Secrest, Holmes Appointmented To Police Professional Accountability Board

The Seattle City Council has appointed Sheley Secrest and re-appointed Peter Holmes to the Office of the Professional Accountability Review Board (OPARB), one of the City’s three arms of civilian police oversight. Secrest will fill a position that requires extensive experience in organizing, outreach and community involvement. Holmes will continue to serve as chair of the board by filling the attorney position. “As the person to fill the position requiring community involvement, I’m confident that Sheley will reinvigorate the involvement of the public in the discussion about police accountability. I’m also very pleased that Peter has decided to stay on the board to provide continuity and guidance to the junior members,” said Councilmember Nick Licata, Chair of the Council’s Public Safety Committee. Secrest currently serves on the Seattle King County Branch of the NAACP as an Executive Member and Chairs the police and community relations committee. She also serves on the MEDC Racial Profiling Task Force and externed with Racial Disparity Project with The Defender Association. Sheley received her J.D. in 2003 from Seattle University School of Law and her Bachelor degree from the Evergreen State College in 1998. Holmes has two decades of experience as a business litigator. He left his Seattle law partnership shortly before joining the board to devote more time to pubic service. Peter received his B.A. in 1978 from Yale and his J.D. in 1984 from the University of Virginia. Holmes thanked the PSCR& A committee and the Full Council for its support of the board and outlined its intentions with respect to the boards’ 2004 reports. Mr. Holmes observed that the board is concerned with the Mayor’s plan to cut OPA’s budget.