CITY OF SEATTLE
ORDINANCE __________________
COUNCIL BILL __________________
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AN ORDINANCE relating to civilian and community oversight of the police; creating a subpoena process for the Office of Police Accountability and Office of Inspector General for Public Safety while ensuring due process for individuals who are the subject of the subpoena; and adding new Sections 3.29.126 and 3.29.245 to the Seattle Municipal Code.
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WHEREAS, The City of Seattle requires a strong independent civilian oversight system to ensure constitutional policing and a police department that has the public trust, confidence, respect, and support of the community; and
WHEREAS, the City reaffirms its intention to build a strong civilian-led police accountability system with authority to independently review and investigate individual police misconduct cases, as well as to conduct departmental audits and reviews that critically evaluate the effectiveness of the Seattle Police Department (SPD) in delivering constitutional policing; and
WHEREAS, The City of Seattle is a first-class city in the state of Washington pursuant to chapter 35.22 RCW and has the legal authority to issue administrative subpoenas; and
WHEREAS, subpoenas are crucial information-gathering mechanisms for investigations into police misconduct in the event of an inability to obtain information from witnesses or department staff due to lack of cooperation from the individual or department, or due to a need to obtain information from a third party on matters related to the investigation; and
WHEREAS, subpoenas are crucial information-gathering mechanisms for audits and reviews of matters of systemic issues of public concern, in the case of an uncooperative witness or other barriers to obtaining relevant information from the individual, department, or third parties; and
WHEREAS, critical to police accountability is the willingness of complainants and individuals to come forward and provide information in an investi...
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