By Aneesa Grant, The Seattle Medium
Today, Seattle Mayor, Bruce Harrell announced the joint filing of a new compliance agreement between the City of Seattle and the United States Department of Justice as the Seattle Police Department (SPD) prepares to move into the next phase of sustained reform. The agreement acknowledges the progress made by SPD in fulfilling sections of the federal Consent Decree and outlines remaining steps necessary to achieve a full settlement of the case. Federal Court Judge James Robart will now consider the agreement filing.
“My highest Charter responsibility is delivering constitutional policing and effective public safety to every person in every neighborhood,” said Mayor Bruce Harrell. “When we advocated for a Consent Decree over a decade ago, it was with the knowledge that SPD could do better – and needed to do better – for the communities it serves. Today’s joint filing recognizes the excellent progress our officers have made and our ongoing commitment to keep moving forward. We know there remains work to be done to reduce disparities in policing, and we are committed to doing so as a learning, growing organization, with a department culture where accountability, continuous improvement, and innovation are always at the center.”
According to the federal monitor’s 2022 assessment, SPD has sustained compliance with the Consent Decree’s use of force, crisis interventions, stops and detentions, and supervision requirements. Since the Consent Decree’s implementation in 2012, SPD has made significant efforts to reform its policies, training, and practices and strengthen connections to the community, working alongside city leaders, the Community Police Commission (CPC), the Office of Inspector General for Public Safety (OIG), and the Office of Police Accountability (OPA).
“The City Attorney’s Office is charged with representing the interests of the City in court,” said City Attorney Ann Davison. “The proposed Compliance Agreement filed today achieves the right balance for the people of Seattle by recognizing the great strides that SPD has made while ensuring that SPD continues to improve in the remaining areas identified by the Monitor and the Court.”
As per the new agreement, the City must continue to demonstrate that its police accountability system – including the OPA, OIG, and the CPC – is sustainable, effective, fair, and responsive to the people of Seattle and SPD officers. The City must also revise SPD’s crowd management policies previously approved by the Court in 2021.
In 2023, the monitor will work closely with the OIG to evaluate the City’s ongoing compliance, as well as to ensure that the OIG is equipped to step into the monitor’s role moving forward. To aid the OIG in doing so, the mayor is immediately adding three additional staff specialists to the OIG.
“This milestone reflects the steadfast commitment of all members of the Seattle Police Department to the ongoing spirit of innovation and iterative improvement cemented in place through the Consent Decree, but in particular, speaks to the dedication of men and women of our Patrol Operations – the backbone of our department – who continue to meet demands for service with honor, integrity, and compassion,” said Seattle Police Chief Adrian Z. Diaz. “Every day, I am honored and humbled to serve this department as its Chief, and today is a moment of extraordinary pride for our entire organization.”
Some examples of the progress SPD has made since the implementation of the Consent Decree include that the use of force is very rare, occurring in less than 1% of all police encounters with the public. According to the federal monitor, 99% of all uses of force are consistent with SPD policy, a standard that exceeds constitutional requirements. The City and SPD have taken steps to ensure the use of force reforms are lasting, such as creating the OIG to provide robust and independent oversight of the SPD. SPD has also established new systems to respond to people in crisis, pairing mental health professionals with specially trained officers who prepare detailed plans for individuals they regularly interact with.
