There was a lot happening today. New department directors, new protections for domestic workers, support for dairy workers, discussion of the proposed Waterfront LID, and what SPD is doing about recent “shots fired” incidents in the Central District.
Category Archives: police
SPD still wrestling with overtime spending – and the Seattle IT department
This morning the City Council revisited a recurring pain point: the Seattle Police Department’s inability to stay within budget on its overtime expenses.
The issues with how the Seattle Police Department manages overtime for its officers go back for years, if not decades, but they came under particular scrutiny starting in October 2014 when then-Chief Kathleen O’Toole requested an audit of the department’s overtime practices. It took the City Auditor 18 months to issue the audit report; in the intervening time the City Budget Office and the City Council became acutely aware of the budget pain inflicted when SPD’s overtime expenses went deep into the red.
After the audit report was released in April 2016 and the Council was briefed, the City Council passed a resolution requesting quarterly reports through the end of 2017 from SPD on its progress in addressing the recommendations from the Auditor to get its overtime practices under control. Those reports showed some progress, but not enough to satisfy the Council that the issues had been resolved, so last fall the Council requested an interdepartmental team be convened to:
- Comprehensively describe SPD’s overtime policies and practices in relation to the findings and recommendations in the 2016 Office of City Auditor report on SPD overtime controls;
- Identify the sources and root causes of the historical gap between SPD budgeted and actual overtime spending (overexpenditure gap) that accounts for factors such as service level needs, staffing levels, population growth, any shifts in systemic practices, and historical events, and that seeks to distinguish between legitimate overtime needs and unnecessary overtime;
- Evaluate best practices in overtime across the country that may inform SPD’s systems; and
- Issue recommendations on (a) the most impactful strategies to reduce the overexpenditure gap and (b) strategic approaches to overtime budgeting and budget requests (supplemental and fall budgets) that will give Council a meaningful opportunity to review and approve or disapprove of anticipated overtime expenditures.
This morning, that workgroup delivered its response to the Council.
Continue reading SPD still wrestling with overtime spending – and the Seattle IT department
Carmen Best confirmed as Chief of Police
This afternoon, the City Council voted 8-0 to confirm Carmen Best as Chief of the Seattle Police Department.
Carmen Best’s appointment as Chief of Police moves forward, up for final approval Monday
This morning the City Council moved Carmen Best’s nomination as Chief of Police out of committee, setting her up for an easy confirmation vote on Monday — though there’s a hint that it might not be unanimous.
SPD files first quarterly report of consent decree sustainment period, updates use of force policy
When Judge James Robart found the City of Seattle in initial compliance with the consent decree earlier this year, it started a two-year countdown for a “sustainment period” before the consent decree is lifted. During that period, the city agreed to provide quarterly reports detailing status of reform efforts, statistics on policing and use of force, and continuing efforts to reform the police department’s practices.
The first of those reports was filed with the court on Tuesday. The department also submitted some proposed changes to its “use of force” policy for Robart’s approval.
Read the Council’s Questions for Carmen Best, and Her Responses
As part of its confirmation process, the City Council has posted a list of the questions it directed to Carmen Best, Mayor Durkan’s nominee for Chief of Police, along with Best’s responses.
Continue reading Read the Council’s Questions for Carmen Best, and Her Responses
Community Service Officer program on hold, possibly on the chopping block
In 2016, the City Council added money into the 2017-2018 city budget to revive the highly regarded Community Service Officer program, with a target roll-out in the second half of this year. But Mayor Durkan has delayed that plan, and suggested that her budget priorities may lie elsewhere.
Continue reading Community Service Officer program on hold, possibly on the chopping block
Carmen Best confirmation hearings begin
This morning, the City Council kicked off its confirmation hearings for Carmen Best as Seattle’s next Chief of Police.
Carmen Best nominated to Chief of Police; Council sets confirmation schedule
This morning, Mayor Jenny Durkan announced that she is nominating Interim Chief Carmen Best to be Seattle’s next Chief of Police, subject to confirmation by the City Council.
Continue reading Carmen Best nominated to Chief of Police; Council sets confirmation schedule
Understanding the 2017 Seattle Public Safety Survey
For each of the past three years, a Seattle University research team has conducted a survey of Seattle residents to assess their views on public safety issues in their communities and on the police. Called the Seattle Public Safety survey, it is commissioned by the Seattle Police Department as part of their Micro-Community Policing Plan (MCPP) to help it understand how best to engage with each neighborhood in Seattle. The most recent survey was fielded last October and November, and the results were published last month. Yesterday, representatives from the Seattle University team and from SPD briefed the City Council on the report. The briefing was high-level, but there’s an ocean of data on individual neighborhoods included, so here’s a deeper dive into what’s notable and meaningful in this year’s report.
Continue reading Understanding the 2017 Seattle Public Safety Survey