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Office of Professional Accountability About the OPA HISTORY of the OPA In 1999, the Seattle City Council established the Office of Professional Accountability ("OPA") within the Seattle Police Department. The Director of the OPA is Kathryn Olson , a civilian appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by the City Council May 7, 2007. Complaints of police conduct are investigated by the Investigation Section of the OPA. The Director oversees the intake, classification, and investigation of complaints, certifies investigative findings, and makes recommendations on disposition and discipline to the Chief of Police. The OPA Director also reports to the Mayor and the City Council on OPA activity, issues concerning the professional standards of the Department, and recommendations on strategies and policies to improve complaint gathering and investigative procedures. Finally, the OPA is involved in community outreach to promote and demystify the citizen complaint process, and to receive feedback from the community and the officers on ways to improve the process. COMMUNITY OUTREACH EFFORTS In addition to investigating misconduct, the OPA is involved in community outreach to inform citizens of the complaint process and the OPA's role. The OPA provides information through this website in addition to radio, and newsletters. The OPA is also actively involved in making presentations at community meetings and schools. Please contact us if you would like to have the OPA Director or representative speak to your group or attend a community meeting.
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RELATED There are two other components of Seattle's oversight structure: |
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