Seattle Police Manual

1.100 – Organization and Function: Chief of Police

Effective Date: 3/2/2011

POLICY

This policy describes the Seattle Police Department’s organizational structure and functions.

I. Office of the Chief of Police

A. The Chief of Police shall manage the Department and shall prescribe rules and regulations, consistent with law, for its government and control; provided that the Chief of Police shall be responsible to the Mayor for the administration of the Department and the enforcement of law.

1. Legal Affairs Unit: The Legal Affairs Unit will provide legal advice to the Department.

2. Office of Professional Accountability (OPA): The OPA will be responsible for advising the Chief, the Mayor of Seattle, and the City Council on all matters involving the Department’s internal investigatory and disciplinary functions.

a. Equal Employment Opportunity Investigations Unit (EEO): The EEO will investigate any complaint of discriminatory misconduct from Seattle Police Department employees as they pertain to workplace harassment.

b. Investigations Section: The Investigations Section will promote ethical conduct by Department personnel through the investigation of complaints of misconduct.

3. Administration Unit: The Administration Unit will assist the Chief of Police in managing the Department.

4. Mayor’s Security Detail: The Mayor’s Security Detail provides physical security for the Mayor in the performance of the Mayor’s duties.

5. Community Outreach Liaison: The Community Outreach Liaison provides open communication between the Department and the community.

B. The Deputy Chief of Operations and the Deputy Chief of Administration shall assist the Chief in the day to day management of the Department.

II. Organization Change

A. An organization change is defined as any administrative change that affects the organization of a Bureau, Section, or Unit.

B. Any organizational change within the various Bureaus, Sections, and Units (including Unit Numbers), requires prior notification and request for approval through a unit’s chain of command to the Finance, Strategic Policy, and Planning Section, which will coordinate final approval with the Command Staff and through the Audit, Policy and Research Section, Personnel Section and Sustainment Unit. All requested changes will be made in one of the two following ways:

1. Through the biennial or mid-biennial budget process for the following fiscal year, in which case units will submit proposed changes as part of the SPD budget development / review process. Such requests are to be made to the Finance, Strategic Policy, and Planning Section through a unit’s chain of command.

2. For current year organizational changes, units will complete a Request for Organizational Change (form 18.1) and submit it through their chain of command to the Finance, Strategic Policy, and Planning Section. Specific requirements for organizational changes at mid-year are outlined on the form and will be followed.

C. Organizational changes made must be consistent with policies established by the Chief, Command Staff, the Office of Management and Planning, and the City Council.

III. Organizational Structure in Versadex

A. Although the Versadex CAD/RMS system is built to match the Department’s organizational tree as closely as possible, its main purpose is to support the daily operational structure more than its budget structure. Therefore, each Versadex unit number has an associated PORG number used to indicate the budgeted org for that unit.

IV. Workload Assessment

A. Each command throughout the Department will complete a workload assessment of their section/unit every three years. This assessment will be submitted to the Deputy Chief of Staff.