP TO WORK EVERY DAY AND CAN BE
PUT OUT IN THE FIELD.
IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY COUNT
FOLKS THAT ARE ON SHORT-TERM
LEAVE LIKE INDIVIDUAL SICK DAYS
OR INDIVIDUAL VACATION DAYS.
IT DOES COUNT FOLKS THAT ARE
OUT ON LONG-TERM DISABILITY.
AND SO, THAT NUMBER IS, AGAIN,
THE DEPLOYABLE NUMBER.
WHAT YOU SEE HERE IS OBVIOUSLY
CONSISTENT WITH THE STORY I
THINK EVERYONE HAS BEEN
FAMILIAR WITH.
THAT THE NUMBER OF OFFICERS IN
SERVICE AND THE NUMBER OF
TRAINED OFFICERS HAS BEEN
DECLINING SINCE THE FIRST
QUARTER OF 2020.
AND WHEN WE REACH QUARTER FOUR
OF 2021, WE HAVE REACHED A
TOTAL OF 1139 FULLY TRAINED
OFFICERS IN THE DEPARTMENT.
AND 958 DEPLOYABLE OFFICERS IN
THE DEPARTMENT.
AND THOSE ARE THE END OF THE
SOLID LINES, THE ACTUALS.
AND THEN WHAT YOU SEE THE
DOTTED LINES WHICH ARE
PROJECTIONS FOR THE REST OF
THIS YEAR.
AND, WHERE WE WILL END UP
ACCORDING TO THE THE
DEPARTMENTS IN CENTRAL STAFF
AND COUNCIL'S PROJECTIONS ARE
AT 1137 FULLY TRAINED OFFICERS
AND 1039 DEPLOYABLE OFFICERS.
THE REASON WE SEE THE INCREASE
IN DEPLOYABLE OFFICERS IS
BECAUSE THE DEPARTMENT IS
MAKING AN ASSUMPTION THAT THE
NUMBER OF FOLKS THAT ARE
CURRENTLY OUT ON EXTENDED LEAVE
, THAT SOME OF THOSE FOLKS WILL
START TO RETURN TO SERVICE.
IF YOU GO BACK TO QUARTER 420
21 YOU WILL SEE THERE ARE 958
OFFICERS THAT ARE DEPLOYABLE
RIGHT NOW.
THAT NUMBER REFLECTS ROUGHLY
ABOUT -- WELL IN JANUARY IT
REFLECTS 170 OFFICERS THAT ARE
CURRENTLY OUT ON LONG-TERM
LEAVE.
AND, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF
DIFFERENT KINDS OF LEAVES THAT
OFFICERS ARE OUT ON RIGHT NOW.
BUT, THE HOPE IS THAT OVER THE
NEXT FOUR QUARTERS SOME OF THE
OFFICERS WILL START TO RETURN
FROM THOSE LONGER-TERM LEAVES
AND THAT DEPLOYABLE NUMBER WILL
GO BACK UP TO 1039 FROM THE
958.
IF THAT HAPPENS THAT WILL
OBVIOUSLY INCREASE THE
DEPARTMENT'S STREET STRENGTH
AND 911 RESPONSE STRENGTH.
ALSO I WOULD POINT OUT THAT THE
COUNCIL'S PROJECTIONS OF
HUNDRED 25 HIRES AND 135
SEPARATIONS IS REALIZED, THEN
YOU HAVE A SITUATION WHERE
THERE IS RELATIVELY LITTLE OR
NO GROWTH ACTUALLY, A SLIGHT
DECLINE FROM 1139 FULLY TRAINED
OFFICERS TO 1137 FULLY TRAINED
OFFICERS IN 2022.
SO THAT IS HOW THE YEAR WOULD
PLAY OUT IF THE ASSUMPTIONS BY
THE COUNCIL AND BY THE
DEPARTMENT ARE REALIZED.
SO WITH THAT I WILL STOP AND
ASK IF THERE ANY QUESTIONS SO
FAR?
>> A REAL QUICK QUESTION, GREG,
BEFORE I CHECK WITH MY
COLLEAGUES, I ALSO WANT TO
RECOGNIZE COUNCILMEMBER
MOSQUEDA AND COUNCILMEMBER
LEWIS HAVE JOINED US.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.
CAN YOU RESTATE WHAT YOU SAID
ABOUT THE OFFICERS ON LEAVE AND
THE ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT THEIR
RETURN?
>> SURE.
SO THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE
BLUE LINE IN THE GRAY LINE IS
THE NUMBER OF OFFICERS THAT ARE
OUT ON EXTENDED LEAVE.
IN THE MONTH OF JANUARY, THAT
IS 170.
I WILL GO AHEAD AND BREAK OUT A
LITTLE BIT THE KINDS OF LEAVES
OFFICERS ARE ON.
HUNDRED 70 OFFICERS OUT ON
EXTENDED LEAVE.
IN JANUARY.
YOU HAVE 30 OFFICERS OUT ON
WORKERS COMP, WORKERS COMP
CLAIMS.
85 OFFICERS THAT WERE OUT ON
SICK LEAVE FOR VARIOUS OTHER
CRIME -- OTHER KINDS OF ACCRUED
LEAVE.
MAYBE COMP TIME.
THERE WERE 41 OFFICERS OUT ON
FAMILY MEDICAL LEAVE OR
PARENTAL LEAVE.
AND THERE WERE 12 OFFICERS THAT
WERE OUT ON ADMINISTRATIVE
LEAVE.
SO WHEN YOU ADD ALL THOSE
NUMBERS UP, YOU HAVE 170
OFFICERS NOT DEPLOYABLE AND
THAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN
THE TWO LINES.
THE HOPE IS THAT SOME OF THOSE
OFFICERS, THE 85 ON SICK LEAVE
OR OUT ON COMP TIME FOR OTHER
KINDS OF BENEFITS WILL COME
BACK INTO SERVICE AND WILL BE
DEPLOYABLE AND JOIN THE FOLKS
ON THE BLUE LINE AND EVENTUALLY
WE WILL HAVE MORE OFFICERS OUT
ON THE STREET.
IS THAT GETTING YOUR QUESTION?
>> THERE IS.
THERE IS A CATEGORY OF LEAVE
THAT I UNDERSTAND THAT MANY OF
THE OFFICERS WHO ARE RESISTING
THE VACCINE MANDATE ARE IN.
AND THAT THEY ARE IN THAT, THEY
ARE TAKING THAT LEAVE WHILE
EITHER THEIR EFFORTS TO GET
SOME SORT OF A EXEMPTION, AND
MEDICAL OR RELIGIOUS EXEMPTION
IS ACCOMMODATED.
OR, THEY MAY DECIDE TO LEAVE
THE DEPARTMENT ALTOGETHER.
WHICH CATEGORY OF LEAVE IS
THAT?
>> THAT IS SICK LEAVE OR
ACCRUED BENEFITS.
ACCRUED BENEFITS IS A WAY OF
SAYING BENEFITS THE YOU ACCRUE
OVER TIME.
YOU KNOW, I THINK OF
COMPENSATION, COMPENSATORY TIME
IN LIEU OF OVERTIME.
SICK LEAVE YOU ACCRUE OVER TIME.
THAT, THOSE ARE THE HOURS
AVAILABLE TO AN OFFICER TO TAKE
ON A DISCRETIONARY BASIS.
SICK LEAVE PROBABLY BEING THE
EASIEST ONE TO ACCESS IF YOU
ARE NOT ABLE TO SHOW UP FOR
WORK FOR MEDICAL REASONS.
RIGHT NOW THERE ARE 85 OFFICERS
THAT ARE OUT IN THAT CATEGORY,
AND THAT IS THE CATEGORY THAT
THE DEPARTMENT HAS CONFIRMED
VACCINE HOLDOUTS WOULD BE IN
THAT CATEGORY.
THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO TELL
ME HOW MANY OF THAT 85 OUR
VACCINE HOLDOUTS COMPARED WITH
FOLKS THAT ARE OUT ANOTHER
MEDICAL OR ACCRUED LEAVE
CONDITIONS.
>> ARE WE MAKING ASSUMPTIONS
ABOUT THE PERCENTAGE OF THAT 85
OFFICERS THAT WILL RETURN?
AND WHAT ARE THOSE ASSUMPTIONS
BASED ON?
>> THE DEPARTMENT IS MAKING
ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT OVERALL THE
CATEGORY OF EXTENDED LEAVE, THE
NUMBER OF OFFICERS THAT ARE
GOING TO RETURN.
THOSE ASSUMPTIONS ARE REFLECTED
IN THIS CHART.
I DO NOT HAVE THE DETAIL ON
CATEGORY BY CATEGORY WHERE THEY
SEE THOSE OFFICERS RETURNING
FROM, WHETHER THEY ARE
RETURNING FROM WORKERS COMP OR
PARENTAL LEAVE OR ANY OTHER
CATEGORY. IT IS JUST THAT THE
DEPARTMENT BELIEVES THAT
CATEGORY AS A WHOLE, 170, IS
GOING TO BE REDUCED DOWN TO
SOMEWHERE AROUND 98.
>> THANK YOU.
AND I AM SORRY, I DID SEE
SOMEONE ELSE'S HAND EARLIER.
YES.
EXCELLENT.
>> I WILL WAIT UNTIL THE END OF
THE PRESENTATION.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS
SLIDE BEFORE WE MOVE ON?
COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN.
>> THANK YOU.
THANK YOU TO CENTRAL STAFF FOR
PUTTING TOGETHER THIS
PRESENTATION ON STAFFING LEVELS.
I CONTINUE TO BE ALARMED BY THE
LOWER STAFFING LEVELS OF OUR
POLICE DEPARTMENT.
ALSO, WE HAVE THE YEAR AND
CRIME REPORT SHOWING INCREASES
IN BOTH VIOLENT CRIME AND
PROPERTY CRIME, THAT DATE IS
CONSISTENT WITH WHAT
CONSTITUENTS SEE AS A RISING
CRIME.
THIS QUESTION MAY BE FOR THE
CHIEF FOR WHAT WE CAN DO TO
INCREASE INCENTIVES FOR HIRING
MORE OFFICERS.
AND ALSO, THE COUNCIL
PROJECTION FOR SEPARATION, 125
--
>> I DON'T KNOW IF IT IS MAYBE
YOU CUT OFF.
AGAIN, I AM NOT SURE IF IT IS
JUST ME, BUT I AM NOT HEARING
YOUR AUDIO.
>> I'M NOT HEARING IT EITHER.
>> I THINK THERE WAS A TECH
PROBLEM.
LET ME START OVER.
>> WE GOT THE FIRST PART OF
YOUR QUESTION.
TALKING ABOUT INCENTIVES.
AND THEN YOU CUT OFF WHEN YOU
WERE TO ASKING ABOUT THE
PROJECTED SEPARATIONS.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR.
A QUESTION FOR THE CHIEF IS ON
THIS SLIDE IT SHOWS CITY
COUNCIL PROJECTING SEPARATIONS
IN 2022 OF 125, JUST WANTED TO
KNOW IF THE CHIEF HAD ANY SORT
OF UPDATED VIEWS ON WHETHER IT
WOULD BE 125 OR FEWER OR MORE
THAN 125 SEPARATIONS THIS YEAR.
THANK YOU.
DID YOU WANT TO TAKE QUESTIONS
NOW OR WAIT UNTIL THE
PRESENTATION?
>> LET ME WAIT AND I WILL DO IT
ALL.
>> THAT SOUNDS GREAT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA.
>> IF HE IS GOING TO TAKE
QUESTIONS AT THE END I WILL MY
QUESTIONS AS WELL.
>> SURE, JUST TO CLARIFY, WHAT
WE ARE DOING, GREG IS GIVING
THE STAFFING REPORT. AND THEN
WE ARE GOING TO HAND OVER TO
CHIEF DIAZ TO GO THROUGH THE
2021 CRIME REPORT.
SO, TO THE EXTENT THAT YOU HAVE
QUESTIONS FOR GREG OR FOR THE
CHIEF ON THE STAFFING REPORT,
IT IS APPROPRIATE TO ASK THEM.
BUT IF YOU ARE WANTING TO TALK
MORE ABOUT INFORMATION
CONTAINED IN THE CRIME REPORT,
YOU CAN HOLD THOSE QUESTIONS
UNTIL CHIEF DIAZ GOES THROUGH
HIS PRESENTATION.
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR.
SO I HAVE A QUESTION FOR GREG
ON THE STAFFING REPORT THAT I
THINK MIGHT GO TO THE CRUX OF
WHAT COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN
WAS ASKING.
I WANT TO KIND OF RECONCILE
SOME OF THE ASSUMPTIONS HE JUST
DETAILED, GREAT, ABOUT THE
DEPARTMENT ANTICIPATING THAT A
CERTAIN NUMBER OF FULLY TRAINED
OFFICERS WHO ARE CURRENTLY ON
LONGER-TERM LEAVE -- AND THIS
IS SORT OF A VARIATION ON
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD 'S
PREVIOUS QUESTION . THE
DEPARTMENT ANTICIPATING MORE OF
THESE OFFICERS RETURN TO ACTIVE
SERVICE OTHER THAN POTENTIALLY
LEAVE THE DEPARTMENT.
I GUESS I'M WONDERING IF THIS
1039 NUMBER, HOW DOES THAT
RECONCILE WITH THE COUNCILS 125
PROJECTED SEPARATIONS?
IN LOOKING AT THIS -- THIS 1137
NUMBER AND 1039 NUMBER, IS THAT
1039 NUMBER ACHIEVABLE WITH THE
PROJECTED 125 SEPARATIONS?
I WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT.
IF YOU DID IN YOUR PRESENTATION
I DIDN'T QUITE CATCH IT.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER.
OF THE HIRING PROJECTIONS AT
125 AND THE SEPARATION
PROJECTIONS OF 125 ARE BAKED
INTO THIS CHART.
SO THIS CHART ASSUMES THAT BOTH
OF THOSE ASSUMPTIONS, BOTH THE
125 HIRES HAPPEN AND THE 125
SEPARATIONS HAPPEN.
IF BOTH OF THOSE THINGS HAPPEN,
THEN AT THE END OF THE YEAR WE
WILL END UP WITH 1137 FULLY
TRAINED AND 1039 DEPLOYABLE.
>> OKAY.
THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA?
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND
THANK YOU FOR THE
CLARIFICATION.
I WILL ASK THESE QUESTIONS OF
GREG.
TO CONFIRM, WITHIN THE LAST TWO
YEARS, THE COUNCIL HAS FULLY
FUNDED THE HIRING PLAN FOR
SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
BUT SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT
HAS STILL BEEN UNABLE TO HIGHER
THE LEVEL THEY HAVE REPEATEDLY
ASKED FOR.
DO WE KNOW THE LAST TIME THE
SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT WAS
UNABLE TO HIGHER NUMBER OF
OFFICERS THEY PROJECTED TO
HIGHER OR REQUESTED TO HIGHER?
HIRE?
>> THE LAST TIME THE SPD HAD A
GOOD HIRING YEAR WAS 2019.
LAST YEAR THE ASSUMPTION WAS
THAT THEY WERE GOING TO HIRE I
BELIEVE 105.
AND THE ACTUAL HIRES AS YOU CAN
SEE HERE WERE 81.
>> CHIEF, IF I AM WRONG ABOUT
THAT, CORRECT ME.
>> A QUICK FOLLOW-UP, MADAM
CHAIR.
GREG, I KNOW I SHOULD'VE ASKED
YOU EARLIER, WHAT I UNDERSTAND
IS SIMILAR TO TRENDS
EXPERIENCED BY LARGE CITIES
ACROSS THE COUNTRY AS WELL IN
TERMS OF HIRING RATES.
ESPECIALLY IN THE LAST TWO
YEARS.
CAN YOU COMMENT ON HOW WE
COMPARE TO OTHER JURISDICTIONS?
>> I CAN ONLY -- THE CHIEF CAN
PROBABLY COMMENT ON IT AND HE
GETS ON.
BUT IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT
IT IS, HIRING POLICE OFFICERS
HAS BEEN A STRUGGLE FOR
AGENCIES THROUGHOUT THE REGION.
AND NATIONAL.
BUT I WILL HAVE HIM COMMENT ON
THAT.
>> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, THAT
IS MY QUESTION.
>> LET'S MOVE ON.
>> I'D LIKE TO GET BACK TO THE
COMMITTEE WITH THE ACTUAL, THE
PROJECTED HIRES FOR LAST YEAR.
I SAID 105, I'M NOT ENTIRELY
CERTAIN OF THAT.
I WILL GET BACK TO YOU WITH
THAT NUMBER.
>> THANK YOU, GREG.
>> SO I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE
BIT ABOUT HOW THIS WILL PLAY
OUT IF THIS FORECAST COMES TRUE.
SO, THIS TABLE COMPARES THE
FORECAST I JUST SHOWED YOU WITH
WHAT IS IN THE 2022 ADOPTED
BUDGET.
WHAT YOU CAN SEE HERE IS THE
FIRST COLUMN, 2022 ADOPTED
BUDGET SHOWING THE AVERAGE
ANNUAL FTE FUNDED AT 1200.
AND WHAT YOU SEE IN THE NEXT
COLUMN, THE NEW ESTIMATES FOR
2022, YOU'LL SEE THE AVERAGE
ANNUAL FTE ARE NOW 1190.
AND THAT THE DIFFERENCE IS 10.
SO WHAT IS REFLECTED THERE IS
THAT IN THE TIME BETWEEN THE
TIME WAS THE BUDGET WAS ADOPTED
AND THERE WERE 1200 FTES
FUNDED, THE DEPARTMENT LOST
EIGHT MORE FULLY TRAINED
OFFICERS AND FAILED TO HIGHER
TWO RECRUITS THEY HAD PLANNED
TO HIGHER.
PROJECTED THEY WOULD HIRE.
. THAT IS A DIFFERENCE OF 10
FTE.
WHEN THAT TRICKLES THROUGH THE
HIRING PLAN FOR THE ENTIRE YEAR
OF 2022, WHAT THAT MEANS IS
THAT THE NUMBER OF FULLY
TRAINED OFFICERS GOES DOWN BY
EIGHT AT THE END OF THE YEAR.
AND, THE DEPARTMENT WILL WIND
UP WITH ABOUT $1.42 MILLION IN
SAVINGS IN 2022 BECAUSE THEY
HAD PLANNED ON PAYING AN EXTRA
10 FTE AND THOSE EXTRA 10 FTE
THAT ARE FUNDED ARE NOT GOING
TO NEED SALARIES.
AGAIN, FUNDED FOR 1200, AND
THEY ONLY NEED SALARIES FOR
1190.
I WILL STOP RIGHT THERE AND ASK
IF THERE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT
THAT.
SO, IT IS A SIMILAR SITUATION
TO WHAT WE HAVE SEEN IN THE
LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
OFFICERS ARE LEAVING FASTER
THAN THE HIRING CAN PROJECT AND
KEEP UP WITH.
AND SO, THERE IS MORE FUNDING
IN THE SALARY BUDGET THAN SPD
NEEDS.
RIGHT NOW IT IS $1.42 MILLION
OVERFUNDED.
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE 2022
BUDGET AND SUBSEQUENT BUDGETS,
LAST YEAR'S BUDGET, IS THAT
THIS YEAR THERE IS A PROVISO SPD
003 B001 THAT PROHIBITS SPD
FROM SPENDING ANY OF THAT $1.42
MILLION UNTIL THE COUNCIL
AUTHORIZES FUTURE SPENDING.
SO WHAT THAT PROVISO DOES IS IT
LOCKS AND SPECIFICALLY THE
FUNDING FOR 1200 ANNUAL AVERAGE
FTE.
AND SAYS THAT FTE -- SPD CAN
SPEND NO MORE SALARY FUNDING
BEYOND 1200 ANNUAL AVERAGE FTE
AND THAT ANY SPENDING BEYOND --
IT CAN ONLY SPEND THAT ON
ACTUAL NEEDS.
ANY SPENDING BEYOND ACTUAL
NEEDS HAS TO GET PERMISSION OF
THE COUNCIL.
SO THAT IS AN IMPORTANT THING
TO CLARIFY THIS YEAR, THAT THE
$1.42 MILLION OF SALARY SAVINGS
CANNOT BE COMMITTED BY SPD
WITHOUT THE COUNCILS
AUTHORIZATION.
WHEREAS LAST YEAR THAT WAS NOT
THE CASE AND SPD DID COMMIT
SOME OF THEIR SALARY SAVINGS TO
TECHNOLOGY PROJECTS AND SOME
HIRING THE CHIEF HAD INTEREST
IN MOVING AHEAD WITH.
CSO'S AND CIVILIAN HIRES THAT
WERE CONSIDERED ESSENTIAL BY SPD
AND THE EXECUTIVE.
SO, TALKING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
THE PROJECTIONS.
COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN HAD A
QUESTION ABOUT PROJECTIONS.
SPD HIRING PROJECTIONS REFLECT
105 RECRUIT HIRES.
20 LATERAL HIRES AND ZERO HE
HIRES.
THERE PROJECTIONS REFLECT THAT
THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE THEIR OWN
ACADEMY CLASS IN JUNE.
AND, SHOULD THAT HOLD, THERE
WOULD BE A LARGE HOPEFULLY
INFLUX OF OFFICERS AFTER THE
ACADEMY CLASS AND AFTER THE
INITIAL TRAINING OF THOSE
OFFICERS.
SO IT WILL BE MORE LIKE EARLY
2023.
SPD, COUNCIL CENTRAL STAFF'S
SEPARATION PROJECTIONS WERE
BASED ON TWO THINGS.
THIS IS TO COUNCILMEMBER,
COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN'S
QUESTION.
WHAT I DID WAS TAKE, PROJECT 94
SEPARATION PROJECTIONS THE SPD
HAD PROVIDED THROUGHOUT THE
YEAR, AND I ADDED IN THE MONTH
OF JANUARY, 12 SEPARATION
PROJECTIONS THAT THE COUNCIL
HAD SAID WOULD HAPPEN DUE TO
VEXING MANDATES. THAT MADE THE
MONTH OF JANUARY A PROJECTED
SEPARATION MONTH THAT WOULD HAVE
20 SEPARATIONS.
AND AS IT TURNS OUT, THAT IS
EXACTLY HOW MANY PEOPLE LEFT IN
JANUARY.
THE COUNCIL HAD PROJECTED 20
SEPARATIONS, I THINK 12 VACCINE
MANDATE, PLUS SPD SEPARATIONS,
PLUS A FEW MORE I ADDED IN
THERE.
20 WAS THE PROJECT IN.
20 IS HAPPENED.
IT TURNS OUT THERE WERE FIVE
HIRINGS IN THE MONTH OF JANUARY.
THE WERE TWO FEWER HIRE'S THAN
SPD THOUGHT WOULD HAPPEN.
IN TERMS OF WHAT IS SUPPOSED TO
HAPPEN FOR THE REST OF THE
YEAR, SPD HAD THOUGHT THERE
WOULD BE SOMEWHERE AROUND SEVEN
OR SO SEPARATIONS PER MONTH
THEREAFTER.
AND TO MAKE THE 125 SEPARATIONS
, CENTRAL STAFF BUMPED THAT UP
TO ABOUT NINE, ROUGHLY 8.7
SEPARATIONS PER MONTH.
SO, THE MAJORITY, A BIG PIECE
OF THE 125 COUNCIL FORECASTED
SEPARATIONS HAVE ALREADY
HAPPENED IN THE MONTH OF JANUARY
. HOPEFULLY THAT HELPS WITH
COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN'S
QUESTION.
I WILL STOP AND ASK IF ANYONE
HAS QUESTIONS.
>> COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR.
GREG, THE QUESTION I HAVE IS
THE 10 THAT YOU ARE ASSUMING
FOR 2022, THE DIFFERENCE OF 10,
DOES THAT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE
8.7 SEPARATIONS PER MONTH
ESTIMATE?
IS THAT WHAT THAT IS BASED ON?
>> YEAH.
>> SO IF SPD BEATS THAT ESTIMATE
THEN WE POTENTIALLY MIGHT NOT
HAVE AS MANY AS 10?
>> THAT IS CORRECT.
>> OKAY, THANK YOU.
>> IF SPD BEATS THE ESTIMATE,
EITHER HIRES MORE THAN HUNDRED
25 OR HAS FEWER THAN 125
SEPARATIONS, THEN IT IS POSSIBLE
THEY WILL NEED MORE SALARY
MONEY THAN 1190 FTE.
WILL IT'S NOT POSSIBLE, IT
WOULD BE THE CASE THAT THEY
NEED MORE SALARY FUNDING THAN
1190 FTE.
THAT IS AN IMPORTANT
QUALIFICATION.
I AM GLAD YOU BROUGHT THAT UP.
SPENDING THE $1.42 MILLION AT
THIS EARLY JUNCTURE AT THIS
TIME OF YEAR MIGHT BE UNWISE,
BECAUSE IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE
STAFFING PROJECTIONS COULD GO
ONE WAY OR ANOTHER EITHER ON
SEPARATIONS OR HIRES.
LATER IN THE YEAR.
>> I AGREE, THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>> SO MOVING ONE MORE, WE ARE
GETTING INTO THE PRECINCT
STAFFING.
WHAT YOU ARE SEEING HERE IS THAT
THE PRECINCT STAFFING HAS GONE
DOWN, IN A MINUTE I'M GOING TO
SHOW YOU HOW IT COMPARES TO
PRIOR REPORTS.
WHAT I REALLY WANT TO HIGHLIGHT
HERE THOUGH IS THAT THE BEATS
HAVE GONE DOWN, THERE WERE NINE
FOLKS ON BEATS THE LAST TIME
AROUND.
AND NOW IT IS DOWN TO, I CAN'T
QUITE SEE HERE, BUT I BELIEVE
IT IS FOUR.
JUST FOR SOME PERSPECTIVE, IN
THE PAST AT THE END OF 2019,
THERE WERE 54 OFFICERS ON BEATS.
THAT GIVES YOU A LITTLE BIT OF
PERSPECTIVE ON ON HOW THAT HAS
CHANGED.
JUST TO GIVE YOU THE OVERALL
CONTEXT FOR STAFFING CHANGES ON
911 RESPONSE AND PATROL OVERALL,
YOU CAN SEE HERE OVER THE LAST
COUPLE OF YEARS THE CHANGES
THAT HAVE OCCURRED ON PATROL AND
911 RESPONSE.
PATROL IS SORT OF ITS OWN
CATEGORY BECAUSE IT HAD
INCLUDED THE BEATS.
IT HAD INCLUDED THE PATROLS.
CPT.
A.C.T.
THOSE SPECIALTIES SORT OF UNITS
THAT WERE OUT ON THE STREET
DOING SPECIALTY WORK.
THOSE UNITS, AS I SHOWED YOU IN
A PRIOR SLIDE, I WILL JUMP
RIGHT BACK, ARE PRIMARILY GONE.
NOW ALL YOU HAVE IS THE BEATS,
THE FOUR FOLKS ON THE BEATS,
THE SEATTLE CENTER FOLKS ARE
PRIMARILY -- A LOT OF THEIR
WORK IS REIMBURSED. SO PRETTY
MUCH JUST HAVE THE 911 RESPONSE
AND PATROL, THAT IS JUST ABOUT
ALL THAT IS LEFT.
IN TERMS OF 911 RESPONSE, YOU
CAN SEE, IF YOU COMPARE, SAY, I
GUESS IN THIS PARTICULAR CHART,
THE HIGH WATERMARK IS PROBABLY
SEPTEMBER 2020 WHERE CHIEF DIAZ
HAD REINFORCED PATROL BY
BRINGING IN 100 OFFICERS INTO
PATROL.
IF YOU LOOK AT THAT LINE AND
YOU COMPARE 911 STAFF BETWEEN
THEIR AND DECEMBER 2021, YOU
WILL SEE RESPONDERS ARE DOWN BY
134.
THAT GIVES YOU SOME PERSPECTIVE
FOR HOW THAT HAS CHANGED.
AND THAT BASICALLY CONCLUDES MY
REPORT.
I WILL ASK IF THERE ANY OTHER
QUESTIONS.
AND THEN I AM DONE.
>> ALL RIGHT, GREG, NOT SEEING
ANY ADDITIONAL HANDS.
WE WILL HEAD OVER TO CHIEF DIAZ
WHO IS GOING TO SHARE WITH US
THE 2021 CRIME REPORT.
CHIEF DIAZ?
>> GOOD MORNING, MADAM CHAIR AND
PUBLIC SAFETY AND HUMAN
SERVICES COMMITTEE.
I THINK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME THE
TIME TO COVER THE OVERALL CRIME
STATISTICS OF THE 2021.
OVERALL CRIME INCREASED BY 10%.
BUT VIOLENT CRIME INCREASED TO
20%.
THIS IS IN LARGE PART
AGGRAVATED ASSAULTS.
HOMICIDE IN 2020 REACHED A FIVE-
YEAR HIGH.
WE DID SEE HOMICIDES DROP IN
2021.
HOWEVER WE SAW MORE VICTIMS OF
VIOLENCE THAN WE EVER HAVE A
SINCE WE STARTED TRACKING THE
NUMBERS.
174 INCIDENCE OF VICTIMS SHOT
OR KILLED AND THIS IS COMPARED
TO 2020 WE HAD 122 INCIDENTS OF
VICTIMS SHOT OR KILLED.
THIS IS THE CONTEXT OF PRIOR TO
COVID.
IN 2019 WE HAD 97 INSTANCES OF
A VICTIM SHOT OR KILLED.
SO THIS YEAR OUR TREND IS
ALREADY NOT -- 95% SHOT, WE
HAVE HAD 95% SHOTS FIRED THIS
YEAR WITH 31 VICTIMS SHOT OR
KILLED.
THIS IS ONE THIRD OF THE TOTAL
INCIDENCES IN 2019.
IN 2019 WE HAD 35 TOTAL SHOTS
FIRED AT THIS TIME WITH FIVE
INCIDENCES OF THE VICTIM SHOT
OR KILLED.
SO, WE ARE NOT IN A GOOD PLACE
AS WE ENTER INTO 2022.
WE EXPERIENCED 22 SHOTS FIRED
IN ONE WEEK THIS YEAR ALONE.
19 SHOTS FIRED WITHIN THE CID
AND DOWNTOWN.
WE HAVE SEEN A SIGNIFICANT
UPTICK IN SHOTS FIRED RELATED
TO HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS IN
2021.
62 MORE INCIDENTS WITH AN
INCREASE OF 150%.
ANALYSIS SINCE JANUARY 2020, WE
ARE HOVERING AROUND 6.5% PER
MONTH SHOTS FIRED IN AROUND
HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS.
NOW WE ARE AVERAGING ABOUT 25%
PER MONTH.
IN JANUARY 2022 WE ACTUALLY ARE
SEEING A DRASTIC REHIRE NUMBER.
BUT WE DON'T HAVE EXACTLY THE
FULL NUMBER IS A GO FOR EACH
AND EVERY REPORT.
DV AND ROAD RAGE SHOTS FIRED
HER UP.
THE DOCUMENT TO CASE JUVENILE
THOUGHTS SHOTS FIRED THERE ARE
HIGHER NUMBER OF SHOTS FIRED.
WE WERE COVERING OVER 200 --
SHELL CASINGS IN 2021.
HOWEVER ALONG WITH EVIDENCE,
RIGHT NOW WE ESTIMATE THE WERE
PROBABLY CLOSER TO 300 TOTAL
ROUNDS FIRED IN 2020.
THE REASON WHY THERE IS A
DIFFERENCE IN THE AMOUNT OF
CASINGS IS SOME ROUNDS ARE
BEING FIRED REVOLVERS OR, WE
ACTUALLY HAVE ROUNDS WHERE THEY
ARE FIRED IN THE BUILDING SO WE
HAVE A MARK OF A GUNSHOT BUT
DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE CASINGS
OR AN ACTUAL ROUND. 52% OF OUR
VICTIMS SHOT WERE AFRICAN-
AMERICAN.
23% OF TOTAL WERE WHITE.
34% OF ALL VICTIMS WERE UNDER
THE AGE OF 25.
WE ARE IN OUR FIFTH YEAR OF
RECOVERING 1000 GUNS.
WE HAVE SEEN A REDUCTION IN
CASES IN 2020 AND 2021.
THIS MIGHT BE DUE TO TWO THINGS.
NIGHTLIFE HAS NOT BEEN OPEN AND
SEEING LITTLE TO NO REPORTING
HOMELESS COMMUNITIES.
THE VICTIMIZATION OF GUNS IN
HOMELESS COMMUNITIES CAN ONLY
ASSUME THERE IS A HIGH LEVEL OF
UNREPORTED CLAIMS.
OUR PRIORITY ONE RESPONSE TIME
IS CONTINUING TO RISE WITH THE
DROP IN STAFFING.
91 GENERATED CALLS LOWER THAN
2019 PRIOR TO COVID.
A MAJORITY OF OUR RESPONSE TO
911 DISPATCH IS AROUND 74%.
THIS YEAR WE ARE SEEING THIS
CONTINUED INCREASE IN VIOLENT
PROPERTY CRIME.
ROBBERIES UP 20% WITH A LARGE
AMOUNT OF ROBBERIES AFFECTING
CANNABIS LOCATIONS.
PROPERTY CRIME IS 11% INCREASE
WITH AN INCREASE, A LARGE
INCREASE IN LARCENY THEFT AND
MOTOR VEHICLE THEFT.
FOCUS OUR EFFORTS ON VIOLENT
CRIME DUE TO REDUCTION STAFFING.
FIVE YEARS AGO WE WENT FROM
DEPLOYABLE RESOURCES AROUND
1316 OFFICERS TO THIS YEAR AS
GREG DOSS IDENTIFIED, 950.
A 27% REDUCTION IN OUR OVERALL
STAFFING.
SO AS SOME OF THE QUESTIONS
THAT DID COME UP IN REGARDS TO
-- WE ARE SEEING OTHER MAJOR
CITIES HAVE SEEN A DIFFICULTY
IN RECRUITING OFFICERS IN THEIR
CITIES.
WE SAW AN UNPRECEDENTED AMOUNT
OF PEOPLE LEAVING OUR
DEPARTMENT IN THE LAST TWO
YEARS.
186 AND 171 OVER THE LAST TWO
YEARS.
WE HAD NOT SEEN THAT MAYBE
BELIEVE IN THE PREVIOUS YEARS.
SO WHEN WE LOOK AT HISTORICAL
ATTRITION, RIGHT NOW THERE IS
NO DATA MODEL THAT CAN FORECAST
SEPARATIONS AND NO ONE WHO
COULD FORECAST THAT WHAT
OCCURRED IN 2020.
WE NORMALLY USE HISTORIC
NUMBERS TO PROTRACT PROJECT
ATTRITION.
WE WILL USE A THREE-YEAR
AVERAGE FOR THE 2017 AND 2019.
THAT IS HOW WE GOT TO A TOTAL
OF 94 SEPARATIONS.
TYPICALLY WHEN YOU SEE TWO
YEARS OF HIGH LEVELS OF
ATTRITION, YOU SEE A REDUCTION
IN THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE.
WE STILL DON'T KNOW FULLY WHAT
PEOPLE COULD POTENTIALLY LEAVE
IN THIS YEAR.
RIGHT NOW WE ARE PAYING
ATTENTION TO HOUSE BILL THAT
HAS MOVED FROM THE HOUSE TO THE
SENATE AND IS IN COMMITTEE THAT
WOULD ALLOW TWO OFFICERS AND
FIREFIGHTERS, LAW ENFORCEMENT
AND FIREFIGHTERS, IT WOULD
INCREASE ANY OFFICER BETWEEN
THE YEAR 2015 TO 2025 CAN GET
HALF A PERCENT MORE ON THEIR
PENSION.
SO IN 25 YEARS, IT WOULD
GENERATE 2.5 YEARS MORE IN
THEIR PENSION.
WE COULD POTENTIALLY SEE PEOPLE
LEAVING, WHERE THEY WERE
PROJECTED, SAYING I HAD 25
YEARS, I WAS GOING TO LEAVE IN
THE NEXT 2.5 YEARS, I COULD
LEAVE TODAY INSTEAD OF WAITING
2.5 YEARS.
THAT IS SOMETHING WE ARE PAYING
ATTENTION TOO.
THAT IS A REASON WHY I PUSHED
FOR RETENTION AND WE PUT IN THE
HIRING CENTERS BECAUSE OF THE
MARKET WE ARE EXPERIENCING
RIGHT NOW, ALMOST ANYPLACE,
ANYPLACE OUT THERE, AMAZON,
MICROSOFT, TECH INDUSTRY, EVEN
PEOPLE LOOKING FOR BUS DRIVERS,
RIGHT NOW A LOT OF THOSE
INDUSTRIES ARE ALL OFFERING
INCENTIVES DRINK TO RECRUIT
PEOPLE.
AND WE ARE IN THAT SAME BOAT
AND TO ALSO MAINTAIN A LEVEL
PLAYING FIELD SO WE CAN BRING
PEOPLE ON FOR THE JOB.
AND I WILL OPEN UP FOR
QUESTIONS.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHIEF
DIAZ.
I WANT TO SAY COUPLE WORDS ON
THE RETENTION.
AND INCENTIVE ISSUE.
I JUST WANT TO SAY, AGAIN, AS I
HAVE BEEN SAYING SINCE PROBABLY
OCTOBER OF LAST YEAR, I AM
SUPPORTIVE OF A BONUS INCENTIVE
PROGRAM TO RECRUIT OFFICERS. I
NEED TO SEE THAT WITHIN THE
CONTEXT OF THE OTHER
DEPARTMENTS AND THE NEEDS OF
THOSE DEPARTMENTS.
AND, I HAVE EXPRESSED TO YOU
AND TO THE MAYOR'S OFFICE THAT
I AM READY TO ACT ON THOSE
RECOMMENDATIONS ONCE WE RECEIVE
A REPORT ON THE NEED FOR A
BONUS PROGRAM FOR OTHER
DEPARTMENTS AS WELL IN ADDITION
TO THE ONE THE COUNCIL LET GO
WITH THE MAYOR'S ORDER IN 2021
THROUGH THE END OF 2021 FOR
BOTH SPD AND THE COMMUNITY
SAFETY AND COMMUNICATION CENTER.
AS IT RELATES TO RETENTION
PROGRAMS, WE HAVE DISCUSSED THE
IDEA OF A RETENTION PROGRAM
FOCUSED ON THE OFFICERS THAT
ARE BEING, THAT MAY BE INDUCED
TO RETIRE EARLY BECAUSE OF
ACTION THAT THE STATE IS
CONTEMPLATING, I LOOK FORWARD
TO TALKING TO YOU MORE.
I AM NOT INTERESTED IN APPROVING
A BUDGET FOR A PROGRAM THAT IS
NOT FLUSHED OUT THOUGH, SO I
REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING
WITH YOU AND THE MAYOR'S OFFICE
ON WHAT THOSE PROGRAMS MIGHT
LOOK LIKE.
AND THE SPECIFICS RATHER THAN
JUST PUTTING UP A DOLLAR AMOUNT
ON A BUCKET OF MONEY AND
SENDING IT TO THE DEPARTMENT
WITHOUT HAVING A GOOD SENSE OF
HOW THOSE PROGRAMS ARE EXPECTED
TO WORK AND WHAT RETURN WE ARE
EXPECTED TO GET FROM IT.
SO REALLY I APPRECIATE ALL THE
FIGHT YOU'VE BEEN PUTTING INTO
THIS.
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS?
>> THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US, CHIEF
AT THIS COMMITTEE TODAY.
I APPRECIATE IN YOUR REMARKS
YOU MENTIONING THE HIGH VOLUME
OF SHOOTINGS HAVE EXPERIENCED
WITH THE HOMELESS NEXUS IN THE
LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
I WANT TO CONTEXTUALIZE THAT AT
THE FRONT OF MY REMARKS BY
STATING THAT IN MANY OF THOSE
CASES, I WOULD SAY OVERWHELMING
MAJORITY, THE VICTIM IS
HOMELESS IN A LOT OF THOSE
CASES.
AND I JUST APPRECIATE YOU
RAISING IT BECAUSE OFTEN WHEN
WE HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS ON
PUBLIC SAFETY AND INTERSECTIONS
OF HOMELESSNESS AND POLICING,
IT IS AN ASSUMPTION THAT OUR
NEIGHBORS EXPERIENCING ALMOST
IS ARE COMMITTING CRIMES BUT WE
KNOW THAT OUR NEIGHBORS
EXPENSING HOMELESSNESS ARE
VICTIMIZED AT INCREDIBLY HIGH
RATES.
IN THE CITY.
SO I APPRECIATE YOU FLAGGING
THAT.
I WANT TO DELVE INTO IT A
LITTLE MORE WITH YOU AND MAYBE
WE CAN FOLLOW-UP OFF-LINE IF
YOU DON'T HAVE THE ANSWERS
IMMEDIATE.
BUT, ONE OF MY CONCERNS HAS
BEEN THAT WE AREN'T DOING MORE
ANALYSIS OF THE CITY.
AND I GUESS, I MEAN MORE AS A
CITY COUNCIL.
I KNOW THE DEPARTMENT IS
FOCUSED ON THIS AND MAYBE YOU
CAN SPEAK TO IT.
IN TERMS OF REALLY DRILLING DOWN
INTO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT
ARE THE SOURCE OF A LOT OF THE
GUN VIOLENCE THAT IS OCCURRING
IN THE CITY RIGHT NOW.
AND ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT
IS, SORT OF SOMETHING WHERE WE
HAVE SEEN A BIG CORRELATION IS
A LOT OF THE BIG AND CABINETS
IN THE CITY FOCUSED POINTS, I'M
NOT TRYING TO SPECULATE ON WHAT
THE CAUSATION IS, I'M JUST
NOTING A CORRELATION THAT THE
CORLEY WITH A HIGHER
CONCENTRATION OF SHOOTINGS
OCCURRING.
AND I GUESS MY QUESTION WOULD
JUST BE, IN TERMS OF LOOKING AT
THE DATA RIGHT NOW, WHERE WOULD
OUR CITY SHOTS FIRED STATISTICS
BE IF THE ENCAMPMENT CRISIS WAS
NOT AS BIG AS IT CURRENTLY IS?
IF THERE WERE FEWER SHOOTINGS
WITH THE HOMELESSNESS NEXUS,
WHAT WOULD OUR SHOOTING STATS
BE?
IN TERMS OF THE OVERALL NUMBER?
>> SO, I CAN GET THE EXACT
NUMBER OF SHOTS FIRED, IN
HOMELESS, RIGHT LEAVE AROUND THE
612 SHOTS FIRED LAST YEAR, IT
WAS AROUND 122.
THAT MIGHT NOT BE THE EXACT
NUMBER BUT IT'S AROUND THAT
NUMBER.
122 OF THE TOTAL 612. NOW, I
PUT A CAVEAT BECAUSE THERE ARE
SOME SHOOTINGS THAT WE
ENCOUNTER SOMEONE
UNCOOPERATIVE, WHETHER A VICTIM
OR SUBJECT OR WE MIGHT NOT HAVE
ANY LEADS.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT NO LEADS AND
UNCOOPERATIVE VICTIM SUBJECTS
YOU LOOK AT ALMOST 40% OF THAT
TOTAL SHOTS FIRED.
OF THE 612, MOST 40% WE CAN'T
PUT INTO MAYBE A SPECIFIC A,
WHETHER A ROBBERY OR
HOMELESSNESS OR DV OR ROAD RAGE.
WHEN YOU START TO DISTRIBUTE
THAT OUT, IT COULD BE MUCH
HIGHER THAN THE 18.5% THAN ME
TALK ABOUT.
I CAN GIVE YOU THE NUMBERS THAT
GENERATE 2020, THIS IS PRIOR TO
COVID THAT WE WERE EXPENSING
COVID, AND THINGS WERE LOCKED
DOWN, WE WERE AVERAGING AROUND
.5% OF SHOTS FIRED IN AND
AROUND HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS AND
NOW WE ARE AT 25%.
AND, WE HAVE SEEN THE AMOUNT TO
SHOTS FIRED GO UP.
SO, IT IS, THIS IS THAT GROWING
CONCERN THAT IS OCCURRING WITH
VICTIMIZATION.
AND IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT
ENCAMPMENT WE LOOK AT, LAST
YEAR WE HAD A LARGE INCREASE IN
THE NORTH END IN AND AROUND --
INITIALLY AT THE VERY BEGINNING
DOWNTOWN WAS A LITTLE MORE
CLEAR BUT NOW DOWNTOWN IS
PICKING UP IN AROUND THE CID.
IN AND AROUND FIRST HILL.
EVERY AREA HAS BEEN IMPACTED BY
SOME LEVEL OF SHOTS FIRED.
BUT, WHEN IT LOOKS AT THE
HOMELESS SIDE, WE READ THROUGH
EVERY REPORT TO IDENTIFY, IS
THIS SOMETHING DIFFERENT, NOT
RELATED TO HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT,
OR ROAD RAGE OR SOMETHING ELSE
WITH A DIFFERENT NEXUS ON IT.
SO WE ARE TRACKING IT LITERALLY
BY READING EVERY SINGLE REPORT
AND ANALYSIS.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHIEF.
I THINK IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT TO
CONTEXTUALIZE THAT, WE'VE NEVER
HAD A SHOOTING IN ANY OF THE
CITIES TINY HOUSE VILLAGES.
HAVEN'T HAD A SHOOTING IN ANY
OF THE JUST CARE SHELTERS HAVE
BEEN OPERATING OVER THE LAST
COUPLE OF YEARS.
SO IT IS CLEAR THAT WHEN PEOPLE
ARE GETTING THE HELP THEY NEED,
THE ASSISTANCE THEY NEED AND
GETTING INSIDE, IT IS
MITIGATING THE IMPACT OF GUN
VIOLENCE THAT HAS THE NEXUS.
AND IT IS SOMETHING WITH THE
UNSANCTIONED ENCAMPMENTS, WE
COULD SPECULATE HERE AND WHAT
THOSE THINGS ARE, BUT AGAIN,
I'M JUST NOTING A CORRELATION
AND NOT MAKING ANY CAUSATION
ARGUMENTS.
BUT YOU GO FROM 25% INCREASE IN
SHOOTINGS, 122 SHOOTINGS
HOMELESSNESS NEXUS, NONE ARE
TINY HOUSE VILLAGES, NONE ARE IN
JUST CARE SHELTERS.
CLEARLY THERE IS SOMETHING WE
CAN DO HERE TO MITIGATE A
SIGNIFICANT CHUNK OF THE
SHOOTINGS WE ARE SEEING AND
MAKE LIFE EASIER FOR THE
OFFICERS THAT ARE OUT THERE
PATROLLING THE CITY EVERY NIGHT
OR RESPONDING TO THE SHOOTINGS.
SO, I JUST WANTED TO RAISE
THAT, BUT IT'S REALLY TO THE WE
CONTINUE THAT WORK OF GETTING
FOLKS INSIDE, WORKING WITH
PARTNERSHIP FOR ZERO AND
WORKING ON NAVIGATING PEOPLE
OFF OF THE STREET.
BECAUSE IT IS GOING TO HAVE AN
IMPACT.
AS WE HAVE SEEN, THOSE PLACES
JUST DON'T PRESENT WITH GUN
VIOLENCE.
AND YOU GET THEM TO SHELTERS OR
IN A PLACE OF WRAPAROUND
ERVICES.
SO, I APPRECIATE YOU BREAKING
DOWN THE STATISTICS BECAUSE I
THINK THAT IS AN IMPORTANT PART
OF THE EQUATION TO MAKE SURE
THERE ARE FEWER CALLS YOU NEED
TO RESPOND TO.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT.
WE ARE PAYING ATTENTION TO, YOU
ARE RIGHT, WE HAVEN'T SEEN
SHOTS FIRED IN AND AROUND THE
ACTUAL TINY HOME VILLAGES.
WE ARE SEEING, BECAUSE OF THE
AMOUNT OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND
MENTAL HEALTH, THAT IS SOMETHING
THAT IS JUST A DRASTIC AND
GROWING NEED FOR LEVELS OF
SERVICE.
I KNOW YOU HAVE BEEN WORKING
AND TRYING TO PROVIDE SOME
LEVEL OF RESOURCES TOO, BUT WE
HAVE SEEN A COUPLE OF SHOOTINGS
WE HAVE ACTUALLY SEEN A SOCIAL
WORKER SHOT AND KILLED.
AND WE HAD ONE, AT CATHOLIC
UNITY HEALTH SERVICES WERE
SOMEONE CAME IN AND TRIED TO
SHOOT AT THEIR CASE MANAGER.
LUCKILY THE CASE MANAGER WAS
NOT SHOT.
HOWEVER, WE HAVE SEEN AN UPTICK
OF PEOPLE THAT ARE BEING
ASSAULTED WITH A GUN THAT ARE
IN CASE MANAGEMENT AS WELL.
PART OF THAT IS BEING DRIVEN BY
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ISSUES THAT
HAVE AFFECTED MANY OF OUR
PEOPLE.
>> THANK YOU FOR THE LINE OF
QUESTIONING AND THINK YOU CHIEF.
COUNCILMEMBER NELSON?
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
SO, I JUST DON'T WANT TO LOSE
THE FOREST FOR THE TREES.
AND, I UNDERSTAND EXACTLY HOW
IT CAME TO BE THAT THE
PROJECTED LOSSES, 125
SEPARATIONS IS EQUAL TO 125, I
DON'T KNOW IF THAT IS REALISTIC
TO HIRE BACK ON THE LOSSES.
I WASN'T AROUND WHEN THOSE
PROTECTIONS WERE BEING MADE.
SO, YES, WE ARE I GUESS, PER
THOSE NUMBERS FULLY FUNDING OUR
HIRING PLAN.
BUT, WHAT JUMPS OUT AT ME IS
27% REDUCTION IN OVERALL
STAFFING IN SPD. AND, THE NUMBER
357 OFFICERS HAVE LEFT THE
FORCE, THAT IS COMBINED 2020 AND
2021.
TO ME WE HAVE A PROBLEM IN
STAFFING.
AND SORT OF FOLLOWING ON
COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN'S, WHAT
HE STARTED TO SAY AROUND
RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION, I
AGREE, WE SHOULD BE FOCUSING ON
THAT.
I HEAR COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD
, THE YOU HAVE SAID BEFORE YOU
WANT TO STUDY GETTING HIRING
INCENTIVES FOR THE RETENTION
BONUSES FOR FRONT-LINE WORKERS.
I DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT THE
FRONT-LINE WORKERS ARE THAT YOU
ARE TALKING ABOUT.
HOWEVER, PUBLIC SAFETY IS A
PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY OF LOCAL
GOVERNMENT.
AND SO, I WOULD RAISE BRINGING
OUR STAFFING LEVELS UP TO
GETTING THE JOB DONE THAT NEEDS
DONE.
THAT IS THE METRIC I'M LOOKING
AT FOR BUDGETS, QUESTIONS, ET
CETERA.
AND SO, I DON'T KNOW, IT SEEMS
LIKE WHAT I AM HEARING IS WELL,
I WILL SKIP THAT.
LET ME JUST READ TO YOU --
REVEREND HARRIET WALDEN WHO IS
HEAD OF MOTHERS FOR POLICE
ACCOUNTABILITY RECENTLY SENT A
MEMBER TO ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS
URGENTLY RAISING THE ISSUE OF
GUN VIOLENCE, THE INCREASES WE
JUST HEARD RECITED AND
BASICALLY SHE DOES POINT TO THE
REMOVAL OF INVESTIGATORS INTO
PATROL AS PART OF THE PROBLEM.
BECAUSE JUST MOVING PEOPLE
AROUND ISN'T REALLY GOING TO
HELP GET AT AND MITIGATE AS
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS SAID, THE
REASONS FOR SHOOTING.
IF WE DON'T HAVE INVESTIGATORS
TO LOOK AT WHAT'S GOING ON.
THE POINT IS IN HER LETTER SHE
NOTES WHEN PATROL OFFICER IS
FORCED TO RESORT TO EMERGENCY
OBILIZATIONS REQUIRING SWORN
TRAINED INVESTIGATORS TO
RESPOND TO 911 CALLS, THIS
MEANS EVEN MORE HOMICIDE CASES
WILL REMAIN UNSOLVED.
A CATEGORY INCLUDING FARMOR
BLACK VICTIMS AND ANY OTHER
RACIAL GROUP.
THAT TRANSLATES INTO LESS
HEALING AND LESS JUSTICE FOR
THE MANY FAMILIES OF BLACK
VICTIMS WHOSE CASES REMAIN
UNSOLVED.
WE NEED MORE TRAINED POLICE
INVESTIGATORS ON THE JOB FULL-
TIME, NOT LESS.
SO, BASICALLY, I AM JUST TRYING
TO GET -- WHAT I AM DOING IS
POINTING OUT WHAT SEEMS OBVIOUS
TO MANY PEOPLE.
WE HAVE A HUGE PROBLEM HERE AND
THAT IS THE ISSUE WE NEED TO
ADDRESS.
NOW, WE CAN TALK ABOUT HOW MANY
OFFICERS ARE ON EXTENDED LEAVE
BECAUSE OF COVID BECAUSE I
DON'T WANT TO GET VACCINATED.
I HAVE HEARD ALSO THAT PEOPLE
ARE ON EXTENDED LEAVE BECAUSE
THEY'RE GETTING READY TO RETIRE
AND HAVE ACCRUED TIME AND ONE
WAY TO GET AT THAT PRECISE
NUMBER MIGHT BE TO ASK, HOW
MANY OFFICERS ARE APPROACHING
RETIREMENT SO WE CAN SORT OF
FIND OUT AND GET A BETTER
NUMBER.
ALL OF THIS SEEMS KIND OF
IRRELEVANT OR SUPERLATIVE TO
THE PUBLIC SAFETY CRISIS WE
HAVE NOW.
THIS IS JUST A VIOLENT CRIME
OBVIOUSLY.
OBVIOUSLY THERE'S A LOT OF
OTHER CRIME GOING ON IN THE
CITY WE HAVE NOTED IN MY
COMMITTEE.
THAT IS THE POINT I WOULD LIKE
TO MAKE.
AND, JUST ASK, WHEN WE MIGHT
BRING UP AGAIN THE IDEA -- I
KNOW WE ARE GETTING A REPORT
BACK MARCH 1, I THINK, ON THE
SLIDE INDICATING BONUSES FOR
FRONT-LINE WORKERS.
AND WHEN IS A TIME WE MIGHT BE
ABLE TO REALLY DIG DOWN INTO WE
ARE GOING TO DO NEXT FOR ALL
FRONT-LINE WORKERS AND ALSO FOR
SPD?
>> JUST TO CLARIFY,
COUNCILMEMBER NELSON, THE IDEA
ISN'T THAT WE WOULD NECESSARILY
DO EIGHT PROGRAM, BONUS
PROGRAM FOR ALL FRONT-LINE
WORKERS, WE ARE ASKING FOR AN
ANALYSIS OF WHICH DEPARTMENTS
HAVE VACANCY PROBLEMS.
AND MAKE A RECOMMENDATION OF
THOSE PERMITS TO HAVE VACANCY
EMBLEMS, WHAT DO THEY RECOMMEND
? ARE THE DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE
HIGH-PRIORITY FOR BONUSES, IN
ADDITION TO THE DEPARTMENTS AND
CSP CITY, AS MENTIONED I HAVE
SINCE, PRETTY MUCH SINCE THE
SECOND WEEK OF THE NEW
ADMINISTRATION SAID, YOU DON'T
NEED TO WAIT UNTIL MARCH 1. SO,
REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO
RECEIVING THAT AND DELVING INTO
THAT.
THE POINT YOU'RE MAKING ABOUT
RETIRING, IT IS THE SAME POINT
CHIEF DIAZ MADE AROUND THE
CHANGES TO THE PENSION PROGRAMS
WHICH IS IN SENDING PEOPLE OF
RETIREMENT AGE.
BUT COULD CHOOSE TO STAY ON
LONGER.
IN SENDING THEM TO RETIRE EARLY.
IT'S ANOTHER AREA AROUND
RETENTION THAT I AGREE
WHOLEHEARTEDLY WE NEED TO LOOK
AT.
WE NEED A FLESHED OUT PROGRAM.
FOR SUPPORTING THESE EFFORTS.
AND I THINK THE COUNCIL REALLY
WANTS TO SEE THE DETAILS BEFORE
APPROVING FUNDING. THE SLIDE
REPORT I MENTIONED WAS FULLY
SUPPORTED BY THE COUNCIL AS IT
RELATES TO BONUS PROGRAMS.
I KNOW WE HAVE A NEW MEMBER OF
THE COUNCIL AND WE HAVE A NEW
URGENCY ON PUBLIC SAFETY, BUT I
STILL DO BELIEVE WE WANT TO SEE
THE DETAILS BEFORE WE FUND
THESE PROGRAMS.
AS IT RELATES SPECIFICALLY TO
INCENTIVE PROGRAMS WE WOULD BE
REQUIRED TO SEE THE DETAILS OF
THE PROGRAM BEFORE THE
DEPARTMENT CAN MOVE FORWARD.
YOU ARE REQUIRED TO AUTHORIZE
IT.
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA?
>> GOOD MORNING, ALL.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY
TO ASK A FEW QUESTIONS.
CHIEF, IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU AND
CHAIR, IT'S GREAT TO SEE YOUR
FACE.
WONDERFUL --
>> I'M GOING BACK OFF CAMERA.
MY APOLOGIES.
>> I CAN ONLY IMAGINE, BUT IT'S
GREAT TO SEE YOU.
I APPRECIATE THE CONVERSATION
YOU ARE LEAVING HERE TODAY.
CHIEF, I WILL BE BRIEF IN SOME
OF MY QUESTIONS.
I DO FEEL LIKE THERE ARE A FEW
PIECES I WOULD LIKE TO LOOK AT
IF POSSIBLE.
FIRST, THE QUESTION WAS ASKED A
MINUTE AGO THE HOW THE
PROJECTIONS COME TOGETHER AND
QUESTIONING THE VALIDITY THAT
WERE USED IN LAST YEAR'S
BUDGET.
I WOULD SUGGEST A COUNCILMEMBER
HAS QUESTIONS ON HOW THE
HERRINGS COME TOGETHER BASED ON
THE DATA, I KNOW THAT
INFORMATION IS OUT.
IN FACT THE JANUARY PROJECTIONS
WERE 100% SPOT ON.
I KNOW WE ARE ALL IN THE CITY
AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY LOOKING
AT HOW TO LOOK AT THE DATA FROM
PREVIOUS YEARS AND COMPARE IT
TO MANY LARGE JURISDICTIONS ARE
GOING THROUGH.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW THE
VALIDITY OF THOSE PROJECTIONS
ESPECIALLY THE GOOD WORK THAT
WENT INTO THE COVID RESISTANCE.
THE VACCINE MANDATE WOULD
AFFECT CURRENT HIRING OFFICERS
ON STAFF.
I WANT TO THANK CENTRAL STAFF
AND SPD FOR THE ENGAGEMENT AS
WE CAME UP WITH SOME
PROJECTIONS.
SECOND, I WANT TO LEAN INTO WHAT
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS NOTED.
I APPRECIATE THE CHAIR WHO HAS
SERVED REALLY LEANING INTO THE
QUESTIONS AROUND HOW WE SUPPORT
GETTING FOLKS OFF THE STREET
AND INTO SHELTERS, NOTABLY INTO
JUST CARE SHELTER MODELS, TINY
VILLAGES AND LARGE PARTS LOAN BY
HOUSING INSTITUTES.
CHIEF DIAZ YOU NOTED
APPRECIATION FOR THE WORK
COUNCIL HAS DONE FOR, I KNOW
FOR SOME WHO MIGHT JUST READ
ONE OR TWO HEADLINES IT MAY
SOUND LIKE COUNCIL HAS NOT BEEN
INVESTING IN THAT AREA, BUT
COUNCIL AND THE CITY OF SEATTLE
HAVE INVESTED 60% OF THE
FUNDING CURRENTLY GOING INTO
THE ORIGINAL HOMELESS WITH
AUTHORITY, A REGIONAL SOLUTION
WITH COUNCIL INVESTING A
PERCENT OF THE FUNDING
CURRENTLY.
$115 MILLION GOING INTO SUPPORT
STANDING UP AND MAKING
SUCCESSFUL THE REGIONAL
HOMELESS AUTHORITY.
NOTABLY COUNCIL BUILD BACK THE
JUST CARES PROGRAM WHICH IS
HELPING TO IDENTIFY LEAD
ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS AND OTHER
APPROPRIATE HOUSING SOLUTIONS
AND WORKING WITH FOLKS TO GET
THEM INTO A TRUSTED AND PROVEN
HOUSING SOLUTIONS.
IMPORTANTLY WE INVESTED $194
BILLION -- MILLION DOLLARS INTO
HOUSING. I KNOW CHIEF DIAZ YOU
MENTIONED IN YOUR PRESENTATION
THE IMPORTANCE OF REALLY
LOOKING AT HOW UNSANCTIONED
ENCAMPMENTS OR AND COMMENTS IN
GENERAL ARE CREATING AN AREA
FOR THOSE WHO ARE COMMITTING
CRIMES TO HIDE BEHIND.
AND WE HAVE BEEN REALLY TEASING
THAT OUT IN THE CONVERSATION
THAT YOU HAVE BEEN A PART OF
WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND
BUSINESS OWNERS HOW THERE IS A
CRIMINAL ELEMENT HIDING BEHIND
TRULY VULNERABLE FOLKS OUTSIDE.
I THINK TODAY'S CONVERSATION
WILL FROM WHAT THE CHIEF AND
CHAIR AND COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS
HAVE NOTED IS THE IMPORTANCE OF
GETTING PEOPLE INSIDE IN THIS
MOMENT AND THAT CAN REDUCE THE
CHANCE THAT SOMEONE IS EITHER A
VICTIM OF CRIME OR THAT THERE
IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO HIDE
BEHIND THOSE WERE TRULY
VULNERABLE AND JUST NEEDING
HOUSING AND SHELTER.
SO, I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUE
TO INVEST IN PROGRAMS LIKE JUST
CARE COUNCIL BUILD THAT BACK
AFTER IT WAS ELIMINATED IN LAST
YEAR'S BUDGET AND WE FUNDED IT
THROUGH JUNE.
I THINK IT UNDERSCORES THE
IMPORTANCE OF PROGRAMS LIKE
THAT.
LASTLY, CHIEF DIAZ, I WANTED TO
ASK A FEW QUESTIONS, BECAUSE I
THINK THOSE COMMENTS REALLY
UNDERSCORE IT IS NOT JUST ABOUT
THE AMOUNT OF FUNDING GOING
INTO SEATTLE PLEASE DEPARTMENT
BUDGET, IT'S ABOUT THE OVERALL
INVESTMENTS AS A CITY INTO
OTHER PROGRAMS.
AND WE, THROUGH THE 2022
BUDGET, DIRECTLY INVESTED INTO
GUN ALTERNATIVE PROGRAMS.
I KNOW SOME OF THESE PROGRAMS
GO TO HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT,
WE ARE ALL LOOKING FORWARD TO
THE NEW ADMINISTRATION STAFFING
UP HSC AND HAVING THAT
DEPARTMENT HAVE GREATER
STABILITY.
I'M WONDERING IF YOU'VE BEEN
ENGAGED IN CONVERSATIONS WITH
HST OR NO STATUS OF THE $4
MILLION WE INVESTED TO RESTORE
THE SAFETY HUBS AND CENTRAL
DISTRICT SEATTLE, SOUTHEAST
PRECINCTS OPERATED BY THE
SEATTLE COMMUNITY SAFETY
INITIATIVE.
DO YOU HAVE ANY UPDATES ON THAT
COMMUNITY SAFETY HUBS AND THE
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SEATTLE
COMMUNITY SAFETY INITIATIVES
THAT ADDRESSED GOOD VIOLENCE,
$4 MILLION?
>> WE HAVE BEEN IN CONVERSATION
WITH HST, IT WOULD BE BETTER
FOR THEM TO ACKNOWLEDGE WHERE
THEY ARE AT AS FAR AS BUILDING
THAT UP.
WE HAVE BEEN IN CONVERSATIONS
AND COMMUNICATION REGARDING THE
SAFETY PLANS THEY ARE INVESTING
IN.
AND WE HAVE BEEN ALSO IN
CONVERSATIONS WITH A LOT OF THE
PEOPLE ON THE GROUND THAT ARE
DOING A LOT OF THE RETALIATORY
AND GUN VIOLENCE REDUCTION WORK
AS WELL.
I WOULD LEAVE IT UP TO THE HSC
TO CONFIRM WHERE THEY ARE AT AS
FAR AS THE CONTRACTS AND THE
WORK BUT THEY HAVE BEEN PUSHING
ON DISCUSSIONS WITH A VARIETY
OF STAKEHOLDERS.
>> A SIMILAR QUESTION ON THE
REGIONAL GUN VIOLENCE
PREVENTION PROGRAM WITH THE
ALIVE AND FREE FOLKS, COMMUNITY
PASSAGEWAYS, FREEDOM PROJECT,
PROGRESS PUSHERS, NEGATES FOR
LIFE, OUTREACH AND THE U-DUB
MEDICAL CENTER, ANY UPDATE ON
THAT AND CORONATION WITH SPD?
>> THE OF PARTNERS IN REDUCING
THE HOTEL TO REACTION.
WE HAVE SEEN A DROP IN SHOTS
FIRED IN AND AROUND, WE WOULD
PUT A NEXUS EITHER TO JUVENILE
TYPE WORK.
THAT IS A GOOD START.
I DON'T WANT TO SAY -- WE'VE
HAD REDUCTION PERCENTAGEWISE IN
AMOUNTS OF SHOTS FIRED, HOWEVER
SHOTS FIRED WENT UP 421 TO 612.
SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE ACTUAL
NUMBER, THAT STILL HAD UPTICK
BUT PERCENTAGEWISE WHEN IT
COMES TO THAT NEXUS, THAT HAS
REDUCED.
IT IS A GOOD MARK KNOWING THAT
THAT IS POTENTIALLY SOME
POTENTIAL LIVES BEING SAVED.
BUT, OVERALL, I THINK JUST THE
AMOUNT OF GUNS ON THE STREETS
IS BECOMING A HUGE ISSUE
BECAUSE EVEN WITH THE SHORT
AMOUNT OF STAFFING YOU HAD, WE
ARE STILL RECOVERING ALMOST THE
SAME AMOUNT OF GUNS THAT WE HAD
RECOVERED FIVE YEARS AGO WHEN
WE HAD [INDISCERNIBLE]
STAFF.
THAT IS BECOMING MORE OF AN
EFFORT THAT WE ARE SEEING MORE
GUNS ON THE STREET ON EVERYDAY
CALLS THAN WE HAVE SEEN BEFORE.
>>-SO MUCH.
THAT WAS $2 MILLION THE WENT TO
THE ORIGINAL PEACEKEEPERS
COLLECTIVE.
I MAY HAVE MORE QUESTIONS. I
WILL STOP THERE, I APPRECIATE
THE HOLISTIC LOOK AT VARIOUS
DEPARTMENTS RECEIVING FUNDING
TO REALLY ADDRESS THE ROOT OF
WHERE VIOLENCE IS OCCURRING AND
HOW WE CAN GO UPSTREAM TO WORK
ON THAT.
>> JUST A FOLLOW-UP ON
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA'S
QUESTION ABOUT THE REGIONAL
PEACEKEEPERS COLLECTIVE BEFORE
WE MOVE OVER TO COUNCILMEMBER
LEWIS.
THE 2021 NUMBERS OF SHOOTING AT
NONFATAL INJURIES ARE 143
INDIVIDUALS.
AS I UNDERSTAND THE WORK WITH
HARBORVIEW TO BE FOCUSED ON
WORKING WITH THE VICTIMS OF
VIOLENCE WITH THE UNDERSTANDING
THAT WITHOUT ENGAGEMENT WITH
THOSE VICTIMS, AND WRAPAROUND
SERVICES, THAT THEY ARE LIKELY
TO BECOME VICTIMS AGAIN OR TO
BECOME PERPETRATORS OF GUN
VIOLENCE.
CAN YOU GIVE US A SENSE OF, TO
THE EXTENT YOU KNOW, THE
REGIONAL PEACEKEEPERS COLLECTIVE
, WE PROVIDE THE FUNDING TO HST,
A PATH THROUGH KING COUNTY.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE ANSWERS
TO THIS QUESTION I CAN
CERTAINLY WORK TO GET THEM
DIRECTLY THROUGH KING COUNTY.
BUT DO YOU HAVE A SENSE OF THE
143 NONFATAL SHOOTINGS IN 2021,
HOW MANY OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS
ARE BEING WORKED WITH THROUGH
THIS PUBLIC HEALTH LENS AND THE
PEACEKEEPERS COLLABORATIVE?
>> SO I CAN'T ANSWER THAT,
ACTUALLY BEFORE I WAS ON THE
COMMITTEE WITH HARBORVIEW AND
KNEW THE ANSWERS, BECAUSE WE
WERE WORKING WITH THEM
DIRECTLY.
WE DO HAVE PEOPLE ON OUR STAFF
WORKING DIRECTLY WITH THEM BUT
I DON'T HAVE THAT NUMBER TO
GIVE YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
WE WILL FOLLOW-UP.
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS.
>>
>> JUST TO CLARIFY, IS CHIEF
DIAZ STICKING AROUND FOR THE
NEXT AGENDA ITEM?
>> I DO NOT HAVE HIM AGENDA TO
BE A PRESENTER BUT HE IS ALWAYS
WELCOME.
>> I WANT TO ASK A QUESTION
THAT IS SORT OF FROM THE NEXT
PRESENTATION BUT I WANT TO GET
THE CHIEF'S RESPONSE.
I JUST WANT TO FLAG OR ASK THE
CHIEF, BECAUSE, ORGANIZED
RETAIL THEFT DOWNTOWN OBVIOUSLY
HAS BEEN A REALLY, REALLY BIG
PROBLEM OVER THE LAST SEVERAL
YEARS.
IT'S NOT A PROBLEM UNIQUE TO
SEATTLE, IT'S SOMETHING A LOT
OF MAJOR CITIES ARE FACING.
YOU KNOW, I HAVE APPRECIATED
THE RETAILERS ASSOCIATION HAS
GOTTEN MORE NUANCED AND HOW
THEY COMMUNICATE ABOUT THIS
ISSUE IN TERMS OF BIFURCATING
WHAT WE THINK OF TYPICALLY AS
SHOPLIFTING, STEALING A LOW
AMOUNT OF STUFF THAT MIGHT BE
NECESSITY BASED OR SOMETHING
FOR YOUR OWN PERSONAL USE, BABY
FORMULA, TOOTHPASTE OR
SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT.
VERSUS PEOPLE GOING IN AND
GETTING 10 HANDLES OF BACARDI
AND A BUNCH OF HIGHER-END ITEMS
WHERE THEY ARE INTENDING TO
RESELL. AS PART OF A BROADER
TERMINAL SYNDICATE IS ORGANIZED
RETAIL THEFT.
I JUST WANTED TO MAYBE ASK YOUR
VIEW OF WHAT SOME OF THE
DEPARTMENT STRATEGIES MIGHT BE
TO FOCUS ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS TO
GO AFTER THE GUYS, THE RING
LEADERS, THE ORGANIZERS, THE
PEOPLE THAT HAVE THE LIST OF
HIGH DEMAND ITEMS TO RESELL IN A
MARKET VERSUS PEOPLE ENGAGED IN
NECESSITY LEVEL THEFT WHO POSE
LESS OF A SYSTEMIC ISSUE AND
THEY COULD BE SUSCEPTIBLE TO
OTHER PROGRAMMATIC WAYS TO GET
THEM OFF THE STREET.
I ALSO WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT
TO THIS PRELIMINARY WORK, YOUR
NEW OPS LIEUTENANT IN THE WEST
PRECINCT, HAS BEEN AN EXCELLENT
PARTNER IN WORKING WITH JUST
CARE AND SOME OF THE GROUPS IN
THE DOWNTOWN CORE TO FIGURE OUT
INNOVATIVE STRATEGIES IN ORDER
TO GET A LOT OF THOSE LOWER-
LEVEL SURVIVAL FOLKS INTO EIGHT
JUST CARE SHELTER OR SOMETHING
LIKE THAT SO THEY ARE NOT
CONTINUING TO BE IN THAT
POSITION.
BUT OBVIOUSLY WE NEED A
DIFFERENT STRATEGY FOR FELONY
RING LEADERS WHO ARE RIPPING
THE CITY OFF FOR THEIR OWN
PERSONAL CRIMINAL GAME.
AND, JUST WANTED TO KIND OF SEE
WHAT SOME OF YOUR IDEAS AROUND
THAT MIGHT BE OR THAT MIGHT BE
AN ELEGANT SEGWAY TOUR NEXT
AGENDA ITEM.
AS LONG AS YOU'RE HERE --
>> I DON'T KNOW IF I WOULD
CATEGORIZE IT AS AN ELEGANT
SEGWAY, THOSE ARE GOING TO BE
MY OPENING REMARKS.
IT IS MY HOPE -- BUT THAT'S
OKAY.
WE ARE ALL HERE.
>> I THINK, THE CHIEF MIGHT BE
HAPPY TO COVER SOME OF THIS
STUFF, AT THE END OF LAST YEAR
MANY SUNNIS WERE EXPENSING WERE
EXPENSING MOB RETAIL ORGANIZED
THEFT WHERE THEY WERE RUSHING
INTO MANY ESTABLISHMENTS,
GRABBING A BUNCH OF STUFF, WE
DIDN'T EXPRESS THAT KIND OF
LEVEL OF THE MOB ORGANIZED
RETAIL THEFT OTHER CITIES WERE
EXPERIENCING.
PART OF THAT IS WE HAD DONE
SEVERAL DIFFERENT THINGS.
WE HAD OUR COMMUNITY RESPONSE
GROUP WORK WITH A LOT OF
DIFFERENT SECURITY DEPARTMENTS.
AND SOME LOCAL RETAILERS.
WE ALSO HAD DIFFERENT
UNDERCOVER OPERATIONS TO HAVE A
VISIBLE PRESENCE TO HAVE MORE
EYES WITHIN THOSE AREAS.
DURING THE HOLIDAYS WE SAW LESS
OF THAT WORK.
WE SAW LESS OF THE BIG TYPE OF
MOB WORK BEING DONE.
THAT WE STILL END UP CONDUCTING
OURSELVES WITH A VARIETY OF
DIFFERENT ORGANIZED RETAIL
THEFT OPERATIONS.
SOME OF THOSE OPERATIONS, WHERE
WE WOULD ARREST SOMEONE BUT
THEY WOULDN'T GET BOOKED IN THE
KING COUNTY JAIL, WE WOULD
IDENTIFY WHETHER THEY WERE PART
OF A BIGGER RING OR MAYBE THEY
WERE JUST STEALING STUFF AND
THEN MOVING IT ON TO ANOTHER
LOCATION TO TRY AND SELL.
SOME OF THAT WORK HAS
TRANSLATED OVER WHERE WE WERE
SEEING IN LARGE AMOUNTS OF
BOOZE AND CLOTHING BEING SOLD
ON THE STREETS.
WE DID AN OPERATION THERE OVER
THE LAST MONTH AND A HALF OR SO.
WORKING TO ADDRESS SOME OF THAT
ISSUE.
WE WILL HAVE UGLY -- WE WILL
PROBABLY HAVE MORE DETAILS IN
THE NEXT MONTHS OR WEEK.
THAT IS SOME OF THAT PRODUCT ON
ORGANIZED RETAIL THEFT WHERE
PEOPLE ARE CONSTANTLY WORKING TO
VICTIMIZE DIFFERENT SHOP OWNERS
AND THEN SELLING WHETHER IT'S
UP OR ON THE STREETS, AND WE
ARE TRYING TO REVEAL AND LOOK
INTO THAT.
NOW, FOR US IT IS REALLY
IMPORTANT THAT WE PARTNER WITH
THE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE AND
CITY ATTORNEY OFFICE.
AND A LOT OF THE OTHER OUTSIDE
AGENCIES, SIMILAR TO HOW WE
ADDRESS THE VEHICLE THEFT.
TASK FORCE.
WORKING WITH A VARIETY OF
DIFFERENT AGENCIES.
WE KNOW WHEN SOMEONE STEALS
DOWNTOWN THEY ARE MORE LIKELY
TO DONE TO SELL CENTER AND KENT
AND MORE LIKELY TO HIT THE
SHOPPING DISTRICTS IN THOSE
LOCATIONS AS WELL.
SO WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE ARE
COMMUNICATING BETWEEN ALL THE
DIFFERENT AGENCIES TWO-SEAT
WHICH OFFENDER IS ACTUALLY
FOCUSED ON HITTING A LOT OF THE
DIFFERENT AREAS.
NOT JUST SOUTH COUNTY BUT NORTH
OF US IN SNOHOMISH COUNTY AND
CENTRAL.
SO HOPEFULLY THAT WILL HELP YOU,
GIVE YOU SOME IDEA ABOUT SOME
OF THE STUFF WE ARE WORKING ON.
I AM BEING A LITTLE VAGUE ONLY
BECAUSE THERE ARE CERTAIN
THINGS WE ARE THE WORKING ON.
>> ALL RIGHT.
LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING MORE
ABOUT THOSE UPDATES.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
LET'S USE THAT SEGWAY INTO THE
NEXT ITEM.
THANK YOU SO MUCH CHIEF DIAZ,
FOR BEING WITH US TO PRESENT
THIS REPORT.
BEFORE PROCEEDING I WANT TO
HIGHLIGHT THE PURPOSE OF MY
REQUESTING BRIEFING IS TWO FOLD.
I SEE THE NUMBER OF BUSINESSES
ARE DISSIPATING IN THE RETAIL
THEFT PROGRAM IS A RELATIVELY
SMALL NUMBER OF BUSINESSES.
I UNDERSTAND AREN'T A LOT OF
BUSINESSES THAT HAVE THE
ABILITY TO HIRE PRIVATE SECURITY
AS PART OF THIS PROGRAM.
I ALSO AM REALLY INTERESTED,
NOT INCREASING THE NUMBER OF
BUSINESSES THAT PARTICIPATE,
BUT ALSO WORKING WITH SPD AND
THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND
THE COUNTY PROSECUTORS OFFICE
TO REALLY MAKE A DISTINCTION
USING THIS PROGRAM, REALLY MAKE
A DISTINCTION BETWEEN THE
RETAIL THEFT FOR NECESSITIES OR
RETAIL THEFT THAT IS PART OF
MORE ORGANIZED TRAFFICKING
OPERATIONS.
THE REASON WHY I'M TRYING TO
SPECULATE THAT MORE BUSINESSES
ARE DISSIPATING IN THIS PROGRAM
MIGHT LEAD TO THE ABILITY TO
IDENTIFY OPERATIONS, ORGANIZED
OPERATIONS, IS REALLY BASED ON
MY UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THE
DEPARTMENT USES DATA.
AND THAT BY USING DATA THE
DEPARTMENT CAN IDENTIFY
PATTERNS AND TRENDS OF PEOPLE
WHO ARE ENGAGED IN ORGANIZED
THEFT AND MORE REPORTING CAN
HELP IDENTIFY THESE PATTERNS
AND TRENDS.
SIMILAR TO MY UNDERSTANDING OF
HOW MAJOR CRIMES TASK FORCE
HAVE WORKED IN THE PAST, OFTEN
AS A REGIONAL IN THEIR
ORGANIZATION.
AND I KNOW CHIEF DIAZ HAS
INFORMED ME HE HAS THE
DEPARTMENT PARTICIPATING IN A
REGIONAL EFFORT AROUND A RETAIL
THEFT. THE IDEA OF USING THE
RETAIL THEFT PROGRAM THAT HAS
EXISTED FOR MANY YEARS NOW, I
THINK IT HAS BEEN AROUND FOR AT
LEAST 10 YEARS, THIS IS NOT A
NEW PROGRAM, IS LESS FOCUSED ON
THAT USE OF THE PROGRAM
RESULTING IN AN ARREST FOR ANY
INDIVIDUAL RETAIL THEFT, BUT
MORE INTEREST IN OUR ABILITY TO
USE THIS PROGRAM AGAIN TO
IDENTIFY INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE
RESPONSIBLE FOR DOZENS AND
DOZENS OF THEFTS.
SO I'M JUST REALLY INTERESTED
TO KNOW WHETHER OR NOT THIS
PROGRAM HAS THE CAPACITY, TO
FUNCTION THAT WAY.
AND INTERESTED TO KNOW FROM
DISCUSSING THIS PROGRAM WITH
THE NEIGHBORHOOD BUSINESS
DISTRICTS WHETHER OR NOT THEY
HAVE IDEAS AS WELL FOR
INCREASING PARTICIPATION IN THE
PROGRAM.
WITH THAT, I WILL PASS IT OFF
AND I'M REALLY PLEASED TO HAVE
YOU WITH US TODAY.
>> I'M GOING TO HEAD OUT.
BUT YOU WILL BE IN GOOD HANDS.
I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.
I WILL SIGN OFF.
>> MY APOLOGIES IN ADDITION TO
ASSISTING THE CHIEF THOMAS
MAHAFFEY --
>> COMMUNITY ITEM NUMBER TWO
THEFT RETAIL PROGRAM.
>> GOOD MORNING, HAVING A MOUSE
ISSUE THERE.
I AM THOMAS MAHAFFEY.
I WILL JUST GIVE YOU A BRIEF
ON THE RETAIL THEFT PROGRAM AND
HOW IT STANDS TODAY, CURRENTLY
I THINK AS WAS RELATED, IT'S
BEEN AROUND FOR A WHILE, IT
STARTED IN 1989.
A VOLUNTARY PROGRAM IT ALLOWS A
SECURITY OFFICER WORKING FOR
PARTICIPATING STORE TO FILE
MISDEMEANOR THEFT CASES WITHOUT
PATROL OFFICER INVOLVED IN.
TWO FOLD EFFICIENCY IS WHY THE
REASON THE PROGRAM WAS STARTED.
IT ALLOWS PATROL OFFICER TIME
OT TO BE TAKEN UP GOING TO THE
PROCESS, TO DETERMINE IF THE
PERSON, SCREENING ARRESTED
EVERYTHING THAT GOES IN WITH
THAT.
AND ALLOWS A RETAILER TO HAVE
TO WAIT FOR A PATROL OFFICER TO
RESPOND AS WELL.
CURRENTLY STORES REPORT ONLINE,
THE USE ARE COP LOGIC SYSTEM TO
SUBMIT THE REPORT AND THEY ARE
ABLE TO SUBMIT A SUPPORTING
EVIDENCE ELECTRONICALLY AS
WELL.
AND THEN WE HAVE ONE POLICE
OFFICER DETECTIVE WHO MANAGES
THE PROGRAM, THE RESPONSIBILITY
IS TO REVIEW CASES, AND REFER
THE CASE TO THE CITY'S ATTORNEY
OFFICE FOR CHARGING.
NOT MENTIONED ON THE SLIDE,
THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES ARE ALSO
TO LOOK AT WHO ARE THE PEOPLE
THAT ARE BEING SEEN MOST OFTEN?
POTENTIAL PROLIFIC OFFENDERS
AND ALSO TO PARTICIPATE IN
REGIONAL MEETINGS WITH OTHER
LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES AND
RETAIL STORES TO SEE WHO IS
POTENTIALLY UPGRADING IN
MULTIPLE LOCATIONS, NOT JUST
SATTLE BUT WHERE THEY ARE
COMMITTING CRIMES WITHIN THE
REGION AS WELL.
NEXT SLIDE.
RIGHT NOW WE HAVE 63 STORE
CHAINS SIGNED UP FOR THE
PROGRAM.
AND 158 OFFICERS WHO HAVE
WRITTEN AT LEAST ONE REPORT IN
THE LAST TWO MONTHS.
THE LIVERMORE THAT I
PARTICIPATED WE'VE HAD THAT
MANY IN THE LAST TWO MONTHS.
SINCE 2019, OVER 2500 CASES
HAVE BEEN REFERRED TO EITHER
THE RETAIL THEFT PROGRAM, 783
OF THOSE CASES WERE ALL
MISDEMEANOR CASES.
THE SUSPECT WAS IDENTIFIED
GIVES US A DATA POINT SO WE CAN
LOOK AT THE STORES THAT ARE
BEING IMPACTED THE MOST.
IT ALLOWS REPORTS TO BE
CEMENTED EVEN IF WE DON'T HAVE
A PERSON IDENTIFIED.
NEXT SLIDE.
WE HAVE SEEN A DECLINE IN THE
AMOUNT OF CASES REFERRED OVER
THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
SPEAKING WITH THE DETECTIVE WHO
RUNS THE PROGRAM CURRENTLY,
ATTRIBUTED TO A TREND IN
THROUGHOUT RETAIL
ESTABLISHMENTS TO HANDS OFF, TO
NOT PHYSICALLY CONTACT PEOPLE
REGARDING SHOPLIFTING OFFENSE.
THIS IS DONE OUT OF SAFETY
CONCERNS FOR EMPLOYEES AND ALSO
LIABILITY CONCERNS AS WELL.
I THINK THE CHIEF TOUCHED
BRIEFLY ON SOME OF OUR EFFORTS
OUTSIDE OF THE RETAIL THEFT
PROGRAM TO TRAIN IMPACT
SHOPLIFTING IF IT IS PART OF
ORGANIZED EFFORTS OR TARGETED
AT A PARTICULAR STORE.
THAT IS THAT WE CAN USE FOR THE
RETAIL THEFT PROGRAM TO
STRUCTURE OUR OPERATIONS AROUND
RETAILERS OR AREAS BEING
IMPACTED THE MOST.
OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS WITH
COVID RELATED BOOKING
RESTRICTIONS AT THE JAIL WE
HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO BOOK
MISDEMEANOR LEVEL THEFT CASES
EITHER AND THAT WOULD INCLUDE
CRIMINAL OFFENDERS AS A
RESTRICTION WE HAVE BEEN UNDER.
THERE ARE PROBABLY MORE
QUESTIONS.
THAT IS WHERE IT STANDS RIGHT
NOW.
GENERALLY IT WAS PUT IN AS AN
EFFICIENCY TYPE PROGRAM AND NOW
IT DOES ALLOW US TO PROVIDE
SOME DATA AND DO SOME
CONNECTION WITH PARTNERS
REGIONALLY TO DETERMINE WHO ARE
THE PROLIFIC PEOPLE OR GROUPS
OPERATING IN THE STORES THEY
ARE TARGETING.
I'M HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, WE REALLY
APPRECIATE YOU SHARING THE
OUTLINES OF THIS PROGRAM.
I AM WONDERING, HAVE ANY
RETAILERS SORT OF MIND ON
WHETHER OR NOT THEY FEEL THE
SYSTEM IS USER-FRIENDLY, OR IS
THE REASON FOR LESS REPORTING,
LESS USE AND PARTICIPATION OF
THE RETAIL THEFT PROGRAM, REALLY
, PRIMARILY A RESULT OF SAFETY-
RELATED DIRECTION TO THEIR
STAFF TO TAKE A HANDS ON
APPROACH.
ON THAT SECOND POINT, IS THAT
BECAUSE OF THE DIRECTION OF
RETAILERS TO THEIR OWN SECURITY
STAFF, IS THAT RELATED TO THEIR
INSURANCE POLICY, LIABILITY
POLICIES?
WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THAT
AND, I AM JUST LOOKING TO SEE
IF THERE'S A WAY THAT WE CAN
WORK TOGETHER TO OVERCOME SOME
OF THE BARRIERS THAT EXIST TO
PARTICIPATION IN THE PROGRAM.
AND, AGAIN, I AM SORT OF
INTERESTED IN TESTING A
HYPOTHESIS OF WHETHER OR NOT IF
WE BOTH FIND WAYS TO INCREASE
PARTICIPATION IN THE PROGRAM,
ALSO MAKING SURE THAT THE
DEPARTMENTS FOLLOW-UP WORK ON
REPORTS IS REALLY FOCUSED ON, I
WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A
DISTINCTION BETWEEN PROLIFIC
OFFENDERS AND MAYBE OFFENDERS
WHO ARE AGAIN, PART OF AN
ORGANIZED THEFT RING. AND,
WHETHER OR NOT THIS IS WORTH
THE ENERGY SPENT TO TRY TO
INCREASE THE USE OF THIS
PROGRAM.
>> TO YOUR FIRST QUESTION, IN
TALKING TO THE DETECTIVE THAT
RUNS THE PROGRAM, ESPECIALLY
DOWNTOWN, IS INFORMATION
TALKING WITH RETAILERS, THEY
HAVE MADE THE DID BUSINESS
DECISION NOT TO HIRE IN-STORE
SECURITY.
AND THEY EITHER LEFT THE TWO
EMPLOYEES ARE GIVEN EMPLOYEES
DIRECTION THAT WE ARE NOT GOING
TO HAVE YOU ADDRESS THIS RIGHT
NOW.
WHICH ENDS UP GENERALLY CALLS
FOR US 911 BECAUSE THEY DON'T
HAVE THE PERSON ON SITE IS ABLE
TO ADDRESS THE SHOPLIFTING.
WE DON'T HAVE THE CAPACITY TO
RESPOND TO THESE CALLS.
IT'S GOING TO BE A LOW PRIORITY
CALL FOR US BECAUSE OF
STAFFING.
I THINK YOUR POINTS ABOUT
TARGETING THOSE THAT ARE EITHER
EXPLOITING PEOPLE GOING TO SCALE
AS PART OF THEIR THEFT RING,
THAT IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING WE
HAVE DONE IT, AS COUNCILMEMBER
LEWIS MENTIONED, BROWN, HE
WORKED FOR ME AND INTENSIVE
OPERATION HE RAN FOR FOR FIVE
MONTHS, IT REQUIRES A LOT OF
RESOURCES FOR US TO LOOK AT
THAT.
JUST INVESTIGATIVE PEACE.
AND THEN CHIEF DIAZ IS
DIRECTION, OR GOING TO FOCUS ON
THE VIOLENT CRIME, I THINK IT
HAS TO TAKE PRECEDENCE WITH OUR
LIMITED RESOURCES.
>> THANK YOU.
COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN?
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR AND THINK
YOU ASSISTANCE CHIEF, I
APPRECIATE SBD CREATING THIS
WORK AROUND TECHNOLOGY AND
PARTNERS AT THE STORES TO HELP
DURING THE SBD STAFFING
SHORTAGE.
I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT ONE OF
THE BULLET POINTS IN THE
POWERPOINT PRESENTATION ABOUT
THE BOOKING RESTRICTIONS AT
KING COUNTY JAIL. COULD YOU
TELL US MORE ABOUT THOSE
BOOKING RESTRICTIONS,
ESPECIALLY AS IT RELATES TO
PROLIFIC OFFENDERS?
>> IN AN EFFORT TO REDUCE THE
JAIL POPULATION DURING COVID,
THE JAIL RESTRICTED MISDEMEANOR
BOOKINGS, EXCEPT A HANDFUL OF
EXPENSES.
ASSAULTS AND DUI AND A COUPLE
OTHERS.
AND THAT WAS IT FOR MISDEMEANOR
CRIMES, EVERYTHING ELSE COULD
STILL BE REFERRED, POTENTIALLY.
THOSE HAVE STARTED TO EASE A
BIT.
SPECIFICALLY LOOK AT PROLIFIC
OFFENDERS, WE CAN MAKE THE CASE
AS TO WHY WE FEEL IT'S A
NECESSITY TO DO THAT.
WHAT I ASKED, COMMANDERS ON THE
STREET, AND THE SERGEANTS
ALWAYS LOOKING AT THE PERSON'S
CAPACITY, THE OTHER ISSUES WE
COULD POTENTIALLY ADDRESS
BEFORE PUTTING THEM IN JAIL.
BUT IF THEIR BEHAVIOR IS SUCH
THAT IT'S CREATING A SIGNIFICANT
DANGER TO THE COMMUNITY, AND
THEY WON'T CEASE THEIR BEHAVIOR
AND WE HAVE NO OTHER OPTIONS,
THE JAIL IS POTENTIALLY AT
LEAST A WAY TO LESSEN THE
AMOUNT OF TIMES HAVING TO DEAL
WITH THE PERSON IN THE SHORT-
TERM AND HOPEFULLY WE HAVE
HUMIDITY SAFETY.
WE STILL HAVE A CERTAIN AMOUNT
OF RESTRICTIONS PLACED ON US BY
COVID.
>> JUST TO CLARIFY, THAT IS
KING COUNTY MAKING THAT
DECISION?
>> THAT IS CORRECT.
>> THESE ARE MORE QUESTIONS,
ONE OF THE THINGS THE CITY
ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IS DOING
ALONG WITH THE KING COUNTY
PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE IS TO LOOK
AT BUNDLING CASES THAT BOTH THE
CITY ATTORNEY OFFICE HAS AND
THE COUNTY PROSECUTORS HAVE FOR
THE MOST PROBLEMATIC SUSPECTS.
WITH THE BUNDLING OF THESE
CASES, IT CAN BRING FELONY
CASES AGAINST THE MOST FREQUENT
SUSPECTS.
SO, THAT IS ONE WAY, ONE OF
REALLY TARGETING THE CHARGING
EFFORTS.
TOWARDS THOSE INDIVIDUALS.
IS ALSO ONE WAY OF BEING ABLE
TO MEET THE KING COUNTY BOOKING
RESTRICTIONS AS WELL BECAUSE IN
THE BUNDLING, THERE MAY BE ONLY
A COUPLE OF CASES AND THUS MORE
LIKELY TO BE CONSIDERED
WARRANTED FOR BOOKING IN THE
JAIL.
THAT IS MY UNDERSTANDING OF THE
EFFORT. I HAVE REACHED OUT TO
KING COUNTY PROSECUTORS OFFICE
TO LEARN MORE AND I HAVE A
PENDING LEADING WITH MEETING
WITH LISA TO LEARN MORE ABOUT
THAT AND I HAVE REACHED OUT BY
THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO
REACH AND TALK MORE ABOUT THAT
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO PROVIDING
MORE INFORMATION ABOUT HOW THOSE
DECISIONS ARE TARGETED TOWARDS
THE RETAIL THEFT TRADERS THAT
ARE DOING HARM TO THE
COMMUNITY, RATHER THAN FOLKS
WHO ARE DOING THEFTS FOR
SURVIVAL AND NECESSITIES.
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS.
>> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
THIS IS SORT OF IN KEEPING WITH
COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN'S LINE
OF QUESTIONING AND ASSISTANT
CHIEF TOM MAHAFFEY MAY HAVE
THE ANSWERS.
MY UNDERSTANDING GOING TO THIS
COURT ISSUE ABOUT THE JAIL
BOOKINGS, THE SITUATION AND
SOME OF THE RECENT REPORTING
THAT I THINK WAS A LITTLE
DURING PUBLIC COMMENT, I AM
JUST CURIOUS HOW MANY OF THE
FOLKS THAT ARE CURRENTLY
GETTING ARRESTED IN SOME OF THE
RETAIL THEFT THIS IS THE HAS
BEEN REPORTED ON ARE ACTUALLY
GETTING HELD.
I KNOW THE JAIL HAS BEEN
ACCEPTING SOME BOOKINGS BUT IT
SOUNDS AT FIRST APPEARANCE
THOSE FOLKS ARE GETTING
RELEASED.
WHICH IS WHY I DO THINK, TO
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD 'S
POINT, THE AGGREGATION, THE
TOTALITY OF SOMEONE'S RECENT
RETAIL THEFT REFERRALS SEEMS TO
INCREASE THE CHANCE OF A PERSON
WILL GET IT BOOKED. BUT SOME OF
THE ONE-OFF THINGS DON'T SEEM
TO REMOVING FOLKS FROM THE
STREET IN A SUSTAINED WAY.
I WAS JUST KIND OF CURIOUS WHAT
THE DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN SEEING.
I HAVE BEEN SEEING THE JAIL HAS
BEEN LIFTING SOME OF THE
RESTRICTIONS TO TAKE AN INITIAL
BOOKING BUT FIRST APPEARANCE A
DAY LATER OR TWO DAYS LATER THE
JUDGE IS STILL RELEASING FOLKS
GIVEN THE CAPACITY ISSUES OF
THE JAIL.
SO I JUST WONDER IF THE HAS
BEEN EXPERIENCE SO FAR AND HOW
THAT HAS BEEN GOING?
>> I HAVE HEARD CERTAINLY
REPORTS OF THAT, COUNCILMEMBER,
AND I KNOW ANYONE WE BOOK FOR A
MUNICIPAL COURT VIOLATION WILL
BE SEEN BY AN SMC SCREENER
THERE AND THEY WOULD MAKE THE
DETERMINATION FOR A MISDEMEANOR
CASE.
ALSO SOME OF THE CASES
MENTIONED IN THE PUBLIC
COMMENT, I WILL SPEAK TO THAT.
AT LEAST THE ONES I AM AWARE,
WE HAVE AN AGGREGATING EFFECT,
SO SOMEONE BEING BOOKED FOR THE
ONE-OFF SHOPLIFT, THAT WOULD BE
ACCURATE BASED ON THE
INFORMATION I AM GETTING.
úTHERE WOULD BE SOME OTHER
CIRCUMSTANCES THERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER NELSON.
YOU ARE ON MUTE.
>> APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION
BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW MUCH
ABOUT THIS PROGRAM.
YOUR PRESENTATION SAYS 63 STORE
CHAINS.
ARE WE TALKING MOSTLY GROCERY
OR IS THIS ALSO RETAIL?
THAT IS ONE QUESTION AND THE
ANSWER FEEDS INTO MY NEXT WHICH
IS, YOU ALLUDED TO IT, BUT DO
WE TRACK THE DOLLAR AMOUNT OF
THE THINGS STOLEN PER INCIDENT,
OR ANY DATA ON THE STUFF THAT
IS STOLEN?
I'M TRYING TO GET A SENSE OF
THE DEGREE TO WHICH MOST OF
THESE INCIDENTS ARE THEFTS OF
SURVIVAL VERSUS SOMETHING ELSE.
THOSE ARE MY TWO SPECIFIC
QUESTIONS.
BUT, I ALSO JUST WANTED TO,
WHEN WE START TALKING ABOUT THE
PARTICIPATION, AND IT GOING
DOWN, I READ UP ON HOW THIS
WORKS.
AND FROM YOUR WEBSITE IT SAYS
THE RETAIL THEFT PARTICIPANTS
WILL DO THE FOLLOWING.
DETAIN THE SUSPECTED SHOPLIFTER
PER STORE POLICY.
OBTAIN OR ATTEMPT TO IDENTIFY
THE SUBJECT.
CALL MEDICATIONS TO OBTAIN A
CASE NUMBER AND DETERMINE
WARRANTS THAT IS.
PREPARE SECURITY INCIDENT
úREPORT CLEARLY DESCRIBING THE
INCIDENT.
ISSUE WRITTEN TRESPASS WARNING
TO SUBJECT.
PHOTOGRAPH THE SUBJECT FOR
FUTURE ID.
RELEASE THE SUBJECT TO STAFF OR
POLICE DEPARTMENT.
MAIL THE REPORT TO THE SEATTLE
POLICE DEPARTMENT.
THOSE ARE A LOT OF STEPS.
AND A LOT OF WORK.
THAT MIGHT HAVE SOMETHING TO DO
WITH THE AMOUNT THE
PARTICIPATION OR REPORTING FROM
THESE KINDS OF THINGS BECAUSE
IT SEEMS LIKE THERE HAS TO BE A
DEDICATED LOSS PREVENTION
PERSON OR SECURITY OFFICER.
BUT, GO AHEAD AND TAKE A STAB
AT MY FIRST TWO QUESTIONS.
INKS.
>> COUNCILMEMBER NELSON, I
APPRECIATE GOING INTO THE
WEEDS.
WE ARE ASSUMING A BUSINESS HAS
A SECURITY OFFICER, BECAUSE
THAT IS SORT OF A PREREQUISITE
OF BEING IN THIS PROGRAM.
BUT, WHEN I WAS ASKING WHETHER
OR NOT THERE HAD BEEN ANY
FEEDBACK FROM BUSINESSES ABOUT
THE PARTICIPATION, IT WAS TO
SORT OF GO BE ON THE QUESTION
OF, YES, THE REASON WE DON'T
PARTICIPATE IS BECAUSE WE CAN'T
AFFORD A SECURITY OFFICER.
LET'S ASSUME THEY DO HAVE A
SECURITY OFFICER, WHAT IS
EVERYTHING ELSE AFTER THAT,
WHAT ARE THE STEPS AFTER AND
ARE THIS THESE TWO ONEROUS OR
TIME-CONSUMING.
THANK YOU FOR FLUSHING THAT OUT
A BIT MORE WILL GOING INTO THE
DIFFERENT STEPS.
I APPRECIATE THAT.
>> TO THAT POINT, I SAW THE
LINK, THAT IS AN OLD MANUAL.
IT'S ALL ELECTRONIC SUBMISSIONS
NOW.
THERE HAVE BEEN SOME TWEAKS TO
THE PROGRAM ON THAT END.
IT BRINGS THINGS UP-TO-DATE, I
THINK WE WOULD ALWAYS LOOK TO
MAKE IT MORE EFFICIENT.
YES, ALL THE DATA IS TRACK.
WHERE ELECTRONIC FORMS COME
EASILY FOR PROSECUTION, THE
SECURITY OFFICER WOULD HAVE TO
GO IN AND LOOK AT WHAT WAS
TAKEN, THE VALUE AND HOW MUCH
IT WAS.
THE APPROPRIATE VALUE FOR
PROSECUTION PURPOSES.
AS FAR AS PARTICIPATION,
RETAILERS, GROCERY STORES, DRUG
STORES, AND OTHER RETAIL
ESTABLISHMENTS ARE ALL ABLE TO
JOIN INTO THE PROGRAM.
>> I SEE COUNCILMEMBER
MOSQUEDA HAS A QUESTION.
ONE THING I WANT TO ADDRESS
BECAUSE I DID HEAR IT IN THE
COMMENTS, IT RELATES TO WHETHER
OR NOT ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE
PDA HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN
REVIEWING THIS PROGRAM.
ONE OF THE OUTCOMES OF THE
RETAIL THEFT PROGRAM COULD BE A
WARNING FOR THE SUBJECT AND I
DO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THE FACT
THAT IN 2013 THE TRESPASS
WARNING PROGRAM WAS REVAMPED BY
THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AS
SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT IN
CONTENTION WITH RACIAL
DISPARITY PROJECT, AS WE ALL
KNOW IS A PROJECT OF PDA AND
THEY HAVE PROTOCOLS TO ADDRESS
ISSUES FACING THE COMMUNITY,
AND THEY MADE SURE WITH MANY OF
THE CHANGES THAT THEY MADE, THE
RIGHTS OF PEOPLE SUSPECTED OF
RETAIL THEFT AND SUBSEQUENTLY
SUBJECT TO BEING TRESPASSED OFF
THE PROPERTY THAT THOSE
INDIVIDUALS HAD NOTIFICATION OF
THEIR RIGHTS BOTH ABOUT WHAT
THE EXPECTATIONS ARE AND THEIR
ABILITY TO APPEAL.
I JUST WANT TO FLAG THAT
BECAUSE IT WAS A COMMENT I HEARD
DURING PUBLIC COMMENT AND
DIDN'T KNOW IF I HAD ANOTHER
OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO.
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA?
>> THANK YOU, VERY MUCH, MADAM
CHAIR.
JUST A FEW QUICK QUESTIONS. YOU
MENTIONED THIS PROGRAM HAS BEEN
AROUND SINCE 1989.
I THINK THAT IS SOME OF THE
RESPONSE TO PUBLIC SAFETY
CONCERNS FROM THE 80s THAT
CONCERN ME.
I WONDERED IF YOU HAVE ANY
KNOWLEDGE OF A RECENT SOCIAL
JUSTICE REPORT OR ANALYSIS
BEING DONE ON THIS PROGRAM AS
WELL.
>> I DON'T, COUNCILMEMBER.
>> INC.
IS A MUCH.
I THINK MADAM CHAIR'S QUESTIONS
WERE ALLUDING TO HOW WE COULD
GRAB ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
AROUND THE IMPACTS ON OUR
SOCIAL JUSTICE PRIORITIES.
BOTH THROUGH DATA AND ANECDOTES
SHOPPERS OF COLOR ARE MORE
LIKELY TO BE FOLLOWED AROUND BY
SECURITY GUARDS PRIOR TO BID.
WE ALSO HAVE SEEN THERE IS A
REAL EXPERIENCED ISSUE FROM THE
RETAILERS ABOUT CONCERNS AROUND
SHOPLIFTING.
I WANT AN UNDERSTANDING OF HOW
THIS PROGRAM TIES INTO
POTENTIAL TARGETING OR RACIAL
AND SOCIAL JUSTICE PRIORITIES.
SPEAKING OF EXPERIENCE, I AM
NOT DOUBTING THE NUMBER OF
INCIDENTS WE SEE BOTH IN THE
CITY AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY,
BUT I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO
LIFT UP AN ARTICLE FROM THE
L.A.
TIMES DECEMBER 15, 2021 WHERE
THEY NOTED THE NATIONAL
CONVERSATION AROUND RETAIL
THEFT HAD BEEN GETTING A LOT OF
NATIONAL ATTENTION.
IN THE ARTICLE FROM THE L.A.
TIMES THEY SAY THAT ALL,
ALTHOUGH SOME RETAILS AND
LOBBYIST SITE EYE-POPPING
FIGURES IT'S NOT AS WIDESPREAD
AS THEY SAY.
THE BEST ESTIMATES PUT LOSSES
AROUND SEVEN CENTS AROUND PER
$100.
AND ASKED HOW THEY ARRIVED AT
THE FIGURES THEY RECEIVED, THE
ANSWER IS THERE IS NO WAY OF
KNOWING EXACTLY HOW MUCH DENIES
RETAIL CRIME AFFECTS THE BOTTOM
LINE OF BUSINESS.
AND A SENATE CONGRESSIONAL
HEARING, AGAIN CONGRESSIONAL
MEMBERS ASKED ABOUT THE DATA
USED AND STAFFERS ACKNOWLEDGED
THOSE WERE ESTIMATES BASED ON
THE BACK OF NAPKINS.
QUESTIONS WERE RAISED ABOUT THE
DATA PROVIDED BY THE RETAIL
INDUSTRY LEADERS ASSOCIATION,
NATIONAL RETAIL FEDERATION.
THAT WAS FROM CALIFORNIA,
NATIONAL COALITION FOR LAW
ENFORCEMENT OR RETAIL.
FOLKS WITHIN THE L.A.
TIMES LOOKED INTO THE DATA AND
HOW THE ANALYSIS WAS CREATED IN
TERMS OF THE BOTTOM LINE
NUMBERS BEING SURE LAST YEAR.
THE L.A.
TIMES CONCLUDES THE DISCREPANCY
BETWEEN FIGURES SUGGEST
DIFFICUTY IN QUANTIFYING ANY
SPECIFIC PROBLEMS IN INDUSTRY.
WHEN IT COMES TO ORGANIZED
RETAIL CRIME SPECIFICALLY, THE
BEST ESTIMATES APPEAR WITH A 55
MEMBER COMPANY RESPONDED TO THE
LATEST ANNUAL SURVEY
REPRESENTING 25% OF ALL U.S.
RETAIL SALES.
THE NATIONAL RETAIL FEDERATION
HAS THE CLEAREST WINDOW INTO
THE BROADER TRENDS.
THIS WHOLE NUMBERS OF RETAIL
TRENDS IS SHRINKING IN TERMS OF
ALL INVENTORY LOSSES FROM THEFT
AND FRAUD, INTERNAL AND
EXTERNAL.
IT GREW FROM 1.4% TO 1.6%
BETWEEN 2015 AND 2020.
AND THE ESTIMATED PORTION OF
LOSSES COMING FROM ORGANIZED
RETAIL CRIME GREW FROM .045%
2.07% IN THE SAME TIMEFRAME.
BUT I WANTED TO LIFT THAT UP TO
PUT INTO CONTEXT THE TYPE OF
CRIME WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AND I
WANT TO NOTE AS WELL THAT
ESPECIALLY FOR THE SMALLER
BUSINESSES THAT LACK REFERRED
PROFITS, THE DON'T RECOMMEND
PEOPLE TO GO WITH THESE NATIONAL
SCHEMES ON THE INTERNET.
THERE ARE ADDITIONAL SERVICES
FOR HIRING AND STAFFING
SHORTAGES.
THE ISSUES AROUND AROUND THE
CRIMES OF SMASHED WINDOWS.
SOME CAN BE RECOUPED BY SMASHED
WINDOWS BUT IT'S PROVIDING A
HEAVY TOLL ON OUR SMALLEST
BUSINESSES ESPECIALLY IN THIS
TIME OF LESS SALES.
I WANT TO LIFT UP THE IMPACT
FOR SMALLEST BUSINESSES VERSUS
THE LARGER CORPORATIONS THAT
HAD MORE QUESTION IN A
CONGRESSIONAL HEARING LIKE CVS
AND HISTORY.
EVEN THOUGH THERE IS DOING
RETOOL ASSOCIATION NUMBERS THEY
DID AGREE IN ONE PRINCIPLE,
ORGANIZED CRIME, RETAIL
ORGANIZED CRIME IS BETTER DEALT
WITH AWAY FROM THE STORES AT
THE LEVEL OF OFFENSE.
MEANING THE PEOPLE RESELLING
THE STOLEN GOODS.
WHEN I HAD A CHANCE TO VISIT
WITH FOLKS IN BELLTOWN THEY
TALKED ABOUT AN OPEN MARKET
SITUATION WERE STOLEN GOODS
WERE BEING SOLD.
CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE ABOUT
GOING TO THE POINT OF STREAM,
TRYING TO GET THOSE AND WITH
THE EMPHASIS IS THERE INSTEAD
OF IN THE STORES?
>> WE HAVE RUN A COUPLE
OPERATIONS.
WE DID WHEN LATER LAST YEAR
THAT ADDRESSED SOME OF THE
SELLING AT STREET LEVEL.
I MENTION THE WHEN THE WEST
PRECINCT DID IF YOU'D YEARS AGO.
TARGET, EXPLOITING VULNERABLE
PEOPLE TO FEEL FOR THEM THEY
WOULD GO AND SELL IT ONLINE OR
ELSEWHERE.
WE ALWAYS WANT TO TAKE THAT LOOK
BEFORE WE DO ANY TYPE OF RETAIL
THEFT OPERATION AWAY FROM THIS
PROGRAM THAT IS MORE DIRECTED
AT A CERTAIN AREA.
I THINK THERE'S ALWAYS
SOMETHING WE ARE LOOKING AT,
WHERE ARE THESE GOODS GOING AND
WHO IS MAKING MONEY OFF OF
THAT, AT THE HIGHER END
UPSTREAM.
HOW ARE THE PEOPLE BEING
EXPLOITED TO STEAL AND WHO IS
TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THAT AND
HOW DO WE ADDRESS THAT?
THAT IS MORE LABOR INTENSIVE
BUT WE ARE COMMITTED TO DOING
THAT.
I THINK THAT HELPS, THERE ARE
OFTEN OTHER CRIMES ASSOCIATED
WITH THAT TOO THAT CAN HAVE
SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON SAFETY.
I THINK THERE'S DEFINITELY
VALUE FOR US TO CONTINUE THAT
APPROACH.
>> THAT IS A FANTASTIC SEGWAY
AND HONEST, TO GOODNESS, I
PROMISE EVERYONE IT WAS NOT SET
UP THAT WAY, BUT THAT FINDING,
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA, THAT
YOU HIGHLIGHTED, THAT THE
ORGANIZED RETAIL THEFT
ADDRESSING IT AWAY FROM WHERE
THE THEFT OCCURS TO WHERE THE
SELLING OF THE GOODS IS
OCCURRING IS SOMETHING THAT
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS SEIZED UPON
A BIT AGO.
AND I JUST WANTED TO ALLOW FOR
A LITTLE TIME FOR HIM TO TALK
ABOUT AN AUDIT THAT KIND OF
COMES OUT OF THAT FINDING THAT
HE AND I ARE PROPOSING THAT THE
AUDIT OFFICE WORK ON.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD . I DON'T HAVE A
PRESENTATION OR ANYTHING BUT
I'M HAPPY TO SPEAK TO THIS FOR
JUST A MOMENT.
AS COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD JUST
INDICATED, MY OFFICE AND HER
OFFICE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON AN
AUDIT PROJECT WITH DAVID JONES,
THE CITY AUDITOR, LOOKING MORE
BROADLY AT DENIES RETAIL THEFT
OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS.
I THINK WE BEGAN THIS
DISCUSSION IN SEPTEMBER OR
SOMETIME THEREABOUT.
BUT, WE ARE HAPPY TO SHARE THE
SCOPING DOCUMENT WITH COUNCIL
COLLEAGUES.
BUT ESSENTIALLY, IT IS TO LOOK
AT THIS HOLISTICALLY.
JUST AS YOU KIND OF INDICATED
NOW, ACTUALLY IN A COUPLE OF
RESPECTS, ONE OF THE COMPONENTS
WOULD BE LOOKING AT DOING SOME
KIND OF ANALYSIS TO LOOK AT
SOME OF THE UNDERLYING
ASSUMPTIONS FROM WHEN THE
RETAIL THEFT PROGRAM WAS
CREATED IN THE 80s.
BUT IT'S ALSO DESIGNED TO LOOK
FOR BROADLY THE ECOSYSTEM OF
THE DENIES RETAIL THEFT
INCLUDING RESELLING ON PUBLIC
RIGHT AWAY.
RESELLING THROUGH ONLINE
PLATFORMS WHICH IS REALLY
COMMON AND HAPPENS QUITE
EXTENSIVELY AND IS THE SUBJECT
OF LEGISLATION IN OLYMPIA RIGHT
NOW AND WASHINGTON, D.C. THAT
THE WASHINGTON RETAIL
ASSOCIATION IS SEEKING OR THAT
THE RETAILERS ARE SEEKING TO
ADDRESS THE ONLINE RESELLING.
THIS REALLY CAME AROUND,
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA, DUE TO
A LOT OF THE SAME CONCERNS YOU
ARE ARTICULATING AND THAT
ASSISTANT CHIEF TOM MAHAFFEY
ARTICULATED AROUND PROFESSIONAL
ORGANIZED RETAIL THIEVES FINDING
, FOR LACK OF A BETTER TERM, A
HACK IN OUR CURRENT SYSTEM AND
HOW WE DO THIS WHERE LIKE A
LIST IS GIVEN TO LOW-LEVEL
FOLKS WERE TRYING TO SURVIVE
THAT ARE TRYING TO GET THINGS
THE FOLKS NEED TO RESELL IN AN
ONLINE PLATFORM OR IN SOME KIND
OF OPEN AIR DENIES THE RETAIL
MARKET, MOST OF THE RISK IS
BORN WITH POTENTIAL MISDEMEANOR
EXPOSURE FOR THE PEOPLE GOING
INTO THE STORE TO STEAL.
AND THE PEOPLE WITH THE GOODS
HAVE A PLENTIFUL SUPPLY TO FIND
A PEOPLE THEY CAN TURN THROUGH
THE SYSTEM TO GO IN AND STEAL
THINGS FOR THEM.
SO, OUR CURRENT ENFORCEMENT
MECHANISMS IN TERMS OF HOW WE
ARE KIND OF GATHERING THE DATA,
PURSUING THE CASES, AGGREGATING
FOR PROSECUTION, COULD MAYBE
USE A LITTLE BIT OF A LOOK AT
FROM THE CITY AUDITOR AND THEY
ARE UP TO THE TASK OF TAKING A
LOOK TO LOOK AT NATIONAL BEST
PRACTICES.
THERE ARE EXAMPLES IN SOME
STATES OF STATEWIDE TASK FORCES
THE TRACK ORGANIZED RETAIL THEFT
, CALIFORNIA AND ILLINOIS IN
PARTICULAR HAVE A SYSTEM SET UP
LIKE THAT THAT THE AUDITOR'S
OFFICE IS INTERESTED IN LOOKING
AT.
IT IS CLEAR THIS IS PRESENTING
AS A REGIONAL ISSUE.
FREQUENTLY PEOPLE STEAL GOODS
OR AN ORGANIZED RETAIL THEFT
FOLKS WILL AGGREGATE STOLEN
GOODS IN ONE JURISDICTION AND
THEN SELL THEM SOMEWHERE ELSE
IN ORDER TO FURTHER OBSCURE THE
ACTIVITY OF WHAT THEY ARE
DOING.
SO, THAT IS THE GENERAL PREMISE
OF WHAT WE ARE LOOKING INTO.
HOPE IS WHEN THE AUDIT COMES
BACK WE CAN HAVE A HEARING HERE
WITH THE COMMITTEE AND GET SOME
KIND OF SCRUTINY AND
RECOMMENDATIONS THAT PERTAIN TO
THE CITY. BUT HOPEFULLY THAT
WILL ALSO UNCOVER INTERESTING
PRACTICES THAT SOME REGIONAL
PARTNERS COULD LOOK INTO TO
MODEL AS WELL.
IT'S LIKELY TO BE JUST THINGS
THAT SEATTLE COULD DO.
THEY'RE GOING TO BE THINGS WE
ARE GOING TO WANT THE KING
COUNTY PROSECUTING ATTORNEY OR
ATTORNEY GENERAL OR RELIGIOUS --
LEGISLATURE TO LOOK INTO.
THAT IS JUST THE OVER YOU THAT
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD WAS
QUEUING UP.
I'M HAPPY TO SHARE THAT
DOCUMENT WITH COMMITTEE MEMBERS
AND LOOK FORWARD TO MORE
DISCUSSION.
CLEARLY THERE IS MORE THAT WE
SHOULD BE DOING IN THIS AREA TO
MAKE SURE WE ARE TREATING THIS
WITH THE SERIOUSNESS AND
URGENCY IT REQUIRES AND
FOCUSING OUR EFFORTS IN THE
RIGHT AREA.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR
LEADERSHIP IN THIS AREA.
I ALSO WANT TO LIFT UP THAT THE
CITY AUDITOR HAS AGREED, AS
PART OF THEIR WORK, TO ENGAGE
WITH SMALL BUSINESS
STAKEHOLDERS AND TO LEARN
DIRECTLY FROM THEIR EXPERIENCE.
AND, WANT TO JUST HIGHLIGHT THAT
MANY OF OUR SMALL BUSINESS
DISTRICTS HAVE A VERY LARGE
REPRESENTATION OF BIPOC
BUSINESS OWNERS.
WE THINK OF THE CID OFTEN AND
SOME OF THE RAINIER VALLEY AND
CENTRAL DISTRICT, WE RECENTLY
RECEIVED A HELPFUL REPORT FROM
THE UNIVERSITY DISTRICT
BUSINESS OWNERS ASSOCIATION
WHICH IS ANOTHER BUSINESS
OWNERS ASSOCIATION OF SMALL
BUSINESSES THAT ARE MAJORITY
BIPOC OWNED BUSINESSES.
INCLUDING THEIR VOICES AND
MAKING SURE THAT THEY ARE
GIVING INPUT INTO THEIR
EXPERIENCE, THEIR EXPERIENCES
WITH RETAIL THEFT AND THE IMPACT
IT HAS HAD ON THEIR ABILITY TO
STAY OPEN IS REALLY RADICAL AND
IMPORTANT.
NOT SEEING ANYTHING FURTHER ON
THIS TOPIC.
TOM MAHAFFEY, THANK YOU FOR
BEING WITH US.
DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU
WANTED TO ADD?
>> I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY.
I WAS JUST HERE TO RUN THE
SLIDESHOW AND TAKE NOTES AND
ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT WERE
UNANSWERED.
I DON'T THINK THERE ARE ANY.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
IF THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS
FROM COLLEAGUES -- I AM NOT
SEEING ANY.
THE NEXT COMMITTEE IS SCHEDULED
OR MARCH 8. THE TIME IS NOW
11:50 2 AM AND WE ARE
ADJOURNED.
THANK YOU.