CITY OF SEATTLE
ORDINANCE __________________
COUNCIL BILL __________________
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AN ORDINANCE relating to the organization of City government; creating a Seattle Emergency Communications Center; adding new Sections 3.15.060 and 3.15.062 to the Seattle Municipal Code; and amending Sections 6.10.005, 6.10.010, 6.10.070, 6.10.110, 10.08.140, 10.08.165, 10.08.178, and 12A.16.040 of the Seattle Municipal Code.
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WHEREAS, throughout the summer, Seattle residents have taken to the streets to protest the unjust murders of Black Americans, including George Floyd and Breonna Taylor and the shooting of Jacob Blake; all of these individuals experienced violent and lethal force at the hands of the police; and
WHEREAS, in response to this local and national civil rights reckoning, community members and civic leaders, including the Mayor and members of the City Council, have committed to a holistic review and community-led discussion around the effectiveness of the current way that community safety is provided in Seattle; and
WHEREAS, the shared vision for reimagining Seattle's system of community safety recognizes the importance of providing alternatives to armed police officer response, including civilian and community-based services and solutions; and
WHEREAS, based on community input, the Mayor and the City Council will pursue the transfer of certain functions out of the Seattle Police Department, including Emergency Management, 9-1-1 Dispatch, and Parking Enforcement; and
WHEREAS, these transfers, taken in total, aim to reflect community expectations of the equitable delivery of City services, elevate emergency planning, improve the coordination of calls-for-service, increase civilian and community-based dispatch options, and bolster public trust and confidence in a reimagined system of community safety; and
WHEREAS, creating a new Seattle Emergency Communications Center will allow the City to consolidate and co-locate communications and dispatch functions, as well ...
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