CITY OF SEATTLE
ORDINANCE __________________
COUNCIL BILL __________________
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AN ORDINANCE relating to the organization of City government; renaming the Community Safety and Communications Center to the Community Assisted Response and Engagement Department; requesting that the Code Reviser revise the Seattle Municipal Code accordingly; and amending Sections 3.15.060 and 3.15.062 of the Seattle Municipal Code.
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WHEREAS, by adopting Ordinance 126233 the City created the Community Safety and Communications Center, effective January 1, 2021, including the 911 call answering and dispatch center; and
WHEREAS, the Mayor and City Council envisioned this new department to be responsible for 911 call answering and dispatch and also diversified response options to incidents when police officers are not needed; and
WHEREAS, the City will continue its efforts to build community-focused, trauma-informed approaches to low-acuity non-police public safety incidents; and
WHEREAS, the name Community Assisted Response and Engagement (CARE) better reflects the purpose and responsibilities of the department; and
WHEREAS, CARE also embodies the City’s vision of aligning and unifying Seattle’s community-focused, non-police public safety programs to better serve the City; and
WHEREAS, associated sections of the Seattle Municipal Code must be updated to reflect this new name and additional areas of responsibility; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY OF SEATTLE AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Section 3.15.060 of the Seattle Municipal Code, enacted by Ordinance 126233, is amended as follows:
3.15.060 ((Community Safety and Communications Center)) Community Assisted Response and Engagement Department
There is created within the Executive Department a ((Community Safety and Communications Center)) Community Assisted Response and Engagement (CARE) Department to provide timely, accurate, and vital information to the City's first responders, ((city)) service providers, and the public, and to provide ((civilian)) non-police and community-based services and solutions to community safety challenges. The CARE Department’s mission is to improve health and safety services by unifying and aligning the City’s community-focused, non-police public safety investments and services to address behavioral abuse, substance abuse, and non-emergent, low-risk calls for service through diversified programs that are equitable, innovative, evidence-based, compassionate, and effective and that conform to any interlocal agreement in effect between The City of Seattle and King County regarding public health. ((A. Effective the earlier of June 1, 2021 or 30 days after the Executive receives the necessary Originating Agency Identifier (ORI) access permissions for the 9-1-1 call center, the )) The functions of the ((Community Safety and Communications Center)) Community Assisted Response and Engagement Department are as follows:
((1.)) A. Act as the city's Primary Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP), providing 24-hour public safety communication and dispatch services for 9-1-1 calls ((originating)) regarding incidents in Seattle.
((a.)) 1. Identify, triage, and dispatch public safety service requests to first responders and other community resources most appropriate to quickly and safely respond and resolve the requested need.
((b.)) 2. Dispatch and provide continuous contact with responders, provide((s)) support functions for responding agencies, and coordinate((s)) responses between city departments and public safety agencies operating within Seattle.
((c.)) 3. Notify City departments, City leaders, and other stakeholders of emergency incidents.
((d.)) 4. Provide information and service referrals to non-emergency callers.
5. Provide diversified community-focused responses to 911 calls identified as behavioral health, non-emergent, low-acuity, and low-risk.
6. Create a new initiative to integrate the City’s violence intervention programs, using research and evidence-based strategies to reduce violence, including identifying specific and measurable outcomes. This initiative will focus initially on: (a) gun violence prevention interventions; (b) community-based intervention programs, including violence interrupters; (c) youth-focused programs; and use evidence-based public safety strategies to measure program success and develop future solutions.
7. Improve health and safety by unifying and aligning Seattle’s community-focused, non-police public safety investments.
((B. Effective June 1, 2021, the following function shall be added to the Community Safety and Communications Center:
1. Provide parking enforcement to assist in the administration of traffic laws, to the extent allowed by the commission of Parking Enforcement Officers as Special Police Officers and in coordination with the Seattle Police Department and the Seattle Department of Transportation.))
Section 2. Section 3.15.062 of the Seattle Municipal Code, enacted by Ordinance 126233, is amended as follows:
3.15.062 ((Director)) Chief of the ((Community Safety and Communications Center)) Community Assisted Response and Engagement Department
A. Appointment, term, and removal
The ((Director)) Chief of the ((Community Safety and Communications Center (CSCC))) Community Assisted Response and Engagement (CARE) Department shall be appointed by the Mayor and subject to confirmation by a majority vote of the City Council. The ((Director)) Chief shall be subject to reappointment and reconfirmation every four years and may be removed by the Mayor upon filing a statement of reasons therefor with the City Council.
B. Duties
The ((Director)) Chief of ((CSCC)) the CARE Department shall be the head of ((CSCC)) the CARE Department, shall be responsible for the administration of the ((CSCC)) CARE Department, and shall:
1. Develop and manage all functions and responsibilities of the ((CSCC.)) CARE Department;
2. Subject to the City's personnel ordinances and rules, appoint, assign, supervise, control, and remove all officers and employees in the ((CSCC)) CARE Department;
3. Manage the preparation of the preliminary proposed budget for ((CSCC)) the CARE Department, authorize necessary expenditures and enter into contracts for professional and expert services in accordance with the adopted budget, develop and manage programs, and undertake authorized activities;
4. Administer all ordinances pertaining to the ((CSCC)) CARE Department and its functions;
5. Execute, administer, modify, and enforce such agreements and instruments as the ((Director)) Chief shall deem reasonably necessary to implement city service dispatching consistent with all applicable laws and ordinances, as the ((Director)) Chief shall deem appropriate for carrying out the responsibilities, functions, and activities of ((CSCC)) the CARE Department;
6. Apply for grants for departmental programs;
7. Coordinate with outside jurisdictions;
8. Serve, in conjunction with other pertinent members of the Mayor's Cabinet, as the City's representative to intergovernmental and public-private boards, commissions, organizations, and committees engaged in issues pertaining to emergency communications and city service dispatching;
9. Provide input to the Mayor and City Council on the city's emergency communications and recommend actions to better respond to calls for assistance from the public and to better communicate with the public about dangerous situations and natural disasters;
10. Make periodic reports to the Mayor and City Council concerning the activities of ((CSCC)) the CARE Department;
11. Promulgate and amend, in accordance with Chapter 3.02, rules and regulations to carry out ((CSCC)) CARE Department activities;
12. Maintain city compliance with all national, state, and county laws, rules, certifications, etc., as necessary for the efficient and robust city service response for all members of the community; and
13. Exercise such other and further powers and duties as shall be prescribed by ordinance.
Section 3. The City Council requests that the Code Reviser, pursuant to the authority established by Seattle Municipal Code Section 1.03.030, revise the Seattle Municipal Code to replace references to “Community Safety and Communications Center” with “Community Assisted Response and Engagement Department” and “Director of the Community Safety and Communications Center” with “Chief of the Community Assisted Response and Engagement Department.”
Section 4. This ordinance shall take effect and be in force 30 days after its approval by the Mayor, but if not approved and returned by the Mayor within ten days after presentation, it shall take effect as provided by Seattle Municipal Code Section 1.04.020.
Passed by the City Council the ________ day of _________________________, 2023, and signed by me in open session in authentication of its passage this ________ day of _________________________, 2023.
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President ____________ of the City Council
Approved / returned unsigned / vetoed this _____ day of _________________, 2023.
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Bruce A. Harrell, Mayor
Filed by me this ________ day of _________________________, 2023.
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Scheereen Dedman, City Clerk
(Seal)