The Special meeting scheduled for 2020-06-30 at Remote

Transcript

The Special meeting scheduled for 2020-06-30 at Remote

THIS IS COMMISSION PRESIDENT PETER STEINBRUECK CONVENING THE SPECIAL MEETING OF JUNE 30TH 2020
THE TIME IS APPROXIMATELY 10:33AM
WE'RE MEETING REMOTELY TODAY VIA SKYPE TO COMPLY WITH THE GOVERNOR'S SAFE START ORDER AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH PROCLAMATION 2028
PRESENT WITH ME TODAY ARE COMMISSIONERS BOWMAN, CALKINS, CHO, AND FELLEMAN
I WILL ASK THAT WE DO A ROLL CALL OF ALL THE COMMISSIONERS TO ENSURE EVERYONE IS ON THE LINE
CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL
COMMISSIONER BOWMAN
JUST SENT THE UNMUTE PROMPT
PRESENT
THANK YOU
COMMISSIONER CALKINS
HERE
COMMISSIONER CHO
PRESENT
COMISSIONER FELLEMAN
PRESENT
COMMISSIONER STEINBREUCK
HERE
TODAY'S MEETING IS ORGANIZED THE SAME AS OUR RECENT MEETINGS
WE HAVE MADE SPECIAL ARRANGEMENTS TO PROVIDE FOR REMOTE PARTICIPATION FOR ALL OUR STAFF AND COMMISSIONERS
LATER WE'LL BE TAKING PUBLIC COMMENT FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE PARTICIPATING BY SKYPE AND WHO HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK
PLEASE NOTE THAT NO ACTION IS PLANNED AT TODAY'S MEETING HOWEVER TO BE EQUITABLE WE WILL ASK ALL COMMISSIONERS TO SPEAK IN TURN WHEN THEY'RE ASKING QUESTIONS AND WAIT TO BE RECOGNIZING FOR SPEAKING AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE SO WE CAN BE SURE TO UNMUTE EACH SPEAKER AS APPROPRIATE
WE BEGIN TODAY'S MEETING BY ACKNOWLEDGING THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES OF THE DUWAMMISH AND COASTAL SALISH WHO HAVE STEWARDED THE BEAUTIFUL LANDS AND WATER SINCE TIME IMMEMORIAL
WE MUST COMMIT TO DOING THE SAME FOR THE PLANET AND FOR GENERATIONS TO COME
THIS MEETING IS BEING DIGITALLY RECORDED AND MAY BE VIEWED OR HEARD AT ANY TIME ON THE PORT'S WEBSITE AND MAY BE REBROADCAST BY KING COUNTY TELEVISION
ALTHOUGH IT MAY LOOK A LITTLE DIFFERENT
PLEASE STAND AND JOIN US FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
I PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL
GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS, STAFF, COLLEAGUES, FRIENDS, ASSOCIATES
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE WITH US TODAY TO DISCUSS A VERY IMPORTANT TOPIC
BEFORE WE START THE MEETING I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THIS IS PRIDE MONTH AS WE WRAP UP THE MONTH OF JUNE AND A SPECIAL ONE AT THAT
IS THIS YEAR MARKS THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE OFFICIAL PRIDE MONTH CELEBRATIONS IN THE NATION
THE FIRST PRIDE MARCH BEGAN AS AN LBGTQ CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT IN 1970 OVER PROTESTS FOLLOWING THE NEW YORK CITY POLICE RAID OF THE STONEWALL INN, A GAY/TRANSGENDER BAR ON JUNE 28 1969
THERE HAS BEEN MUCH SOCIAL PROGRESS SINCE THEN INCLUDING THE LATEST LANDMARK SUPREME COURT RULING THAT FEDERAL DISCRIMINATION PROTECTIONS EXTEND THE GAY AND TRANSGENDER WORKERS
SO EMPLOYEES CANNOT BE FIRED UNDER THE FEDERAL LAW SIMPLY BECAUSE OF THEIR GENDER IDENTITY OR SEXUAL ORIENTATION
THIS YEAR MANY PARTICIPATED IN LAST SUNDAY'S SEATTLE PRIDE WEEKEND, EVENTS, AND A VIRTUAL PARADE
THE PORT OF SEATTLE'S PRIDE EMPLOYEE RESOURCE GROUP HAS BEEN ACTIVE IN RAISING AWARENESS OF SOCIAL ISSUES
NOW MOVING ON TO THE PRIMARY TOPIC FOR TODAY'S SPECIAL MEETING
OVER THE PAST FEW WEEKS, HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS ACROSS OUR NATION GATHERED TO PROTEST AND CONTINUE TO PROTEST THE UNJUST DEATH OF GEORGE FLOYD, BRIANNA TAYLOR, MANUAL ELLIS, RICHARD BROOKS, AHMED ARBURY, AND MANY OTHER BLACK AMERICANS WHO'VE DIED AT THE HANDS OF POLICE REFLECTING A DEEPLY DISTURBING PATTERN OF SYSTEMIC RACISM IN OUR COUNTRY THAT CONTINUES TO SEVERELY IMPACT OUR CITIES, COMMUNITIES, AND ESSENTIAL INSTITUTIONS
HOW MANY MORE WILL DIE BEFORE WE TAKE COLLECTIVE ACTION? WIDESPREAD PROTESTS ACROSS THE NATION HAVE PROVIDED US WITH AN OPPORTUNITY FOR DEEP INTROSPECTION OVER THE CENTURIES OF RACISM AND OPEN WOUNDS THAT HAVE CLEARLY NOT YET HEALED IN THIS COUNTRY AND FOR THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO SHARE THEIR PAIN, ANGER, AND GRIEVING, ORGANIZE, CHALLENGE HEAD-ON, THE ESTABLISHED PATTERN OF BRUTAL PRACTICES AND SYSTEMIC RACISM THAT HAVE RESULTED IN SO MANY CRUEL AND UNJUST DEATHS OF BLACK PEOPLE IN PARTICULAR
THIS IS A SEVERE NATIONAL CRISIS OF HISTORIC PROPORTION THAT DEMANDS IMMEDIATE ACTION FOR BROAD SOCIAL CHANGE TO END SYSTEMIC RACISM
THIS IS WHY WE'RE HERE TODAY
THE PORT OF SEATTLE HAS A RESPONSIBILITY DURING THIS CRITICAL MOMENT IN HISTORY TO ENSURE THAT OUR PORT POLICE ARE HELD TO THE HIGHEST NATIONAL STANDARDS ACHIEVABLE FOR PUBLIC SAFETY, PROTECTION OF CIVIL RIGHTS, EQUITY, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND OVERSIGHT
THIS IS IN NO WAY A REACTION TO ANY SPECIFIC ISSUES WITH OUR PORT POLICE DEPARTMENT, BUT RATHER AN OPPORTUNITY TO RESPOND WITH CLEAR INTENT DURING THIS TIME OF AWAKENING ACROSS OUR COUNTRY
I MUST ALSO SAY THE PORT POLICE HAVE A STRONG RECORD OF EXEMPLARY SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY AND PROTECTING PUBLIC SAFETY
PORT POLICE HAVE A TOUGH JOB OF PROVIDING PRIMARY LAW ENFORCEMENT SERVICE TO PORT OWNED FACILITIES AT THE AIRPORT, HARBOR, AND SEAPORT
THEY ARE NOT THE MALL POLICE
BUT RATHER THEY INTERACT DAILY IN CHALLENGING SITUATION, SOMETIMES DANGEROUS, WITH FEDERAL OFFICERS INCLUDING AT TSA, CBP, FAA, AND THE US COAST GUARD AND AT TIMES WITH LOCAL JURISDICTIONS THROUGH MUTUAL AID
ROUTINE POLICE ACTIVITIES AND SOMETIMES COMPLEX OPERATIONS ARE PART OF THEIR WORK
I APPRECIATE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR METRUCK FOR TAKING DIRECT INITIAL ACTION ON THE TOPIC OF POLICING PRACTICES AND CIVIL RIGHTS PROTECTIONS
WITH THE ANNOUNCEMENT THAT HE MADE AT OUR LAST COMMISSION MEETING HE CALLED FOR AN IMMEDIATE BAN ON COKEHOLDS IN PARTICULAR AND IMPORTANT OTHER ACTIONS
TODAY WE MOVE FORWARD WITH ANOTHER STEP IN THE PROCESS AND I WILL SAY THAT THIS PROCESS HAS BEEN INTENTIONALLY A BOTTOM-UP APPROACH
A LISTENING SESSION IS WHAT TODAY'S MEETING IS ABOUT, WORKING WITH OUR PORT EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE BEEN MEETING FREQUENTLY AND DISCUSSING ISSUES OF EQUITY IN POLICING AND HOW WE CAN IMPROVE THE PORT'S POLICING POLICIES AND PRACTICES SO THAT IT'S BEST ALIGNED WITH OUR PORT VALUES
THE PORT'S BLACKS IN GOVERNMENT, BIG, EMPLOYEE RESOURCE GROUP ASKED US SPECIFICALLY TO HOST TODAY'S COMMUNITY FORUM SO WE CAN GET COMMUNITY AND EMPLOYEE INPUT ON THE MOTION WE ARE PROPOSING TODAY
THE MOTION WOULD DO THE FOLLOWING: DIRECT A COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT OF THE PORT OF SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO ENSURE ALIGNMENT WITH THE HIGHEST NATIONAL STANDARDS AND BEST PRACTICES RELATING TO POLICING AND ESTABLISH A COMMISSION TASK FORCE TO LEAD THE ASSESSMENT AND DEVELOP RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ACTIONS
SPECIAL THANKS TO MEMBERS OF THE PORT'S BLACKS IN GOVERNMENT WHO HAVE BEEN LEANING FOCUS GROUPS AND DISCUSSIONS ON THIS TOPIC FREQUENTLY SO THAT WE COULD GATHER INPUT, IDEAS, AND PERSPECTIVES THAT CAN INFORM OUR MOTION
THERE ARE ALWAYS OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT AND WE NEED TO ENSURE THAT OUR POLICIES AND PRACTICES ARE NOT DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTING OUR BLACK COMMUNITY OR OTHER COMMUNITIES OF COLOR
I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT THE WORK OF THE TASK FORCE WILL BROADLY BENEFIT THE PORT, THE PORT POLICE, THE COMMUNITIES WE SERVE, AND USERS OF THE PORT FACILITIES
IT WILL MAKE US STRONGER AND BETTER AT WHAT WE DO
WE MUST BE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF HISTORY BY DOING THE RIGHT THING AT THIS CRITICAL TIME
THE PORT MUST LEAD BY EXAMPLE BY ACTING SWIFTLY AND MEANINGFULLY AND IDENTIFYING AND IMPLEMENTING TASK FORCE RECOMMENDATIONS
I LOOK FORWARD TO A ROBUST AND FRANK DISCUSSION TODAY FOLLOWED BY THE PASSAGE OF A FINAL VERSION OF THE MOTION EXPECTED ON JULY 14TH
NOW I'D LIKE TO TURN TO COMMISSIONER CALKINS WHO WAS CO-SPONSOR OF THIS MOTION FOR SOME BRIEF COMMENTS AND THEN WE'LL OPEN UP FOR OTHER COMMISSIONERS TO MAKE THEIR OWN REMARKS BEFORE WE TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT
COMMISSIONER CALKINS
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER STEINBREUCK
THOSE ARE GREAT WORDS AND I APPRECIATE YOUR LAYING OUT THE NUTS AND BOLTS OF THE PROCESS AS WE PROCEED
THE QUESTION BEFORE US TODAY, THE ASSESSMENT OF POLICING PRACTICES AT THE PORT OF SEATTLE, COULD EASILY BE CONSIDERED WITHIN THE CONFINES OF OUR INSTITUTION
IN THAT CASE, OUR EFFORTS WOULD BE SIMILAR TO ANY REGULAR ASSESSMENT OF ONE OF OUR OPERATIONS DEPARTMENTS
WE MIGHT ACTIVATE OUR AUDIT TEAM TO EXAMINE PRACTICES, WE MIGHT HIRE AN OUTSIDE CONSULTANT TO COUNSEL US ON BEST PRACTICES, AMONG SIMILAR DEPARTMENTS AT PEER ORGANIZATIONS, AND WE MIGHT PLAN FOR NEW HIRING AND TRAINING PRACTICES TO IMPROVE PERFORMANCE IN AREAS OF WEAKNESS
HOWEVER, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS NOT LIKE ANY OTHER DEPARTMENT IN OUR ORGANIZATION
FOR WE HAVE TASKED THEM WITH PROTECTING AND SERVING EVERYONE IN OUR JURISDICTION AND WE HAVE EMPOWERED THEM WITH GRAVE POWERS: THE USE OF DEADLY FORCE AND THE DEPRIVATION OF INDIVIDUAL LIBERTY
BY CONFERRING THOSE POWERS TO OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, WE AS AN ORGANIZATION, TAKE ON AN ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITY: TO ENSURE THAT THOSE POWERS ARE ONLY EVER USED WHEN NO OTHER ALTERNATIVE IS AVAILABLE TO PROTECT AND TO SERVE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR METRUCK TOOK EXECUTIVE ACTION LAST WEEK TO IMMEDIATELY IMPLEMENT A NUMBER OF REFORMS WHILE THOSE ARE REASONABLE AND MEASURED, THEY ARE JUST A FIRST STEP TOWARD A MUCH MORE THOROUGH EXAMINATION OF POLICING PRACTICES
TODAY, WE WILL HEAR FROM MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR ORGANIZATION AS WE CONSIDER ESTABLISHING A TASK FORCE TO DO THE LEG WORK OF REFORM
THE GOAL OF THE TASK FORCE WILL BE TO RECOMMEND SUBSTANTIVE CHANGES THAT MOVE US TOWARD A GOAL OF ELIMINATING BIAS AND UNDUE USE OF FORCE AND TO IDENTIFY AREAS IN WHICH WE HAVE EXPANDED THE SCOPE OF OUR POLICE BEYOND THEIR MISSION
THE VOICES OF THOSE WHO SHARE TODAY, AND WHO HAVE SHARED THROUGH EMAIL, AND SOCIAL MEDIA, AND OTHER PUBLIC CHANNELS MAKE CLEAR THAT COSMETIC CHANGES TO OUR POLICIES ARE NOT ENOUGH
RATHER, WE, LIKE EVERY OTHER PUBLIC AGENCY WITH A POLICE DEPARTMENT, MUST UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS A WATERSHED MOMENT WHEN INCREMENTAL CHANGES ARE NOT ENOUGH
LET ME CONCLUDE MY REMARKS WITH AN ANECDOTE THAT A NUMBER OF MEMBERS OF OUR PORT FAMILY HAVE SHARED WITH ME
IT IS AS STARK A REMINDER OF THE REALITY OF SYSTEMIC RACISM AS ANY EXAMPLE
I, AS A FATHER OF TWO YOUNG BOYS, HAVE NEVER ONCE CONSIDERED SITTING THEM DOWN TO DISCUSS HOW THEY SHOULD HANDLE AN INTERACTION WITH POLICE
HOWEVER, PARENTS OF BLACK CHILDREN, BLACK BOYS IN PARTICULAR, HAVE SHARED WITH ME THE NEED TO DO JUST THAT
IN A NUTSHELL, THAT IS WHAT OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS ARE ASKING FOR-- A WORLD IN WHICH THE CHILDREN OF BLACK AND BROWN FAMILIES CAN SAFELY ASSUME THAT THE POLICE ARE A FORCE FOR GOOD IN THEIR COMMUNITIES, THAT THEY HAVE NO REASON TO FEAR FOR THEIR OWN LIFE AND SAFETY WHEN INTERACTING WITH THEM, AND THAT THE POLICE ARE THERE TO PROTECT AND SERVE THEM AS WELL
IN SO MANY WAYS OUR PORT POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN ON THE LEADING EDGE OF BEST POLICING PRACTICES
I LOOK FORWARD TO THE WORK WE WILL DO TODAY AS PART OF THIS TASK FORCE TO ENSURE THAT OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT CONTINUES TO BE A MODEL FOR DEPARTMENTS AROUND THE STATE AND THE COUNTRY
WITH THAT I'LL YIELD
THANK YOU
AND IT LOOKS AS THOUGH THE CONFERENCE ROOM WAS MUTED
I APOLOGIZE.THANK YOU COMMISSIONER CALKINS
NOW I INTRODUCE OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR STEVE METRUCK
STEVE, YOU'RE ON NOW
LET ME GET EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR METRUCK UNMUTED
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER STEINBREUCK
GOOD MORNING COMMISSIONERS AND ALL WHO ARE WITH US THIS MORNING
I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR ENGAGING IN THIS IMPORTANT CONVERSATION AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THE COMMENTS AND PERSPECTIVES OF EVERYONE JOINING US HERE TODAY
THE TRAGIC DEATHS OF GEORGE FLOYD, BRIANNA TAYLOR, AND AHMAUD AUBREY AND OTHERS COMPEL US TO ASK HARD QUESTIONS ABOUT THE POLICIES AND PRACTICES OF OUR POLICE DEPARTMENTS
COMMUNITIES AND INSTITUTIONS AROUND THE NATION ARE ENGAGED NOW IN DEEP DISCUSSIONS ABOUT RACISM, ACKNOWLEDGING OUR TROUBLED PAST, AND DEMANDING MEANINGFUL ACTIONS TO CREATE A MORE INCLUSIVE AND JUST SOCIETY
THE PORT CONTINUES TO HAVE AN IMPORTANT ROLE TO PLAY IN THESE DISCUSSIONS AND THE CALL TO ACTION
AS A NATION, WE ARE ASKING CRITICAL QUESTIONS ABOUT THE ROLE OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AND WHAT WE ASK OF THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO HAVE CHOSEN TO SERVE IN THE PROFESSION OF LAW ENFORCEMENT WITH ALL ITS CHALLENGES
WE ARE HERE TODAY BECAUSE OF THE LEADERSHIP OF THE COMMISSION, THE LEADERS OF BLACKS IN GOVERNMENT HERE AT THE PORT INCLUDING PRESIDENT DELMAS WHITAKER, PORT OF SEATTLE ACTING POLICE CHIEF MIKE VIA, AND THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF MANY AROUND THE PORT
THE PORT POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS A SPECIAL AND CRITICAL ROLE IN PROTECTING THE TRAVELING PUBLIC, OUR EMPLOYEES, OUR BUSINESSES, AND OUR VITAL INFRASTRUCTURE FOR TRADE AND COMMERCE
AT THE AIRPORT ALONE THEY INTERACT WITH MILLIONS OF PEOPLE EACH YEAR
I ALSO WANT TO ECHO COMMISSIONER STEINBREUCK'S COMMENT THAT THIS EFFORT IS NOT A REACTION TO ANY SPECIFIC ISSUES OR SITUATION INVOLVING OUR PORT POLICE DEPARTMENT, BUT RATHER AN OPPORTUNITY FOR REFLECTION AND EXAMINATION WITH A RESOLVE TO IMPROVE FURTHER
I WANT TO SAY THAT I FULLY SUPPORT THIS ASSESSMENT FOR THE PORT OF SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT
THIS ASSESSMENT, IF APPROVED BY THE COMMISSION, WILL LOOK CLOSELY AT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT'S POLICIES AND PROCEDURES TO ENSURE THEY ALIGN WITH BEST PRACTICES AS WELL AS OUR CORE VALUES AND COMMITMENT TO EQUITY DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION
PERHAPS MOST IMPORTANTLY, WE MUST ENSURE THAT WE RECRUIT, HIRE, AND TRAIN PEOPLE WHO SHARE THOSE VALUES
WHILE WE'RE PROUD OF OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE WORK THAT IT DOES, WE MUST ALSO BE WILLING AND ABLE TO LOOK AT OURSELVES, CHALLENGE OUR ASSUMPTIONS, AND BE OPEN TO QUESTIONS FROM THOSE WE SERVE
WE WILL INVITE OUTSIDE REVIEW WITH EXPERTISE AND BEST PRACTICES AND WILL WORK TO DRAW ON THE PERSPECTIVES OF THOUGHT LEADERS WITHIN THE PORT OF SEATTLE
AS A SIGN OF MY COMMITMENT TO THIS EFFORT AND THE CALL TO ACTION, I'VE UNDERTAKEN SEVERAL ACTIONS OR INITIAL STEPS TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE PRESSING CONCERNS AS WE BEGIN THIS ASSESSMENT EFFORT
THESE INCLUDE A BAN ON POTENTIALLY LETHAL VASCULAR OR AIRWAY NECK CONSTRAINTS, SOMETIMES CALLED CHOKE HOLDS, ENHANCEMENTS TO OUR TRAINING PRACTICES, AND A REVIEW OF OUR OFFICERS' TRAINING
I APPRECIATE THE PRODUCTIVE ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT OF OUR BLACKS IN GOVERNMENT AND POLICE LEADERS TO DEVELOP THESE ACTIONS
THESE ARE ONLY THE INITIAL STEPS
IN THE ASSESSMENT WE'LL CURRENTLY REVIEW THESE AREAS WITH MUCH MORE DEPTH IN THE COMING WEEKS
I LOOK FORWARD TO THE DISCUSSION, ENGAGEMENT BY THE COMMISSION, OUR STAKEHOLDERS, THE PORT OF SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND OTHERS
I DEEPLY APPRECIATE THE LEADERSHIP AND DRIVE TO BRING ABOUT CHANGE DEMONSTRATED BY DELMAS WHITAKER AND THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE B.I.G AS WELL AS THE WILLINGNESS OF ACTING CHIEF MIKE VIA AND HIS LEADERSHIP TEAM TO UNDERTAKE THIS CHANGE
WE NEED TO LISTEN TO ALL VOICES, ASK DIFFICULT QUESTIONS, AND WORK TOGETHER TOWARD THE GOAL OF MAKING THE PORT OF SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE PORT OF SEATTLE STRONGER AND MORE RESPONSIVE TO THE COMMUNITIES WE SERVE
THANK YOU
I'LL NOW YIELD MY TIME
THANK YOU
I MUTED AT THE CONFERENCE ROOM AGAIN BECAUSE YOU GUYS WERE HAVING A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND NOISE
AND WE LOST VIDEO
VIDEO IS BACK
I'M SENDING AN UNMUTE PROMPT TO THE CONFERENCE ROOM
DID YOU GET THE UNMUTE PROMPT PETE? YOU'RE LOOKING VERY CONFUSED THERE
I'M GOING TO MUTE AND UNMUTE AGAIN
NOTHING? NOW? YEP
I'D LIKE TO TURN IT OVER NOW TO COMMISSIONER FELLEMAN FOLLOWED BY COMMISSIONER CHO FOR A FEW BRIEF REMARKS
THANKS FOR THE PUBLIC'S LEADERSHIP ON THIS CHALLENGE OF POLICE POLICY AND SOCIETAL RACISM ELECTED OFFICALS CAN NOW FOLLOW
I'M PROUD TO BE PART OF THIS POLICY DEVELOPMENT AND THIS EFFORT
AS A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC, I AM DEEPLY AFFECTED TOO DESPITE MY COLOR
I ALSO WANT TO SAY A FEW OPENING REMARKS JUST FOR FURTHER INTRODUCTION AND REALLY WANT TO SAVE MY COMMENTS FOR THE Q&A WITH DELMAS AND CHIEF VIA
I GREATLY APPRECIATE THE ABILITY TO SHARE THESE INSIGHTS
THIS IS REALLY SOMETHING THAT AFFECTS US ALL AND CERTAINLY DEEPLY AT THE PORT
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE AS A RESULT OF THIS PROCESS THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT OPERATES AT THE HIGHEST STANDARD AND I'M GOING TO ASSUME THAT THE LIMITED NUMBER OF PEOPLE WE HAVE TO COMMENT IS A REFLECTION OF THE GREAT JOB THAT PING HAS DONE TO SOLICIT THE COMMENTS FROM THE COMMUNITY AND THAT I REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING DALMAS' SUMMARY OF THOSE, AT LEAST THE NEAR-TERM SUMMARY
AND I ALSO WANT TO IDENTIFY THAT [INAUDIBLE] SHORTCOMINGS AT THE PORT THAT I'VE ALREADY BEEN ABLE TO IDENTIFY AND THAT'S THE FAILURE OF EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP TO PROVIDE TIMELY INFORMATION TO THE COMMISSION WHO ARE IN A POSITION TO CHANGE POLICIES BEFORE THEY BECOME MAJOR PROBLEMS AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND ATTENTION
ONCE AGAIN, I KNOW WE CAN DO A BETTER JOB FOR THE PUBLIC AND FOR THE PORT
THANK YOU
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER FELLEMAN
COMMISSIONER CHO, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR
YES
WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH
FIRST AND FOREMOST I WANT TO THANK PRESIDENT STEINBREUCK AND COMMISSIONER CALKINS FOR THE LEADERSHIP ON THIS
YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT IS THE ONLY PERSON OF COLOR ON THE COMMISSION, I SINCERELY APPRECIATE THE LEADERSHIP THAT BOTH OF YOU HAVE SHOWN AS WELL AS DIRECTOR METRUCK, BUT ALSO THE ALLYSHIP AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I DISCUSSED BRIEFLY DURING THE TOWN HALL A FEW WEEKS AGO
I THINK THAT THIS IS A VERY BIG STEP FOR US AS AN ORGANIZATION TOWARDS DEMONSTRATING SOLIDARITY AND ALLYSHIP AND I BELIEVE THAT IN ENTERTAINING THIS MOTION WE ARE DOING OUR PART AS A PORT
I ALSO WANT TO TAKE A SECOND TO REALLY THANK THE PORT PD FOR ALL THEIR GREAT WORK THAT THEY DO THAT QUITE FRANKLY GOES UNDERAPPRECIATED
I THINK MOST PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF THE PORT DON'T KNOW WE HAVE OUR OWN POLICE FORCE AND THEY DO NOT REALIZE THE TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORK THAT GOES INTO PROTECTING, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING FROM OUR PROPERTIES TO THE AIRPORT
SO I REALLY REALLY WANT TO EXTEND MY GRATITUDE TO POLICE FORCE FOR THEIR WORK IN OUR COMMUNITY
YOU KNOW, I REALLY HOPE THAT THIS SESSION BECOMES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THOSE WHO NORMALLY DON'T HAVE A VOICE WITH THE COMMISSION DIRECTLY TO REALLY EXPRESS THEMSELVES
AND I HOPE THAT WHOEVER DECIDES TO STEP UP AND SPEAK TO US FRANKLY FEELS FREE TO DO SO
YOU KNOW, I JUST WANT TO ESTABLISH RIGHT NOW THAT THERE WILL NOT BE NO ATTRIBUTION, RETALIATION, OR ANY FORM OF MALICE FOR ANYONE WHO IS FRANK TO US FOR THIS MOTION
I WANT THIS TO BE A SAFE SPACE
I WANT TO BE AN HONEST AND AUTHENTIC SPACE
AND SO I REALLY ENCOURAGE THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK FRANKLY AND REALLY HELP US, AS A COMMISSION, INFORM THE DECISIONS THAT WE'LL BE MAKING WITH REGARDS TO THIS MOTION AND FUTURE MOTIONS ON RACE EQUITY AND INCLUSION
SO WITH THAT I'LL YEILD MY TIME
THANK YOU
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER CHO
COMMISSIONER BOWMAN, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR
GREAT
THANK YOU
I THINK MY COLLEAGUES HAVE MADE MOST OF THE MOST PERTINENT COMMENTS
I DO WANT TO ECHO THE COMMENTS THANKING THE BLACKS IN GOVERNMENT IN PARTICULAR AND DELMAS ESPECIALLY FOR HIS LEADERSHIP IN PROVIDING EARLY INPUT INTO THIS PROPOSED MOTION AND REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO WHAT WE'RE DOING TODAY, WHICH IS HEARING FROM OUR EMPLOYEES AND FROM THE PUBLIC
SO WITH THAT I WOULD GIVE UP MY TIME BECAUSE ACTUALLY THE PURPOSE OF THIS IS TO HEAR COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC ABOUT WHAT'S BEFORE US TODAY
I DO THE WANT TO ECHO COMMISSIONER CHO'S COMMENTS WITH REGARD TO OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT AND CALL OUT THAT I KNOW OF NO OTHER POLICE DEPARTMENT THAT ROUTINELY DEALS WITH OVER 60 MILLION PEOPLE A YEAR
THEY HAVE A TREMENDOUS JOB IN FRONT OF THEM
THERE IS ALWAYS ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT IN ALL OF THE WORK THAT EACH OF US DO BUT I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT TO DATE THEY HAVE AN EXCELLENT REPUTATION AND I THINK THAT WHAT WE CAN PROVIDE MOVING FORWARD IS GUIDANCE ON HOW TO ALWAYS IMPROVE
BUT AGAIN, THANK YOU TO DELMAS AND THE REST OF OUR PORT'S STAFF FOR COMING FORWARD WITH YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS, AND I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO THE TIME THIS MORNING AND THIS AFTERNOON TO HEAR FROM YOU SPECIFICALLY
THANK YOU
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER BOWMAN
AT THIS TIME
I'D LIKE TO TURN THE FLOOR OVER TO DELMAS WHITAKER WHO IS PRESIDENT OF BLACKS IN GOVERNMENT AT PORT OF SEATTLE AND HE HAD SOME OPENING COMMENTS THAT HE'D LIKE TO PROVIDE
CLERK PLEASE UNMUTE MR WHITAKER
YES, I BELIEVE I SENT THAT UNMUTE PROMPT
DELMAS, ARE YOU ABLE TO SPEAK NOW? OKAY, CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY? YEAH
ALL RIGHT
WELL, GOOD MORNING COMMISSIONERS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR METRUCK, PORT STAFF, COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AND FRIENDS
AS WE SAID, MY NAME IS DELMAS WHITAKER
I'M THE SENIOR MANAGER FOR FISHING AND COMMERCIAL VESSELS
HOWEVER TODAY I STAND BEFORE YOU AS A PRESIDENT OF BLACKS IN GOVERNMENT AND THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BLACKS IN GOVERNMENT FOCUS GROUP
JUST A FEW SHORT WEEKS AGO, PRESIDENT STEINBREUCK PROVIDED BLACKS AND GOVERNMENT WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW HIS DRAFT FOR A COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT OF THE PORT POLICE AND THE CREATION OF A COMMISSION TASK FORCE THAT WOULD LEAD THIS EFFORT IN THE WAKE OF THE KILLINGS OF GEORGE FLOYD
I HAD VERY LITTLE DOUBT THAT THE CONSTITUENCY OF BLACKS IN GOVERNMENT WOULD NOT BE EAGER TO BE FRONT AND CENTER IN THIS CONVERSATION
THIS WAS A WATERSHED MOMENT FOR ALL
A CALL TO ACTION
LOCALLY AND NATIONALLY THE CALL FOR SUBSTANTIVE CHANGE, PARTICULARLY IN REGARDS TO POLICING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES THAT DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACT BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE, NEEDED TO BE ELIMINATED IMMEDIATELY
WITHIN THE WALLS OF THE PORT OF SEATTLE, FRUSTRATION OVER OUR OWN POLICIES THAT IMPACT PORT EMPLOYEES AS WELL AS BLACK AND BROWN BUSINESSES SEEKING TO PARTNER WITH THE PORT OF SEATTLE WERE BEING DISCUSSED WITH INCREASED ENERGY AND PASSION
DURING THE SAME TIME, THAT'S WHEN I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE WITH THIS ORGANICALLY FORMED FOCUS GROUP THAT CAME TOGETHER TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES SURROUNDING THIS DEVASTATING NEWS OF THE DEATH OF GEORGE FLOYD
I TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTNER WITH THIS FOCUS GROUP
AFTER REVIEW OF THIS DOCUMENT IT WAS CLEAR THAT IN ORDER FOR THIS MOTION TO BE MEANINGFUL AND NOT SYMBOLIC, WE NEEDED TO DEMAND IMMEDIATE ACTIONS TO BE INCLUDED
COMMISSIONER STEINBREUCK AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR STEVE METRUCK HAVE TAKEN ON THIS CHALLENGE AND HAVE TAKEN IMMEDIATE ACTION
AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, WE STILL HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO
THE VOICES OF OUR CO-WORKERS, THE COLLECTIVE VOICES OF OUR EMPLOYEE RESOURCE GROUPS, AND THE 30 MEMBERS FOR WHICH WE ARE HERE TO SERVE ARE ESSENTIAL TO MAKING THESE MEANINGFUL AND SUBSTANTIVE CHANGES
IN CONCLUSION, I WOULD LIKE TO EMPHASIZE THE WORK OF THE FOCUS GROUP
AND THIS PROPOSED MOTION IS NOT CONNECTED TO ANY ONE INCIDENT IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT
IT IS NOT INTENDED AS AN INDICTMENT OF OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT
I'VE HAD THE PLEASURE OF WORKING WITH THE POLICE FOR OVER 10 YEARS
I'M PROUD TO REFER TO OUR PORT POLICE AS AMERICA'S FINEST PORT POLICE
WE VALUE THE WORK OUR OFFICERS DO EVERY SINGLE DAY
THIS MOTION IS SPECIFICALLY INTENDED TO ASSESS AND ELIMINATE THOSE POLICIES THAT MAY TARNISH THE HIGH STANDARDS SET BY OUR DEPARTMENT AND EXPECTED BY OUR COMMUNITY
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR TAKING THE TIME TO PARTICIPATE IN THESE CONVERSATIONS AND THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK TODAY
I YIELD MY TIME
OKAY
THANK YOU
MR WHITAKER
COMMISSIONERS, WE'RE NOW AT THE ORDER OF APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA
IS THERE ANY MOTION TO REARRANGE THE ORDERS OF THE DAY? HEARING NONE, THE AGENDA IS APPROVED WITHOUT OBJECTION
ITEM NUMBER FOUR
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S REPORT
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR STEVE METRUCK PROVIDES A REPORT AT THIS POINT
I THINK HE'S GIVEN HIS REPORT
SO WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM 5
PUBLIC COMMENT
THE COMMISSION WILL NOW ACCEPT PUBLIC COMMENT FROM THOSE WHO HAVE SIGNED UP
DIRECT MATERIALS PROVIDED TO THE CLERK WILL BE INCLUDED IN TODAY'S MEETING RECORD
THE CHIEF HAS A LIST OF THOSE PREPARED TO SPEAK
EXCUSE ME, THE CLERK HAS A LIST OF THOSE PREPARED TO SPEAK
AS THE CLERK CALLS YOUR NAME, WE WILL OPEN THE LINE AND COMMENTERS WILL HAVE TO UNMUTE THEMSELVES
THEN PLEASE REPEAT YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD
COMMENT TIME WILL BE LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES PER SPEAKER
AS NOTICED IN THE AGENDA, PUBLIC COMMENT FOR THIS MEETING WAS LIMITED TO THE TOPIC OF PORT POLICING
I WILL ASK ALL INDIVIDUALS PROVIDING COMMENT TO KEEP THEIR REMARKS RESPECTFUL AND RESPECTIVE AND REMAIN TO THE TOPIC BEFORE US
WE ALSO HAVE RECEIVED APPROXIMATELY 10 WRITTEN COMMENTERS AND WE'LL HEAR A SUMMARY OF THOSE A LITTLE LATER
CLERK
PLEASE CALL THE FIRST SPEAKER
YES, THANK YOU
THE FIRST SPEAKER THAT I HAVE ON MY LIST IS RACHEL ENGLISH
SO RACHEL I'M GOING TO SEND THE UNMUTE PROMPT YOUR WAY NOW
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK
AS A COMMUNITY MEMBER AND AN EMPLOYEE OF THE PORT OF SEATTLE I CELEBRATE and STRONGLY SUPPORT THE ACTIONS TAKEN BY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR METRUCK THIS WEEK AND I STRONGLY SUPPORT THIS MOTION INCLUDING AN EMPOWERED TASK FORCE TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL ASSESSMENT
THANK YOU FOR THE STATEMENTS OF SUPPORT I'VE HEARD FROM EVERYONE SO FAR
WHILE I ALSO HAVE NO PARTICULAR ISSUE WITH PORT OF SEATTLE POLICE AS DELMAS WHITTAKER SAID FOR HIMSELF, I HAVE HEARD MUCH FROM MY FRIENDS AND MY FAMILY AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS ABOUT ENCOUNTERS WITH POLICE IN SEATTLE AND SOUTH KING COUNTY THAT CAUSE ME CONCERN AND I BELIEVE STRONGLY THE PORT OF SEATTLE POLICE NEED TO BE AS MUCH OF A MODEL AS THEY HAVE BEEN
AND CONTINUE TO SET SUCH A HIGH STANDARD GOING FORWARD
THE MOTION IS IMPORTANT TO ME BECAUSE I BELIEVE WE NEED TO LISTEN TO OUR BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITY MEMBERS, ESPECIALLY BLACK COMMUNITY MEMBERS, WHO ARE TELLING US THIS IS IMPORTANT AT THIS TIME
IT'S ALSO PERSONALLY IMPORTANT
IT'S PERSONALLY IMPORTANT TO ME FOR MY ADULT CHILDREN WHO ARE MIXED RACE AND HAVE BEEN STOPPED BY POLICE OVER AND OVER FOR NO REASON OTHER THAN WALKING DOWN THE STREET
IT'S IMPORTANT TO ME BECAUSE OF THE FEAR THAT WAS STRUCK IN MY HEART WHEN TOMMY LEE WAS SHOT BY POLICE NOT FAR FROM MY HOME, FOR WHAT MAY HAVE BEEN A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS THAT COULD HAPPEN TO ANYBODY
WE'D BE HERE ALL DAY IF I DETAILED FOR YOU THE UNPLEASANT AND OFTEN VIOLENT INTERACTIONS THAT TOO MANY OF MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY HAVE HAD WITH POLICE IN SEATTLE AND SOUTH KING COUNTY, BUT I WILL MENTION THAT IT HAS BEEN FOR NO OTHER REASON THAN BEING PERCEIVED AS NON-WHITE, BEING GENDER NON-CONFORMING, SPEAKING IN A CHALLENGING MANNER TO A POLICE OFFICER, OR JUST FOR PROTESTING PEACEFULLY
MY FRIENDS HAVE ENCOUNTERED CHOKEHOLDS, BEING STRUCK BY A BICYCLE, HAVING HAD BONES BROKEN, AND BRAIN DAMAGE FROM POLICE OFFICERS
AGAIN, NONE OF THAT IS AN ENCOUNTER WITH PORT OF SEATTLE POLICE, BUT AN OPPORTUNITY THAT WE HAVE HERE TO SET A MODEL TO DO BETTER FOR OUR LOCAL COMMUNITIES IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT AND I THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT WITH IT
THANK YOU RACHEL
NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE
YES, THANK YOU
THE NEXT SPEAKER I HAVE IS TIFFANY SILVIA
TIFFANY, I'M GOING TO SEND THE UNMUTE PROMPT NOW
GOOD MORNING
I'M CALLING TODAY TO VOICE MY SUPPORT FOR THE DRAFT MOTION TO DIRECT A COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT OF THE PORT OF SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT
BLACK LIVES MATTER
FROM THE FIRST PUBLICLY FUNDED POLICE PROGRAMS, WHICH WERE CHARGED WITH GUARDING MERCHANT SHIP VESSELS AND HUNTING ENSLAVED PERSONS SEEKING FREEDOM, OUR NATION HAS DESIGNED POLICE FORCES TO DEFEND PROPERTY AND CRIMINALIZE THE BLACK BODY
I ALSO BELIEVE THAT THE MOTION SHOULD BE BENEFICIAL FOR THE PEOPLE WHO WANT TO BE A POLICE OFFICER TO QUOTE PROTECT AND TO SERVE BUT THEN BECOME POLICE AND FIND OUT THEY'RE ONLY PROTECTING PROPERTY AND ENFORCING POLICIES THAT TARGET OPPRESSED COMMUNITIES.THERE NEEDS TO BE SUPPORT FOR A CULTURE OF TRANSPARENCY ABOUT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT'S HISTORY AND CHALLENGES FOR NEW RECRUITS
PEOPLE WHO WANT TO SERVE THE PUBLIC DESERVE TO DO SO WITH THE FULL KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT THAT ENTAILS
AND THERE'S NO QUESTION THAT THE VIOLENCE VISITED UPON OUR BLACK COMMUNITIES HAS TAKEN MANY FORMS OTHER THAN RACIST POLICING
AS CORETTA SCOTT KING SAID, I MUST REMIND YOU THAT STARVING A CHILD IS VIOLENCE, NEGLECTING SCHOOL CHILDREN IS VIOLENCE, PUNISHING A MOTHER AND HER FAMILY IS VIOLENCE, DISCRIMINATION AGAINST A WORKING MAN IS VIOLENCE
THIS MOTION IS JUST ONE OF MANY STEPS WE WILL NEED TO TAKE IN THE LONG MARCH FOR JUSTICE
OPPORTUNITY GAPS IN EDUCATION, ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIPS, AS WELL AS ENVIRONMENTAL INJUSTICES ARE AMONG THE OTHER SYSTEMIC ISSUES OUR COMMUNITY MUST ADDRESS IF WE ARE SINCERE IN OUR ANTI-RACIST COMMITMENTS
AS WE LOOK TOWARD THE CELEBRATION OF INDEPENDENCE DAY IN THE UNITED STATES THIS SATURDAY, MAY WE REFLECT ON THE WORDS OF FANNIE LOU HAMER, NOBODY'S FREE UNTIL EVERYBODY'S FREE
THANK YOU
I YIELD THE REMAINDER OF MY TIME
YES
THE NEXT PERSON ON MY LIST IS JESSICA SANFORD
JESSICA
I'M GOING TO SEND THE UNMUTE PROMPT NOW
GOOD MORNING, AND THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT ON THIS IMPORTANT MOTION
MY NAME IS JESSICA SANFORD, AND I CURRENTLY WORK IN AVIATION OPERATIONS
BEFORE MOVING BACK HOME TO THE SEATTLE AREA, I WORKED FOR THE CITY OF CHARLESTON POLICE DEPARTMENT IN SOUTH CAROLINA FOR SEVEN YEARS AS THE MANAGER OF THEIR TECHNOLOGY SYSTEMS, REPORTING, AND CRIMINAL INTELLIGENCE
THE TOPIC OF POLICE REFORM IS NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART AS CHARLESTON'S DEPARTMENT WENT THROUGH THIS EXACT SAME PROCESS FOLLOWING MICHAEL BROWN'S DEATH IN FERGUSON, MISSOURI IN 2014
I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE WHO HAS CONTRIBUTED THUS FAR TO THIS EFFORT
I AM PROUD THE PORT IS PROACTIVELY LOOKING INWARD TO BETTER OUR ORGANIZATION
REGARDING THE BAN ON DANGEROUS RESTRAINT TECHNIQUES AND USE OF FORCE, I WOULD LIKE TO IMPRESS UPON THE FUTURE TASK FORCE THE IMPORTANCE OF GIVING OFFICERS OTHER INTERMEDIARY TOOLS AND OPTIONS AS YOU TAKE SOME AWAY
OFFICERS CAN GO THROUGH HOURS OF DE- ESCALATION TRAINING AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, THERE WILL STILL BE SITUATIONS WHERE SUBJECTS RESIST ARREST
YOU'RE SETTING OFFICERS UP FOR FAILURE IF THEIR ONLY OPTIONS ARE A BATON OR A GUN
GIVE THEM INTERMEDIARY OPTIONS, REQUIRE ADDITIONAL TRAINING, AND SET HIGH EXPECTATIONS FOR WHEN THEY ARE USED
REGARDING BUDGET ALLOCATION, I WILL CAUTION THAT INCREASED EXPECTATIONS OF OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT WILL LIKELY LEAD TO INCREASED BUDGETARY NEEDS
BODY CAMERAS THEMSELVES ARE NOT EXPENSIVE BUT THE STORAGE AND REDACTION CAPABILITY ARE COSTLY OVER TIME
NEW OR INCREASED FREQUENCY OF TRAINING ALSO COMES AT A COST
IT NEEDS TO BE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT TO HAVE A POLICE DEPARTMENT WITH HIGHER STANDARDS AND A BETTER COMMUNITY OUTREACH WILL LIKELY REQUIRE MORE MONEY NOT LESS
I STRONGLY SUGGEST ADDING LANGUAGE TO THE MOTION THAT ADDRESSES THE NEED FOR DATA COLLECTION ANALYSIS AND TRANSPARENCY
I'VE HEARD MANY PEOPLE SAY "WE HAVE A GREAT POLICE FORCE"
WHAT DOES OUR DATA SHOW? WHERE WE STARTING FROM? WHAT ARE WE LOOKING TO CHANGE? I WOULD HATE TO HAVE SO MANY PEOPLE PUT THIS MUCH EFFORT AND TIME INTO REFORMING A SYSTEM ONLY TO MAKE IT TWO OR THREE YEARS DOWN THE ROAD AND NOT BE ABLE TO QUANTIFY THE PROGRESS
FINALLY TRANSPARENCY BOTH IN THE REFORM PROCESS AND OUR FINDINGS OVER TIME IS A HUGE OLIVE BRANCH TO THE COMMUNITY
IF WE ARE PROUD OF OUR POLICE FORCE AND THE CHANGES WE ARE MAKING, THE INFORMATION NEEDS TO BE READILY AVAILABLE
USE OF FORCE SUMMARY STATISTICS AND DEMOGRAPHIC REPORTS MAY NOT BE SOMETHING WE'RE PROUD OF RIGHT NOW, BUT WE NEED TO OWN OUR STORY AND THE JOURNEY
I APPRECIATE THE COMMISSION'S TIME AND LOOK FORWARD TO THE WORK AHEAD OF US
THANK YOU
THANK YOU, JESSICA
NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE
YES, THE NEXT SPEAKER THAT I HAVE IS RUDY KALUZA AND RUDY I AM SENDING THE UNMUTE PROMPT NOW
RUDY I SEE YOU'RE HIGHLIGHTED
YEP, THERE WE ARE
SO WE'RE GOOD
YEP
ALL RIGHT GOOD
THANK YOU
I'M RUDY COLUSA, PORT OF SEATTLE'S DIRECTOR OF ACCOUNTING, ALSO A MEMBER OF THE BLACKS IN GOVERNMENT, AS WELL AS THE ASIAN PACIFIC ISLANDERS EMPLOYEE RESOURCE GROUP
AND TO ME, SUBSTANTIALLY, MY LIFE, BLACK LIVES MATTER
THROUGHOUT MY 42 YEAR CAREER IN PUBLIC SERVICE, I PLACED THE HIGHEST PRIORITY TO PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY, INTEGRITY, AND FULL TRANSPARENCY, AND I'VE PROVEN THAT IN MY YEARS OF THE PORT OF SEATTLE
THE MOTION, I JOINED BLACKS IN GOVERNMENT FOCUS GROUP AND I'VE BECOME INTEGRAL PART OF IT TO FURTHER THESE PRINCIPLES AND INVESTED A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF TIME AND COLLECTIVELY PROVIDE [INAUDIBLE] CRITICAL THINKING FOR THE FORMULATION OF THIS MOTION ON POLICING REFORM FOR CONSIDERATION BY THE COMMISSION TODAY
THE EMPHASIS HAS BEEN TO STRENGTHEN ACCOUNTABILITY, INTEGRITY, AND TRANSPARENCY AT THE PORT OF SEATTLE REGARDING OUR POLICING PRACTICES
I PROVIDE FULL SUPPORT AND RESPECTFULLY COMMEND COMMISSION PRESIDENT STEINBREUCK, PETER STEINBREUCK, AS WELL AS CO-SPONSOR COMMISSIONERS FOR BRINGING THIS ACTION FORWARD AS WELL AS EXPRESS SINCERE APPRECIATION TO EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR STEVE METRUCK EMBRACING THE DIRECTION TAKING ACTION
IT TAKES A LOT OF COURAGE, DETERMINATION, AND SIGNIFICANT LEADERSHIP TOWARD EXAMINING AND REFINING OUR POLICING PRACTICES AND I RECOGNIZE THIS IS A COMPLEX CONTROVERSIAL MATTER TO ADDRESS
I STAND IN SOLIDARITY, BLACKS IN GOVERNMENT, OUR FOCUS GROUP, MANY PORT EMPLOYEES, THE PUBLIC AND WITH COMMITMENT TO WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR FINE PORT POLICE DEPARTMENT TOWARD SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS
AND I RESPECTFULLY ENCOURAGE AND SUPPORT COMMISSION TO ACT EXPEDITIOUSLY TO CLOSELY EXAMINE OUR CURRENT POLICING PRACTICES, TO ESTABLISH ASSURANCE TO THE CITIZENS THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE INVITING TO THE HIGHEST STANDARDS IN TERMS OF POLICING PRACTICES, OFFICER CONDUCT, AND WITH EMPHASIS ON PUBLIC SAFETY, EXCELLENCE, AS WELL AS CIVIL RIGHTS PROTECTION, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, SUBVERT ANY EXPOSURES TO SYSTEMIC RACISM AND IMPLICIT BIAS OR ANY FORM OF MISCONDUCT
THE MOTION IN MANY AREAS, I FULLY SUPPORT AS TO ITS BREADTH, FOCUS, AND DIRECTION
I RESPECTFULLY RECOMMEND, HOWEVER, CONSIDERATION AS WE MOVE FORWARD TO REFINE ACCORDINGLY IN TERMS OF BANS ON RESTRAINT TECHNIQUES THAT CAN LEAD TO LETHAL RESULTS
I ENCOURAGE IT TO COVER ANY TECHNIQUE THAT PROHIBITS A PERSON, OR MAKES THEM INCAPABLE OF BREATHING OR STOPS THE BLOOD FLOW TO THE BRAIN AND NOT JUST AT THE NECK WITH CHOKEHOLDS
WITH REGARD TO RECRUITMENT AND EVALUATION OF CANDIDATES AND DISQUALIFYING FACTORS, I RESPECTFULLY RECOMMEND CONSIDERATION TO ALSO INCLUDE RACIALLY-MOTIVATED MISCONDUCT NOT JUST RACIAL DISCRIMINATION
AS WE COVER QUALIFIED IMMUNITY FOR OFFICERS, I RECOGNIZE THERE INVOLVES BROAD CONSIDERATIONS AND ENCOURAGE WE VIGOROUSLY PURSUE THIS AND RESOLVE THE COMPLEX ISSUES BECAUSE THEY ARE PROBLEMATIC AND THEY HINDER EFFECTIVELY HOLDING OFFICER SUBSTANTIALLY ACCOUNTABLE
AND I WILL CLOSE
MY HEARTFELT THANKS TO OUR COMMISSION EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR THE SIGNIFICANT LEADERSHIP YOU ARE PROVIDING TO GUIDE OUR PORT OF POLICE TOWARD ENHANCED POLICIES AND POLICING PRACTICES AND MOST IMPORTANTLY SERVE AS A MODEL POLICE FORCE FOR OUR NATION
THANK YOU SO MUCH
THANK YOU RUDY FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AS WELL
WE'LL HEAR FROM THE NEXT SPEAKER
YES
THE NEXT SPEAKER I HAVE IS DEWAYNE HILL
I JUST SAW HIS ICON AND NOW I'M HAVING TROUBLE FINDING IT
OKAY, DEWAYNE
I AM SENDING OVER THE UNMUTE PROMPT
GOOD MORNING COMMISSIONERS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR METRUCK, THE PORT EMPLOYEES, AND THE COMMUNITY THAT ARE LISTENING IN ON THIS CALL
MY NAME IS DEWAYNE HILL AND I'M THE SENIOR MANAGER FOR DISBURSEMENTS FOR THE PORT OF SEATTLE
I'VE BEEN AT THE PORT FOR ABOUT 12 YEARS
I'M A 65 YEAR OLD BLACK AMERICAN WHO'S COMMITTED TO ELIMINATING SYSTEMIC RACISM WITHIN ALL ASPECTS OF AMERICAN SOCIETY
TODAY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT POLICING AND AGAIN THE WAY THAT BLACK AMERICANS HAVE BEEN POLICED IN THIS COUNTRY FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS HAS GOT TO CHANGE
THE RECENT DEATHS OF BRIANNA TAYLOR, AHMAUD AUBREY, MR GEORGE FLOYD, ARE JUST RECENT EXAMPLES OF HOW AFRICAN-AMERICANS, BLACK PEOPLE, HAVE BEEN TREATED IN THIS COUNTRY FOR SIMPLY DOING SOME OF THE MOST, YOU KNOW, THINGS THAT REALLY WOULD NOT, SHOULD NOT RESULT IN DEATH
AND AS A MEMBER OF THE BLACK COMMUNITY WHO HAS EXPERIENCE WITH POLICE, BEING STOPPED WHILE DRIVING BLACK, OR WALKING DOWN THE STREET WHILE BEING BLACK, MY WIFE AND I HAVING GUNS PULLED ON US, THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE
SO TO THAT END I'M GOING TO SAY THAT THE PORT SHOULD BE ACTING NOW TO ENSURE ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY WITHIN THE PORT OF SEATTLE POLICE AND THAT OUR POLICIES ACTUALLY REFLECT THAT ALL LIVES MATTER, INCLUDING BLACK LIVES
SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I'M REALLY PASSIONATE ABOUT AND I'M JUST SPEAKING SHORTHAND A LITTLE BIT HERE, BUT BANNING CHOKEHOLDS IN ALL FORMS, BASICALLY MAKING SURE THAT IF AN OFFICER DOES NEED TO USE FORCE TO SUBDUE SOMEONE THAT IT SHOULDN'T RESULT IN THEIR DEATH
OF COURSE, REQUIRING ONGOING TRAINING TO DE-ESCALATE SITUATIONS AS WELL AS PROVIDING RACIAL BIAS TRAINING, ALSO NOT HIRING ANY OFFICER CANDIDATE THAT HAS A HISTORY OF EXCESSIVE FORCE, OR COMPLAINTS, OR HAS A SUBSTANTIALLY DEMONSTRATED RATIO OF DISCRIMINATION
REVIEW THE ISSUE OF QUALIFIED IMMUNITY AND WE KNOW THIS IS A FEDERAL LAW THAT PROVIDES PROTECTIONS TO POLICE OFFICERS, BUT IT SHOULD NOT BE USED WHEN THERE IS CLEARLY A SITUATION WHERE THAT POLICE HAS ABUSED AN INDIVIDUAL
FINALLY THE PORT SHOULD ENSURE THAT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES THAT GOVERN IT'S POLICE FORCE ARE IN LINE WITH THE PRINCIPLES OF EQUITY, DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSION WHILE SUBVERTING THE IMPACTS OF SYSTEMIC RACISM, IMPLICIT BIAS, AND ALL FORMS OF POLICE MISCONDUCT
ANYTHING LESS IS INSUFFICIENT
BLACK LIVES MATTER
THANK YOU
THANK YOU, DWAYNE
NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE
YES
NEXT IS ADRIAN DOWN ADRIAN
I'M GOING TO SEND THE UNMUTE PROMPT NOW
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TODAY
MY NAME IS ADRIAN DOWN AND I WORK FOR THE PORT OF SEATTLE AT SEA-TAC AIRPORT
I WANT TO EXPRESS MY STRONG SUPPORT FOR THE DRAFT MOTION BEING PRESENTED TODAY
ONE PURPOSE OF THIS MOTION IS TO BEGIN A CULTURE SHIFT IN HOW WE AT THE PORT PROTECT PUBLIC SAFETY
ACHIEVING MEANINGFUL, LASTING CULTURE CHANGE IS NOT EASY AND IT IS NOT FAST
IT CANNOT BE ACHIEVED BY SIGNING A SINGLE MOTION, THOUGH THIS MOTION IS AN EXCELLENT START
I ENCOURAGE YOU AS THE LEADERS OF OUR ORGANIZATION TO CONTINUE TO STAY ENGAGED IN THIS EFFORT AFTER PASSING THIS MOTION, EVEN IF THE PUBLIC'S FOCUS MOVES ON TO OTHER ISSUES, PLEASE CONTINUE TO PUSH US, YOUR PORT STAFF, AND POLICE FORCE TO ACHIEVE THE HIGHEST STATE STANDARDS OF PUBLIC SAFETY, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND EQUITY
SECONDLY, IN ADDITION TO LEADERSHIP SUPPORT, MEANINGFUL CULTURE CHANGE REQUIRES RESOURCES, TIME, AND MONEY
BOTH ARE IN SHORT SUPPLY RIGHT NOW BUT WE CANNOT LET THAT STOP US FROM UNDERTAKING THIS IMPORTANT WORK
WE MUST COMMIT ONGOING MONEY, STAFF TIME, AND LEADERSHIP ATTENTION IF WE HOPE TO BE SUCCESSFUL
AS WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE CREATION OF A COMMISSION TASK FORCE ON PORT POLICING AND CIVIL RIGHTS, THERE ARE TWO IDEAS THAT I PROPOSE TO BE INCLUDED IN THAT TASK FORCE'S REVIEW
I PREFACE THIS BY ACKNOWLEDGING THAT I AM NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE HISTORY OF THE PORT'S CURRENT POLICING POLICIES SO IT'S POSSIBLE THAT THESE IDEAS HAVE BEEN EXPLORED PREVIOUSLY
THE FIRST IS TO CONSIDER WHETHER EVERY INCIDENT HANDLED BY THE PORT POLICE NECESSITATES AN ARMED OFFICER OR WHETHER SOME MAY BE BETTER HANDLED BY OTHER TYPES OF POLICE STAFF
CREATING A GREATER VARIETY OF ROLES, RESPONSIBILITIES, AND CAREER PATHS WITHIN OUR POLICE FORCE MAY HELP US RECRUIT MORE CANDIDATES FROM THE SOUTH KING COUNTY COMMUNITIES WHERE MANY OF OUR OTHER EMPLOYEES LIVE
THE SECOND IS TO ENSURE THAT ALL POLICE STAFF HAVE THE MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT TO DO THEIR JOBS EFFECTIVELY AND SAFELY
THE CURRENT FORM OF POLICING THAT WE HAVE ADOPTED IN THIS COUNTRY CAN BE DEHUMANIZING FOR PEOPLE WHO INTERACT WITH THE POLICE AND ALSO FOR POLICE OFFICERS
TO REBUILD PUBLIC TRUSTS AND END SYSTEMIC RACISM IN LAW ENFORCEMENT, WE MUST BREAK THIS ONGOING CYCLE OF TRAUMA
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TODAY
I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR PASSAGE OF THIS MOTION AND YOUR ONGOING ENGAGEMENT IN THE FUTURE
WE MUST ACT QUICKLY AND DECISIVELY TO AVOID ANOTHER TRAGIC DEATH AT THE HANDS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT LIKE GEORGE FLOYD, BRIANNA TAYLOR, AHMAUD AUBREY, AND SO MANY OTHERS
WE MUST ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT UNDOING THE HARMS OF SYSTEMIC RACISM WITHIN OUR ORGANIZATION FOR THE PAST HUNDRED YEARS AND IN OUR SOCIETY FOR HUNDREDS MORE WILL REQUIRE ALL OF US WORKING TOGETHER FOR THE REST OF OUR CAREERS HERE AT THE PORT OF SEATTLE
THANK YOU
THANK YOU ADRIAN
NEXT SPEAKER
THE NEXT SPEAKER I HAVE IS EFRON LOPEZ, WHO I KNOW EARLIER WE WERE HAVING SOME ISSUES GETTING UNMUTED
EFRON, I'M GOING TO SEND THE UNMUTE PROMPT
YOU SHOULD SEE IT AS A SMALL BANNER AT THE BOTTOM-- OKAY, HEAR ME? YES
GOOD MORNING EVERYONE
STEVE, COMMISSIONERS, EVERYONE CALLING IN
FIRST I WANT TO THANK COMMISSIONERS THAT APPROACHED BIG, DELMAS FOR HIS LEADERSHIP, AND BLACKS IN GOVERNMENT FOR DRAFTING THIS MOTION
I'M HERE IN SUPPORT OF THE MOTION BEING BROUGHT TO COMMISSION
I DO HAVE TWO RECOMMENDATIONS: I HAVE THE MOTION IN FRONT OF ME AND I'LL START WITH LINE 22 RECOMMENDING OR SUGGESTING LINE 22 TO LINE 74 TO BE HEADS OF EMPLOYEE RESOURCE GROUPS
TO ME THE LEADERSHIP OF EACH EMPLOYEE RESOURCE GROUP IT'S THE DIVERSITY OF THE PORT AND VOICES OF MANY UNDERREPRESENTED FOLKS IN THE ORGANIZATION
MY SECOND ONE IS LINE 137 ADD A NEW ITEM
THE PORT SHALL UNDERTAKE AN INDEPENDENT ASSESSMENT OF THE ETHNIC COMPOSITION OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT MEASURED AGAINST KING COUNTY DEMOGRAPHICS AND THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF THE TRAVELING PUBLIC
THE FINDINGS WILL HELP GUIDE THE ORGANIZATION FOR FUTURE OUTREACH AND HIRING EFFORTS
AND I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ADD LANGUAGE
TAKING AN ASSESSMENT OF OUR CURRENT LANGUAGES THAT OUR CURRENT DEPARTMENT OFFICERS TO REFLECT THE TRAVELING PUBLIC AND THE COMMUNITIES THAT WE SERVE
I YIELD THE REST OF MY TIME AND I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE THAT'S BEING INVOLVED AND PARTICIPATING IN THIS AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME
THANK YOU
NEXT SPEAKER
THAT IS ALL OF THE SPEAKERS I HAVE ON MY LIST
AND JUST AS A NOTE, EFRON SUBMITTED THOSE SUGGESTED CHANGES AS AN ATTACHMENT WHICH IS INCLUDED AS ONE OF THE WRITTEN COMMENTS TODAY
SO YOU WILL HAVE VISIBILITY ON THAT AS WELL AS THEM BEING ATTACHED TO THE MINUTES
THANK YOU LAUREN
CAN YOU PLEASE OFFER A QUICK SUMMARY OF THE WRITTEN MATERIALS THAT WE RECEIVED? YES
I THINK I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO OUR NEW COMMISSION CLERK, MICHELLE HART, FOR THAT
THANK YOU
MR COMMISSION PRESIDENT, MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE, CAN YOU HEAR ME? I'M HAPPY TO BE HERE
I WANT TO GIVE A QUICK SUMMARY OF THE WRITTEN COMMENTS RECEIVED
WE JUST RECEIVED TEN WRITTEN COMMENTS PRIOR TO THE MEETING STARTING
SEVEN WERE INTERNAL [INAUDIBLE] AND THREE EXTERNAL
WE DID RECEIVE TWO ADDITIONAL AFTER THE MEETING STARTED
ONE IS FROM A MISS JENNIFER LEE, TECHNOLOGY AND LIBERTY MANAGER AT ACLU OF WASHINGTON AND THE OTHER IS FROM A STANLEY KAKUMA, THE PRESIDENT OF THE JAPANESE AMERICAN CITIZENS LEAGUE
SO AFTER THIS MEETING IS OVER, WE WILL GO AHEAD AND SEND THOSE OUT TO YOU AS WELL AND ALL OF THE WRITTEN COMMENTS WILL BE ATTACHED TO THE MINUTES
RIGHT, VERY GOOD
THANK YOU
HEARING NO FURTHER PUBLIC TESTIMONY WE WILL ADVANCE NOW TO THE NEXT ITEM OF BUSINESS WHICH IS PRESENTATIONS AND REPORTS ITEM NUMBER 9
CLERK
THANK YOU
MR COMMISSION PRESIDENT AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION
BEFORE YOU TODAY IS ITEM 9A,THE BRIEFING ON DRAFT MOTION 2015 A MOTION OF THE PORT OF SEATTLE COMMISSION TO DIRECT A COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT OF THE PORT OF SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO ENSURE ALIGNMENT WITH THE HIGHEST NATIONAL STANDARDS AND BEST PRACTICES RELATED TO POLICING AND TO ESTABLISH A COMMISSION TASK FORCE TO LEAD THE ASSESSMENT AND DEVELOPMENT OF RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ACTION
THANK YOU
WE'LL NOW HEAR FROM PORT STAFF ON THE CONTENT OF THE DRAFT MOTION
LET ME MENTION THAT THERE HAS BEEN TREMENDOUS EFFORT THAT HAS GONE INTO THIS DRAFT MOTION
IT HAS BEEN CIRCULATED WIDELY THROUGHOUT THE PORT AMONGST COMMISSIONERS, STAFF
WE'VE GOTTEN I WOULD SAY VERY SUBSTANTIAL RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CONTENT FROM THE BLACKS IN GOVERNMENT LED BY DELMAS AND HIS FOCUS GROUP AND WE STILL HAVE TIME TO MAKE ADDITIONAL CHANGES BEFORE THE JULY 14TH INTENDED VOTE ON THE MOTION
BUT IT I WILL SAY IT HAS EVOLVED IN A WAY THAT HAS BEEN NOTHING LESS THAN REALLY EXTRAORDINARY AND WHAT GREAT INPUT FROM THE BOTTOM UP IF YOU WILL, NOT TO PUT ANYBODY IN THAT PLACE BUT TO SAY THAT IT HAS BEEN VERY MUCH A PORT-WIDE COMMUNITY EFFORT AND I THANK ALL THOSE INVOLVED WHO HAVE SO FAR BEEN INVOLVED IN HELPING SHAPE THIS MOTION
WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO TURN IT TO PRESENTER ERIC SHENFIELD AND VERONICA VALDEZ
I'M WORKING ON GETTING THEM UNMUTED
HANG ON ONE SECOND
COMMISSIONER STEINBRUECK, I DID JUST RECEIVE AN EMAIL
IT'S HARD TO MONITOR DURING THESE MEETINGS, HOWEVER, WE HAVE ONE MORE PORT EMPLOYEE WHO HAS REQUESTED TO GIVE COMMENT
OKAY
GREAT SO KENNY LYLES
I'M GOING TO SEND AN UNMUTE PROMPT NOW
KENNY I'M SENDING THAT YOUR WAY
THANK YOU, LAUREN
CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, WE CAN
OKAY
YEAH, I SIGNED UP
I APOLOGIZE
I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED
BUT I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY
MAMA I CAN'T BREATHE
I'D ALSO LIKE TO SAY I'M SORRY
I CAN'T BREATHE
IN HONOR OF ELIJAH MCLANE, AURORA, COLORADO, WHO LOOKED SUSPICIOUS WALKING DOWN THE STREET
HIS ONLY CRIME
HAVING SAID THAT, MY NAME IS KENNY LYLES
I'M THE DIRECTOR OF MARITIME OPERATIONS AND SECURITY
I'VE BEEN WITH THE PORT OF SEATTLE FOR 35 YEARS
HALF OF THAT TIME WAS SPENT AT SEA-TAC AIRPORT
DURING MY TIME AT SEA-TAC AIRPORT I HAD A CHANCE TO WORK CLOSELY WITH THE PORT OF SEATTLE POLICE AND BASICALLY I HAD A CHANCE TO MEET AND FELLOWSHIP WITH A NUMBER OF THE PORT OF SEATTLE OFFICERS
HAVING SAID THAT I WOULD FIRST LIKE TO SAY GOOD MORNING TO PRESIDENT STEINBREUCK, COMMISSIONERS, AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR METRUCK
THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN THE DRAFT PORT POLICING ASSESSMENT MOTION
ALTHOUGH I AM AN ACTIVE PARTICIPANT IN THE BLACKS IN GOVERNMENT FOCUS GROUP PROCESS, I AM REPRESENTING MY OWN PERSPECTIVE AS AN INDEPENDENT EMPLOYEE AT THE INVITATION OF DIRECTOR METRUCK FOR THE RECORD
I ENDORSE THE ACTION ITEMS PRESENTED TO THE COMMISSION AND MR METRUCK AS PRESENTED BY THE FOCUS GROUP
I AM ONLY SPEAKING ON ONE OF THOSE ACTION ITEMS FOR EMPHASIS
I'M ASKING THAT THE PROCESS OF HIRING FRONTLINE POLICE OFFICERS THROUGH LATERAL POSTINGS BE DISCONTINUED
THE HIRING OF A FRONT LINE OFFICERS THROUGH LATERAL POSTINGS REDUCES THE FIELD OF APPLICANTS TO ONLY THOSE OFFICERS WHO ARE CURRENTLY IN OTHER POLICE DEPARTMENTS FOR A PERIOD OF TIME
BY MAINTAINING THIS PROVISION THE POOL OF CANDIDATES OF COLOR WILL BE REDUCED
THIS REQUEST WOULD ONLY APPLY TO RANK-AND-FILE OFFICERS AND TO THE COMMAND STAFF
REASONS FOR USING THE LATERAL PROCESS HAVE BEEN THAT THE FORCE NEEDS TO REPLACE A POSITION IN THE MOST EXPEDITIOUS FASHION
THIS OFTEN CAN BE USED AS A FALSE NARRATIVE NOT TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THAT OUR POLICE FORCE IS 100 PLUS STRONG
THE PRACTICE RUNS CONTRARY TO OUTREACH EFFORTS IF WE ARE APPEARING AT INNER-CITY JOB FAIRS PROMOTING THE PROMISE OF A CAREER IN LAW ENFORCEMENT ONLY TO BE DENIED THE OPPORTUNITY TO EVEN APPLY
THIS REQUEST CAN BE ENACTED IMMEDIATELY BY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OR HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGING DIRECTOR AUTHORIZATION
AS A RESULT OF GENTRIFICATION, COMMUNITIES OF COLOR HAVE MIGRATED TO COMMUNITIES SURROUNDING THE AIRPORT
IT WOULD BE IN OUR PORT OF SEATTLE INTEREST TO REFLECT THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITY POPULATIONS IN WHICH WE HAVE MUTUAL AID LAW ENFORCEMENT AGREEMENTS
I ALSO ASK THAT AN ANALYSIS BE CONDUCTED TO SEE THE NUMBER OF LATERAL JOB POSTINGS OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS AND TO REPORT OUT THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF THOSE RESPECTIVE HIRING
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME
BLACK LIVES MATTER
AND I YEILD MY TIME
THANK YOU VERY MUCH
THANK YOU
THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR TREMENDOUS WORK AS WELL AND LEADERSHIP
I THINK NOW WE ARE CONCLUDED WITH PUBLIC COMMENT AND WE CAN MOVE ON
HAVE WE GOT THE PRESENTERS UNMUTED AT THIS TIME? I CAN DO THAT MOMENTARILY
COMMISSIONER STEINBREUCK, WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO CALL FOR A FINAL REQUEST IF THERE'S ANYBODY ELSE ON THE LINE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING? YES, LET'S DO THAT
JUST IN CASE YOU MISSED THE SIGN UP OR WE MISSED YOU, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO GIVE PUBLIC COMMENT AND YOU HAVE JOINED US VIA DESKTOP I WOULD REQUEST THAT YOU PUT A MESSAGE IN THE CHAT BOX IN THE IM ON THE SKYPE MEETING OR IF YOU HAVE JOINED US BY PHONE AND REQUEST TO GIVE COMMENTS ON THIS TOPIC, YOU WILL NEED TO PRESS STAR SIX TO INDICATE THAT YOU ARE ON THE LINE AND WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK
I'LL GIVE IT A MINUTE OR TWO TO WATCH FOR ANY OF THOSE REQUESTS AND THEN WE WILL MOVE ON AFTER THAT
OKAY
I AM NOT SEEING ANY
WE HAD ONE PHONE NUMBER ON MUTE
IS THAT? HELLO? YES, CAN YOU HEAR ME? I CAN
WHAT IS YOUR NAME? MY NAME IS ERNEST THOMPSON
I'D LIKE TO MAKE A SHORT STATEMENT
THANK YOU FOR THIS TIME TODAY
I'M LISTENING TO THIS AND THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE PORT OF SEATTLE POLICE AND I LISTENED TO PREVIOUS PRESENTATIONS AND WHEN SOMEONE ASKED HOW MANY PEOPLE OF COLOR OR PERSONS OF COLOR THE PORT OF SEATTLE POLICE EMPLOYED, THE POLICE IN CHARGE OF IT EITHER COULD NOT OR WOULD NOT ANSWER THAT QUESTION AND I FIND THAT A LITTLE DISINGENIOUS AND HE ONLY SAID THAT IT WAS NOT ENOUGH
WE SIMPLY WANT TO KNOW HOW MANY SPECIFICALLY PEOPLE OF COLOR THERE ARE WORKING FOR THE PORT, NUMBER ONE, SO WE KNOW WHAT KIND OF PROBLEM WE'RE DEALING WITH AND HOW TO GO ABOUT ACTIVELY INCLUDING PEOPLE
THE SECOND THING IS A LOT OF TIMES I HEAR A LOT OF PLATITUDES, BUT WHAT I REALLY WANT TO HEAR IS SPECIFICS AND NUMBERS AND HARD DATA THAT WE CAN FOCUS ON AND NOT JUST TURN THIS INTO A COMMISSION THAT REALLY HAS NOTHING TO TALK ABOUT OR NO SPECIFIC PLAN OF ACTION
THE REAL PROBLEM IS THAT PEOPLE GET LOST IN THE BIGGER PICTURE AND WE ARE TALKING ABOUT SPECIFICALLY THE PORT OF SEATTLE POLICE
IF THERE'S NO PROBLEM, IF THERE IS NO CASES OF BRUTALITY, IF THERE IS NO CASES OF SPECIFIC DATA, IT DOESN'T HELP US TO HAVE ANOTHER COMMISSION TO SIT AROUND AND TALK ABOUT AN ISSUE
THAT APPARENTLY DOESN'T APPLY TO THE PORT OF SEATTLE SPECIFICALLY
IF IT DOES APPLY TO THE PORT OF SEATTLE, WE NEED DAT,
WE NEED SPECIFICS AND THAT IS WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO HEAR
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME
THANK YOU
LAUREN ANY MORE SPEAKERS? NOT THAT I HAVE SEEN INDICATE A REQUEST TO SPEAK
SO I THINK WE SHOULD BE GOOD TO MOVE ON
LET'S MOVE ON TO ITEM 9
YES, AND SINCE WE HAVE ALREADY INTRODUCED THAT ITEM I WILL NOW GET OUR TWO PRESENTERS UNMUTED AND I WILL ALSO WORK ON PULLING UP THE POWERPOINT
THANK YOU SO MUCH LAUREN
THANK YOU COMMISSIONERS
THANK YOU EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR METRUCK
MY NAME IS ERIC SHENFIELD
I AM THE ACTING COMMISSION CHIEF OF STAFF
I'M JOINED BY MY COLLEAGUE VERONICA VALDEZ WHO WAS COMMISSION SPECIALISTS AND WE ARE REALLY HONORED TO BE WITH YOU TODAY TO PRESENT THE CONTENTS OF THIS DRAFT MOTION
I WANT TO START BY EMPHASIZING WHAT COMMISSIONER STEINBREUCK JUST SAID THAT THIS IS TRULY A DRAFT MOTION
IT REPRESENTS INCREDIBLE PROGRESS TO DATE FROM ITS FIRST INITIAL ITERATION IN TAKING FEEDBACK, MAKING IMPROVEMENTS, MAKING SURE THAT THIS MOTION TRULY REPRESENTS WHAT IT NEEDS TO BE
BUT THERE IS STILL SIGNIFICANT WORK TO BE DONE
WE'VE HEARD EVEN TODAY IN BOTH THE ORAL AND THE WRITTEN COMMENTS OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT, OPPORTUNITIES TO MAKE THIS MOTION THE BEST IT CAN BE AND SO, PLEASE DO EXPECT THAT YOU WILL SEE AN UPDATED VERSION OF THIS MOTION WELL IN ADVANCE OF WHEN YOU CONSIDER IT AT THE JULY 14TH PUBLIC MEETING OF THE COMMISSION
THAT HAVING BEEN SAID, VERONICA AND I WILL WALK YOU THROUGH TODAY WHAT IS IN THE DRAFT MOTION AS IT STANDS RIGHT NOW TO MAKE SURE IT'S REALLY CLEAR TO EVERYBODY WHO IS FOLLOWING ALONG WHAT IT IS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE AND HOW WE ARE TRYING TO ACHIEVE IT
AND SPECIFICALLY TO FOCUS, AS MANY PEOPLE HAVE COMMENTED ON, NOT JUST ON A ASSESSING, NOT JUST ON HAVING A DISCUSSION, BUT SPECIFICALLY ON IDENTIFYING AND TAKING BOLD STEPS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE TO TAKE ACTION TO ADDRESS ANY ISSUES THAT ARE IDENTIFIED
SO WE DO HAVE A SHORT POWERPOINT HERE
LAUREN, I'LL ASK YOU TO GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE
THERE ARE FIVE SECTIONS IN THE MOTION, FIVE ACTIONS THAT THE COMMISSION DIRECTS TO OCCUR
NUMBER ONE IS, AS WAS REFERENCED EARLIER, THE COMMISSION EXPRESSING ITS SUPPORT FOR THE ACTIONS THAT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR METRUCK TOOK ON JUNE 23RD, THESE VERY SPECIFIC STEPS THAT THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR HAS, THROUGH HIS EXECUTIVE AUTHORITY, IMMEDIATELY IMPLEMENTED AND YOU'LL SEE AS WE'LL TALK ABOUT LATER THOSE STEPS ARE IMPORTANT
THE COMMISSION ACKNOWLEDGES THOSE STEPS, BUT THERE IS MORE WORK TO BE DONE NOT ONLY TO IMPLEMENT THOSE STEPS BUT ALSO TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL CLARITY AND DEFINITION AROUND THOSE STEPS AND TO BUILD ON THOSE STEPS
SO THAT'S NUMBER ONE
NUMBER TWO IS REALLY WHERE WE TALK ABOUT WHAT ARE THE TACTICAL WAYS THAT WE'RE GOING TO PURSUE THIS AND SO THE MOTION DOES TWO THINGS: FIRST OF ALL IT OF COURSE DIRECTS THAT COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT OF THE PORT OF SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT BEST PRACTICES, NATIONAL STANDARDS RELATED TO POLICING, AND THAT OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT LIVES UP TO ALL OF THOSE STANDARDS PARTICULARLY AS IT RELATES TO EQUITY, CIVIL RIGHTS, AND SEVERAL OF THESE OTHER ISSUES THAT WERE TALKING ABOUT TODAY
AND THEN TACTICALLY IT ESTABLISHES BOTH A COMMISSION TASK FORCE ON PORT POLICING AND CIVIL RIGHTS
NEXT SLIDE, LAUREN
THAT TASK FORCE IS MADE UP OF TWO COMMISSIONERS APPOINTED BY THE COMMISSION PRESIDENT
IT IS ALSO LED BY TWO TASK FORCE CO-CHAIRS
THESE ARE NOT THE COMMISSIONERS, THESE ARE SEPARATE CO-CHAIRS WHO WILL LEAD THE TASK FORCE
THOSE CO-CHAIRS WILL BE APPOINTED BY THE COMMISSION PRESIDENT
WE ASSUME THAT THOSE WILL BE PORT STAFF WHO ARE LEADING THIS EFFORT AND THEN THE REST OF THE TASK FORCE WILL BE MADE UP OF A MIX OF PORT STAFF FROM KEY DEPARTMENTS, DIVISIONS, ORGANIZATIONS, GROUPS WITHIN THE PORT, AS WELL AS EXTERNAL REPRESENTATIVES
IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO US THAT WHILE THERE IS INCREDIBLE EXPERTISE WITHIN THE PORT ON THIS TOPIC THAT WE MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE TAKING FULL ADVANTAGE OF EXPERTISE OUTSIDE THE PORT AS WELL
AND TO THAT END, ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT THE TASK FORCE WILL DO IS ACTUALLY TO HIRE A CONSULTANT, HIRE AN OUTSIDE EXPERT
NOT JUST TO FACILITATE THE PROCESS, BUT SPECIFICALLY TO BRING EXPERTISE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE LOOKING THOUGHTFULLY AND STRATEGICALLY AT ALL OF THESE ISSUES, BRINGING IN EXTERNAL EXPERTISE AS NECESSARY AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE DOING THIS PROCESS AS WELL, AS EFFICIENTLY, AND AS EFFECTIVELY AS POSSIBLE
SO NEXT SLIDE AND I WILL TURN THINGS OVER TO VERONICA VALDEZ TO START TO WALK THROUGH EACH OF THE SECTIONS WITHIN THE ASSESSMENT THAT ARE OUTLINED
WHAT WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT ACTIONS NEED TO BE TAKEN
GOOD MORNING COMMISSIONERS
I'M VERONICA VADAS, COMMISSION SPECIALIST
WE WILL GO THROUGH ALL THE AREAS THAT THE ASSESSMENT INCLUDES BUT IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT THE ASSESSMENT IS NOT LIMITED TO THE LIST THAT WE WERE GOING THROUGH
WE WANTED TO SPECIFICALLY CALL OUT THESE AREAS THAT WE WANTED INCLUDED TO ENSURE THAT THE ASSESSMENT SPOKE TO SOME OF THE FEEDBACK WE'RE GETTING FROM OUR BLACKS IN GOVERNMENT AND OUR PORT EMPLOYEES
AND THERE MIGHT BE OTHER AREAS THAT THE REVIEW WILL UNCOVER THAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE NOT JUST EXCLUSIVELY STICKING TO THIS LIST HERE
THE TASK FORCE WILL HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO REVIEW DOCUMENTATION
I KNOW SOME OF OUR SPEAKERS TALKED ABOUT DATA
SO THE TASK FORCE WILL LOOK AT POLICE AFTER ACTION REPORTS, USE OF FORCE REPORTS, DEMOGRAPHIC DATA, AND OTHER INFORMATION NECESSARY WITHIN LEGAL LIMITS AND PRIVACY LAWS TO CONDUCT THE ASSESSMENT
SO FIRST ON THE LIST IS DIVERSITY IN RECRUITMENT AND HIRING
WHY DOES DIVERSITY IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT MATTER? WELL, IT'S A CRITICAL ELEMENT IN ESTABLISHING AND EXPANDING TRUST BETWEEN LAW ENFORCEMENT AND THE COMMUNITY
IT ALSO MAKES THE POLICE DEPARTMENT LESS INSULAR AND MORE RECEPTIVE TO CHANGE
BY EXAMINING THE RECRUITMENT SELECTION AND HIRING PRACTICES, THE TASK FORCE WILL BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY ANY BARRIERS THAT MAY EXIST THAT UNDERMINE DIVERSITY AND DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTS POTENTIAL OFFICERS OF COLOR FROM ENTERING OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT
SO THE GOAL HERE IS FOR THE PORT TO ATTRACT AND RETAIN HIGHLY QUALIFIED OFFICERS THAT BETTER REFLECT THE COMMUNITY
THIS INCLUDES LOOKING AT WHERE ARE WE RECRUITING OFFICERS FROM AND HOW OFFICER CANDIDATES ARE BEING VETTED DURING TESTING, BACKGROUND CHECKS, AND OVERALL HIRING PROCESS
THE NEXT IS TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT
THE ASSESSMENT WILL INCLUDE A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF POLICE TRAINING CURRICULUM TO IDENTIFY AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT
BUT I WILL GO BACK TO WHAT OUR POLICE CHIEF HAS OFTEN SAID: IDENTIFYING CANDIDATES WHOSE MOTIVATION IS TO PROTECT AND TO SERVE IS CRUCIAL AND NO AMOUNT OF TRAINING CAN INSTILL THAT IN SOMEONE WHO DOESN'T ALREADY HAVE IT
THIS WILL BUILD UPON THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S NEW MANDATE FOR ANTI-BIAS BYSTANDER INTERVENTION AND DE-ESCALATION TRAINING
IT WOULD ALSO LOOK AT WHETHER AND HOW TRAINING IS PROMOTING THE GUARDIAN MENTALITY
FOR SOME FOLKS WHO ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THIS, IT'S WHEN OFFICERS CAN BE TRAINED TO BE TACTICALLY SAFE WITHOUT APPROACHING EVERY CITIZEN AS A POTENTIAL ENEMY COMBATANT WHICH IS OFTEN TERMED THE WARRIOR MINDSET
AND THEN ON THE DEVELOPMENT SIDE, IT WOULD LOOK AT HOW OFFICERS ARE DEVELOPED AND ADVANCED THROUGHOUT THE ORGANIZATION TO ENSURE EQUITABLE OUTCOMES FOR OFFICERS OF COLOR SUCH AS PROMOTION BOARDS
THIS INCLUDES REVIEW AND COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS AS WELL TO ENSURE THEY ARE NOT DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTING OFFICERS OF COLOR
THE NEXT AREA IS EQUITY WHICH REALLY UNDERPINS A LOT OF THE EFFORTS THAT THE PORT HAS TAKEN TO INCLUDE UPDATING OUR CENTURY AGENDA TO BE A MODEL OF EQUITY, DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSION
SO THE ASSESSMENT WILL LOOK AT PROTOCOLS AND OVERSIGHT THAT ARE IN PLACE TO ENSURE THAT ALL OFFICERS ARE TREATED WITH FAIRNESS, EQUITY, AND RESPECT
IT WILL ALSO INCLUDE A REVIEW OF PROTOCOLS FOR REPORTING MISTREATMENT EXPERIENCED OR OBSERVED WITHIN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND HOW IT WAS ADDRESSED OR RESOLVED
THE NEXT AREA IS USE OF FORCE
THIS ASSESSMENT WILL INCLUDE A REVIEW OF POLICIES AND PROCEDURES GOVERNING THE USE OF FORCE BEYOND THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S NEW BAN ON THE USE OF CHOKEHOLDS TO DETERMINE IF CURRENT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES NEED TO BE UPDATED
AS ONE OF OUR PUBLIC COMMENTERS MENTIONED, ARE THERE OTHER POTENTIALLY LETHAL TECHNIQUES THAT MAY NEED TO BE PROHIBITED? HOW ABOUT THE USE OF TEAR GAS AND PEPPER SPRAY, BLAST BOMBS AND OTHER NON-LETHAL WEAPONS AND TACTICS THAT ARE USED TO MANAGE AND DISPERSE CROWDS? THE TASK FORCE WILL ALSO REVIEW THE ANNUAL USE OF FORCE REPORTS THAT THE PORT PRODUCES TO REVIEW AND ANALYZE INCIDENTS
THESE REPORTS HELP THE DEPARTMENT DETERMINE EMPLOYEE DEVELOPMENT NEEDS, EQUIPMENT ISSUES, AND RECOGNIZE TRENDS OR PATTERNS
I WILL NOW TURN IT OVER TO ERIC TO GO OVER THE REMAINING AREAS OF ASSESSMENT
THANK YOU SO MUCH VERONICA
SO OVERSIGHT AND ACCOUNTABILITY
RIGHT NOW WE NEED TO REALLY UNDERSTAND HOW ARE COMPLAINTS AGAINST OFFICERS CURRENTLY HANDLED? WHAT ROLE SHOULD OR COULD ADDITIONAL LEADERSHIP OUTSIDE OF THE POLICE FORCE ITSELF PLAY IN REVIEWING AND DEALING WITH THOSE COMPLAINTS? WHETHER IT BE THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE PORT, WHETHER IT BE COMMISSIONERS, WHETHER THERE'S A ROLE FOR CIVILIAN OVERSIGHT AND ACCOUNTABILITY
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT TO THE EXTENT THAT WE ARE PUBLISHING THINGS ON OUR WEBSITE, PROVIDING AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC TO BE AWARE OF COMPLAINTS, OF ISSUES WITHIN THE POLICE FORCE, HOW DO WE DO THAT WELL? HOW DO WE DO THAT IN A WAY THAT IS FULLY TRANSPARENT? AND WE DO HAVE A DISCUSSION IN THIS MOTION ABOUT QUALIFIED IMMUNITY
THAT IS A NATIONAL TOPIC THAT HAS ATTRACTED A LOT OF ATTENTION AND DOES NOT SPECIFICALLY IMPACT HOW WE DEAL WITH COMPLAINTS INTERNALLY BUT WE DO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS TRANSPARENCY
ARE THERE CIVIL CASES BEING BROUGHT AGAINST OFFICERS IN THE PORT OF SEATTLE POLICE? IF SO, HOW ARE THOSE CIVIL CASES BEING MADE AWARE TO PORT LEADERSHIP, TO THE COMMISSION? AND DOES THAT IN ANY WAY IMPACT HOW WE LOOK AT THOSE ISSUES? NEXT WE WILL TALK ABOUT THE POLICE UNION WHO ARE REALLY A KEY PARTNER IN THIS ASSESSMENT IN FIGURING OUT WHAT WE CAN AND SHOULD BE ABLE TO CHANGE
MANY OF THESE ISSUES ARE COLLECTIVELY BARGAINED AND SO WE WANT TO HAVE A REALLY PRODUCTIVE CONVERSATION ABOUT THE ROLE OF COLLECTIVE BARGAINING, POTENTIAL IMPROVEMENTS TO THE NEGOTIATED COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS, SO THAT WE ARE ABLE TO REALLY DRIVE THE OUTCOMES THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR
THOSE THINGS MIGHT BE: HOW DO WE BALANCE THE HIGH STANDARD OF CONDUCT AND THE DISCIPLINARY PROCESS? HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE IDENTIFYING AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT IN THAT DISCIPLINARY PROCESS? AND THEN REALLY A VERY IMPORTANT QUESTION HERE IS ARE THERE THINGS WITHIN THE COLLECTIVELY BARGAINED AGREEMENT THAT ACTUALLY SERVE AS A BARRIER TO PROGRESS ON ADDRESSING SYSTEMIC RACIAL CHANGE FOR PEOPLE OF COLOR INTENTIONAL OR UNINTENTIONAL? AND HOW DO WE NEED TO LOOK AT POTENTIALLY CHANGING THOSE THINGS IN TERMS OF BUDGET ROLLS AND EQUIPMENT? THIS IS WHERE WE GET TO SOME OF THE REALLY MAJOR ISSUES THAT ARE BEING DEBATED DEEPLY IN OUR COUNTRY RIGHT NOW
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE QUOTE UNQUOTE DEFUND THE POLICE MOVEMENT, A LOT OF THAT IS REALLY, TO ONE OF THE COMMENTS THAT WE HEARD FROM TODAY IN PUBLIC COMMENT, IT'S NOT ABOUT GETTING RID OF THE POLICE BUDGET BUT REALLY IDENTIFYING AREAS WHERE POLICE ARE NOT, OR RATHER UNIFORMED OFFICERS, ARE NOT THE BEST PEOPLE TO RESPOND TO AN ISSUE
IF THERE IS AN ISSUE RELATED TO HOMELESSNESS, IF THERE'S AN ISSUE RELATED TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, IS IT BEST FOR A POLICE OFFICER TO RESPOND TO THAT OR IS IT BETTER FOR A DIFFERENT PERSON, COMMUNITY SERVICE PERSON OF SOME KIND WHETHER THEY WORK FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT OR FOR A DIFFERENT PART OF THE PORT, TO RESPOND TO THOSE ISSUES? IS THAT A MORE EFFECTIVE USE OF THE BUDGET? HOW DO WE REINVEST IN THE COMMUNITY IN A WAY THAT ADDRESSES THESE ISSUES IN A CORE WAY
AND THEN IN TERMS OF EQUIPMENT
WE HAVE ALSO HEARD THE PHRASE ABOUT DEMILITARIZATION OF THE POLICE
WHAT DOES THAT ACTUALLY MEAN? PARTICULARLY FOR THE PORT OF SEATTLE WHERE WE DO HAVE SOME VERY SPECIALIZED ROLES THAT WE HAVE TO PLAY, ANTI- TERRORISM, THINGS OF THAT NATURE WHERE WE DO NEED SPECIFIC EQUIPMENT AND PARTICULARLY BECAUSE OF THE ENVIRONMENTS IN WHICH THE PORT OF SEATTLE POLICE WORK, WHETHER THAT BE ANY AVIATION SPACE OR THE MARITIME SPACE
HOWEVER WE NEED TO JUST HAVE A REVIEW OF THAT AND MAKE SURE THAT THE PORT OF SEATTLE POLICE IS NOT PURCHASING EQUIPMENT THAT IS UNNECESSARY FOR THE ROLE THAT THEY PLAY AND COULD POTENTIALLY CAUSE CONCERNS WITH THE GENERAL PUBLIC
MUTUAL AID IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE MENTIONED IN THE PAST
MUTUAL AID IS WHEN OUR POLICE FORCE PARTICIPATES IN SUPPORT OF OTHER JURISDICTIONS WHETHER IT BE IN A PROTEST ENVIRONMENT, WHETHER IT BE IN A CRISIS RESPONSE ENVIRONMENT, OUR PORT OF SEATTLE POLICE HAVE AGREEMENTS NOT ONLY THROUGHOUT SOUTH KING COUNTY BUT WITH THE CITY OF SEATTLE AND OTHER JURISDICTIONS WITHIN KING COUNTY AND OTHERWISE
IT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT ROLE THAT WE PLAY
IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE PROUD TO DO ON A REGULAR BASIS
BUT HOW DO WE ENSURE THAT PORT POLICE, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THEY'RE ON PORT PROPERTY OR IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OTHER JURISDICTIONS, ARE ALWAYS LIVING UP TO THAT HIGH STANDARD OF CONDUCT THAT WE HAVE SET FOR OURSELVES, THAT WE HOLD OURSELVES TO? WHAT ARE THE ACTUAL AGREEMENTS IN PLACE AND THE PROTOCOLS IN PLACE WHEN THE PORT OF SEATTLE POLICE ARE IN A MUTUAL AID SITUATION? AND HOW ARE THOSE AGREEMENTS REVIEWED ON A REGULAR BASIS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ONLY ENGAGING IN MUTUAL AID WHEN IT FITS WITH OUR VALUES AND WHEN IT ALLOWS OUR PORT POLICE TO CONTINUE TO OPERATE IN THE WAY THEY FEEL MOST COMFORTABLE WITH? AND FINALLY ADVOCACY
IN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR METRUCK'S STEPS THAT HE TOOK ON JUNE 23RD ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HE IDENTIFIED WAS LOOKING AT QUALIFIED IMMUNITY
AGAIN THIS ISSUE IS A FEDERAL ISSUE AND WHETHER OR NOT IT MAKES SENSE TO ADD IT TO OUR STATE AND OR FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE AGENDA
THERE ARE A NUMBER OF OTHER ISSUES THAT COULD OR SHOULD BE ADDED TO OUR STATE AND FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE AGENDA
SEVERAL BILLS IN CONGRESS BOTH FROM DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS THAT LOOK AT EVERYTHING FROM DOES THERE NEED TO BE A DATABASE OF COMPLAINTS AGAINST POLICE OFFICERS TO ENSURE THAT POLICE OFFICERS WITH A BAD TRACK RECORD DON'T GET HIRED WITHOUT THE KNOWLEDGE OF THAT NEW POLICE FORCE ABOUT WHAT THEIR PAST BEHAVIORS HAVE BEEN
OTHER ISSUES LIKE THAT WHERE POTENTIALLY WE COULD REALLY BE A LEADING PORT, ADVOCATING FOR SOME OF THOSE CHANGES AT THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEVEL
AND THEN LET ME JUST STOP BY SAYING THAT AGAIN, AS VERONICA MENTIONED, THIS IS A LIST OF NINE ITEMS FOR ASSESSMENT
THE TASK FORCE IS FULLY EMPOWERED BY THE COMMISSION, BY THIS MOTION TO ADD ADDITIONAL ITEMS TO THIS LIST
WE WILL LEARN SIGNIFICANTLY MORE AS WE GO THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS AND SO THIS LIST IS IN NO WAY TRYING TO LIMIT THE WORK OF THE TASK FORCE
THE TASK FORCE IS FULLY EMPOWERED TO DO EVERYTHING IT NEEDS TO DO
AGAIN, TO GET BACK TO THAT CORE DIRECTIVE OF THE COMMISSION, WHICH IS TO ENSURE THAT OUR POLICE FORCE IS LIVING UP TO OUR VALUES, IS OPERATING ON THE NATIONAL BEST PRACTICES AND STANDARDS THAT WE HOLD FOR OURSELVES AND THAT WE HOPE TO ACHIEVE
SO LET ME TURN THINGS OVER TO VERONICA TO TALK ABOUT NEXT STEPS
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE, LAUREN
GREAT
SO WE WILL COLLECT THE FEEDBACK WE RECEIVED TODAY AND ANY THAT WE RECEIVE AFTER THIS MEETING AND INTEGRATE THE INPUTS INTO THE MOTION WHERE APPROPRIATE
THEN ON JULY 14TH WE WILL COME BACK TO COMMISSION FOR YOU TO CONSIDER AND VOTE ON THE PROPOSED MOTION
IF THE MOTION IS APPROVED, THEN THE TASK FORCE WILL BE STOOD UP AND WORK WILL BE UNDERWAY TO COME BACK TO COMMISSION ON OCTOBER 31ST FOR THE FIRST PROGRESS REPORT AND ANY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMMEDIATE ACTIONS
AND THEN AS RECOMMENDATIONS ARE DEVELOPED BY THE TASK FORCE, THE CO-CHAIRS WILL SUBMIT A REPORT TO THE COMMISSION AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR REVIEW, RESPONSE, AND IMPLEMENTATION
AND THEN FURTHER OUT WE EXPECT THE TASK FORCE TO RECOMMEND HOW REPORTING WILL BE PROVIDED TO COMMISSIONERS AND THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ON AN ONGOING BASIS TO INCREASE OVERSIGHT AND ACCOUNTABILITY
SO I WILL PAUSE THERE AND ASK COMMISSIONERS IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME REGARDING WHAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE PRESENTED
CLERK PLEASE UNMUTE THE COMMISSIONERS' MICS AND WE'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS
THANK YOU MR COMMISSIONER
BEGINNING WITH COMMISSIONER FELLEMAN
WELL I'M NOT SURE IF YOU WANTED THIS HAVING CLARIFYING QUESTIONS ABOUT THE MOTION? WE'RE GOING TO HEAR FROM OTHERS AS WELL INCLUDING CHIEF VIA
SO I GUESS SO IN TERMS OF JUST SPECIFICS THAT NEED CLARIFICATION, I DON'T I DON'T HAVE THAT
BUT I JUST WANT TO SAY ONE THING
MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH THE POLICE HAVE BEEN VERY GOOD AND I'VE SEEN A GREAT LEVEL OF PREPARATION FOR DEMONSTRATIONS THAT RESULTED IN VERY CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENTS
FROM CIVIL RIGHTS TO ENVIRONMENTAL TO LABOR UNIONS
AND THAT KIND OF PLANNING AND THAT THOUGHTFULNESS THAT ALLOWS FOR PROTEST AT THE SAME TIME KEEPS THE PEACE IS REALLY A GREAT REFLECTION OF OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT
AT THE SAME TIME THOUGH, AS EVERYBODY SAYS, COLLECTING THE DATA FOR INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL OPERATIONS THAT ARE NOT ON THE COMMISSION'S RADAR SCREEN IS CRITICAL AND WE HAVE BEEN PROVIDED WITH THOSE DATA AND THERE ARE THINGS CLEARLY TO LOOK INTO
SO THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT COMES TO OUR VISIBILITY AND WHAT'S OUT ON THE STREETS-- IT'S STILL, AGAIN, AN ADMIRABLE ORGANIZATION I'M NOT TAKING A DISPARAGING COMMENTS THERE BUT THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT THINGS THAT CAN BE LOOKED AT BUT THEY HAVE TO COME TO THE COMMISSION ATTENTION AND I BELIEVE THIS IS A REALLY GOOD START FOR THAT PROCESS
THANK YOU
NEXT IS COMMISSIONER CHO
I WOULD JUST SAY THAT THE ABSENCE OF DATA DOESN'T MEAN THAT THERE IS NOT A PROBLEM
I WOULD ALSO DISAGREE WITH THE NOTION THAT BECAUSE THERE IS NO ISSUE AT THE PORT TODAY, THAT IT IS NOT AN ISSUE RELEVANT TO THE PORT AT ALL
JUST BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ANY RECENT CASES DOESN'T MEAN THAT IT CAN'T HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE AND SO I JUST WANT TO, ONCE AGAIN, REITERATE THAT THE POINT OF THIS MOTION IS NOT TO REACT TO ANY SPECIFIC DATA POINT OR ANY SPECIFIC INCIDENT BUT THE POINT IS TO BE PROACTIVE AND TO MITIGATE THE CHANCES OF SUCH DATA OR SUCH INCIDENTS FROM FORMING IN THE FUTURE AND I THINK THIS IS A REALLY GOOD EXAMPLE OF US BEING PROACTIVE AND NOT REACTIVE POLICYMAKERS
AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT ERIC, VERONICA, AND THE REST OF THE STAFF HAVE DONE
SO I'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER CHO
NEXT IS COMMISSIONER CALKINS
THANK YOU
I'M FEELING A LITTLE BIT SANGUINE ABOUT
I'M NOT TOO CONCERNED ABOUT MISSING ANYTHING TODAY BECAUSE I WILL BE SITTING ON THIS TASK FORCE AND WILL BE ABLE TO ENGAGE SOME OF THE DETAILED QUESTIONS BUT I'LL JUST THROW OUT A FEW OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT AS WE'VE BEEN CONSIDERING THIS MOTION, SOME OF THE MORE SPECIFIC THINGS
THE ISSUE OF BODY-WORN CAMERAS WHICH WAS MENTIONED A COUPLE OF TIMES TIMES DURING PUBLIC COMMENT
THIS IS ONE OF THOSE AREAS IN PUBLIC POLICY WHERE YOU NEED TO BE VERY CAREFUL ABOUT THE LAW OF UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES AND THERE'S QUITE A BIT OF LITERATURE NOW ON STUDIES THAT HAVE BEEN DONE, RANDOM CONTROLLED TRIAL EXPERIMENTS IN POLICE DEPARTMENTS INCLUDING IN WASHINGTON DC, AND THE OUTCOMES ARE NOT WHAT YOU'D EXPECT
AND SO I WANT US TO TAKE TIME DURING THIS ASSESSMENTS TO EXAMINE OUR OWN USE OF BODY-WORN CAMERA AND ALSO TO DETERMINE POLICY MOVING FORWARD
THE NEXT ISSUE IS TRANSPARENCY
IT IS AN AREA WHERE THERE ARE LOTS OF OVERLAPPING CONSIDERATIONS AND DIFFERENT VALUES THAT WE NEED TO KEEP IN MIND SUCH AS PRIVACY AND FREE SPEECH RIGHTS AND FREEDOM TO ASSEMBLY RIGHTS THAT CAN BE INADVERTENTLY TRIPPED UP IF WE AREN'T CONSCIENTIOUS ABOUT HOW WE'RE EXPOSING DATA WE COLLECT AND A WHOLE HOST OF OTHER ISSUES RELATED TO TRANSPARENCY
SO I THINK THAT'S AN AREA WHERE WE NEED TO, AS A TASK FORCE, DO A DEEP DIVE
WE'VE DISCUSSED MUTUAL AID
I WOULD SUGGEST THAT ONE OF THE AREAS WE OUGHT TO CONSIDER IS WHETHER OR NOT IT IS A SYMMETRICAL AGREEMENT AT THIS POINT OR IF THERE IS AN ASYMMETRY IN TERMS OF YOU KNOW, IS OUR POLICE FORCE BEING ASKED TO COME TO THE AID OF OTHER POLICE FORCES AT A MUCH GREATER LEVEL THAN RECIPROCAL BENEFITS THAT WE MIGHT GET FROM IT AND HOW WE MIGHT ADDRESS THAT IF THERE IS IN FACT AN ASYMMETRY THERE
AND THEN FINALLY THE ISSUE THAT WAS MENTIONED AS WELL IN PUBLIC COMMENT A FAIR BIT, WHICH IS THAT QUESTION OF THE ADOPTION OF TECHNOLOGY OR EQUIPMENT THAT IS INAPPROPRIATE FOR THE MISSION OF PORT POLICE
AND THAT IS ANOTHER AREA THAT REQUIRES A GREAT DEAL OF CONSIDERATION
SO I THINK THOSE ARE THE QUESTIONS THAT ARE LINGERING FOR ME BUT I THINK THEY'RE PROBABLY QUESTIONS THAT ARE EITHER ALREADY INCLUDED IN THE MOTION OR THAT WILL BE A DETAILED EXAMINATION AS A PART OF THE TASK FORCE WORK
SO WITH THAT I'LL YIELD
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER CALKINS
NEXT IS COMMISSIONER BOWMAN
GREAT
THANK YOU AGAIN
I DON'T HAVE ANY SPECIFIC COMMENTS RELATED TO THE MOTION ALTHOUGH I AM CURIOUS
WHAT INTERACTION HAVE WE HAD WITH OUR CURRENT POLICE FORCE REGARDING THIS MOTION? CAN SOMEBODY ON STAFF PROVIDE THAT? I KNOW I'VE SEEN SOME MEMOS WHERE THEY'VE PROVIDED INFORMATION ABOUT USE OF FORCE OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS BUT WITH REGARD TO THIS MOTION OR THE TASK FORCE, HAVE THEY BEEN CONSULTED AT ALL OR INVOLVED IN ANY OF THE PUTTING TOGETHER OF THIS? YEAH I CAN ANSWER THAT COMMISSIONER BOWMAN
SO I REALLY DO WANT TO THANK CHIEF VIA AND DEPUTY CHIEF THOMAS IN PARTICULAR FOR THEIR ACTIVE PARTICIPATION IN THIS PROCESS
THEY PROVIDED VERY SUBSTANTIVE LINE EDITS TO THIS MOTION, PROVIDED A LOT OF INSIGHTS TO US IN TERMS OF HOW THESE ISSUES CAN BE FRAMED IN THE MOST PRODUCTIVE WAY, AND THEY'VE BEEN REALLY ACTIVE NOT ONLY WITH US IN DRAFTING THE MOTION BUT ALSO WITH MEMBERS OF THE B.I.G IN THEIR FOCUS GROUP CONVERSATIONS AS WELL
SO I DO BELIEVE THIS REFLECTS THE FEEDBACK RIGHT NOW THAT WE'VE RECEIVED FROM THE PORT OF SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND I KNOW CHIEF VIA WILL BE TESTIFYING IN A LITTLE BIT AS WELL
HE CAN PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS THERE
BUT WE APPRECIATE, NOT ONLY HAVE THEY BEEN ACTIVE BUT REALLY OPEN AND REALLY COLLABORATIVE THROUGHOUT THIS ENTIRE PROCESS
THAT'S GREAT
THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THAT
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER BOWMAN
NEXT IS COMMISSIONER STEINBRUECK
ONE CLARIFYING QUESTION WHICH ACTUALLY MAY BE BEST ANSWERED BY CHIEF VIA LATER BUT SINCE I JOINED THE COMIMSSION WO AND A HALF YEARS AGO, I'VE NOT SEEN A SINGLE POLICE REPORT TO THE COMMISSION OTHER THAN AN AFTER-ACTION REPORT WITH REGARD TO SOME OF THE PROTESTS OVER IMMIGRANT RIGHTS OF SEATAC AIRPORT
BUT I'VE NOT SEEN USE OF FORCE REPORTS
I'VE NOT SEEN ANY COMPLAINTS BROUGHT TO THE POLICE, NOR ANY RESOLUTION OF SUCH COMPLAINTS
ONLY UNTIL VERY RECENTLY HAS SOME OF THIS INFORMATION AND DATA COLLECTION BEEN SHARED AT OUR REQUEST IN THE CONTEXT OF THIS MOTION
AND SO WHAT IS THE LEVEL OF OVERSIGHT CURRENTLY OF THE PORT POLICE DEPARTMENT? OTHER JURISDICTIONS HAVE OVERSIGHT COMMISSIONS, HAVE CIVILIAN REVIEW, AND HAVE AN EXECUTIVE LEVEL OF OVERSIGHT WITH REGARD TO THOSE ELECTED OFFICIALS WHOSE RESPONSIBILITY FIRST IS PUBLIC SAFETY
SO IF ANYBODY HAS ANY SPECIFICS, I'D REALLY LIKE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE PRACTICES HAVE BEEN AROUND OVERSIGHT, TRANSPARENCY, AND REPORTING FOR USE THE FORCE, COMPLAINTS, AND .AFTER-ACTION REPORTS OKAY IT LOOKS LIKE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR METRUCK WANTS TO RESPOND TO THAT QUESTION, COMMISSIONER
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER STEINBRUECK
I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S WORTHY OF THE ASSESSMENT TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT
I CAN SAY NOW THAT THE CHIEF OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT REPORTS DIRECTLY TO THE CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER DAVE SWANKEY ON THAT
THEN IN THAT PROCESS THOSE REPORTS ARE SUBMITTED BUT THERE ISN'T A FORMAL PROCESS THAT COMES UP AND BRINGS TO ATTENTION ON ANNUAL REVIEW
I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DEFINITELY WE SHOULD TAKE A LOOK AND THE ASSESSMENT OF HOW THAT PROCESS IS SET UP
AND I SHOULD JUST SAY THE REASON IT REPORTS TO THE CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER IS THAT POLICING COVERS ACROSS ALL THE OPERATIONS AT THE PORT
THAT INCLUDES MARITIME, ALL OF OUR FACILITIES, AVIATION AS WELL
BUT I THINK THAT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION COMMISSIONER OF HOW DO WE REPORT OUT? YOU KNOW, WHAT INFORMATION THAT WE POST FOR TRANSPARENCY? I THINK IN THIS PROCESSES THAT WE NEED TO BE TRANSPARENT ABOUT THOSE AND THEN REPORT OUT ON AT LEAST A MINIMUM OF AN ANNUAL TIMEFRAME TO DO THAT, TO REVIEW THAT WHEN THAT INFORMATION COMES OUT
BUT I THINK THAT'S A GOOD FOCUS OF THE ASSESSMENT TO LOOK AT THAT WITH THE PROPER LEVEL OF TRANSPARENCY AND YOU KNOW IN REPORTING OUT IS IN THAT EFFORT
ALL RIGHT
VERY GOOD
THANK YOU
ONE MORE QUESTION FROM COMMISSIONER FELLEMAN
I GUESS I WANT TO MAKE THE POINT THAT THESE DATA ARE COLLECTED, THAT THESE DATA ARE VERY DEEPLY DISSECTED BY THE NATURE OF THE INTERACTIONS, THE SPECIFICS OF WHO IS BEING INTERACTED WITH, AND SO GREAT INSIGHT CAN BE PROVIDED [INAUDIBLE] BETWEEN 2014 AND 2017 BUT LOOKING AT SEASONALITY, DAYS OF THE WEEK, AS WELL AS THE RACE AND GENDER
IT'S REALLY QUITE IMPRESSIVE HOW DISTILLED THESE DATA ARE
IT SUGGESTS THAT THE FORCE IS LOOKING INTO IT AND I'M GLAD THAT WE HAVE SOME TRANSMISSION [INAUDIBLE] PERHAPS [INAUDIBLE] THAT THERE'S A MORE DIRECT OVERSIGHT AS COMMISSIONER STEINBREUCK WAS SAYING
IT'S NOT FOR THE LACK OF INFORMATION
THAT'S I GUESS THE POINT BUT WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT
MY OTHER POINT THAT I REALLY WANT TO HAVE ADDRESSED IS THAT HOW IS THIS TASK FORCE GOING TO WORK IN THE CONTEXT OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON AROUND US? ON JUNE 22ND THE GOVERNOR IS CONVENING A TASK FORCE ON POLICING AND RACIAL JUSTICE AND THE COORDINATION WITH SOMETHING LIKE THAT? BACK IN 1994 WITH THE RODNEY KING CATASTROPHE, CONGRESS WAS GIVEN THE RIGHT TO INVESTIGATE PATTERNS OF POLICING THAT VIOLATED CIVIL RIGHTS PROTECTION
WHAT DATA ARE AVAILABLE FROM THAT AND IS IT DISTILLED TO REGION? WHILE WE WILL FOCUS ON OUR FORCE I THINK THERE ARE IMPORTANT INSIGHTS THAT CAN BE GAINED MORE BROADLY AND I JUST DON'T WANT IT TO BE WORKING IN A VACUUM FOR THE OTHER EFFORTS
AND IN FACT THIS TEST WERE SHOULD HELP INFORM THAT PROCESS AND VICE VERSA
COMMISSIONER FELLMAN, I'LL JUST RESPOND TO THAT
I THINK THAT IS AN ABSOLUTELY IMPORTANT POINT AND WE SHOULD PROBABLY EVEN CALL IT OUT IN THE DRAFT ITSELF
THIS IS A NATIONAL MOMENT RIGHT NOW ON LOOKING AT POLICING
THERE'S CLEARLY BEST PRACTICES THAT EXPERTS FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT AND AS YOU MENTIONED HERE IN WASHINGTON STATE BOTH AT THE CITY AND THE STATE LEVEL
SO WE ABSOLUTELY WILL COMMIT TO MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE SHARING BEST PRACTICES, SHARING IDEAS NOT REINVENTING THE WHEEL, AND TRYING TO BUILD ON THE GREAT WORK OF OTHERS AROUND THE STATE AND AROUND THE COUNTRY
IF I CAN JUST ADD TO THAT TOO
OF COURSE THAT'S THE TASK FORCE WORK
BUT OF COURSE THERE'S ACTUALLY OPERATIONAL AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO ANALYZE THOSE THINGS AS THEY DEVELOP BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT DIVORCED
I MEAN WE CAN LOOK AT THAT IN THE TASK FORCE AND EXAMINE THAT BUT THERE MAY BE OPERATIONAL THINGS THAT IMPACT US AND WE CAN REPORT OUT ON THOSE AS THOSE OPERATIONAL DEVELOPMENTS INCORPORATION OCCUR
OKAY VERY GOOD
AT THIS POINT LET'S TURN TO OUR PRESENTERS WITHIN THE PORT COMMUNITY HERE
I THINK WE HAVE THREE PRESENTERS
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE UNMUTE? I'VE JUST SENT UNMUTE PROMPTS ALTHOUGH IT LOOKS LIKE DELMAS GOT MUTED AGAIN
DELMAS I'M GOING TO SEND OVER ANOTHER UNMUTE PROMPT
DID THAT ONE WORK? YEP
ALRIGHT AWESOME
AND THEN MARIN BURNETT AND AMIRA ARE ALSO UNMUTED
COMMISSIONERS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR METRUCK, I DO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I INTRODUCE YOU TO TWO OF THE SUPERSTARS IN THE WORK THAT'S BEING DONE BY THE FOCUS GROUP
MARIN BURNETT, WHO YOU'RE VERY FAMILIAR WITH AS OUR STRATEGIC PLANNING GURU AND SHE IS ACTIVELY WORKING TO BE ABLE TO HELP US COORDINATE OUR THOUGHTS AS WE MOVE FORWARD THROUGH THIS PROCESS AND TO DO IT RESPONSIBLY AND WITH WITH INTENT
AND ALSO AMIRA XIAOYU WHO IS ONE OF OUR YOUNG AND INSPIRING AND AMAZING MARITIME ENVIRONMENTAL SPECIALISTS WHO HAS SHARED HER VOICE WITH US TO ALSO COLLECTIVELY PUT THIS WORK TOGETHER, AGAIN, SO IT WILL BE EFFECTIVE AND INTENTIONAL
SO I WOULD LIKE TO, BEFORE YOU ASK ME SOME QUESTIONS AND AGAIN I'M SHARING THE STAGE WITH THOSE TWO YOUNG LADIES AND I KNOW THAT THEY HAVE A LOT TO OFFER AND I WANT TO BE ABLE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DISTRIBUTE THAT
BUT I WANT TO JUST CAUTION AS WE MOVE THROUGH THIS PROCESS
ASK OURSELVES WHY WE'RE HERE? WHY ARE WE HAVING THESE CONVERSATIONS TODAY? THERE'S A FRACTURE BETWEEN THE BLACK AND BROWN
I MEAN, THERE ARE FRACTURES WHERE THEY ARE AFFECTING THE BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITY
LET'S NOT DISTRACT FROM THAT POINT
THERE'S A LOT OF WORK TO DO
WE GET IT
WE KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT NEED TO BE DONE AND WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO DO IT WITH RESPONSIBLY AND SO THIS MOTION IS THAT STARTING POINT
BUT DEFINITELY AS WE TACK ON THESE DIFFERENT THINGS, PLEASE KEEP THAT IN MIND OF WHY ARE WE HERE
SUBJECT TO YOUR QUESTIONS
I DON'T KNOW IF
I THINK WE WERE EXPECTING TO HEAR FROM THE PORT REPRESENTATIVES? OR ARE THEY HERE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS? WELL I TELL YOU WHAT COMMISSIONER, WHY DON'T I START
IF MARIN WOULDN'T MIND, I THINK THERE WERE A COUPLE OF COMMENTS WITH REGARDS TO WHAT'S BEEN DONE SO FAR AND ALSO MAYBE YOU KNOW SOME OF THE RESULTS OF YOU KNOW OUR PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AT THIS POINT
MARIN, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SHARE AT THIS POINT? SURE
THANK YOU, EVERYONE, FOR THE OPPORTUNITY
SO AS DELMAS WAS TELLING YOU AT THE TOP OF THIS MEETING, THIS GROUP, THIS TASK FORCE, HAS BEEN A BIT OF A DREAM TEAM
THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO HAVE TAKEN TIME OUT OF THEIR EVENINGS, THEIR WEEKENDS, THEIR AFTER WORK TIME WITH FAMILY TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT THE BEST WAY FORWARD FOR THE ENTIRE PORT
IN A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, WE HAD TO GET ORGANIZED VERY QUICKLY TO ENGAGE AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE AND TO OUR LAST COUNT WE'VE HAD NEARLY 200 PARTICIPANTS IN OUR WORKING SESSIONS THAT WE SET UP JUST FOR LAST WEEK
AGAIN ON A VERY QUICK TURNAROUND
SO TO ME THAT MEANS THAT SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE BEEN INTERESTED IN THIS, WAITING FOR THIS, READY FOR SOME KIND OF CHANGE
AND SO THE UNDER THE DIRECTION OF DELMAS, WE DID A LOT OF WORK BEHIND THE SCENES TO TRY TO GET AS MANY VOICES BEHIND THIS MOTION AS POSSIBLE
SO WHEN I WAS CRAFTING THIS, IT IS A COLLECTIVE VOICE, SO WHEN WE SUBMITTED THIS LANGUAGE TO THE COMMISSION AT THE BEHEST OF LEADERSHIP, IT WAS INTENDED TO BE AS COLLECTIVE A VOICE AS WE COULD POSSIBLY MUSTER
WE ARE STILL NOT DONE
WE MET WITH, AS I SAID, ABOUT 190 STAFFERS ACROSS THE PORTS AND ALSO SOME FOLKS FROM OUTSIDE THE PORT
LINDSAY PULSIFER PARTICIPATED IN ONE OF OUR MEETINGS
IT WAS GREAT TO SEE HER
SETTING THAT ASIDE, WE ALSO HAVE MORE
DELMAS HAS ORGANIZED TWO MORE MEETINGS WITH POLICE OFFICERS IN PARTICULAR TO GET THEIR FEEDBACK ON THE MOTION AND OUR PROPOSAL FOR THE LANGUAGE
AS WELL AS WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SHIFT WORKERS PARTICIPATE MONDAY I BELIEVE THE SIXTH
WE HAVE TWO SESSIONS FOR SHIFT WORKERS WHO DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE TIME DURING THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY OR ARE WORKING GRAVEYARD SO AGAIN WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ADDITIONAL VOICES THAT WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE PULLED INTO THIS MOTION
WE WOULD LOVE TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL THE COMMENTS THAT WE HAVE HEARD THAT ARE APPROPRIATE FOR THE MOTION ARE INCORPORATED AS BEST POSSIBLE AND I CAN ASSURE THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN KIND ENOUGH TO GIVE US ALL OF THEIR TIME AND ATTENTION
I MEAN, SEVERAL OF OUR PARTICIPANTS PARTICIPATED IN MORE THAN ONE HOUR AND A HALF LONG WORKING SESSION
PEOPLE ARE DEDICATED TO THIS AND SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR VOICES ARE HEARD IN IT AND THAT THE LANGUAGE THAT WE PRESENTED TO THE COMMISSION IS NOT WATERED DOWN SO MUCH THAT WE GO FROM HAVING A MOTION THAT WAS FULL OF PURPOSE AND REFLECTIVE OF ALL OF THE WORK OF ALL OF US ACROSS THE PORT TO BEING SOMETHING THAT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE SYMBOLIC OF A GESTURE
THAT WOULD BE MY PLEA
I THINK THAT'S A PLEA ON BEHALF OF THE ENTIRE FOCUS GROUP AND ANY PERSON THAT TOOK THE TIME OUT FROM THEIR FAMILY, FROM THEIR WEEKENDS TO ACTUALLY HAVE A SAY IN THIS
SO THAT WOULD BE MY PLEA TO EVERYONE HERE
WHAT WE DID OVER THE COURSE OF THE PAST TWO WEEKS WAS REFLECTED IN THE MOTION THAT WE SENT
WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL TO SEE THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE CHANGES WE SUGGESTED WERE ADOPTED BOTH BY COMMISSIONER STEINBRUECK, THE COMMISSION STAFF HELPING US TO GET IT WORDED INTO A PLACE WHERE IT WAS FORMATTED PROPERLY AND TO EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR METRUCK WHO WAS WILLING TO MOVE WITH EXPEDIENCY WITH REGARD TO THE THINGS THAT WE THOUGHT NEEDED TO HAPPEN AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE
SO WE'RE NOT DONE
BOTH ON THE WRITING SIDE, AND ON THE DATA COLLECTION, AND VOICE COLLECTION SIDE
SO IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ANY OF US, I THINK WE'RE EQUIPPED TO ANSWER BUT I'M HAPPY TO TELL YOU ANY DETAIL THAT WENT INTO ANY PORTION OF THE MOTION THAT YOU DIDN'T MAYBE UNDERSTAND THE GENESIS OF
THERE WAS A LOT OF THOUGHT THAT WENT BEHIND EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THE SECTIONS, WITHIN ALL FIVE OF THE SECTIONS INCLUDED IN THAT MOTION AND THE FOCUS GROUP HAD A LOT TO DO WITH THE LANGUAGE THAT'S WRITTEN THERE
WE'RE HERE TO ANSWER ANY OF THE DETAILED QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE WITH REGARD TO THAT
OKAY EXCELLENT
THAT'S A VERY GOOD OVERVIEW OF HOW THIS MOTION HAS BEEN EVOLVING AND THE INCREDIBLE WORK WITH THE FOCUS GROUPS THAT HAVE BEEN VERY MUCH A CONTRIBUTING PART OF THIS AND I TAKE TO HEART YOUR WORDS THAT THIS MUST BE MORE THAN A SYMBOLIC GESTURE AND PROCESS FOR PROCESS TO LOOK LIKE WE'RE DOING SOMETHING
THAT IS WHY IT IS SO IMPORTANT WE MAKE THIS MEANINGFUL AND ACTIONABLE AND I'M SO GRATIFIED WHAT THE COLLECTIVE EFFORT THAT HAS GONE INTO THIS BOTTOMS UP COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT THAT WE'VE SEEN HERE AT THE PORT
WOULD WE LIKE TO HEAR FROM AMIRA MAYBE? YES
THANK YOU
I DID HAVE SOME COMMENTS TO BUILD OFF OF THAT AND AGAIN THANK YOU ALL FOR ALLOWING ME TO BE HERE
SO THIS IS MY FIRST MOMENT OF PARTICIPATION IN A COMMISSION SPECIAL MEETING SO THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME HERE AND JUST TO SEE THIS PROCESS
I THINK SOMETHING THAT'S IMPORTANT, TOO, I THINK THAT IS BECOMING A THEME OF THIS IS THAT WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE IS RESPONDING TO A NATIONWIDE MOVEMENT AND SENTIMENT BUT WE ARE ALSO ESTABLISHING A MODEL AND A FRAMEWORK FOR HOW TO INSTILL PERMANENT CHANGE IN OUR INSTITUTIONS THAT DOES LEAD US TOWARDS RACIAL JUSTICE AND EQUITY AND NOT ONLY IN THE OUTCOMES THAT WILL COME OUT OF THIS ASSESSMENT AND THIS MOTION WILL WE BE FURTHER IN THAT PATH, BUT WE'RE ALSO LAYING DOWN A MODEL AND A FRAMEWORK FOR HOW WE CAN BE ADAPTIVE AND ACT FAST TO CREATE CHANGE
AND DOING THAT ALL MOST IMPORANTLY IN A VERY DEMOCRATIC PROCESS
SO I JUST APPLAUD OUR PORT LEADERSHIP
COMMISSIONER STEINBREUCK, STEVE METRUCK, COMMISSION STAFF, AND OTHERS WHO ENGAGED
TRULY MEMBERS OF THE PORT COMMUNITY
AND SOMETIMES I THINK WE SAY COMMUNITY AND WE TOSS THE WORD AROUND A LITTLE FRIVOLOUSLY BUT I FEEL THAT WITH THIS PARTICULAR INSTANCE, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WERE GENUINE WITH URGENCY ABOUT ENGAGING PEOPLE IN A DEMOCRATIC WAY TO BRING ABOUT THIS MOTION AND FOR A GROUP OF PEOPLE, A LOT OF HEADS, A LOT OF MINDS, THEY SAID OVER 200 PEOPLE HAD FEEDBACK AND LISTENED IN
WHAT WE HAVE CREATED IS JUST REALLY AMAZING
I MEAN I DON'T THINK MOST OF US HAVE EXPERTISE SPECIFICALLY IN THESE AREAS BUT COLLECTIVELY WHAT WE HAVE PUT TOGETHER IS TRULY AMAZING AND I THINK REPRESENTATIVE OF OF WHAT A LOT OF THE EVEN NATIONWIDE AND GLOBAL POLICE REFORM MEASURES ARE CALLING FOR AND SO I JUST I GUESS I APPLAUD US AND I WANT US TO THINK ABOUT HOW WE HAVE ORCHESTRATED THIS DEMOCRATIC PROCESS WHICH IS SO IMPORTANT TO CREATE IT AND THE SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME TO CREATE WHAT COULD BE AND WHAT SHOULD BE AND WILL BE LASTING AND PERMANENT CHANGE OF THE PORT FOR DECADES TO COME
SO THANK YOU
VERY WELL SAID AMIRA
AND THANK YOU ALL AGAIN
AND NOW I'D LIKE TO TURN TO COMMISSIONERS FOR ANY CONTINUING QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, REMARKS ON WHAT YOU'VE HEARD
COMMISSIONER FELLEMAN? I THINK WHERE WE'VE BEEN SO FAR OBVIOUSLY WITH THE LEVEL and DEPTH OF ENGAGEMENT I HAVE NO NO QUALMS OR CONCERNS ABOUT WHERE WE STARTED
WHAT I'M GOING TO ASK ABOUT ARE THINGS THAT I HAVE YET TO SEE AND WANT TO KNOW WHETHER THE FOLKS WHO ARE GOING TO BE ENGAGED IN THIS ARE INTERESTED IN ADDRESSING SOME OF THESE QUESTIONS
THERE'S A CURRENT PORT HIRING EVALUATION PANEL THAT THE RECOMMENDATION SPEAKS TO POPULATE MORE DIVERSELY
AND I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE CURRENTLY ON FOR HIRING EVALUATION PANELS AND HOW MUCH BROADER WE HOPE TO MAKE THAT BUT IT SEEMS TO ME THAT'S ONE OF THE VERY BASIC QUESTIONS
WHERE ARE WE DRAWING OUR POLICE FORCE FROM? AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE CURRENT POLICY IS ON THAT
COMMISSIONER, IS YOUR QUESTION WHETHER OR NOT WE ARE GOING TO BE EXPANDING THEM BEYOND OUR CURRENT STATUS OR THE CURRENT AMOUNT OF FOLKS WHO ARE ON HIRING PANELS FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT? WELL I BELIEVE THE RECOMMENDATION IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE MORE DIVERSE AND I ASSUME A LARGER GROUP
BUT I DID NOT UNDERSTAND I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY ARE THERE CURRENTLY IN A NORMAL HIRING PANEL
TO BE HONEST I'M NOT ALTOGETHER CERTAIN EITHER
BUT WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT IN THE COMPOSITION OF THAT GROUP, WHETHER IT BE LARGER OR THE EXACT SAME SIZE, THAT THE COMPOSITION OF THE GROUP WAS REFLECTIVE OF NOT JUST THE PORT COMMUNITY BUT REFLECTIVE OF ENSURING THAT ANY KIND OF ANY EFFORT TO EMPLOY SOMEONE, IN PARTICULAR OFFICERS OF COLOR, RIGHT, THAT THERE WAS REPRESENTATION FROM PEOPLE OF COLOR THAT WORK AT THE PORT ON THAT BOARD ON THAT HIRING PANEL
CURRENTLY THE WORD DIVERSITY, HAVING A DIVERSE HIRING PANEL, I'M PRETTY CERTAIN WE ALREADY STRIVE TOWARDS THAT BUT DIVERSITY CAN MEAN A LOT OF THINGS AND SO WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT IN THIS PARTICULAR INSTANCE FOR WHEN WE TALK ABOUT DIVERSITY WE ARE SPECIFICALLY ADDRESSING THE NEED FOR PEOPLE OF COLOR ON THOSE HIRING PANELS
IN PARTICULAR WHEN IT DEALS WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT
NOT NECESSARILY GROWING THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE ON THE PANEL BUT ENSURING THAT IN THAT DIVERSITY THAT WE ALREADY STRIVE FOR, THAT PEOPLE OF COLOR ARE REPRESENTED ON THEM
I SEE THAT AS OBVIOUSLY SO CRITICAL TO THE SUCCESS OF THIS ONGOING EFFORT
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE AS MUCH DETAIL OF WHAT WE'RE BUILDING ON AND HOW MUCH MORE WE CAN DO
IN ADDRESSING THAT ALSO COMMUNITY POLICING HAS BEEN TALKED ABOUT FOR MANY MANY MANY YEARS AND THE IMPORTANCE OF THE COPS ON THE BEAT KNOWING WHO THEIR COMMUNITY IS
AND ONE OF THE THINGS ABOUT THE DATA I FOUND VERY INTERESTING IS THAT THE MAJORITY OF THESE INTERACTIONS ARE NOT WITH THE TRAVELING PUBLIC BUT WITH THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES
THAT WAS BY FAR THE MAJORITY OF THESE USE OF FORCE AND OTHER INTERACTIONS
AND SO I JUST WANT TO KNOW
WE DO HAVE PRIORITY HIRE ANALYSIS BY ZIP CODE
WOULD WE LOOK AT OUR POLICE FORCE BY WHAT IS THE DISTRIBUTION OF OUR CURRENT GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION OF OUR EXISTING FORCE AND WE'D BE ABLE TO USE THAT POTENTIALLY AS MAKING TARGETED RECRUITMENT EFFORTS BASED ON THE GAPS THAT WE SEE IN THAT DISTRIBUTION
COMMISSIONER, I CAN TELL YOU EXPLICITLY THAT WHAT YOU JUST BROUGHT FORWARD IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE ADDED TO OUR
WELL, WE HEARD THAT
WE HEARD OF SEVERAL
YOU'VE TOUCHED ON SEVERAL THINGS THE FIRST BEING THE NEED FOR COMMUNITY AND GREATER COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY THEY ARE
THE INTERACTIONS THAT OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT HAVE ARE NOT JUST WITH TRAVELING PUBLIC, THEY ARE WITH OUR COMMUNITY
SO INCREASING OUR ENGAGEMENT AND INVOLVEMENT WITH COMMUNITY SERVICE ACTIVITIES THAT'S ANOTHER THING THAT'S BEEN ADDED TO THE MOTION AT LEAST IN OUR RECOMMENDATIONS
ADDITIONALLY WE DO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE ACTUAL CURRENT COMPOSITION, BASED ON THE DEMOGRAPHY OF OUR CURRENT POLICE FORCE, IS LAID DOWN IN WHAT I'M KIND OF DEEMING, WE ARE DEEMING, A BASELINE ASSESSMENT
SO THE NEED FOR DATA HAS BEEN BROUGHT UP MULTIPLE TIMES
NOT JUST IN THIS MEETING BUT IN OUR WORKING SESSIONS AS WELL AND IT IS SOMETHING THAT I'M NOT SURE HOW IT GOT LEFT OFF BECAUSE THERE WERE SO MANY GOOD MINDS IN THE ROOM BUT WE DEFINITELY WOULD LIKE TO ADD THAT
IN THAT ASSESSMENT FOR OUR BASELINE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO LOOK AT IS THE DEMOGRAPHIES OF OUR CURRENT POLICE DEPARTMENT SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT IT'S REFLECTIVE OF OUR COMMUNITY, THE COMMUNITIES THAT WE SERVE AND THAT OUR HIRING PRACTICES ARE CORRECTING ANY KIND OF DEFICIENCIES THAT WE MIGHT FIND IN THAT INITIAL ASSESSMENT
DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? YEAH ABSOLUTELY I JUST SAW THAT WE USE THE ZIP CODE FOR OUR PRIORITY HIRE
THAT'S JUST ONE TOOL TO A WHOLE NEW TOOLKIT THAT YOU HAVE
I WAS JUST WONDERING ARE WE GOING TO EXPAND THIS TO LOOK AT SECURITY OFFICERS THAT ARE NOT COPS? BECAUSE I KNOW WE'VE HAD SOME INTERACTIONS AT THE HEADQUARTERS FOR EXAMPLE OF INTERACTIONS THAT WERE LESS THAN STRAIGHT UP ON A RACIAL BASIS
AND I DON'T KNOW WHETHER THE LESSONS LEARNED COULD BE ABLE TO BE APPLIED TO OUR SECURITY TEAMS THAT ARE NOT IN THE SAME UNIFORM AS JUST A POINT OF CONSIDERATION
AND THEN FINALLY I STILL WANTED THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT CAME OUT OF THE 2017 ANNUAL REPORT
THE DISCUSSION OF THE REMOVAL OF LEG RESTRAINTS FROM FUTURE USE OF FORCE REPORTS
I WAS A LITTLE SURPRISED BY THAT AND I URGE YOU TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT RECOMMENDATION
THANK YOU
I HADN'T HEARD OF THAT BUT WE'RE GOING TO LOOK INTO IT
COMMISSIONER STEINBREUCK
IF I COULD JUST COMMENT SAYING WE'RE CAPTURING ALL THE COMMISSIONERS' QUESTIONS ON THESE AS PART OF THAT PROCESS
NOT JUST PUTTING THE ONUS MARIN TO CAPTURE THOSE BUT WE'RE CAPTURING THOSE AND SO WE'LL MAKE SURE WE ADDRESS THOSE IN THE PROCESS AND IN THE ASSESSMENT
OTHER COMMISSIONERS? I THINK WE'RE ON TO COMMISSIONER CHO
THEN WILL THE CLERK CONTINUE ON THE ROLL CALL FOR COMMISSIONERS
I DON'T HAVE ANY FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS, I THINK MARIN AND THE TEAM DID A REALLY GOOD JOB SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK AND I'LL ALL YIELD MY TIME TO RYAN AND OTHERS WHO MIGHT HAVE HAD MORE TO ASK OR SAY
[INAUDIBLE] THESE ACTIONS ARE INTENDED TO BE PROACTIVE NOT REACTIVE
WE REALLY NEED TO ADJUST OUR MINDSET AND SAY THAT YES WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PUTTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES IN PLACE THAT PREVENT INCIDENTS NOT JUST PLACES IN EXTREMIS
SO THANK YOU FOR THAT COMMENT
ABSOLUTELY
IN THAT SAME SPIRIT, I JUST WANT TO MENTION REAL QUICK THAT SINCE FRED BROUGHT UP HIRING AND ALL THAT STUFF
I DO HAVE A MOTION AND I'M WORKING ON ALONG WITH YOU, DELMAS AND WE HAD A GREAT MEETING LAST WEEK WITH RUDY AND KENNETH AND WE ARE GOING TO LOOK INTO INTRODUCING A BROADER MOTION THAT GOES BEYOND POLICING AT THE PORT OF SEATTLE BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW THAT THIS MOVEMENT, THIS BLACK LIVES MATTER MOVEMENT, WHILE IT MAY HAVE BEEN SPARKED BY MANY INSTANCES OF POLICE BRUTALITY, WE KNOW THAT INSTITUTIONALIZED RACISM EXTENDS BEYOND JUST POLICE DEPARTMENTS AND SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU DELMAS AND THE OTHER ERGS WITHIN THE PORT TO PUT TOGETHER AND BRING FORTH A MOTION THAT LOOKS AT OUR ENTIRE ORGANIZATION FROM THE BOTTOM UP TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT PROMOTING OR INADVERTANTLY PROMOTING ANY INSTITUTIONAL RACISM OR BIASES
SO I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT AND I APPRECIATE YOUR ENGAGEMENT ON THAT
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER CHO AND MR WHITAKER
AND NEXT IS COMMISSIONER CALKINS
THANK YOU MICHELLE
FOR MARIN AND OTHERS WHO ARE BEGINNING TO REALLY BECOME OUR INTERNAL SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS ON THIS AREA, MAYBE YOU COULD SPEAK TO SOME OF THE EXTERNAL ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN DOING REALLY GOOD WORK ON EXAMINING WHAT POLICING PRACTICES ARE MOST EFFECTIVE IN TERMS OF ACHIEVING REDUCTION USE OF FORCE, REDUCTION IN VIOLENT ENCOUNTERS BETWEEN POLICE AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY, EXAMINING THE ROLE OF MILITARIZATION IN POLICE, WHAT'S BEEN EFFECTIVE IN TERMS OF CHANGING INTERNAL CULTURES FROM ONE OF WARRIOR MENTALITY TO THE GUARDIAN MENTALITY
I KNOW THAT CERTAINLY OVER THE LAST MONTH I HAVE DEVELOPED A BIT OF AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE UNIVERSE OF ACADEMICS AND PUBLIC POLICY INSTITUTIONS AND OTHER ELECTED OFFICIALS WITH EXPERTISE BUT MARIN, IF YOU COULD MAYBE SPEAK TO SOME OF THAT AND TELL US HOW THAT WILL BE INCORPORATED INTO THE TASK FORCE WORK THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL
SO I CAN SEE
I WANT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION BUT I CAN SEE THAT BOOKDHA HAS REQUESTED THAT DELMAS SPEAK ABOUT A MEETING YESTERDAY
I GUESS IN RESPONSE TO THIS? YES ABSOLUTELY
COMMISSIONER I WILL SAY THAT WE FOCUSED A LOT OF OUR LEG WORK ON THE TONE AND TENOR OF PUTTING TOGETHER THE NEED FOR THE ASSESSMENT AND THE AND THE TASK FORCE
SOME OF THAT WORK UNDERSTANDING THE BROADER ASPECT I THINK WILL COME WITH THE TASK FORCE BUT WE DID HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEND SOME TIME WITH FAYE LOPEZ WITH THE SEATTLE COMMUNITY POLICE COMMISSION AND DEBORAH JACOBS WHO'S WITH KING COUNTY LAW ENFORCEMENT AND OVERSIGHT TO BE ABLE TO ONE, GET SOME SOLID FEEDBACK FROM THEM ABOUT THINGS THAT WE SHOULD KEEP IN MIND [INAUDIBLE] WE WERE HOPING THAT WE WOULD HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO CHAT WITH THEM A BIT WITH SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE SHOULD KEEP IN MIND AND CONSIDER AS WE LAID THE FOUNDATION FOR THE WORK OF THE TASK FORCE AND SO THAT WORK IS IN INFANCY AND SO AND OBVIOUSLY WE'RE HOPING AS THIS TASK FORCE GETS OFF THE GROUND AND IN COOPERATION WITH THE OFFICE OF EQUITY, DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSION THAT WE WILL ONE, BE ABLE TO USE THIS AS THAT PLATFORM TO GET THOSE EXTERNAL PARTNERS TO BE ABLE TO ALSO MOVE IN A DIRECTION OF MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE A GOOD SCOPE OF WORK TO MOVE THE TASK FORCE'S EFFORTS FORWARD AND MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE RIGHT GOALS AND OBJECTIVES AND FUTURE MILESTONES THAT WILL MAKE US EFFECTIVE
I CAN ALSO SAY IF THAT'S IF IT'S OKAY FOR ME TO CHIME IN HERE THAT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WERE VERY COGNIZANT OF IS THE LIMITATIONS OF OUR FOCUS GROUP
WE WERE COGNIZANT OF THE FACT THAT WE ARE HERE TRYING TO WORK INTERNALLY AT THE PORT BUT IN DRAFTING THIS MOTION THAT WE HAD TO PAY SOME DEFFERENCE TO THE FACT THAT PART OF THIS ASSESSMENT SHOULD BE DONE WITH OUTSIDE EXPERTISE FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS IN THE FIELD OF USE OF FORCE, POLICING TACTICS, TEMPER ASSESSMENT, THINGS LIKE THAT WHICH ARE ALL PART AND PARCEL TO THE MOTION AND IT IS MY ASSUMPTION AND I BELIEVE THAT WORK HAS ALREADY BEGUN TO TRY TO FIND WHO A GOOD PERSON OR COMPANY WOULD BE TO COME IN TO DO AN OUTSIDE THIRD PARTY ASSESSMENT, HAVE THE ASSESSMENT BE CONDUCTED BY A THIRD PARTY SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT OR TEAM OF EXPERTS SO THAT WE'RE NOT REINVENTING THE WHEEL AS WE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER, SO THAT WE ARE ENGAGING WITH THE COMMUNITIES THAT KNOW THE VERY MOST THAT THERE IS TO KNOW ABOUT THIS, AND THAT HAVE BEST PRACTICES LOCKED DOWN THAT WE CAN THEN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF AND MAKE SURE THAT THIS MOTION BECOMES A REALITY AND THAT WE ARE ON THE RIGHT TRACK AS FAR AS HAVING THIS BE A SYSTEMIC CHANGE THAT WE CAN ADHERE TO OVERTIME
SO THAT IS PART AND PARCEL TO WHAT IT IS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH WITH THE ASSESSMENT ITSELF AND HAVING IT BE CONDUCTED BY SOMEONE FROM OUTSIDE THE PORT
MARIN, BUILDING OFF OF THAT I THINK ALSO IT WILL ALLOW MEMBERS OF THE TASK FORCE TO ALSO ACT AS PARTICIPANTS BECAUSE SOMETIMES WHEN YOU ARE LEADING THE CONVERSATION YOU DON'T GET THAT SAME OPPORTUNITY TO TRULY ENGAGE AS A PARTICIPANT
SO I THINK THAT'S ANOTHER KEY ASPECT OF THAT
I WILL ADD TO THAT, COMMISSIONER CALKINS, THAT THERE ARE VARIOUS REPORTS FROM CAMPAIGN ZERO, A LOT OF DOCUMENTATION THAT ACLU, BLACK LIVES MATTER, HAVE POSTED THAT A LOT OF OUR FOLKS HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT AND SEEING ARE THERE TRENDS, AREAS THAT WE NEED TO INCLUDE AS PART OF THIS ASSESSMENT AND THAT WE COULD ASK THE TASK FORCE TO LOOK AND DEEP DIVE INTO THOSE REPORTS TO SEE IF THERE ARE BEST PRACTICES
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER CALKINS AND SPEAKERS
NEXT WE HAVE COMMISSIONER BOWMAN FOR COMMENTS
AND COMMISSIONER BOWMAN HAS REJOINED US BY PHONE SO SHE WILL NEED A PRESS STAR SIX TO UNMUTE
LAUREN, AM I ON? YES YOU ARE
THANK YOU
THANKS, APOLOGIES I WAS HAVING TROUBLE WITH THE AUDIO
IT WAS DIFFICULT TO HEAR SOME OF THE COMMENTS BUT I DON'T HAVE A LOT MORE TO ADD
I REALLY APPRECIATE THE WIDE SCOPE OF WHAT IS BEING PROPOSED
I DID WANT TO MAKE A SUGGESTION PERHAPS THAT AS WE'RE LOOKING AT THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF OUR CURRENT FORCE AND I VERY MUCH SUPPORT THE IDEA OF COMPARING THAT TO HOW THAT RELATES TO THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF OUR COMMUNITY AND THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS COMING FORWARD
I AM NOT DRAWING A CONCLUSION BUT IF THE TASK FORCE WERE TO FIND THAT OUR DIVERSITY IN POLICE FORCE DOES NOT YET REFLECT THE DIVERSITY IN OUR COMMUNITY, I WOULD HOPE THAT THE TASK FORCE WOULD ALSO CONSIDER OR AT LEAST TAKE A LOOK AT THE DATA ABOUT RECRUITMENT OF POLICE
MY UNDERSTANDING AND VERY MUCH IS THAT OF A LAYMAN IS THAT THERE HAS BEEN A GREAT DIFFICULTY IN RECRUITING PEOPLE INTO THE POLICE FIELD WRIT LARGE BUT PARTICULARLY IN SEATTLE
I DON'T KNOW HOW THE PORT OF SEATTLE COMPARES TO THAT BUT I JUST HOPE THAT THAT'S A DATA POINT THAT WE CONSIDER
IF WE DO FIND THAT WE NEED MORE DIVERSITY THAT IT MIGHT NOT JUST BE THE FACT THAT WE NEED TO HAVE MORE DIVERSE CANDIDATES WE NEED TO HAVE MORE PEOPLE INTERESTED IN THE CAREER OF BEING A POLICE OFFICER AND HOW MIGHT WE ENCOURAGE THAT WORKING WITH OTHER AGENCIES
AGAIN, I KNOW THAT'S HAS BEEN A MAJOR MAJOR PROBLEM WITH THE CITY OF SEATTLE
THEY'VE TRIED TO DO NATIONAL RECRUITMENT FOR OFFICERS WITHOUT MUCH LUCK SO NOT SURE HOW OUR POLICE FORCE COMPARES BUT HOPE YOU'LL CONSIDER THAT
COMMISSIONER BOWMAN CAN I JUST SPEAK TO THAT REAL QUICKLY? I KNOW THAT ALSO THE CHIEF IS GOING TO WEIGH IN ON THIS AS WELL
THIS IS ALSO THAT OPPORTUNITY AS WE CONTINUE THAT OUTREACH, IN WHICH I KNOW YOU ARE A HUGE ADVOCATE WHEN IT COMES TO THE OUTREACH WITH OUR YOUTH AND OUR YOUNG PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY, IS THAT, YOU KNOW, WHERE WE CAN FIND THOSE OPPORTUNITIES TO PROMOTE THAT THROUGH EXPLORE PROGRAMS AND OTHER THINGS
CHIEF VIA AND I HAD THIS CONVERSATION YESTERDAY AND I DO THINK THAT THERE ARE DEFINITELY SOME UNIQUE OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE JUST HAVEN'T TAPPED INTO YET AND HOPEFULLY THAT WORK WILL BE ACCOMPLISHED AT THE TASK FORCE LEVEL TO KIND OF RENEW THE SPIRIT OF THAT TRUE NATURE OF THE WORK AND THE CONTRIBUTION THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT PROVIDES TO OUR COMMUNITIES
I WON'T STEAL THE CHIEF'S THUNDER BUT I DO THINK THAT THERE ARE SOME UNIQUE OPPORTUNITIES THERE AND THAT'S A GOOD FOUNDATIONAL ITEM FOR THE TASK FORCE
COMMISSIONER, THIS IS MARION BURNETT
AGAIN THANK YOU FOR THE COMMENTS
JUST SO THAT YOU'RE AWARE, WE GOT SOME REALLY WONDERFUL COMMENTARY FROM PORT STAFF AND I CANNOT REMEMBER WHO SAID IT BUT IT WAS AN EXCELLENT POINT THAT BY DOING THIS, BY BEING PROACTIVE, BY ENSURING THAT THE ETHOS OF OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE SYSTEMS THAT GOVERN IT ARE LED BY A NEED FOR DIVERSITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY AND EQUITY AND INCLUSION ON TRANSPARENCY ARE GOING TO BE, WE HOPE, SOMETHING THAT ACTUALLY DOES ATTRACT MORE POLICE OFFICERS TO OUR DEPARTMENT, TO THE PORT OF SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT
WE DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S GOING TO BE THE CASE BUT I DO BELIEVE IT'S A GOOD STEP FORWARD IN THAT DIRECTION AND RECRUITMENT AND WHAT WE'RE DOING FOR RECRUITMENT IS ACTUALLY PART AND PARCEL TO THE CURRENT LANGUAGE AND I WOULD HOPE THAT IT STAYS THERE FOR EXACTLY THE REASONS THAT YOU WERE PRESCRIBING HERE AND IF WE FIND THAT WE NEED A REMEDY THAT IT'S ACTUALLY THERE AND WILL BE ASSESSED BY THE TASK FORCE
THAT'S ACTUALLY PART OF THE MOTION NOW AND WE'LL HOPE IT STAYS
COMMISSIONER CAN I ALSO JUST SHARE
ONE QUICK ITEM IS THAT I KNOW THAT OUR FORCE, IT IS NOT GERMANE TO THEM
THEY KNOW HOW TO DO THAT BECAUSE ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS AND IN THEIR OWN TIME SOME OF THEM ARE DOING IT THEMSELVES
I'VE HAD ONE EXAMPLE WHERE I'VE HAD COLLEGE STUDENTS THAT HAVE COME TO ME AND I'VE REACHED OUT TO OUR CHIEF AND I'VE REACHED OUT TO SERGEANTS TO BE ABLE TO HELP YOU KNOW GUIDE THOSE STUDENTS OR PROVIDE THEM INSIGHT AND THEY'VE BEEN OPEN TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND EVEN HELP THEM WITH THE DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES TO UNDERSTAND MORE ABOUT HOW THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS WORKS AND HOW TO GET ENGAGED
SO I DON'T THINK IT'S A BIG LEAP FOR THIS GROUP OR THIS ORGANIZATION TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT
IT'S JUST, AGAIN, MAKING SURE THAT THERE'S SOMETHING THAT'S FORMALIZED THAT HELPS US TO BUILD THAT DEEPER BENCH OF YOUNG PEOPLE AND YOUNG OFFICERS AND EVEN INTERNAL FOLKS
WE HAVE FOLKS HERE IN THE PORT THAT ARE INTERESTED IN BEING PART OF THAT PORT POLICE TEAM
I'M TOO OLD TO BE CHASING DOWN BAD GUYS
BUT DEFINITELY I KNOW THAT THIS IS THAT OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO LAY THAT FRAMEWORK
GREAT
THANK YOU
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER BOWMAN AND SPEAKERS
COMMISSIONER STEINBRUECK, DID YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? I JUST SENT AN UNMUTE TO THE CONFERENCE ROOM, COMMISSIONER STEINBREUCK
THERE WAS SOME BACKGROUND NOISE SO I WAS MUTING
THANK YOU LAUREN
SOUNDS LIKE I MIGHT NEED TO SEND IT AGAIN
HANG ON ONE SECOND
OKAY PETE, I'M SENDING THE UNMUTE PROMPT
SOMETIMES I UNMUTE AND I'M ACCIDENTALLY MUTING
SO, HOW'S THAT WORKING? THAT'S EXCELLENT
OKAY GOOD
PRESENTERS, THIS HAS BEEN A TRULY INSPIRING DISCUSSION AND I APPRECIATE UNDER THE DIFFICULTIES OF VIRTUAL MEETINGS THAT WE COULD HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF DIALOGUE AND EXCHANGE WITH COMMISSIONERS AND STAFF
WE NOW HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR DIRECTLY FROM OUR ACTING CHIEF MICHAEL VIA WHO HAS BEEN, I'M SURE, LISTENING TO THIS DISCUSSION AND HOPEFULLY WILL HAVE SOME PERSPECTIVE TO SHARE WITH US COMING DIRECTLY FROM OUR PORT POLICE DEPARTMENT
AND I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY YEARS CHIEF VIA HAS SERVED HERE AT THE PORT OF SEATTLE BUT WE CERTAINLY WELCOME THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE HIM SPEAK
I ESPECIALLY WANTED HIM TO BE PART OF THIS DISCUSSION AND FORUM
SO WITH THAT, CHIEF VIA
CAN WE UNMUTE THE CHIEF? I JUST SENT THE UNMUTE PROMPT
I THINK YOU SHOULD BE GOOD
GOOD AFTERNOON COMMISSIONERS AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR METRUCK
I AM MIKE VIA, ACTING CHIEF FOR YOUR PORT OF SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT
AND I DO WANT TO THANK YOU FOR JUST GIVING ME THIS OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN TODAY'S DISCUSSION
I ALSO WANT TO THANK ALL OF THOSE SO FAR WHO HAVE MADE A PUBLIC COMMENT TODAY
AND THE STAFF AND THE OTHERS THAT HAVE MADE THOSE COMMENTS
IT'S TRULY APPRECIATED OUR DEPARTMENT MEMBERS WANT TO HEAR ALL THE PERSPECTIVES AND WE DEFINITELY WANT TO IMPROVE
I'M GOING TO START BY SPEAKING ABOUT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THEN FINISH UP WITH SOME COMMENTS ON THE MOTION TO ASSESS THE DEPARTMENT AND THEN I KNOW WE'LL HAVE SOME OPPORTUNITY FOR SOME ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS
REGARDING THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, WE PROVIDE SERVICE TO THE AIRPORT AND SEAPORT AND OTHER PORT PROPERTIES AND OUR MISSION IS THAT WE ARE IN SUPPORT OF THE PORT OF SEATTLE'S MISSION AND WE FIGHT CRIME AND WE PROTECT AND SERVE OUR COMMUNITIES
THERE'S A HUNDRED AND FIFTY SIX CURRENT MEN AND WOMEN THAT COMPRISE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT; A HUNDRED AND SIXTEEN OFFICERS AND 40 CIVILIANS
WE TOUCHED A LITTLE BIT TODAY ON DIVERSITY AND SO LET ME GIVE SOME STATS ON THAT
I'LL JUST START OFF SAYING THAT THIS IS AN ITEM THAT WE DO NEED TO EXPLORE
I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH THAT REGARDING THE DIVERSITY OF THE DEPARTMENT
AND A GOOD QUESTION THAT CAME UP EARLIER AND I FORGET WHO BROUGHT THIS UP, IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN DELMAS OR SOMEONE ELSE'S
YOU KNOW HOW DO WE RECRUIT AND ATTRACT MORE PERSONS OF COLOR? AND THAT HAS BEEN A CHALLENGE FOR US OVER THE YEARS
YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW ONLY FOUR PERCENT, THAT'S FIVE OUT OF THE HUNDRED AND SIXTEEN OFFICERS THAT WE HAVE, IDENTIFY AS BLACK OR AFRICAN-AMERICAN IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT; 55% IDENTIFY AS WHITE; 6% OR SEVEN OFFICERS IDENTIFY AS TWO OR MORE RACES AND THEN WE ACTUALLY HAVE 28 PERCENT, 32 OFFICERS WHO HAVE NOT PROVIDED THEIR RACE WHILE WE'VE GONE OUT AND ASKED
SO EARLIER THERE WAS SOMEONE THAT MADE PUBLIC COMMENT THAT WERE ASKING ABOUT WHY DON'T WE KNOW
WELL IF PEOPLE DON'T IDENTIFY AS A RACE THEN WE CAN'T NECESSARILY SAY WHAT THAT IS
GETTING BACK TO JUST SOME MORE STATISTICS OR INFORMATION ABOUT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT
WE HANDLE 2,500 CALLS FOR SERVICE EACH YEAR
WE ARE VERY SIMILAR TO OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES IN THAT WE RESPOND TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CALLS, ROBBERIES BURGLARIES, ASSAULT, VEHICLE THEFTS, ALL THE CRIMES THAT OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES RESPOND TO, WE ALSO RESPOND TO THOSE
WE DO PROVIDE MUTUAL AID TO OTHER AGENCIES AND I KNOW THAT THAT WAS A QUESTION THAT'S COME UP AND I ASSUME THERE WILL BE SOME MORE QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT .WE'VE ACTUALLY SIGNED A LETTER THAT ALLOWS OTHER AGENCIES FROM WASHINGTON STATE TO COME IN AND PROVIDE MUTUAL AID TO US IF WE PUT OUT THAT CALL AND LIKEWISE WILL PROVIDE MUTUAL AID TO SEATTLE, KING COUNTY, PIERCE COUNTY, ANY OTHER AGENCY THAT PUTS A CALL OUT TO US IF WE HAVE A CAPACITY OR CAPABILITY OF DOING THAT
IN ADDITION TO JUST THE MUTUAL AID THAT WE PROVIDE THOSE AGENCIES, WE ALSO PARTICIPATE ON REGIONAL TEAMS SUCH AS THE VALLEY SWAT AND THE VALLEY INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATIVE TEAM AND THAT'S THE TEAM THAT INVESTIGATES OFFICER-INVOLVED SHOOTINGS
THAT'S A REGIONAL TEAM
AND WE HAVE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENTS IN PLACE FOR THOSE TEAMS WHILE WE'RE SIMILAR, WE DIFFER IN THAT WE ARE A VERY CUSTOMER FOCUSED POLICE DEPARTMENT AND MANY OF OUR CALLS ARE TO ASSIST BUSINESS PARTNERS AND TRAVELERS
AND SO WE WILL RESPOND CALLS, WE'LL HELP LOCATE LOST ONES, WE WILL HELP LOCATE LOST OR STOLEN LUGGAGE, WE WILL HELP PEOPLE NAVIGATE THE AIRPORT AND OUR OFFICERS ARE OUT THERE CONSTANTLY HELPING OTHERS
A COUPLE EXAMPLES: ONE WAS OFFICER MANNING WHO NOTICED A FEMALE AND HER SMALL CHILDREN AND LOTS OF LUGGAGE TRYING TO GET TO HER FLIGHT AND HE JUST GRABBED SOME BAGGAGE AND HELPED HER GET TO THE GATE
OFFICER BAYLOR CAME ACROSS A MAN WITH NO SHOES AT THE AIRPORT AND HE ACTUALLY WENT UP TO HIS PERSONAL LOCKER, RETRIEVED HIS PERSONAL SHOES, BROUGHT THEM DOWN, AND GAVE THEM TO THE MAN
THAT'S SOME OF THE WORK THAT'S DEMONSTRATIVE OF THE WHAT OUR OFFICERS ARE DOING
WE ALSO DIFFER IN THAT WE ARE AN INTEGRAL COMPONENT OF ONE, THE OVERALL SECURITY PROFILE AND TWO, THE CONTINUITY OF OPERATIONS OF THE CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE OF AIRPORT AND THE SEAPORT
AND SO WITH THAT WE WILL RESPOND TO AND CHECK SECURITY BREACHES
WE'LL PROVIDE LAW ENFORCEMENT SERVICES AT THE TSA CHECKPOINTS
WE HAVE CANINES WHO ARE DEPLOYED TO DETECT POTENTIAL EXPLOSIVES
OUR OFFICERS ARE TRAINED AND THEY'RE EQUIPPED AND THEY'RE PREPARED TO MITIGATE EXTRAORDINARY ACTS OF VIOLENCE SUCH AS ACTIVE SHOOTERS LIKE LAX EXPERIENCED A FEW YEARS AGO
SOME OF THE TEAMS THAT WE HAVE THAT ARE PART OF OUR DEPARTMENT IS THAT WE HAVE A BOAT AND DIVE TEAM
WE HAVE A SWAT TEAM
WE HAVE A CROWD MANAGEMENT TEAM, A BOMB DISPOSAL UNIT TEAM, PATROL AND BIKE OFFICERS, EXPLOSIVE DETECTION CANINES, CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS DEPARTMENT, AND ALSO WE HAVE OUR OWN FIRE AND POLICE DISPATCH CENTER, AND A DRUG INTERDICTION TEAM JUST TO NAME A FEW OF THE DIFFERENT TEAMS TO GIVE YOU A FEEL FOR THE VARIETY OF THE WORK THAT OUR OFFICERS DO
SOMETHING I'M PROUD OF
WE ARE ONE OF EIGHT POLICE AGENCIES IN WASHINGTON STATE THAT IS NATIONALLY ACCREDITED
WE'RE ACCREDITED BY THE COMMISSION ON ACCREDITATION OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES AND THERE'S ONLY FIVE PERCENT OF AGENCIES NATIONWIDE THAT HOLD THAT ACCREDITATION
AS PART OF THAT ACCREDITATION, WE HAVE TO MEET OVER A HUNDRED EIGHTY STANDARDS
WE'RE ASSESSED ANNUALLY AND WE HAVE AN ON-SITE ONCE EVERY FOUR YEARS
LAST TIME WE WERE ASSESSED WAS IN 2017 AND THERE WERE SOME QUESTIONS THAT CAME UP REGARDING ACCOUNTABILITY OR EVEN JUST OVERSIGHT
AND THAT IS ONE FORM OF OVERSIGHT-- THAT WE HAVE AN INDEPENDENT ASSOCIATION OR ORGANIZATION THAT COMES IN AND DOES THAT ASSESSMENT FOR US
AND WE HAVE TO SHOW PROOFS THAT WERE IN COMPLIANCE WITH OUR POLICIES AND WITH THOSE STANDARDS
I DO WANT TO ALSO COMMENT JUST IN REGARDS TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT THAT YOU KNOW WE DID RECEIVE DIRECTOR METRUCK'S DIRECTIVES AND WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF IMPLEMENTING THOSE CHANGES
PRETTY MUCH ALL OF THEM ARE JUST ABOUT IMPLEMENTED
A COUPLE WERE PUT INTO EFFECT IMMEDIATELY
ONE WAS THAT THERE WAS A BAN ON NECK RESTRAINTS AND CHOKEHOLDS AND THAT HAS NOW BEEN PROHIBITED WITHIN OUR MEMBERSHIP IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT
OUR POLICIES ARE ALSO ONLINE
IF YOU GO TO OUR WEB PAGE VIA THE PORT PAGE OR JUST TYPE IN PORT OF SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT, PULL UP THAT WEB PAGE, AND YOU'LL SEE AND FIND ALL OUR POLICIES THAT ARE LINKED TO THAT
WE ALSO CONTINUE TO LOOK AT IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE CAN MAKE NOW
AND I THINK SOMEONE BROUGHT THAT UP EARLIER AS WELL
WE DON'T NEED TO WAIT FOR ALL THE IMPROVEMENTS AND SO FOR INSTANCE, WITHIN THE NEXT WEEK WE'LL BE POSTING OUR ANNUAL USE OF FORCE REPORTS
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT STEINBRUECK I THINK BROUGHT UP OR MAYBE FELLEMAN, FORGIVE ME I FORGET WHO IT WAS, BUT YOU TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE USE OF FORCE REPORTS
THOSE WILL BE POSTED ONLINE WITHIN THE NEXT WEEK AND JUST TO BRING UP A COUPLE OF DETAILS ON THAT REPORT THAT YOU'LL SEE
ONE IS THAT WE AVERAGE ABOUT 30 USES OF FORCE ANNUALLY WHICH REALLY, FOR OUR DEPARTMENT SIZE, IS PHENOMENAL
AND MOST OF THOSE ARE LOW-LEVEL USES OF FORCE
AND SO 23 OF THE 30 IN 2019 WERE OFFICERS TAKING SOMEONE TO THE GROUND AND THAT WAS THE EXTENT OF THE USE OF FORCE
YOU'LL NOTICE TWO OF THOSE WERE TASER APPLICATION.S THERE WERE SEVEN VASCULAR NECK RESTRAINT APPLICATIONS WHICH, AGAIN, HAS NOW BEEN PROHIBITED, AND ONE POINTING OF A FIREARM
SO THERE'S A LOT MORE DATA INFORMATION IN THOSE REPORTS BUT IT KIND OF GIVES YOU A LITTLE BIT OF AN IDEA OF SOME OF WHAT YOU'LL SEE
NOW WITH THAT, I'VE TALKED ABOUT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND I'D LIKE TO SHARE SOME OF MY OWN PERSONAL RESPONSE TO THE DEATH OF MR FLOYD
I WATCHED THE GEORGE FLOYD VIDEO AND AS I WATCHED THAT EVERYTHING IN ME WANTED TO STOP WHAT I WAS SEEING UNFOLD IN THAT VIDEO
AND THAT MAN'S CRUELTY, CALLOUSNESS, DIDN'T REPRESENT ME AND IT DOESN'T REPRESENT THE MEN AND WOMEN THAT I KNOW WHO WORK IN LAW ENFORCEMENT IN OUR DEPARTMENT
YET HIS ACTIONS, IT ERODED THE THE TRUST AND THE LEGITIMACY OF LAW ENFORCEMENT THAT I AND MANY, I'LL SAY MOST OF MY COLLEAGUES IN LAW ENFORCEMENT, THAT WE'VE WORKED TO BUILD
I'VE BEEN IN LAW ENFORCEMENT FOR 30 YEARS AND DURING THAT 30 YEARS I HAVE SOUGHT TO AND I'VE TREATED PEOPLE OF ALL COLORS WITH RESPECT AND DIGNITY
I WORKED IN ONE OF THE MOST DIVERSE COMMUNITIES IN THE STATE IF NOT THE NATION AND I HAVE WORKED AND WORK TO ENSURE THAT I DON'T VIOLATE CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS
I TREAT EVERYONE WITH THAT RESPECT AND DIGNITY
AND YET AS I WATCHED THIS OFFICER WITH THIS SENSELESS AND CRUEL ACT, HE ERASED WHAT I FELT WAS THAT WORK THAT I HAD DONE
AND I KNOW THAT THE OTHER OFFICERS AT THE PORT OF SEATTLE FEEL A LOT THE SAME WAY
AND AT LEAST THAT'S WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO ME, IS THAT'S BEEN ERASED
BUT AS I'VE CONSIDERED THOSE THINGS I'M NOT DONE
I'M NOT READY TO GIVE UP
AND REALLY I DON'T THINK ANY OF YOU ARE AS WELL
AND THAT SHOWS JUST BY YOUR PARTICIPATION IN THIS WHOLE PROCESS
AND NOW MORE THAN EVER WE NEED TO WORK TO MEND THOSE RELATIONSHIPS AND AND I, AND MY DEPARTMENT, OUR DEPARTMENT, WE'RE COMMITTED TO DOING THAT
THAT BRINGS ME TO THE MOTION TO ASSESS THE POLICE DEPARTMENT
WHEN I FIRST LEARNED THAT WE WOULD BE CONDUCTING THIS ASSESSMENT I THOUGHT ABOUT A COUPLE INTERACTIONS THAT I HAD WITH MARK RENNAKER
NOW THAT THAT NAME MIGHT RING A BELL IN YOUR MIND AND IF IT DOES HE WAS ONE OF THE LAKEWOOD FOUR OFFICERS THAT WAS MURDERED IN 2009
AND I WORKED WITH MARK AT TUKWILA BEFORE HE WENT TO LAKEWOOD AND HE AND I BECAME GOOD FRIENDS
AT THE TIME OF THESE INTERACTIONS I WAS A COMMANDER AND HE WAS A YOUNG PATROL OFFICER
SO THIS WAS MANY YEARS AGO
AND AS A COMMANDER AND PATROL, I WANTED TO AND I WOULD LIKE TO, RIDE WITH NEW OFFICERS
I WAS RIDING WITH MARK, I GOT INTO HIS VEHICLE, AND I TOLD MARK, I SAID HEY LISTEN
DON'T BE ANXIOUS
DON'T WORRY
JUST TREAT ME LIKE ANOTHER OFFICER
I JUST WANT TO GET TO KNOW YOU BETTER
I WANT TO MAKE SURE I STAY IN TOUCH WITH WHAT OUR PATROL OFFICERS ARE DOING AND I REMEMBER MARK
I CAN SEE HIS FACE TO THIS DAY
I REMEMBER HIM LOOKING AT ME AND HE SAID I'M NOT WORRIED
I'M GLAD YOU'RE RIDING WITH ME BECAUSE I'M GOING TO SHOW YOU THE GOOD JOB THAT I DO
AND THAT WAS THAT WAS ONE OF THE FIRST THOUGHTS THAT CAME TO MY MIND WITH THE ASSESSMENT
I KNOW IT'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF WORK AND I KNOW WE'RE GOING TO DIAL IN AND WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT EVERYTHING AND ASSESS EVERYTHING AND BE VERY THOROUGH AND SO PART OF ME SAYS YES
LET'S SHOW YOU
I WANT TO SHOW YOU THE WORK THAT THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE PORT OF SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT ARE DOING
AND SO I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE ASSESSMENT IN THAT REGARDS
ANOTHER INTERACTION THAT I HAD WITH MARK, AGAIN, HE'S A YOUNG PATROL OFFICER
I'M A COMMANDER AND PATROL AND I PASSED HIM UP FOR A SPECIALTY POSITION THAT HE WANTED AND SO HE'S IN MY OFFICE AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THAT AND I COMMUNICATED TO HIM
I SAID MARK, YOU'RE VERY SKILLED, VERY TALENTED
THE REASON I PASSED YOU UP, OR ONE OF THE REASONS IS THAT YOU NEED TO GAIN SOME HUMILITY
YOU ARE TOO ARROGANT
I REMEMBER MARK TELLING ME, HE SAID WELL COMMANDER VILLA, WANT TO BE PART OF THIS SPECIALIZED TEAM BECAUSE I WANT TO LEARN, I WANT TO BECOME BETTER, I WANT TO IMPROVE
AND THEN HE SAID, AND BY THE WAY COMMANDER VIA YOU'RE PRETTY ARROGANT TOO
AND I REMEMBER TAKING A STEP BACK
I DON'T KNOW IF PHYSICALLY I DID BUT AT LEAST MENTALLY I THOUGHT, I'M ARROGANT? I KNOW I'M SOMEWHAT CONFIDENT
I DIDN'T THINK I WAS ARROGANT
BUT IT REALLY STRUCK ME
THAT'S THE THOUGHT THAT CAME UP WHEN TALKING ABOUT THIS ASSESSMENT
WAS WHAT AREAS, AS A POLICE DEPARTMENT, ARE WE ARROGANT? WHILE WE KNOW WE HAVE A GREAT POLICE DEPARTMENT, WHAT AREAS ARE WE BLIND TO BECAUSE OF OUR ARROGANCE? AND I WANT TO SEE THOSE AREAS
I WANT THOSE AREAS TO BE DRAWN OUT SO WE CAN TAKE A LOOK AT THAT AND WE CAN MAKE SOME CHANGES FOR THE BETTER
ALSO LIKE MARK, WE WANT TO LEARN AND WE WANT TO IMPROVE
WE WANT TO BE THE BEST POLICE DEPARTMENT IN THE NATION
OUR VISION IS THAT WE WOULD BE THE BEST POLICE DEPARTMENT, FINEST PORT POLICE DEPARTMENT IN THE NATION
WELL, WE WANT TO BE THE BEST NOT JUST PORT POLICE DEPARTMENT BUT POLICE DEPARTMENT IN THE NATION
SO REALLY, WITH THAT, I WELCOME THE ASSESSMENT
I WANT TO SHOWCASE THE GOOD WORK THAT THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE DEPARTMENT ARE DOING
AND WE WANT TO IDENTIFY AREAS WHERE WE'RE ARROGANT AND WE, AS YOUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, WE WANT TO LEARN AND WE WANT TO IMPROVE
SO THANK YOU FOR INCLUDING US IN THIS ASSESSMENT AND I LOOK FORWARD TO IT
WELL, CHIEF VILLA
COMMISSIONER STEINBREUCK HERE
YOU'VE REALLY SET A VERY FINE TONE GOING FORWARD WITH THIS EFFORT FOR ALL OF US
YOU'VE HELPED US UNDERSTAND BETTER THE CHALLENGES AND DEMANDS OF PORT POLICING WHICH, AS I SAID, THAT YOU ARE NOT THE MALL POLICE OR THE PUPPY DOG POLICE
YOU GUYS DO, YOU MEN AND WOMEN, DO INCREDIBLE WORK, RISK YOUR OWN LIVES IN PROTECTING PUBLIC SAFETY AT ONE OF THE BUSIEST PLACES IN THE FIVE STATE REGION, UNTIL RECENTLY, SEATAC INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
AS WELL AS OUR SEAPORT
I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW GRATEFUL I AM TO HEAR YOUR WORDS OF INSPIRATION AND WILLINGNESS TO TAKE ON, YOU KNOW, THIS PERHAPS EXHAUSTING EFFORT HERE
AND TO DO IT HUMBLY AND WITH THE INTENT OF DOING BETTER AND BEING CALLED UPON TO EXAMINE YOUR OWN PRACTICES AND HOW THEY CAN BE DONE BETTER WITH THE INTEREST OF ALL THE THINGS THAT WE'VE HEARD TODAY IN TERMS OF CONCERNS AROUND CIVIL RIGHTS, AND USE OF FORCE, MUTUAL AGREEMENTS, AND SO FORTH
IT'S EXTRAORDINARILY COMPLEX AND YOU HAVE SUCH A GOOD PERSPECTIVE ON THIS
SO I THANK YOU FOR THAT
AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY AND SPEAKING OPENLY AND CANDIDLY ABOUT YOUR CAREER IN POLICING
WITH THAT LET'S SEE IF COMMISSIONERS HAVE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS TO FOLLOW UP ON WITH THE CHIEF
THANK YOU
BEGINNING WITH COMMISSIONER FELLEMAN
THANK YOU
HAVING YOUR ENGAGEMENT ON THIS IS KEY
IT REMINDS ME OF AN EXPERIENCE I HAD IN MARITIME SAFETY [INAUDIBLE] POINT AND THE PEOPLE ONBOARD EXPRESSED THEIR PRIDE IN THEIR OPERATION AND IT JUST EXUDED THROUGH THE ORGANIZATION AND REALLY HELPED ME BETTER APPRECIATE THE DEDICATION OF THOSE PEOPLE
BUT THAT WILLINGNESS TO EXPOSE YOURSELF BECAUSE YOU'RE CONFIDENT OF THE WORKFORCE REALLY GIVES ME ENCOURAGEMENT THAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE RESULTS THAT, OBVIOUSLY WE'LL ALWAYS HAVE ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT, BUT THAT TRANSPARENCY WILL ASSURE US AND THE COMMUNITY THAT WE ARE ABOVE BOARD AND DOING THE BEST WE CAN
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR ENGAGEMENT
THANK YOU
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER FELLEMAN
COMMISSIONER CHO
CHIEF I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING SO GRACIOUS AND OPEN TO WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE
I KNOW THAT IT'S IT'S EASY TO MISINTERPRET OR TAKE THIS THE WRONG WAY SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THE OPEN-MINDEDNESS THAT YOU HAVE
ONCE AGAIN, I WANT TO REITERATE THAT I THINK WE HAVE THE FINEST POLICE FORCE IN THE COUNTY
OBVIOUSLY YOU AGREE
AND YOU KNOW IT WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION EARLIER TODAY THAT OUR POLICE FORCE IS ACTUALLY ALSO VERY UNIQUE IN THE SENSE THAT YOU ARE NOT JUST A LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY BUT YOU'RE A REGULATORY AGENCY AS WELL IN THE SENSE THAT YOU DEAL WITH OTHER AGENCIES LIKE TSA, CBP, AND FEDERAL PARTNERS THAT, QUITE FRANKLY, OTHER POLICE DEPARTMENTS DON'T HAVE TO DEAL WITH, RIGHT? A LOT OF POLICE DEPARTMENTS ARE KIND OF SILOED IN THEIR OWN LITTLE COMMUNITIES WHEREAS I THINK OUR POLICE FORCE IS VERY UNIQUE IN THE SENSE THAT WE HAVE TO PARTNER AND WORK WITH A LOT OF DIFFERENT ENTITIES WHICH I THINK IS ANOTHER HUGE TASK THAT YOU ALL NAVIGATE SO WELL AND EFFECTIVELY
SO ONCE AGAIN THANK YOU FOR ALL THE GREAT WORK
I HOPE THAT THROUGH THIS PROCESS WE ALL COME OUT BETTER THAN WE ALREADY ARE AND I LOOK FORWARD TO IT
THANK YOU
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER CHO
COMMISSIONER CALKINS
THANK YOU
I WAS REMINDED AS YOU SHARED THE ANECDOTE OF DOING THE RIDE ALONG WITH YOUR OFFICER AND HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IT'S LIKE TO WALK IN THE SHOES OF THE OFFICERS WHO COMPRISE OUR PORT OF SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT
AND SO SOMETHING I HAD MENTIONED TO COMMISSIONER STEINBRUECK AND OUR CHIEF OF STAFF PROBABLY THREE WEEKS AGO NOW WAS AN INTEREST IN DOING A RIDE-ALONG WITH THE OFFICERS AND GETTING A SENSE OF WHAT IT'S LIKE TO SPEND A DAY IN THE SHOES OF THE FOLKS WE'VE TASKED WITH THIS EXTRAORDINARY MISSION
AND I WOULD HOPE THAT FOR OTHER MEMBERS OF THE TASK FORCE THAT THAT OPPORTUNITY WOULD BE AVAILABLE AS WELL
IT'S ONE THING TO LOOK AT THESE QUESTIONS ACADEMICALLY, IT'S AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT THING TO SIT IN THE PATROL CAR AND SEE WHAT IT'S LIKE TO HEAR THE RADIO CRACKLE AND BE CALLED OUT TO A SITUATION WHICH YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT THE OUTCOME WILL BE AND YOU JUST HOPE THAT EVERYONE IS SAFE AND UNINJURED AT THE END OF IT
SO YOU KNOW I HOPE WE CAN ORGANIZE THAT WITH ALL DUE PRUDENCE RELATED TO COVID BUT I DO THINK OVER THE COURSE OF THIS TASK FORCE THAT WOULD REALLY BE INFORMATIVE FOR US AS WELL
ABSOLUTELY
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER CALKINS
COMMISSIONER BOWMAN
AND JUST A REMINDER COMMISSIONER BOWMAN IT LOOKS LIKE YOU MAY HAVE MUTED YOURSELF AGAIN WHEN YOU PRESS STAR 6 BECAUSE I SAW A PHONE NUMBER GO DIM
I THINK YOU'RE BACK NOW
GREAT
THANK YOU
APPREICATE THAT
CHIEF I JUST WANTED TO SAY I THINK MY COLLEAGUES [INAUDIBLE] COMMISSIONER CALKINS, GREAT SUGGESTION
I WAS THINKING THE EXACT SAME THING
I DO HOPE THAT IT'S NOT JUST A RIDE-ALONG BUT REALLY SPEND A FULL SHIFT WITH THE OFFICERS TO GET A REAL SENSE OF WHAT THEY'RE UP AGAINST AND TO GET A FULL COMPLEMENT OF THE JOB THEY PROVIDE
I THINK YOUR POINT IS WELL TAKEN
IT'S CRITICAL TO NOT JUST ADDRESS THESE QUESTIONS ACADEMICALLY BUT HAVE EXPONENTIAL EXPERIENCE IN UNDERSTANDING WHAT OUR OFFICERS FACE AND THE JOB BEFORE THEM
BUT TO THE CHIEF SPECIFICALLY, I JUST WANTED TO SAY IF THERE WAS A MOMENT YEARS AGO WHEN SOMEBODY THOUGHT YOU WERE ARROGANT, BY YOUR COMMENTS TODAY THE FIRST WORD THAT CAME TO ME WAS HUMILITY
AND I REALLY THANK YOU FOR THAT
BECAUSE YOU, IN MY OPINION, SINGLE-HANDEDLY CHANGED THE TENOR OF THIS CONVERSATION
AND SO I DEEPLY DEEPLY APPRECIATE YOUR WILLINGNESS AS THE CURRENT LEADER OF THE DEPARTMENT AND A LONG-STANDING OFFICER BE OPEN TO HAVING THIS LEVEL OF SCRUTINY PLACED UPON YOU AND DOING IT WITH OPEN ARMS SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER BOWMAN
COMMISSIONER STEINBECK, BELIEVE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR METRUCK WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK AS WELL
WELL I COULDN'T AGREE MORE WITH THE PRECEDING SENTIMENTS OF COMMISSIONER BOWMAN AND MY OTHER COLLEAGUES
I HAVE THE SAME REACTION TO YOUR PUBLIC STATEMENT HERE, CHIEF
SO LET'S HEAR FROM OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR METRUCK AND WE'RE WINDING DOWN HERE
I WOULD WELCOME, IF ANY OF THE OTHER PRESENTERS WISH TO ASK QUESTIONS OR MAKE COMMENTS, WE STILL HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME FOR THAT
BUT LET'S TURN TO EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR METRUCK
YES I AM WORKING ON GETTING HIM UNMUTED NOW AND THEN I WOULD ASK THAT IF OUR OTHER PRESENTERS DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS THEY WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THEY NOTIFY ME IN THE CHAT BOX SO THAT I CAN UNMUTE THEM
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER STEINBRUECK
I JUST WANTED TO COMMENT ALSO ABOUT ABOUT THE WILLINGNESS OF ACTING CHIEF VILLA TO UNDERTAKE THIS WORK AND I THINK HE WAS PAINTING THE PICTURE OF WHAT OUR PORT OF SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT FACES FROM THE LOW END, FROM THAT CUSTOMER SERVICE WHEN SOMEBODY'S HAVING A BAD DAY THERE, TO BEING PREPARED AND POSITIONING OURSELVES FOR AN ACTIVE SHOOTER OR EVEN HIGHER LEVEL, A BOMB OR TERRORIST EVENT
AND I'VE SEEN ALL THAT IN MY TWO AND A HALF YEARS
I'VE SEEN THEM RAMP UP AND DOWN THROUGH THOSE DIFFERENT EVENTS WITH A LOT OF PROFESSIONALISM
RAMPING UP AND DOWN THROUGH THAT WHOLE SCALE OF EVENTS
AND SO THAT'S WHAT I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE UNDERSTAND BUT WITH THAT COMES A LOT OF CHALLENGES, TOO
AS I SAID THAT INTERACTING WITH A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVING THE WORST DAY OR BAD DAY WHEN WE INTERACT WITH THEM
AND SO I THINK AS YOU LAID OUT, CHIEF VILLA, TALKING ABOUT THAT, LOOKING AT THE LESSONS LEARNED, WE DO SOME THINGS WELL AND LOOKING FOR THOSE AREAS TO IMPROVE
SO I THINK THAT'S REALLY, THAT WILLINGNESS TO UNDERTAKE THIS WORK, IS REALLY IMPORTANT
AND ALSO IF I CAN JUST TAKE A SECOND, COMMISSIONER STEINBREUCK TO COMMENT ON THE GREAT WORK OF OUR BLACKS IN GOVERNMENT AND OTHER PORT EMPLOYEES
AMIRA, ACTUALLY I TEXTED HER SHE WAS SAYING HER REMARKS, I'LL BE HONEST HERE, AS I SENT THAT AFTERWARDS I SAID "YOU'RE RIGHT
THIS IS A MODEL FOR HOW TO ORGANIZE AND HOW TO ACT QUICKLY ON ISSUES THAT HERE THAT WE NEED TO UNDERTAKE BEYOND JUST POLICING." I WANT TO RECOGNIZE THOSE MEMBERS OF BLACKS IN GOVERNMENT AND OTHER PORT EMPLOYEES THAT ARE TAKING PART IN THIS IMPORTANT CONVERSATION BECAUSE THIS IS IN ADDITION TO ALL THE WORK THEY'RE DOING RIGHT NOW, IN ADDITION TO THE TO THE PROBLEMS WITH COVID, THOSE ROADBLOCKS ARE PUTTING IN FRONT OF US AND WORKING WITH
THEY'RE UNDERTAKING ALL THIS
WE HEARD THAT THEY'RE MEETING AFTER HOURS IN ORDER TO DO THIS THAT'S BECAUSE THEY'RE CONCENTRATING ON THE WORK, ON DELIVERING THOSE SERVICES FOR THE PEOPLE EVERY DAY AND THEN GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND
SO I JUST WANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT
THIS SELF ORGANIZING GROUP OF THIS FOCUS GROUP OF BLACKS AND GOVERNMENT, ALL THOSE 13, THEY GOT TOGETHER AND ENGAGED IN A NUMBER OF CONVERSATIONS WITH US
THAT ENERGY AND JUST THOSE EFFORTS AND THE THOUGHTFULNESS OF THOSE COMMENTS COMING BACK IS NOT JUST, "HEY THERE'S A PROBLEM HERE" BUT REALLY PUT US ON THE COURSE TO ADDRESSING THOSE THINGS AND WE SAW THOSE REFLECTED IN THE MOTION GOING FORWARD
SO I'M JUST REALLY PROUD OF THE ORGANIZATION, THE ROAD THAT WE'VE LAID OUT FOR OURSELVES, THE WILLINGNESS TO UNDERTAKE THIS WORK, AND FOR US TO BE THAT MODEL THAT WE STRIVE TO BE
THANK YOU
EXCELLENT COMMENTS
THANK YOU FOR THAT DIRECTOR METRUCK
PRESENTERS ANYONE? YES DELMAS HAS INDICATED THAT HE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK
SO DELMAS I SENT THE UNMUTE PROMPT
LET ME KNOW IF YOU DIDN'T GET IT AND I WILL SEND IT AGAIN
I THINK I GOT IT HERE
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT LAST PIECE
I DID HAVE TWO THINGS I WANTED TO SHARE BUT I WANTED TO START OFF THAT YES THAT GROUP OF FOLKS THAT ARE WORKING BEHIND THE SCENES AND GIVING THEMSELVES OF THEIR TIME, DAWN HUNTER, RUDY KALUZA, MARIN BRUNETTE WHO YOU SAW TODAY, OUR MANAGING DIRECTOR FOR THE AIRPORT, LANCE LITTLE, AND HIS ASSISTANT PATRICIA LEE, AND OBVIOUSLY THE FAMOUS KENNY LYLES, MY BOSS TRACY PATTERSON, SOFIA MAYO, DEWAYNE HILL, [INAUDIBLE] CLAYTOR, LEANNE RICE AND THE AMAZING AMIRA, TALIA
SO THANK YOU GUYS FOR ALL THE THINGS THAT YOU'RE DOING
I WOULD LIKE TO SAY TO THE CHIEF AND TO HIS COMMANDERS AND FOLKS THAT HAVE TAKEN PART IN THE SESSIONS
IT IS VITAL FOR US TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS WORK AND I THANK YOU FOR YOU STEPPING UP AND BEING PRESENT IN THOSE SESSIONS AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THE CONTINUING CONVERSATIONS AS WE MOVE THIS FORWARD
WE WANT TO DO IT RIGHT AND THAT'S RIGHT FOR FOR BOTH SIDES
AND AGAIN WE THANK YOU GUYS FOR ALL OF THE WORK THAT'S BEING DONE IN OUR COMMUNITY SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH
DO WE HAVE ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO COMMENT OR QUESTION? I HAVE NOT SEEN ANYBODY INDICATE SO
WELL ONCE AGAIN THIS HAS BEEN A TRULY INSPIRING AND INCREDIBLY INFORMATIVE DISCUSSION
WE CAN GO AROUND ONCE MORE WITH COMMISSIONERS IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO MAKE ANY CLOSING COMMENTS
[CROSSTALK] IS SOMEONE SPEAKING? YEAH WHO IS THIS? YES I'M NO LONGER ON VIDEO
I'M ON MY PHONE
LANGUAGE ACCESS
I DON'T KNOW IF THERE IS AN ASSESSMENT NOW OF BILINGUAL OFFICERS BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE MOVING FORWARD IF THERE IS INCENTIVES OR STIPENDS
I KNOW IT'S A CHALLENGE BRINGING IN OFFICERS THAT REPRESENT THE COMMUNITY BUT TO ME I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT FORGETTING THAT WE ARE IN AN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, ALL OUR PORTS
WE HAVE MULTIPLE LANGUAGES
THAT'S ALSO PART OF THE CONVERSATION WHEN RECRUITING THAT WE'RE BEING MINDFUL OF THAT
SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE KEEP THAT IN MIND MOVING FORWARD WITH CHANGES
THAT WE DON'T FORGET ABOUT THAT WE'RE IN AN AIRPORT THAT REPRESENTS MANY FOLKS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD WITH DIFFERENT LANGUAGES
SO JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT BILINGUA,L OR MORE THAN ONE LANGUAGE, THAT WE KEEP THAT IN MIND
THAT'S ALL I HAVE
THANK YOU
BACK TO COMMISSIONERS FOR A CLOSING ROUND
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT
COMMISSIONER FELLEMAN
I JUST WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR THEIR GREAT CONTRIBUTIONS
THIS WAS CLEARLY VERY VALUABLE FOR THE COMMISSION
YOUR DIRECT EXPERIENCE IS WORTH SO MUCH MORE THAN OUR ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE HERE BUT WE WILL ONLY DO A GOOD JOB IF WE DO THIS TOGETHER AND YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS ARE VERY WELL NOTED
I STILL BELIEVE THAT WE NEED TO HAVE THIS LOOKED AT IN A BROADER CONTEXT JUST TO HELP SHAPE THE MICROCOSM IN WHICH WE WORK
I MUST SAY WITH ALL THE TELEVISION COVERAGE, NEWS COVERAGE THAT THIS HAS RECEIVED
THE PERSON THAT I'VE HEARD WITH THE MOST ARTICULATE VOICE ON JUST THE UNDERLYING ISSUES OF THE SOCIAL INJUSTICE THAT OCCURS IN OUR WORLD IS THIS WOMAN NAMED SHERRILYN IFILL WITH THE NAACP LEGAL DEFENSE FUND AND UM SHE JUST HAD ARTICLES IN SLATE
SHE'S DOING VERY POPULAR STUFF IN ADDITION TO ALL HER LEGAL WORK AND I JUST SAW THIS LEVEL OF CLARITY AND THIS, YOU KNOW, ORGANIZATION WAS FOUNDED BY THURGOOD MARSHALL
SO THERE'S SOMETHING VERY FUNDAMENTAL HERE THAT I THINK WE ARE ALL STANDING ON THE SHOULDERS OF GIANTS
THAT THIS IS A CONTEXT THAT WE HAVE TO ALWAYS RECOGNIZE AND THEN JUST IN LOOKING AROUND, HOW DO WE RECRUIT PEOPLE OF COLOR INTO THE FORCE WHICH WILL ULTIMATELY BE A KEY TO OUR SUCCESS
THERE'S A GROUP THAT I KNOW NOTHING ABOUT IT'S THE NATIONAL BLACK POLICE ASSOCIATION WHICH I THINK ONE OF THEIR JOBS IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE THE POLICE FORCE LOOKS LIKE THE COMMUNITIES THEY MANAGE AND SO
ANYWAY
THANK YOU AGAIN
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING HOW WE WILL INTEGRATE WITH THE LOCAL, REGIONAL, AND NATIONAL CONTEXTS IN WHICH WE LIVE
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER FELLEMAN
COMMISSIONER CHO, DID YOU HAVE CLOSING COMMENTS TODAY? NO
I JUST WANT TO REITERATE THE TREMENDOUS WORK THAT EVERYONE HAS DONE
I WANT TO THANK THE CHIEF ONE MORE TIME
AND ALSO THE SUPPORT STAFF WHO TOOK THE TIME TO PROVIDE US WITH COMMENTARY AND THEIR SUPPORT
I KNOW THAT IT ISN'T EVERY DAY THAT YOU GET TO TESTIFY DIRECTLY TO THE COMMISSIONER SO IT WAS REALLY GOOD TO SEE SOME FAMILIAR FACES
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER CHO
COMMISSIONER CALKINS, DO YOU HAVE CLOSING COMMENTS TODAY? NO FURTHER COMMENTS FOR ME
THANK YOU
COMMISSIONER BOWMAN? ANY CLOSING COMMENTS FOR TODAY? NO FURTHER COMMENTS EXCEPT TO THANK EVERYBODY THAT PUT THIS TOGETHER TODAY
AND REALLY JUST THE VERY CANDID AND HONEST CONVERSATIONS THAT HAVE HAPPENED
I JUST REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO THAT CONTINUING THROUGH THE PROCESS OF THE TASK FORCE AND THE REPORTING OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS
AND I ALSO WANT TO SAY THAT I VERY MUCH SUPPORT THE EFFORT THAT COMMISSIONER CHO IS STARTING TO UNDERTAKE ABOUT LOOKING AT MORE SYSTEMIC RACISM THROUGHOUT THE PORT AND ALL OF OUR POLICIES AND PROCESSES
THE USE OF POLICE FORCE IS A CRITICAL ISSUE AND THIS IS ABSOLUTELY THE RIGHT TIME, IF NOT BEFORE, THAT WE SHOULD BE DEALING WITH THIS BUT THERE ARE BROADER IMPLICATIONS AND I JUST WANT TO SAY I SUPPORT WHAT COMMISSIONER CHO HAS UNDERTAKEN AN APPRECIATE ALL OF THE EXTRA WORK THAT OUR STAFF HAS DONE TO AS DIRECTOR METRUCK MENTIONED
THIS IS REALLY ALL DONE ON WHAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED VOLUNTEER BASIS
IT IS A SUBSTANTIAL CONTRIBUTION AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR FOR TAKING THAT TIME ESPECIALLY GIVEN ALL OF THE EXTRA STRESSES THAT YOU ALL FACE, WE ALL FACE WITH TRYING TO WORK FROM HOME, TRYING TO PROTECT OUR FAMILIES, AND YET SO MANY PEOPLE WITH DELMAS AT THE HEAD HAVE TAKEN THIS ON
SO JUST MY SINCERE APPRECIATION AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THE WORK AHEAD AND WHAT YOU'LL BE REPORTING BACK
THANK YOU
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER BOWMAN
AND TURNING IT BACK TO YOU COMMISSION PRESIDENT STEINBRUECK FOR YOUR CLOSING COMMENTS IF ANY
OKAY WELL THANK YOU CLERK HART
WELCOME TO THE COMMISSION, ONCE AGAIN
AND IT'S BEEN GOOD HAVING YOU ENGAGED IN THIS MEETING
THANK YOU
I HAVE NO ADDITIONAL COMMENTS TO MAKE I THINK PEOPLE HAVE HEARD ENOUGH FOR ME ALREADY
SO AT THIS POINT I WOULD LIKE TO CONCLUDE THIS SPECIAL MEETING BUT ALSO MENTION THAT THE MOTION 2020-15 WILL BE BEFORE THE COMMISSION JULY 14TH 2020
AT THAT TIME MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WILL AGAIN HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE PUBLIC COMMENT, RESPOND TO THE MOTION AND ANY CHANGES THAT WE MIGHT BE PROPOSING AT THAT DATE ON THE TOPIC OF PORT POLICING
SO IF THERE'S NO OBJECTION WE ARE NOW ADJOURNED AT 1:13PM.

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