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City of Seattle
Gregory J. Nickels, Mayor
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NEWS ADVISORY
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| SUBJECT: Mayor Nickels names 'exceptional investigator' to head OPA
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
3/16/2007 2:30:00 PM |
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Office of the Mayor (206) 684-4000
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Mayor Nickels names “exceptional investigator” to
head OPA
Kathryn Olson: respected, fair and thorough
SEATTLE - Mayor Greg Nickels today announced the appointment of Kathryn Olson
to be the next director of the Office of Professional Accountability (OPA).
“Kathryn is the right person at the right time for OPA,” said
Mayor Greg Nickels. “She is a highly skilled investigator and attorney
with a passion for civil rights. The people of Seattle and our police officers
will be well-served by her fairness, thoroughness and ability to bring cases
to a quick resolution.”
Olson’s career as an investigator and mediator of discrimination cases
and fair employment practices has spanned more than 24 years. She spent 16
years investigating and resolving discrimination complaints with the federal
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) in Seattle and San Francisco.
Before that, Olson worked as a lecturer and assistant director of the Fair
Employment Practices Clinic at the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law in Cleveland,
Ohio. .She also worked for the Cleveland Women’s Law Fund litigating
and investigating discrimination cases.
At the EEOC, Olson supervised trial attorneys and support staff in the office
of EEOC’s Region X, which includes Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana
and Alaska. Other responsibilities included mediating employment and labor
disputes involving federal employees.
“I am honored to be given this opportunity to make a contribution to
the critical mission of the Seattle Police Department,” said Olson. “I
will strive to ensure that complaints against police officers are investigated
in a fair and timely manner, and that the work of the OPA is open to review
and input from the community.”
The Office of Professional Accountability resides within the Seattle Police
Department and is headed by a civilian. OPA’s purpose is to receive and
investigate citizen complaints about police misconduct. OPA provides for citizen
oversight of the complaint process; promotes public awareness of, and full
access to, that process; and advances reforms to increase the Seattle Police
Department’s accountability to the
public.
The OPA director can serve up to two three-year terms. OPA has a $1.73 million
annual budget and 12 employees.
Olson replaces Sandra “Sam” Pailca, who served as the first
OPA director from January 2001 to February 2007. Olson’s annual salary
will be $146, 467. Her appointment is subject to City Council confirmation.
Visit the mayor’s web site at www.seattle.gov/mayor. Get the mayor’s
inside view on initiatives to promote transportation, public safety, economic
opportunity and healthy communities by signing up for The Nickels Newsletter
at www.seattle.gov/mayor/newsletter_signup.htm
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Office of the Mayor
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