Press Releases

Mayor details City objectives for speedy implementation of Settlement Agreement on police reforms

SEATTLE - Today Mayor Mike McGinn detailed the city of Seattle's objectives for speedy implementation of the Settlement Agreement with the Department of Justice on police reforms.

On a monitoring plan, the mayor, citing the Settlement Agreement with the Department of Justice, detailed the work ahead to adopt a monitoring plan for the implementation of reforms. The Settlement Agreement provides that if the parties cannot agree on a monitoring plan, then the timelines detailed by the Settlement Agreement will govern the process. The mayor's preference is to forward implementation of the Settlement Agreement as quickly as possible.

The city of Seattle has five objectives on this issue:

• Prompt implementation of reform;
• Transparency;
• Alignment of the monitoring plan with the scope of the Settlement Agreement;
• Certainty that the monitoring plan follows the specific commitments of the Settlement Agreement; and
• Ensuring that taxpayer dollars are spent to best further the speedy implementation of the Settlement Agreement.

On the Monitoring Team's billing, the mayor, citing unresolved concerns of the City Budget Office, detailed the city of Seattle's three objectives on this issue:

• Billings and payment must comply with state restrictions and city policies on what can legally be reimbursed;
• Transparency; and
• Ensuring that taxpayer dollars are spent to best further implementation of the Settlement Agreement.

The mayor detailed the city of Seattle's objectives in a memorandum to City Attorney Pete Holmes today. In order to support the City's objectives on these issues, the mayor will give the City Attorney a written authorization when the City agrees to a monitoring plan and the City Budget Director will give written approval for future invoices from the Monitoring Team.

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Office of the Mayor