ROBERT KETTLE, THE CHAIR OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE . >> COUNCILMEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH, COUNCILMEMBER MOORE ? >> PRESENT. >> COUNCILMEMBER NELSON IS EXCUSED, THERE ARE THREE MEMBERS PRESENT . >> YES, COUNCILMEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH WILL BE HERE SHORTLY AND I WANT TO WELCOME OUR LATEST, NEWEST MEMBER OF THE SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL, WELCOME, LOOK FORWARD TO YOU PARTICIPATING , FULL PARTICIPATION EXCEPT FOR VOTING. >> GOT IT, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. >> APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA, IF THERE IS NO OBJECTION, THE AGENDA WILL BE ADOPTED, NO OBJECTION, THE AGENDA IS ADOPTED. FOR THE CHAIR'S REPORT , FIRST I JUST WANT TO WELCOME EVERYBODY BACK , IT HAS BEEN A LONG TIME SINCE WE'VE HAD A PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING , SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING BACK TO THE WORK THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING ALL THROUGHOUT 2024 AND WE RECENTLY CELEBRATED THANKSGIVING SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT I'M THANKFUL, ACROSS MANY FRONTS FOR THE COMMITTEE'S WORK THROUGHOUT 2024. AS YOU KNOW, IT RESULTED IN EIGHT BILLS BEING PASSED IN OUR COMMITTEE , WE ALSO HAD TWO ADDITIONAL BILLS PASSED AND THE GOVERNANCE ACCOUNTABILITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, THE REPLACEMENT REFORM BILL INCENTIVES BILL. AND OF COURSE ONE IN THE SELECT LABOR COMMITTEE, THAT WAS THE SEATTLE POLICE OFFICER GUILD INTERIM AGREEMENT, SO FOR A TOTAL OF 11 BILLS , SO FAR IN 2024, THIS IS A TEAM EFFORT AND I'M GLAD THAT COUNCILMEMBER RINK IS HERE TODAY BECAUSE IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THIS IS BEYOND JUST THE FIVE MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE, WE STARTED OFF THE YEAR WITH OUR FIRST BILL, THE VACANT BUILDING ABATEMENT BILL THAT HAS BEEN SO EFFECTIVE AND SO HELPFUL TO CHIEF SCOGGINS AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, THE AUTOMATIC LICENSE PLATE READER, GREAT AMOUNT OF WORK THAT MR. BRIAN MAXEY CAN ATTEST TO , WORKING THE AMENDMENT PIECES AND THAT ACTUALLY SHOWED UP AGAIN LATER ON IN CCTV AND THE RTCC , SO THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER MOORE FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THE BILL, AND MORE IMPORTANT, COUNCILMEMBER SAKA, COUNCILMEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH FOR A NUMBER OF BILLS TO INCLUDE ONE COMING UP IN OUR SISTER COMMITTEE RELATED TO AFTER OUR -- AFTER HOUR CONFERENCES, AND IN PARTICULAR TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY TEAM IF YOU WILL, MR. GREG DOSS, AND MS. GORMAN, I'M REALLY THANKFUL FOR HER WORK AND OF COURSE MR. JOHNSON FOR HIS WORK AS WELL, PARTICULARLY THOSE THAT HAVE MORE OF A LEGAL PIECE AND SEPARATELY , I'M VERY THANKFUL TO THE CLERK STAFF THAT HAVE BEEN SO HELPFUL . AND MORE BROADLY, MAYOR HARRELL AND HIS TEAM, OBVIOUSLY WITH A LOT OF REPRESENTATIVES HERE, CITY ATTORNEY DAVISON AND HER TEAM, AND I ALSO WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT AND SAY I'M THANKFUL FOR THE NINE DEPARTMENTS OFFICES COMMISSION AND COURT THAT OUR COMMITTEE OVERSEES AND THE WORK THAT WE DID WITH THE DEPARTMENT, HEARING DIRECTLY FROM THE DEPARTMENT, LIKE I MENTIONED EARLIER, CHIEF SCOGGINS, HAVING THAT ACCESS AND THAT CORONATION OF WORK WITH THE DEPARTMENT HEADS IS SO HELPFUL, AS WE TRY TO DO THE WORK OF THE COMMITTEE. AND IN REVIEW OF 2024, BY THE WAY, WE ARE BACK AFTER SOME TIME AND THIS IS OUR LAST MEETING OF 2024 . AS A REVIEW, BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, WE DID CREATE OUR MISSION, BASICALLY TO CREATE A SAFE BASE IN OUR CITY. OUR VISION IN TERMS OF HOW WE ARE TRYING TO BRING THIS ABOUT, WE LOOKED AT THE PUBLIC SAFETY PROBLEM SET, IDENTIFIED UNDERLYING CHALLENGES , AND I KNOW THIS IS ONE OF THE EXECUTIVES FAVORITE TERMS, THE PERMISSIVE ENVIRONMENT AND WE CREATED OUR STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK PLAN IN SIX PILLARS AND WE EXECUTED ON THIS AND THE MISSION VISION AND THE PLANNED FOCUSES OUR EFFORTS AND REALLY DRIVES OUR EFFORTS, AND THIS IS WHAT DRIVES OUR EFFORTS, I KNOW THERE WAS DISCUSSION ABOUT DIFFERENT PIECES AND SO FORTH BUT THIS IS THE MISSION AND THE PLAN AND WE ARE WORKING THROUGH THESE PIECES ON A DAILY BASIS AS WE READ THE PAPER EACH DAY. AND WE APPRECIATE THE PARTNERSHIP, AND UNDERSTAND OUR ROLE AS THE LEGISLATIVE BODY, WITH RESPECT TO POLICY OVERSIGHT AND WE JUST LEARNED, BUDGET, WHICH WAS AN EYE-OPENING EXPERIENCE FOR ME AND WILL DRIVE A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT WE WILL DO IN 2025. SPEAKING OF 2025, MOVING FORWARD, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A FOCUS ON ORDINANCES AND AS IT HAPPENS, WE WILL BRIDGE OVER FROM 24 TO 25, BUT THERE'S OTHERS, I'M INTERESTED IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. WE NEED A VERY HEALTHY CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, IF WE DON'T , IF IT FALTERS FOR DIFFERENT REASONS , THAT CAN BE VERY PROBLEMATIC FOR US AS A CITY IN OUR GOALS AND MISSIONS AND SO FORTH. AND I MENTIONED THE BUDGET, ONE THING I LEARNED COMING OUT OF THE BUDGET IS THAT WE HAVE THE NINE DEPARTMENTS INCLUDING CARE . WE HAVE ALTERNATIVE RESPONSE AND IN FIRE WE HAVE HEALTH 199, WE HAVE CSO AND SPD AND SO FORTH, WE HAVE BEEN FOCUSED ON THOSE BUILDING BLOCKS BUT ONE THING THAT CAME OUT OF THE BUDGET PROCESS IS THAT THERE'S A LOT OF COMMUNITY PUBLIC SAFETY EFFORTS WITH THE NONPROFITS AND THE LIKE . AND THEY ARE COMING FROM DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS, SO THIS COMMITTEE WILL LOOK AT THAT AREA AS WELL, SOME ARE IN DEPARTMENT NEIGHBORHOODS, HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT, DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE CITY, ALL THESE THINGS NEED TO BE LOOKED AT . WE HAD A LOT OF BUDGET ADS THAT CAME FROM DIFFERENT MEMBERS, THAT COME FROM DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS, WE HAVE TO MAKE SENSE OF THIS SO WE NEED TO WORK WITH THE DEPARTMENT, WORK WITH THE HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT, THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC SAFETY WHO IS HERE TODAY, AND TO ENSURE THAT THAT AREA IS IN SYNC AND WORKING COLLABORATIVELY WITH THE BIGGER PICTURE PIECES LIKE SFD AND SPD, BUT ALSO THE OVERALL PIECE THAT WE ARE LOOKING TO DO. 2025, THOSE ARE THREE AREAS WE ARE LOOKING TO DO , SO AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO EVERYONE AND WELCOME YOU BACK AND WITH THAT, WE WILL NOW OPEN UP THE HYBRID PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD. PUBLIC COMMENTS SHOULD RELATE TO ITEMS ON TODAY'S AGENDA AND WITHIN THE PURVIEW OF THE CITY. AND ONE THING I WANTED TO NOTE, YOU WILL SAY THAT IT IS UP TO 60 MINUTES, WE WILL GO AS LONG AS HE CAN BUT ONE THING I NEED TO NOTE, WE ARE A MORNING COMMITTEE, WE DO NOT HAVE THIS CHAMBER ALL DAY SO WE CANNOT -- IT IS NOT A PUBLIC HEARING BASICALLY. SO WE TRY TO DO THIS AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE PUBLIC COMMENT WHICH HAS BEEN INCORPORATED IN THOSE PIECES OF LEGISLATION THAT I MENTIONED AND COULD BE INCORPORATED FOR EXAMPLE IN THE [INDISCERNIBLE] I'M PARTICULARLY THANKFUL FOR THE EMAILS AND ALONG THOSE LINES, I HAVE GOTTEN THE SEATTLE OCR REVIEW OF THIS AND MY TEAM WILL BE REACHING OUT TO OCR IN TERMS OF ORGANIZING THE MEETING. SO THAT CLERK, PLEASE COME OVER TO YOU. >> CURRENTLY WE HAVE TWO IN PERSON SPEAKERS AND FOUR REMOTE SPEAKERS, EACH SPEAKER WILL HAVE TWO -- SORRY, 16 REMOTE SPEAKERS. EACH SPEAKER WILL HAVE TWO AND IS, WE WILL START WITH IN PERSON FIRST. THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD WILL BE MODERATED , IT IS UP TO 60 MINUTES, SPEAKERS WILL BE CALLED IN THE ORDER OF WHICH THEY REGISTERED, SPEAKERS WILL HEAR A CHIME WHEN 10 SECONDS IS LEFT, MICROPHONES WILL BE MUTED IF THEY DO NOT AND WITHIN THE ALLOTTED TIME TO ALLOW US TO CALL ON THE NEXT SPEAKER, THE PUBLIC COMMENT WILL BEGIN WITH THE FIRST IN PERSON SPEAKER ON THE LEFT. THE FIRST IN PERSON SPEAKER IS BENNETT HAZELTON. >> GOOD MORNING , BENNETT. >> GOOD MORNING, COUNCIL . EVERYONE HERE WHO HAS FOLLOWED YOU FROM 2020 ONWARD IS PROBABLY AWARE OF A LOT OF THE INCIDENTS AND COMPLAINTS AGAINST SEATTLE PD, MANY OF YOU PROBABLY SAW THE VIRAL PHOTO OF THE NINE-YEAR-OLD WHO WAS AT ONE OF THE PEACEFUL RALLIES AND THE SEATTLE POLICE OFFICER ENDED UP SHOOTING HIM IN THE FACE WITH PEPPER SPRAY, AND THE VIDEO OF COURSE WENT AROUND THE WORLD. I'M SURE THE CONFLICTS SAY LOOK, OBVIOUSLY I DID NOT INTEND TO SHOOT THAT KID IN THE FACE WITH PEPPER SPRAY AND THEY ARE PROBABLY TELLING THE TRUTH BUT I THINK WHAT HAPPENED WAS, AND SOMEBODY ELSE DID SOMETHING ILLEGAL, THE THING TO KEEP IN MIND IS THAT IF THIS HAD BEEN A CROWD OF SAY CHRISTMAS SHOPPERS AND SOMEBODY DOES SOMETHING ILLEGAL AND RUNS OFF INTO THE CROWD , THE COPS INSTINCT IS THESE ARE INNOCENT BYSTANDERS, I CANNOT SHOOT THE PEPPER SPRAY BECAUSE I'M PROBABLY GOING TO HIT SOMEBODY ELSE. IF THEY ARE WILLING TO DO IT HOWEVER IN A GROUP OF PROTESTERS, THEY ARE THINKING OF THAT GROUP OF PEOPLE DIFFERENTLY . LESS DESERVING OF THAT LEVEL OF RESTRAINT BECAUSE THEY ARE PROTESTERS NOT CHRISTMAS SHOPPERS AND THEY ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO LOOK AT IT THAT WAY. SO I DON'T WANT TO RELITIGATE EVERYONE OF THESE ISSUES BECAUSE THAT WAS LITERALLY LITIGATED AS YOU ARE ALL AWARE, SEATTLE PD, AND THE CITY , BY WHICH ME AND MY FRIENDS HAD TO PAY OUT ABOUT $10 MILLION TO PROTESTERS ON TOP OF THE $29 MILLION THEY SPENT DEFENDING THE CASE BEFORE THE SETTLEMENT BEGAN AND THEY PAID THE MONEY OUT. WHAT I WOULD ASK YOU ALL TO CONSIDER , WOULD YOU BE OKAY WITH LIFTING THE RESTRICTIONS ON SPD LETHAL MESSAGE , IF EACH OF YOU HAD TO PAY ONLY 1% OF ANY AMOUNT THAT SPD HAD TO PAY OUT AS A SETTLEMENT TO PROTESTERS AS A RESULT. BECAUSE IF YOU'RE HESITANT TO DO IT, IF THE MONEY WOULD COME OUT OF YOUR PERSONAL POCKET THEN YOU SHOULD ASK YOURSELF WHY YOU ARE OKAY WITH IT IF THE CAUSE ARE BORNE BY SOMEBODY ELSE. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. NEXT, WE HAVE KATHY W . >> I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ALSO ON THE USE OF THE FORCE THAT HAS HAPPENED . AND BEING A SENIOR CITIZEN, WHICH I AM, HAVING A SERVICE DOG , IT'S FRIGHTENING SOMETIMES TO JUST BE ABLE TO GET OUT THERE AND VOICE AND SUPPORT THE CAUSES THAT I FEEL NECESSARY TO SUPPORT . I DID A LOT OF THE MARCHES AND RALLIES AND THERE WERE A LOT OF TIMES WHEN I WOULD JUST HAVE TO LEAVE OUT OF SAFETY CONCERNS. AND I THINK THAT IT SHOULD BE FAIR FOR EVERYONE OF EVERY AGE, WHETHER IT BE A NINE-YEAR-OLD BACKUP SHOT IN THE FACE OR A SENIOR CITIZEN SUCH AS MYSELF TO NOT BE IN FEAR OF BEING ABLE TO GO OUT WITH A GROUP OF PEOPLE AND VOICE YOUR OPINION AND SUPPORT FOR OUR RIGHTS. AND THAT FEELS LIKE IT IS BEING TAKEN AWAY WITH A LOT OF THOSE REVERSALS THAT ARE GOING TO HAPPEN . SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I SAW, THAT I HAVE WITNESSED, I WOULD JUST HAVE TO TURN AROUND , THAT IS TAKING AWAY MY RIGHT TO PEACEFULLY PROTEST. >> THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE JAMES PESARO. >> I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE UP TWO MINUTES, I JUST WANT TO SAY I'M AGAINST THIS BILL OF ALLOWING LESLIE'S LETHAL WEAPONS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN BANNED AS -- AND I THINK IT WILL RESULT IN FATALITIES, INJURIES AND AS WELL AS A FELLOW POINTED OUT, IT IS GOING TO COST EVERYBODY MONEY WHEN THE CITY HAS TO PAY OUT LEGAL SEDIMENTS TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN HARMED AND EVEN THOSE PEOPLE , EVEN WITH ALL THAT MONEY BEING SPENT --STAKE. IT IS NOT GOOD FOR THE COPS, IT IS NOT GOOD FOR PROTESTERS AND IT'S NOT GOOD FOR THE PEOPLE OF SEATTLE, THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> THANK YOU. ROSE KING. >> HI. I GIVE PUBLIC COMMENT PRETTY OFTEN, USUALLY I HAVE A SCRIPT , AND TODAY I'M JUST TRYING TO FEEL THIS, AND TRYING TO SPEAK ON THE LESS LETHAL THING, I WANTED TO WAIT UNTIL JOY WAS HERE BECAUSE SHE IS MY COUNCILMEMBER BUT, I GUESS I HAD THREE THINGS . I AM CURIOUS, WHO IS IN SUPPORT OF THIS , I'M CONFUSED AS TO WHO BENEFITS FROM THIS BAN BEING LIFTED . I DON'T KNOW OF ANY PEOPLE THAT ARE , I DON'T KNOW OF ANY CONSTITUENTS THAT ARE, SO I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHERE IT IS COMING FROM. AND THE SECOND THING I WANTED TO SAY WAS TO JOY , I JUST WANTED TO BE HERE FOR SUPPORT AND SOLIDARITY AND I'M FEELING SO MUCH BECAUSE I CAN SEE THE PEOPLE AREN'T COMING ANYMORE, THEY DON'T THINK YOU ARE LISTENING ANYMORE , AND WE WANT YOU TO REPRESENT US, IT IS HARD WHEN WE CAN'T TALK TO YOU AND IT DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE, IT FEELS HURTS THE MAC THERE MIGHT BE THREE HOURS OF PUBLIC COMMENTS, BUT THE VOTE IS GOING TO BE 8-1 AND THE PERSON WHO WAS GOING TO VOTE AGAINST WAS ALWAYS GOING TO VOTE AGAINST ANYWAYS. SO, I DON'T KNOW WHY YOU GUYS HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT, KIND OF. I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE ARE DOING. THANKS. >> THANK YOU. JOHNNY PETERSON. >> GOOD MORNING. I'M HERE TODAY TO URGE YOU TO REPOST THE APPEAL OF ORDINANCE 14622 WHICH PROTECTS PEACEFUL PROTESTERS AND UPHOLDS OUR COMMUNITIES RIGHT TO FREE SPEECH. DURING THE 2020 RACIAL INJUSTICE PROTEST, THE SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT VIOLATED THE RIGHTS OF THOUSANDS OF PROTESTERS BY USING EXCESSIVE FORCE INCLUDING TEARGAS, PEPPER SPRAY AND GLASS BALLS. AS YOU ARE AWARE, A FEDERAL JUDGE RULED THESE ACTIONS UNCONSTITUTIONAL AND THE CITY HAS ALREADY PAID A $10 MILLION SETTLEMENT FOR INJURIES CAUSED BY SPD. REMITTING THESE PROTECTIONS NOW WILL OPEN MORE DOORS TO VIOLENCE, MORE LAWSUITS AND FURTHER EROSION OF TRUST IN OUR POLICE. REPEALING THIS ORDINANCE ALSO CONTRADICTS RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE COMMUNITY POLICE COMMISSION AND THE OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL BOTH OF WHICH EMPHASIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF DE-ESCALATION AND ACCOUNTABILITY AND CROWD CONTROL. INSTEAD, THIS REPEAL GIVES SPD BROAD DISCUSSION WITHIN THE SUBJECTIVE DEFINITION OF VIOLENT PUBLIC DISTURBANCE WHICH HISTORY SHOWS CAN LEAD TO INDISCRIMINATE HARM TO PEACEFUL PROTESTERS AND INNOCENT BYSTANDERS. WE CANNOT AFFORD TO REPEAT THE MISTAKES OF 2020, TEARGAS AND OTHER WEAPONS POSE SERIOUS HEALTH RISKS, DISPROPORTIONATELY HARM MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES AND UNDERMINE PUBLIC SAFETY. FURTHERMORE, SPD'S CONTINUED PRESENCE UNDER A FEDERAL CONSENT DECREE SHOULD COMPEL US TO STRENGTHEN, NOT WEAKEN OVERSIGHT AND ACCOUNTABILITY. SEATTLE MUST REMAIN OBEDIENT IN PROTECTING CIVIL RIGHTS, NOT A CAUTIONARY TALE, PLEASE DO NOT UNDO THIS VITAL ORDINANCE, PLEASE PROTECT YOUR COMMUNITIES RIGHT TO PROTEST SAFELY AND WITHOUT FEAR. THANK YOU. >> THAT CONCLUDES THE IN PERSON COMMENTERS, WE WILL MOVE TO REMOTE COMMENTERS, THE FIRST PERSON IS HOWARD GAIL. AND THE SECOND WILL BE MARIA RADUCANU . PLEASE REMEMBER TO PRESS *6. GO AHEAD, HOWARD. >> OKAY, GOOD MORNING, FROM DISTRICT 7, THIS MORNING YOU WILL BE CONSIDERING LEGISLATION TO ABOLISH PROTECTIONS FOR PROTESTERS AGAINST THE HARM FROM WHAT YOU REFER TO AS LESS LETHAL WEAPONS, THE COUNCIL VOTED AGAINST THESE WITHOUT A SINGLE COUNCIL MEMBER VOTING IN OPPOSITION, FOUR YEARS LATER THIS COUNCIL WISHES TO ABOLISH THOSE PROTECTIONS INCLUDING THE RIGHT OF LEGAL ACTION IN THE STATE COURT FOR PEOPLE HARMED BY SPD. FOR OVER A QUARTER CENTURY, SEATTLE POLICE HAVE CONSISTENTLY AND GRACIOUSLY HARMED PEOPLE WITH THE USE OF THESE VERY WEAPONS, THEY DID IN 1999, CONTINUING TO DO SO DURING THE EARLY TO THOUSANDS. AND REPEATED THE ABUSES IN 2014, 15 AND 16 DURING BLACK LIVES MATTER AND MAYDAY DEMONSTRATIONS AND AGAIN IN 2020 IN THE GEORGE FLIGHT PROTEST, THIS CANNOT BE EXPLAINED AS SOMETHING UNUSUAL OR THE RESULT OF A STRESSOR, YET THIS COUNCIL IS ASKING SEATTLEITES TO BELIEVE THAT INSTEAD OF RESTRICTIONS, SIMPLY RESTATING THE RIGHTS CODIFIED IN THE U.S. STATE CONSTITUTION ALONG WITH A BUNCH OF ASPIRATIONAL STATEMENTS WILL SOMEHOW MAGICALLY PREVENT SEATTLE POLICE FROM REPEATING THIS LONG HISTORY OF ABUSE. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS GAMBLE, ESPECIALLY IN THE CONTEXT. STAFF NOTES THAT THIS LIES ON PROUDER MANAGEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS OUTLINED IN SEVERAL DOCUMENTS, MOST NOTABLY THE 2022 PAPER FROM THE POLICE EXECUTIVE RESEARCH FORUM, HOWEVER IT STATES ON PAGE 34, DEVICES SHOULD NOT BE USED FOR DEMONSTRATION. YET, DESPITE THIS CURRENTLY PROPOSED LEGISLATION TO ALLOW BLAST BALLS TO BE USED BY THE SPD AND JUST LAST WEEK THE SPD GAVE A PRESENTATION CLAIMING FALSELY THEY DO NOT INJURE PEOPLE. THIS IS BAD LEGISLATION. >> THANK YOU. NEXT UP IS MARIA . >> GOOD MORNING. I STRONGLY OPPOSE THE INTRODUCTION OF LESS LETHAL WEAPONS IN SEATTLE, THE ESSENTIAL AREA OF FOCUS, ACCOUNTABILITY AND OVERSIGHT HAS NOT BEEN ADEQUATELY ADDRESSED, LEAVING SIGNIFICANT RISK OF MISUSE AND HARM, EXAMPLES FROM THE 2020 PROTEST HIGHLIGHTED THE SEVERITY OF THIS ISSUE, WITH PROTESTERS SUFFERING DEVASTATING INJURIES CAUSED BY CHEMICALS AND EXPLOSIVES, THIS TRAINING OVERSIGHT HAS TO HAVE POLICIES IN CRUCIAL AREAS, HIGH-PRESSURE SCENARIOS, ACCOUNTABILITY THAT HAS THE POWER, URGENCY AND SUPPORT TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES AND OVERSIGHT THAT DEFINED SUBJECTIVE DEFINITIONS . AS AN ARTIST, I'M PARTICULARLY ALARMED BY THE PATENT -- POTENTIAL INJURY. PEOPLE ARE EXERCISING THEIR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT AND SHOULD NOT FACE THE RISK OF LIFE ALTERING HARM. I ASK THE COMMUNITY TO GENUINELY PRIORITIZE PUBLIC SAFETY AND BRING MORE EFFECTIVE MESSAGE -- METHODS OF DE-ESCALATING THE VIOLENCE. WITHOUT THE CHANGE, THIS CYCLE WILL CONTINUE AS WE REPEAT THE SAME MISTAKES. THEY CAN STILL KILL , WEAPONS HAVE THE RISK OF GETTING MORE VIOLENCE. I URGE THE COMMUNITY TO CONSIDER EMPATHETIC AND ETHICAL SOLUTIONS FOR THE FUTURE OF OUR FREEDOM OF SPEECH. THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> NEXT UP, WE HAVE ALICE LOCKHART , FOLLOWED BY LILA B. >> HELLO, IN THIS MORNING'S FREEZING WEATHER, SPD AND PARKS AND REC [INDISCERNIBLE] I HAPPENED TO BE WALKING MY DOG IN THE PARK AT THE TIME, THIS WAS YOUR POLICY, WE KNOW YOU'RE COMFORTABLE WITH DEBTS OF OUR HOMELESS NEIGHBORS, TODAY , SEATTLE PAID MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN CLAIMS IN 2021 SPD FIRED ON PEACEFUL PROTESTERS, I FEAR YOU WILL FIND TAXPAYERS AGAIN. INTESTINE 20, WHEN A WOMAN DIED, SHE WAS SEVERELY INJURED BY SO-CALLED DOMESTIC WEAPONS , IF THE ROLES HAD BEEN REVERSED, THAT CHILD COULD HAVE DIED. I'M SORRY. SO ARE YOU ALL FINE WITH POTENTIALLY CAUSING THE DEATH OF A CHILD? I FEAR THAT SEVERAL OF YOU ARE AND WILL VOTE FOR THIS LEGISLATION, I HOPE I'M WRONG, PARTICULARLY GIVEN THE DANGERS OF A TRUMP PRESIDENCY, NOW IS NOT THE TIME TO TURN TO FREE SPEECH AND THIS LEGISLATION IS DESIGNED TO CURB FREE SPEECH. THAT IS ALL I'VE GOT. >> THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE LILA B. FOLLOWED BY CHARLOTTE MONROE. >> HELLO, I'M CALLING REGARDING THE LESS LETHAL WEAPONS YOU ARE TRYING TO JUSTIFY, DURING THE PROTEST OF 2020, TOXIC AS WAS BANNED BY INTERNATIONAL LAW, THAT IS KNOWN TO CAUSE HARM TO REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH, AND KILLED A WOMAN WHO DIED THREE TIMES AFTER BEING SUCCESSFULLY REESE'S HESITATED -- [INDISCERNIBLE] OPD WAS CONTACTED 22 TIMES , AND THESE WEAPONS CAN AND WILL BE LETHAL WITH -- WHICH WE HAVE ALREADY SEEN HERE, AND JUST THREE WEEKS AGO, YOU YOURSELVES PARTIALLY DEFUNDED OPD OVERTIME . AND NOW THAT THE FUNDS NO LONGER HAVE GUARDRAILS ON HOW MUCH THE GENERAL FUND CAN TAKE OUT, I ASK HOW MUCH MONEY THAT WAS MEANT TO HELP PEOPLE WILL INSTEAD BE USED FOR MORE LETHAL MUNITIONS. I YIELD THE REST OF MY TIME. >> THANK YOU. NEXT, WE HAVE CHARLOTTE . >> GOOD MARGIN -- MORNING, I'M AN ELECTED PTO AND THEY MAKE MY HOME FOUR MINUTES FROM THESE SITES, I'M SPEAKING TODAY IN OPPOSITION TO COUNSEL BILL 120926 , AFTER THE RESPONSE TO THE GEORGE FLIGHT PROTEST, THE MAYOR SAID HE BELIEVES THAT SPD SHOULD HAVE UNDERGONE POLICY SHIFTS, BECAUSE HE BELIEVES THEY CAN BE TRUSTED WITH DISCRETION NEEDED TO USE THESE WEAPONS. I'M APPREHENSIVE TO THESE VERSIONS, I HOPE THAT NEITHER THE COMMITTEE NOR COUNCILMEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH WILL FORGET THE USE OF TEAR GAS IN 2020 WAS SO HEAVY THAT IT WAFTED INTO APARTMENTS UP AND DOWN THE HILL INCLUDED AREAS FAR FROM THE FRONT LINES , CAUSING ADVERSE HEALTH EFFECTS TO RESIDENTS AND MINOR CHILDREN UNINVOLVED IN THE PROTEST LONG PINE. LIKE OTHERS HAVE SAID, THIS WOULD OPEN THE CITY UP TO MULTIMILLION DOLLAR LAWSUITS, WHEN THE CITY IS ALREADY UP A CREEK FINANCIALLY. HOW ON EARTH IS THAT OUR GOVERNANCE? ALL OF THIS COUNCIL REFUSES TO ENTERTAIN THESE PROGRESSIVE REVENUE. I DO NOT TRUST THE WORDS OF SPD WHO SWEAR UP AND DOWN THAT THEY WILL BE GOOD KIDS AGAIN ONLY TO BE CAUGHT WITH THEIR HANDS IN THE COOKIE JAR. I URGE THE COMMITTEE TO REJECT THIS BILL. FINALLY I WANT TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SAY THAT THE PEOPLE OF SEATTLE HAVE YOUR BACK . THANK YOU. >> NEXT UP, WE HAVE BJ FOLLOWED BY JAMIE HANSMYER. I'M SORRY, IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE WE HAVE BJ ANYMORE. JAMIE HANSMIER, YOU'RE UP TO BE FOLLOWED BY ANDREW RYNES. >> GOOD MORNING. AS A RESIDENT OF CAPITOL HILL, IT IS IMPORTANT TO ME THAT WE ARE ABLE TO SAFELY PARTICIPANT IN NONVIOLENT PROTESTS IN THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS, IN THE SUMMER OF 2020, THERE WERE EXTENSIVE INJURIES TO PROTESTERS AND BYSTANDERS. TEAR GAS LEAKING INTO APARTMENTS TURN MY HOME INTO AN INESCAPABLE, DANGEROUS SHOUOF OUR . PROTESTS CA RIGHTS BUT AT THE RESPONSE OF THE CITY LAW ENFORCEMENT, THAT WAS COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE AND I CAN BE ALLOWED TO HAPPEN AGAIN. THERE'S ALREADY A BIG PROBLEM WITH LACK OF TRUST IN THE SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND ANY USE OF LESS LETHAL WEAPONS, WHY WASN'T THAT GAP ADDRESSED BETWEEN THE PEOPLE IN LAW ENFORCEMENT. BEST PRACTICES NEED TO BE FOLLOWED AND MAINTAINING THE SAFETY OF PROTESTERS AND BYSTANDERS. PEOPLE ARE DISCOURAGED FROM PARTICIPATING IN NONVIOLENT PROTESTS FOR FEAR OF BODILY HARM, THAT IS THE IMPRESSION OF FREE SPEECH. LIMITATIONS ARE A CRUCIAL PART OF THE DEMOCRATIC POLITICAL PROCESS WITHOUT WHICH THE DEMOCRACY WOULD CRUMBLE. PLEASE MAINTAIN THE BAN UNLESS LETHAL WEAPONS, PROTECT OUR RIGHT TO FREE SPEECH, KEEP OUR CITY SAFE AND SET A GOOD EXAMPLE FOR THE REST OF THE COUNTRY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. >> THANK YOU, ANDREW WILL BE NEXT, FOLLOWED BY SAM PATERRA. >> GOOD MORNING, I ALSO WANT TO SPEAK TODAY TO STRONGLY OPPOSE LIFTING THE BAN OF POLICE USAGE OF SOCON LESS LETHAL WEAPONS, I THINK DOING SO WOULD BE AN ENORMOUS DEFECT OF THE CITY, IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE WHY IT WAS ENFORCED IN THE FIRST PLACE. AND I WANT TO RATTLE OFF A FEW ANALYTICS TO PROVIDE SOME INSIGHTS. THE MAJORITY OF THE PROTESTS IN 2020 WERE OVERWHELMINGLY PEACEFUL AND I THINK 94% OF THEM WERE NONVIOLENT AND NONDESTRUCTIVE. YET, POLICE RESPONDED TO THAT 51% OF THESE DEMONSTRATIONS WITH PHYSICAL FORCE AND LESS LETHAL WEAPONS LIKE TEARGAS AND RUBBER BULLETS. IN RESPONSE TO THESE PROTESTS, IT OFTEN ESCALATED THEM, FURTHERING STRAIN BETWEEN THE PUBLIC AND LAW ENFORCEMENT. THESE WEAPONS ARE OFTEN FRAMED AS LESS HARMFUL BUT THEIR WIDESPREAD USAGE DURING 2020 SHOWED OTHERWISE, BOTH ABOUT 16% OF INDIVIDUALS GETTING INJURED BY LESS LETHAL PROJECTILES. THESE INJURIES INCLUDED THINGS THAT WERE NOT JUST LIMITED TO THE HEAD, IT ALSO CAUSED SIGNIFICANT LONG-TERM PHYSICAL IMPAIRMENTS IN OTHER PARTS OF THE BODY. I THINK THIS REALLY EMPHASIZES THE POTENTIAL FOR LESS LETHAL WEAPONS TO CAUSE LIFE ALTERING HARMS, HIGHLIGHTING THE RISK , PARTICULARLY AGAINST PEACEFUL DEMONSTRATORS. ON A POSITIVE NOTE, I'M GENUINELY PROUD OF THE WORK THAT SEATTLE HAS DONE TO FOSTER ACCOUNTABILITY AND REBUILD TRUST BETWEEN LAW ENFORCEMENT AND THE COMMUNITY, BUT LIFTING THIS BAN WOULD UNDERMINE THAT PROCESS, IT WOULD SEND THE MESSAGE THAT WE ARE MORE CONCERNED WITH CONTROL THAN WITH PROTECTING THE RESIDENCE RIGHTS TO ASSEMBLE AND SPEAK FREELY. WE NEED TO CONTINUE PRIORITIZING DE-ESCALATION AND RESTORE PUBLIC TRUST. ONCE AGAIN, I URGE YOU TO UPHOLD THE BAN AND CONTINUE BUILDING A CITY THAT VALUES JUSTICE AND ACCOUNTABILITY. THANK YOU. >> NEXT WE HAVE SAM, TO BE FOLLOWED BY ANDRE MATTIS. >> HELLO. >> SAM, CAN YOU TRY AGAIN? >> YES. THANK YOU. I JUST WANT TO SAY THE SAME THING EVERYONE ELSE HAS SAID, BUT MUCH BETTER THAN A LOT CAN SAY IT, YES, THE BAN , AGAINST THE USE OF EROUS NOW TRYING TO REINTRODUCE FOR SOME REASON , THIS IS A DIRECT ATTACK ON OUR FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS. DURING THAT TIME, MANY PROTESTERS , AND PEOPLE NOT EVEN PROTESTING , MOBILITY IMPAIRED PEOPLE WERE MOVING TOO SLOWLY TO AVOID THIS, PEOPLE WERE BEATEN, USING UMBRELLAS TO DEFEND THEMSELVES AGAINST THE GAS, AND YOU KNOW FROM HISTORY THAT SPD CANNOT BE TRUSTED , TO PROTECT THE RIGHTS OF PROTESTERS AND ENDED UP ASSAULTING THEM. MULTIPLE JUDGES AND COURT RULINGS HAVE CONFIRMED THIS WITH THE $10 MILLION SETTLEMENT . AND THE CONSENT DECREE THAT HAD BEEN PLACED, AND INSTEAD OF THEM USING OTHER TOOLS TO DELAY LETHAL ACTION , IT WOULD ULTIMATELY UNDO ALL OF THE REFORMS FROM 2020. STD ALREADY HAS AN ARSENAL OF WEAPONS , THEY ARE NOT GOING TO HAVE ANY PROBLEMS, THERE'S NO HUGE RIOTS BREAKING OUT . THIS IS THE ATTEMPT TO UNDO THOSE REFORMS, LEADING TO POTENTIALLY TUMULTUOUS TIMES . THIS BAN NEEDS TO BE UPHELD , [INDISCERNIBLE] OTHERWISE THESE ARE ALL JUST EXCUSES AND DISTRACTIONS. >> THANK YOU, SAM. NEXT WE HAVE ANDRE MATTIS. TO BE FOLLOWED BY SUSAN MOSQUA. GO AHEAD. >> GOOD MORNING MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE, MY NAME IS ANDRE MATTIS AND I'M JUST COMING OFF OF A 12 HOUR NIGHT SHIFT TO SPEAK TO YOU TODAY REGARDING BILL 120516. FOUR AND HALF YEARS AGO, I WAS A NURSING ASSISTANT IN THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT AND BLACK LIVES MATTER PROTESTS , I TOOK TO THE STREETS IN BLUE SCRUBS AND RED DUCT TAPE TO OFFER MY SUPPORT, THE INJURIES AND PATIENTS I TREATED BECAUSE OF SPD'S BRUTALITY AGAINST BLACK LIVES MATTER PROTESTERS STILL HAUNTS ME TO THIS DAY, I CAN REMEMBER TO GRASS, RUPTURED EARDRUMS FROM GLASS BALLS, AND A LITERAL INTO SOME OF MAC TRAUMA, YOU ARE DEFINITELY TRYING TO FIGHT PEPPER SPRAY IN YOUR OWN EYES, IT IS HARD TO FIGHT AGAINST THIS. THIS IS JUST SHORT OF CARING FOR MOST PEOPLE. YOU ARE ARMING THE PEOPLE MEANT TO KEEP US SAFE WITH WEAPONS THEY CAN USE AT THEIR DISCRETION ON PROTESTERS FIGHTING FOR CIVIL RIGHTS. THIS SHOULD NOT AND CANNOT BE THE STANDARD TO WHICH WE HOLD OURSELVES TO. IF THIS ORDINANCE PASSES, I PROMISE YOU THERE WILL NOT BE ENOUGH NURSES TO TREAT THE BLACK, BROWN, AND OTHER MARGINAL VOICES THE SPD IS GOING TO TERRORIZE USING THESE WEAPONS. PLEASE, KEEP US AND OUR FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS SAFE BY VOTING AGAINST COUNSEL BILL 120916. THANK YOU. >> NEXT UP, WE HAVE SUSAN MOSQUA, FOLLOWED BY AIDEN McCALL . >> GO AHEAD, SUSAN POINT >> HI, I'M A DISTRICT ONE RESIDENT, MAN, I'M VERY MOVED EVERYONE'S TESTIMONY THIS MORNING AND I HOPE YOU ARE ALL LISTENING BECAUSE WE ARE NOT JUST -- YOU KNOW, WE ARE LITERALLY YOUR BOSSES , AND WE ARE SPEAKING VERY CLEARLY THIS MORNING AGAINST THE IDEA OF GIVING MORE LEEWAY AND JUDGMENT TO SEATTLE PD T IS VIOLENCE AGAINST US. IF YOU ARE IN FAVOR OF PUBLIC SAFETY, YOU SHOULD BE AGAINST INCREASED USE OF WEAPONS AGAINST CIVILIANS, TRYING TO SAY THAT SEATTLE PD NEEDS MORE ABILITY TO USE VIOLENCE AGAINST US TO KEEP THE PIECE IS STRAIGHT OUT OF 1984, RIGHT ? WHEN WE SEE IT IN THE MEDIA, WHEN WE HEAR IT, WE WATCH HAMILTON THE MUSICAL AND THE KING SAYS I WILL HAND THE FULLY ARMED BATTALION TO REMIND YOU OF MY LOVE, IT IS CLEAR THAT VIOLENCE AGAINST CIVILIANS IS WRONG, SO ARE WE GOING TO BE ABLE TO SEE THAT IN OUR OWN CITY AND OUR OWN DECISIONS? PEOPLE DO NOT WANT SEATTLE POLICE TO USE MORE WEAPONS AGAINST US AND I WAS REALLY MOVED BY THE FIRST COMMENTERS TESTIMONY, SHOWING THAT , YOU KNOW, WE HAVE ALL HEARD THE STATISTICS ABOUT THE TERRIBLE JUDGMENT THEY USED IN 2020 BUT THIS IS A LONG HISTORY. YEAR AFTER YEAR AFTER YEAR, INCIDENT AFTER INCIDENT, SOCIAL MOVEMENT AFTER SOCIAL MOVEMENT, SEATTLE PD IS SHOWING THEIR JUDGMENT AND USING WEAPONS AGAINST PEACEFUL PROTESTERS THAT HAS CLEARLY HAVE AN EFFECT AGAINST FREE SPEECH. ARE WE GOING TO PITCH -- PERPETUATE THIS CYCLE ? THEY SAY YES, I SWEAR IT IS GOING TO BE BETTER, DESPITE THE EVIDENCE TO THE CONTRARY, THE PEOPLE ARE SPEAKING VERY CLEARLY, PLEASE LISTEN TO OUR VOICE. >> THANK YOU. NEXT UP IS AIDAN McCALL, FOLLOWED BY KAREN TAYLOR. >> GOOD MORNING PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE, I'M A STUDENT WHO ATTENDS UNIVERSITY AND CAPITOL HILL DISTRICT 3. I OPPOSE COUNSEL BILL 120916 , GIVING SPD PERMISSION TO USE LESS LETHAL WEAPONS , 2020 AND ALSO PREVIOUS DECADES, THE LESSONS THAT WE LEARNED SHOULD STICK AROUND , [INDISCERNIBLE] WHILE THE JUDGE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR SPD CONSENT DECREE, ACKNOWLEDGING THERE HAS BEEN PROGRESS, I PERSONALLY DO NOT FEEL REASSURED THAT THESE WEAPONS COULD BE ON THE TABLE AGAIN WHEN THIS HAS CAUSED SUCH HARM IN THE PAST. BUT I DO FEEL THIS IS A STEP BACKWARDS , THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE THE POLICING REGULATIONS FROM 2020, NOR DOES IT ALIGN BY THE POLICE EXECUTIVE RESEARCH FORM , AND EVEN DEPARTMENT AROUND THE COUNTRY. ALL THAT CONSIDERED, PLEASE OPPOSE PASSING BILL 120916 . THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. NEXT UP, WE HAVE KAREN TAYLOR. AND FOLLOWED BY MICHAEL MORINI. >> MY NAME IS KAREN TAYLOR . I'M CALLING IN TODAY TO OPPOSE LIFTING THE BAN ON SO-CALLED LESS LETHAL WEAPONS , I WOULD LIKE TO ECHO A FORMER COMMENTOR WHO WAS TALKING ABOUT HOW WE HAVE TOTALLY GIVEN UP ON GIVING COMMENTS TO CITY COUNCIL, I PERSONALLY HAVE TALKED TO OVER 30 PEOPLE ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND TOLD THEM ABOUT THIS COUNCIL MEETING AND TO THAT PERSON, THEY SAID I OPPOSE LIFTING THE BAN UNLESS LETHAL WEAPONS BUT, I DON'T BELIEVE THIS COUNSEL LISTENS, SO THEY ARE GOING TO MAKE THE DECISIONS THEY WILL MAKE, THEY ARE NOT GOING TO LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE. I FEEL LIKE MY CIVIC DUTY IS TO COME HERE AND SAY, WHY DO THEY NEED THESE WEAPONS, IF THEY HAVE NEW TECHNIQUES, AND THEY ARE SO GOOD AT DE-ESCALATION, WHY DON'T WE JUST WE CAN'T HAVE THE CITY SENDING OUT THESE LARGE AMOUNT AND INJURING OUR YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE JUST TRYING TO PROTEST. I FEEL LIKE I HAD TO COME AND TELL YOU MY THOUGHTS. THANK YOU AND I WILL YIELD THE REST OF MY TIME. >> THANK YOU, NEXT UP, MICHAEL, FOLLOWED BY DAVID HAYNES AND OUR LAST REMOTE SPEAKER WILL BE SEAN ISYM. >> HELLO, I'M A RESIDENT IN DISTRICT 3 AND I'M ALSO CALLING TO OPPOSE THE POTENTIAL REPEAL OF THESE WEAPONS. DURING THE 2020 DEMONSTRATIONS, I WAS SEVERAL BLOCKS FROM CAL ANDERSON PARK AND LEADING MY WINDOWS OPEN ON A NICE SPRING EVENING, MY APARTMENT WAS FLOODED WITH TEAR GAS AND I WAS FORCED TO EVACUATE WHICH IS A REMINDER, DURING THE GLOBAL PANDEMIC. IF THE COUNCIL AND MAYOR ARE SO WORRIED ABOUT THE POTENTIAL UPTICK IN DEMONSTRATIONS, RATHER THAN BRINGING BACK THESE HARMFUL WEAPONS USED AGAINST THEIR OWN CITIZENS, WE SHOULD BE EXPLORING POLICIES THAT WILL SUPPORT THE MARGINALIZED POPULATIONS WHO MAY BE LOSING OUR RIGHTS IN THE COMING YEARS AND KILLING THE NEED TO DEMONSTRATE RATHER THAN ALIGNING THEMSELVES WITH THE VIOLENT TACTICS AND RHETORIC CALLED OF THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU , DAVID HAYNES IS NEXT, FOLLOWED BY SEAN . >> THANK YOU, DAVID HAYNES, PUBLIC SAFETY HAS NOT IMPROVED BECAUSE CITY HALL AND THE POLICE CHIEF ARE STILL ACCEPTING CRIMINALS FROM JAIL, ALLOWING RIVAL DRUG FISSURES TO ESCALATE VIOLENCE, [INDISCERNIBLE] THE POLICE CHIEF IS MORE CONCERNED ABOUT GETTING THE FEDERAL CONSENT DECREE APPROVED REGARDING HOW COPS RESPOND TO PROTESTERS, I THINK THAT IS THE MOST PRESSING ISSUE FOR THE POLICE CHIEF. AND THE ONLY REASON SHE WAS HIRED. YET, WE KNOW THE FINAL ACT IS TO COMBAT HOMELESS PEOPLE, IN ADDITION, POLICE HAVE GIVEN OUT THESE NONEMERGENCY PHONE NUMBERS TO PEOPLE LIKE MY BOSS FOR CERTAIN BUSINESSES TO BYPASS THE 911 CALL AND GET A CRIME-FIGHTING COP TO GO TO WORKERS EXERCISING THEIR FREE SPEECH RIGHTS [INDISCERNIBLE] AND YET , THEY ARE ASKING FOR MONEY THAT I STILL OWE, YET THE CRIMINAL [INDISCERNIBLE] SPONSOR JUDGE THROWS THE BOOK AT ME. IT'S NOT FAIR THAT WE HAVE A MISINTERPRETATION OF POLICE REFORM THAT PRIORITIZES GENDER-BASED AND SKIN COLOR PRIORITY HIRINGS, WHILE NOT MAKING LAWS TO COMBAT REAL CRIME . IT IS OFFENSIVE THAT TIM BURGESS WAS ON THE CITY COUNCIL , AND SABOTAGE POLICE REFORM , AND WE ARE UNDERMINING SOCIETY, -- >> THANK YOU, DAVID, OUR LAST COMMENTOR IS SEAN ISYM. >> HELLO, I'M HERE TODAY TO TALK ABOUT THE LESS LETHAL BAN. THE BROAD DISCRETION THAT DISALLOWS SPD WITH MORE ACCESS TO TOOLS FOR HARM AGAINST CITIZENS, YOUR CITIZENS, YOU LIVE HERE, YOU ARE ONE OF THESE PEOPLE. I WISH I WAS THERE IN PERSON TO ASK YOU AND LOOK AT YOU IN THE EYES, AT LEAST A FEW OF YOU WHO DECIDED TO SHOW UP. HOWEVER, AS YOU MENTIONED EARLIER , THIS IS NOT A PUBLIC FORUM, BUT ROBERT SAKA, I LIVE IN SEATTLE, YOU ARE MY REPRESENTATIVE, HAVE YOU EVER BEEN HIT WITH ONE OF THESE DEVICES ? HAVE YOU EVER BROKEN A BONE , HAVE YOU EVER HAD A BONE SHATTERED BY A RUBBER BULLET? BY THE WAY, HAVE YOU EVER HAD SOMEBODY THAT YOU THOUGHT WAS SUPPOSED TO TAKE CARE OF YOU, LOOK YOU IN THE EYE AND PERMANENTLY MAIM YOU FOR SPEAKING YOUR MIND? THE POLICE EXECUTIVE FIRM SAYS, IT IS IMPORTANT THAT ANY LAW ENFORCEMENT RESPONSE TO MASS GATHERINGS IS MEASURED AND PROPORTIONATE AND TAKES STEPS TO AVOID EVEN INADVERTENTLY HEIGHTENING TENSIONS AND MAKING THE SITUATION WORSE. YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELL-BEING OF THE CITIZENS OF THIS CITY, WHAT YOU ARE PRIORITIZING NO , IS PROVIDING HARMFUL TOOLS TO A GROUP THAT HAS A LONG HISTORY OF ABUSE OF YOUR CITIZENS. I WILL YIELD THE REMAINDER OF MY TIME, THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. THAT CONCLUDES ALL OF OUR PUBLIC COMMENTERS. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALL OF THE PUBLIC COMMENTERS, TO INCLUDE THOSE WHO WERE WITH US TODAY, AND AS I STATED EARLIER, PUBLIC COMMENTS CAN BE HELPFUL IN TERMS OF THE AMENDMENTS AND DIFFERENT IDEAS IN TERMS OF POTENTIALLY ADJUSTING , AMENDING ANY LEGISLATION THAT IS BEFORE US, SO OUR PUBLIC COMMENT IS COMPLETED, WE WILL PROCEED TO OUR ITEMS OF BUSINESS, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ARE ENCOURAGED TO SUBMIT WRITTEN PUBLIC COMMENT OR EMAIL THE COUNCIL . WE'LL MOVE ON TO OUR FIRST ITEM OF BUSINESS, WILL THE CLERK PLEASE READ ITEM ONE INTO THE RECORD. >> 30 BY 30 REPORT PRESENTATION. WITH DR. LOIS JAMES, LIEUTENANT GRETCHEN HUGHES AND KERRY KEEFE. >> WELCOME, I APPRECIATE YOU JOINING US TODAY, SO PLEASE COME UP, ALSO THANK YOU FOR YOUR REPORT DATED 8 NOVEMBER, 2024 AND YOUR BRIEFING WHICH HE WILL GO OVER. I ALSO WANT TO WELCOME LIEUTENANT HUGHES AND MISS KERRY KEEFE FROM THE SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT, WELCOME AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US THIS MORNING. >> THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE. WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE COUNCIL FOR TAKING THIS OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR ABOUT THIS INITIATIVE, AS YOU MENTIONED, DR. LOIS JAMES FROM WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY AND LIEUTENANT HUGHES FROM THE SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT. >> CAN I ALSO ADD, WE HAVE COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA JOINING US. SORRY, I SHOULD HAVE MENTIONED THAT EARLIER . >> YES, AND MY NAME IS KERRY KEEFE, AND THE DIRECTOR OF PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT AT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND I HAVE BEEN VERY INVOLVED IN THE 30 BY 30 PROJECT. SO, IF YOU COULD GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE . >> WE ARE GOING TO BE PRESENTING A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF PHASE ONE AND PHASE TWO OF THE PROJECT AND GO INTO PHASE THREE WHICH IS WHY DR. JAMES IS PRESENT , REGARDING THE REPORT AS WELL AS LIEUTENANT HUGHES WITH REGARD TO SOME OF THE HIRING THAT IS UNDERWAY AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON OUR TRAINING AND RECRUITMENT AND CHILDCARE EFFORTS. I WOULD LIKE TO REMIND THE COMMITTEE THAT LAST MAY, DR. TONYA , WHO IS THE DIRECTOR OF THE 30 BY 30 INITIATIVE AT THE NEW YORK, NYU POLICING PROJECT CAME BEFORE COUNCIL TO TESTIFY ABOUT THE EFFORTS THAT SPD HAS BEEN UNDERTAKING AS A PART OF ONE OF THE ORIGINAL SIGNATURES OF THE 30 BY 30 PROJECT, AND BASICALLY WHAT IS 30 BY 30, A GRASSROOTS COALITION OF RESEARCHERS, POLICE, LEADERS, PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS, AIMED AT INCREASING THE NUMBER OF WOMEN IN ALL POLICE RECRUIT CLASSES BY 30% BY THE YEAR 2030. AND RESEARCH SHOWS THAT WHEN YOU GET THAT LEVEL OF WOMEN WITHIN A DEPARTMENT , THEN CULTURAL CHANGE CAN REALLY TAKE SHAPE. BUT AS DR. MEISERHOLDER NOTED, THE GOAL IS TO INCREASE THE REPRESENTATION OF WOMEN THROUGHOUT POLICING. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. SO, WHY 3530? WOMEN CURRENTLY COMPRISE 13% AND THIS IS NATIONAL STATISTICS, OF THOSE SWORN OFFICERS, AMONG LEADERSHIP RANK, WOMEN REPRESENT ONLY 3%. YET DECADES OF RESEARCH SHOWS THAT WOMEN OFTEN PRODUCE BETTER OUTCOMES, SAFETY OUTCOMES IN MANY OF THE AREAS THAT WE CARE ABOUT, AND WHAT ARE THOSE AREAS THAT WOMEN HAVE FEWER COMPLAINTS, AGAINST THEM, THE USE OF FORCE IS USED LESS OFTEN AND BETTER OUTCOMES ARE REALIZED IN WOMEN OFFICERS AND CRIME VICTIMS AND ESPECIALLY VICTIMS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT . THAT IS WHY IT IS IMPORTANT TO INCREASE THAT REPRESENTATION OF WOMEN WITHIN THE POLICING PROFESSION. AS I MENTIONED , MARCH 25th, 2021, IS WHEN SEATTLE SIGNED ON TO THE 30 BY 30 , SEATTLE AS AN ORGANIZATION REALIZED THE VALUE OF THIS INITIATIVE AND WAS ONE OF THE EARLIEST SIGNATURES OF IT, THE PHASE ONE WHICH WAS THE ORIGINAL INITIAL PHASE WAS THE QUANTITATIVE SURVEY AND SPD COMPLIED WITH ALL OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF PHASE ONE AND THE IMMEDIATE ACTION WHICH INCLUDED STRATEGIC PRIORITIES AROUND GENDER DIVERSITY AND HIRING RETENTION AND PROMOTION , ZERO-TOLERANCE EEO PRACTICE , AND INCREASING NURSING ACCOMMODATIONS FOR RETURNING MEMBERS WHICH INCLUDED PRIVATE , SANITARY NURSING SPACES, REFRIGERATION , SOMETHING MORE THAN JUST THE CLOSET THAT MANY OF US HAD TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF. SO IT IS RECOGNIZING MAKING THE WORKPLACE MORE ACCOMMODATING FOR THE NEEDS OF ITS WORKERS AND APPROPRIATE EQUIPMENT, REALIZING THAT WOMEN UNIFORMS FIT DIFFERENT THAN MEN, SO IT IS REALLY ADJUSTING TO THE WORKFORCE TO MAKE IT MORE ACCOMMODATING AND MORE WELCOMING FOR WOMEN. SO, SPD'S COMMITMENT , IN PHASE TWO, THE QUALITATIVE ASSESSMENT REPORT OF 2023, THAT WAS CONDUCTED BY DR. JAMES. THIS WAS INITIATED BY SPD, IT WASN'T A REQUIREMENT AT THE 30 BY 30 INITIATIVE, THIS SOMETHING THAT SPD VOLUNTARILY UNDERTOOK TO GET A BETTER HANDLE ON WHAT WAS REALLY THE SENTIMENT OF THE WORKERS WITHIN SPD, AND BY THAT REGARD, DR. JAMES CONDUCTED FOCUS GROUPS OVER A TIME PERIOD OF AUGUST 7th THROUGH THE NINTH , 2023 WITH FEMALE WORKERS AT SPD BOTH SWORN AND CIVILIAN AND THEY WERE EMERGENT THINGS THAT CAME FROM THOSE FOCUS GROUPS WHICH INCLUDED THE PUSH PULL, WHAT IS HAPPENING WITHIN THE WORKFORCE THAT IS PUSHING WOMEN OUT AND WHAT IS HAPPENING EXTERNALLY THAT IS PULLING THEM FROM THE WORKFORCE ? AND FROM THAT, THE THEME EMERGED WHERE THE MASCULINE CULTURE AND EXPECTATION FOR WOMEN, SOMETIMES THERE IS A DOUBLE STANDARD AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK WOMEN IN THE WORKFORCE REGARDLESS OF POLICING HAD EXPERIENCED. THERE'S GENERATIONAL DISTINCTIONS THAT WERE GOING ON, THE CHILDCARE ISSUE WHICH IS OBVIOUS, WHEN YOU HAVE A WORKFORCE OF CHILDBEARING AGE , THAT THEY HAD THESE COMPETING INTERESTS THAT ARE TAKING PLACE. AND PROMOTION AND LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES , AS WELL AS EXCLUSION AND PIGEONHOLES, THOSE WERE THE UNDERLYING THINGS OF THE FOCUS GROUPS THAT DR. JAMES CONDUCTED AND THE KEY RECOMMENDATIONS, AWARENESS , HAVE A CULTURE OF RESPECT, DEPARTMENT CHILDCARE OPTIONS, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I REALLY WANTED TO DISH OUT TO COUNCILMEMBER MOORE AND COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA, THEY HAVE SHOWN EARLY INTEREST IN THIS, AND ATTENDED ONE OF OUR MEETINGS TO REALLY GET IT , GET INTO THE WEEDS , SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THE EFFORTS IN THAT REGARD. AND MENTORSHIP FOR WOMEN, YOU NEED TO HAVE THOSE TILT IN WOMEN MENTORS THAT ARE CHAMPIONING YOU THROUGHOUT YOUR CAREER AND I THINK ALL OF US HAVE FOUND OUR MENTORS, THIS IS MORE ACUTELY NEEDED FOR WOMEN IN THE WORKPLACE. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. THAT LEADS US TO PHASE THREE AND THE COMMITMENTS OF PHASE THREE. SPD CAN FORMULATE THE INTERNAL 30 BY 30 WORKING GROUP, AND THAT IS A CROSS DEPARTMENT , BOTH CIVILIAN AND SWORN, IT IS ALL WELCOMING AND THIS WORKING GROUP MEETS EVERY OTHER WEEK AND HAS DONE SO SINCE LAST SPRING. AND IDENTIFYING THE ISSUES THAT ARE MOST NEEDED AND HOW TO PUT IN AN ACTION PLAN TO ACHIEVE THOSE GOALS. THE MISSION HAS INDICATED IT IS BUILDING OFF OF THE REPORT AND ADVANCE THE DOCUMENTED EXTERNAL CHALLENGES, AND TO DEVELOP AN INTERNAL CULTURE THAT KEEPS WOMEN AND SUPPORTS WOMEN WITHIN THAT WORKPLACE. IN THAT REGARD, THE TRAINING AND MENTORING , WHAT STEPS WE HAVE TAKEN SO FAR , THE MENTORING PROGRAM HAS BEEN RE-ESTABLISHED FOR RECRUITS AND STUDENT OFFICERS AND WE ARE BUILDING UP THE MENTORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES FOR IN-SERVICE EMPLOYEES OF ALL RANKS , SO THAT IS A TWO TRACK, BOTH WITH THE NEWER RECRUITS , BUT ALSO THE EMPLOYEES THAT ARE ALREADY PRESENT IN THE DEPARTMENT . OUR WOMEN ONLY DEFENSIVE TACTIC TRAINING, THAT IS ON THE TRAINING BOOKS FOR 2025 . THIS AROSE OUT OF INFORMATION SHARED BY WOMEN THAT THE DEFENSIVE TRAINING TACTICS , WHEN IT IS BOTH GENDERS WITH MEN, SOMETIMES INHIBIT WOMEN FROM PARTICIPATING FULLY WITHIN THOSE TRAINING TACTICS , OR MAKE IT LESS COMFORTABLE FOR WOMEN TO BE ABLE TO FULLY EXPLORE THEIR DEFENSIVE TRAINING. SO, HEARING THAT, SPD HAS PUT INTO PLACE A WOMEN ONLY DEFENSIVE TRAINING TACTIC FOR THIS NEXT TRAINING PERIOD AND TRUST CENTERED READERSHIP AND I JUST WANT TO TAKE A BRIEF MOMENT ON ADDRESSING WHAT TRUST CENTERED LEADERSHIP IS. EIGHT IS A PROGRAM THAT IS IMMERSIVE, COMPETENCE OF, EQUIPPED IT WITH THE SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE TO LEAD EFFECTIVELY, THIS IS A COMPANY IS A PROGRAM, IT GOES OVER ABOUT THREE MONTHS, IT IS BOTH ONLINE, INTERACTIVE, THERE'S COHORTS OF 24 MEMBERS WITHIN A COHORT AND THE KEY TOPICS INCLUDE EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE , EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION , AND CULTIVATING A HEALTHY CULTURE, SO IT IS A COMPREHENSIVE TYPE OF TRAINING, IT IS A LEADERSHIP FOCUSED TRAINING FROM ALL RANKS FROM SERGEANT TO ASSISTANT CHIEF AS WELL AS CIVILIAN LEADERS. IT IS GROUNDED IN TWO CORE PRINCIPLES, PROMOTING LIFELONG COMMITMENT TO LEARNING AND ENSURING LEADERSHIP TRAINING IS PRACTICAL AND IMMEDIATELY ACTIONABLE. TODAY, 24 PEOPLE HAVE COMPLETED THE TRAINING AND WHAT IS PLANNED FOR 2025 IS NINE ADDITIONAL COHORT TRAININGS SO THAT BY THE END OF 2025, THERE WILL BE 240 LEADERS WITHIN SPD THAT HAVE BEEN TRAINED IN THIS TRANSFORMATIONA L PROGRAM WHICH IS TRUST CENTERED LEADERSHIP. I'M GOING TO BE COMING BACK AT THE END BUT RIGHT NOW I'M GOING TO HAVE DR. JAMES TALK ABOUT THE IMPERIAL ASSESSMENT GENDER DISPARITY AND PROMOTION, SO IF YOU COULD GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE . IN THE INTEREST OF TRANSPARENCY, SPD HAS COME ON THIS SLIDE, THE LINK WHICH HAS THE REPORT , TECHNICAL APPENDIX AND PYTHON CODE, SO WITH THAT , DR. JAMES WILL BE ADDRESSING THIS PHASE THREE REPORT. >> THANK YOU AND WELCOME AGAIN, DR. JAMES. >> THANK YOU, AND THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. SO, IN BRIEF, THE QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS THAT WE DID, THE METHODOLOGY WAS PROPENSITIES FOR A TECHNIQUE USED WHEN YOU SEE DISPARITY OF NUMBERS, FOR EXAMPLE MEN AND WOMEN EMPLOYED IN AN ORGANIZATION AND IT USES VARIABLES TO BALANCE OUT THOSE DIFFERENCES, TO GET A TRUER ESTIMATE OF THE DISPARITIES THAT MIGHT OCCUR. WE LOOKED AT PROMOTIONS OVER THE PRIOR NINE YEARS FROM WHEN THE DATA WAS ACCESSED AND WITHIN THAT SAMPLE, THERE WERE 2015 CURRENT AND FORMER EMPLOYEES DURING THAT STUDY PERIOD, THE DATA INCLUDED 10 CONTROL VARIABLES SO ANY VARIABLES THAT COULD FEASIBLY INFLUENCE PROMOTIONS , THEN WE ALSO HAD FOUR TARGET VARIABLES AND THOSE WERE THE NUMBER OF PROMOTIONS RECEIVED PER PERSON, AT THE HIGHEST RANK ACHIEVED PER PERSON, THE TOTAL GROSS EARNINGS, AND COMPLAINTS RECEIVED PER PERSON AS WELL. AND THE MAJOR RESEARCH QUESTIONS WERE WHETHER TARGET VARIABLES WERE SIGNIFICANTLY DIFFERENT BETWEEN MEN AND WOMEN FOR EACH OF THOSE FOUR VARIABLES. SEVERAL FINDINGS EMERGED FROM THIS ANALYSIS AND WERE WRITTEN OFF IN THE SUBSEQUENT COURSE, THE FIRST ONE WAS THAT THE NUMBER OF PROMOTIONS RECEIVED BETWEEN MEN AND WOMEN ACROSS THE STUDY PERIOD WAS SIGNIFICANTLY DIFFERENT, BOTH WERE PROMOTED AN AVERAGE OF TWO TIMES ACROSS NINE YEARS. THE SECOND MAJOR FINDING THAT WAS DISCOVERED WAS THAT THE HIGHEST RANK ACHIEVED WAS ALSO NOT SIGNIFICANTLY DIFFERENT BETWEEN MEN AND WOMEN ACROSS THE STUDY PERIOD AND THAT AVERAGE RANK FOR BOTH WAS POLICE OFFICER DETECTIVE . THE THIRD FINDING WAS, ALTHOUGH WOMEN DID RECEIVE FEWER COMPLAINTS THAN MEN ON AVERAGE, THE DIFFERENCE WAS NOT STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT, AND THE FINAL FINDING WAS THERE WAS A DISPARITY, A SIGNIFICANT DISPARITY IN GROSS INCOME RECEIVED BETWEEN MEN AND WOMEN ACROSS THE STUDY PERIOD AND WHEN THAT WAS ADJUSTED FOR HOURS WORKED, THIS RESULTED IN A 3.7 DISPARITY IN EARNINGS ACROSS THE STUDY PERIOD . NEXT SLIDE , PLEASE. THERE ARE VARIOUS CAVEATS AND DISCUSSION POINTS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO MENTION , IT IS OF COURSE ENCOURAGING THAT WOMEN RECEIVED AN APPROXIMATE EQUIVALENT NUMBER OF PROMOTIONS AND ROSE TO APPROXIMATE EQUIVALENT RANKS BUT I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THIS DOES NOT REPRESENT A LACK OF NECESSARY, GENDER BIAS, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE LOOK AT THE DISPARITY IN TOTAL DOLLAR EARNINGS, WHETHER WOMEN HAD MORE CHALLENGE OR MORE DIFFICULTY IN RECEIVING THOSE PROMOTIONS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT CAN BE ASSESSED FROM A STATISTICAL ANALYSIS. BEYOND THE SCOPE OF THIS PARTICULAR STUDY. WE ALSO FIND WITH THE PAY EARNING, ADJUSTING FOR HOURS WORKED DID NOT COMPLETELY ERADICATE THIS DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SALARY, SO WHAT IS LIKELY GOING ON HERE IS DIFFERENT IN OVERTIME IN TERMS OF OPPORTUNITIES , WE HAVE SEEN A LOT IN THIS TYPE OF WORK ABOUT THE NOTION OF THE KID TAX AND DIFFERENCES BETWEEN MEN AND WOMEN IN TERMS OF THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT THEY CAN GO FOR BASED ON CHILDCARE AND OTHER FAMILY-BASED OBLIGATIONS. IT IS ALSO POSSIBLE THAT MEN WERE POTENTIALLY RECEIVING OVERTIME OPPORTUNITIES THAT WERE MORE LUCRATIVE BASED ON THAT TIME OF OVERTIME AND TASK, AGAIN BEYOND THE SCOPE OF THE STATISTICAL ANALYSIS AND THE END OF THE DAY ADDITIONAL RESEARCH IS LIKELY REQUIRED. THANK YOU. >> WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE LIEUTENANT HUGHES TALK ABOUT THE RECRUITMENT EFFORTS AND OUTREACH EFFORTS THAT SPD HAS BEEN UNDERTAKING. >> GOOD MORNING, CAN YOU HEAR ME ? THANK YOU FOR THE INVITATION TO SHARE THESE HIGHLIGHTS AND UPCOMING STRATEGIES. THE RECRUITING TEAM -- >> A LITTLE BIT CLOSER? >> HOW THE RECRUITING TEAM CONTINUES TO ATTEND A VARIETY OF EVENTS TO FACILITATE OUTREACH TO FEMALE CANDIDATES , A SAMPLING OF SOME OF THE EVENTS IS POSTED IN THE POWERPOINT HERE , IT RANGES FROM TRAIN FARES TO PUBLIC SAFETY HIRING EVENTS , COLLEGES, UNIVERSITIES, TRADE SCHOOLS, COMMUNITY EVENTS AND LOCAL ADVISORY BOARDS AND MILITARY BASES. THE TEAM HAS ALSO BEEN REFINING THE WORK WE DO, MOST SUCCESSFULLY IN THE AREA OF IN-PERSON WORKSHOPS . THE WORKSHOPS FACILITATE A PERSONAL INTERACTION WITH POTENTIAL CANDIDATES AND SUPPORT A RECRUITING MODEL WHICH HAS BEEN SHOWN ESSENTIAL FOR TODAY'S CANDIDATES. THE WORKSHOPS HAVE ALSO BEEN VERY WELL RECEIVED , THEY ALLOW THE TEAM TO MAKE LONG-TERM CONNECTIONS WITH POTENTIAL CANDIDATES , WHICH WE ARE ABLE TO REVISIT AND WE HAVE SEEN AN INCREASED ATTENDANCE AT EACH SUCCESSIVE EVENT. ONE OF OUR WORKSHOPS POSTED NEARLY 50% WOMEN ATTENDEES AND ANOTHER WORKSHOP BOASTED OVER 100 TOTAL ATTENDEES. AND THE WORKSHOPS FEATURED KEYNOTE SPEAKERS , ALSO HAVE FEATURED DEPARTMENT SPECIALTY -- I WASN'T GOING TO BRING THAT UP. ALSO, FEATURED A DEPARTMENT SPECIALTY UNIT LIKE K-9 HARBOR, THE EMT PROGRAM, BOMB SQUAD, TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IS AVAILABLE WITH THE DEPARTMENTS, WE HAVE ALSO OFFERED RIDE ALONG'S WITH THOSE EVENTS, SO PEOPLE COULD HAVE AN UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL INTERACTION WITH WHAT WE DO. AND LASTLY, THEY WERE ABLE TO CONDUCT THE PHYSICAL AGILITY TEST SO PEOPLE COULD SAMPLE WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE AS WELL AS PEOPLE WHO WERE CURRENTLY IN THE TESTING PROCESS NEEDED TO COMPLETE THAT PART OF THE TESTING. THE TEAM ADMINISTERS THE SCALA BRIDGE PROGRAM WHICH IS THE PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES ACTIVE DUTY SERVICE MEMBERS A DIRECT ROUTE TO BECOMING A SILLY -- SEATTLE POLICE OFFICER, THE PROGRAM WAS LAUNCHED IN THE SUMMER, IT IS JUST PICKING UP SPEED AND WE HAVE 5% OF THE APPLICANTS SO FAR AS FEMALES. THANK YOU. IN SUPPORT OF CANDIDATE SUCCESS , THE RECRUITING TEAM CONDUCTS MONTHLY VIRTUAL WORKSHOPS , WE SHARE RESOURCES WITH TEST TAKING TIPS , WE ALSO SHARE A TRAINING APP TO ALLOW FOR PHYSICAL AGILITY READINESS AND WE ALSO OFFER ONE-ON-ONE COACHING FOR THAT PHYSICAL AGILITY TEST AND IN LATE SEPTEMBER, IT IS NOT ON THIS, I GUESS WE CAN MOVE AHEAD TO THE NEXT SLIDE. IN LATE SEPTEMBER, SPD WELCOMED JULIE, OUR NEW POLICE RECRUITING MANAGER, SHE HAS A WEALTH OF SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTISE AND ACUMEN TO REFINE AND BUILD NEW PROCESSES . AND SHE HAS BEEN FULL SPEED AHEAD ON ASSESSING CURRENT PRACTICES AND BUILDING FRAMEWORKS FOR NEW METHODS WITH PRIORITY PROJECTS SUCH AS CANDIDATE SOURCING THROUGH LINKEDIN AND EXPANDED IN PERSON PRESENTATIONS SO WE CAN CIRCLE BACK AND CONNECT WITH COUNCILMEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH AND COLLEGE ATHLETES SO WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT. AND LATER THIS WEEK, JULIA WILL BE A PART OF A PANEL FOR HIRING A NEW RECRUITER SO WE CAN BUILD OUR TEAM A LITTLE BIT MORE. IT IS A SMALL TEAM , BUT WE NEED ALL THE ASSISTANCE WE CAN GET. MOVING ON TO ADVERTISING , IN 2025 , THERE IS A PLANNED TRANSITION FROM THE CURRENT MARKETING TEAM TO A TEAM THAT SPECIALIZES IN POLICE MARKETING , THEY WILL BE ABLE TO SHOWCASE THE DEPARTMENT WITH FRESH BRANDING, MARKETING PHOTOS AND VIDEOS AND NEW JOBS WEBSITE. THE POTENTIAL FIRMS WE HAVE BEEN EXPLORING HAVE SOME PRETTY AMAZING STATISTICS DEMONSTRATING HOW THEY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO INCREASE FEMALE CANDIDATES AND CANDIDATES THAT ARE DIVERSE IN NATURE . AND LASTLY , BUT NOT LEAST, THE PUBLIC AFFAIRS UNIT HAS PRODUCED A SERIES OF VIDEOS CELEBRATING WOMEN ON THE SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT IN THEIR UNIQUE ROLES AND ASSIGNMENTS THROUGHOUT THE DEPARTMENT AND THOSE SELECT VIDEOS ARE POSTED ON THE SEATTLE POLICE JOBS WEBSITE, THE NATIONAL TESTING NETWORK WEBSITE WHICH IS THE TESTING TEAM THAT THE DEPARTMENT USES , OR TESTING PLATFORM THE DEPARTMENT USES ON SOCIAL MEDIA AS WELL. THANK YOU. >> NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE . SO, RECRUITMENT IS OBVIOUSLY VERY CRITICAL , IN BUILDING UP THE DEPARTMENT BUT EVEN MORE CRITICAL IS RETENTION, BECAUSE TO HAVE A HEALTHY AND SUSTAINABLE WORKFORCE, WE NEED TO BE RETAINING THE OFFICERS THAT WE HAVE . AND WITH REGARD TO BUILDING OUT OUR RETENTION , SPD CONTINUES TO SUPPORT THE WOMEN'S LAW-ENFORCEMENT SUMMIT , SENDING REPRESENTATIVES FROM SPD TO THAT NATIONAL SUMMIT. WE ARE EXPLORING A NEW PARENTS FOCUS GROUP TO GET ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, NOT ONLY JUST THE CHILDCARE ASPECT, BUT WHAT OTHER NEEDS THE PARENTS ARE EXPERIENCING THAT IMPACT THEIR ABILITY TO REMAIN AT SPD . WE CONTINUE TO REVIEW DEPARTMENTAL PRACTICES AND CIVIL-SERVICE STRUCTURE THAT IMPACTS EQUITY AND INTERDEPARTMENT MOBILITY, SO SPECIALTY ASSIGNMENTS, PROMOTIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR BOTH SWORN AND NON-SWORN , THAT IS TOUCHED UPON IN THE WORK THAT DR. JAMES IS LOOKING AT, WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH THAT INTERDEPARTMENTAL MOVEMENT WITHIN SPD . WE ARE DEVELOPING AFFINITY GROUPS, BOTH DEPARTMENTS SPONSORED AND INDEPENDENT, WE ARE SUPPORTING THE INDEPENDENT GROUPS ALSO AUNT THESE GROUPS ARE IMPORTANT TO PROVIDE , WHETHER IT IS BASED ON CULTURAL ASSOCIATION, RACIAL ASSOCIATION, INTERESTS, TO BUILD THAT NATURAL MENTORSHIP GROUP AND SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT FOR GROUPS WITHIN SPD AND THAT IS ACTIVELY GOING ON UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF ASSISTANT CHIEF DAVIS . WE ARE EXPLORING OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR ALTERNATIVE WORK SCHEDULES AND THAT IS REALLY DEPENDENT ON STAFFING IMPROVING BECAUSE WHEN YOU ARE WORKING WITH SUCH A LOWER STAFF LEVEL , IT REALLY TIES YOUR HANDS IN BEING ABLE TO IMPLEMENT SOME OF THESE OTHER WORKPLACE SCHEDULING THAT WILL HAVE A POSITIVE IMPACT ON THE FLEXIBILITY THAT IS NEEDED, THAT HAS BEEN HIGHLIGHTED IN THE REPORTS BY DR. JAMES. AND THEN THE CHILDCARE. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. SPD , WHILE WE COMPLETED OUR INTERNAL SURVEY OF EMPLOYEES INTERESTS, BECAUSE THIS IS AN EMPLOYEE DRIVEN -- WE WANT TO FIND OUT WHAT THE NEEDS ARE, NOT DICTATE WHAT WE BELIEVE THE NEEDS ARE BUT FIND OUT FROM EMPLOYEES, WHERE ARE THOSE NEEDS. AND A SIGNIFICANT PERCENTAGE OF RESPONDENTS HAVE CHILDREN OR LIKELY TO HAVE CHILDREN IN THE NEXT THREE TO FIVE YEARS WHICH DEMONSTRATES THAT THE NEED IS VERY ACUTE. A SIGNIFICANT PERCENTAGE IS JUST IN CHILDCARE, ESPECIALLY MAJOR EVENTS AND MANDATORY OVERTIME WHICH A NUMBER OF SPD OFFICERS ARE HAVING TO DO WITH THE STAFFING SITUATION AS IT IS. WE ARE FINALIZING OUR CONTRACT WITH THE CONSULTANT TO DEVELOP CHILDCARE SOLUTIONS FOR SPD OFFICERS, TO BUILD SUPPORT FOR SPD'S WORKFORCE. THIS REPORT WILL LIKELY BE READY IN Q2 OF 2025 AND WILL INCLUDE OPTIONS FOR EXISTING CHILDCARE CAPACITY AND HOURS OF AVAILABILITY . OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXEMPT LICENSED CARE, COSTS AND TIMELINES OF SOLUTIONS AND ANALYSIS OF LEGAL LIABILITY AND RISKS. AS I'M SURE COUNCILMEMBERS ARE AWARE, THERE IS A UNIQUE CHALLENGE WHEN IT IS SHIPPED WORK BECAUSE TRADITIONAL CHILDCARE IS, FOR ANY OF YOU WHO HAVE CHILDREN OR HAVE EXPERIENCED IT, GENERALLY FROM 6:00 A.M. THROUGH 6:00 P.M. AT NIGHT, BUT WHEN YOU HAVE SHIFT WORKERS WORKING THROUGH THE NIGHT, THAT MAKES IT EVEN MORE CHALLENGING AND THOSE NEEDS ARE RECOGNIZED AND THAT IS WHAT WE ARE REALLY FOCUSING ON. NEXT SLIDE. WE ARE AT THE END OF OUR PRESENTATION, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? >> THANK YOU SO MUCH AND I APPRECIATE THE ABILITY TO WALK THROUGH BECAUSE YOU DESIGNED THE BREEDING IN A CERTAIN WAY, SO I LIKE THE CONTRAST. I THINK IT WAS GOOD TO HAVE THIS SEQUENCING. AND I'M SURE, MY COLLEAGUES WILL HAVE QUESTIONS AND I ALMOST FORGOT BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN SO LONG SINCE WE'VE HAD A COMMITTEE MEETING THAT I ALWAYS START WITH THE VICE CHAIR, VICE CHAIR SAKA . >> THANK YOU AND I APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION, I DO HAVE A COUPLE QUICK QUESTIONS BUT I WOULD FIRST LIKE TO YIELD THE OPPORTUNITY TO THE REST OF OUR COLLEAGUES HERE. >> OKAY, SO OTHER COLLEAGUES, ANY QUESTIONS ? >> THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE , REALLY APPRECIATE GETTING TO SIT ON THIS COMMITTEE AND I REALLY WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO SPD FOR ALL OF THEIR WORK ON THE 30 BY 30 EFFORTS, AND I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THE INTERIM CHEECH IS ALSO VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THIS EFFORT . I ALSO APPRECIATE BEING ABLE TO SIT IN AND LISTEN TO OFFICERS AND OTHER STAFF INCLUDING ADMIN STAFF AT SPD WHO PROVIDE AN INVALUABLE SERVICE , AND ALSO WE WANT TO PROMOTE WOMEN AT THE ADMIN LEVEL BECAUSE IT IS ONE SPD AND EVERY PERSON AT SPD ADD VALUE FROM THE OFFICERS , I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF WOMEN ON THE ADMIN SIDE WERE ALSO EXPENSING NEEDS AND WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO RETAIN FOLKS. I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE IN TERMS OF THE CHILDCARE PIECE , AND BEYOND CHILDCARE, THERE'S OTHER THINGS AND I WAS GLAD TO SEE ON HERE, AS POSSIBLE, WHAT I CALL LOW HANGING FRUIT. BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE A MOTHER WITH A PLACE TO PUMP , SO THEY CAN FEED THEIR BABIES WHEN THEY GO HOME IS REALLY IMPORTANT , AND I WILL SAY AS A MOTHER WHO HAS HAD BABIES IN THE LAST 20 YEARS, WHEN I WORKED FOR A GOVERNMENT AGENCY, WHERE I DIDN'T HAVE THAT BENEFIT, AND THE BEST THEY COULD DO IS PROVIDE ME A BATHROOM WHERE I COULD PUMP, WHICH IF YOU ARE A MOTHER, TRYING TO PUMP, THAT IS A VERY STRESSFUL ENVIRONMENT, THAT IS NOT CONDUCIVE TO BEING ABLE TO PRODUCE MILK FOR YOUR CHILD . AND I HAVE TO SAY , WHAT WAS ESPECIALLY DISAPPOINTING ABOUT MY EXPERIENCE IS THAT MY SUPERVISOR AND THE HEAD OF THE DEPARTMENT WERE BOTH WOMEN AND MOTHERS , AND IT IS SURPRISING IN 2024, THAT WE ARE NOT PROVIDING THOSE EASY , WHAT I CALL EASY PIECES FOR NEW MOTHERS AND PARENTS IN GENERAL, BECAUSE CHILDREN HAVE MOMS THAT ARE TRYING TO PROVIDE MILK AND THEY HAVE FATHERS WHO WANT TO SUPPORT THEIR WIVES , SO IT PROTECTS EVERYBODY. I'M VERY HAPPY TO HEAR, LIKE I SAID, ABOUT THE LOW HANGING FRUIT AND THE OTHER PIECES THAT I FIND THAT WE CAN FIND TO SUPPORT , THAT ARE EASY IN THAT REGARD. I REALLY WOULD LOVE TO FIND THOSE OPPORTUNITIES AND WOULD WANT TO HEAR MORE ABOUT THAT . I KNOW THERE ARE OTHER PIECES LIKE THE CHILDCARE PIECE THAT ARE MORE CHALLENGING AND FULL DISCLOSURE, I KNOW THAT A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO , THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING CONVERSATION ACROSS THE CITY AND I KNOW THAT A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO THERE WAS SOME EXPLORATION ON IF WE CAN START A CHILDCARE CENTER AT CITY HALL , THERE WAS NOT SPACE FOR IT, BUT I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT WE CONTINUE TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION BECAUSE IT IS A REALLY CRITICAL ONE, SO THIS WAS MORE A COMMENT THAN A QUESTION, BUT I REALLY WANT TO COMMEND THE STAFF AT SPD FOR ALL THAT YOU ARE DOING AND THE PARTNERSHIPS THAT YOU ARE MANAGING IN SUPPORT OF WOMEN AT SPD, IT IS VERY MUCH NECESSARY . WE NEED WOMEN ALL ACROSS ALL ENTITIES AND ALL PROFESSIONS AND INCLUDING POLICE OFFICERS AND LIKE I SAID, OTHER STAFF POSITIONS AT SPD . SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR EFFORTS, I LOOK FORWARD TO THE CONTINUING PARTNERSHIP AND WOULD WELCOME JOINING ANY FUTURE MEETINGS AND PLEASE LET ME KNOW HOW I CAN BE OF PARTICULAR SUPPORT TO THE CURRENT EFFORTS UNDERWAY. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH ? >> THANK YOU, APPRECIATE IT, I WANT TO THANK MISS KERRY KEEFE, DR. HUGHES , AND IT'S ALSO GOOD TO SEE THE ACTIVE WORK THAT YOU ALL ARE DOING, I KNOW YOU ARE DOING A LOT, SO REALLY APPRECIATE THAT, I HAVE A QUICK COMMENT AND I WILL ASK MY QUESTION. I CAN'T BEGIN TO TELL YOU HOW IMPORTANT IT WAS, I WAS WORKING AN AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM WITH A BUNCH OF GIRLS, 20 INNER-CITY GIRLS, AND WE USED TO HAVE THE DETECTIVE OR THE FORMER POLICE CHIEF COME AND SPEAK TO THE GIRLS, AND FOR THEM TO SEE SOMEONE WHO LOOKED LIKE THEM, IN UNIFORM, OR JUST IN THIS PROFESSION, HOW IMPORTANT IT WAS FOR THEM TO SEE SOMEONE WHO LOOK LIKE THEM AND HAVE REGULAR CONVERSATIONS. SO I LOVE TO SEE THAT YOU ARE ALL OUT IN THE COMMUNITY, AND THANK YOU FOR THAT COMMENT, I KNOW I OWE YOU SOMETHING FOR THE SPORTS THING. I KNOW YOU ARE PUTTING ME ON BLAST, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. THE QUESTION I HAD , IS THERE A DEPARTMENT IN THE COUNTRY THAT HAS INCREASED THEIR NUMBER OF FEMALE OFFICERS THAT YOU ALL ARE LOOKING TOWARDS, LIKE THEY HAVE DONE IT REALLY WELL AND THERE IS SOMETHING WE CAN TAKE FROM IT, SOME EXAMPLES FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY POTENTIALLY? >> THE DEPARTMENTS ARE TRACKED BY THE 30 BY 30 PROJECT, THE WEBSITE IS THE NYU LAW SCHOOL POLICING PROJECT, IT IS A REALLY COMPREHENSIVE WEBSITE WITH LEARNING TOOLS , LINKS TO OTHER DEPARTMENTS, BEST PRACTICES, I BELIEVE MINNESOTA , IS IT TO MINNEAPOLIS? ONE OF THE DEPARTMENTS HAS 30% , AND SOME OF IT IS DEPENDENT ON THE SIZE OF THE DEPARTMENT, 30% OF A VERY SMALL DEPARTMENT IS MAYBE TWO WOMEN, BUT THAT IS WHY THAT 30 BY 30 IS CATCHY AND IT CAPTURES THE SENTIMENT BUT IT'S NOT A QUOTA BUT, YES, WE ARE LOOKING ACTIVELY, AND LAST WEEK , OUR TWICE A MONTH MEETING, DR. MEISENHOLDER PARTICIPATED AND TOLD ABOUT WHAT THEY ARE DOING NATIONALLY, AND SOME OF THE DIFFERENT , HELPFUL TIPS OR JUST INITIATIVES TAKING PLACE. SO THE DIALOGUE IS ONGOING AND WE ARE LEARNING SOME OF THE BEST PRACTICES FROM OTHER DEPARTMENTS, TOO. >> THAT IS GOOD TO KNOW, AND I KNOW CHIEF MORRIS IS HERE, YOU HAVE BEEN PHENOMENAL, I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU AS WELL, YOU HAVE BEEN A GREAT REPRESENTATION OF THE DEPARTMENT AND I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY THINK HIGHLY OF YOU, SO THANK YOU. THAT IS ALL I HAD, MR. CHAIR AND I WILL THROW IT BACK TO YOU. >> THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH. I DON'T SEE ANY OTHER HANDS UP. >> I ALSO WANTED TO ECHO THE COMMENTS OF MY COLLEAGUES AND SAYING THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO IS HERE TODAY FOR YOUR PRESENTATION IN THE INCREDIBLE WORK YOU HAVE DONE, AND FOR THE CHIEF FOR YOUR COMMITMENT AND REALLY TO THE CHAIR, FOR BRINGING FORTH THIS PRESENTATION TODAY AND TAKING THIS SERIOUSLY AND MAKING SURE THAT THE WORK , WE ARE KEPT APPRISED OF THE WORK THAT IS BEING DONE AND I THINK THIS PRESENTATION SHOWS TO THE PUBLIC THAT WE BELIEVE THIS EFFORT IS IMPORTANT AND WORTHWHILE AND OUR SUPPORT IS BEHIND IT 100%, SO THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU HAVE PRESENTED , I THINK IT IS VERY THOUGHTFUL, IT SEEMS THAT THIS IS ORGANICALLY DRIVEN , AND I KNOW THERE WAS SOME NERVOUSNESS ABOUT WHETHER THAT WAS GOING TO WORK BUT IT SEEMS TO BE WORKING VERY WELL, BUT I ALSO WANT TO DO A SHOUT OUT TO MY COLLEAGUE, COUNCILMEMBER SAKA FOR THE BUDGET TO HAVE MONEY FOR THE FTE TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL SUPPORT, I THINK THAT IS IMPORTANT, WE DON'T WANT TO MANAGE IT, BUT WE WANT TO BE ANALYZED AND SUPPORTIVE IN THAT. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND AGAIN, AS COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA SAID, THE EXTENT THAT WE CAN BE HELPFUL AND MOVE THINGS FORWARD AND HAVE ADDITIONAL CONVERSATIONS, PLEASE REACH OUT TO MY OFFICE, THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> VICE CHAIR SAKA ? >> THANK YOU MR. CHAIR AND I ALSO WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR THE EXCELLENT WORK YOU DO AND IT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT, STRATEGIC INITIATIVE FOR THE DEPARTMENT AND THE BROADER CITY. IT IS HIGHLY IMPACTFUL AND THE WORK MATTERS AND IT PRODUCES DIRECT, IMMEDIATE RESULTS TODAY AND HAS THE POTENTIAL TO YIELD EVEN MORE IMPACTFUL RESULTS TOMORROW, SO THANK YOU . THIS IS A GREAT PRESENTATION . TWO QUESTIONS, BUT FIRST , I WANT TO COMMENT ON WHAT COUNCILMEMBER MOORE SAID, I APPRECIATE YOUR ACKNOWLEDGMENT ON THAT. YOU AND I BOTH , I GUESS CO-CHAMPIONED THAT EFFORT TOGETHER BUT ALL OF US IN THE BUDGET, THAT WAS INCLUDED IN THE PACKAGE, SO I THINK IT IS A GREAT REFLECTION ON THIS ENTIRE COUNSEL. NOT JUST ME OR YOU . AND I ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT THIS WORK PROCEEDED MY TENURE HERE AND WILL LIVE ON PAST MY TENURE, HOPEFULLY . AND THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF GREAT WORK TO DATE AND THROUGH THE LEADERSHIP OF MY COLLEAGUES HERE, INCLUDING COUNCILMEMBER MOORE, A SHOUT OUT TO HER OTHER AMENDMENTS IN THE RECENT BUDGET , I THINK IT WAS A CHILDCARE CONSULTANT, TO BETTER AMPLIFY AND UPLIFT THIS WORK, SO THERE'S A NUMBER OF THINGS WE CAN AND CONTINUAL TO DO -- WILL CONTINUE TO DO TO AMPLIFY AND UPLIFT THIS WORK. THE OTHER DAY , ULTIMATELY THIS INVOLVES CULTURE CHANGE. AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE NEED GREAT LEADERS WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT TO HELP DRIVE AND CARRY FORWARD AND MAKE TRULY MEANINGFUL PROGRESS, THAT IS WHY I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE LEADERSHIP OF THE CHIEF IN THIS SPACE. COUNCILMEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH HAD AN EXCELLENT QUESTION, YOU KNOW I ALSO CARE DEEPLY ABOUT BENCHMARKING AND UNDERSTANDING PERFORMANCE ACROSS OTHER COMPARABLE JURISDICTIONS AND BEST PRACTICES. I ASK THAT SAME QUESTION TO AND GORMAN -- ANNE GORMAN, AND WHAT I JUST HEARD IS CONSISTENT FROM WHAT I RECALLED , I BELIEVE THERE IS A JURISDICTION IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA SOMEWHERE, MAYBE SAN DIEGO THAT HAS PRODUCED GREAT INITIAL RESULTS IN THIS AREA BUT, THAT IS A GREAT QUESTION. TWO QUESTIONS, FIRST FOR THE DEPARTMENT, AS YOU KNOW, RECENTLY, THERE WAS , A REALLY COOL ORGANIZATION THAT LAUNCHED THIS SUMMER, THE SEATTLE WOMEN'S POLICE ALLIANCE, IT WAS LAUNCHED BY A GROUP OF AMAZING LEADERS ACROSS THE CITY AND REGION, INCLUDING A CONSTITUENT OF MINE, HEIDI TUTTLE , WHO IS IN HER DAY JOB, LIEUTENANT SPD, AND THE FOUNDING MEMBER OF THIS GREAT NEW ALLIANCE ORGANIZATION AND HAD THE PLEASURE OF JOINING THIS ORGANIZATION , THE LAUNCH EVENT EARLIER THIS SUMMER, AND I SEE MANY FAMILIAR FACES INCLUDING THE CHIEF, GREAT EVENT. AND YOU MENTIONED IN SOME OF THE REPORT HERE TODAY THAT YOU'VE BEEN ENGAGING WITH THE VARIOUS AFFINITY GROUPS, CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT, AND THAT LEVEL OF ENGAGEMENT, PARTICULARLY WITH RESPECT TO THE SEATTLE POLICE WOMEN'S ALLIANCE , WHAT KIND OF ENGAGEMENT DO YOU ALL HAVE WITH THEM SO FAR? >> THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION. ON THE SLIDE DECK, THE NEW PARENT FORUM IS GOING TO BE IN COORDINATION WITH THE SEATTLE POLICE WOMEN'S ALLIANCE, AND THAT WILL BE COORDINATED WITH 30 BY 30 . WE ARE OPEN TO COLLABORATION, WE ARE SEEKING TO COORDINATE ANY OF THE EFFORTS THAT THE WOMEN'S ALLIANCE IS GOING TO BE UNDERTAKING AND PUTTING MENTORSHIP OR ANY OTHER INITIATIVES, SO WE ARE ALL GROWING IN THE SAME DIRECTION BECAUSE THE POWER OF MULTIPLE PEOPLE GROWING IN THE SAME DIRECTION IS A POWERFUL THING. SO, THAT IS WHERE WE ARE WITH WOMEN'S ALLIANCE, WE ARE ALSO SUPPORTING WOMEN GOING TO THE NATIONAL SUMMIT AND MANY OF THOSE ARE SEATTLE POLICE WOMEN'S ALLIANCE MEMBERS, SO IT IS A NEW ORGANIZATION AND AS MUCH AS WE CAN COORDINATE OUR EFFORTS, THAT IS WHERE OUR INTEREST IS. WE HAVE TWO OF THE WOMEN'S ALLIANCE MEMBERS ON THE 30 BY 30 INITIATIVE , BOTH LIEUTENANT HUGHES AND LIEUTENANT BETH , WE SEEK ADDITIONAL MEMBERSHIP , ADDITIONAL REPRESENTATION FROM THE WOMEN'S ALLIANCE ON THE 30 BY 30 INITIATIVE. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH, AND MY SECOND AND FINAL QUESTION, THIS ONE IS FOR DR. JAMES. TO PREFACE, BEING INVOLVED IN VARIOUS EMPLOYEE AFFINITY GROUPS, OF VARIOUS ORGANIZATIONS AND PRIOR EMPLOYMENT AND COMPANIES THAT I HAVE WORKED WITH AND FOR IN THE PAST , LIKE BEING INVOLVED IN WOMEN'S AFFINITY GROUP, FOR EXAMPLE AT OTHER ORGANIZATIONS, ONE THING THAT I LEARNED AS A MALE ALLY IF YOU WILL , IS THAT -- AND I THINK THIS ADDRESSES THE CHILD TAX THAT YOU NOTED IN THE EARLIER PRESENTATION, BUT ONE THING THAT MEN CAN DO TO BE BETTER ALLIES IN THIS SPACE IS TO TALK MORE OPENLY ABOUT OUR RESPECTIVE CHILDCARE OBLIGATIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES , AND BASICALLY TO NORMALIZE THAT ALL PEOPLE CAN HAVE FAMILIES AND CHILDREN AND ALSO CORRESPONDING DUTIES ASSOCIATED WITH THAT, TO LOOK AFTER AND PROPERLY CARE . I ASPIRE TO BE THE BEST ALLY I CAN BE IN EVERY SPACE BUT, WE HEARD COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA TALKING ABOUT STRUGGLES WITH PUMPING, I CAN NEVER UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT IS LIKE, BUT I DO TALK ABOUT THE IMPACT AND THE IMPORT OF THE PLEASURES AND SOMETIMES THE CHALLENGES ASSOCIATED WITH BEING A PARENT . FOR EXAMPLE, I REGULARLY HAVE BEEN LATE TO A FEW OF THESE MEETINGS AND I EXCUSE MYSELF BY SAYING SORRY, I HAVE A NEW CHILDCARE STRUCTURE ROUTINE WHICH IS USUALLY THE CASE, SO I JUST OPENLY TRY TO FIND OPPORTUNITIES PUBLICLY AND FIND THINGS TO TALK ABOUT AND I'M PROUD OF BEING A PARENT BUT, I WOULD JUST BE CURIOUS, DR. JAMES , I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS WITHIN YOUR DIRECT SET OF EXPERTISE BUT, CULTURE CHANGE IS SOMETHING THAT IT REALLY TAKES ALL OF US AND WOMEN LED AFFINITY GROUPS, LEADERSHIP, EVERYBODY SETTING THE EXAMPLE, BUT WE ALSO NEED ALLYSHIP, SO I'M JUST CURIOUS FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE IF THERE'S ANY BEST PRACTICES , AND BY THE WAY, I THINK ANY COMMENTS YOU MAY SAY PROBABLY HAVE UNIVERSAL APPLICABILITY ACROSS INDUSTRIES , NOT JUST HISTORICALLY UNDER OR WORKFORCE ORGANIZATIONS LIKE POLICING THAT ARE HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED BY WOMEN BUT, ANY BEST PRACTICES FOR MEN , THAT MEN CAN EMPLOYEE OR NON-BINARY INDIVIDUALS CAN DEPLOY TO BE BETTER ALLIES TO ADVANCE THIS INITIATIVE? >> GREAT QUESTION, AND I THINK IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT , YOU ALREADY NOTED THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM OBVIOUSLY THAT GOES A LONG WAY BEYOND POLICING, POLICING IS A HISTORICALLY MALE PROFESSION SO OFTEN TIMES THE CHALLENGES SHOW UP MORE IN THOSE TYPES OF INDUSTRIES , BUT IT IS A FAIRLY UNIVERSAL PHENOMENON IN TERMS OF THE MAJORITY OF CHILDCARE AND THE MAJORITY OF THE FAMILY OBLIGATIONS FALLING TO WOMEN , WE SEE NATIONALLY ACROSS INDUSTRIES . FROM AN ALLIED PERSPECTIVE, I THINK ONE THING THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT AND STRUCTURALLY OBVIOUSLY , IS TO INVITE THIS TYPE OF INVESTIGATION AND THAT IS WHERE I THINK SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS TO AN EXTENT ONE OF THE LEADERS IN THIS SPACE, AS ONE OF THE AGENCIES THAT WOULD INVITE THIS TYPE OF AUDIT , WHICH IS A GREAT THING TO INITIATE. SO, PART OF IT IS UNDERSTANDING THE MAJOR PROBLEM AND INVESTIGATING OKAY, WHAT ARE THE SPECIFIC ISSUES THAT WOMEN ARE RAISING SO THAT MEN KNOW WHAT THEY CAN DO TO HELP BECAUSE OFTEN TIMES THESE AREN'T THINGS THAT ARE DELIBERATELY OR MALICIOUSLY PERPETUATED . AS YOU SAY, THERE IS A CULTURE AND CULTURE TAKES A LONG TIME TO CHANGE , REPRESENTATION WILL HELP BUT IT'S NOT ENOUGH JUST TO INCREASE THE NUMBERS OF WOMEN, IT IS ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT THOSE CONVERSATIONS AROUND INCLUSIVITY REALLY OCCUR, SO I THINK FROM THE ALLIED PERSPECTIVE, THAT IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS, JUST BEING OPEN-MINDED, UNDERSTANDING , BECAUSE YOU DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH SOMETHING, THAT DOESN'T MEAN IT IS LESS SALIENT OR LESS REAL. SO, THAT IS AN IMPORTANT ONE. AND A LOT OF THIS GOES BACK TO MENTORSHIP AS WELL, WE KNOW FROM OUR UNDERSTANDING OF IMPLICIT BIAS, THAT WE TEND TO SUBCONSCIOUSLY FAVOR THOSE WHO ARE LIKE US, WE TEND TO REACH OUT AND MENTOR THOSE WHO ARE LIKE US, THAT CAN GO ACROSS GENDER LINES, SO AGAIN, BEING VERY MINDFUL AND AWARE AND UNDERSTANDING HOW HUMANS OPERATE IS IMPORTANT FOR STARTING TO DISMANTLE SOME OF THOSE PIECES AND REALLY MAKING SURE FROM AN ALLY PERSPECTIVE THAT THOSE MENTORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES ARE EXTENDED ACROSS GENDER BOUNDARIES AS WELL. THAT IS MY BEST ANSWER, I'M SURE THERE'S MANY MORE ELEMENTS THAT WE WILL START WITH THAT. >> THANK YOU, VERY HELPFUL AND INSIGHTFUL, NO FURTHER QUESTIONS. >> THANK YOU VICE CHAIR . >> I DO HAVE A QUESTION , ON THE CHILDCARE PIECE, THIS REPORT IS DUE OUT THE SECOND 1:45 THOUSAND 25 , SO I'M WONDERING ALONG THE LINES OF COUNCILMEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH AND COUNCILMEMBER SAKA'S QUESTION, IS THERE A POLICE DEPARTMENT ACROSS THE COUNTRY THAT IS CURRENTLY DOING THIS CHILDCARE PIECE THAT WILL BE A PART OF WHAT THE CONSULTANT WILL BE LOOKING AT, JUST AS A PREVIEW, IF YOU WILL ? >> YES, IN THE LEAD UP TO RETAINING , WHICH WE ARE FINALIZING THAT CONTRACT, SAN DIEGO, WHERE COUNCILMEMBER SAKA MENTIONED SAN DIEGO, THAT IS WHERE THEY HAVE A CHILDCARE PROVIDED . THERE ARE THOSE LIMITATIONS AS FAR AS THE TIMING FOR THE SHIFTWORK , SO IT IS UNIQUE AND THAT IS WHY THE SCOPE OF WORK COVERS MULTIPLE DIFFERENT INVESTIGATIONS INTO WHAT WORKS AND IT COULD BE A HYBRID SITUATION WHERE THERE'S SOME TYPE OF VOUCHER SYSTEM OR SOME IN-HOME DAY CARE SEED TO BUILD UP INDEPENDENT BUSINESSES IN ADDITION TO POTENTIALLY SOME TYPE OF CITY FACILITY, IT IS NOT UNIQUE, THE SHIFTWORK TO SPD, I THINK CITY LIGHT PROBABLY HAS SHIFT WORKERS THAT ARE WOMEN THAT ARE FAMILY MEMBERS, AND FOR CHILD CARE, IT ISN'T JUST WOMEN, IT IS A FAMILY ISSUE , SO THERE ARE PARENTS OF BOTH THAT NEED CHILDCARE. SO I THINK LOOKING AT SAN DIEGO, AND ALSO COORDINATE WITH THE 30 BY 30 INITIATIVE OUT OF NYU AND FINDING OUT OTHER DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE PAVING THE WAY, BUT THAT WAS THE TOPIC OF OUR CONVERSATION LAST WEEK AND AGAIN, DR. MEISENHOLDER WAS VERY ENCOURAGING , WE WILL KEEP YOU INFORMED OF HOW THAT PROGRESSES. >> TERRIFIC, I KNOW IT IS A COMPLICATED TOPIC, BECAUSE IF YOU HAVE A PRESCHOOLER AND A NIGHT SHIFT, YOU CAN'T NECESSARILY DROP THEM OFF SOMEWHERE BECAUSE THEY HAVE SCHOOL THE NEXT DAY, SO I UNDERSTAND LOOKING AT THE IN-HOME CARE AS WELL. SO REALLY APPRECIATE THAT, I WILL LOOK MORE INTO SAN DIEGO AND I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING MORE IN THE SECOND QUARTER NEXT YEAR AS TO WHAT THE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE FOR THINGS THAT WE N DO AND I IMAGINE THAT WILL INCLUDE THINGS MAYBE THAT WE CAN DO SOONER RATHER THAN OTHER THINGS THAT MIGHT TAKE MORE TIME BECAUSE IT IS A COMPLICATED ISSUE AND I ALSO WANTED TO JUST SAY THAT MY COMMENT EARLIER, I VERY MUCH SUPPORT MORE OFFICERS IN THE FORCE . I JUST BRING UP THE ADMIN AND THE OTHER HALF OF THE DEPARTMENT BECAUSE I KNOW WHEN I HEARD FROM SITTING IN THE CONVERSATIONS THAT IT IS ALSO AN ISSUE BECAUSE YOU HAVE FOLKS THAT WORK AROUND THE CLOCK IN ALL ASPECTS AT THE DEPARTMENT SO I DID WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE WANT 30% OF THE FORCE TO BE WOMEN , OR A GOOD NUMBER, BECAUSE IT IS NOT A STATIC NUMBER . AND ACKNOWLEDGING THAT THERE ARE WOMEN AND OFFICERS THAT ALSO NEED SUPPORT AT THE DEPARTMENT. SO THANK YOU, CHAIR. >> THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA. OKAY, GREAT , JUST TO CONCLUDE , THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING OUT, EVERYONE , DR. JAMES, MISS KERRY KEEFE, IT IS INTERESTING TO ME, I SEE THE PARALLELS LIKE WITH THE MILITARY , I'M A CAREER NAVAL OFFICER, SO I SEE THOSE PARALLELS AND IT IS INTERESTING TO SEE THE CONTRAST BUT ALSO THE SIMILARITIES, ALSO TO YOUR POINT ABOUT SPD OVERTIME AS A TOPIC OF INTEREST, THIS IS ANOTHER ASPECT THAT WE CAN ADD TO THE LIST REGARDING OVERSIGHT OF OVERTIME AND IN TERMS OF MEMBERS AS WOMEN , EVERYBODY I'M SURE IS JUST HEARING IT, SO DON'T BE SURPRISED IF THERE IS A QUESTION. RECRUITMENT , I HAVE BEEN BEFORE THE BADGE A NUMBER OF TIMES, I'M NOT SURE IF THERE HAS BEEN ANY OTHER COUNCILMEMBERS BUT, WE HAVE SEEN WOMEN , BUT NOT THAT 30% LEVEL SO THAT IS ANECDOTALLY TO ME IN TERMS OF , TO YOUR POINT, THAT IS ASPIRATIONAL . REALLY APPRECIATE THE MILITARY OUTREACH , THANK YOU FOR KEEPING COUNCILMEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH ON HER TOES RELATED TO ATHLETES, NO PRESSURE , BUT INTERNAL TO THE COUNCIL, WE WILL HAVE SOME FOLLOW-UP JUST TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING IS TRACKING. ANOTHER AREA THAT IS NOT ON YOUR SLIDE , I WAS AT AN EVENT A COUPLE WEEKS AGO AND WE HAD THREE NEW COLLEGE PRESIDENTS IN THE SEATTLE SYSTEM , SEATTLE NORTH , CENTRAL AND SOUTH. AND GUESS WHAT, I BROUGHT UP SPD TO ALL OF THEM AND THEY HAVE PROGRAMS, THEY HAVE A GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS THAT COULD BE A GREAT SOURCE FOR THE SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND I BRING THIS UP BECAUSE THEY ARE VERY REPRESENTATIONAL, ACTUALLY MORE REPRESENTATIONAL IN TERMS OF THE COMMUNITIES IN THE COMMENTS THAT WERE COMING UP EARLIER IN TERMS OF THE COMMUNITIES , THAT IS VERY WELL REPRESENTED IN OUR SEATTLE COLLEGE SYSTEM WITH THE SEATTLE PROMISE PROGRAM AND I VIEW THAT AS AN OPPORTUNITY , I JUST WANTED TO BRING THAT UP AND I KNOW DEPUTY BURGESS KNOWS ABOUT HISTORY OF THIS FROM PREVIOUS GENERATIONS THAT I WANTED TO BRING THAT UP, LIEUTENANT HUGHES, HAVE YOU ALREADY DONE SOME OF THAT ? >> NO, THANK YOU FOR THAT, WE HAVE CONTACTS FOR THAT, WE'VE HAD SO MANY DIFFERENT THINGS, WE JUST HAVEN'T HAD ANYTHING THAT HAS HAPPENED DEFINITIVELY FOR 2024 , IN REGARDS TO THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SEMINARS THAT HAPPENED AT THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE. YES, THEY ARE ON OUR LIST FOR MORE OUTREACH. >> EARLY FEEDBACK, THEY SEEM TO BE RECEPTIVE. MOVING TO RETENTION, I NOTE ALL OF THIS AGAIN WITH MY MILITARY EXPERIENCE, CHILDCARE AND FAMILY CARE , MAYBE FAMILY CARE IS A WAY TO ENGAGE AND I WILL ADMIT, AS A FORMER STAY-AT-HOME DAD, I GOT SOME FUNNY LOOKS , PARTICULARLY BECAUSE I'M OLDER , BUT BECAUSE I THINK IT IS UP TO VICE CHAIR SAKA'S POINT, WE NEED TO LEAD BY EXAMPLE AND ALSO SUPPORT OUR PARTNERS, SPOUSES, MOTHERS, WIVES, ALL OF THE ABOVE, AND THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA REGARDING THE SWORN AND NON-SWORN , THERE'S VARIOUS SUPPORT PIECES WHICH PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES IN TERMS OF RECRUITING AND I JUST WANTED TO CONCLUDE BY SAYING I REALLY APPRECIATE THE ONE SEATTLE ONE SPD , THERE IS A VOICE OF THE FIRE BATTALION CHIEF IN THE BACK OF MY HEAD THAT SAYS WE CAN'T HAVE THAT ONE SEATTLE, ONE SPD , WE CANNOT A ASS THAT WITHOUT WORKING WITH ONE ANOTHER, SO CHIEF DAN -- I FORGOT HIS LAST NAME, BUT I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT, THIS WORK CAN HAVE RIPPLE EFFECTS IN TERMS OF LESS LETHAL WEAPONS, IF 30% OF THE FORCE IS ENGAGING WITH THE COMMUNITY, SO THE WORK CAN SHOW UP IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS AND THAT IS MY TRANSITION TO LESS LETHAL WEAPONS, SO THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY. WE WILL MOVE ON TO OUR SECOND ITEM OF BUSINESS, WILL THE CLERK READ ITEM TWO INTO THE RECORD AND I APOLOGIZE FOR THE DELAY BUT IT IS VERY IMPORTANT IN TERMS OF ITEM ONE. >> ITEM NUMBER TWO, AN ORDINANCE RELATING TO THE SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT , MANDATING THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT ADOPT AND MAINTAIN CROWD MANAGEMENT POLICIES THAT PROHIBIT THE USE OF LESS LETHAL TOOLS IN CROWD MANAGEMENT SETTINGS UNLESS SPECIFIC FACTS AND CIRCUMSTANCES ARE OCCURRING OR ABOUT TO OCCUR THAT CREATE AN IMMINENT RISK OF PHYSICAL INJURY TO ANY PERSON OR SIGNIFICANT PROPERTY DAMAGE , AND REPEALING SECTION 3.2 8.146 OF THE SEATTLE MUNICIPAL COURT AND ORDINANCE 126422 . >> THANK YOU CLERK, THANK YOU DEPUTY MAYOR BURGESS FOR JOINING US TODAY , THANK YOU MR. BRIAN MAXEY ALONG WITH ASSISTANT CHIEF NELSON AND I WANT TO EXTEND AS WELL A WELCOME TO OUR INSPECTOR GENERAL, HE IS A JUDGE , VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU ARE HERE. AND OF COURSE WE ARE GOING TO START OFF WITH MR. GREG DOSS FROM CENTRAL STAFF , ALWAYS A GREAT WAY TO BEGIN THE MEETING, SO THANK YOU. ACTUALLY, ALSO THANK YOU FOR A VERY COMPREHENSIVE CENTRAL STAFF MEMO ON THIS PIECE OF LEGISLATION, TOO. >> THANK YOU MR. CHAIR AND GOOD MORNING COMMITTEE MEMBERS, GREG DOSS HERE, TALKING ABOUT COUNSEL BILL 120916 , SPEAKING OF , CHAIR YOU ASKED ME TO WORK WITH FOLKS , THE SPD AND THE MAYOR'S OFFICE TO DETERMINE WHAT SOME OF THE BEST PRACTICES ARE THAT CAN BE EMPLOYED IN CROWD MANAGEMENT AND I NEED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR ALL THESE FOLKS WORKING WITH ME BECAUSE I COULDN'T HAVE WRITTEN THE STAFF MEMO OR COME TO UNDERSTAND HOW COMPLICATED THE SUBJECT IS AND HOW WE ARE BECOMING NATIONAL LEADERS IN THIS TOPIC WITHOUT THEIR HELP. I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE WORKGROUP FOR GUIDING ME . I WILL GO AHEAD AND GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW OF THIS BILL AND SPD CROWD MANAGEMENT POLICIES , SPD AND THE MAYOR'S OFFICE ARE UP NEXT, I MADE SURE THAT MY PRESENTATION IS NOT DUPLICATIVE , BUT WE WILL GET MOVING . STARTING OUT WITH A HISTORY AND TIMELINE OF THE COURT ORDERS IN CROWD MANAGEMENT POLICIES, THE CITY'S USE OF LESS LETHAL WEAPONS FOR CROWD CONTROL IS CURRENTLY UNREGULATED BY EITHER THE SEATTLE MINI IS A CODE OR ANY COUNSEL ORDINANCE . WE HEARD TALKS ABOUT A BAN, THERE IS CURRENTLY NO SEATTLE MUNICIPAL LAW OR ORDINANCE THAT IS AFFECTING LESS LETHAL WEAPONS. IN SHORT, THIS IS BECAUSE THE CITY COUNCIL ORDINANCES ON LESS LETHAL WEAPONS NEVER WENT INTO EFFECT AND AS WE MOVE THIS TIMELINE, I WILL TELL YOU WHY THAT IS THE CASE. IT STARTED OUT IN JANUARY , OR JUNE OF 2020, THE COUNCIL PASSED ORDINANCE 120916 WHICH ENACTED 328146 , AND THIS IS THE LAW THAT YOU HEARD ABOUT THAT COMPLETELY BANNED THE USE OF ALL LETHAL WEAPONS. SHORTLY AFTER THE ENACTMENT, THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT PROHIBITED IT FROM GOING INTO EFFECT, SO WHILE THE ORDINANCE STILL REMAINS ON THE BOOKS, IT IS STILL IN THE SEATTLE MUNICIPAL CODE, IT HAS NO LEGAL ENFORCEABILITY. SOON AFTER THE COURT JOINED THE ORDINANCE, SPD BEGAN MAKING A SERIES OF SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO ITS CROWD MANAGEMENT POLICIES. THAT CULMINATED IN 2021 WHEN THE DEPARTMENT SUBMITTED TO THE DOJ THE FEDERAL MONITOR AND THE JUDGE , A SET OF REVISED POLICIES THAT ARE NOW INTERIM POLICIES THAT INCORPORATED SEVERAL IMPROVED PRACTICES FOR CROWD MANAGEMENT AND USE OF LESS LETHAL WEAPONS. THE COURT APPROVED THOSE POLICIES AND THOSE ARE NOW WHAT IS GOVERNING THE CITY'S USE OF LESS LETHAL WEAPONS FOR CROWD MANAGEMENT SITUATIONS. LATER IN 2021, THE COUNCIL MADE ANOTHER ATTEMPT AT REGULATING LESS LETHAL WEAPONS BYPASSING ORDINANCE 126422 , THAT ORDINANCE WOULD HAVE UPDATED AND REVISED THE SMC TO ALLOW SOME LESS LETHAL WEAPON USED IN CERTAIN SITUATIONS BY A CERTAIN TRAINED SPD OFFICERS. HOWEVER THAT ORDINANCE DID NOT TAKE EFFECT , IT HAD A SECTION THAT REQUIRED THE COURT TO APPROVE COMPLIANT POLICIES AND PER RECOMMENDATION FROM THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, THE FEDERAL MONITOR DID NOT ALLOW A SUBMITTAL FOR REVIEW OF THOSE POLICIES AND THAT ORDINANCE. IT IS WORTH NOTING THAT NEITHER COUNSEL ORDINANCE WAS SIGNED BY THE MAYOR, MAYOR DURKIN AT THE TIME AND ATTACHED IN MY MEMO YOU WILL FIND MEMOS THAT SHE SENT TO THE COUNCIL INDICATING HER REASONS FOR RETURNING THE ORDINANCE. AND I WILL LASTLY SAY THAT ON OCTOBER 16th, 2024, THE COURT INDICATED THAT THE CITY IS VERY CLOSE TO BEING READY TO CONCLUDE THE CONSENT DECREE AND HOW THE CASE DISMISSED. BUT FIRST, THE CITY MUST SUBMIT FINAL SPD POLICIES ON CROWD MANAGEMENT TO THE FEDERAL MONITOR, THE DOJ AND THE JUDGE. THE CITY CANNOT SUBMIT FINAL CROWD POLICY MANAGEMENT THAT ARE INCONSISTENT OR IN CONFLICT WITH ANY SMC OR ORDINANCE THAT IS STILL ON THE BOOKS. EVEN IF THOSE ORDINANCES CARRY NO LEGAL EFFECT . AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, WHILE IT HAS BEEN ENJOINED BY THE COURT, THE SMC STILL DOES REFLECT PROVISIONS OF ORDINANCE 126102 . THEREFORE, SPD BELL, THE EXECUTIVE'S BILL BEFORE YOU, 120916 WOULD ELIMINATE ALL CITY LAWS AND ORDINANCES AND CLEAR THE WAY FOR SPD'S CURRENT INTERIM POLICIES TO BE SUBMITTED TO THE COURT FOR REVIEW AND ULTIMATELY RELEASED FROM THE CONSENT DECREE. I'M GOING TO STOP AND ASK ABOUT QUESTIONS ON THIS OR ON THE TIMELINE. OKAY . THE FIRST THING I WANT TO DO IS TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SPD'S INTERIM POLICIES, THEY HAVE BEEN SIGNIFICANTLY OVERHAULED SINCE 2020. THE INTERIM POLICY IS WRITTEN TO PROVIDE CLEAR GUIDANCE TO OFFICERS ON HOW TO EMPLOY CROWD CONTROL MANAGEMENT, INTERVENTION AND CONTROL STRATEGIES TO FACILITATE FREE EXPRESSION AND PEACEFUL ASSEMBLY. AND MORE SPECIFICALLY , IT PREVENTS OR PROVIDES INCIDENT COMMANDERS WITH GUIDANCE ON HOW TO DETERMINE WHEN TO USE LESS LETHAL WEAPONS AGAINST VIOLENT INDIVIDUALS WITHIN A CROWD OR USE OF LESS LETHAL WEAPONS TO MOVE OR DISPERSE A CROWD, AND THAT IS AN IMPORTANT DISTINCTION BECAUSE SOME LESS LETHAL WEAPONS ARE MORE DISCRIMINANT THAN OTHERS AND SPD POLICY ALLOWS OFFICERS TO MAKE BETTER JUDGMENTS ABOUT WHEN TO USE WHICH LESS LETHAL WEAPONS AND IN WHAT SITUATIONS. OFFICERS MAKE THESE DETERMINATIONS WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF A MULTILAYERED MATRIX , AND THE MAYOR'S OFFICE IS GOING TO GO INTO THAT MATRIX AND THE POLICIES IN DETAIL LATER SO I'M NOT GOING TO TALK TOO MUCH ABOUT IT NOW . I WILL GO AHEAD AND MOVE TO THE NEXT SLIDE. >> THIS RELATES TO YOUR TIMELINE, CAN YOU GO BACK ON SLIDE? YOU HAVE NOT MENTIONED THE RCW RELATED TO TEARGAS, THAT CHANGE, CAN YOU SPEAK TO THAT? >> YES, THE STATE LEGISLATURE DID PASS A NUMBER OF RESTRICTIONS AND REFORMS ABOUT USE OF TEARGAS. I WANT TO NOTE THAT THE RESTRICTIONS HAVE BEEN INCORPORATED INTO THIS BILL , SO THE MAYOR'S OFFICE WILL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW THAT IS A PART OF THEIR POLICIES AND I THINK THEY WILL ALSO TALK ABOUT HOW THE PROPOSED POLICIES THAT THEY HAVE GO EVEN FURTHER AND ARE EVEN STRICTER ON THE USE OF TEARGAS THAN THE STATE CODE. >> THAT IS THE FUNCTION IN TERMS OF ALIGNING WITH THE RCW CODE. >> YES, THANK YOU. SO, MOVING ALONG , IN TALKING ABOUT SPD'S PROPOSED POLICY, I THINK WHAT IS IMPORTANT, PROBABLY MORE IMPORTANT THAN WHAT THE BILL DOES TO THE COUNCIL IS WHAT IT DOES NOT DO, SO I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT, IT DOES NOT INCORPORATE SPD INTERIM POLICIES INTO LAW, IT DOESN'T INCORPORATED AS A REFERENCE IN THE BILL OR ATTACHMENT TO LEGISLATION AND THIS IS BY DESIGN . THE MAYOR'S OFFICE HAS TAKEN AN APPROACH THAT WOULD ALLOW SPD TO ADDRESS EMERGING CHANGES IN BOTH AVAILABLE CROWD CONTROL TECHNOLOGY AND BEST PRACTICES . THAT IS TO AVOID DRAWING THE COUNCIL INTO TECHNICAL RATHER THAN POLICY LEVEL DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE APPROPRIATE USE OF LESS LETHAL WEAPONS. THE COUNCIL CAN CHOOSE TO STAY WITHIN THIS FRAMEWORK OR CAN BECOME MORE PRESCRIPTIVE WITH THIS LEGISLATION. I WILL PROVIDE SOME OPTIONS THAT YOU MAY WANT TO CONSIDER. SO, IN CONTINUING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SPD INTERIM POLICIES, I WANT TO NOTE THAT THESE POLICIES ARE INTENDED TO PROVIDE OFFICERS CLEAR GUIDANCE AS TO WHAT JUNCTURE AN ASSEMBLY BECOMES AN ABRIDGMENT ON LIFE SAFETY OR THE PROPERTY RIGHTS OF OTHERS . IT IS THE CASE THAT INCIDENT COMMANDERS CAN USE THIS GUIDANCE TO DETERMINE WHEN LESS LETHAL WEAPONS CAN BE USED AGAINST VIOLENT INDIVIDUALS WITHIN A CROWD OR WHEN THEY CAN BE USED AGAINST TO DISPERSE THE CROWD ITSELF AND THESE GUIDELINES ALSO PROVIDE RESTRICTIONS FOR THE USE OF LESS LETHAL WEAPONS UNDER TITLE EIGHT AND FOR THE SPECIFIC DEPLOYMENT OF WEAPONS IN THOSE SETTINGS EITHER GLASS BALLS OR 40 MILLIMETER AS I HAVE INDICATED ON THIS SLIDE. SO, UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE CHAIR, I WAS ASKED TO LOOK INTO BEST PRACTICES FOR CROWD MANAGEMENT AND LESS LETHAL WEAPONS AND I WAS CAUTIONED THAT THERE IS NO ONE DEFINITIVE SET OF BEST PRACTICES, BUT RATHER THEIR OWN NOVEL EMERGING PRACTICES IN THE AREA OF CROWD PSYCHOLOGY, POLICE FACILITATION TECHNIQUES AND CIVIL RIGHTS LAW THAT CAN BE APPLIED TO CROWD MANAGEMENT SITUATIONS . ALSO AS I HAVE SAID, SEATTLE OIG HAS BECOME A LEADER IN IDENTIFYING SUCH PRACTICES. THE REVIEW CONTAINED FOUR PHASES OR WAVES THAT RESULTED IN APPROXIMATELY 136 RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WOULD ALLOW SPD TO FACILITATE PEACEFUL DEMONSTRATIONS, DE-ESCALATE VIOLENT BEHAVIOR AND SAFELY DISPERSE A CROWD WHEN THAT IS NECESSARY. SPD HAS INCORPORATED RECOMMENDATIONS AND HAS ALSO INCORPORATED RECOMMENDATIONS FROM SEVERAL OTHER POLICING ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE STUDIED CROWD MANAGEMENT AND I HAVE ON THIS SLIDE A NUMBER OF ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE PRODUCED BEST PRACTICE DOCUMENTS, THE FORUM , THE CENTER FOR POLICING EQUITY, THE WASHINGTON STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE AND THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF POLICE CHIEFS. AS I SAY , AGAIN, I WAS FORTUNATE TO WORK WITH THE WORKGROUP ON THESE POLICIES , IN REVIEWING SPD'S POLICIES AND REVIEWING THEM IN CONJUNCTION WITH BEST PRACTICES THAT I REFERENCED EARLIER . AND COMING OUT OF THESE DISCUSSIONS, I IDENTIFIED ABOUT FOUR ISSUES FOR THE COUNCIL AND SPD TO CONSIDER DURING THE REVIEW OF 120916 AND IMPORTANT TO STRESS THAT IN ALL CASES, THE ISSUES HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED, ALL DOWN TO A POTENTIAL NEED TO HAVE SPD SINK ITS PRACTICES WITH , OR SYNC UP PRACTICES WITH POLICIES. I UNDERSTAND YOU RECEIVED COMMUNICATION FROM THEM THIS MORNING, THE COMMUNITY POLICE COMMISSION IN THE OFFICE OF POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY, THOSE LATTER TWO ORGANIZATIONS HAVE PROVIDED IN THE PAST RECOMMENDATIONS ON USE OF LESS LETHAL WEAPONS, THEY ARE CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF UPDATING THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS AND YOU SHOULD BE SEEING THEM IN THE UPCOMING WEEKS. WITH THAT I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND GO INTO SOME OF THE ISSUES THE WORKGROUP HAS BEEN DISCUSSING. THE FIRST ONE IS ABOUT PROPERTY DAMAGE THRESHOLD , THAT THE PROPERTY DAMAGE THRESHOLD THAT WILL BE USED FOR DISPERSING A CROWD, AND WE TALKED ABOUT SPD INCLUDING ITS MATRIX, THE TERM SIGNIFICANT OR SUBSTANTIAL WHEN REFERRING TO PROPERTY DAMAGE USED TO DISPERSE A CROWD AND THIS IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF WHAT I SAID EARLIER ABOUT SPD NEEDING TO SYNC UP POLICIES . THE DISPERSAL POLICIES , IN OTHER AREAS NOTE THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE SIGNIFICANT OR SUBSTANTIAL PROPERTY DAMAGE. IT'S JUST A MATTER OF INCORPORATING THAT INTO THE MATRIX SO EVERYTHING IS CONSISTENT AND THEY ARE GOING TO DO THAT. THE SECOND THING IS THAT ONLY OFFICERS THAT ARE RANKED LIEUTENANT OR HIGHER SHOULD BE AUTHORIZED FOR CROWD DISPERSAL, THIS IS A BEST PRACTICE IDENTIFIED BY MANY POLICING ORGANIZATIONS, IT IS CONSISTENT WITH SPD CURRENT TRAINING PRACTICES AS THEY TRAIN LIEUTENANTS, WHEN IT IS APPROPRIATE TO DISPERSE A CROWD . IT IS JUST THE CASE THAT THE POLICIES WERE WRITTEN FOR EACH GROUP OF OFFICERS ARRIVING ON THE SCENE, HOWEVER , LESS LETHAL WEAPONS WOULD BE USED UNTIL A LIEUTENANT ARRIVED ON THE SCENE. THE NEXT ISSUE IS ON MUTUAL AID, SOME OF THE ORGANIZATIONS IN THE PREVIOUS SITE HAVE MADE RECOMMENDATIONS , SPD WOULD NEED TO PRIORITIZE NONCONTROL WORK , FOR EXAMPLE, THE KING COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE COULD ANSWER 911 CALLS AND FREE UP TIME FOR SPD OFFICERS TO GO OUT AND WORK CROWD CONTROL ISSUES ALTHOUGH THAT IS NOT ALWAYS GOING TO BE FEASIBLE OR PRACTICAL DEPENDING ON THE EVENT THAT IS HAPPENING. SPD WILL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT WHEN THEY PRESENT. AND FINALLY, WE TALKED ABOUT LAST BALLS, ALL THREE ACCOUNTABILITY AGENCIES AS WELL AS EXTERNAL ORGANIZATIONS HAVE ISSUED RECOMMENDATIONS TO SPD ON THE USE OF BLAST BALLS WHICH HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO INFLICT SERIOUS INJURY OR EVEN DEATH IF IT IS CLOSE TO A PERSON. THE OPA HAS SPECIFICALLY POINTED OUT THAT BLAST BALLS COMBUSTION CAN CREATE SOME DEGREE OF INACCURACY DURING DEPLOYMENT POTENTIALLY DISRUPTING THE TRAJECTORY BETWEEN THREE AND SIX FEET FROM ITS INTENDED TARGET. SPD'S BLAST BALLS POLICIES STATE CLEARLY THAT ABSENT A LIFE SAFETY EMERGENCY, THEY SHOULD NOT BE THROWN IN A MANNER THAT WOULD HAVE A SIGNIFICANT LIKELIHOOD OF STRIKING A PERSON. HOWEVER, THEY ALSO SAY THAT BLAST BALLS SHOULD BE THROWN NEAR A PERSON WHO IS ENGAGING IN ACTS OF VIOLENCE, AND THE POTENTIAL TO HIT PEACEFUL PROTESTERS, IT MIGHT BE GOOD IF SPD POLICIES COULD BETTER DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN USES FOR CROWD CONTROL MOVEMENT OR DISPERSAL AS OPPOSED TO TIMES WHEN IT IS NECESSARY TO USE THEM TO CONTRADICT INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE USING THESE FOR LIFE SAFETY. SPD HAS BEEN DEMONSTRATIONS AND ANSWERING QUESTIONS, AND WHAT THOSE REPRESENTATIVES SAID SPECIFICALLY IS THAT SPD'S PRACTICE IS TO THROW BLAST BALLS AWAY FROM INDIVIDUALS . SO, ONE POTENTIAL CHANGE THAT SPD COULD MAKE TO POLICIES WOULD BE TO SAY THAT DURING CROWD MANAGEMENT OR CROWD DISPERSAL, THE BLAST BALLS ARE THROWN AWAY FROM INDIVIDUALS AND AGAIN, DIFFERENTIATING BETWEEN TIMES THAT OUR LIFE SAFETY EMERGENCIES AND USED AGAINST INDIVIDUALS WITHIN A CROWD. I KNOW THE DEPARTMENT IS TAKING THIS ISSUE VERY SERIOUSLY AND THEY HAVE SAID THEY ARE WORKING ON REFINING THEIR POLICIES TO ENSURE THE INTENDED USE IS WHOLLY CLEAR . GO AHEAD AND FLIP TO THE NEXT SLIDE. THE FRAMEWORK OF THE COUNCIL BILL ALLOWS SPD THE FLEX ABILITY TO MODIFY ITS CROWD CONTROL POLICIES WITHOUT COUNSEL REVIEW . THAT IS NOT TO SAY THAT IT WILL BE WITHOUT REVIEW AT ALL, THE ACCOUNTABILITY REVIEW REQUIRES THAT THEY ARE REVIEWED BY ACCOUNTABILITY AGENCIES AND CURRENTLY THE COURT, AT THE TIME THAT THE CITY IS REALLY MOVING. THE CONSENT DECREE, IT WILL NO LONGER BE THE COURT BUT OIG WILL BE TAKING OVER MANY OF THOSE REVIEW FUNCTIONS. THAT SAID, THE COUNCIL STILL HAS OPTIONS THAT THEY CAN EXERCISE WITH THIS BILL. SO FOUR OF THE OPTIONS I HAVE IDENTIFIED HERE , THE COUNCIL COULD ADD ON CODIFIED DISCRETIONARY OR META-TABLE -- MANDATORY HIGH-LEVEL GUIDELINES, AND THAT IS ESSENTIALLY STAYING WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK , NOT BEING PRESCRIPTIVE ON LESS LETHAL WEAPON USE OR BANNING OR PROHIBITING CERTAIN LESS LETHAL WEAPONS. ANOTHER OPTION WOULD BE TO CREATE A NEW SECTION IN THE SEATTLE MUNICIPAL CODE AND TO SPECIFY EITHER ON USE OR ABILITY TO USE LESS LETHAL WEAPONS AND THAT OF COURSE IS THE PATH THAT WAS TAKEN BY THE PREVIOUS COUNCIL. THE NEXT OPTION WOULD BE TO INCORPORATE BY REFERENCE , PORTIONS OF SPD CURRENT POLICY SO THAT IT IS FOR LACK OF A BETTER WAY OF SAYING LOCKED DOWN UNTIL IT COMES BACK BEFORE COUNCIL FOR FURTHER CHANGES. THE LAST OPTION WOULD BE NO CHANGES. SO, FINALLY I WOULD JUST CONCLUDE BY SAYING, TODAY , I THINK THE CHAIR SAID IT IS THE FIRST OF TWO HEARINGS, THE SECOND ONE IS ON THE 14th OF JANUARY AND THEN A FULL COUNCIL VOTE IS ANTICIPATED FOR THE 21st . WITH THAT, I WILL STOP AND ASK IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS. >> ANY QUESTIONS FROM MY COLLEAGUES? VICE CHAIR ? >> THANK YOU FOR THIS AWESOME PRESENTATION, GREG AND I ALSO APPRECIATE THE PRE-BRIEFING FROM YESTERDAY AND AFTER LAST NIGHT, I WENT THROUGH AND VIEWED THE MEMO, AND ALL THE ATTACHMENTS HERE , REALLY INSIGHTFUL MEMO . JUST A QUICK QUESTION . SOME ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS FOR THE DEPARTMENT BUT WE WILL WAIT TILL THAT COMES UP . I GUESS FIRST YOU MENTIONED ON ONE OF THE SLIDES HERE , ON THE SPD INTERIM MANAGEMENT POLICY, THAT SLIDE STATES , THE THIRD BULLET , STATES THAT IT DISTINGUISHES BETWEEN LESS LETHAL WEAPON USE AGAINST VIOLENT INDIVIDUALS WITHIN A CROWD, OR USE OF DISPERSING A CROWD, SO JUST CURIOUS TO BETTER UNDERSTAND HOW DOES THE SPD MANUAL 14.090 , HOW IT GOES ABOUT DISTINGUISHING BETWEEN THOSE TWO THINGS ? >> THANK YOU, AND I THINK COUNCILMEMBER, YOU ARE GOING TO HEAR A REAL IN-DEPTH EXPLANATION , BUT AT A HIGH LEVEL, THERE ARE PHASES OF CROWD MANAGEMENT AND IN THE FIRST SEVERAL PHASES , MY UNDERSTANDING IS, YOU MIGHT SEE INDIVIDUALS WITHIN A CROWD, ISOLATED INDIVIDUALS, EITHER DISPLAYING VIOLENT BEHAVIOR OR DAMAGING PROPERTY . AND THE MATRIX IS ENCOURAGING OR REQUIRING SPD OFFICERS , IN THOSE CASES TO INTERDICT WITH THOSE SPECIFIC INDIVIDUALS . I'M GOING TO USE AN EXAMPLE , FOR INSTANCE , IF AN INDIVIDUAL WITHIN A CROWD WHIPPED OUT A KNIFE AND STARTED THREATENING OR ASSAULTING OTHERS, THAT MIGHT BE A CASE WHERE SPD WOULD NEED TO USE ONE OF ITS 40 MILLIMETERS MUNCHERS TO STOP THAT INDIVIDUAL OR A BLAST BALL NEAR THE INDIVIDUAL TO DISRUPT THEM FROM STABBING OTHERS AND STOP THAT INDIVIDUAL, SO THAT IS THE SITUATION WHERE IF YOU'RE NOT USING A LESS LETHAL WEAPON TO DISPERSE THE CROWD, ALTERNATIVELY, ONCE A CROWD HAS BEEN DECLARED A LEGAL -- ILLEGAL ASSEMBLY, ONCE YOU HAVE MULTIPLE INDIVIDUALS IN A CROWD THAT ARE PURSUING VIOLENT BEHAVIOR OUR PROPERTY DESTRUCTION, IT IS AT THAT TIME THAT SPD MAY CALL FOR THE CROWD TO BE DISPERSED AND THERE'S A NUMBER OF PROCEDURES THEY HAVE TO FOLLOW ABOUT ROUTES TO ALLOW THE CROWD TO LEAVE , MAKING SURE THAT THERE ARE EASEMENTS -- ANNOUNCEMENTS AND THE DEPARTMENT WOULD POTENTIALLY USE MORE INDISCRIMINATE LESS LETHAL WEAPONS LIKE PEPPER GAS . SO THEY WILL GO INTO THOSE DIFFERENCES , IT IS AN APPROACH THAT THE INSPECTOR GENERAL RECOMMENDED AND ALSO ONE THAT IS AGAIN REFLECTED IN THOSE VARIOUS BEST PRACTICING DOCUMENTS. I HOPE THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION. >> YES, AND THE SECOND QUESTION, YOU MENTIONED THE EVENT REVIEW, THAT WAS DEFINITELY ONE OF THE ATTACHMENTS, ONE OF THE FIVE ATTACHMENTS IN THE UNDERLYING MEMO , AND THERE WERE 126 RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WERE INCLUDED IN THAT SENTINELS EVENT REVIEW RESOURCE . AND YOU MENTIONED MANY OF THOSE WERE INCORPORATED INTO THE INTERIM POLICY . ANY SENSE OF HOW MANY OF THOSE ULTIMATELY WERE INCORPORATED INTO THE POLICY ? >> AS I LOOKED AT THE LIST, THERE IS A CHECKLIST AT THE END, NEARLY ALL OF THEM WERE, IT WAS A MATTER OF SPD AND OIG COMING TO AGREEMENT ON HOW SOME OF THEM WERE WORDED, AND IT APPEARED , AND I'M GOING TO LET THEM TALK ABOUT ANY DISCREPANCIES . >> THAT IS GOOD TO HEAR, THAT IS SUBSTANTIALLY ALL OF THEM, SOME MINOR DIFFERENCES WITH WORDING . SO IN ANY EVENT, THANK YOU , NO FURTHER QUESTIONS. >> COUNCILMEMBER MOORE ? >> THANK YOU, CHAIR . AND THANK YOU GREG FOR A VERY THOROUGH PRESENTATION AND MEMO , I APPRECIATE EDITING THAT HAS BEEN PROVIDED, I'M TRYING TO GRAPPLE WITH WHAT I THINK IS A PROFOUND AMOUNT OF INFORMATION AND A LOT OF STUFF IN THE WEEDS. SO I GUESS I'M JUST GOING TO PUT MY CARDS ON THE TABLE INITIALLY. THE IDEA OF BLAST BALLS IS PROFOUNDLY GIVING AUTHORITIES UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE TO USE THEM IS PROFOUNDLY TROUBLING TO ME. AND I THINK WE HAVE TO BE VERY CLEAR THAT THAT AUTHORITY WOULD BE USED IN A LAST RESORT , AND IN A FEW REPORTS THAT I WAS ABLE TO REBUY THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE, BY SOME OF THE PROFESSIONAL POLICE ORGANIZATION , I CAN'T REMEMBER THE OTHER ONE, THEY ALL ROUTINELY EXPRESSED SERIOUS CONCERN ABOUT BLAST BALLS . AND THERE SEEMS TO BE SOME SORT OF CONTRADICTORY POSITIONS ABOUT WHEN THEY WOULD BE USED. SOMETIMES IT'S SAID WE ARE GOING TO USE THEM BECAUSE IT IS THE MOST EFFECTIVE CROWD DISPERSAL TOOL WE HAVE, AND OTHER TIMES, IT IS MENTIONED TO USE THEM TO BASICALLY INCAPACITATE A PARTACTOR . SO,' UNCLEAR , FOR WHAT PURPOSE ARE THEY ACTUALLY GOING TO BE USED , I THINK WE NEED CLARITY AROUND THAT. AND THE OTHER THING THAT I WANTED -- I HAVE SO MANY QUESTIONS AND I HAVE TO COME BACK TO YOU WITH THEM, BUT IN TERMS OF LOOKING AT THE ORDINANCE THAT WAS PASSED BY THE LAST COUNSEL THAT WE ARE BEING ASKED TO REPEAL , THAT MAYOR DURKAN DID NOT APPROVE THAT FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS, BUT YOU VERY HELPFULLY PROVIDED A CHART THAT SHOWS THE LESS LETHAL TOOLS THAT WOULD BE ALLOWED IN THAT ORDINANCE AND IN THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES IN WHICH THEY WOULD BE ALLOWED. AND I WOULD LIKE TO WALK THROUGH THAT CHART BECAUSE IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THERE IS ACTUALLY A FAIR AMOUNT OF OVERLAP AND WE ARE NOT BEING ASKED TO REPEAL SOMETHING THAT PROHIBITS THE USE OF CATEGORICALLY PROHIBITING THE USE OF LESS LETHAL WEAPONS, WE ARE BEING ASKED TO REPEAL SOMETHING THAT PERHAPS SETS DIFFERENT PARAMETERS . SO MAYBE YOU COULD JUST WALK US THROUGH A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT, AND EVEN IF YOU REFER TO THE CHART BECAUSE IT SAYS USE OF LESS LETHAL WEAPONS FOR CROWD MOVEMENT OR DISPERSAL, THE CURRENT ORDINANCE THAT HASN'T BEEN APPROVED BY THE MAYOR ALLOWS FOR PEPPER SPRAY TEARGAST NOT CHEMICAL IRRITANTS , PEPPER SPRAY FOR THE LESS LETHAL LAUNCHERS, TEARGAS, THE ONE DIFFERENCE I SEE IS BLAST BALLS. >> IF I COULD ASK, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND PULLING UP THE CHART , IN RECOGNITION OF WHAT YOU SAID COUNCILMEMBER MOORE ABOUT WEEDS, I'M GOING TO TRY NOT TO GET TOO MUCH INTO THE WEEDS , DO YOU BY ANY CHANCE HAVE THAT CHART AT THE END OF THE PRESENTATION? YOU MAY NOT. I WILL SUMMARIZE IT AT A HIGH LEVEL. I RECOGNIZE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, THE ORDINANCE 126422 AND LESS LETHAL WEAPONS POLICIES , SPD'S INTERIM POLICY BOTH ESTABLISHED THAT LESS LETHAL WEAPONS ARE USED ONLY WHEN CIRCUMSTANCES ARE OCCURRING, THEY CREATE AN IMMINENT RISK OF PHYSICAL INJURY, THE RISK OF INJURY THROUGH VIOLENT ACTIONS IS OUTWEIGHING THE RISK OF INJURY TO BYSTANDERS AND THAT ONLY PROPERLY TRAINED PERSONNEL COULD USE THE LESS LETHAL WEAPONS. THANK YOU . AT A HIGH-LEVEL, SPD COULD NOT USE THE DIFFERENCES , SPD COULD NOT USE THE LAST LESS LETHAL WEAPONS TO DISPERSE THE CROWD THAT IS CAUSING PROPERTY DAMAGE ALONE, THAT IS A LARGE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE ORIGINAL ORDINANCE IN THE SPD INTERIM POLICIES. IT IS ALSO A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THOSE BEST PRACTICE DOCUMENTS THAT YOU NOTED THAT ARE IN MY SLIDESHOW, ALL OF WHICH SAY THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT PROPERTY DAMAGE LIKE A FIRE TO A BUILDING, THAT IS AN APPROPRIATE TIME TO USE LESS LETHAL WEAPONS TO INTERDICT WITH AN INDIVIDUAL, THE SPD CANNOT USE LESS LETHAL WEAPONS TO DISPERSE A CROWD UNTIL 12 OR MORE INDIVIDUALS ARE CREATING A VIOLENT PUBLIC DISTURBANCE. THIS HAS TO DO WITH THE THRESHOLD BY WHICH SPD WOULD DETERMINE THAT A CROWD IS TO BE DISPERSED . THE CURRENT THRESHOLD IS ONE THAT IS REFLECTING RCW 'S DEFINITION OF CRIMINAL MISCHIEF WITH FOUR VISUALS OR MORE ENGAGING WITH PROPERTY DESTRUCTION OR VIOLENCE, THAT IS A THRESHOLD THAT UNTIL RECENTLY, THE STATE HAD USED TO DEFINE RIOT . SO IN TERMS OF DETERMINING A THRESHOLD , THAT IS ONE THAT THE STATE HAD USED OBVIOUSLY IN THE PRIOR COUNSEL OUT ORDINANCE , THAT IS A DIFFERENT STANDARD BUT I THINK WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO HEAR FROM THE DEPARTMENT IS THAT OVERALL, WHEN THEY ARE USING IT TO DETERMINE IF A CROWD SHOULD BE DISPERSED, IT IS THE TOTALITY OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT THEY TAKE INTO ACCOUNT. THERE'S ALSO THE RESTRICTION AND THE CURRENT ORDINANCE THAT ONLY S.W.A.T. MEMBERS CAN USE LESS LETHAL WEAPONS, I'M SORRY, ORDINANCE 126422 , AND ALSO IT CREATED A PRIVATE RIGHT OF ACTION SO IF SOMEBODY WAS INJURED BY MISUSE OF A LESS LETHAL WEAPON AND BY THAT I MEAN USE OF LESS LETHAL WEAPON AGAINST THE ORDINANCE POLICY, THEN THEY WOULD BE ENTITLED TO A PRIVATE RIGHT OF ACTION PURSUANT FOR $10,000. BUT, I'M NOT GOING TO GO TOO MUCH INTO THIS CHART BUT WHAT I WANT TO SAY IS THAT IN MY WORKGROUP AND REVIEWING BEST PRACTICES , THE COUNCIL ORDINANCE IS NOT NECESSARILY IN ALIGNMENT WITH MANY OF THE BEST PRACTICES, FOR INSTANCE, THE COUNCIL ORDINANCE WOULD ALLOW USE OF 40 MILLIMETER BLUE NOSE TIPS FOR A CROWD DISPERSAL AND THAT IS A CASE WHERE YOU ARE USING A WEAPON THAT IS DESIGNED FOR INDIVIDUAL INTERDICTION TO DISPERSE A CROWD AND THAT IS NOT CONSISTENT WITH BEST PRACTICES, BEST PRACTICES WOULD SAY THOSE KINDS OF WEAPONS ARE USED IN CASES OF EMERGENCY OF LIFE SAFETY AGAINST AN INDIVIDUAL NOT TO DISPERSE A CROWD AND AS CONSISTENT WITH SPD POLICY. IN THE ORDINANCE 126422 , A PROHIBITION ON BLAST BALLS, HOWEVER, THE ORDINANCE DID ALLOW USE OF FLASH-BANGS AND EFF'S , EXCEPT FOR THEY DON'T SPLIT IN HALF AND CREATE THE SAME KIND OF IMPACT EXPLOSION , IT DOES ALLOW FOR THE USE OF NDFF'S , SO TRYING TO SUM UP , SOME OF IT IS NOT CONSISTENT WITH BEST POLICIES, SOME OF IT IS MORE RESTRICTIVE THAN WHAT SPD'S POLICIES ARE AND SOME OF IT IS LESS RESTRICTIVE. IT REALLY IS A MATTER OF GOING THROUGH EACH SPECIFIC CIRCUMSTANCE AND FIGURING OUT WHETHER OR NOT IT IS CONSISTENT WITH BEST PRACTICES. >> OKAY, THANK YOU FOR THAT AND JUST TO CLARIFY ABOUT WHO CAN USE, SO IS THE COMMUNITY RESPONSE GROUP DIFFERENT FROM S.W.A.T. ? >> YES, THE SPECIAL WEAPONS TEAM, THE S.W.A.T. TEAM ALL TRAINED IN USE OF LESS LETHAL WEAPONS COULD BE DEPLOYED IN SITUATIONS OF CROWD MANAGEMENT AND THEY ARE THE ONLY ONES UNDER THE PREVIOUS COUNCIL ORDINANCE THAT COULD USE LESS LETHAL WEAPONS BUT ALSO TRAINED IN THE USE OF LESS LETHAL WEAPONS INCONSISTENT WITH THE DEPARTMENTS CURRENT POLICY IS THE COMMUNITY RESPONSE GROUP AND THAT IS THE GROUP THAT CURRENTLY DOES RESPOND TO CROWD MANAGEMENT SITUATIONS. SO AGAIN, IT'S LOOKING AT THE INDIVIDUAL SITUATIONS OR THE SPECIFIC SITUATIONS, GIVEN THAT THE CR G RESPONSE TO CROWD MANAGEMENT SITUATIONS AND THAT THEY ARE TRAINED TO USE LESS LETHAL WEAPONS , IT SEEMS MORE APPROPRIATE THAT THEY WOULD BE ALLOWED TO DO THAT WHICH IS NOT CONTEMPLATED UNDER THIS ORDINANCE. AND I DON'T IN ANY WAY MEAN TO SPEAK AGAINST THE PRIOR COUNSEL THAT DID THIS, THIS IS A SITUATION WHERE THE CRG HAS COME MORE INTO ITS OWN , SO AGAIN, IT IS A SITUATION BY SITUATION COMPARISON TO SEE WHAT IS APPROPRIATE NOW. >> THANK YOU, SO I GUESS MY THINKING IS , BECAUSE WHAT WE ARE BEING ASKED TO DO IS TO REPEAL THAT ENTIRELY AND WE ARE NOT ASKED TO LOOK AT IT AND GO THROUGH EACH OF THE DIFFERENCES THAT YOU HAVE POINTED OUT THAT ARE PARTICULARLY TROUBLESOME, LIKE THE DEFINITION OF REQUIRING 12 VERSUS FOUR POINT -- FOUR . IT SEEMS THAT WE COULD TAKE A SCALPEL TO THE CURRENT ORDINANCE, RATHER THAN REPEALING IT ENTIRELY AND BASICALLY JUST SAYING WE ARE GOING TO RELY ON POLICY. AND THAT IS JUST MY PARTICULAR POSITION ABOUT THIS BECAUSE FRANKLY WE DO NEED TO BE VERY MUCH IN THE WEEDS OF THIS ISSUE , THANK YOU TO COUNCILMEMBER MORALES FOR REQUESTING FROM OUR OFFICE OF CIVIL RIGHTS, THERE POSITION AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE PHOTOGRAPHS THAT HAVE BEEN PROVIDED, THEY ARE DEEPLY TROUBLING AND I HAVE PARTICIPATED IN DEMONSTRATIONS, PARTICULARLY WHEN I TOOK MY CHILDREN, MY THREE SONS , AND GOD FORBID WE HAD ONE BAD ACTOR AT SPD AND ATTEMPTING TO DEAL WITH THE UTILIZED BLAST BALLS OR TEARGAS INAPPROPRIATELY , AND WE HAVE UNFORTUNATELY SUCH A POOR TRACK RECORD. AND WE ARE GOING TO SEE, WHEN TRUMP STARTS HIS MASS DEPORTATION , IT IS GOING TO COME HERE AND WE ARE GOING TO SEE PEOPLE IN OUR STREETS PROTESTING THAT , AND WE NEED TO BE VERY CAREFUL AND THERE WILL BE BAD ACTORS, THERE'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE PEOPLE IN THE CROWD AGITATING, ANARCHISTS IN THE CROWD AGITATING , SO WE HAVE TO REALLY GIVE SERIOUS THOUGHT TO THIS DISCUSSION AND I'M NOT TRYING TO APPEAR IN THE INTEGRITY OF THE OFFICERS OUT THERE, I WOULD NOT WANT TO BE IN THEIR SHOES . ABSOLUTELY NOT. BUT, I DO NOT NECESSARILY THINK THAT IT IS IS APPROPRIATE FOR US TO SAY THERE ARE CERTAIN TYPES OF DEVICES THAT ARE INAPPROPRIATE FOR THE USE OF CROWD CONTROL WHEN PEOPLE ARE EXERCISING THEIR FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHT OR PROTEST IN ASSEMBLY. AND THE POSITION THAT SPD DOESN'T LIKE , YOU KNOW, TEARGAS IS A VIABLE ALTERNATIVE, SPD DOESN'T LIKE IT, I APPRECIATE THAT, BUT THEY DON'T LIKE IT FOR VALID REASONS. AND THE BLAST BALLS , MAYBE THE ONES THAT SPD ARE CURRENTLY PURCHASING DO NOT CONTAIN TEARGAS BUT SOME OF THEM DO . SO, DO WE KNOW FOR SURE THAT WHAT WE ARE GETTING DOESN'T CONTAIN SOME LEVEL OF TEARGAS, THEY CERTAINLY CONTAIN PEPPER SPRAY WHICH IS A CHEMICAL IRRITANT . I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE A VERY HIGH LEVEL OF THREAT AND VERY CLEAR , WE NEED TO BE VERY CLEAR, ARE THEY BEING USED TO DISPERSE A CROWD OR ARE THEY BEING USED TO INCAPACITATE A PARTICULAR BAD ACTOR AND TOO MUCH DISCRETION HAS BEEN ALLOWED IN THE PAST AND THAT IS WHY IT IS IMPORTANT WE REALLY BE IN THE WEEDS AND ALSO I THINK IF WE ARE LOOKING AT A CROWD DISPERSAL TOOL LIKE BLAST BALLS THAT CAN FIND PEOPLE , THAT CAN CAUSE PEOPLE TO GO INTO CARDIAC ARREST THREE TIMES , THAT CAN CAUSE -- IT CAN COMPLETELY DESTROY PEOPLE'S LIPS AND JAWS , IF WE ARE GOING TO AUTHORIZE THE USE OF THOSE , WHAT I CONSIDER TO BE MINOR WEAPONS OF WAR AGAINST OUR OWN CITIZENS , THEN SOMEBODY AT THE TOP NEEDS TO BE RESPONSIBLE. RIGHT NOW TEARGAS , THE MAYOR HAS TO MAKE THAT DECISION. MAYBE THE MAYOR SHOULD MAKE THE DECISION ABOUT TO HAVE THOSE PEOPLE'S EY PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL AND MENTAL WELL-BEING AT TOP OF MIND AND MAKING THAT VERY DIFFICULT DECISION . I'M NOT MINIMIZING THE STRUGGLES OF THESE DECISIONS . BUT, SIMPLY HAVING IT BE A LIEUTENANT RIGHT NOW, THERE IS EXCEPTION, THIS COULD BE IMPLEMENTED BY SERGEANTS AND ANOTHER DISCUSSION ABOUT MOVING IT UP THE RANK BUT, EVEN LIEUTENANTS AND CAPTAINS , I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE SOME SERIOUS DISCUSSIONS ABOUT WHO MAKES THE CALL ON BLAST BALLS. I WILL GET OFF MY SOAPBOX, THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER MOORE . >> THANK YOU CHAIR AND THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SIT IN TODAY'S MEETING AND THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION AND ALSO TO THOSE WHO CAME OUT TODAY . I FURTHER SHARE THE CONCERN IN BLAST BALL USE AS WELL AS UTILIZATION OF LESS LETHAL WEAPONS, BUT ALSO BEFORE US IN THIS BILL IS A MATTER OF MODIFYING CROWD CONTROL POLICIES WITHOUT COUNSEL REVIEW, PROVIDING FLEX ABILITY TO IMPLEMENT NEW TECHNOLOGIES SO I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE HISTORY OF COUNSEL INVOLVEMENT AND APPROVING THESE TECHNOLOGIES BECAUSE AT ONE POINT, BLAST BALLS WERE A NEW TECHNOLOGY, SO COULD YOU HELP ME UNDERSTAND ABOUT PREVIOUS COUNSEL'S ROLE IN APPROVING LESS LETHAL WEAPONS AND TECHNOLOGY ? >> I'M FORTUNATE TO HAVE WITH ME THE FORMER COUNCIL PRESIDENT WHO MAY HAVE A BETTER MEMORY ON IT THAN MINE BUT MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT PRIOR TO ORDINANCE , THE ORDINANCES THAT CAME ABOUT IN 2020 , THAT REVIEW WAS EXCLUSIVELY DONE BY SPD, I DON'T THINK AS NEW TECHNOLOGIES WERE BROUGHT FORWARD, THEY WERE BROUGHT FOR APPROVAL, ARE YOU AWARE OF ANY? >> ARE YOU REFERRING TO THE SURVEILLANCE ORDINANCE? >> NO, NEW TECHNOLOGIES AND LESS LETHAL WEAPONS, SO WHEN A BLAST BALL WAS DEVELOPED OR ANY NEW TECHNOLOGIES, I'M NOT AWARE THAT THE SPD CAME TO THE COUNCIL . >> CHAIR KETTLE, I THINK IT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL IF THE GROUP COULD MAKE ITS PRESENTATION WHICH MANY OF THE COMMENTS WILL BE ADDRESSED AND SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN ASKED WILL BE ADDRESSED BY OUR TECHNICAL EXPERTS HERE . IF YOU WANT US TO PROCEED IN THAT WAY. >> THE ONE THING FROM THE ADMINISTRATIVE POINT OF VIEW, OBVIOUSLY THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT PIECES TO THIS AND I'M JUST GOING TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY BEFORE MR. DOSS FINISHES , HE MENTIONED THE WORK GROUP, MY TEAM HAS BEEN WORKING WITH THE VARIOUS PLAYERS, THE CITY'S ATTORNEY'S OFFICE HAS BEEN PARTICIPATING AS WELL SO THERE'S A LOT OF MOVING PIECES , WE HAVE THE FEDERAL MONITOR AND THE JUDGE IS A PART OF THIS OVERALL DISSENT DECREE PROCESS. THE POINT I WANT TO MAKE FROM THE ADMINISTRATIVE POINT OF VIEW IS THAT IF THERE'S GOING TO BE ANY AMENDMENTS , THEY HAVE TO BE DONE SOONER RATHER THAN LATER, THERE WILL NOT BE ANY WALKOUT AMENDMENTS FROM THIS BUILDING BECAUSE EVERY T NEEDS TO BE CROSSED, AND WE HAVE A MONTH BEFORE THE NEXT MEETING, MY RECOMMENDATION IS IF YOU HAVE ANY PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO GET WITH MR. DOSS PRIOR TO THE RECESS BUT NO LATER THAN JANUARY 9th, WE CANNOT HAVE ANYTHING HAPPENING AFTER JANUARY 9th , THAT REALLY NEEDS TO HAPPEN BEFOREHAND BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH COORDINATION THAT DOES HAVE TO WORK ON THIS, DUE TO THE FACT THAT IT HAS OTHER ASPECTS TO IT RELATED TO THE CONSENT DECREE. I WILL PUT OUT AN EMAIL AS WELL BUT I JUST WANTED TO TAKE THIS POINT AS IT RELATES TO HIS PRESENTATION AND HIS ROLE IN THIS PROCESS. WITH THAT WE WILL MOVE TO THE NEXT PRESENTATION. >> MR. CHAIR, I MAY HAVE STEPPED OUT OF MY COMFORT ZONE, I WAS TRYING TO ANSWER QUESTIONS BUT I WAS ALSO ANSWERING QUESTIONS THAT ARE SPECIFIC TO OPERATIONS SO SPD I'M GLAD WAS LISTENING AND PLEASE DO CORRECT ANYTHING OR OFFER CONTEXT FOR ANYTHING THAT I SAY. THANK YOU. >> DEPUTY MAYOR? >> GOOD MORNING , I'M DEPUTY MAYOR TIM BURGESS AND WE ARE HERE TO MAKE A PROPOSAL ON THE ORDINANCE, FIRST, AS GREG HAS OBSERVED , NO CITY LAW IS IN EFFECT TODAY THAT GOVERNS THE USE OF LESS LETHAL TOOLS IN CROWD MANAGEMENT ENVIRONMENTS. THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE INTENDS TO CHANGE THIS REALITY BY CLEARLY ESTABLISHING THE VALUES AND RULES THAT GOVERN USING LESS LETHAL TOOLS IN CROWD MANAGEMENT SITUATIONS. TO PUT IT ANOTHER WAY, THE ORDINANCE YOU ARE CONSIDERING WILL ESTABLISH RESTRICTIONS ON WHEN THESE TOOLS CAN BE USED AND THESE RESTRICTIONS ARE MORE SUBSTANTIAL THAN WHAT IS REQUIRED UNDER STATE STATUTES. SECOND, CITY ORDINANCES AND POLICIES MUST BE CONSISTENT SO THAT THERE'S NO AMBIGUITY BETWEEN WHAT YOU AND THE MAYOR ESTABLISHED AS CITY POLICY AND THE PRACTICES OF OUR POLICE SERVICE, THE DEPARTMENT WILL SHARE ITS UPDATED POLICIES WITH YOU IN THE NEXT DAY OR TWO AND YOU WILL SEE THAT THEY ARE CONSISTENT WITH THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE. FINALLY, ALIGNING CITY LAW WITH POLICE PRACTICES AND POLICE POLICIES WILL ALLOW US TO SEND THESE POLICIES TO THE FEDERAL MONITOR AND THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE FOR THEIR REVIEW AND THEN TO THE JUDGE FOR HIS FINAL APPROVAL. JUDGE ROBILLARD INITIALLY APPROVED THE CURRENT POLICIES IN 2021 BUT THE SECOND REVIEW IS NEEDED BECAUSE OF THE CHANGES TO COMPLY WITH STATE LAW ON THE USE OF FORCE, THE USE OF TEARGAS AND CHANGES RECOMMENDED BY THE INSPECTOR GENERAL . DIRECTOR WALTON-ANDERSON WILL SUMMARIZE THE VALUES AND RESTRICTIONS. >> THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO PRESENT WHAT THIS ORDINANCE DOES . FIRST OF ALL, THIS ORDINANCE AFFIRMS THE CIVIL LIBERTIES THAT SEATTLE RESIDENTS AND ALL THAT COME TO THE CITY TO DO THE THINGS THAT ARE MOST IMPORTANT TO US, TO ENGAGE IN CELEBRATORY ACTIVITIES, TO GATHER IN LARGE GROUPS AND BE PART OF AUDIENCES PARTICULATE -- PARTAKING IN SPORTING EVENTS AND AFFIRMS THE RIGHT TO GATHER AND ASSEMBLE TO EXPRESS OPPOSITION OR DISSENT. THE FREEDOM THAT EACH INDIVIDUAL HAS AND THE ABILITY TO GATHER IN MASSES IS A FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT AND REQUIRES THE COMMUNITY TO BE SAFE IN DOING SO. AND SPD PLAYS A MAJOR ROLE IN SUPPORTING SAFE GATHERING SPACES AND WE MUST CONTINUE TO RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANT THAT SPD HAS TO FACILITATE THOSE CONDITIONS AND SUPPORT THAT. PART OF ENSURING SAFETY IS THE WAY IN WHICH SPD FIRST ENGAGES WITH THOSE PARTICIPATING IN LARGE GROUPS. DEMONSTRATIONS OR PROTESTS. THEY PRIORITIZE FIRST CONTACT AND AN ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY THAT IS BASED IN COMMUNICATION AND DIALOGUE, EACH OFFICER IS TRAINED IN UTILIZING DE-ESCALATION STRATEGIES IN EVERY CROWD MANAGEMENT SITUATION WHEN IT IS SAFE TO DO SO AND UTILIZING THESE DE-ESCALATION TACTICS IS A FIRST TOOL THAT WILL SET THE STAGE FOR BETTER OUTCOMES. THIS ORDINANCE AFFIRMS OUR VALUES AND PROVIDES TO COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE'S QUESTION FOR A HEIGHTENED STANDARD OF USE OF LESS LETHAL TOOLS , UNLESS THERE ARE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT CREATE AN IMMINENT RISK OF PHYSICAL INJURY AND SIGNIFICANT PROPERTY DAMAGE . THE ORDINANCE GOVERNS THE USE OF A CROWD CONTROL TOOLS AND MANDATES THAT ANY ACTION TAKEN IS NEEDED AND OBJECTIVELY REASONABLE AND MUST BE IN PROPORTION TO THE THREAT. THESE PROTECTIONS ARE IN FACT REAL AND THIS ORDINANCE NOT ONLY INCORPORATES WASHINGTON STATE'S STRICT REQUIREMENTS FOR THE USE OF TEARGAS BUT SETS A HIGHER STHAN THE STATE LAW, REIMTO LIFE AND A PRN AND ORDER ISSUED BY OUR EXECUTIVE OF CIVIL EMERGENCY. WE REQUIRE INTENSE ONGOING AND RIGOROUS TRAINING OF OUR SEATTLE POLICE OFFICERS AND THIS ORDINANCE REAFFIRMS THAT EXPECTATION AND MANDATES THAT POLICE OFFICERS ARE RESTRICTED TO ONLY USE APPROVED LESS LETHAL TOOLS IN WHICH THE COMMAND STAFF THAT IS DESIGNATED FOR THAT APPROVAL . WE VALUE OUR COMMITMENT TO TRANSPARENCY, THAT IS WHY THIS REQUIRES THE SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO ISSUE AND MAKE AVAILABLE AN ANNUAL REPORT ON THE USE AND FREQUENCY OF TOOLS AND THIS REPORT WILL BE COMPLETED WITH THE AGENCY THAT WE HAVE TASKED TO CONDUCT A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AND OVERSIGHT OF SPD'S POLICIES IN THE OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL. THIS PROPOSED ORDINANCE ALLOWS SPD TO INCORPORATE THE EMERGING BEST PRACTICES REGARDING CROWD MANAGEMENT AND IN ADDITION IT CONFIRMS THE CITY'S DEDICATION AND COMMITMENT TO THE RIGHT TO ASSEMBLE AND FREE SPEECH SAFELY. >> WE ASKED LISA JUDGE TO BE WITH US TODAY TO SHARE HER PERSPECTIVE. >> GOOD AFTERNOON MR. CHAIR AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS, THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME BE A PART OF THIS CONVERSATION, I'VE GOT SOME REMARKS I WAS ASKED TO TALK ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF THIS APPROACH OF REGULATING THE USE OF THESE TOOLS VERSUS THE POSSESSION OF SPD , BUT I WANT TO LAY A LITTLE BIT OF FOUNDATION FOR WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT AND COUNCILMEMBER MOORE , I THINK THAT IS SOME OF THE WEEDS YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT HERE AND I THINK THE FACT THAT WE HAD TWO ORDINANCES PREVIOUSLY THAT IN SOME WAYS DIFFER FROM EACH OTHER HIGHLIGHTS THE PROBLEMATIC NATURE OF TRYING TO REGULATE THE POSSESSION OF THESE TOOLS BY SPD BECAUSE SPD USES LESS LETHAL WEAPONS IN A VARIETY OF CIRCUMSTANCES , FOR PEOPLE IN CRISIS, FOR BARRICADED SUBJECTS WHO I WANTED, DANGEROUS PEOPLE, HOSTAGE SITUATIONS. SO WHAT THE ORDINANCE IS TRYING TO CARVE OUT IS THIS VERY SMALL SUBSET IN A CROWD CONTEXT AND EVEN FURTHER IN A CROWD CONTEXT ONCE IT IS TURNED INTO A RIOT AND IT HAS TO BE DISPERSED SO I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE CONTEXT IN WHICH WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE USE OF THOSE TOOLS HERE, ALSO IN CROWD FACILITATION WHICH I THINK IS THE APPROPRIATE PHILOSOPHY THAT SPD IS ADOPTING IS, THERE IS USE OF LESS LETHAL WEAPONS IF YOU NEED TO DISPERSE A CROWD THAT HAS INDEED GONE BEYOND YOUR ABILITY TO CONTROL IN TERMS OF VIOLENCE AND LIFE SAFETY CONCERNS . AND THE ABILITY TO GO IN AND TARGET SPECIFIC WRONGDOERS WITHIN THE CROWD AND REMOVE THEM SO EVERYBODY ELSE CAN CONTINUE TO DEMONSTRATE AND GATHER IN A SAFE FASHION AND I THINK SPD HAS GOTTEN GOOD AT THAT DIFFERENTIATION BETWEEN THE TWO. YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT USING BLAST BALLS AGAINST PEOPLE , THAT IS NOT AN APPROPRIATE USE OR RECOGNIZED USE, IT WOULD BE AREA DENIAL SO IF YOU ARE TRYING TO MOVE THE CROWD, YOU ARE CREATING A BUFFER OR BARRIER BETWEEN POLICE AND THE CROWD OR SOMETHING ELSE, WHERE YOU ARE TRYING TO DENY AREA. SO IF YOU TAKE AWAY THE ABILITY TO USE THOSE TOOLS IN A WORST-CASE SCENARIO, WHAT DO YOU USE INSTEAD? THAT PUTS SPD IN THE POSITION OF HAVING TO USE SOMETHING THAT IS PERHAPS A BIT MORE ONEROUS BUT I AGREE WITH YOU , I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE ALL OF THE FOLKS THAT JOINED US EARLIER TO GIVE PUBLIC COMMENT, OIG TOOK PUBLIC SENTIMENT VERY SERIOUSLY WHEN WE ENGAGED OUR SENTIMENT EVENT REVIEW AND IT UNDER LIED MANY OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS WE MADE BECAUSE WE NEED TO ENSURE THAT PEOPLE CAN AND DEMONSTRATE SAFETY . I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT TAKING THIS APPROACH ALLOWS SPD TO MAINTAIN THE CAPABILITY TO ADDRESS WORST-CASE SCENARIO SITUATIONS BUT, IT EMPHASIZES DE-ESCALATION AND OTHER STRATEGIES TO PREVENT THE NEED FOR USE OF THOSE TOOLS OF LAST RESORT, AND I DO BELIEVE BLAST BALLS AND TEARGAS SHOULD BE TOOLS OF LAST RESORT WHEN WE'VE GOT NOTHING ELSE LEFT TO TURN BACK ON. AND SPD'S PHILOSOPHY, THEY HAVE TO EMPHASIZE RELATIONSHIP BUILDING AND COMMUNICATION BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER THESE EVENTS. THE OTHER CENTRAL COMPONENT THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE IS HAPPENING IS STRONG BACK END ACCOUNTABILITY, FOR AUTHORIZED USE OF THESE WEAPONS AND FOR ENSURING THAT SUCH USE IS CONSISTENT WITH SPD POLICY AND COMMUNITY EXPECTATIONS AND ANY SORT OF USE THAT IS OUTSIDE OF POLICY OR TRAINING BE DEALT WITH APPROPRIATELY. IT HAS TO BE EVENLY APPLIED FOR LINE OFFICERS USING THOSE WEAPONS AND FOR COMMANDERS AND SUPERVISORS WHO ARE AUTHORIZING THE USE OF THOSE WEAPONS. STRONG EMPHASIS ON SOUND POLICY AND TRAINING, ENSURING THAT IS UNDERPINNED BY APPROPRIATE PHILOSOPHICAL UNDERSTANDINGS OF THE RIGHT TO GATHER AND PROTEST WHILE MAINTAINING LEGITIMACY IN THE EYES OF THE PUBLIC IN ANY USE OF FORCE BY THE POLICE IS A MORE EFFECTIVE APPROACH THAN SIMPLY REGULATING WHETHER SPD CAN POSSESS A POTENTIALLY NECESSARY TOOL. THIS APPROACH ALLOWS SPD TO RETAIN THAT CAPACITY FOR HANDLING DISASTER CIRCUMSTANCES, THAT THREATEN LIFE SAFETY WHILE EMPHASIZING INNOVATIONS AND REFORMS THAT ARE EMERGING OUR UNDERSTANDING OF HOW CROWDS BEHAVE , AND THAT KIND OF BEHAVIOR IN WAYS TO ENSURE THAT YOU CAN PROVIDE SAFETY DURING CROWD EVENTS. THE ONE THING THAT I NOTICED IN THE LANGUAGE OF THE ORDINANCE AS IT IS PROPOSED BECAUSE THAT'S THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE CITY TO SET EXPECTATIONS FOR OFFICERS , IN THE COMMUNICATIONS BULLET ABOUT EMPHASIZING COMMUNICATION AND RELATIONSHIP BUILDING AND SAYS IF FEASIBLE. I THINK THAT SHOULD ALWAYS BE PRIORITIZED. THERE MAY BE CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE SPD NEEDS TO USE FORCE, THEY NEED TO AUTHORIZE FORCE, THAT DOESN'T REMOVE THE OBLIGATION THAT THEY ARE STILL PRIORITIZING COMMUNICATION AND FACILITATION. SO THOSE ARE MY REMARKS AT THIS POINT, I WILL TURN IT BACK OVER TO THE MAYOR'S OFFICE. THANK YOU. >> ASSISTANT CHIEF NELSON WILL LEAD US THROUGH THE CHECKLIST OR THE PHASES OF ENGAGEMENT THAT INCIDENT COMMANDERS HE IS IN A CROWD MANAGEMENT ENVIRONMENT. >> THANK YOU DEBBIE MAYER, CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL . BEFORE I BEGIN, I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT THE CMSC MEMORIALIZES ARE CHANGE IN PHILOSOPHY RELATED TO SPD AND HOW WE ARE APPROACHING FACILITATING PROTECTIVE FIRST-PLACE ACTIVITIES. IT MODELS INTERNATIONAL BEST PRACTICES AND PRIORITIZING DIALOGUE WITH EVENT ORGANIZERS AND THE ENTIRE CROWD AS A WHOLE, WHEN ADDRESSING DANGEROUS BEHAVIOR , UNLAWFUL BEHAVIOR DURING ONE OF THESE EVENTS. AND IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT , EACH STEP BUILDS UPON THE PREVIOUS STEP SO THIS IS A CONTINUUM , SO AS WE MOVE THROUGH THE DIFFERENT PROGRESSIONS, UNDERSTAND THAT ATTEMPT THAT DE-ESCALATION WILL STILL CONTINUE, COMMUNICATION WITH THE CROWD WILL STILL CONTINUE ALL THE WAY THROUGH THESE PROCESSES SO IT IS NOT A CHECKOFF AND NOW GOING TO THE NEXT STEPS, IT IS A BUILDING PROCESS. WITH THAT, THE CMSC IS BROKEN INTO SIX PHASES, AT THE LOW END OF THE SPECTRUM WE HAVE PHASE ONE AND THESE ARE EVENTS THAT ARE TYPICALLY STATIC OR SMALLER IN SCALE AND DO NOT REQUIRE ANY POLICE ASSISTANCE. WE HAVE THESE ALMOST EVERY DAY IN THE CITY AND THESE REPRESENT EVENTS, FIRST AMENDMENT ACTIVITY THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS NOT ASSIGNING ANY RESOURCES TO . WE WILL OFTEN GIVE THE PRECINCT COMMAND A HEADS UP, THERE IS A BANNER DROPPING EVENT HAPPENING OR WE THINK IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IN YOUR AREA AROUND THIS TIME, JUST FOR YOUR AWARENESS AND THAT IS WHERE WE LEAVE IT. THAT IS AGAIN, THE LOW-END PHASE ONE . MOVING UP TO PHASE TWO, AGAIN, THIS IS LIKELY A LARGER OR PREPLANNED EVENTS WITH DESIGNATED ORGANIZATIONS . OUR PRIMARY RESPONSE IS TO ENSURE WE HAVE OUR POET OFFICERS, POLICE OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT TEAM, THIS IS A TEAM OF OFFICERS AND SUPERVISORS WHO HAVE ADDITIONAL TRAINING IN ENGAGEMENT AND TALKING WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND HAVE A VERY HIGH LEVEL UNDERSTANDING OF OUR CURRENT PHILOSOPHY IN PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND THEY ALSO WEAR DIFFERENT UNIFORMS SO THEY INTEGRATE INTO THE CROWD , THEY WILL REACH OUT TO COMMUNITY ORGANIZERS IN ADVANCE OF THE EVENT AND DURING. SO, THEIR ROLE IS TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IS THE INTENT OF THE EVENT, WHAT DO THEY WANT TO ACCOMPLISH , ARE THEY PLANNING TO STAY STATIC, ARE THEY PLANNING TO MARCH? ARE THE PEOPLE LOOKING TO GET ARRESTED, TO MAKE A POLITICAL SCENE AND SO FORTH. AS WELL AS PUTTING BOUNDARIES , THIS IS ACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOR AND THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOR AND ADDITIONALLY, WE WILL HAVE SOME RESOURCES TO THE CHANGE OF PHILOSOPHY, PREVIOUSLY, IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT SPD'S RESPONSE TO CROWD MANAGEMENT, YOU HAVE A SWELL OF OFFICERS JOINING WHATEVER THE DEMONSTRATION IS, WHICH WE FOUND IS ALARMING AND ESCALATE TORY, SO NOW WE HAVE A MUCH MORE REDUCED FOOTPRINT AT THESE EVENTS, WE WILL HAVE A COUPLE FOLKS PUTTING EYES ON AND THE REMAINDER OF THE RESOURCES STAGED OUTSIDE OF THE SITE OF THE COMMUNITY EVENT, BUT CLOSE ENOUGH TO RESPOND IF NECESSARY TO PROVIDE PUBLIC SAFETY. MY GROUP IN THE OPERATIONS CENTER WILL DEVELOP THE INCIDENT ACTION PLANS WITH THE ESTABLISHED CHAIN OF COMMAND, THE INCIDENT COMMAND'S RESPONSIBILITY IS TO DEVELOP THE INCIDENT OBJECTIVES AND PRIORITIES FOR THAT EVENT WHICH IS PRESENT IN THE IAP . AND DETERMINE THE APPROPRIATE LEVEL OF POLICE RESPONSE. PREVIOUS , PRIOR TO ANY TYPE OF DEPLOYMENT, THERE'S AN OPERATIONAL PERIOD BRIEFING DURING WHICH THE INCIDENT COMMANDER AND DEPUTIES WILL OUTLINE BEHAVIOR EXPECTATION, WHAT THEIR INTENT IS, HOW THE FLOW OF THE DAY AND MAKE SURE EVERYONE IS AWARE OF THEIR SPECIFIC ASSIGNMENTS AND ROLE IN THE OVERALL OPERATIONS AND THE GOAL IS TO PROVIDE COPIES SO EVERYBODY HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO ASK QUESTIONS AND VERIFY UNDERSTANDING. MOVING ON . THREE AND FOUR, PHASE THREE IS DEFINED AS STARTING TO SEE SOME ESCALATING BEHAVIOR INSIDE OF THE CROWD. AND COUNCILMEMBER MOORE , OUR GOAL IS TO DIFFERENTIATE CRIMINAL CONDUCT AND NOT PENALIZE THE CROWD AS A WHOLE AND WE HAVE DONE A LOT OF TRAINING, THIS IS FACILITATED THROUGH OUR POET OFFICERS, WE ARE GETTING REPORTS FROM THE CROWD THAT A PERSON IS PUNCHING PEOPLE OR BREAKING WINDOWS OR THROWING STUFF OR WHATEVER THAT IS. OUR INTENT IS TO IDENTIFY AND ISOLATE AND HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE AND WE WOULD LIKE YOUR ASSISTANCE IN DOING THAT. WE RECENTLY HAD A LOT OF REALLY POSITIVE SUCCESS WITH THIS STRATEGY, WE'VE HAD FOLKS WHO'VE HAD INTEGRATION IN CROWDS WITH THE SUSPECTED INTENT OF CAUSING MAYHEM OR DOING BAD ACTS AND THE GROUPS ARE DOING A VERY GOOD JOB MANAGING THEMSELVES AND THE COMMUNITIES ARE THROWING THEM OUT OF THE ORGANIZATIONS, WHICH IS REALLY POSITIVE TO SEE, THAT ELIMINATES OUR NEED FOR HIGH-LEVEL INTERACTIONS. BUT, AGAIN, BACK TO OUR RESPONSE , WE WILL ATTEMPT TO USE ORGANIZERS TO MONETARY AND VOLUNTARY COMPLIANCE, OUTLINE SPECIFIC BEHAVIORS AND UTILIZE OUR POET OFFICERS, USING AMPLIFIED SOUND TO COMMUNICATE OUR INTENT, THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS WERE OFTEN IN PREVIOUS DEMONSTRATIONS, WAS THE ONLY TOOL WE HAD AVAILABLE, THE INADEQUATE P.A. SYSTEMS , WHICH WERE NOT ALLOWED ENOUGH AND NOT CLEAR ENOUGH . AND WHILE WE ARE TRYING TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE CROWD THROUGH THESE TOOLS WE HAD AVAILABLE AT THE TIME, THEY WERE NOT AN EFFECTIVE RESOURCE. SO, THE DEPARTMENT HAS ACQUIRED USE OF LONG-RANGE ACOUSTIC DEVICES WHICH HAD PREVIOUS CAPACITY OF BEING WEAPON ICED -- WEAPONIZED. BUT THEY DO PROVIDE A VERY CLEAR DIRECTIONAL ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE CROWD . SO HOW THIS WORKS , IN CONJUNCTION WITH IDENTIFYING ISOLATED CRIMINAL CONDUCT IS WE WILL WORK WITH THE ORGANIZERS AND SAY THIS IS REPORTED AND WE ARE TRYING TO IDENTIFY THIS PERSON. IF WE IDENTIFY THE PERSON, WE WILL START TALKING ON THE LRAD TO THE CROWD AND LET THEM KNOW OUR INTENT . THERE IS SOMEBODY IN THE CROWD WHO IS ENGAGED IN CRIMINAL CONDUCT, WE ARE MOVING FORWARD TO ARREST THEM, PLEASE DO NOT INTERFERE WITH OFFICERS, OUR GOAL IS TO RETURN TO THIS EVENT AS SOON AS WE CAN. SO WE ARE BEING THOUGHT PARTNERS AND COMMUNICATING OUR INTENT SO IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE WE ARE GOING INTO THIS DISPERSED CROWD, THAT IS NOT OUR INTENT. AND FROM THERE, WE WILL CONTINUE TO ASSESS MODULATE RESPONSES AS WE CONTINUE. ESCALATING UP TO PHASE FOUR, AGAIN, THIS GOES IN CONJUNCTION WITH PHASE THREE BUT WE HAVE ISOLATED UNLAWFUL BEHAVIOR, INDIVIDUAL BAD ACTS IN THE CROWD , PROPER PROTTIVI. HOWEVER, ISOLATED UNLAWFUL ACTIVITY BY INDIVIDUALS OR SMALL GROUPS SHOULD NOT AUTOMATICALLY FORM THE BASIS FOR DECLARING AN UNLAWFUL ASSEMBLY, WE ARE DIFFERENTIATED BY CONTACT. AND AGAIN , THAT FOLLOWS A VERY SPECIFIC PROCESS THAT I JUST DESCRIBED. THE GOAL IS TO ISOLATE AND ARREST ANY VIOLATORS . ALL CONTACTS WITH ANY OF THESE LIMITATIONS WILL BE CAPTURED ON BODY ONE VIDEO, AGAIN OUR GOAL IS TO ATTEMPT TO USE MONITORS TO GAIN VOLUNTARY COMPLIANCE. AGAIN, THAT COULD BE IF WE HAVE A BAD ACTOR IN THE MIDDLE OF A CROWD, THAT IS NOT THE TIME FOR US TO GO AND TRY TO HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE SO WE WILL MONITOR THAT PERSON AND AS THEY WORK THROUGH THE FRINGES OF THE GROUP, OR MAYBE AFTER THE EVENT IS OVER, WE ARE GOING TO TRY TO PRIORITIZE THOSE TACTICS TO AGAIN TRY TO MITIGATE OUR IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CROWD . ANY FOREST USE SHOULD BE IN PROPORTION TO THE ARREST, THESE ARE INDIVIDUAL OFFICERS MAKING ARRESTS, AND HAVE ACCESS TO THEIR LESS LETHAL TOOLS AS PART OF OUR NORMAL CONTINUE ON. AND IF IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO MAKE ARRESTS, IDENTIFY AND TRACK THE SUSPECTS FOR LATER ARREST AND CONTINUE TO MODULATE THESE BEHAVIOR CHANGES AS WE CONTINUE. SO THE FIRST FOUR PHASES DO NOT COVER ANY NEED FOR USE OF BLAST BALLS OR SES , THAT IS ON THE EXTREME END WHICH WE WILL GET TO IN A SECOND. AND JUST ANSWER YOUR QUESTION SPECIFICALLY ON THE TYPE OF BLAST BALLS WE USE, CURRENTLY WE HAVE INERT BLAST BALLS WHICH MAKE A VERY LOUD BANG AND PRODUCE WHITE SMOKE AND THERE IS NO CHEMICAL STUFF. AND ALSO PEPPER BALLS , WE DO NOT HAVE ANY CS BLAST BALLS, THAT IS NOT SOMETHING WE HAVE. AND AGAIN, IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT AS WE TALK ABOUT CMIC'S , ALL OF THESE ACTIONS WILL COME AT THE DIRECTION OF THE INCIDENT COMMANDER . THAT WILL BE A LIEUTENANT OR HIGHER. HOW THAT WORKS , BE IT IF THERE'S ONE LIEUTENANT, IF THERE IS MORE THAN ONE, WE WILL HAVE A CAPTAIN ASSIGNED. IF WE HAVE TWO CAPTAINS, WE WILL HAVE AN ASSISTANT CHIEF ASSIGNED, AND SO ON AND SO FORTH, BUT ANY AUTHORIZATIONS TO USE FORCE , TO MOVE THE CROWD WILL BE AT THE DIRECTION OF THE IC , IF WE USE THE EXAMPLE AS BLAST BALLS TO MOVE A CROWD, I AM RESPONSIBLE FOR DOCUMENTING IT IN A STATEMENT WHY I MADE THAT DECISION, WHAT WAS MY JUSTIFICATION, WHAT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING, WHAT WAS MY INTENT . ALL OF THOSE FACTORS, IN ADDITION TO THE OFFICERS WHO USE FORCE WRITING INDIVIDUAL USE OF FORCE STATEMENTS AS WELL. SO, PHASE FIVE, UNLAWFUL ASSEMBLY , UNLAWFUL BEHAVIOR WITHIN A CROWD CANNOT BE CONTROLLED THROUGH INTERVENTION STRATEGIES, ASSEMBLIES MAY BE DISPERSED. AGAIN, WE HAVE CROSSED OVER FROM THE PLACE WHERE WE ARE ABLE TO DIFFERENTIATE AND IDENTIFY INDIVIDUAL ACTORS IN A CROWD, SO WE NEED TO ADDRESS THE CROWD AS A WHOLE. AGAIN, VIOLENT ACTS BY FOUR OR MORE PERSONS OR AGAINST SUBSTANTIAL PROPERTY DAMAGE, SIGNIFICANT TRAFFIC DISRUPTIONS, MEMBERS -- HARM TO ITS MEMBERS, AND FOR EXAMPLE THERE WAS A GROUP THAT WANTED TO PROTEST ON A FREEWAY OFF RAMP WEARING ALL BLACK WELL YOU CAN'T DO THAT BECAUSE YOU ARE GOING TO GET RUN OVER SO WE FORCED THEM OFF THE ROAD SO THAT THEY WOULDN'T INJURE THEMSELVES OR IN PUBLIC. OTHER CRIMINAL ACTS IN THE CROWD CANNOT BE ADDRESSED TO CROWD INTERVENTION STRATEGIES , SO OUR RESPONSE IS AGAIN, WHEN CONSIDERING THE SAFETY MEASURES IN A CROWD, FORCE MAY BE USED TO DISPERSE THE CROWD OR ADDRESS THE VIOLENCE. PRIOR TO ANY OF THESE ACTIONS, WE ARE REQUIRED TO GIVE AN ADVISEMENT TO THE GROUP AND SAY, THIS IS WHAT IS NOT OKAY ABOUT WHAT IS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW . THIS IS OUR INTENT, WE WOULD LIKE YOU TO DISPERSE, FOLLOWING THE DISPERSAL ORDER THAT IS PRESCRIBED IN THE POLICY, WE ARE GOING TO HIGHLIGHT WHERE WE WANT THEM TO GO, THERE IS AN AVENUE OF EGRESS OR EXIT DIRECTLY BEHIND YOU OR YOUR LEFT OR RIGHT, WE WILL PROVIDE THAT DIRECTION. WE WILL IDENTIFY APPROPRIATE STAGING AREAS FOR ANY OBSERVERS FROM THE MEDIA FOLKS, JUST TO MAKE SURE THERE ARE NOT ANY HARMS . AND ALSO DESCRIBE WHAT TYPE OF FORCE WE ARE CONSIDERING. WE NEED TO MOVE THIS CROWN BECAUSE OF THIS REASON , WE ARE ORDERING YOU TO LEAVE, THIS IS HOW YOU DO THAT. IF YOU DON'T COMPLY, THIS IS WHAT TOOLS WE ARE GOING TO BRING AND IT COULD BE BLAST BALLS OR SO ON AND SO FORTH. AND AGAIN, CONTINUING TO ASSESS AND MODULATE RESPONSES AS BEHAVIOR CHANGES. IF THAT WARNING DOES IT FOR US , WE ARE NOT TRYING TO OBSTRUCT THIS, THEN WE MAY MODULATE THAT DOWN, THAT IS FINE. WE CAN CONTINUE COMMUNICATION WITH THE GROUP AND SO ON AND SO FORTH. MOVING TO THE FINAL PHASE, IMMEDIATE LIFE SAFETY, CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, MANAGEMENT MAY ESCALATE TO IMMEDIATE ACTION. SOME EXAMPLES IN THE CMIC, CRY MEMBERS THROWING MOLOTOV COCKTAILS OR IF THERE ARE VEHICLE ATTACKS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. SO AGAIN, IDENTIFYING THOSE DISPERSAL ROUTES, UNDERSTANDING THAT THE USE OF FORCE AUTHORIZATION WILL COME FROM THE INCIDENT COMMANDER BUT THAT SHOULD BE PROPORTIONAL TO THE CROWD . AND AGAIN, CONTINUING TO ASSESS AND MODULATE RESPONSES AS BEHAVIOR CHANGES AND IF WE GET TO THAT POINT WHERE NOTHING ELSE IS EFFECTIVE, GLASS BALLS ARE NOT EFFECTIVE, WE WILL START TALKING ABOUT THE USE OF CS IF AUTHORIZED AND THAT IS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE CURRENT RCW IF EVERYTHING ELSE FAILS. >> I JUST WANTED TO ADD ONE THING FOR COUNCILS UNDERSTANDING ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNICATION AND HAVING THE LRAD AND THE ABILITY TO TELL THE CROWD WHAT IS GOING ON, THE PRIMARY FACTOR IN ESCALATING A CROWD TO VIOLENCE AS A GROUP IS THE PERCEIVED ILLEGITIMACY OF WHAT THE OFFICERS ARE DOING IN THAT CROWD SO, AS NELSON EXPLAINED, IF YOU ARE COMMUNICATING HERE IS WHAT WE ARE DOING AND WHY WE ARE DOING , THAT HAS A DS GLITTERY EFFECT ON THE CROWD BECAUSE THEY SAY THEY ARE NOT JUST GOING TO SHUT US DOWN, THEY ARE GOING BECAUSE THAT PERSON IS THROWING A MOLOTOV COCKTAIL. SO TO THE EXTENT THAT COMMUNICATION WITHIN THE CROWD AND TO THE CROWD IS EFFECTIVE, THAT HAS A STRONG DS GLITTERY -- DE-ESCALATORY LEGITIMACY, SO I WANTED TO THROW THAT OUT THERE, AS WE HAVE SEEN, SINCE 2020, SPD'S ADOPTION OF THIS APPROACH OF OVER COMMUNICATION HAS RESULTED IN VERY LITTLE, IF ANY USE OF FORCE SINCE THEN. THANK YOU. >> FINALLY, CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER, BRIAN MAXEY WILL SUMMARIZE THE WORKING GROUP AND SOME OF THE CHANGES THEY HAVE MADE IN THEIR POLICIES. >> YES AND THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN FOR HAVING US, I REALLY APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR SPD TO BE AT THE TABLE DISCUSSING THESE ORDINANCES AND ALL OF THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE OVER THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS OF ENGAGEMENT WITH CENTRAL STAFF AND DIRECTLY WITH MANY OF YOU COUNCILMEMBERS ON WHAT, WHY, HOW AND TAKING THE TIME TO UNDERSTAND THIS AND I APPLAUD THE EFFORT OF THE COUNCIL TO GET DEEP INTO THE WEEDS BECAUSE THIS WORK IS REALLY NUANCED AND IS MULTILAYERED AND DOES TAKE TIME TO UNDERSTAND. I REALLY APPRECIATE THIS ENGAGEMENT. IN PARTICULAR, THE CENTRAL STAFF COLLABORATION THAT WE HAVE HAD OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS HAS BEEN EXCEPTIONAL AND IN MY EXPERIENCE, THIS IS A NEW GOVERNMENTAL APPROACH TO COLLABORATION THAT IS FAR DEEPER AND DOES PROVIDE FOR BETTER UNDERSTANDING SO I WANT TO THANK THEM FOR THE HARD WORK WE HAVE DONE BEFORE WE WRITE THIS TO YOU. OUTSIDE OF THAT COLLABORATION, THERE HAS BEEN AN ONGOING MULTIYEAR COLLABORATION THAT HAS HAPPENED, IN 2019 , OUR POLICIES WERE CONSIDERED A MODEL FOR THE NATION , THEY WERE APPROVED BY THE FEDERAL COURT AND THE MONITORING TEAM. AND, WE THOUGHT WE KNEW WHAT WE WERE DOING, THEN WE HIT 2020 AND THE RULES CHANGED, WE WATCHED DEPARTMENTS ACROSS THIS NATION STRUGGLE WITH THE NEW COMMUNITY EXPECTATIONS, THE NEW DEVELOPMENT THAT THE PROTEST ITSELF WAS ABOUT THE POLICE AND AT THE POLICE AND WITHOUT GOING DEEPLY INTO 2020 , THERE WERE SYSTEMIC LEADERSHIP FAILURES THAT DECIDED TO PUT SPD OFFICERS ON LINES FOR 100 STRAIGHT DAYS WORKING 16+ HOURS PER DAY . THAT WAS NOT A GOOD SITUATION FOR ANYONE INVOLVED , AND CERTAINLY IRONIC TO ME THAT WE HAVE THE 30 BY 30 PRESENTATION PRIOR TO THIS BECAUSE ONE OF THE MAJOR COMPLAINTS I HAVE HEARD FROM MANY OF OUR OFFICERS WITH FAMILIES, THEY DIDN'T SEE THEIR KIDS FOR WEEKS, THEY HAD TO PUT THEM IN 24-HOUR CHILDCARE BECAUSE OF WHAT THE CITY COMPELLED SPD TO DO DURING 2020, NONE OF THAT IS TO SUGGEST SPD DID NOT HAVE MISSTEPS OF ITS OWN. CERTAINLY THERE WERE MANY ERRORS AND I THINK WE KNOW MANY OF THOSE STORIES. AT THE END OF 2020, SPD WAS ALREADY IN THE PROCESS OF PIVOTING , REALIZING THIS WAS NOT WORKING, THERE WERE MANY CHANGES. AND EVEN AS THOSE INITIAL ORDINANCES WERE DEVELOPED, SPD WAS NOT AT THE TABLE TO HELP INFORM OR DISCUSS OR DEBATE THOSE PROPOSITIONS. INSTEAD, I THINK OUR FIRST REAL ENGAGEMENT WITH THE CITY WAS THROUGH THE CENTRAL EVENT REVIEW , IT INVOLVED SPD, IT INVOLVED COMMUNITY MEMBERS, IT WAS LED BY THE OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL AND AS I SAID, IT WAS MULTIYEAR SO THERE WERE FIVE PHASES TO THIS THAT WERE MANY MONTHS OF DISCUSSIONS AND THOSE DISCUSSIONS CAME BACK THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT, WE WERE ALSO LEARNING THROUGH OUR OWN REVIEW BOARD, LOOKING AT ALL OF THE OPA FINDINGS THAT WERE EMERGING DURING THAT TIME AND WE COMPLETELY REINVENTED CROWD MANAGEMENT . WE SENT SEVERAL COHORTS OVER TO EUROPE TO LOOK AT THE EUROPEAN MODELS. THAT WAS WITHIN FIFA AND WHAT WE KNOW IS COMING SOON NEXT YEAR BUT ALSO JUST LEARN FROM THE EUROPEAN MODEL, HOW DO THEY DEAL WITH THESE THINGS? AND THERE WERE THINGS THAT WERE REALLY BENEFICIAL AND THINGS WE COULDN'T IMPLEMENT BECAUSE WE HAVE A CONSTITUTION AND THEY DO NOT AND THAT CREATES , I WOULD SAY WE ARE BETTER FOR IT BUT IT DEFINITELY CHANGED OUR APPROACH. WE WENT THROUGH THE SENTINEL EVENT REVIEW , AND DOJ CONTINUES TO SEND OTHER DEPARTMENTS TO US TO LEARN FROM SOME OF OUR EXPERIENCES AND WE SHARE NATIONALLY ON LESSONS LEARNED. I REALIZE IT IS PROBABLY TOO SOON TO EVER SAY THAT WAS THEN, THIS IS NOW REGARDING 2020 AND THAT IS NOT MY MESSAGE TODAY, MY MESSAGE IS TO SAY THAT WE HAVE EVOLVED AND LEARNED A LOT AND THE APPROACH THAT ASSISTANT CHIEF NELSON JUST WALKED THROUGH IS VERY NUANCED, VERY SOPHISTICATED AND REALLY DOES CENTER THAT DIALOGUE , LET'S TALK TO THE PEOPLE THAT WANT TO EXPRESS , LET'S FIGURE OUT HOW TO FACILITATE THEM AND HAVE LOW IMPACT . AND THAT IS AT THE FOREFRONT OF ALL OF THE APPROACHES . SPECIFICALLY REGARDING THE CENTRAL STAFF MEMO, AND ONE OF THE REALLY STRONG BENEFITS OF SUCH A COLLABORATION, AS ISSUES ARE RAISED, WE TALK ABOUT THEM, AND WE SAY OKAY, DOES OUR POLICY MEET OUR EXPECTATIONS? AND IN GOING THROUGH THIS CENTRAL STAFF IDENTIFIED SEVERAL THINGS WITHIN OUR POLICY THAT WERE INCONSISTENT WITH OUR PRACTICE, FOR EXAMPLE, THE SUBSTANTIAL PROPERTY DAMAGE WAS NOT ARTICULATED IN OUR POLICIES PREVIOUSLY. IT WAS IN SOME SECTIONS, NOT IN OTHERS, USUALLY TOOLS SPECIFIC. WE IMPORTED THAT INTO THE CMIC , SO THEY CAN CONNECT WITH THIS ORDINANCE IN A SEAMLESS MANNER AND THAT WAS BENEFICIAL TO ALL BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT WE DO THAT IS NOT WHAT WE SAID WE WOULD DO AND THAT IS PROBLEMATIC AS ONE OF THE MAJOR SIGNIFICANT REASONS WE HAVE PUBLIC FACING POLICIES IS TO LET OUR COMMUNITY KNOW EXACTLY WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO AND WHY. SO WE FIXED THAT. AS RECOMMENDATION NUMBER TWO WAS THE DISPERSAL ORDERS GIVEN BY OFFICERS THAT ARE RANKED LIEUTENANT AND ABOVE , THAT REALLY IS OUR POLICY, WE REALIZED AS WE HAD IT LAID OUT IN OUR CROWD MANAGEMENT POLICY, WE ALLOWED SERGEANTS TO BE INCIDENT COMMANDERS , THAT DID NOT RISE TO THE LEVEL OF CROWD DISPERSAL. BY THE TIME YOU ARE DEALING WITH SOMETHING WHERE YOU ARE MOVING FROM A FOURTH AMENDMENT INTRUSION INTO A FIRST AMENDMENT , WHERE YOU ARE SAYING THIS IS NOW AN UNLAWFUL ASSEMBLY, WE FULLY AGREE THAT NEEDS TO BE AT A MUCH HIGHER LEVEL OF THE DEPARTMENT, WE WOULD ALLOW SOME FLEXIBILITY, HOWEVER IN PRACTICE AND IN REALITY, I CANNOT IMAGINE THAT WOULD NOT BE A WAY UP THE CHAIN OF COMMAND BEFORE WE START ISSUING DISPERSAL ORDERS . I'M GOING TO SKIP TO NUMBER FOUR WHICH IS SPD SHOULD CONSIDER CLARIFYING ITS BLAST BALL DEPLOYMENT POLICY , AND WHEN USED FOR CROWD CONTROL DISPERSAL, OFFICER SHOULD DEPLOY BLAST BALLS AND EMPTY SPACES AWAY FROM PEOPLE. THAT IS PRECISELY WHAT WE HAVE CHANGED OUR POLICY TO SAY, OFFICERS WILL DEPLOY THEM INTO OPEN SPACES WHEN FEASIBLE, THAT IS WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO, WE TOOK OUT TOWARDS, OR AWAY , OR ANYTHING WITH PEOPLE, AND WE ALSO HAVE CLARIFIED IN THE DEFINITION OF BLAST BALL IN OUR POLICY 8.050, WHICH MAKES IT CLEAR THAT THE BLAST BALL IS A CROWD DISPERSAL TOOL. IT IS EXTREMELY RARE THAT THE DEVICE COULD BE USED ON AN INDIVIDUAL, IF THAT IS WHAT YOU HAVE IN YOUR HAND AND THERE IS SOMETHING THAT IS CATASTROPHIC THAT IS HAPPENING, THEORETICALLY IT COULD BE BUT IT IS NOT WHAT WE TRAINED AND IT IS NOT THE GO TO TOOL IF THERE ARE AVAILABLE OPTIONS. TO BE CLEAR, THIS IS FOR CROWD DISPERSAL, WE WE ARE AT A LEVEL 5 OR ABOVE AND IT IS NO LONGER LAWFUL TO BE HERE. THE OTHER TOOL WE HAVE IS CS, WHICH AS INDICATED HERE, WE HEARD SOME OF THE PUBLIC COMMENTERS TALKING ABOUT BEING IN THEIR HOMES AND HAVING CS COME INTO THEIR HOMES, THAT IS THE PROBLEM, IT IS PERVASIVE, BLAST BALLS ARE NOT A PERFECT TOOL, NOBODY LOVES THEM, THEY ARE LESS INDISCRIMINATE THAN CS AND THOSE ARE THE TWO VIABLE TOOLS FOR THIS PURPOSE. AGAIN, THAT IS THE EXCEPTION, THE PAST FOUR YEARS , WE HAVE NOT DEPLOYED A BLAST BALL SINCE OCTOBER 26 OF 2020 AND OUR USE DESCRIBED BY MEMBERS OF THIS PANEL HAS NOT BEEN CURTAILED BY LAW. THERE WAS A STRONG PERCEPTION THAT THE CURRENT ORDINANCES ARE CONTROLLING SPD'S BEHAVIOR , AND WE FOLLOW OUR POLICIES AT THIS POINT BUT WE HAVE NOT NEEDED TO RESORT TO CROWD DISPERSAL, LESS LETHAL TOOLS VERY MUCH OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS SO I JUST ASK THAT THAT TRACK RECORD BE AT LEAST IN THE THINKING AS WE CONSIDER WHAT THE BEST PATH FORWARD IS. JUST ON THE LAST POINT, NUMBER THREE , ABOUT MUTUAL AID , WHEN WE ASK FOR ASSETS TO COME TO SPD TO SUPPORT US, THERE CAN BE A VARIETY OF THINGS WE REQUEST, WE MIGHT GET BIKE OFFICERS FROM BELLEVUE, WE MIGHT GET A S.W.A.T. TEAM FROM THE VALLEY SWAT GROUPS, WE MAY HAVE KANE COUNTY HELP US AS WELL. THERE ARE DIFFERENT REQUESTS FOR DIFFERENT PURPOSES AND WE WOULD NEVER ALLOW SPD OFFICERS TO WORK UNDER ANOTHER POLICY, WE HAVE SEEN THIS UNDER FEDERAL TASK FORCES, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ASKS US TO ALLOW OFFICERS TO DO PRETAX OPS , WE SAID NO, THAT IS NOT OUR POLICY, WE FOLLOW OUR STATE LAW AND COMMUNITY VALUES . FOR THE SAME REASON, OTHER DEPARTMENTS ARE NOT GOING TO FOLLOW OUR POLICIES , HOWEVER WHAT THEY ARE GOING TO FOLLOW IS OUR COMMAND IN CONTROL. THEY MAY COME TO WORK FOR US, THEY ARE UNDER OUR SUPERVISION AND THE DISTINCTION HAS BEEN DRAWN BETWEEN INDIVIDUAL OFFICER DISCRETION AND SOMETHING THAT IS MANAGED AT THE INCIDENT COMMANDER LEVEL, TWO WAYS WERE LESS LETHAL TOOLS CAN BE USED. WHEN WE MAKE A REQUEST, WE ASK THEM TO ITEMIZE WHAT TOOLS THEY ARE BRINGING AND CLARIFY WHAT THE ASSIGNMENT IS GOING TO BE AND FIGURE OUT THE BEST USE OF WHATEVER RESOURCE IS COMING TO US. THOSE DEPARTMENTS WILL ALWAYS RETAIN THE ABILITY TO USE LESS LETHAL TOOLS FOR LIFE AND SAFETY, SELF-DEFENSE , OR DEFENSE OF OTHERS BUT THEY ARE NOT GOING TO BE ISSUING DISPERSAL ORDERS AND THROWING BLAST BALLS AND TEARGAS WITHOUT A LOT OF OTHER INVOLVEMENT FROM COMMAND AND IF IT GETS TO CS WITH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE. FULLY UNDERSTAND THE CONCERN ABOUT MUTUAL AID PARTNERS, THE RECIPROCAL CONCERN IS -- ANOTHER CONCERN IS THAT WHEN THE ORDINANCE WAS PASSED IN 2020 AND 2021, OUR PARTNERS MADE IT CLEAR THEY ARE NOT COMING TO HELP US AND WE ARE SO SHORT-STAFFED, WE ARE NOT IN A POSITION WHERE WE COULD RESPONSIBLY MANAGE THE CLUB NEXT YEAR WITHOUT MUTUAL AID SUPPORT AND WE WILL BE WORKING WITH OUR PARTNERS IN ADVANCE OF ALL OF THIS TO GET CLARITY ON EXPECTATIONS, THEY WILL GET THE INCIDENT ACTION PLANS AND THEY WILL BE UNDER OUR COMMAND AND CONTROL WHEN THAT IS HAPPENING. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT CLEAR AND I THINK IN THE COUNCILMEMBER MEMO, GREG DOSS DID A GOOD JOB OF EXPLAINING HOW WE THAT AND CONTROL MUTUAL AID, THAT HOPEFULLY HELPS INSPIRE CONFIDENCE. >> THANK YOU, CHAIR. THANK YOU EVERYONE , FROM ALL THE VARIOUS ELEMENTS FROM THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, SPD, OIG AND OF COURSE OUR OWN CENTRAL STAFF , WE ARE RUNNING LATE, ANY QUESTIONS , COUNCILMEMBER MOORE, I SEE YOUR HAND. AND THANK YOU COUNCIL PRESIDENT, YES, THE COUNCIL PRESIDENT JOINED US HERE. >> I'M SORRY, I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS RIGHT NOW, BUT THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, CONTEXT, I APPRECIATE THAT THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF THOUGHT PUT INTO THIS , WITH ALL OF THE ACCOUNTABILITY PARTNERS RUSHING INTO THE CHANGE , SO I WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR THAT MY CONCERNS AND MY QUESTIONS IN NO WAY EXPRESS AN OPINION THAT I DON'T THINK THIS HAS BEEN THOUGHTFULLY AND CAREFULLY APPROACHED. I JUST DON'T NECESSARILY AGREE WITH THE CONCLUSIONS. AND I THINK THAT IS FAIR, BUT I THINK THE FACT THAT WE HAVE TAKEN THE TIME TO TALK ABOUT THIS, WE ARE GOING TO TAKE THE TIME TO TALK ABOUT IT, IT IS BEING TALKED ABOUT A LOT AND SPD HAS TRULY MADE TREMENDOUS PROGRESS . I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE ALL THE PROGRESS THAT SPD HAS MADE, AND TO YOUR POINT, YOU HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING THIS INTERIM POLICY AND TO DATE IT HAS BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL AND THAT SHOWS A GOOD TRACK RECORD FROM WHICH TO LOOK AT SO IT IS IMPORTANT TO KEEP THAT IN MIND. I DID JUST WANT TO SAY THAT I WILL BE BRINGING AMENDMENTS AND I ALSO THINK IT IS IMPORTANT , I APPRECIATE THAT WE WANT TO GET OUT OF THE CONSENT DECREE, I THINK ALL OF US SEE THERE IS BENEFIT TO GETTING OUT OF THE CONSENT DECREE, THE JUDGE IS GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THE POLICY OF THIS ORDINANCE AND THE ATTACHED POLICY ADDRESSES HIS CONCERNS, EVEN THOUGH HE MIGHT HAVE APPROVED THE INTERIM POLICY, I DON'T KNOW WHERE HE LANDS RIGHT NOW PARTICULARLY AS THIS IS A CONDITION TO GET US OUT OF THE CONSENT DECREE. I KNOW THAT JUDGE JONES , THAT CASE IS STILL PENDING AND THERE IS A RESTRAINING ORDER AND THERE'S SOME GUIDELINES AROUND WHAT USE OF FORCE CAN BE USED, WE NEED TO BE MINDFUL OF THAT AS WELL. IT CAN BE A FALSE SENSE OF URGENCY THAT WE HAVE GOT TO GET THIS DONE SO WE CAN GET THE CONSENT DECREE LISTED, THERE'S NO GUARANTEE THAT WHAT WE DO HERE TODAY IS GOING TO RESULT IN THE CONSENT DECREE BEING LIFTED AND I THINK WE CAN USE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO BE VERY THOUGHTFUL ABOUT THIS POLICY GOING FORWARD. JUST MY THOUGHTS ON THAT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, CHAIR. >> THANK YOU AND YES I DO EXPECT AMENDMENTS, MY EARLIER COMMENT WAS RELATED TO THE TIMING , IT HAS GONE THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS WHAT WE CANNOT HAVE IS WHAT HAPPENED WITH THIS TOPIC SO AS I SAID EARLIER , WE GOT OVER A MONTH BEFORE THE NEXT MEETING, PLEASE WORK WITH CENTRAL STAFF, WITH MR. DOSS AND THIS IS FOR EVERYBODY. AND IF YOU ARE WILLING, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY MY TEAM HAS BEEN WORKING EARLY ON THIS, AS I MENTIONED, WITH CENTRAL STAFF AND ALL OF THE EXECUTIVE SIDE AND THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE , SO WE CAN CONTINUE TO DO THAT AS WELL. I USUALLY GO FIRST TO VICE CHAIR BUT SINCE COBEMOORE WAS THERE, AND CONTINUING FROM WHERE WE ENDED OFF, VICE CHAIR , OVER TO YOU. >> THANK YOU TO SPD AND OIG FOR YOUR WORK HERE AND SHARING THESE POLICIES , SOME SPECIFIC LEARNINGS, BEST PRACTICES, TRENDS , EMERGING PRACTICES , IT IS UP TO US TO DETERMINE WHETHER THEY ARE TRULY BEST AND THAT IS FAIR. I WANT TO DOUBLE-CLICK ON THE CONTRACT OR THE SPECIFIC TACTIC OF BLAST BALLS AND FIRST OFF, LET ME ALSO SAY THANK YOU TO COUNCILMEMBER MOORE, I APPRECIATE HER COMMENTS TODAY AND ESPECIALLY HER EARLIER COMMENTS RIGHT AFTER THE PRESENTATION, I WOULD SAY I GENERALLY AGREE WITH THE ESSENCE OF EVERYTHING SHE SAID SO I APPRECIATE YOU BEING EXPLICIT AND CALLING OUT THE OPPORTUNITIES HERE , AND I WOULD ALSO AGREE , FOR EXAMPLE, THAT I THINK BLAST BALLS SHOULD BE USED AS A MATTER OF LAST RESULT WHEN WE ARE TALKING ABOUT CROWD DISBURSEMENT, AS A MATTER OF LAST RESORT AND ALSO, TRICKLING BACK TO THE OUTSTANDING CENTRAL STAFF MEMBER HERE, PAGE NINE OF THE MEMO, THAT VERY FIRST PARAGRAPH UNDER THE OPTIONS FOR COUNCIL ACTION, IT TALKS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF FLEXIBILITY WHICH I GENERALLY SUPPORT AND THE SECOND SENTENCE THAT THIS ORDINANCE WOULD ALLOW SPD TO ADDRESS CHANGES IN BOTH AVAILABLE CROWD CONTROL TECHNOLOGIES AND EMERGING BEST PRACTICES OR EMERGING TRENDS . WITHOUT THE DELAY ASSOCIATED WITH THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS AND WITHOUT DRAWING THE COUNSEL INTO TECHNICAL RATHER THAN POLICY LEVEL JUDGMENTS ABOUT APPROPRIATE TOOLS AND METHODS AND THAT IS A PROPOSITION THAT I STRONGLY AGREE WITH AND I THINK THE SAME CHALLENGE MANIFESTS ITSELF IN OTHER POLICY AREAS AND TOPICS INCLUDING WITH RESPECT TO POLICING. I DON'T THINK THE COUNSELOR SHOULD HAVE TO PERSONALLY REVIEW AND APPROVE EVERY SINGLE DEPLOYMENT OF TECHNOLOGY , SUCH AS HOSTAGE NEGOTIATIONS . BUT IN ANY EVENT , I SHOULD ALSO SAY I HAVE NOT YET HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO READ THE OCR MEMO THAT WAS CIRCULATED WITH US, OR ME, THIS MORNING , RIGHT BEFORE THIS MEETING . BUT I ALSO DID QUICKLY SCAN IT AND I SAW THE PICTURES THAT COUNCILMEMBER MOORE REFERENCED EARLIER THAT APPEAR TO BE FROM INCIDENTS ALL ACROSS THE WORLD AND ONE OF THOSE WAS FROM SEATTLE IT LOOKS LIKE, AT LEAST ONE THAT I'M AWARE OF AT A QUICK GLANCE. BUT, GLASS BALLS ARE VERY DANGEROUS CROWD DISBURSEMENT TOOLS AND THEY SHOULD BE AGAIN, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, BE DEPLOYED ON A VERY RARE BASIS AND IF THERE'S ANY NUMBER OF AMENDMENTS AND THINGS WE CAN DO TO ADDRESS THAT, I'M INCLINED TO ADDRESS THE APPROPRIATE AUTHORITY THAT CAN AUTHORIZE THAT KIND OF ACTION, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT IS OFFHAND BUT, UNDER THE STATE LAW , WHO TOOK A DEEPER DIVE INTO THIS SPECIFIC USE OF TEAR GAS , THE MAYOR HAS TO AUTHORIZE THE USE OF TEAR GAS BUT HE OR SHE DOESN'T LITERALLY AUTHORIZE THE USE OF TEAR GAS, IT MUST DECLARE A CERTAIN STATE OF EMERGENCY , WHICH COULD TRIGGER POTENTIAL HE THE USE OF TEAR GAS , I THINK THAT PROBABLY MAKES A FAIR AMOUNT OF SENSE TO ADD THE USE AND DEPLOYMENT OF BLAST BALLS TO THAT ANALYSIS . BUT, A LIEUTENANT IS PROBABLY NOT THE APPROPRIATE AUTHORIZED APPROVER FOR SOMETHING OF THIS POTENTIAL CONSEQUENCE. ON THE ISSUE OF STATE LEGISLATIVE , DEEP DIVING IF YOU WILL, INTO SPECIFIC METHODS AND TOOLS OF CROWD CONTROL , THERE IS A LOT OF , WELL , THERE'S SOME REGULATION AS I UNDERSTAND, MAYBE THIS IS A QUESTION FOR GREG, I DON'T KNOW, BUT IF ANYONE HAS THOUGHTS, I WOULD APPRECIATE IT, THERE'S DEFINITELY SOME STATE REGULATION THAT GOVERNS THE USE OF TEAR GAS, INCLUDING WHICH AUTHORIZES , REQUIRES THE MAYOR TO DECLARE CERTAIN STATES , IN ORDER FOR TEARGAS TO BE DEPLOYED , WHY DO YOU THINK IT IS THAT THE STATE LEGISLATURE TOOK UP THIS SPECIFIC TOPIC OF TEARGAS DEPLOYMENT BUT AS FAR AS I UNDERSTAND, DIDN'T ALSO CONSIDER OR ASSESS OR REGULATE OR PUT ANY GUARDRAILS AROUND THE USE OF BLAST BALLS OR ANY OTHER CROWD DISBURSEMENT TOOLS ? >> THANK YOU, AS I POINTED OUT EARLIER, IS -- OUR IOG IS THE EXPERT IN THIS AREA. >> I DON'T PURPORT TO BE ABLE TO READ THE MINDS OF LEGISLATURES BUT, IF I WAS HAZARDING A SOMEWHAT EDUCATED GUESS, I WOULD SAY THAT TEARGAS IS WIDELY INDISCRIMINATE, BUT THE PARTICULATE NATURE OF IT, IT IS VERY SMALL CONCEALMENT TO THE ENVIRONMENT OF A BLAST BALL, IT IS DISCRETE, IT IS SOMETHING THAT CAN HAVE A BOUNCE AND GO IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION, AN UNINTENDED DIRECTION , IN A FAIRLY SHORT RADIUS, AND THAT IS IT. TEARGAS, IN THE AREA THAT IT IS OCCUPIED , THAT IS DENSELY RESIDENTIAL, IT COULD IMPACT A VARIETY OF PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT EVEN PARTICIPATING IN THE FIRST AMENDMENT EVENTS, SO THAT IS ONE OF THE PRIMARY REASONS THAT THERE WERE REGULATIONS BECAUSE IT COULD IMPACT FOLKS WHO ARE NOT EVEN ANYWHERE NEAR THE DEPLOYMENT OF IT. THAT IS MY BEST GUESS. >> THAT MAKES SENSE AND I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENT AND EXPERTISE ON THAT. MY SECOND AND FINAL QUESTION PERTAINS TO CURRENT DEPLOYMENT UNDER CURRENT POLICY OF BLAST BALLS BEFORE WE GET THERE, AND ENCOURAGED TO LEARN THAT UNDER THE CURRENT REVISED POLICY , WE GENERALLY THROW THAT AWAY FROM PEOPLE , WHICH BEGS THE QUESTION, WHAT IS A WAY MEAN -- WHAT DOES AWAY MEAN AND HOW IS THAT KEGLEY DID , AND THE IMPACT RADIUS OF THAT DEVICE , THAT IS A TECHNICAL DISCUSSION ESPECIALLY WITH OUR TIME CONSTRAINTS , BUT I HOPE ADDITIONAL THOUGHT IS GIVEN TO WHAT THAT MEANS AND WHO IS INVOLVED IN THE SCENE, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU HEARD THE SCENARIO EARLIER OF THE NINE-YEAR-OLD BEING IMPACTED BY THIS. SO I THINK THE MERE PRESENCE OF TENDER AGE KIDS , MAYBE THAT IS NOT THE BEST DEPLOYMENT OF THESE KINDS OF THINGS. AND I THINK CHILDREN IS THE ONE AND ONLY, UNLIKE ELDERLY AND PEOPLE WITH DIFFERENT MENTAL ACUITY AND CAPACITIES, WHERE YOU CAN'T ALWAYS DISCERN OUT OF QUICK JUDGMENT, NOR SHOULD FRONT-LINE OFFICERS BE ABLE TO MAKE THAT CALL , LIKE IT IS PRETTY CLEAR , YOU CAN UNDERSTAND THE MOTIVES AND INTENSE -- INTENTS, THAT MAYBE DEPLOYMENT IN FRONT OF A TENDER AGE INDIVIDUAL IS NOT THE BEST CASE. BUT, I DIGRESS , CAN YOU TALK LITTLE BIT MORE, AND I THE ON THE CHART OF THE RESPONSE IN THE CROWD ACTION, CAN YOU A LITTLE MORE SPECIFICALLY