1 00:00:00,533 --> 00:00:03,269 ♪♪ 2 00:00:03,870 --> 00:00:04,304 (BRIAN CALLANAN) Hello. 3 00:00:04,304 --> 00:00:06,373 I'm your host, Brian Callanan. 4 00:00:06,373 --> 00:00:09,376 I'm with council members Lisa Herbold and Andrew Lewis, 5 00:00:09,476 --> 00:00:11,845 the two co-sponsors of a new city ordinance 6 00:00:11,845 --> 00:00:14,581 dealing with drug possession and public drug use. 7 00:00:14,581 --> 00:00:16,983 I'm getting your questions answered, including 8 00:00:16,983 --> 00:00:18,418 how will officers decide 9 00:00:18,418 --> 00:00:21,421 whether to make an arrest or refer someone to services? 10 00:00:21,654 --> 00:00:24,557 Also, what sort of treatment services are available 11 00:00:24,557 --> 00:00:26,226 and how will the city pay for them? 12 00:00:26,226 --> 00:00:28,928 Plus, we're covering a response to gun violence, 13 00:00:28,928 --> 00:00:30,463 new life for the Cinerama, 14 00:00:30,463 --> 00:00:32,265 and more of your questions, too. 15 00:00:32,265 --> 00:00:33,833 (LISA HERBOLD) When we have so much gun 16 00:00:33,833 --> 00:00:35,935 violence in our community, it's hard to measure 17 00:00:35,935 --> 00:00:38,238 all of the incidences of gun violence. 18 00:00:38,238 --> 00:00:40,874 It didn't happen because of these investments. 19 00:00:40,874 --> 00:00:42,642 (ANDREW LEWIS) The reason it's taken a little longer is 20 00:00:42,642 --> 00:00:44,978 we haven't enforced anything like this in ten years. 21 00:00:44,978 --> 00:00:46,846 (BRIAN CALLANAN) It's all next on Council Edition. 22 00:00:47,414 --> 00:01:04,264 ♪♪ 23 00:01:05,999 --> 00:01:07,333 (BRIAN CALLANAN) And here we are with Councilmember 24 00:01:07,333 --> 00:01:09,169 Lisa Herbold from District 1. 25 00:01:09,169 --> 00:01:10,804 Councilmember Herbold, good to see you. 26 00:01:10,804 --> 00:01:11,571 (LISA HERBOLD) Good to be back. 27 00:01:11,571 --> 00:01:13,173 (BRIAN CALLANAN) Also with me is Councilmember 28 00:01:13,173 --> 00:01:14,641 Andrew Lewis from District 7. 29 00:01:14,641 --> 00:01:15,675 Great to be with you as well. 30 00:01:15,675 --> 00:01:16,576 (ANDREW LEWIS) Thanks for having me. 31 00:01:16,576 --> 00:01:17,811 (BRIAN CALLANAN) And here we go. 32 00:01:17,811 --> 00:01:19,245 I'm glad that both of you are here 33 00:01:19,245 --> 00:01:21,381 because I wanted to talk about this issue. 34 00:01:21,381 --> 00:01:22,816 You're the co-sponsors of an ordinance 35 00:01:22,816 --> 00:01:25,385 just about everybody in Seattle is talking about. A law 36 00:01:25,385 --> 00:01:27,587 that would allow the city attorney to prosecute 37 00:01:27,587 --> 00:01:29,923 illicit drug possession and some public drug use. 38 00:01:29,923 --> 00:01:31,891 So quick background on this, folks. 39 00:01:31,891 --> 00:01:33,359 The council did not pass a version 40 00:01:33,359 --> 00:01:34,861 of this ordinance back in June 41 00:01:34,861 --> 00:01:36,629 amid concerns that there were not enough 42 00:01:36,629 --> 00:01:39,165 diversion measures in the bill to deal with drug addiction -- 43 00:01:39,165 --> 00:01:41,434 a central part of the drug crisis here. 44 00:01:41,434 --> 00:01:44,170 Meanwhile, the state's new law making drug possession 45 00:01:44,170 --> 00:01:46,272 and public drug use a gross misdemeanor, 46 00:01:46,272 --> 00:01:47,640 with an emphasis on treatment, 47 00:01:47,640 --> 00:01:50,043 went into effect on August 15th. 48 00:01:50,043 --> 00:01:51,678 Now, some media outlets have said we're 49 00:01:51,678 --> 00:01:53,947 now in sort of a legal limbo waiting for the city's 50 00:01:53,947 --> 00:01:54,881 law to be passed 51 00:01:54,881 --> 00:01:57,183 in September at the earliest, as the council goes 52 00:01:57,183 --> 00:01:59,152 into recess here at the end of August. 53 00:01:59,152 --> 00:01:59,719 Councilmember 54 00:01:59,719 --> 00:02:01,654 Alex Pedersen brought up this concern 55 00:02:01,654 --> 00:02:03,523 at a recent public Safety Committee meeting. 56 00:02:03,523 --> 00:02:07,060 (ALEX PEDERSEN) It seems Seattle is missing a mid-August deadline 57 00:02:07,160 --> 00:02:08,828 for the state legislation. 58 00:02:08,828 --> 00:02:10,997 And because nearly all city 59 00:02:10,997 --> 00:02:14,000 legislation has a 30 day implementation delay, 60 00:02:14,100 --> 00:02:16,636 we're now more than a month behind the rest of the state. 61 00:02:16,636 --> 00:02:18,304 (BRIAN CALLANAN) Before we get into the new ordinance 62 00:02:18,304 --> 00:02:19,506 you're proposing, I just want to make sure 63 00:02:19,506 --> 00:02:20,073 I let people 64 00:02:20,073 --> 00:02:21,407 know where we are right now 65 00:02:21,407 --> 00:02:23,877 and help out viewers who might be confused by all this. 66 00:02:23,877 --> 00:02:25,745 Without a city law on the books, 67 00:02:25,745 --> 00:02:27,847 is the public use of controlled substances, 68 00:02:27,847 --> 00:02:30,817 like fentanyl, now somehow legal in Seattle? 69 00:02:30,817 --> 00:02:32,752 (LISA HERBOLD) Thanks for asking the question that way. 70 00:02:32,752 --> 00:02:34,621 It is not legal, 71 00:02:34,621 --> 00:02:38,525 and I think your setup was really helpful in explaining 72 00:02:38,525 --> 00:02:42,896 what it means that the city law has not been enacted yet. 73 00:02:43,229 --> 00:02:46,232 It means that although public use 74 00:02:46,466 --> 00:02:49,936 and knowing possession is illegal, 75 00:02:50,537 --> 00:02:52,505 that we don't have the mechanism 76 00:02:52,505 --> 00:02:54,774 for the city attorney to prosecute those cases. 77 00:02:54,774 --> 00:02:57,043 So the police department can arrest, 78 00:02:58,311 --> 00:03:00,480 the King County 79 00:03:00,480 --> 00:03:03,349 prosecutor has the authority to prosecute. 80 00:03:03,349 --> 00:03:05,518 She has let us know that she does not intend to do so. 81 00:03:05,518 --> 00:03:06,219 -Okay. 82 00:03:06,219 --> 00:03:09,122 -But until the city puts the law on the books, 83 00:03:09,122 --> 00:03:11,157 the city attorney, our city attorney, 84 00:03:11,157 --> 00:03:14,160 our city prosecutor cannot prosecute the cases 85 00:03:14,294 --> 00:03:17,430 that the department might consider arresting. 86 00:03:17,764 --> 00:03:18,231 (BRIAN CALLANAN) Got it. 87 00:03:18,231 --> 00:03:18,698 So what 88 00:03:18,698 --> 00:03:20,700 what happens to those people in between now 89 00:03:20,700 --> 00:03:22,535 and what I'm guessing is mid-October, 90 00:03:22,535 --> 00:03:24,537 if we go through this usual 30-day 91 00:03:24,537 --> 00:03:26,606 delay that happens with implementation, 92 00:03:26,606 --> 00:03:28,241 and the council looking at this in September. 93 00:03:28,241 --> 00:03:29,175 Councilmember Lewis? 94 00:03:29,175 --> 00:03:30,310 (ANDREW LEWIS) I think it's important to note 95 00:03:30,310 --> 00:03:33,713 that laws are worth completely nothing without enforcement. 96 00:03:34,013 --> 00:03:36,282 When we were considering this in June, mayor's 97 00:03:36,282 --> 00:03:38,585 office was officially neutral on the legislation. 98 00:03:38,585 --> 00:03:41,154 Police chief was officially neutral on the legislation. 99 00:03:41,154 --> 00:03:43,923 We did not have a enforcement plan in place 100 00:03:43,923 --> 00:03:46,092 from the police department and the mayor. 101 00:03:46,092 --> 00:03:48,094 What is in front of us now is more than a statute. 102 00:03:48,094 --> 00:03:49,762 What's in front of us is a plan. 103 00:03:49,762 --> 00:03:52,665 The mayor has promulgated his intention on how he plans 104 00:03:52,665 --> 00:03:53,700 to enforce this. 105 00:03:53,700 --> 00:03:56,102 The police chief has endorsed this measure, 106 00:03:56,102 --> 00:03:56,436 the Seattle 107 00:03:56,436 --> 00:03:59,105 Police Officers Guild union has endorsed this measure, 108 00:03:59,105 --> 00:04:00,840 as has the Public Defender Association, 109 00:04:00,840 --> 00:04:02,442 which runs the L.E.A.D. program. 110 00:04:02,442 --> 00:04:04,077 So what you're seeing in front of us 111 00:04:04,077 --> 00:04:06,112 now is a framework for a real plan 112 00:04:06,112 --> 00:04:07,747 that is going to add 113 00:04:07,747 --> 00:04:10,950 enforcement commitments and enforcement protocols 114 00:04:10,950 --> 00:04:12,151 to the new law. 115 00:04:12,151 --> 00:04:13,319 I would point out 116 00:04:13,319 --> 00:04:14,020 we just went through 117 00:04:14,020 --> 00:04:17,023 two years never adopting the interim misdemeanor 118 00:04:17,423 --> 00:04:19,158 that the legislature created 119 00:04:19,158 --> 00:04:21,894 that made simple possession a simple misdemeanor... -In 2021. 120 00:04:21,894 --> 00:04:25,131 -So, you know, in essence, what's really important to see 121 00:04:25,131 --> 00:04:26,432 a difference on our streets 122 00:04:26,432 --> 00:04:28,101 and to see one that is comprehensive, 123 00:04:28,101 --> 00:04:30,570 public safety and public health informed, 124 00:04:30,570 --> 00:04:32,739 is going to depend on the enforcement measures 125 00:04:32,739 --> 00:04:34,707 we put in place, which is in this plan. 126 00:04:34,707 --> 00:04:36,542 Those will be in place in the early fall 127 00:04:36,542 --> 00:04:37,744 and we'll be able to move forward 128 00:04:37,744 --> 00:04:39,345 and people will see a difference on the streets. 129 00:04:39,345 --> 00:04:40,146 (BRIAN CALLANAN) Can you help me, though, 130 00:04:40,146 --> 00:04:41,914 what does happen in this interim period? 131 00:04:41,914 --> 00:04:43,816 I keep hearing legal limbo, etc.. 132 00:04:43,816 --> 00:04:45,985 Let's say that an officer makes an arrest on the street. 133 00:04:45,985 --> 00:04:47,954 What happens to that person? 134 00:04:47,954 --> 00:04:49,255 (ANDREW LEWIS) Right, so what could happen, Brian, 135 00:04:49,255 --> 00:04:50,657 I say this as a former prosecutor, 136 00:04:50,657 --> 00:04:52,859 so I'm intimately familiar with the process. 137 00:04:52,859 --> 00:04:54,294 If probable cause establish 138 00:04:54,294 --> 00:04:55,795 an officer wants to arrest a person 139 00:04:55,795 --> 00:04:58,765 under the state or C.W., they can refer that report 140 00:04:58,765 --> 00:05:00,500 to the King County prosecuting attorney. 141 00:05:00,500 --> 00:05:03,503 They can then decide if they want to pursue charges or not. 142 00:05:03,736 --> 00:05:05,972 I'm just going to say this as a former prosecutor, 143 00:05:05,972 --> 00:05:08,508 it takes weeks to review a potential case. 144 00:05:08,508 --> 00:05:10,476 Sometimes it can take months. 145 00:05:10,476 --> 00:05:12,178 You know, there's a very high decline rate 146 00:05:12,178 --> 00:05:14,280 of cases, both of the city attorney's office 147 00:05:14,280 --> 00:05:16,282 and the King County prosecuting attorney's office. 148 00:05:17,250 --> 00:05:19,352 So, candidly, 149 00:05:19,352 --> 00:05:23,122 you know, I mean, a difference of 30-day implementation 150 00:05:23,122 --> 00:05:24,557 in terms of the referral 151 00:05:24,557 --> 00:05:26,225 schedule is not going to make a significant difference. 152 00:05:26,225 --> 00:05:29,429 But I will just say one last thing...Under that 153 00:05:29,429 --> 00:05:30,630 R.C.W., 154 00:05:30,630 --> 00:05:32,932 if we have commitments from the executive to 155 00:05:32,932 --> 00:05:34,434 to increase enforcement, 156 00:05:34,434 --> 00:05:36,169 we can start doing these warm hand-offs 157 00:05:36,169 --> 00:05:37,937 to law enforcement assisted diversion. 158 00:05:37,937 --> 00:05:41,341 We can use this enforcement mechanism under the R.C.W. 159 00:05:41,341 --> 00:05:42,141 while we wait for the 160 00:05:42,141 --> 00:05:45,878 S.M.C. to be passed. Again, I expect an early September 161 00:05:45,878 --> 00:05:46,979 we are going to take action 162 00:05:46,979 --> 00:05:48,448 on Councilmember Herbold on my bill. 163 00:05:48,448 --> 00:05:50,083 So I don't think we'll have to wait too long. 164 00:05:50,083 --> 00:05:51,384 (BRIAN CALLANAN) Okay, fair enough. You wanted to say... 165 00:05:51,384 --> 00:05:52,852 (LISA HERBOLD) Just to add, uhm, 166 00:05:52,852 --> 00:05:55,855 Councilmember Lewis mentioned the 167 00:05:56,389 --> 00:05:58,491 police chief and the mayor were both 168 00:05:58,491 --> 00:06:01,494 neutral on the earlier version of the ordinance 169 00:06:01,694 --> 00:06:06,099 and to the point of the police chief's position, 170 00:06:08,267 --> 00:06:10,169 we were informed 171 00:06:10,169 --> 00:06:12,905 in the council central staff, accompanying the legislation 172 00:06:12,905 --> 00:06:13,439 that failed 173 00:06:13,439 --> 00:06:15,541 that the reason that they were neutral 174 00:06:15,541 --> 00:06:16,142 is because 175 00:06:16,142 --> 00:06:18,945 these types of arrests are very low priorities. 176 00:06:18,945 --> 00:06:21,948 So you ask what what is happening now? 177 00:06:21,981 --> 00:06:24,617 Well, these are already low priority arrests. 178 00:06:24,617 --> 00:06:27,420 So I don't think the extra couple of months 179 00:06:27,420 --> 00:06:31,090 that we're taking to come up with an approach 180 00:06:31,257 --> 00:06:34,227 enforcement approach that actually makes 181 00:06:34,227 --> 00:06:37,797 this bill a much better bill for the City of Seattle. 182 00:06:38,498 --> 00:06:43,202 The impact that we're seeing is minimal, if any at all. 183 00:06:43,369 --> 00:06:43,803 (BRIAN CALLANAN) Thank you. 184 00:06:43,803 --> 00:06:45,972 And I want to move on to what this bill is about here. 185 00:06:45,972 --> 00:06:48,541 So the mayor convened a 24 member 186 00:06:48,541 --> 00:06:50,276 Fentanyl Systems workgroup in June 187 00:06:50,276 --> 00:06:51,744 to get input on the best way to deal 188 00:06:51,744 --> 00:06:53,012 with the opioid crisis 189 00:06:53,012 --> 00:06:53,813 on our streets, 190 00:06:53,813 --> 00:06:54,547 and that helped produce 191 00:06:54,547 --> 00:06:56,215 the ordinance you're working on now. 192 00:06:56,215 --> 00:06:57,984 The bill covers three main areas: 193 00:06:57,984 --> 00:06:59,986 making state law a part of the city code, 194 00:06:59,986 --> 00:07:01,187 so that public consumption 195 00:07:01,187 --> 00:07:02,155 of illegal drugs 196 00:07:02,155 --> 00:07:03,156 is a gross misdemeanor 197 00:07:03,156 --> 00:07:05,024 that the city attorney can prosecute. 198 00:07:05,024 --> 00:07:07,260 It also designates diversion and treatment 199 00:07:07,260 --> 00:07:09,362 as the preferred approach in these cases 200 00:07:09,362 --> 00:07:12,031 and puts $27 million towards that effort. 201 00:07:12,031 --> 00:07:15,468 It also defines a defines a new threat of harm standard. 202 00:07:15,468 --> 00:07:17,537 So differentiating between drug use 203 00:07:17,537 --> 00:07:20,072 that threatens others versus the individual alone. 204 00:07:20,072 --> 00:07:20,440 And I know 205 00:07:20,440 --> 00:07:21,507 it's a lot to break down here, 206 00:07:21,507 --> 00:07:22,942 but I want to start with this idea 207 00:07:22,942 --> 00:07:24,210 of diversion and treatment. 208 00:07:24,210 --> 00:07:26,779 I got an email that came in from Shaun, one of our viewers 209 00:07:26,779 --> 00:07:28,114 who wanted to ask you this, 210 00:07:28,114 --> 00:07:29,182 Councilmember Lewis. 211 00:07:29,182 --> 00:07:31,284 Can you explain more how the diversion program 212 00:07:31,284 --> 00:07:33,419 tied to the new drug possession law would work? 213 00:07:33,419 --> 00:07:35,154 (ANDREW LEWIS) Yes. So a lot of it 214 00:07:35,154 --> 00:07:37,223 is some existing frameworks that we have in place 215 00:07:37,223 --> 00:07:40,760 that we are going to reconcile with this new framework 216 00:07:40,760 --> 00:07:41,160 of law. 217 00:07:41,160 --> 00:07:43,329 So Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion Program 218 00:07:43,329 --> 00:07:45,131 is probably our marquee example. 219 00:07:45,131 --> 00:07:49,469 Wraparound case services, warm handoffs from first responders 220 00:07:49,469 --> 00:07:52,638 in the field, to longterm case management, 221 00:07:53,372 --> 00:07:54,140 really making sure 222 00:07:54,140 --> 00:07:56,042 that people are being met where they are, 223 00:07:56,042 --> 00:07:57,877 that these services are delivered 224 00:07:57,877 --> 00:07:58,344 and a harm 225 00:07:58,344 --> 00:08:01,447 reduction, public health, best practices informed way 226 00:08:01,981 --> 00:08:04,083 and that there's gateways to treatment. 227 00:08:04,083 --> 00:08:07,086 One of the best examples of how we've really tried 228 00:08:07,086 --> 00:08:08,955 to do a model like this in recent history 229 00:08:08,955 --> 00:08:11,157 was the incredibly successful JustCare 230 00:08:11,157 --> 00:08:13,426 initiative downtown during COVID, where we got 231 00:08:13,426 --> 00:08:14,994 hundreds of people off the street. 232 00:08:14,994 --> 00:08:17,830 The outcomes were uniformly very positive 233 00:08:17,830 --> 00:08:19,565 for programs of this nature, 234 00:08:19,565 --> 00:08:22,568 with lots of people getting long term housing. 235 00:08:22,735 --> 00:08:24,504 Overwhelming majority of people 236 00:08:24,504 --> 00:08:26,372 getting signed up for health insurance 237 00:08:26,372 --> 00:08:28,140 who didn't have it before. 238 00:08:28,140 --> 00:08:29,342 These are the kind... and a lot of people 239 00:08:29,342 --> 00:08:31,244 not returning to the streets and not re-offending. 240 00:08:31,244 --> 00:08:32,612 So these are the kinds of outcomes 241 00:08:32,612 --> 00:08:33,880 we want to lean into 242 00:08:33,880 --> 00:08:36,182 and really have a public health informed approach, 243 00:08:36,182 --> 00:08:37,583 but reserve that authority 244 00:08:37,583 --> 00:08:39,552 and that power for our officers 245 00:08:39,552 --> 00:08:41,387 to seek accountability in cases 246 00:08:41,387 --> 00:08:43,823 where people are not seeking help or assistance 247 00:08:43,823 --> 00:08:46,559 and we need to have some kind of different intervention. 248 00:08:46,559 --> 00:08:46,893 (BRIAN CALLANAN) Thank you. 249 00:08:46,893 --> 00:08:48,294 And I want to follow up on treatment with you, 250 00:08:48,294 --> 00:08:50,396 if I could, and what these services can do. 251 00:08:50,396 --> 00:08:52,732 We actually heard from the public safety 252 00:08:52,732 --> 00:08:54,567 in the Public Safety Committee meeting, 253 00:08:54,567 --> 00:08:56,836 the case management supervisor of co-lead, 254 00:08:56,836 --> 00:08:57,904 a diversion program 255 00:08:57,904 --> 00:09:00,006 which supports people without housing who end up 256 00:09:00,006 --> 00:09:01,974 cycling in and out of our justice system, 257 00:09:01,974 --> 00:09:03,843 Johnny noted that six years ago 258 00:09:03,843 --> 00:09:05,778 he was homeless, stealing things from Target 259 00:09:05,778 --> 00:09:06,913 to support his drug habit. 260 00:09:06,913 --> 00:09:09,081 -But because somebody gave me a shot 261 00:09:09,081 --> 00:09:10,783 instead of trying to send me to jail 262 00:09:10,783 --> 00:09:13,953 over and over again, which did not work for the 30 263 00:09:13,953 --> 00:09:16,022 plus years that I was in and out of jail, 264 00:09:16,989 --> 00:09:18,925 I'm here today and I'm able to help out 265 00:09:18,925 --> 00:09:21,928 other people in in turn help myself in... 266 00:09:23,596 --> 00:09:25,097 that's making the community better. 267 00:09:25,097 --> 00:09:26,666 So other people need that shot. 268 00:09:26,666 --> 00:09:27,400 -Councilmember Herbold, 269 00:09:27,400 --> 00:09:29,302 I thought this was a very powerful message, 270 00:09:29,302 --> 00:09:30,970 but it was also part of a presentation 271 00:09:30,970 --> 00:09:33,139 talking about the gaps in our city's 272 00:09:33,139 --> 00:09:35,474 system of services for people who use fentanyl. 273 00:09:35,474 --> 00:09:37,276 Talk about those gaps, if you could. 274 00:09:37,276 --> 00:09:39,812 And then maybe if you could work in this $27 million 275 00:09:39,812 --> 00:09:41,514 that the mayor is talking about, is that can help 276 00:09:41,514 --> 00:09:43,416 fill some of these gaps or what do we have here? 277 00:09:43,416 --> 00:09:44,450 (LISA HERBOLD) That's the 278 00:09:44,450 --> 00:09:48,421 intent of the conversation coupled with the conversation 279 00:09:48,421 --> 00:09:52,491 around the new public use and possession drug law. 280 00:09:53,059 --> 00:09:57,697 So we have this enforcement approach that is inherent 281 00:09:57,697 --> 00:10:01,667 in the law that depends on both pre-file diversion 282 00:10:02,435 --> 00:10:05,037 and treatment services. But 283 00:10:06,072 --> 00:10:08,140 our providers out there 284 00:10:08,140 --> 00:10:10,610 who are doing this work are telling us, 285 00:10:10,610 --> 00:10:14,280 even if this works perfectly as as it's being designed, 286 00:10:14,280 --> 00:10:18,918 as the architecture of the of the enforcement plan intends, 287 00:10:19,118 --> 00:10:22,121 there are still big gaps in being 288 00:10:22,321 --> 00:10:25,257 and making it possible for these these warm handoffs 289 00:10:25,257 --> 00:10:27,193 that Councilmember Lewis talks about. 290 00:10:27,193 --> 00:10:30,196 And those gaps are in in housing, 291 00:10:30,363 --> 00:10:35,101 most acutely in housing, the gaps are in employment 292 00:10:35,101 --> 00:10:38,070 services, in and treatment services. 293 00:10:38,504 --> 00:10:42,875 We heard from Health One, the police, 294 00:10:43,109 --> 00:10:44,010 the fire department's 295 00:10:44,010 --> 00:10:47,880 own own program, going out to serve people in crisis, 296 00:10:48,714 --> 00:10:50,816 talking about how difficult it is 297 00:10:50,816 --> 00:10:53,953 when they are going out and providing a service. 298 00:10:54,687 --> 00:10:57,390 The mayor recently created a special Health 299 00:10:57,390 --> 00:11:00,393 One unit just for overdose response, 300 00:11:00,693 --> 00:11:02,695 in when they're doing an overdose response 301 00:11:02,695 --> 00:11:05,197 of somebody who is living unsheltered, 302 00:11:05,197 --> 00:11:08,067 they saved their lives and then they leave. 303 00:11:08,067 --> 00:11:10,436 The person still on the street. 304 00:11:10,436 --> 00:11:13,305 And so one of the elements of 305 00:11:13,305 --> 00:11:15,775 the funding package that the mayor's proposing 306 00:11:15,775 --> 00:11:20,312 is this post overdose recovery facility where somebody can 307 00:11:20,780 --> 00:11:21,847 the fire department 308 00:11:21,847 --> 00:11:25,217 can can take the individual whose life they've just saved. 309 00:11:25,751 --> 00:11:26,252 That person 310 00:11:26,252 --> 00:11:28,087 can have a few hours to recover 311 00:11:28,087 --> 00:11:30,723 and then talk to somebody about next steps. 312 00:11:30,723 --> 00:11:33,726 And when somebody has that conversation 313 00:11:33,959 --> 00:11:37,863 at that particular time, they're more open to having 314 00:11:38,731 --> 00:11:41,734 a productive outcome around what next steps are. 315 00:11:41,767 --> 00:11:43,736 So that's that's one of the one of the programs 316 00:11:43,736 --> 00:11:44,970 that the mayor's proposing. 317 00:11:44,970 --> 00:11:46,072 (BRIAN CALLANAN) I know there's a lot going 318 00:11:46,072 --> 00:11:47,239 on here when it comes to funding. 319 00:11:47,239 --> 00:11:48,374 Can we briefly talk about 320 00:11:48,374 --> 00:11:49,875 some of the work that went on during 321 00:11:49,875 --> 00:11:51,644 the supplemental budget process recently? 322 00:11:51,644 --> 00:11:52,912 I know you were working on 323 00:11:52,912 --> 00:11:54,914 adding some dollars for pre filing diversion. 324 00:11:54,914 --> 00:11:56,682 You were talking about these mobile units 325 00:11:56,682 --> 00:11:58,984 that were going out to help. Can we do the 30-second version, 326 00:11:58,984 --> 00:12:01,020 if you could, Councilmember Lewis, on that? 327 00:12:01,020 --> 00:12:01,287 (ANDREW LEWIS) Right. 328 00:12:01,287 --> 00:12:05,458 So for folks who who do get arrested and referred 329 00:12:05,458 --> 00:12:06,659 for potential prosecution, 330 00:12:06,659 --> 00:12:08,427 one of the diversion measures we have 331 00:12:08,427 --> 00:12:11,330 on the continuum of diversions is pre file diversion. 332 00:12:11,330 --> 00:12:13,265 What that means is a prosecutor, 333 00:12:13,265 --> 00:12:15,501 a prosecutor in this case does a warm handoff 334 00:12:15,501 --> 00:12:16,969 to a service provider 335 00:12:16,969 --> 00:12:19,638 in lieu of charging the person with a crime. 336 00:12:19,638 --> 00:12:21,907 If they complete that referral, 337 00:12:21,907 --> 00:12:24,610 then they decline the the case. 338 00:12:24,610 --> 00:12:26,045 They won't pursue it. 339 00:12:26,045 --> 00:12:27,980 Incredibly effective program. 340 00:12:27,980 --> 00:12:29,548 Twice as many people who go through 341 00:12:29,548 --> 00:12:31,450 pre-file diversion do not re-offend 342 00:12:31,450 --> 00:12:34,286 as people who go to jail. Very important statistic. 343 00:12:35,254 --> 00:12:38,624 And we increased it in the supplemental budget by 34%, 344 00:12:38,624 --> 00:12:41,594 as far as the city attorney's offices, 345 00:12:41,594 --> 00:12:43,262 pre-file diversion capability. 346 00:12:43,262 --> 00:12:44,630 That's going to be a big part 347 00:12:44,630 --> 00:12:47,266 of our focus on how we continue to make reform 348 00:12:47,266 --> 00:12:48,901 in our criminal legal system, get people 349 00:12:48,901 --> 00:12:51,270 into services, reduce recidivism on the street. 350 00:12:51,270 --> 00:12:51,737 (BRIAN CALLANAN) Thank you. 351 00:12:51,737 --> 00:12:54,206 And this is working in tandem with what the mayor's 352 00:12:54,206 --> 00:12:56,041 talking about in the dollars put in there, too. 353 00:12:56,041 --> 00:12:58,310 Can you talk about these mobile units that you're 354 00:12:58,310 --> 00:13:00,579 you were trying to work that you ended up working through 355 00:13:00,579 --> 00:13:01,981 with the supplemental budget as well? 356 00:13:01,981 --> 00:13:05,718 (LISA HERBOLD) Again, just looking ahead at the elements that the mayor 357 00:13:05,718 --> 00:13:08,788 has identified as priorities to fill these gaps, 358 00:13:09,054 --> 00:13:13,859 another another priority in addition to the post overdose 359 00:13:14,426 --> 00:13:18,464 facility, is this this notion of having a mobile treatment 360 00:13:18,464 --> 00:13:21,801 vans through Evergreen Treatment Services, and 361 00:13:22,401 --> 00:13:24,970 they work both to deliver 362 00:13:26,872 --> 00:13:27,740 traditional health 363 00:13:27,740 --> 00:13:30,743 care services to folks in need, 364 00:13:30,910 --> 00:13:33,846 but they also work to provide 365 00:13:33,846 --> 00:13:36,715 medically assisted treatment for folks who have substance 366 00:13:36,715 --> 00:13:37,883 use disorder. 367 00:13:37,883 --> 00:13:40,886 And so it's an expansion of an existing program, 368 00:13:40,953 --> 00:13:43,956 and it's really going to, I think, make 369 00:13:44,123 --> 00:13:46,525 a real difference in people's lives. 370 00:13:46,525 --> 00:13:49,962 And also the way we experience our streetscape as people 371 00:13:50,229 --> 00:13:53,399 going through our daily walks of life 372 00:13:53,432 --> 00:13:55,734 to and from work and home. (BRIAN CALLANAN) Fair enough. 373 00:13:55,734 --> 00:13:57,403 I wanted to dive into one last part 374 00:13:57,403 --> 00:13:59,338 here with the drug bill that you're working on 375 00:13:59,338 --> 00:14:01,006 this point that has drawn a lot of attention. 376 00:14:01,006 --> 00:14:02,641 The idea that police officers 377 00:14:02,641 --> 00:14:04,376 established a threat of harm 378 00:14:04,376 --> 00:14:06,245 from someone using drugs in public. 379 00:14:06,245 --> 00:14:08,948 So this empowers officers to make the call on 380 00:14:08,948 --> 00:14:09,782 this is drug use 381 00:14:09,782 --> 00:14:11,984 that is threatening to other people versus 382 00:14:11,984 --> 00:14:14,453 this is a threat just to the individual. 383 00:14:14,453 --> 00:14:15,855 Councilmember Lewis, if I could start with you, 384 00:14:15,855 --> 00:14:18,357 it sounds like a bit of a gray area to me. 385 00:14:18,357 --> 00:14:19,124 Can you explain what 386 00:14:19,124 --> 00:14:21,093 this whole threat of harm concept is about 387 00:14:21,093 --> 00:14:23,329 and how it would work in practice? 388 00:14:23,329 --> 00:14:24,163 (ANDREW LEWIS) Right, so the first thing 389 00:14:24,163 --> 00:14:24,563 I want to say 390 00:14:24,563 --> 00:14:26,298 is our police officers receive 391 00:14:26,298 --> 00:14:27,900 a considerable amount of training. 392 00:14:27,900 --> 00:14:30,002 They develop a significant amount of experience 393 00:14:30,002 --> 00:14:30,903 when they're out on the street 394 00:14:30,903 --> 00:14:33,405 interacting with these cases every day. 395 00:14:33,405 --> 00:14:35,941 This ordinance is very careful to call out reliance 396 00:14:35,941 --> 00:14:37,509 on that training and experience 397 00:14:37,509 --> 00:14:39,545 in establishing if there's a threat of harm. 398 00:14:39,545 --> 00:14:40,846 Our officers are professionals. 399 00:14:40,846 --> 00:14:42,414 They can be trained to the standard. 400 00:14:42,414 --> 00:14:43,916 This is a standard that's very important 401 00:14:43,916 --> 00:14:46,552 to the mayor's office to establish. 402 00:14:46,552 --> 00:14:50,856 If you think about situations that we as a general public 403 00:14:50,856 --> 00:14:52,258 are concerned about and the reason 404 00:14:52,258 --> 00:14:55,160 we are talking rightly about public drug use as being 405 00:14:55,160 --> 00:14:56,795 not only a public health crisis, 406 00:14:56,795 --> 00:14:59,798 which it is, but also a public order crisis, 407 00:14:59,832 --> 00:15:01,967 if you're a small business owner downtown 408 00:15:01,967 --> 00:15:04,937 and in front of your business every day, there's 409 00:15:04,937 --> 00:15:07,373 a significant amount of people who are smoking fentanyl. 410 00:15:07,373 --> 00:15:09,208 People are not patronizing your business. 411 00:15:09,208 --> 00:15:11,076 People don't feel safe in your neighborhood. 412 00:15:11,076 --> 00:15:12,978 People don't want to, 413 00:15:12,978 --> 00:15:14,880 you know, go outside and activate the neighborhood. 414 00:15:14,880 --> 00:15:15,781 It poses 415 00:15:15,781 --> 00:15:18,784 challenges to public order in addition to public health. 416 00:15:18,951 --> 00:15:21,287 That's the standard that the mayor is trying to get at 417 00:15:21,287 --> 00:15:22,988 is make sure that we can have a city 418 00:15:22,988 --> 00:15:24,990 that a city that works for everybody, 419 00:15:24,990 --> 00:15:25,891 that is a city 420 00:15:25,891 --> 00:15:26,225 that makes 421 00:15:26,225 --> 00:15:27,960 sure that their standards and rules 422 00:15:27,960 --> 00:15:30,062 about what can and can't happen in public, 423 00:15:30,062 --> 00:15:30,930 but that that's done 424 00:15:30,930 --> 00:15:32,464 from a public health perspective 425 00:15:32,464 --> 00:15:33,966 and that that is differentiated 426 00:15:33,966 --> 00:15:37,503 from situations where it is purely a public health situation. 427 00:15:37,836 --> 00:15:39,805 Where we wouldn't want to have any kind 428 00:15:39,805 --> 00:15:41,307 of criminal legal system involvement 429 00:15:41,307 --> 00:15:44,310 because it's purely about that person's 430 00:15:44,743 --> 00:15:47,279 public health, which would only be a medical response. 431 00:15:47,279 --> 00:15:49,815 So that is the standard that the mayor wants to create. 432 00:15:49,815 --> 00:15:51,450 Obviously, I mean, look, nothing's ever 433 00:15:51,450 --> 00:15:52,952 going to be perfect in the law, 434 00:15:52,952 --> 00:15:55,254 but I totally understand what the mayor is going towards. 435 00:15:55,254 --> 00:15:56,355 I think it's a good balance. 436 00:15:56,355 --> 00:15:58,457 A lot of work went into putting this in place, 437 00:15:58,457 --> 00:16:00,225 and I support the mayor's decision. 438 00:16:00,225 --> 00:16:01,794 (BRIAN CALLANAN) I could picture what you're saying when it comes 439 00:16:01,794 --> 00:16:04,029 to blocking off a business and how that could be 440 00:16:04,029 --> 00:16:06,365 a threat of harm potentially to the neighborhood, etc.. 441 00:16:06,365 --> 00:16:08,100 Can you give me that example where it is 442 00:16:08,100 --> 00:16:09,735 a threat to the individual only? 443 00:16:09,735 --> 00:16:11,837 What does that look like? 444 00:16:11,837 --> 00:16:12,171 (ANDREW LEWIS) Right. 445 00:16:12,171 --> 00:16:16,742 Look, if there is a situation where a person is struggling 446 00:16:17,009 --> 00:16:19,912 with addiction, but they're not in 447 00:16:20,980 --> 00:16:22,081 a broader 448 00:16:22,081 --> 00:16:25,050 public point of view, they're in a position 449 00:16:25,050 --> 00:16:28,053 where maybe they're not in as activated a space. 450 00:16:28,053 --> 00:16:30,122 Maybe they are in their own residence. 451 00:16:30,122 --> 00:16:30,823 Yeah, right. 452 00:16:30,823 --> 00:16:31,690 I mean, I mean, in that case, 453 00:16:31,690 --> 00:16:34,026 it wouldn't be necessarily completely public. -Okay. 454 00:16:34,026 --> 00:16:35,361 -But I think that you can see 455 00:16:35,361 --> 00:16:37,363 these situations where it really just 456 00:16:37,363 --> 00:16:39,231 goes into the triage of 457 00:16:39,231 --> 00:16:42,234 what do we get up with every day right now and think, 458 00:16:42,401 --> 00:16:43,335 you know, our recovery 459 00:16:43,335 --> 00:16:46,338 is being held back a certain public areas, parks, 460 00:16:46,505 --> 00:16:49,975 areas in front of businesses, The general use of the public 461 00:16:49,975 --> 00:16:52,211 is being inhibited because areas are becoming 462 00:16:52,211 --> 00:16:54,780 predominantly used for the consumption 463 00:16:54,780 --> 00:16:56,248 and use of drugs in public. 464 00:16:56,248 --> 00:16:57,983 And at a certain point, 465 00:16:57,983 --> 00:17:01,253 that has a corrosive effect on the ability for us to 466 00:17:01,387 --> 00:17:02,821 I mean, to have a functioning city. 467 00:17:02,821 --> 00:17:03,489 (BRIAN CALLANAN) Right. 468 00:17:03,489 --> 00:17:04,957 Some thoughts on this whole threat of harm, 469 00:17:04,957 --> 00:17:05,891 standard police. 470 00:17:05,891 --> 00:17:08,694 (LISA HERBOLD) I think one of the reasons why 471 00:17:10,295 --> 00:17:10,863 it's a 472 00:17:10,863 --> 00:17:14,233 little bit difficult to conceptualize is 473 00:17:14,733 --> 00:17:18,570 the ordinance itself is sort of a broad 474 00:17:18,670 --> 00:17:21,673 paint brush strokes of what is intended. 475 00:17:21,740 --> 00:17:25,711 We are going to have more sort of nitty 476 00:17:25,711 --> 00:17:28,781 gritty direction in the police 477 00:17:28,781 --> 00:17:31,784 department policies that will be developed 478 00:17:32,251 --> 00:17:33,452 as part of this ordinance. 479 00:17:33,452 --> 00:17:36,989 This ordinance contemplates that there will be policies 480 00:17:37,289 --> 00:17:40,292 consistent with the ordinance that will be promulgated, 481 00:17:40,526 --> 00:17:42,995 and we expect to have them as well 482 00:17:42,995 --> 00:17:45,998 by the end of by the end of September. 483 00:17:46,331 --> 00:17:49,034 So it'll go a little bit more into sort of 484 00:17:49,034 --> 00:17:52,037 some of the objective, 485 00:17:52,571 --> 00:17:55,240 objective facts that officers will be asked 486 00:17:55,240 --> 00:17:59,078 to measure in determining this threat of harm standard. 487 00:17:59,144 --> 00:18:00,179 (BRIAN CALLANAN) And threat of harm, 488 00:18:00,179 --> 00:18:01,180 this is something that 489 00:18:01,180 --> 00:18:04,116 officers engage with today, and I don't think there's 490 00:18:04,116 --> 00:18:05,617 anything necessarily new about it... 491 00:18:05,617 --> 00:18:08,520 but applying it in this way feels like 492 00:18:08,520 --> 00:18:10,856 it's going to be new training around this for officers, 493 00:18:10,856 --> 00:18:12,391 or how is that going to work? 494 00:18:12,391 --> 00:18:16,095 (LISA HERBOLD) I think we are anticipating that there will be training 495 00:18:16,095 --> 00:18:19,098 associated with the policies. You are right. 496 00:18:19,298 --> 00:18:23,902 Officers use their discretion every day, many, many times 497 00:18:24,603 --> 00:18:27,272 each day in making determinations 498 00:18:27,272 --> 00:18:30,242 of how to address 499 00:18:30,609 --> 00:18:33,278 activities that may not be legal. 500 00:18:33,278 --> 00:18:36,181 There are often choices that are made to 501 00:18:36,181 --> 00:18:38,684 to not arrest or not not ticket. 502 00:18:38,684 --> 00:18:41,854 And so this is going to be very much in line 503 00:18:42,621 --> 00:18:45,524 with that discretion making 504 00:18:46,492 --> 00:18:48,827 approach that officers always use. 505 00:18:48,827 --> 00:18:50,662 But I think the sort of 506 00:18:50,662 --> 00:18:54,333 there will be some more meat on the bones of the policy 507 00:18:54,333 --> 00:18:55,834 that officers will need to be trained on. 508 00:18:55,834 --> 00:18:56,168 (BRIAN CALLANAN) Thank you. 509 00:18:56,168 --> 00:18:57,970 Maybe I could just wrap up by asking 510 00:18:57,970 --> 00:18:58,670 what impact 511 00:18:58,670 --> 00:18:59,071 do you think 512 00:18:59,071 --> 00:19:02,307 this new ordinance, when it is passed in September, 513 00:19:02,307 --> 00:19:03,542 as we anticipate here, 514 00:19:03,542 --> 00:19:05,310 what impact is it going to have in the city 515 00:19:05,310 --> 00:19:07,379 a few months from now, next year, etc.? 516 00:19:07,379 --> 00:19:08,680 Some thoughts on that and then I'll go to you, 517 00:19:08,680 --> 00:19:09,882 Councilmember Lewis. 518 00:19:09,882 --> 00:19:10,949 (ANDREW LEWIS) I think it's going to provide 519 00:19:10,949 --> 00:19:12,918 clarity to a ten-year struggle 520 00:19:12,918 --> 00:19:14,786 that we've had as a local government 521 00:19:14,786 --> 00:19:17,923 community on exactly how we deal with the situation. 522 00:19:18,524 --> 00:19:20,359 We had to call the question on it 523 00:19:20,359 --> 00:19:22,761 the previous discussion that we were having around 524 00:19:22,761 --> 00:19:24,163 this policy area 525 00:19:24,163 --> 00:19:27,099 didn't have any commitment on what we were going to do 526 00:19:27,099 --> 00:19:29,101 to actually give life and enforcement 527 00:19:29,101 --> 00:19:32,070 to the provisions within the statute. 528 00:19:32,404 --> 00:19:34,840 We have tons of examples of passing a statute, 529 00:19:34,840 --> 00:19:36,408 putting it up on the shelf, 530 00:19:36,408 --> 00:19:38,610 and no one ever does anything with it. 531 00:19:38,610 --> 00:19:40,846 By bringing this measure that Mayor Harrell 532 00:19:40,846 --> 00:19:42,014 has promulgated to us; 533 00:19:42,014 --> 00:19:45,284 we, like I said earlier, have a plan, not a statute. 534 00:19:45,651 --> 00:19:48,420 Statutes (are) part of a comprehensive plan. 535 00:19:48,420 --> 00:19:49,755 This is what we really need to do. 536 00:19:49,755 --> 00:19:51,557 It's something that's been missing 537 00:19:51,557 --> 00:19:53,225 in our local government for ten years. 538 00:19:53,225 --> 00:19:55,027 It's public health informed, 539 00:19:55,027 --> 00:19:56,695 and it's something that I think 540 00:19:56,695 --> 00:19:57,996 is going to make a visible impact. 541 00:19:57,996 --> 00:19:59,198 That is my hope 542 00:19:59,198 --> 00:20:01,333 and that is what the people of the city expect. 543 00:20:01,333 --> 00:20:03,602 These tough questions come down to us. 544 00:20:03,602 --> 00:20:05,604 You know, the state can set big policy, 545 00:20:05,604 --> 00:20:08,040 but it's local government where it has to be enforced. 546 00:20:08,040 --> 00:20:11,276 And that is why, candidly, I'll just say to the public, 547 00:20:11,610 --> 00:20:12,411 the reason it's taken 548 00:20:12,411 --> 00:20:14,079 a little longer is we haven't enforced 549 00:20:14,079 --> 00:20:16,248 anything like this in ten years. 550 00:20:16,248 --> 00:20:18,450 And it's easy for the state to promulgate a mandate, 551 00:20:18,450 --> 00:20:21,687 but it comes to us to realize how do we organize 552 00:20:21,687 --> 00:20:23,422 our limited resources to make 553 00:20:23,422 --> 00:20:26,425 the biggest possible impact on implementing their intent. 554 00:20:26,625 --> 00:20:29,628 And that, unfortunately, takes a little bit of time. 555 00:20:29,628 --> 00:20:30,329 (BRIAN CALLANAN) Thanks. 556 00:20:30,329 --> 00:20:31,363 (LISA HERBOLD) Wrap up this thought, please. 557 00:20:31,363 --> 00:20:32,731 State went to special session 558 00:20:32,731 --> 00:20:35,334 to do their version of the ordinance. 559 00:20:35,334 --> 00:20:38,370 Now we needed some extra time to figure out how to 560 00:20:39,137 --> 00:20:43,242 locally enforce the ordinance and frankly, 561 00:20:43,242 --> 00:20:48,480 how to ensure that fewer cases are going to be prosecuted. 562 00:20:48,847 --> 00:20:52,284 We really want to make sure that we are adhering 563 00:20:52,284 --> 00:20:55,988 to the state guidance that emphasizes 564 00:20:56,888 --> 00:20:59,891 diversion and treatment before prosecution. 565 00:21:00,158 --> 00:21:00,759 (BRIAN CALLANAN) Thank you. 566 00:21:00,759 --> 00:21:02,361 I'm going to move on here, if I could, 567 00:21:02,361 --> 00:21:03,929 and pick up the pace slightly with you 568 00:21:03,929 --> 00:21:04,997 Councilmember Herbold. 569 00:21:04,997 --> 00:21:06,698 Changing gears, the issue of gun violence. 570 00:21:06,698 --> 00:21:08,367 Seattle's had an uptick in gun violence 571 00:21:08,367 --> 00:21:08,734 this summer, 572 00:21:08,734 --> 00:21:10,902 as we all know, including some deadly incidents 573 00:21:10,902 --> 00:21:12,604 in District 1, which you represent. 574 00:21:12,604 --> 00:21:14,906 We got a message about this issue from one of our viewers. 575 00:21:14,906 --> 00:21:16,408 Bill asked this. 576 00:21:16,408 --> 00:21:18,944 “I'd like to know how we in Seattle can ever expect 577 00:21:18,944 --> 00:21:21,079 to successfully combat gun violence 578 00:21:21,079 --> 00:21:23,782 given the free flow of guns everywhere in the U.S.” 579 00:21:24,883 --> 00:21:26,151 This is such a difficult question, 580 00:21:26,151 --> 00:21:27,185 I know for all lawmakers. 581 00:21:27,185 --> 00:21:29,288 But how do you respond to that? 582 00:21:29,288 --> 00:21:33,158 (LISA HERBOLD) I'm appreciative that the person contacting 583 00:21:33,158 --> 00:21:37,963 you really focused on the fact that it's the access to guns 584 00:21:38,330 --> 00:21:41,600 and the huge number of guns that Americans have 585 00:21:41,600 --> 00:21:45,337 that are really at the forefront of the reason 586 00:21:45,337 --> 00:21:48,340 for why we see all this gun violence during COVID 587 00:21:48,740 --> 00:21:50,442 and after COVID, 588 00:21:50,442 --> 00:21:53,512 we've seen exponential increase in gun ownership. 589 00:21:53,812 --> 00:21:57,449 I'm grateful that our state legislature has taken 590 00:21:57,449 --> 00:22:02,688 really important strides in sensible gun ownership, 591 00:22:03,422 --> 00:22:06,491 responsibility laws, but we have to do more. 592 00:22:06,491 --> 00:22:09,928 There's so much more to do, and I'm really proud of 593 00:22:10,729 --> 00:22:14,132 a lot of the community based organizations 594 00:22:14,132 --> 00:22:15,334 that are doing 595 00:22:15,334 --> 00:22:18,337 gun violence interruption work in our communities. 596 00:22:19,004 --> 00:22:22,140 They are actually going out to scenes of violence. 597 00:22:22,407 --> 00:22:26,378 They are working with victims and family members 598 00:22:26,378 --> 00:22:29,648 to make sure that the repetitive cycle of 599 00:22:30,182 --> 00:22:33,151 violence that is often in retribution 600 00:22:33,151 --> 00:22:36,254 for prior acts of violence are are are ended. 601 00:22:36,488 --> 00:22:38,790 And a lot of our investments in programs 602 00:22:38,790 --> 00:22:41,793 like our hospital-based violence intervention program 603 00:22:41,827 --> 00:22:44,830 are really making a difference. It’s hard to measure 604 00:22:44,830 --> 00:22:47,232 when we have so much gun violence in our community. 605 00:22:47,232 --> 00:22:50,469 It's hard to measure all of the incidences of gun 606 00:22:50,469 --> 00:22:53,472 violence that didn't happen because of these investments. 607 00:22:53,739 --> 00:22:56,641 But these are folks who are out there every day 608 00:22:56,641 --> 00:22:59,778 on the streets putting themselves in harm's way. 609 00:22:59,778 --> 00:23:02,481 We saw what happened on Rainier Valley a couple weeks ago. 610 00:23:02,481 --> 00:23:03,782 That was at a 611 00:23:04,716 --> 00:23:07,319 violence prevention... -Safe Passage. 612 00:23:07,319 --> 00:23:09,388 -Yes, yeah. Yeah, yeah. Thank you for that. 613 00:23:09,388 --> 00:23:10,422 I wanted to make sure I moved on 614 00:23:10,422 --> 00:23:12,424 to Councilmember Lewis with another important issue. 615 00:23:12,424 --> 00:23:13,358 You were recently named 616 00:23:13,358 --> 00:23:15,360 to a subcommittee that's focusing on 617 00:23:15,360 --> 00:23:17,295 how to make the king County Regional Homelessness 618 00:23:17,295 --> 00:23:19,598 Authority more accountable, more effective. 619 00:23:19,598 --> 00:23:22,334 KCRHA has been under a lot of scrutiny, as we know. 620 00:23:22,334 --> 00:23:24,369 CEO Marc Dones stepped down a few months ago. 621 00:23:24,369 --> 00:23:25,971 The agency has had some challenges 622 00:23:25,971 --> 00:23:28,206 paying its contractors, among other issues. 623 00:23:28,206 --> 00:23:31,209 What are your concerns about where the KCRHA is right now? 624 00:23:31,243 --> 00:23:32,811 What do you expect out of the authority 625 00:23:32,811 --> 00:23:34,246 heading into the future? 626 00:23:34,246 --> 00:23:35,781 (ANDREW LEWIS) Well, I certainly have a lot of 627 00:23:35,781 --> 00:23:37,716 very strong personal opinions having served 628 00:23:37,716 --> 00:23:39,618 on the inaugural governing board 629 00:23:39,618 --> 00:23:42,421 and also being in the unique position of someone who 630 00:23:43,355 --> 00:23:44,389 unfortunately was not in 631 00:23:44,389 --> 00:23:45,891 office to have any say over 632 00:23:45,891 --> 00:23:47,692 the original interlocal agreement. 633 00:23:47,692 --> 00:23:49,895 So I'm sort of in this position 634 00:23:49,895 --> 00:23:52,230 of having served in a dysfunctional system 635 00:23:52,230 --> 00:23:54,533 that I had no hand in, in being able to create. 636 00:23:54,533 --> 00:23:57,169 So I definitely have some feedback on this process. 637 00:23:57,169 --> 00:23:58,203 -Yeah. -You know, 638 00:23:58,203 --> 00:24:00,138 there needs to be streamlined accountability. 639 00:24:00,138 --> 00:24:02,808 We have a weird, bifurcated board system. 640 00:24:02,808 --> 00:24:04,743 There's a governing board, an implementation board. 641 00:24:04,743 --> 00:24:06,511 I don't think that's good for accountability. 642 00:24:06,511 --> 00:24:08,847 It makes it...it creates double the work, two boards 643 00:24:08,847 --> 00:24:10,482 creates double the work, in my opinion. 644 00:24:10,482 --> 00:24:10,715 -Yeah. 645 00:24:10,715 --> 00:24:12,517 -I think that there should be some streamlining 646 00:24:12,517 --> 00:24:14,920 consolidation of that oversight. 647 00:24:14,920 --> 00:24:16,455 We need to be very clear 648 00:24:16,455 --> 00:24:17,689 with what we expect 649 00:24:17,689 --> 00:24:20,525 from the next CEO in terms of what their job is, 650 00:24:20,525 --> 00:24:22,194 what their responsibilities are. 651 00:24:22,194 --> 00:24:24,296 Obviously, first and foremost has to be 652 00:24:24,296 --> 00:24:26,264 the predictability, reliability 653 00:24:26,264 --> 00:24:27,933 of getting contracts out on time, 654 00:24:27,933 --> 00:24:29,568 making sure that the people who are doing this 655 00:24:29,568 --> 00:24:31,203 work can get paid and can meet 656 00:24:31,203 --> 00:24:33,405 payroll is essential to making progress 657 00:24:33,405 --> 00:24:35,640 on homelessness in this county. 658 00:24:35,640 --> 00:24:36,475 We have to get it right. 659 00:24:36,475 --> 00:24:38,043 We need a regional solution to this. 660 00:24:38,043 --> 00:24:39,578 We can't continue to do this 661 00:24:39,578 --> 00:24:42,581 as 39 separate jurisdictions in King County. 662 00:24:42,948 --> 00:24:44,349 That's the number of cities in King County. 663 00:24:44,349 --> 00:24:44,616 -That's right. 664 00:24:44,616 --> 00:24:46,518 We need to come together and do it jointly 665 00:24:46,518 --> 00:24:48,019 as a King County regional government 666 00:24:48,019 --> 00:24:50,622 and as these 39 partner cities. 667 00:24:50,622 --> 00:24:52,991 We can do that work. We can get it done. 668 00:24:52,991 --> 00:24:54,626 I'm looking forward to working on 669 00:24:54,626 --> 00:24:56,595 this task force to harmonize the way 670 00:24:56,595 --> 00:24:58,430 we can do this efficiently, effectively, 671 00:24:58,430 --> 00:25:00,332 and deliver for the people of this county. 672 00:25:00,332 --> 00:25:01,266 (BRIAN CALLANAN) Thank you very much for that. 673 00:25:01,266 --> 00:25:01,967 Councilmember Herbold, 674 00:25:01,967 --> 00:25:03,201 I want to talk about the recent work 675 00:25:03,201 --> 00:25:04,669 that you spearheaded to pass 676 00:25:04,669 --> 00:25:06,972 a new set of protections for app-based workers, 677 00:25:06,972 --> 00:25:08,707 so protecting delivery drivers, etc., 678 00:25:08,707 --> 00:25:11,042 from getting deactivated off the app. 679 00:25:11,042 --> 00:25:12,544 Seattle's the first city in the country 680 00:25:12,544 --> 00:25:14,212 to pass legislation like this. 681 00:25:14,212 --> 00:25:15,347 What does this mean for workers 682 00:25:15,347 --> 00:25:17,883 and for people who use these delivery services? 683 00:25:17,883 --> 00:25:19,618 (LISA HERBOLD) Well, hopefully it means a little 684 00:25:19,618 --> 00:25:21,453 bit of transparency in their 685 00:25:22,621 --> 00:25:25,123 security for their income earning. 686 00:25:25,123 --> 00:25:27,392 These are not considered employees 687 00:25:27,392 --> 00:25:30,128 in this in this country under our employment laws. 688 00:25:30,128 --> 00:25:31,830 So a lot of the things that we take 689 00:25:31,830 --> 00:25:35,400 for granted as employees are not the kinds 690 00:25:35,400 --> 00:25:38,770 of protections that they get as app-based workers. 691 00:25:39,538 --> 00:25:41,940 This bill follows on another bill 692 00:25:41,940 --> 00:25:44,509 that Councilmember Lewis and I worked on 693 00:25:44,509 --> 00:25:47,512 that guarantees a minimum payment 694 00:25:47,512 --> 00:25:50,315 standard for these workers, because, again, 695 00:25:50,315 --> 00:25:51,750 we have a great 696 00:25:51,750 --> 00:25:55,020 minimum wage here in Seattle, in Washington state. 697 00:25:55,954 --> 00:25:58,890 These workers aren't entitled to that minimum 698 00:25:58,890 --> 00:25:59,591 wage protection. 699 00:25:59,591 --> 00:26:03,762 So we have a separate standard for app-based workers. 700 00:26:03,762 --> 00:26:06,765 And similarly, the legislation that was just passed 701 00:26:07,666 --> 00:26:09,401 provides, again, 702 00:26:09,401 --> 00:26:11,803 the it doesn't eliminate the ability 703 00:26:11,803 --> 00:26:14,806 of a platform to deactivate somebody, 704 00:26:15,006 --> 00:26:19,044 but it requires that platform to notify the person 705 00:26:19,444 --> 00:26:22,681 of the reason and give them an opportunity to appeal. 706 00:26:22,681 --> 00:26:25,150 A lot of these decisions are made by algorithms 707 00:26:25,150 --> 00:26:26,851 and not even made by real people. 708 00:26:26,851 --> 00:26:30,355 And people will open up their their phone 709 00:26:30,589 --> 00:26:31,890 getting ready to work 710 00:26:31,890 --> 00:26:33,792 and they can't access 711 00:26:33,792 --> 00:26:35,760 the platform and they have no idea why. 712 00:26:35,760 --> 00:26:37,262 And there's nobody to talk to. 713 00:26:37,262 --> 00:26:39,331 And hopefully this’ll address that. -In seventh grade math, 714 00:26:39,331 --> 00:26:40,899 I always thought algorithm was a good thing, 715 00:26:40,899 --> 00:26:42,367 but I am learning differently. 716 00:26:42,367 --> 00:26:43,535 Councilmember Lewis, we need to wrap up, 717 00:26:43,535 --> 00:26:44,603 I can take about a minute here. 718 00:26:44,603 --> 00:26:45,570 I want to bring the curtain up 719 00:26:45,570 --> 00:26:47,572 on what's going on at the Cinerama. 720 00:26:47,572 --> 00:26:50,008 You've recently visited with Tom Mara, executive 721 00:26:50,008 --> 00:26:52,777 director of SIFF, the Seattle International Film Festival, 722 00:26:52,777 --> 00:26:53,712 which has recently announced 723 00:26:53,712 --> 00:26:55,680 it will buy and operate this iconic theater. 724 00:26:55,680 --> 00:26:57,382 It's been closed down since 2020. 725 00:26:57,382 --> 00:26:59,017 Set to open later on this year. 726 00:26:59,017 --> 00:27:00,819 What does this mean for the city of Seattle? 727 00:27:00,819 --> 00:27:01,920 Well, thanks for asking, Brian, 728 00:27:01,920 --> 00:27:03,788 because I'm really, really proud of this work. 729 00:27:03,788 --> 00:27:06,157 This is a year and a half in the making. 730 00:27:06,157 --> 00:27:06,791 My office 731 00:27:06,791 --> 00:27:08,593 working with Seattle International Film Festival 732 00:27:08,593 --> 00:27:10,795 and other partners to find a viable strategy 733 00:27:10,795 --> 00:27:13,031 to get this into nonprofit ownership, 734 00:27:13,031 --> 00:27:15,500 as you know, used to be owned by the late Paul Allen. 735 00:27:15,500 --> 00:27:18,570 His estate did not have any immediate plans 736 00:27:20,005 --> 00:27:21,539 for a successor entity. 737 00:27:21,539 --> 00:27:22,140 Really glad 738 00:27:22,140 --> 00:27:24,109 we were able to close a deal with Seattle 739 00:27:24,109 --> 00:27:26,011 International Film Festival to take this over, 740 00:27:26,011 --> 00:27:28,279 put it in nonprofit ownership for the first time. 741 00:27:28,279 --> 00:27:30,849 This can really be a hub where our marquee theater 742 00:27:30,849 --> 00:27:33,852 in the Pacific Northwest -- marquee movie going experience 743 00:27:34,152 --> 00:27:35,654 now is going to be a big source 744 00:27:35,654 --> 00:27:37,322 of public benefit to the broader community. 745 00:27:37,322 --> 00:27:39,224 Things like you know, local film 746 00:27:39,224 --> 00:27:41,593 festivals, highlighting local artists; 747 00:27:41,593 --> 00:27:43,128 you know, the educational and workforce 748 00:27:43,128 --> 00:27:44,562 development components 749 00:27:44,562 --> 00:27:47,565 that can come with developing our local film economy. 750 00:27:47,999 --> 00:27:50,301 This is all possible given this new 751 00:27:50,301 --> 00:27:53,338 ownership arrangement, given that this is now 752 00:27:54,139 --> 00:27:56,408 going to be SIFF operated. 753 00:27:56,408 --> 00:27:58,576 And in the supplemental budget, 754 00:27:58,576 --> 00:28:02,313 worked with SIFF to get $1-million of support 755 00:28:02,580 --> 00:28:04,082 to support some of these initiatives 756 00:28:04,082 --> 00:28:06,518 around workforce development, public benefit 757 00:28:06,518 --> 00:28:08,953 and really looking forward to how that becomes a big part 758 00:28:08,953 --> 00:28:11,956 of our downtown community going into the future. 759 00:28:12,090 --> 00:28:14,459 (BRIAN CALLANAN) And any truth to the rumor, the first film to be shown 760 00:28:14,459 --> 00:28:16,161 there will be Seattle City Council, 761 00:28:16,161 --> 00:28:18,663 the 70 millimeter experience. 762 00:28:18,663 --> 00:28:20,298 (ANDREW LEWIS) Yeah, I can't confirm or deny. 763 00:28:20,298 --> 00:28:20,865 (BRIAN CALLANAN) Oh, I like it. 764 00:28:20,865 --> 00:28:22,801 Okay. We'll see what happens when the curtain goes up. 765 00:28:22,801 --> 00:28:24,035 Thank you both for joining me. 766 00:28:24,035 --> 00:28:26,037 And thanks, everybody, for watching Council Edition. 767 00:28:26,037 --> 00:28:26,738 We'll see you next time. 768 00:28:27,172 --> 00:28:42,153 ♪♪ 769 00:28:44,289 --> 00:28:48,259 ♪♪