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King County

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Charter Amendment Number 5,

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Making the King County Sheriff

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an Appointed Position.

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In 1996, county voters

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amended the charter

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to make the King County sheriff

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an elected position.

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The sheriff is responsible

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for bargaining

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with represented employees

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and the county Department

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of Public Safety on all matters,

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except for

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compensation and benefits,

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which are negotiated

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by the county executive.

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If adopted,

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Charter Amendment Number 5 would

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return the Office of Sheriff

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to an appointed position.

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The county executive

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would appoint,

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and the county council

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would confirm the sheriff.

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The executive and the council

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would be required to consider

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stakeholder input

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during the selection,

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appointment,

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and confirmation process,

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and all bargaining
responsibilities

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would be placed

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with the county executive.

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Hello.

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I'm Pastor
Anja Helmon,

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And I'm
frustrated.

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George Floyd's
death

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made obvious
the need

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for real police
reform.

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Not just in
Minnesota,

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or halfway around
the country,

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but here,
in King County.

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But how do we enact
real reform when

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our Sheriff's
Office

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is beholden

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to special interest
groups

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like the Police
Guild?

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Reform is nearly
impossible

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when the sheriff
is controlled

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by electoral
maneuvering

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dominated by

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special interest
groups.

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A vote
in favor of

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King County Charter
Amendment Number 5

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would allow
our sheriff

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to once again not be
a politician,

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not be
influenced

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by special
interests.

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That's why

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the Charter Review
Commission,

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a volunteer
panel

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of civic leaders
representing

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many different
viewpoints,

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overwhelmingly
recommends

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returning to

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an appointed
sheriff.

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An appointed
sheriff

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would be hired
and approved

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by the
county council,

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based off of

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professional
qualifications.

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History shows

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an appointment
process

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leads to better

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qualified
sheriffs.

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Bellevue, Renton,
and Kent,

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among others,

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hire from
a nationwide

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pool
of candidates.

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This is
a proven system

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that has brought
accountability

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to cities
in our county

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for decades.

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An elected
sheriff

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limits the candidate
pool

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to local
deputies

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seeking
to launch

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their political
careers.

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I am convinced

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now is the time
for change.

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This is our chance
for reform.

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Vote Yes
on King County

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Charter
Amendment 5.

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We deserve

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a professional,

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transparent,
accountable

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sheriff's
department.

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Vote yes.

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I'm Captain Stan Seo,

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asking you
to vote no

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on Charter
Amendment 5.

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This amendment
would take away

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your right to elect
the sheriff.

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If this passes,

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it would be
very dangerous

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for the public

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because
it would give

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the politically-motivated
county council

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total authority

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over the Sheriff's
Office.

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There is not

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a single appointed
sheriff

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in this state.

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Every
single county

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in the state
of Washington

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elects its own
sheriff.

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Charter
Amendment 5

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would take away

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our right
to vote

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and give
politicians

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the power to handpick
a sheriff

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who will do

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what the council
wants.

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An elected, nonpartisan
sheriff

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protects
our system

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of checks
and balances

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by acting as
a counterweight

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to the county executive
and council.

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Currently,
the executive

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and
county council

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have the important
and powerful

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budget
oversight

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of the sheriff's
office.

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If the Executive
and Council

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are given
the authority

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to appoint a Sheriff
as well,

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the office
would be

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totally
controlled

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by politicians

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with
no background

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or expertise

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in law
enforcement.

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The Sheriff's
Office serves

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over 2.1 million
residents

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of King County

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and even more

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beyond the county
borders

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with search and rescue
missions.

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There is no
justification for

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nine politically-motivated
politicians

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taking away
the rights

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of over 2 million
residents

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to elect
their sheriff.

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Currently,
if an elected

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nonpartisan
sheriff

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fails to serve

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the community's
interests,

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voters
can remove

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that sheriff
from office

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through the democratic
process

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of voting.

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There is no

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greater
accountability

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than
the sheriff

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to be
elected by

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the people
they serve.

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An appointed
sheriff

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would answer
to politicians,

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not the people.

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I urge you
to vote no

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on Charter
Amendment 5.