>>> GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE.
THE NOVEMBER 30th, 2020 MEETING
OF THE SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL
WILL COME TO ORDER.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE CALL THE
ROOM?
>> COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA?
>> PRESENT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN?
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT?
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS?
>> HERE .
>> COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD?
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MORALES?
>> HERE .
>> EIGHT PRESENT.
>> THANK YOU, MADAM CLERK.
I AM NOT AWARE OF ANY
PRESENTATIONS TODAY, SO WE WILL
MOVE TO APPROVAL OF THE
MINUTES.
THE MINUTES OF THE CITY COUNCIL
MEETING HAVE BEEN REVIEWED.
IF THERE IS NO OBJECTION, THE
MINUTES WILL BE SIGNED.
HEARING NO OBJECTION, THE
MINUTES ARE BEING SIGNED.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE AFFIX MY
SIGNATURE TO THE MINUTES?
ADOPTION OF THE REFERRAL
CALENDAR.
IF THERE IS NO OBJECTION, THE
PROPOSED INTRODUCTION OF THE
REFERRAL CALENDAR WILL BE
ADAPTED. APPROVAL OF THE
AGENDA.
IF THERE IS NO OBJECTION, THE
AGENDA WILL BE ADOPTED.
HEARING NO OBJECTION, THE
AGENDA IS ADOPTED.
COLLEAGUES, AT THIS POINT WE
WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC COMMENT
PERIOD, AND THE COUNCIL'S 2020
WORK PROGRAM.
I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR
THEIR ONGOING PATIENCE AND
COOPERATION AS WE CONTINUE TO
OPERATE THESE REMOTE PUBLIC
COMMENT SYSTEM.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO HAVE A
PUBLIC COMMENT REGULARLY
INCLUDED ON MEETING AGENDAS PRK
AT ANY POINT IF WE DEEM THIS
SYSTEM IS BEING ABUSED OR IS NO
LONGER SUITABLE FOR ALLOWING
OUR MEETINGSTO BE CONDUCTED
EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY.
I WILL MODERATE THE PUBLIC
COMMENT PERIOD IN THE FOLLOWING
MANNER.
THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR
THIS READING IS 20 MINUTES AND
EACH SPEAKER WILL BE GIVEN TWO
MINUTES TO SPEAK.
DOUBLE: EACH SPEAKER BY NAME
AND IN THE ORDER IN WHICH THEY
PREREGISTERED ON THE COUNCIL'S
WEBSITE.
IF YOU HAVE NOT YET REGISTERED
TO SPEAK BUT WOULD LIKE TO, YOU
CAN SIGN UP BEFORE THE END OF
PUBLIC COMMENT BY GOING TO THE
COUNCIL'S WEBSITE.
THE PUBLIC COMMENT IS LISTED ON
TODAY'S AGENDA.
ONCE I CALL A SPEAKER'S NAME,
STAFF WILL UNMUTE THE
APPROPRIATE MICROPHONE AND AN
AUTOMATIC PROMPT OF, "YOU HAVE
BEEN UN-MUTED" WILL BE THE
SPEAKER'S QUEUE FOR THEIR TURN
TO SPEAK.
THE SPEAKER MUST PRESS STAR SEX
IN ORDER TO HAVE US HEAR THEM.
AGAIN, YOU WILL HEAR A PROMPT
IF YOU HAVE BEEN UN-MUTED AND
THEN YOU WILL PRESS STAR SIX .
PUBLIC COMMENT SHOULD RELATE TO
AN ITEM ON TODAY'S AGENDA.
THE REFERRAL CALENDAR OR THE
COUNCIL'S 2020 WORK PROGRAM.
SPEAKERS WILL HEAR A CHIME WHEN
10 SECONDS ARE LEFT OF THEIR
ALLOTTED TIME.
ONCE YOU HEAR THE CHIME, WE ASK
YOU BEGIN TO WRAP UP YOUR
PUBLIC COMMENT.
IF STRIPPERS DO NOT END THEIR
COMMENT AT THE END OF THE
ALLOTTED TIME PROVIDED, THE
SPEAKER'S MICROPHONE WILL BE
MUTED TO ALLOW US TO CALL ON
THE NEXT SPEAKER.
WE ASK YOU PLEASE DISCONNECT
FROM THE LINE AND IF YOU CAN
PIN NEW FOLLOWING THIS MEETING,
YOU CAN DO SO VIA THE SEATTLE
CHANNEL OR THE LISTENING
OPTIONS LISTED ON THE AGENDA.
THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS
NOT OPEN AND WE WILL BEGIN WITH
THE FIRST SPEAKER ANALYST.
AGAIN, PLEASE ARE MEMBER TO
PRESS STAR SIX AFTER THE PROMPT
OF YOU HAVE BEEN UN-MUTED.
THE FIRST SPEAKER TODAY, EXCUSE
ME, WILL BE CASTILLE FOLLOWED
BY HOWARD.
>> HI, MY NAME IS CASTEEL
HIGHTOWER.
IN 2004, OUR FAMILY WAS TORN
APART AND SEARCHING FOR
ANSWERS.
ANSWERS THE SEATTLE POLICE HAVE
REFUSED TO GIVE US.
WE CONTINUE TO RECEIVE THE SAME
COPY AND PASTE ANSWER EACH TIME
. I AM ASKING FOR THE CITY
COUNCIL'S SUPPORT TO HELP MY
FAMILY FIND ANSWERS AS TO WHAT
HAPPENED TO MY BROTHER.
THE LETTER ASKS AS PD TO
RELEASE MY BROTHER'S RECORDS.
WE HAVE OVER 1800 SIGNATURES ON
A PETITION. THERE HAS BEEN A
COMPLETE LACK OF
ACCOUNTABILITY.
YOUR SUPPORT WOULD BE MUCH
APPRECIATED.
ALL THE FAMILY WHOSE LOVED ONES
HAVE BEEN KILLED AT THE HANDS
OF SEATTLE POLICE DESERVE
ACCOUNTABILITY.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, PLEASE SIGN
THE LETTER AND THANK YOU TO
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT FOR YOUR
SUPPORT YOU HAVE GIVEN TO HELP
THIS PETITION.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU FOR CALLING IN
TODAY.
UP NEXT IS HOWARD GAIL FOLLOWED
BY DAN ROCHE.
>> HI, GOOD AFTERNOON.
HOWARD GAIL, DISTRICT 7
COMMENTING ON POLICE
ACCOUNTABILITY.
AS YOU JUST HEARD FROM CASTILLE
, TRYING TO GET UNSTUCK. THE
FACT THAT AS PD HAS NOT BEEN
PROVIDING PUBLIC RECORDS,
HERBERT HIGHTOWER JUNIOR WAS A
PERSON OF COLOR, AS WERE MANY
OF THE 27 PEOPLE KILLED BY SPD
IN THE LAST FEW YEARS . THEY
WERE ALL PEOPLE OF COLOR AND
MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS
BRANDISHING KNIVES.
WHAT IS NOTICEABLE IN ALL OF
THESE CASES ARE TWO THINGS.
OUR CURRENT POLICE
ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM HAS NEVER
PROVIDED ANSWERS OR JUSTICE TO
THEIR FAMILIES OR LOVED ONES.
THE CURRENT CHANGES TO
POLYMERIC POLICY, THOSE ENACTED
AND PROPOSED BY THE COUNCIL
WOULD HAVE MADE ABSOLUTELY NO
DIFFERENCE IN THE OUTCOME OF
THESE CASES.
EVERY ONE OF THESE CASES, AN
OFFICER WITH A GUN WOULD HAVE
BEEN CALLED TO THE SCENE AND AN
OFFICER WITH A GUN WOULD HAVE
SHOT THE PERSON DEAD.
THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN IN THE
UNITED KINGDOM. IT HAPPENS
ROUTINELY IN THE UNITED STATES.
IT SHOULD ALSO BE NOTED THAT AT
THIS MORNING'S COUNCIL
BRIEFING, IT WAS INCORRECTLY
CLAIMED THAT THE SEATTLE POLICE
DEPARTMENT COULD NOT PRIORITIZE
THE RELEASE OF THESE PUBLIC
RECORDS.
THAT IS SIMPLY NOT TRUE.
THE WASHINGTON ADMINISTRATIVE
CODE ACTUALLY SAYS AGENCY HAS
FLEXIBILITY TO PRIORITIZE ITS
RESPONSES TO BE MORE SUFFICIENT
ALL A QUESTER TO.
AN AGENCY CANNOT SIMPLY
PRIORITIZE BASED ON THE CONTENT
BUT THEY CAN PRIORITIZE BASED
ON THE SIMPLICITY OF THE
REQUEST AND IN THIS CASE IT IS
A VERY SPECIFIC REQUEST.
AGAIN, WE WOULD ASK THE COUNCIL
DO EVERYTHING IN ITS POWER TO
MAKE SURE THESE RECORDS ARE
RELEASED.
THANK YOU.
>> OKAY, NEXT UP IS DAN ROCHE.
I DO HAVE ONE SPEAKER, JIM
JOHNSON WHO IS REGISTERED BUT
NOT SHOWING AS PRESENT.
DAN ROCHE, PLEASE.
>> THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO
SPEAK.
MY NAME IS DAN ROCHE AND I AM
HERE TO SUPPORT CASTEEL
HIGHTOWER IN FINDING OUT THE
INFORMATION SHE NEEDS TO FIND
FOR HER BROTHER, HERBERT
HIGHTOWER, SO THEY CAN HAVE
CLOSURE FOR THEIR FAMILY OF
FIVE.
THE SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT
CAN'T RELEASE THE RECORDS. IT
SHOULD BE A MATTER OF PUBLIC
RECORD.
IT KIND OF REMINDS ME OF THE
INVISIBLE INSTITUTE'S BATTLE 10
YEARS OF COURT BATTLES JUST TO
GET THE RECORDS FOR POLICE
MISCONDUCT.
WE ARE HAVING A STRUGGLE WITH
HAVING OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS
AND OUR POLICE OFFICERS NEEDING
TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE.
I FIND IT THAT IF YOU ARE
WORKING AS A PUBLIC WORKER AS
FAR AS SERVANTS FOR THE PUBLIC,
YOU SHOULD BE HAVING
TRANSPARENCY AS YOUR FIRST RULE.
THE FACT THAT WE ARE STRUGGLING
JUST TO GET A LETTER IS
OUTRAGEOUS. I WANT TO THANK
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT FOR ALL
SHE DOES A FIGHTING FOR JUSTICE
FOR ALL OF THOSE THAT ARE BEING
PUT UP IN THE SYSTEM WE
CURRENTLY EXIST UNDER.
THE FACT THAT 1850 PEOPLE HAVE
SIGNED A PETITION TO ASK FOR
THEM TO RELEASE THE RECORDS
THAT AFFECT THESE FAMILIES AND
IS STILL TODAY WE HAVE NOT DONE
IT, WE WANT TO BELIEVE THERE IS
SOMETHING TO HIDE.
IF THERE IS NOTHING TO HIDE, IT
WOULD BE EASY TO BE
TRANSPARENT.
I WANT TO THANK COUNCILMEMBER
SAWANT AND ENCOURAGE EVERYONE
TO KEEP FIGHTING AND KEEP
RESISTING BECAUSE THE ONLY WAY
IT IS GOING TO CHANGE IF WE ALL
ARE INVOLVED AND WE DEMAND
CHANGE.
I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR
TIME AND THANK YOU FOR LETTING
ME SPEAK.
>> THANK YOU FOR CALLING IN
TODAY.
LET ME RECHECK TO SEE IF WE
HAVE ANY OTHER SPEAKERS
PREREGISTERED AND PRESENT.
JUST A MOMENT.
WE DO NOT HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL
INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE SIGNED UP
AND ARE SHOWING UP AS PRESENT
SO I WILL GO AHEAD AND CLOSE
OUT THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
WE WILL GO AHEAD AND DIG INTO
OUR ITEMS OF BUSINESS FOR
TODAY.
THE FIRST UP IS PAYMENT OF THE
BILLS.
WITH THE CLERK PLEASE READ THE
TITLE INTO THE RECORD?
>> COUNCIL BILL 119907 FOR THE
WEEK OF NOVEMBER 16th 2020
THROUGH NOVEMBER 20th, 2020 AND
ORDER AND PAYMENT THEREOF.
>> THANK YOU, CLERK.
IS THERE A SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>> THANK YOU.
ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS?
HEARING NONE, WILL THE CLERK
PLEASE CALL THE ROLE IN THE
PASSAGE OF THE BILL?
>> MOSQUEDA?
>> AYE.
>> PEDERSEN?
>> YES.
>> STRAUSS?
>> AYE.
>> JUAREZ?
>> YES.
>> MORALES?
>> YES.
>> NINE IN FAVOR, NO, NO POST.
>> NEXT UP IS ITEM 1. WILL THE
CLERK PLEASE READ ITEM ONE INTO
THE RECORD?
>> 119907, ELATING TO LAND USE
AND ZONING; EXTENDING FOR SIX
MONTHS A MORATORIUM ESTABLISHED
BY ORDINANCE 125764, AND
EXTENDED BY ORDINANCES 126006
AND 126090, ON THE FILING,
ACCEPTANCE, PROCESSING, AND/OR
APPROVAL OF ANY APPLICATION TO
ESTABLISH A NEW PRINCIPAL OR
ACCESSORY USE, OR CHANGE A
PRINCIPAL OR ACCESSORY USE, FOR
ANY SITE CURRENTLY USED AS A
MOBILE HOME PARK, AS DEFINED
IN SECTION 23.84A.032 OF THE
SEATTLE MUNICIPAL CODE.
>> THANK YOU, MADAM CLERK. I
MOVE TO PASS COUNCIL BILL
119907.
IS THERE A SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>> IT IS MOVED AND SECONDED.
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS, YOU MAY
ADDRESS THIS ITEM.
I WILL CALL FOR GENERAL
COMMENTS BY ANY COUNCILMEMBERS
>> THIS LEGISLATION WOULD
EXTEND THE EXISTING MORATORIUM
FOR MOBILE HOME PARKS BY AN
ADDICTION ALL SIX MONTHS.
WE HELD A PUBLIC HEARING TWO
WEEKS AGO AND DID NOT PASS THIS
BILL LAST WEEK, AS DUE TO
BUDGET.
THE BUDGET TOOK UP MOST OF OUR
PRIORITY TIME.
THE CITY COUNCIL FIRST ADOPTED
AS MORATORIUM IN JANUARY, 2019.
IT HAS RENEWED IT TWICE.
THE CURRENT MORATORIUM IS
ENACTED AND EXPIRES ON JANUARY
8th. AN EXTENSION REQUIRES 30
DAYS TO TAKE EFFECT, WHICH IS
WHY IT IS BEFORE US TODAY.
AND ADOPTING THE ORIGINAL
MORATORIUM, THE COUNCIL HAS
EXPRESSED REGULATIONS TO LAY
DOWN A WORKING PLAN TO DO SO.
THIS PLAN IS BEING WORKED ON AND
I KNOW THIS LEGISLATION BEFORE
US TODAY WOULD EXTEND THE
MORATORIUM FOR AN ADDITIONAL
SIX MONTHS TO ALLOW THAT WORK
TO BE COMPLETED . GUYS AS I
HAVE SHARED BEFORE,
COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ HAS BEEN
WORKING ON THIS FOR YEARS.
I HAVE BEEN WORKING ON IT FOR
THE PAST YEAR.
WE EXPECT TO COSPONSOR THE
CURRENT LEGISLATION THAT WILL
ADOPT THE REGULATIONS IN THE
FIRST QUARTER OF NEXT YEAR,
WHICH IS WHY THIS FINAL
EXTENSION OF THE MORATORIUM,
THE TEMPORARY MORATORIUM IS
IMPORTANT SO WE CAN FINALIZE
THOSE LAST DETAILS.
OUR OFFICES ARE ALSO IN CONTACT
WITH RESIDENTS AS WELL AS
RELEVANT CITY DEPARTMENTS
INFORMING HOW THE FINAL STEPS
ARE TAKEN.
I WANT TO THANK COUNCILMEMBER
JUAREZ FOR HER ONGOING
ATTENTION TO RESOLVING THIS
ISSUE IN A MEANINGFUL WAY . NOT
BEING A LAWYER, IT IS VERY
HELPFUL TO HAVE A SMART LAWYER
ON THE TEAM AND FOR HER WORK
MAKING SURE THAT IT WAS ON THE
WORKPLAN AS A TOP PRIORITY THIS
YEAR.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
JUAREZ.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS.
WERE THERE ADDITIONAL COMMENTS?
HEARING NO ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
ON THE BILL, WILL THE CLERK
PLEASE CALL THE ROLL ON THE
PASSAGE OF THE BILL?
>> MOSQUEDA?
>> AYE.
>> PEDERSEN?
>> AYE.
>> SAWANT?
>> AYE.
>> JUAREZ?
>> AYE.
>> MORALES?
>> YES.
>> PRESIDENT GONZALEZ?
>> AYE.
>> WILL THE CLERK PLEASE AFFIX
MY SIGNATURE ON MY BEHALF?
>>> OTHER BUSINESS.
COLLEAGUES, WE DISCUSSED THIS
MORNING DURING THE COUNCIL
BRIEFING MEETING THAT
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT WILL HAVE
A MATTER FOR US TO CONSIDER
DURING OTHER BUSINESS.
AGAIN, THIS IS RELATED TO A
LETTER TO CHIEF DIAZ ON THE
PENDING OF PUBLIC RECORDS
RELATED TO THE SHOOTING OF
HERBERT HIGHTOWER JUNIOR IN
2004. SIGNATURES WILL BEAD NEED
TO BE AFFIXED TO THE LETTER.
I ASKED THE CLERK TO CALL THE
ROLL TO CONFIRM WHICH
COUNCILMEMBERS SIGNATURES NEED
TO BE AFFIXED TO IT.
FIRST WE WILL GO AHEAD AND HEAR
FROM COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT IN
TERMS OF THE LETTER THAT I JUST
DESCRIBED, AND THEN WE WILL GO
AHEAD AND OPEN IT UP FOR
DISCUSSION AND ANY ADDITIONAL
QUESTIONS BEFORE I ASK THE
CLERK TO CALL THE ROLL.
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT?
>> THANK YOU . AS WE DISCUSSED
IN THE COUNCIL BRIEFING THIS
MORNING, SIGNATURES ARE
CIRCULATING TO POLICE OFFICER
CHIEF DIAZ REQUESTING THEY
COMPILE AND RELEASE ALL OF
THEIR RECORDS REGARDING THE
DEATH OF HERBERT HIGHTOWER
JUNIOR WAS FATALLY SHOT BY
SEATTLE POLICE IN 2004 WHILE
EXPERIENCING A MENTAL HEALTH
CRISIS.
THESE PUBLIC RECORDS WERE
REQUESTED IN AUGUST ON BEHALF
OF THE HIGHTOWER FAMILY AND
JUSTICE FOR HERBERT HIGHTOWER
JUNIOR MOVEMENT.
WE JUST HEARD FROM CASTILL
HIGHTOWER, THE SISTER OF
HERBERT HIGHTOWER . WE HEARD
FROM COMMUNITY SUPPORTERS.
MY OFFICE HAS HAD MANY
CONVERSATIONS WITH CASTILL
HIGHTOWER , WHO REPORTED SPD
RESPONDED WITH DELAY AFTER
DELAY.
THEY FIRST PROMISED THEM
SEPTEMBER 21st AND NOW NOVEMBER
30th, WHICH WE ARE AT NOVEMBER
30th TODAY AND AS OF LAST
NIGHT, SHE STILL HAD NOT
RECEIVED THEM.
IT IS UNDERSTANDABLE THAT ALL
RECORDS WOULD REQUIRE SOME TIME
TO RECOVER FROM ARCHIVES, BUT
IT IS UNACCEPTABLE TO MAKE THIS
FAMILY WAIT MONTHS TO RELEASE
RECORDS ABOUT THE DEATHS OF
THEIR LOVED ONE.
I AGREE WITH CASTILL HIGHTOWER
. THIS IS NOT ONLY ABOUT THE
HIGHTOWER FAMILY, BUT ABOUT ALL
OF THE FAMILIES OF OTHERS WHO
HAVE LOST THEIR LIVES AT THE
HANDS OF THE POLICE.
I UNDERSTAND THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT HAS ARGUED THEY ARE
UNABLE TO RESPOND QUICKER THAN
SEVERAL MONTHS AND WHILE THERE
MAY BE SOME ISSUES THERE, I
FIND IT INCREDIBLE THAT A $350
MILLION A YEAR DEPARTMENT
CANNOT PROVIDE PUBLIC DOCUMENTS
IN A TIMELY MANNER, ESPECIALLY
IN THE CONTEXT OF THE
SYSTEMATIC ISSUES WE HAVE SEEN
THAT HAVE BEEN REVEALED BY MUCH
OF THE PROCESS THAT HAPPENED IN
THE WAKE OF THE JOHN T WILLIAMS
DEATH MANY YEARS AGO, BUT ALSO
THAT HAVE BEEN HIGHLIGHTED
NATIONWIDE IN THE GEORGE FLOYD
MOVEMENT THIS YEAR.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, I THINK WE
CAN SAFELY SAY IF WE HAD HAD
REAL POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY, WE
WOULD NOT BE IN THIS SITUATION
IN THE FIRST PLACE.
AS I MENTIONED THIS MORNING,
THE HIGHTOWER FAMILY IS
SUPPORTED BY MORE THAN 1850
COMMUNITY MEMBERS, DEMANDING
THE POLICE RELEASE PUBLIC
RECORDS AND I REALLY LOOK
FORWARD TO ALL OF THE
COUNCILMEMBERS SUPPORTING AND
SIGNING THIS MATTER.
LAST BUT NOT LEAST, I REALLY
APPRECIATE ALL OF THE INPUT
FROM COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD .
>> THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER
SAWANT FOR THOSE REMARKS AND
INTRODUCTION TO THE LETTER.
COLLEAGUES, ARE THERE ANY
QUESTIONS OR ADDITIONAL
COMMENTS BEFORE I REQUEST THAT
THE CLERK CALL THE ROLL?
OKAY.
IT LOOKS LIKE THERE ARE NO
ADDITIONAL -- OKAY.
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD, PLEASE.
>> SO SORRY.
I HAD MY MUTE AND VIDEO OFF.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE NOTE THAT
WE MAY HAVE ALL SEEN A RECENT
SEATTLE TIMES EDITORIAL THAT
NOTES THAT THE SEATTLE POLICE
DEPARTMENT HAD AS OF NOVEMBER
16th, 2000 OPEN RECORD REQUESTS.
THEY'VE COMPLETED 6200 TO
REQUESTS. AS OF THIS MORNING, I
HAVE DISCUSSED THIS LETTER
REQUESTING PUBLIC RECORDS
RELATING TO THIS TRAGIC 2004
DEATH OF MR. HIGHTOWER AT THE
HANDS OF POLICE DURING A MENTAL
HEALTH EPISODE.
I HAVE DISCUSSED THE LETTER
WITH CHIEF DIAZ WHO HAS
EXPLAINED THEY CANNOT LEGALLY
PRIORITIZE SOME CASES OVER
OTHERS.
IN ADDITION TO STAFFING
CHALLENGES ASSOCIATED WITH
RESPONDING TO PUBLIC DISCLOSURE
REQUESTS OF THE VOLUME THAT I
DESCRIBED EARLIER, SPD HAS
TECHNOLOGICAL BARRIERS. IN
2015, THE CITY AUDITOR
PUBLISHED AN AUDIT OF THE
PUBLIC DISCLOSURE PROCESS.
EVERY YEAR THE CITY AUDITOR
PUBLISHES A REPORT ON PAST
RECOMMENDATIONS AND THE STATUS
OF THE DEPARTMENT IN ADDRESSING
THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS.
IN DECEMBER, 2019, A
RECOMMENDATION FROM A 2015
IDENTIFIED ONGOING CHALLENGES
REGARDING THE TECHNOLOGY
BARRIERS THAT THEY ARE FACED
WITH.
I HAVE ASKED SOME FOLLOW-UP
QUESTIONS TO THE SEATTLE POLICE
DEPARTMENT.
FIRST I ASKED WHETHER OR NOT
THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN
ABLE TO PROCURE ACCESS TO A
MORE EFFICIENT SYSTEM FOR
REVIEWING EMAILS AS THEY
COMMITTED TO DOING AND IS
IDENTIFIED IN THE 2020 CITY
AUDITOR'S REPORT AS A PENDING
ACTION FOR SPD.
SECONDLY, I HAVE ASKED WHETHER
OR NOT SPD HAS BEEN ABLE TO
PROCURE AN IN CAR SYSTEM IN
2020.
AS THE CITY AUDITOR'S REPORT
IDENTIFIES AS A PENDING ACTION
THIS NEW VIDEO CAR SYSTEM IN
CAR VIDEO SYSTEM WILL BE ABLE
TO PROVIDE COMPUTER AIDED
DESIGN INTEGRATION.
THIS WILL REDUCE DELIVERY AND
PROCESSING TIMES BY ELIMINATING
THE USE OF DESKS AND RELYING ON
CLOUD SHARING TO TRANSFER DATA.
WE WILL DEFINITELY SHARE WITH
COUNCILMEMBERS AND THE PUBLIC
WHAT I LEARNED BECAUSE AGAIN,
THESE PUBLIC DISCLOSURE
PROCESSES ARE VERY IMPORTANT
FOR TRANSPARENCY.
THE PUBLIC FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE
VICTIMS OF CRIME, SUSPECTS OF
CRIME, AS WELL TO MEMBERS OF
THE PRESS WHO HAVE ALSO
RIGHTFULLY NOTED CONCERN WITH
THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT IT
TAKES TO RESPOND TO PUBLIC
DISCLOSURE REQUESTS OF THIS
DEPARTMENT.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD, FOR THOSE COMMENTS.
ARE THERE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS
OR COMMENTS BEFORE I REQUEST
THE ROLE BE CALLED?
OKAY, COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT,
ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD?
>> NO.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
OKAY, COLLEAGUES.
WE WILL GO AHEAD AND CLOSE THE
DISCUSSION OF THIS PARTICULAR
ITEM . AGAIN, COLLEAGUES, WE
ARE ABOUT TO ASK THE CLERK TO
CALL THE ROLL TO DETERMINE
WHICH COUNCILMEMBERS WOULD LIKE
TO AFFIXED THEIR SIGNATURE TO
THE LETTER PRESENTED TO THE
FULL CITY COUNCIL BY
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT , DIRECTED
TO CHIEF DIAZ ON A PENDING
PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST RELATING
TO THE SHOOTING OF HERBERT
HIGHTOWER JUNIOR IN 2004. THE
LETTER HAS BEEN CIRCULATED AND
HAS BEEN REVISED SINCE IT WAS
INITIALLY CIRCULATED BY
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT, SO THIS
IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO INDICATE
WHETHER OR NOT YOU WOULD LIKE
TO HAVE YOUR SIGNATURE AFFIXED
TO THE LETTER.
SO, WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, WITH
THE CLERK PLEASE CALL THE ROLL
TO DETERMINE WHICH
COUNCILMEMBERS WOULD LIKE THEIR
SIGNATURES AFFIXED TO THE
LETTER AS DESCRIBED AND
PRESENTED BY COUNCILMEMBER
SAWANT?
>> MOSQUEDA?
>> AYE.
>> PEDERSEN?
>> AYE.
>> HERBOLD?
>> YES.
>> LEWIS?
>> YES.
>> MORALES?
>> YES.
>> NINE IN FAVOR, KNOWN OPPOSED.
>> THANK YOU, MADAM CLERK.
THE LETTER WILL BE PREPARED
WITH THE SIGNATURE OF ALL NINE
COUNCILMEMBERS. THANK YOU,
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT, FOR
PROVIDING US WITH THE
OPPORTUNITY TO SIGN THE LETTER.
>>> IS THERE ANY OTHER FURTHER
BUSINESS TO COME BEFORE THE
COUNCIL?
OKAY.
HEARING NONE, COLLEAGUES, THIS
DOES CONCLUDE THE ITEMS OF
BUSINESS ON TODAY'S AGENDA.
THE NEXT REGULARLY SCHEDULED
CITY COUNCIL MEETING IS ON
MONDAY, DECEMBER 7th AT 2:00
P.M.
I DO HOPE THAT ALL OF YOU HAVE
A WONDERFUL AFTERNOON AND A
GOOD REST OF YOUR WEEK.
I WILL SEE A LOT OF YOU IN
COMMITTEES THIS WEEK.
FOR NOW, WE ARE ADJOURNED.
THANK YOU, COLLEAGUES.