>> JULY 25th , 2023 MEETING O
THE PUBLIC SAFETY AND HUMAN
SERVICES COMMITTEE COMES TO
ORDER AT 9:30 A.M.. WILL THE
CLERK PLEASE CALL THE ROLE?
>> COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA ?
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER NELSON?
>> PRESENT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN ?
>> PRESENT.
>> VICE CHAIR LEWIS?
>> HERE.
>> AN UPDATE ON THE NORTHWEST
ABORTION ACCESS FUND AND HEARIN
FROM THE CITY AUDITOR ABOUT THE
FINDINGS OF THE REPORT , THE
CITY CAN DO MORE TO TACKLE
ORGANIZED RETAIL CRIME IN
SEATTLE. WE WILL RECEIVE AN
UPDATE ON THE PREFILING
DIVERSION EXPANSION PILOT THAT
THE COUNCIL FUNDED FOR
INDIVIDUALS 25 AND OLDER. WE
WILL BE HEARING FROM HUMAN
SERVICES AND THE CITY ATTORNEY
CLOSING OUT OUR AGENDA TODAY
WILL BE THE PEOPLE INVOLVED IN
DEVELOPING A REPORT ON
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE RESPONSE AND
THIS GROUP IS REFERRED TO AS
THE SEATTLE COMMUNITY RESPONSES
TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE WORKGROUP
AND THIS IS TITLE
TRANSFORMATION IS POSSIBLE. WE
WILL APPROVE THE AGENDA FOR OU
COMMITTEE MEETING TODAY . IF
THERE IS NO OBJECTION, TODAY'S
AGENDA WILL BE ADOPTED. HEARING
NO OBJECTION, THE AGENDA IS
ADOPTED. WE WILL MOVE INTO
PUBLIC COMMENT. EACH SPEAKER
WILL RECEIVE TWO MINUTES TO
SPEAK. I WILL ALTERNATE BETWEE
VIRTUAL AND IN PERSON PEOPLE
AND CALL ON EACH SPEAKER BY NAM
AND IN THE ORDER BY WHICH THEY
REGISTERED ON THE WEBSITE . IF
YOU HAVE NOT REGISTERED TO SPEA
BUT WOULD LIKE TO DO SO, SIGN U
BEFORE THE END OF THE PUBLIC
COMMENT SESSION. WHEN I CALL A
SPEAKER, IF YOU ARE USING THE
VIRTUAL OPTION, PLEASE LISTEN
FOR THE PROMPT, ONCE YOU HEAR
THE PROMPT, PRESS STAR 6 TO
UNMUTE. STATE YOUR NAME AND TH
ITEM ON THE AGENDA WHICH YOU AR
ADDRESSING. YOU WILL HEAR A
CHIME WHEN 10 SECONDS ARE LEFT
ONCE THE SPEAKER HEARS THE
CHIME , PLEASE BEGIN TO WRAP UP
PUBLIC COMMENT . SPEAKERS WHO
DO NOT END THERE COMMENT AT TH
END OF THE TIME PROVIDED WILL
HAVE THEIR MICROPHONE MUTED
AFTER 10 SECONDS SO WE CAN
FACILITATE HEARING FROM THE
NEXT SPEAKER WHO SIGNED UP.
ONCE YOU HAVE COMPLETED PUBLIC
COMMENT, PLEASE DISCONNECT FROM
THE LISTEN LINE -- OR THE
COMMENT LINE , IF YOU ARE
COMMENTING VIRTUALLY. WE DO
ENCOURAGE PEOPLE WHO ARE COMIN
IN VIRTUALLY , AFTER YOU
DISCONNECT, CONTINUE FOLLOWING
THE MEETING , AND YOU CAN DO SO
THROUGH THE SEATTLE CHANNEL OR
THE LISTENING OPTIONS LISTED ON
THE AGENDA. WE HAVE FOUR PEOPL
SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT,
THREE ARE VIRTUAL AND ONE IS I
PERSON. WE WILL GO FIRST TO
THE IN PERSON PUBLIC SPEAKER .
WILL CALL ON YOUR NAMES TWO AT
A TIME. FIRST IS CAROLYN MONRO
IN PERSON. SHE WILL BE
FOLLOWED BY HOWARD GAIL.
>> I AM CAROLYN SPEAKING ABOU
THE CONTINUOUS POLICE
BRUTALITY. IN ADDITION TO
POLICE HARASSMENT , FIREMEN
HAVE JOINED IN. IN SOLIDARITY
AND INCLUSION WITH THE POLICE
IN ADDITION TO THAT, AMR
DRIVERS. THESE PEOPLE TOOK AN
OATH TO SERVE AND PROTECT, NOT
IMPEDE LIVES AND INTERFERE WIT
LIVES. BECAUSE OF MY
OUTSPOKENNESS AND ACTIVISM , I
AM A TARGET . I BROUGHT PHOTOS
OF FIREMEN CONSTANTLY RUNNING
AHEAD OF BUSES , PREVENTING ME
FROM CROSSING THE STREET BY
TURNING ON THEIR SIRENS SO I
WILL WAIT AND ALLOW THEM TO
CROSS, EVEN THOUGH THERE IS NO
EMERGENCY. I PUSH BACK. THERE
IS AN ARTICLE CALLED ,
DERAILING THE DEFUNDED. POLICE
TRY TO MANIPULATE THE MEDIA
WITH THEIR NARRATIVE ABOUT THE
2020 PROTESTS. THESE POLICE
LIVE IN MY BUILDING, OCCUPIED
MY SPACE , THAT IS THE ESSENCE
OF MY PROTEST. BECAUSE POLICE
DO NOT BELONG IN THE SENIOR
HOUSING COMMITTING CRIMES ,
HARASSMENT , AND SETTING UP
SURVEILLANCE ON ME. BECAUSE I
STAND ON STREET CORNERS
PROTESTING IN FRONT OF MY
BUILDING, THEIR SIRENS GO OFF
DAILY AROUND ME . HOW MANY OF
YOU HAVE SEEN THREE, FOUR ,
SEVEN TIMES FIREMEN CIRCULATIN
AROUND YOU? I JUST NEED TO GO
DOWN TO FOURTH AND JAMES AND
FIREMEN WILL COME AND TURN ON
THEIR SIRENS. I WILL CONTINUE
TO PROTEST SEATTLE POLICE. I
KNOW SOME COUNCIL PEOPLE SUPPOR
THEM. YOU ARE NOT AN ACTIVIST
AND YOU DO NOT DEAL WITH COPS
ON YOUR PROPERTY . I DO.
>> THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER
IS HOWARD GAIL FOLLOWED BY
DAVID HAYNES. HOWARD?
>> GOOD MORNING. LAST WEEK, WE
LEARNED ABOUT THE SCANDAL WIT
THE FEDERAL WORK MONITOR WHICH
HAS A RESPONSIBILITY TO
INDEPENDENTLY ASSESS PROGRESS O
OUR POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY
SYSTEM. INSTEAD IT IS REVEALED
IS A PUBLIC RELATIONS ARM OF
THE SPD. IT REVEALS THE
DYSFUNCTION AND CORRUPTION WITH
OVER $10 MILLION PER YEAR. IN
2019 , INVESTIGATION SUPERVISOR
WAS FIRED WHEN REVEALING THE
FAILURE OF OIG TO SCRUTINIZE
DA INVESTIGATIONS. A SECOND I
WHISTLEBLOWER CAME FORWARD .
FURTHER REPORTS BY THE NEWS
OUTLETS IN 2021 AND 2022
REVEALED THE DEPTH OF THE
REASONS AND CORRUPTION IN THE
OIG AND OPA REVEALING THE
DIRECTOR WHO IS A DEFENDER OF
POLICE MISCONDUCT AND THE CITY
ATTORNEY WHO FALSELY
PROSECUTED A PARAPLEGIC BLACK
MEN FOR ASSAULT IN A CASE OF
PROSECUTORIAL MISCONDUCT AND
VIOLATED LAWS AND TRY TO
UNDERMINE PROTESTER COMPLAINTS.
THIS MAKES SPD VIOLENCE OF
2020 LOOK INEVITABLE. ALL OF
THIS IS INEVITABLE WHEN
COUNCILMEMBERS PERPETUATE THE
SYSTEM OF FALSE ACCOUNTABILITY
AND ACTIVELY WORK TO SUPPRESS
ANY REVELATION OF SYSTEMIC
FAILURES ON SUPPRESSING AND
DISCREDITING WHISTLEBLOWERS.
EVERYONE IS TURNING TO THE
HIDEOUS DISPLAYS OF THE SPD
BREAK ROOM 31 MONTHS AGO BUT W
FAIL TO RECOGNIZE THEIR NEAR
MURDER OF A BLACK TEENAGER OR
SHOOTING PERSON IN A SELF
CRISIS LAST WEEK . LAST WEEK WE
VOTED TO GET MORE MONEY AND
POWER TO THEM WHILE THEY ARE
UNACCOUNTABLE AND HOSTILE TO
THE COMMUNITY.
>> THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER
IS DAVID HAYNES, FOLLOWED BY
JANE DICKS.
>> WHY IS IT THAT PUBLIC
SAFETY COMMITTEE CONTINUES TO
RUN INTERFERENCE FOR REPEAT
OFFENDING , VIOLATING LOW-LEVE
DOLLAR AMOUNT DRUG PUSHERS WHO
DESTROY OTHER PEOPLES LIVES
DAILY AND ARE CREATING ALL OF
THESE JUNKIE THIEVES STEALING
FROM EVERYONE? AND THE DRUG
PUSHERS GET ON A LIST EXEMPTIN
FROM JAIL -- EXEMPTING THEM
FROM JAIL, YET QUESTIONING OF
THE DRUG ADDICTS AND THEIR
MISDEMEANOR SUPPLIES TO SHUTDOW
THE DRUGS, INSTEAD , ONLY PEOPL
WHO STEAL FROM TARGET AND OTHER
BUSINESSES ARE QUESTIONED BY TH
COPS. THE COPS ARE DOING
CORPORATE FASCIST AMERICAS
BIDDING TO PROTECT WALL STREET,
MIDDLEMEN PROFITS TO BIG
BUSINESSES AND SAVE MONEY ON
INAPT PRIVATE SECURITY. THEY AR
WASTING POLICE CRIME FIGHTING
ON HELPING CORPORATE AMERICA
PROTECT OUR INFLATED PRODUCTS
WHILE THE ENTIRE TIME LOOKING
THE OTHER WAY ON ALL THESE DRUG
ADDICTS WHO HAVE UNDERWORLD
SUPPLIERS . THEY RUN
INTERFERENCE TO DRUG PUSHERS .
IT IS THE CRUX OF EVERYTHING
WRONG WITH OUR SOCIETY . CITY
COUNCIL IS USING TAXPAYER
DOLLARS TO BUY OUT PEOPLE WHO
ARE TOTALLY UNQUALIFIED , WHO
ARE CIRCUMVENTING AND CO-OPTING
OUR JUDICIAL SYSTEM WHO ACT
LIKE THEIR EXPERTS AFTER A
MONTH OR TWO OF TRAINING TO
DECIDE THE FATE OF ALL THESE
PEOPLE WERE CRIMINALS AND
TROUBLED SOULS AND LIKE TO ROL
ON OTHER PEOPLE. WE DON'T HAVE
PROPER PUNISHMENT OR THE PROPER
TREATMENT. YET , THEY ARE STILL
RUNNING INTERFERENCE FOR DRUG
PUSHING CRIMINALS WHO CREATED
ALL THESE JUNKIE THIEVES . LIKE
THIS PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE IS
ONE OF THE MOST TWO-FACED,
HYPOCRITICAL COMMITTEES IN
SEATTLE. GEORGE SOROS, THE EVI
BILLIONAIRE TRYING TO DESTROY
AMERICA, PROGRESSING POLICIES
THIS COMMITTEE IS RUNNING A
REFERENCE FOR REPEAT OFFENDERS
WHILE BUYING PROTESTERS WITH A
NONPROFIT TRADING MONEY FOR
REELECTION.
>> THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER
IS JANE DICKS. SHE IS NOT
PRESENT. JANE IS THE LAST
SPEAKER THAT WE HAVE SIGNED IN
TO GIVE VERBAL PUBLIC
TESTIMONY. GIVEN ANOTHER FEW
SECONDS FOR JANE BEFORE WE
CLOSE OUT PUBLIC COMMENT FOR
TODAY. NOT SEEING JANE AS
PRESENT , ONE MORE TIME , STILL
NOT PRESENT. WITH THAT , IT IS
9:42 A.M. AND OUR PUBLIC
COMMENT PERIOD IS CLOSED. MOVIN
ON TO THE FIRST ITEM ON THE
AGENDA. PLEASE READ AND ITEM
NUMBER ONE, MR. CLARK .
>> NORTHWEST ABORTION ACCESS
FUND UPDATE, THANK YOU.
>> A FEW INTRODUCTORY REMARKS.
IN 2022 , IN RESPONSE TO THE
NEWS THAT THE SUPREME COURT
WOULD OVERTURN A RIGHT TO
ABORTION IN ITS RULING ON DOBBS
V. JACKSON, THIS COUNCIL MOVED
QUICKLY TO SHORE UP LEGAL
PROTECTIONS FOR PEOPLE SEEKING
ABORTIONS AND INCREASED ACCESS
TO SAFE ABORTION SERVICES.
THERE WERE PREDICTIONS THAT,
WITH THIS DISASTROUS OVERTURN
OF THE ROE DECISION,
WASHINGTON COULD SEE A LARGE
INCREASE IN PATIENTS FROM
OUT-OF-STATE SEEKING
REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH CARE, ENOUG
TO FLOOD CLINICS ACROSS THE
STATE , INCLUDING IN SEATTLE.
AT THAT TIME, LOCAL PROVIDERS
WERE ALREADY REPORTING PATIENT
SEEKING CARE HERE FROM AS FAR
AWAY AS TEXAS AND LOUISIANA.
IN MAY OF 2022 , COUNCIL PASSED
A RESOLUTION THAT CALLED FOR
ADDING FUNDING TO SUPPORT
ABORTION ACCESS . I OFFERED AN
AMENDMENT OF THE RECOMMENDATION
OF ADVOCATES IN PUBLIC HEALTH T
CORRECT THOSE DOLLARS TO
NORTHWEST ABORTION ACCESS FUND
WHICH PROVIDES LOGISTICAL
SUPPORT AND CARE AND SAFETY FOR
PEOPLE SEEKING ABORTION HERE.
THE MAYOR ANSWERED THE CITY
COUNCIL' CALL BY INCLUDING
$250,000 FOR NORTHWEST ABORTION
ACCESS FUND IN THE 2022 MIDYEA
SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET. THE
COUNCIL APPROVED THAT. THEN ,
IN THE BUDGET CYCLE, THANKS TO
THE LEADERSHIP OF COUNCILMEMBER
MORALES , THE CITY MADE A $1.25
MILLION INVESTMENT IN ABORTION
SERVICES. THESE ARE THE FIRST
TIME -- THESE ARE THE FIRST
EVER OF THE CITY'S INVESTMENTS
DIRECTLY IN ABORTION SERVICES
TO HELP MAKE SURE THAT ABORTIO
REMAINS SAFE AND ACCESSIBLE IN
SEATTLE. IT IS AN HISTORIC
MOMENT IN BASIC HEALTHCARE
THAT TOO MANY PREGNANT PEOPLE
IN OTHER STATES ARE NOW BEING
DENIED BECAUSE OF THE WAY
THESE SERVICES ARE BEING
PROVIDED LOCALLY , THE HUMAN
SERVICE DEPARTMENT ADDED THESE
FUNDS IN THE CONTRACT OF PUBLIC
HEALTH WHICH HAS CONTRACTED WIT
NORTHWESTERN ABORTION ACCESS
FUND TO PROVIDE THESE SERVICES
GLAD TO HAVE YOU WITH US TODAY,
REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE KING
COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH TO PROVID
AN UPDATE ON THESE INVESTMENTS
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR JOINING
US. WE ASK A QUICK ROUND OF
INTRODUCTIONS AND GO AHEAD.
>> MY NAME IS HEATHER MAISEN
AND I AM THE REPRODUCTIVE
HEALTH SERVICES ADMINISTRATOR
FOR PUBLIC HEALTH SEATTLE, KING
COUNTY. TAKE YOU FOR HAVING ME
>> MY NAME IS JEFF SAKUMA , TH
HEALTH INTEGRATION STRATEGIST
TO THE HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMEN
AND PART OF MY ROLE IS TO HELP
OVERSEE OUR CONTRACT WITH YOU.
>> AS WE START ANY DISCUSSION
AROUND SEXUAL REPRODUCTIVE
HEALTH, I WOULD LIKE TO GO INT
THE COLLECTIVE COMMITMENT TO AL
PEOPLE MANAGING THEIR
PREGNANCIES ACCORDING TO THEIR
OWN WISHES. BY ACCESSING
QUALITY AND REPRODUCTIVE AND
SOCIAL HEALTH SERVICES,
INCLUDING SAFE AND TIMELY
ABORTIONS. WE WANT TO UPHOLD
THE VALUE THAT EVERY PERSON HAS
THE RIGHT TO THEIR OWN BODILY
AUTONOMY. I ALSO WANT TO SHARE
WITH YOU A UPDATE ABOUT THE
NORTHWEST ABORTION ACCESS FUND,
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE POST
DOBBS COUNTRY LANDSCAPE BECAUS
THIS IMPACTS WASHINGTON'S
GROWING ACCESS IN OTHER STATES
FOR RESIDENTS TO RECEIVE
ABORTION CARE . AS YOU CAN SEE
ON THIS MAP , AS OF MAY OF 2023
THEY HAVE CATEGORIZED MOST
RESTRICTIVE TO MOST PROTECTIVE
ABORTION POLICIES FOR STATES
AND WASHINGTON INMATE WAS AT
PROTECTIVE. NOT VERY OR MOST
PROTECTIVE, BUT THAT DOES NOT
TAKE IN CONSIDERATION THE RECEN
STATE LEGISLATURE ASKED WHICH
HAVE MANY GAINS FOR PROTECTIONS
FOR ABORTION ACCESS IN
WASHINGTON STATE. I WANT TO
TAKE THIS MOMENT TO GIVE A THAN
YOU TO THE CITY OF SEATTLE FOR
ITS INVESTMENT IN PROTECTIONS
THAT HAVE TAKEN PLACE POST
DOBBS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FO
THE FUNDING AND THE EFFORTLESS
WORK YOU ARE PROVIDING.
CONCERNING ACCESS TO SEXUAL
REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH SERVICES,
PRIMARILY ABORTION SERVICES IN
SEATTLE AND KING COUNTY. I ALS
WANT TO POINT OUT , THE CURRENT
DATA WE CAN GET SAYS, THE
VOLUME, UNFORTUNATELY , WE DON'
HAVE KING COUNTY OR SEATTLE DAT
, BUT WE DO HAVE STATEWIDE DATA
AS OF MARCH OF 2023. THE SOCIET
AND FAMILY PLANNING, THE
ORGANIZATION THAT DESIGNATES
FUNDING AND GIVES INFORMATION O
ABORTION AND CONTRACEPTIVE
ACCESS, THEY NOTED THE INCREASE
THAT WASHINGTON STATE HAS
EXPERIENCED POST DOBBS IN
ABORTION SERVICES. ROUGHLY
ABOUT 16.5% , BETWEEN APRIL 202
AND MARCH OF 2023, WHICH EQUATE
TO 294 ABORTION PROCEDURES PER
MONTH MORE SO THAN WHEN DOBBS
-- BEFORE DOBBS OVERTURNED
ROE. JEFF WILL SPEAK ABOUT THE
SEATTLE INVESTMENT .
>> THANK YOU. THIS IS A LITTLE
BIT OF A REPEAT. IN THE PAST
TWO YEARS, 2022 AND 2023 , WE
HAVE MADE , BETWEEN THE CITY AN
THE COUNTY, INVESTED $2.25
MILLION TO THE NORTHWEST
ABORTION ACCESS FUND. $1.75
MILLION FROM THE CITY AND
$500,000 FROM THE COUNTY. THA
STARTED IN 2022. WITH ABOUT
$750,000 , AND IN 2023 , AS YOU
MENTIONED , THE CITY ADDED
ANOTHER $1.5 MILLION. AS YOU
KNOW , WE HAVE A LONG-STANDING
CONTRACT WITH PUBLIC HEALTH
SEATTLE-KING COUNTY, THE HUMAN
SERVICES DEPARTMENT , THAT
ALLOCATION DIRECTS 90% OF THE
FUNDING GO FOR DIRECT SERVICES
AND 10% FOR INDIRECT COSTS FO
NWAAF. THE FUNDING IS TO BE
DIRECTED TO BE USED TO
COORDINATE PAYMENTS AND
LOGISTICS FOR MEDICAL CARE,
TRAVEL , AND ACCOMMODATION. FO
INDIVIDUALS ACCESSING ABORTION
SERVICES IN OUR REGION. A
LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION
ABOUT WHAT WE KNOW TODAY
THROUGH REPORTS FROM QUARTER
THREE TO 2022 TO QUARTER ONE
OF 2023 , NWAAF HAS SUPPORTED
757 INDIVIDUALS IN ACCESSING
ABORTION SERVICES LOCALLY. AS
OF QUARTER ONE 2023 , NWAAF
SPENT $819,000 OF THE BLENDED
$2.25 MILLION , 72% OF THE
FUNDING PAID FOR MEDICAL
SERVICES AND 20% PAID FOR
TRAVEL AND LODGING. 75% FOR TH
FUNDING FOR MEDICAL SERVICES
WENT TO SEATTLE-BASED PROVIDERS
45% OF THE INDIVIDUALS SERVED
WERE NON-WASHINGTON RESIDENTS
TRAVELING TO OUR STATE FOR
ABORTION CARE. NWAAF IS
PROJECTING THAT THEY WILL SPEND
ALL BUT ABOUT $300,000 BY THE
END OF 2023 TO CARRY OVER TO
2024.
>> THANK YOU, JEFF . WE HAVE
BEEN ABLE TO GET SOME MORE
QUALITATIVE INFORMATION FROM TH
NORTHWEST ABORTION ACCESS FUND
IN THE REPORTS, WHICH GIVES US
MORE INSIGHT INTO WHO THEY ARE
SERVING. I DO WANT TO POINT
OUT, FIRST AND FOREMOST , YOU
CAN IMAGINE HOW SENSITIVE AND
IMPORTANT IT IS TO PROTECT THE
IDENTITY AND INFORMATION OF
INDIVIDUALS ACCESSING THESE
SERVICES SO THERE IS A
LIMITATION WITH WHAT WE KNOW.
SOME OF THAT INCLUDES GRAPHIC
DATA , UNFORTUNATELY, BUT WE
WANT TO PROTECT THESE
INDIVIDUALS FROM THEIR HOME
STATES CRIMINALIZING
SURVEILLANCE INCLUDED IN THE
ABORTION RESTRICTIONS WHAT WE
DO KNOW ABOUT THESE PEOPLE IS
THAT THE NORTHWEST ABORTION
ACCESS FUND HAS ALMOST DOUBLED
IN THEIR OUT-OF-STATE FOLKS ,
WHICH COMPRISE ABOUT 35% OF ALL
THEIR CALLERS. WE ANTICIPATED
THIS AND WE ARE SEEING PREGNAN
PEOPLE HAVING TO TRAVEL FARTHER
FOR THEIR SERVICES, AS WELL A
BEING FARTHER ALONG IN THE
PREGNANCY. THESE ARE MORE
COMPLICATED CASES WHICH
INCREASES THE AMOUNT OF FUNDING
FOR MEDICAL CARE AND TRAVEL
NEEDED BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO STA
LONGER. IT IS MORE EXPENSIVE .
THE MEDIAN GRANT SIZE PER CALLE
IS INCREASING 27% BECAUSE OF
THESE FACTORS. THE OTHER THING
THEY HAVE NOTED, WHICH WE ALL
COULD HAVE ANTICIPATED AND WE
HAVE SEEN LOCALLY AS WELL IN OU
SERVICE DELIVERY , PEOPLE ARE
REALLY CONFUSED AND AFRAID OF
INFORMATION AROUND ABORTION
ACCESS OR LACK THEREOF . THERE
IS A LOT OF NEED TO HELP PEOPLE
UNDERSTAND WHAT THE LAWS ARE ,
ESPECIALLY IN WASHINGTON STATE
AND THE ACCESS AVAILABLE TO
THEM. WITH THAT, I WILL MOVE
INTO QUESTIONS. WE SAVED A LOT
OF TIME FOR QUESTIONS ASSUMING
YOU WOULD HAVE SOME.
>> WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME
BRINGING US UP TO SPEED ON HOW
INVESTMENTS ON HOW THE MAYOR'S
OFFICE AND THE COUNCIL ARE
DELIVERING THESE BASIC
HEALTHCARE SERVICES. I HAVE A
COUPLE OF QUESTIONS BUT CHECKIN
WITH MY COLLEAGUES.
>> GO AHEAD.
>> YOU MENTIONED THE MAP THAT
SHOWS THE RATING OF THE
ADVANCEMENT OF OUR POLICIES AS
COMPARED TO OTHER STATES , COUL
YOU MAYBE -- I UNDERSTAND THE
MAP MAY NOT HAVE BEEN TOTALLY
UPDATED TO REFLECT CURRENT LAW
IN WASHINGTON STATE . BUT ARE
THERE PARTICULAR PROTECTIONS
THAT WE ARE MISSING IN
WASHINGTON STATE THAT YOU WOULD
LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT?
>> ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU FOR
THAT QUESTION. A COUPLE TO
CONSIDER, I KNOW NEAR AND DEAR
TO YOUR HEART, COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD , TO KEEP THE CARE ACT,
WHICH HELPED HOLD HOSPITAL
MURDERS ACCOUNTABLE TO ENSURE
SERVICES FOR SEXUAL
REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH AND GENDER
AFFIRMING CARE, THAT IS ONE
PRIORITY WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE
THE STATE PASS. THAT DID NOT
PASS THIS PAST LEGISLATIVE
SESSION BUT HOPEFULLY WILL GAIN
MOMENTUM IN THE NEXT ROUND . TH
OTHER AREA THAT DID NOT PASS I
THE CONSTITUTION AMENDMENT FOR
REPRODUCTIVE FREEDOM. THAT IS A
ASSURANCE THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO
SEE IN PLACE. LASTLY, A MORE
TYPICAL ONE, KING COUNTY COUNCI
HAS DONE WORK AROUND THIS,
LIMITED SERVICE PREGNANCY
CENTERS, ALSO HOLDING THEM
ACCOUNTABLE TO THEIR PRACTICES.
>> THE CITY HAS DONE SOME WORK
AROUND THAT AS WELL.
RECOGNIZING , IN THE CITY OF
SEATTLE, THERE WERE NOT A LOT O
THOSE FACILITIES, JUST SOME
PRACTICES BROUGHT TO OUR
ATTENTION. AS IT RELATES TO THE
LIMITATIONS ON HOSPITAL
MURDERS OR THE REGULATIONS ON
HOSPITAL MURDERS , DO OTHER
STATES HAVE LEGISLATION LIKE TH
BILL WE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO
PASS IN OLYMPIA FOR THE PAST
FEW SESSIONS ?
>> IT IS NOT CLEAR HOW
SUCCESSFUL OTHER STATES ARE
CALIFORNIA HAS HAD SOME
VERSIONS. NOT SURE IT HAS HELD
UP IN COURT. I AM NOT THE
CONTENT EXPERT TO GIVE YOU
DETAILED INFORMATION BUT CAN
GET BACK TO YOU.
>> APPRECIATE THAT. SPECIFICALL
ABOUT THE FUNDING THAT THE CITY
HAS PROVIDED RECENTLY , THE
OTHER FUNDING YOU RECEIVED FROM
OTHER JURISDICTIONS, WHAT CAN
YOU SAY ABOUT THE ABILITY TO
MEET THE NEEDS THAT -- THE
CAPACITY TO MEET THE NEEDS , AR
WE ABLE TO SERVE EVERYONE IN
NEED OR ARE WE TURNING PEOPLE
AWAY?
>> THAT IS A GREAT QUESTION. MY
UNDERSTANDING , SO FAR, WE HAVE
BEEN ABLE TO MEET THE NEED, BU
THAT DOES NOT MEAN WITHOUT DELA
OF CARE IN SOME CASES I DON'T
FEEL LIKE PEOPLE ARE BEING
TURNED AWAY BUT THIS PERFECT
STORM OF THE FULL SCOPE OF
SEXUAL REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH
SERVICES BEING LIMITED IF A LO
OF OUR CAPACITIES GOING TO
ABORTION PROVISIONS. I WILL
ALSO SAY THAT THE STATE WILL BE
DISSEMINATING THE $21 MILLION
THAT THEY ALLOCATED FOR
ABORTION ACCESS ACROSS THE STAT
IN THE NEXT BIENNIUM THAT WILL
HELP RAMP UP OUR ABORTION
PROVIDERS TO BE ABLE TO MEET
THE DEMAND BETTER.
>> AS YOU MENTIONED BEFORE,
DELAYS ARE RESULTING IN LESS
SAFE MEDICAL PROCEDURES AND MOR
EXPENSIVE ONES.
>> I HAVE A FOLLOW-UP QUESTION
TO THAT .
>> YES, COUNCILMEMBER NELSON?
>> THERE IS A CARRYOVER FROM
THIS YEAR TO NEXT YEAR,
$100,000, IS IT JUST DIFFICULT
TO GET THE MONEY OUT THE DOOR?
WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE
MEETING ALL THE NEEDS . WHY IS
THERE A HOLDOVER?
>> GREAT QUESTION. A
COMBINATION OF THINGS, YES, NO
DIFFICULT GETTING OUT THE DOOR
BUT HOW MUCH DEMAND THEY ARE
EXPERIENCING . THEY ARE
PROJECTING GROWTH. THERE ARE
OTHER ORGANIZATIONS AT TIMES
THAT HAVE SUPPORTED ABORTION
ACCESS. THEY ARE NOT THE ONLY
SOURCE. I THINK THE LARGEST
AREA OF SUPPORT FOR THE
NORTHWEST ABORTION ACCESS FUND
IS A PREDOMINANTLY VOLUNTEER RU
ORGANIZATION. IT NEEDS
ADDITIONAL SUPPORT AND
INFRASTRUCTURE TO MEET THE
DEMAND THEY ARE EXPECTING. THA
10% INDIRECT IS NOT ENOUGH TO
FULLY KEEP THEM AT FULL
CAPACITY TO MEET THE GROWING
DEMAND . THAT IS WHAT THE
CARRYOVER IS REFERRING TO, A
NEED FOR FURTHER HIRING , SOME
ACTUAL FULL-TIME STAFF FOR THE
ORGANIZATION TO SUPPORT THEM
BETTER.
>> I APPRECIATE THE HIGHLIGHTIN
OF THE SITUATION WITH THE FACT
THAT THIS IS A LARGELY
VOLUNTEER STAFF ORGANIZATION ,
HISTORICALLY . THAT IS AN
IMPORTANT THING TO RECOGNIZE.
GIVEN THAT THERE IS FUNDING
THAT IS ALLOWED FOR NEEDS
OTHER THAN DIRECT SERVICES,
HAVE SOME OF THAT MONEY AND ABL
TO BE USED TO DO CAPACITY
BUILDING WITHIN THE ORGANIZATIO
?
>> YES, THE 10% HELPS THAT, AND
WITH THE NEWER SET OF FUNDS FOR
2023, AMENDING THE CONTRACT TO
PAY FOR MORE DIRECT SERVICE
PROVISION ON THE STAFFING OR
CAPACITY BUILDING SIDE , WHICH
MAY RESULT IN NOT HAVING THAT
CARRYOVER AND BETTER SUPPORT
THE ORGANIZATION. THAT IS IN
PROGRESS.
>> GIVEN THE DEMOGRAPHIC
INFORMATION ABOUT THOSE SERVED
IS HIGHLY CONFIDENTIAL, CAN YO
GIVE US A SENSE OF, FROM HOW
FAR AWAY , MAYBE SOME OF THE
PEOPLE TRAVELING TO GET OUR
SERVICES HERE ARE HAVING TO
TRAVEL ?
>> DEFINITELY. IT IS SURPRISIN
FLORIDA , FOR EXAMPLE , JUST T
GIVE A CLEAR DISTANCE EXAMPLE .
PRIMARILY WE ARE TALKING ABOUT
IDAHO, TEXAS , SOME NEIGHBORING
STATES WE HAVE THE MOST
RESTRICTIVE. WE HAVE SEEN PEOPL
COMING FROM TENNESSEE , FLORIDA
, PRETTY FAR DISTANCES . I WANT
TO SAY THAT THE PEOPLE ACCESSIN
THESE SERVICES ARE TRULY
UNINSURED , DO NOT HAVE OTHER
MEANS WITH WHICH TO ACCESS
THESE SERVICES OR TRAVEL . I
THINK THE NORTHWEST ABORTION
ACCESS FUNDS REALLY SERVE THE
MOST MARGINALIZED PEOPLE WHO
ARE RESTRICTED FOR ACCESS.
>> THAT IS JUST INCREDIBLE.
OTHER QUESTIONS ? ANY ONLINE ?
I AM NOT SEEING ANY VIRTUAL
RAISED HANDS. A CLOSING
QUESTION, GENERALLY, IS THERE
ANYTHING YOU HAVE LEARNED FROM
THIS INITIAL INVESTMENT FROM TH
CITY YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE
WITH US FOR OUR CONSIDERATION
INTO FUTURE FUNDING
CONVERSATIONS?
>> YES I'M A THANK YOU, I WANT
TO GIVE MY GRATITUDE AND
APPRECIATION FOR YOUR
COMMITMENT TO ABORTION ACCESS.
LESSONS LEARNED , THE NORTHWEST
ABORTION ACCESS FUND IS A GREA
ORGANIZATION FOR INDIVIDUAL
SUPPORT. I THINK OUR ABORTION
PROVIDERS , THANKFULLY, ARE
GETTING FUNDING FROM THE STATE
I THINK THERE IS ROOM FOR
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT , MORE
COMMUNITY-BASED STRATEGIES
ACROSS THE STATE AS WELL . IF
YOU THINK ABOUT OUR OWN
RESIDENCE MAYBE HAVING DELAYS O
CARE AND/OR CONFUSION OR
MISINFORMATION , THERE NEEDS TO
BE MORE ABOUT HOW TO GET THE
WORD OUT AND NAVIGATE THEM TO
SERVICES AND UNDERSTAND THE
VARIOUS IN THE FUTURE.
>> THANK YOU . I APPRECIATE YOU
TAKING THE TIME TO GIVE US AN
UPDATE ON THIS BIG PRIORITY FO
THIS COUNCIL , AS WELL AS MAYOR
HARRELL. WE KNOW THAT ABORTIO
IS HEALTHCARE.
>> THAT IS RIGHT. THANK YOU.
>> ALL RIGHT . MOVING ON TO ITE
2 ON THE AGENDA, WILL THE CLER
PLEASE READ AND AGENDA ITEM
NUMBER 2?
>> AGENDA ITEM 2, CITY AUDITOR
REPORT, THE CITY CAN DO MORE T
TACKLE ORGANIZED RETAIL CRIME I
SEATTLE .
>> THANK YOU, MR. CLERK . AS
PEOPLE JOIN US AT THE TABLE, A
FEW INTRODUCTORY REMARKS FROM
MYSELF AND COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS.
LAST YEAR , WE REQUESTED THAT
THE CITY AUDITOR CONDUCT AN
AUDIT REGARDING RETAIL THEFT IN
SEATTLE. ALL ELECTED OFFICIALS
WERE BEING CONTACTED BY
BUSINESSES ACROSS THE CITY ABOU
RETAIL THEFT AS IT CONTINUES TO
BE A SERIOUS PROBLEM, ADVERSELY
AFFECTING RETAILERS THROUGHOU
THE CITY. ALL FIVE POLICE
PRECINCTS ARE INCLUDED IN THE
CHART THAT YOU WILL SEE IN THE
REPORT SHOWING THE 10 MOST
EFFECTIVE RETAIL LOCATIONS FOR
SPD SERVICE CALLS . ORGANIZED
RETAIL CRIME IMPACTED SEATTLE
THE EIGHTH MOST OF ANY CITY IN
THE NATION IN 2021 ACCORDING T
THE NATIONAL RETAIL FEDERATION.
THE WASHINGTON RETAIL
ASSOCIATION FOUND THAT, WITHIN
THE PAST ONE YEAR , MORE THAN
HALF OF WASHINGTON STATE
RETAILERS HAVE REPORTED AN
INCREASE IN THEFT RESULTING IN
$2.7 BILLION OF LOSSES IN THE
STATE. IN 2022 , THERE WERE
13,000 CALLS TO SPD FROM THE
TOP 100 RETAIL LOCATIONS IN THE
CITY, THE LARGE MAJORITY , WHIC
WERE RELATED TO RETAIL THEFT.
RESPONDING TO THOSE CALLS COST
POLICE OFFICERS ALMOST 19,000
HOURS OF TIME . EQUIVALENT TO
THE ANNUAL WORK PERFORMED OF
NINE FULL-TIME POLICE OFFICERS
THE REPORT HAS A LOT TO SAY ON
WHAT WE CAN DO DIFFERENTLY. I
WILL TURN IT OVER TO
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS IF HE WOUL
LIKE TO MAKE ADDITIONAL
INTRODUCTORY REMARKS , AND THEN
WE WILL HEAD OVER TO THE PANEL.
>> THANK YOU CHAIR HERBOLD AND
FOR YOUR COLLABORATION ON THIS
ISSUE WHICH HAS BEEN A BIG ISSU
AS WE WORK TOWARDS THE POST
COVID RECOVERY OF DOWNTOWN
WHICH IN THE PAST DECADE HAS
BEEN A SIGNIFICANT ISSUE WHEN
I'M SPEAKING WITH RETAILERS IN
MY DISTRICT , OF THE RISING
SOPHISTICATION , ORGANIZATION,
AND THE THREAT THAT IS POSED BY
ORGANIZED RETAIL THEFT IN OUR
COMMERCIAL CORE. NOT JUST IN
OUR METROPOLITAN AREA BUT ACROS
THE COUNTRY. THE ONLY THING I
WILL PREFACE MY REMARKS WITH, I
APPRECIATE THE THOROUGHNESS AN
PROFESSIONALISM OF THE OFFICE O
THE AUDITOR. I WILL USE THIS
OPPORTUNITY TO FLAG AGAIN, AS
THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH OF
GOVERNMENT , ONE OF OUR BEST
PARTNERS IN PUTTING FOCUS AND
ATTENTION ON ISSUES OF EXTREME
PUBLIC IMPORTANCE TO GET
THROUGH OUR RECOMMENDATIONS OF
PROPOSED ACTION IS TO PARTNER
WITH OUR AUDITORS OFFICE AND I
WILL CONTINUE TO FIGHT ON THIS
COUNCIL TO ADEQUATELY RESOURCE
OUR AUDITOR TO PROVIDE THOSE
SERVICES ON A MORE REGULAR BASI
. WHAT WE SEE IN FRONT OF US AN
WHAT WILL BE EVIDENT AS WE GO T
THE PRESENTATION, BY COMING
TOGETHER AND DOING THIS
DELIBERATIVE WORK, WE HAVE PUT
FORWARD SEVERAL VERY IMPACTFUL
RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WILL MAKE
PROGRESS ON THIS , NOT JUST AS
CITY BUT WITH INTERGOVERNMENTAL
COOPERATION WITH THE KING
COUNTY PROSECUTORS AND OTHER
LOCAL AGENCIES. I THINK IT
SHOWS -- THERE WERE SOME
CORNERS OF THE MEDIA , WHEN WE
INITIALLY REQUESTED THIS, THAT
INTERPRETED OUR REQUEST FOR AN
AUDIT AS MAY BE THAT THE COUNCI
WAS NOT AWARE OF ORGANIZED
RETAIL THEFT BEING A PROBLEM.
THAT REPRESENTS A FUNDAMENTAL
MISUNDERSTANDING OF WHAT
AUDITING AND PERFORMANCE
AUDITING IS. RATHER , IT IS A
WAY FOR US TO DO A DEEP DIVE
INTO MULTIFACETED AND COMPLEX
PUBLIC POLICY CHALLENGES TO
BRING TO THE FLOOR WAYS THAT W
CAN GRAPPLE WITH IT. WHAT WE
HAVE LEARNED OVER THE PAST
DECADE IS ORGANIZED RETAIL THEF
IS NOT A SIMPLE CHALLENGE TO
MEET AND DEFEAT . IT REQUIRES
THE COLLABORATION OF MULTIPLE
LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT, IT
REQUIRES THE ENGAGEMENT OF TH
CITY COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR, BUT
ALSO FEDERAL PARTNERSHIPS AND
THAT IS WHAT REALLY COMES OUT I
THIS AUDIT AND HELPS GIVE US
THE GAME PLAN TO COME TO TERMS
AND TO COME TO GRIPS WITH THIS
PROBLEM THAT IS FACING OUR
DOWNTOWN AND FACING MERCHANTS
ALL OVER THE CITY OF SEATTLE AN
IN OUR REGION . AND I LOOK
FORWARD TO THIS REPORT BACK AND
THE DISCUSSION THIS MORNING TO
START OUR NEXT STEPS TO MAKE
PROGRESS ON OUR SHARED GOAL OF
GETTING RID OF THIS SCOURGE OF
ORGANIZED RETAIL THEFT IN THE
CITY OF SEATTLE AND BEYOND.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> THANK YOU . I APPRECIATE
THOSE OPENING REMARKS AND YOUR
INITIATIVE IN THIS AREA. BEFOR
YOUR PRESENTATION, DO YOU MIND
DOING A QUICK ROUND OF
INTRODUCTIONS AND I THINK WE
WILL RETURN AFTER THOSE
INTRODUCTIONS TO THE CITY
AUDITOR, DAVID JONES , TO KICK
US OFF .
>> MY NAME IS DAVID JONES,
SEATTLE CITY AUDITOR.
>> CLAUDIA GROSS SHADER,
RESEARCH AND EVALUATION DIRECTO
OF THE OFFICE OF CITY AUDITOR.
>> MARK JOHNSON, SENIOR VICE
PRESIDENT OF POLICY AND
GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS FOR THE
WASHINGTON RETAIL ASSOCIATION.
>> HEATHER MARX , EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR OF STRATEGIC
INITIATIVES AT THE SEATTLE
POLICE DEPARTMENT.
>> PATRICK HINDS, CHIEF DEPUTY
WITH THE KING COUNTY PROSECUTIN
ATTORNEY'S OFFICE , DIVISION OF
ECONOMIC CRIMES AND WAGE THEFT.
>> TIENNY MILNOR, ECONOMIC
CRIMES SECTION CHIEF FROM THE
ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE IN
WASHINGTON STATE.
>> I WOULD LIKE TO START OUT B
THANKING COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS
AND CHAIR HERBOLD FOR
REQUESTING OUR OFFICE TO DO THI
AUDIT ON ORGANIZED RETAIL CRIM
. WITHOUT YOUR REQUEST, WHO
KNOWS IF WE WOULD HAVE DONE IT
AND IT IS IMPORTANT ISSUE. TWO
OF YOU MADE IT HIGH PRIORITY FO
OUR OFFICE, SO THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. MEMBERS OF THE VIEWING
AUDIENCE , IF YOU WANT TO SEE
THE REPORT, YOU CAN GO TO OUR
WEBSITE, SEATTLE.GOV/CITYAUDIT
R/REPORTS/2023. I WILL TURN IT
OVER TO DR. CLAUDIA GROSS SHADE
WHO WILL TAKE YOU THROUGH THE
REPORT SHE WAS IN CHARGE AT HE
PHD IS IN CRIMINOLOGY , WHICH
WAS EXTREMELY HELPFULIN HER
WORK ON THIS AUDIT. CLAUDIA?
>> THANK YOU, DAVID. THANK YOU
FOR HAVING US HERE TO DISCUSS
OUR AUDIT OF ORGANIZED RETAIL
CRIME. WE MAY REFER TO IT AS
ORC THROUGHOUT THE
PRESENTATION, WHAT IS ORGANIZED
RETAIL CRIME? THERE IS NOT A
UNIVERSAL DEFINITION OF THIS
BUT IT GENERALLY INVOLVES AN
ORGANIZED EFFORT TO STEAL
MERCHANDISE AND CONVERT THE
MERCHANDISE TO FINANCIAL GAIN.
IN ORC OPERATIONS, THERE ARE
GENERALLY BOOSTERS WHO STEAL
GOODS ON BEHALF OF FENCES WHO
THEN SELL THE MERCHANDISE FOR
PROFIT. ORC DOES NOT INCLUDE
PETTY THEFT OR POVERTY DRIVEN
CRIME. THERE IS EVIDENCE THAT
ORC HAS INCREASED IN RECENT
YEARS BECAUSE ONLINE
MARKETPLACES CAN BE USED TO
RESALE STOLEN GOODS. ORC
OPERATIONS CAN BE LARGE OR SMAL
. FOR EXAMPLE, A SINGLE
INDIVIDUAL MAY ACT AS BOTH A
BOOSTER AND DEFENSE AND STEAL
POWER TOOLS, FOR EXAMPLE , AND
RESELL THEM ONLINE. OTHER ORC
OPERATIONS CAN INVOLVE MILLION
OF DOLLARS OF STOLEN MERCHANDIS
AND CAN BE LINKED WITH OTHER
SERIOUS CRIMES . INCLUDING
NARCOTICS TRAFFICKING, HUMAN
TRAFFICKING , MONEY LAUNDERING
AND EVEN TERRORISM. OUR AUDIT
DOES NOT ADDRESS ALL ASPECTS OF
ORC . BUT WE FOCUSED OUR
ANALYSIS RATHER ON FENCING
OPERATIONS THAT UNDERLIE
ORGANIZED RETAIL CRIME. FENCING
IS THE PRACTICE OF RESELLING TH
STOLEN GOODS THROUGH ONLINE
MARKETPLACES, UNREGULATED
MARKETS SUCH AS ILLEGAL STREET
MARKETS, STOREFRONTS THAT
PURCHASE STOLEN GOODS AND SHIP
GOODS FOR SALE OUTSIDE OF UNITE
STATES. ORC IS A CONCERN FOR
ALL RETAILERS IN SEATTLE . NO
MATTER WHAT SIZE. WE ARE HAPPY
THE WASHINGTON RETAIL
ASSOCIATION IS HERE TODAY AND
THEY ARE ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT
WORKING WITH THE CITY IN THE
STEPS OUTLINED IN OUR REPORT .
THE SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT I
ALSO REPRESENTED HERE AND ALSO
LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH
OTHER CITY AGENCIES AND OTHER
STAKEHOLDERS TO IMPLEMENT THES
RECOMMENDATIONS. ORC IS
AFFECTING SEATTLE POLICE
DEPARTMENT RESOURCES . AS
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD MENTIONE
IN HER OPENING REMARK, WE FOUN
THAT, IN 2022, SEATTLE POLICE
RESPONDED TO OVER 13,000 CALLS
FOR SERVICES FROM 100 SEATTLE
RETAILERS . RESPONDING TO THOSE
CALLS FOR SERVICE COST POLICE
OFFICERS OVER 18,000 HOURS OF
TIME , THE EQUIVALENT TO THE
ANNUAL WORK OF NINE POLICE
OFFICERS. IT IS VITALLY
IMPORTANT FOR RETAILERS TO
REPORT THESE CRIMES TO THE
POLICE . THIS HELPS THE POLICE
UNDERSTAND THE MAGNITUDE OF THE
PROBLEM AND HELPS THE POLICE
PRIORITIZE HOW TO DIRECT THEIR
LIMITED RESOURCES, AND IT HELP
THE POLICE BILL CASES THAT CAN
BE PROSECUTED. HOWEVER , THE
STEPS WE OUTLINED IN THE REPORT
RECOGNIZED THAT THE SEATTLE
POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS LIMITED
RESOURCES. ALSO, SOMETIMES , TH
MOST EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES TO
ADDRESSING ORGANIZED RETAIL
CRIME DO NOT FALL TO THE POLIC
ALONE. THEREFORE , OUR SEVEN
STEPS FOR IMPROVING THE CITY'S
APPROACH TO ORC INCLUDE
LEVERAGING THE POWER OF
COLLABORATION , AS COUNCILMEMBE
LEWIS MENTIONED, USING
TECHNOLOGY AND MAKING CHANGES
TO THE PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT.
STEP 1, WE FOUND THAT CITY
STAFF CURRENTLY DO PARTICIPATE
IN COLLABORATIONS WITH OTHER
AGENCIES THAT CAN ADDRESS ORC.
THESE COLLABORATIONS INCLUDE
THE ORC TASK FORCE IN THE
WASHINGTON STATE ATTORNEY
GENERAL'S OFFICE, AND THE
WASHINGTON ORGANIZED RETAIL
CRIME ASSOCIATION. ALSO , JUST
A SHOT AT TO THE KING COUNTY
PROSECUTING ATTORNEY , THEY WER
JUST SELECTED TO PARTICIPATE IN
A NATIONAL INITIATIVE TO
ADDRESS CRIME AROUND RETAIL
ESTABLISHMENTS. AND THIS WILL
BE ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR THE
CITY TO COLLABORATE. WE
RECOMMEND THE CITY TO GET THE
MOST OUT OF THESE COLLABORATION
BY IMPROVING OUR OWN INTERNAL
COORDINATION AROUND ORGANIZED
RETAIL CRIME. THIS COULD
INCLUDE CREATING A LIST OF ORC
CASES THAT THE CITY WANTS TO
PRIORITIZE . ALSO, MAKING A
COORDINATED REQUEST FOR
ASSISTANCE TO THESE OTHER GROUP
BASED ON CITY PRIORITY. STEP 2
, OUR SECOND STEP BUILDS ON
THIS, CRIME ANALYSIS CAN
SUPPORT ORC INVESTIGATIONS .
THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND
SECURITY HAS MADE ORC A
PRIORITY . RECENTLY, IN OCTOBE
OF 2022 , THEY CREATED AN
INITIATIVE CALLED OPERATION
BOILING POINT. THIS OPERATION
IS DESIGNED TO PURSUE ORC
INVESTIGATIONS . THIS ALSO
INCLUDES AN ANALYTICS GROUP
THAT CAN SUPPORT LOCAL
GOVERNMENTS, INCLUDING SEATTLE.
THIS COULD BE ESPECIALLY USEFU
FOR HELP WITH INVESTIGATING
SEATTLE FENCING OPERATIONS WIT
NO INTERNATIONAL TIES. FOR
EXAMPLE , ONE OF THE THINGS WE
LEARNED IS THAT A BOTTLE OF
PERFUME MAY BE STOLEN IN NORTH
SEATTLE, AND WITHIN 24 HOURS ,
IT IS ON A SHIPPING CONTAINER
DESTINED FOR SALE OVERSEAS.
STEP 3 , WE LEARNED FROM LAW
ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS FROM OTHER
JURISDICTIONS THAT BOOSTERS
CAN BE AN IMPORTANT SOURCE OF
INFORMATION ON FENCING
OPERATIONS. HOWEVER , THE
SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT DOES
NOT ROUTINELY GATHER INFORMATIO
ON FENCING OPERATIONS FROM THE
BOOSTERS. WE RECOMMEND THAT
THIS WORK BE PRIORITIZED AND
ANOTHER AREA WHERE HOMELAND
SECURITY HAS RESOURCES TO HELP
WITH INTERVIEWS IF NEEDED. STE
4 , WE ALSO RECOMMEND THAT THE
CITY LOOK AT NEW WAYS THAT
TECHNOLOGY CAN BE USED TO
IMPROVE ORC , BOTH IN THE
REPORTING AND IN THE
INVESTIGATIONS. ONE EXAMPLE
FROM OUR WORK , FROM OUR AUDIT,
IS RAPID VIDEO RESPONSE, WHICH
INSTEAD OF SENDING A POLICE
OFFICER TO A CALL FOR SERVICE I
A PATROL CAR, THE CALLER HAS TH
OPTION OF DOING A VIDEO CALL
WITH A SPECIALLY TRAINED
OFFICER. RAPID VIDEO RESPONSE
IN ENGLAND HAS BEEN SHOWN TO
HAVE A RESPONSE TIME THAT IS
656 TIMES FASTER THAN THE
TYPICAL PATROL RESPONSE. IT
PROVIDES GREATER VICTIM
SATISFACTION. WE RECOMMEND
THAT SYSTEMS LIKE RAPID VIDEO
RESPONSE BE CONSIDERED AS THE
CITY REPLACES ITS OUTDATED
RETAIL THEFT REPORTING SYSTEM.
THESE SYSTEMS COULD BE MORE
EFFICIENT AND MORE EFFECTIVE I
RESPONDING TO ORC. STEP 5,
SOME FENCES SELL GOODS OUT OF
PHYSICAL LOCATIONS , LIKE
STOREFRONTS OR AT ILLEGAL
STREET MARKETS. TO ADDRESS
THOSE VENTING OPERATIONS, A
REPORT RECOMMENDS THE CITY
CONSIDER WORKING WITH THE
SURROUNDING COMMUNITY ON PLACE
BASED STRATEGIES. THIS INCLUDE
CHANGES TO THE PHYSICAL
ENVIRONMENT LIKE LIGHTING AND
STOREFRONT IMPROVEMENTS. OUR
AUDIT INCLUDES A LINK TO AN
EXCELLENT REPORT THAT WAS
DEVELOPED BY SEATTLE POLICE
DEPARTMENT'S OWN , THE CRIME
PREVENTION COORDINATOR FOR THE
WEST PRECINCT , AND THIS REPORT
DETAILS 68 PLACE BASED
IMPROVEMENTS FOR 12th AND
JACKSON , THAT COULD REDUCE
CRIME ON INCLUDING THE ILLEGAL
STREET MARKETS THAT OPERATE AT
THAT LOCATION. STEP 6, THE
KING COUNTY PROSECUTING
ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IS HERE, AND
DURING OUR AUDIT, A COLLEAGUE
OF PATRICK HINDS DEVELOPED A
CHECKLIST OF INFORMATION NEEDE
TO PROSECUTE ORC CASES
SUCCESSFULLY . THE KING COUNTY
PROSECUTING ATTORNEY IS WILLING
TO TRAIN SPV AND CITY STAFF IN
THE USE OF THE CHECKLIST AND WE
RECOMMEND THE CITY TO KING
COUNTY UP ON OFFER. STEP 7 ,
WE ALSO RECOMMEND THAT THE CIT
LEND ITS SUPPORT FOR LEGISLATIO
THAT CAN BETTER ADDRESS ORC.
THIS INCLUDES A PROPOSED
WASHINGTON STATE SENATE BILL
PICTURED ON THE LEFT , THE
PROPOSED LEGISLATION , AMONG
OTHER THINGS, WOULD PROVIDE TAX
BREAKS FOR RETAILERS TO PAY FO
PHYSICAL IMPROVEMENTS FOR
SECURITY. FINALLY , WE WOULD
LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE GREAT
COLLABORATION THAT WE HAVE HAD
ON THIS REPORT AND IN DEVELOPIN
THESE RECOMMENDATIONS. FIRST
OF ALL , RESEARCHERS FROM THE
CENTER FOR EVIDENCE-BASED CRIME
POLICY , AND ALSO FROM THE LOSS
PREVENTION RESEARCH COUNCIL
PROVIDED INPUT ON OUR REPORT.
ALL OF THE AGENCIES WHO ARE HER
TODAY ALSO REVIEWED THE REPORT
COME IN ADDITION, THE REPORT
WAS REVIEWED BY HOMELAND
SECURITY INVESTIGATIONS AND TH
MAYOR'S OFFICE WHO PROVIDED
HELPFUL FEEDBACK AND WE ARE
GRATEFUL FOR THE COLLABORATION.
HOPEFULLY, THIS WILL BE A
STARTING POINT FOR THE CITY SO
WE CAN, TOGETHER, WORK TOWARDS
POSITIVE CHANGE IN RELATION T
ORC . I WILL HANDED OVER TO
MARK JOHNSON FROM THE WASHINGTO
RETAIL ASSOCIATION
>> THANK YOU, CLAUDIA. I
REPRESENT THE WASHINGTON RETAI
ASSOCIATION, MARK JOHNSON . WE
HAVE MEMBERS LARGE AND SMALL
THROUGHOUT THE STATE, MANY WITH
OPERATIONS IN SEATTLE AND KING
COUNTY. I AM HERE TODAY IN
ENTHUSIASTIC SUPPORT FOR THE
ORGANIZED RETAIL CRIME REPORT
AND RECOMMENDATION SUBMITTED BY
THE SEATTLE OFFICE AND THE CITY
AUDITOR, ESPECIALLY DR. CLAUDI
GROSS SHADER , AUDITOR IN CHARG
. I WOULD LIKE TO COMMEND
COUNCILMEMBERS LEWIS AND
YOURSELF , MADAM CHAIR , FOR
ASKING FOR THE AUDIT IN THE
FIRST PLACE. WE THINK IT WAS A
WONDERFUL IDEA . THE RETAIL
ASSOCIATION'S NUMBER ONE ISSUE
FOR THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS HAS
BEEN PUBLIC SAFETY, RETAIL THEF
AND ORGANIZED RETAIL CRIME . TH
SAFETY OF OUR EMPLOYEES AND OUR
CUSTOMERS IS PARAMOUNT TO
RETAILERS . OUR TEAM MEMBERS AN
SHOPPERS HAVE TO FEEL SAFE WHEN
THEY COME TO OUR ESTABLISHMENTS
MANY OF THESE CRIMES ARE
BECOMING MORE AND MORE
AGGRESSIVE AND VIOLENT. SECONDL
, THE FINANCIAL IMPACT OF THESE
CRIMES IS STAGGERING THE
NATIONAL RETAIL INDUSTRY LEADER
ASSOCIATION ESTIMATE THAT OVER
$100 MILLION IS STOLEN EACH
YEAR FROM RETAILERS ACROSS THE
NATION. THAT EQUATES TO ABOUT
$2.7 BILLION IN WASHINGTON STAT
, WHICH MEANS ABOUT $300 MILLIO
IS LOST IN SALES TAX EACH YEAR
FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS
AS WAS MENTIONED , NO ONE
STRATEGY WILL SOLVE THIS PROBLE
THAT HAS PLAGUED OUR COMMUNITY,
STATE, AND NATION , BUT IT WILL
TAKE A MULTIPRONGED APPROACH TO
THOROUGHLY AND PERMANENTLY
CHANGE THE DIRECTION OF THIS
CHALLENGE. THIS REPORT EMBRACES
THE CONCEPT AND PROVIDES REAL
SOLUTIONS . THE SEVEN STEPS AN
10 SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS ARE
WELL THOUGHT OUT. WE THINK THE
WILL YIELD SIGNIFICANT RETURN O
INVESTMENT. IN PARTICULAR , AS
WAS MENTIONED, EXPLORING NEW
TECHNOLOGY SUCH AS RAPID VIDEO
RESPONSE , WILL ALLOW RETAILERS
TO BETTER REPORT INCIDENTS , SA
POLICE RESOURCES AND TIME , AN
PROVIDE VALUABLE DATA FOR
INVESTIGATIONS AND HELP
DECISION-MAKERS TARGET
STRATEGIES. IT IS CRITICAL TO
REMEMBER THAT , IN ORDER TO
BRING THE CYCLE TO CONTROL,
HELPING PEOPLE SUFFERING FROM
SUBSTANCE ABUSE, MENTAL ILLNESS
, HOUSING AND SECURITY, OR A
COMBINATION OF THEM , WE HAVE T
PROVIDE THEM WITH TREATMENT THE
NEED AND DESERVE AS AN
ALTERNATIVE TO PUTTING THEM IN
JAIL OR TAKING THEM TO A
HOSPITAL WHERE THEY ARE NOT
EQUIPPED TO HELP THEM. WE ARE
VERY EXCITED AND OPTIMISTIC
THAT THE RECENT ANNOUNCEMENT BY
OUR RETAIL LEADERS , THAT
SEATTLE AND KING COUNTY WILL
SERVE AS A PILOT PROGRAM FOR
VIBRANT COMMUNITIES, WHICH HAS
A PURPOSE TO ADDRESS SAFETY
CONCERNS OF EMPLOYEES AND
CONSUMERS BY STARTING A
COORDINATED EFFORT TO ADDRESS
THESE ISSUES AND PROVIDE REAL
LASTING SOLUTIONS THAT CAN BE
REPLICATED ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
SEATTLE WILL BE SERVING AS A
MODEL FOR THE REST OF THE
NATION. I AM VERY EXCITED ABOUT
THIS REPORT AND APPRECIATE ALL
THE HARD WORK BY THE COUNCIL,
THE AUDITOR , AND OUR PARTNERS.
IT GIVES ME GREAT PLEASURE TO
TURN IT OVER TO OUR NEXT
PRESENTER, HEATHER MARX, WITH
THE SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT .
HEATHER?
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, MARK . IT
IS A PLEASURE TO BE HERE, SHARE
HERBOLD AND MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE , THANK YOU FOR
INCLUDING US IN THIS
PRESENTATION. TO START OFF , I
WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THE
MAYOR AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT
STAFF ASSISTED DAUGHTER WITH
THIS PROJECT AND THE MAYOR
SUPPORTS THE IMPLEMENTATION OF
ALL 10 OF THE REPORTS
RECOMMENDATIONS. THE MAYOR
RECOGNIZES THAT ORGANIZED RETAI
CRIME IS A SIGNIFICANT ISSUE IN
OUR CITY AND THE OFFICE SHOULD
IMPLEMENT THIS. I SHOULD SAY
THAT THE SEATTLE POST PERMIT
WORKS ROUTINELY WITH RETAILERS
AND OTHER AGENCIES , FROM THE
FEDERAL ALL THE WAY DOWN TO OUR
LOCAL PARTNERS, TO ADDRESS
ORGANIZED RETAIL CRIME . IN
ADDITION , WE SPENT A GREAT DEA
OF TIME WITH PLACE BASED
STRATEGIES, PARTICULARLY 12th
AND JACKSON IS A LOCATION THAT
MAYBE EVERYONE IS FAMILIAR WITH
WE ABSOLUTELY LOOK FORWARD TO
PARTNERING WITH OUR SISTER CITY
AGENCIES TO IMPLEMENT SOME OF
THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT
WERE IDENTIFIED IN THE REPORT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH . IT GIVES ME
GREAT PLEASURE TO HANDED OVER T
PATRICK HINDS FROM KING COUNTY
PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE .
>> GOOD MORNING , THANK YOU FO
THIS OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE
TODAY MY NAME IS PATRICK HINDS
SENIOR DEPUTY PROSECUTING
ATTORNEY WITH THE KING COUNTY
PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE . I SERVE A
THE CHIEF DEPUTY OF OUR NEWLY
FORMED ECONOMIC CRIMES IN WHICH
THE DIVISION. PRIOR TO THAT, I
WAS THE NATURE OF OUR ECONOMIC
CRIMES UNIT WITHIN THE CRIMINAL
DIVISION. THE PROSECUTING
ATTORNEY RECOGNIZES THE HARMFU
IMPACT OF ORGANIZED RETAIL
CRIME, IT NEGATIVELY IMPACTS
LARGE AND SMALL BUSINESSES AND
FORCES SMALL BUSINESSES AND
EVEN SOME NOT SO SMALL
BUSINESSES TO CLOSE BECAUSE
THEY CANNOT AFFORD THE LOSSES
BOTH ECONOMIC , IN TERMS OF
CASH, OR MERCHANDISE , THAT
THESE CRIMES CREATE. IT IS ALS
TRUE THAT, PARTICULARLY REPEATE
CRIMES OF THESE NATURE, INVOLV
SIGNIFICANT VIOLENCE OR
SIGNIFICANT THREAT OF VIOLENCE.
THAT THREAT , THAT SCARE , THAT
INJURY DONE , SERIOUSLY IMPACTS
STORE EMPLOYEES , CUSTOMERS ,
MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY. PUT
SIMPLY, ORGANIZED RETAIL CRIME
IS A PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE AND
ONE THAT WE TAKE VERY SERIOUSLY
FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, WE HAVE
HAD A DEDICATED DEPUTY
PROSECUTING ATTORNEY PART OF
THEIR CASELOAD WAS THE MAIN
POINT OF CONTACT FOR RETAIL
CRIMES CASES. IN JUNE OF 2021 ,
THE POSITION WAS EXPANDED SO
THERE IS NOW A DEPUTY
PROSECUTING ATTORNEY WHOSE
FULL-TIME JOB IT IS TO WORK
EXCLUSIVELY ON THESE CASES. TH
PERSON SERVES PRIMARILY AS THE
POINT , THEY ARE NOT THE ONLY
PERSON DOING THAT WORK, THEY AR
DOING A FULL-TIME. ALSO, EARLIE
THIS YEAR, OUR ELECTED
PROSECUTOR MADE THE DECISION TO
TAKE THE ECONOMIC CRIMES WORK
BEING DONE BY THE CRIMINAL
DIVISION AND CREATE A NEW
DIVISION OF ECONOMIC CRIMES IN
WHICH THE DIVISION, TO HANDLE
THAT WORK. THERE WERE A NUMBER
OF REASONS FOR DOING THAT . ONE
OF THE MOST IMPORTANT WAS TO
PROVIDE A UNIFIED FOCUS AND
APPROACH TO ECONOMIC CRIMES,
INCLUDING RETAIL CRIMES WITHIN
OUR OFFICE. AND TO BRING GREATE
ACCOUNTABILITY TO ORGANIZED
RETAIL THEFT CRIMES . THESE AR
CASES THAT WE TAKE VERY
SERIOUSLY. WE ARE COMMITTED T
DOING OUR PART . PART OF THAT
COMMITMENT IS BEING GOOD
PARTNERS TO OTHER GROUPS THAT
WORK IN THE SPACE . THAT
INCLUDES THE SEATTLE POST PERMI
AND OTHERS INVOLVED IN THE
CITY'S RESPONSE TO ORGANIZED
RETAIL CRIME, INVOLVING OUR LAW
ENFORCEMENT PARTNERS THROUGHOUT
THE COUNTY. WHEN I THINK IS
IMPORTANT TO NOTE ABOUT THIS
REPORT ISSUED BY THE CITY
AUDITOR'S OFFICE, WHAT I SEE AS
THEMES THAT UNDERLIE A NUMBER
OF THE SUGGESTIONS, THAT IS ,
THESE ARE CRIMES THAT REQUIRE
COLLABORATION TO SIGNIFICANTLY
IMPACT . I SEE THAT AS A THROUG
THREAT RUNNING THROUGH A NUMBER
OF RECOMMENDATIONS . THIS WILL
ONLY WORK IF THERE IS
COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE COUNT
AND THE CITY, BETWEEN THE COUNT
AND THE STATE, AND EVERYONE
INVOLVED . WE ARE TRYING TO DO
THAT, PARTICULARLY WITH THE
FORMATION AND FUNDING OF THE
ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE,
ORGANIZED RETAIL CRIME GROUP.
I WILL LEAVE IT TO THE NEXT
SPEAKER TO TALK ABOUT THAT. THA
COLLABORATION PLAYS A HUGE
ROLE. AS PART OF THAT, THE
COUNTY IS EXCITED TO HAVE IN TH
REPORT, OUR WILLINGNESS TO DO
TRAINING AND PUT OUT DOCUMENTS
THAT IS A POINT WHERE
COLLABORATION AND EFFICIENCY
OVERLAP. THE SEATTLE POLICE
DEPARTMENT IS WORKING VERY, VER
HARD ON THESE CASES . THE
COMMITTEE HEARD THE NUMBERS
INVOLVED. WHAT WE NEED TO PUSH
OUT IS TO BE BETTER AT BEING
MORE EFFICIENT . PART OF THAT I
FOR US TO COMMUNICATE. HERE IS
WHAT WE NEED IN ORDER TO
PROSECUTE ONE OF THESE CASES SO
THAT THAT EFFORT , THE
TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF TIME IS NO
WASTED , OR IS NOT SPENT
PURSUING THINGS WE DON'T NEED T
DO. IT IS VERY HELPFUL TO HAVE
ALL OF THAT NOTED IN THIS
REPORT. THE PAO IS LOOKING
FORWARD TO CONDUCTING TRAINING
, PUTTING OUT TRAINING MODULES
BOTH FOR THE SEATTLE POLICE
DEPARTMENT, RETAILERS , OUR
COMMUNITY PARTNERS, AND ANYONE
ELSE INTERESTED IN SEEING THEM.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE
AUDITORS OFFICE FOR DOING THIS
WORK AND BRING IT INTO FURTHER
ATTENTION, AND GIVING US THE
OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE TODAY AN
PROVIDE INPUT. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH I WILL TURN IT OVER TO
TIENNY MILNOR WITH THE ATTORNEY
GENERAL'S OFFICE .
>> I AM TIENNY MILNOR, THE NEW
MAJOR ECONOMICS CRIME SECTION
CHIEF FROM THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE
DIVISION AND THE WASHINGTON
STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL CONVENED
AN ORGANIZED RETAIL THEFT TASK
FORCE LAST YEAR BECAUSE
ORGANIZED RETAIL CRIME IMPACTS
ALL OF WASHINGTON AND THE
ECONOMY. THE TASK FORCE INCLUDE
A GEO REPRESENTATIVES FROM
SEVERAL DIFFERENT DIVISIONS,
INCLUDING THE POLICY AND
CONSUMER PROTECTION DIVISION AN
THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE DIVISION.
THAT TASK FORCE HAS
REPRESENTATIVES FROM STATE,
LOCAL , FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT
, SMALL AND LARGE BUSINESSES,
AND RETAIL WORKERS . THE GOAL O
THE TASK FORCE IS TO IMPROVE
COORDINATION AMONG LAW
ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES TO ADDRES
THESE MULTIJURISDICTIONAL
CRIMES. THEY ENDANGER THE
EMPLOYEES AND CAUSE SIGNIFICAN
ECONOMIC HARM TO OUR STATE. TH
LEGISLATURE ORIGINALLY FUNDED
A GRANT WITHIN THE ATTORNEY
GENERAL'S OFFICE OF WASHINGTON
AND THAT FUNDING IS FOR, IT
STARTS THIS YEAR AND CONTINUES
NATURE, WE ARE ADDING MORE
PEOPLE. IN TOTAL, WE WILL HAVE
TWO PROSECUTORS , FOUR MESSAGES
A DATA ANALYST, AND THREE
PARALEGALS . WE ARE IN THE
PROCESS OF HIRING THE TEAM
LEADER OF THE ORGANIZED RETAIL
CRIMES UNIT AND THEN WE WILL B
HIRING A SECOND PROSECUTOR TO
INVESTIGATE, AND TWO
INVESTIGATORS , AND THE DATA
ANALYSIS . WE WILL ASSIST WITH
INVESTIGATIONS AND COORDINATE
INVESTIGATIONS AMONG MULTIPLE
JURISDICTIONS TO DEPLOY
RESOURCES WHERE THEY ARE NEEDED
MOST AND PROSECUTE CASES THAT
ARE REFERRED TO OUR OFFICE BY
COUNTY PROSECUTORS. WITH INPUT
OF STAKEHOLDERS , THE TASK FORC
AND THE ORGANIZED RETAIL CRIME
UNIT WILL CONTINUE TO BE SHAPE
AND WE ARE HAVING QUARTERLY
MEETINGS, THE NEXT ONE IN
AUGUST, AUGUST 15th. WE CONTINU
TO LOOK FORWARD TO PARTNERING
WITH SEATTLE TO ADDRESS THIS
ISSUE. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. WE APPRECIATE
ALL THE CARE AND THOUGHT YOU
HAVE PUT INTO THE WORK YOU DO
EVERY DAY , AND JOINING US TODA
TO LET US KNOW MORE ABOUT THIS
DO MY COLLEAGUES HAVE QUESTION
? COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS?
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHAIR
HERBOLD . ONE OF THE BIG
RECOMMENDATIONS THAT CAUGHT MY
EYE WHICH CAME OUT OF THE
REPORT WAS THE ANALYSIS OF TH
RAPID VIDEO RESPONSE THAT WAS
INCLUDED . OBVIOUSLY , THE
APPLICATION FOR ORGANIZED
RETAIL THEFT , I AGREE WOULD B
INCREDIBLY EFFECTIVE. TO THOSE
OF YOU WHO MAY NOT BE FAMILIAR,
MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT IT IS
A WAY TO DO AN ALTERNATIVE FORM
OF A POLICE CONSULTATION IN
REPORTING A CRIME WHERE AN
OFFICER APPEARS VIA VIDEO.
DOING A REPORT VIA ZOOM RATHER
THAN IN PERSON, FOR CRITICAL
EVIDENCE TO BE UPLOADED AT THAT
TIME VIA VIDEOS AND PICTURES.
TO BE A PART OF THE REPORT. 656
TIMES FASTER THAN A PATROL
RESPONSE. THIS IS KENT IN THE
U.K. THE APPLICATION OF THAT
POTENTIAL REFORM TO ALL
PROPERTY CRIME SEEMS TO BE
COMPELLING , THE IMPACT SURVEY
THAT IS ATTACHED TO THE AUDITO
REPORT INDICATED SIGNIFICANT
VICTIM SATISFACTION , INDICATED
AN INCREASE IN ARREST RATES FO
PEOPLE COMMITTING PROPERTY
CRIMES. I CALL THAT OUT
BECAUSE IT IS ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT FALL SQUARELY IN THE
CITY'S COMPONENT OF WHAT WILL
BE REQUIRED IN THIS
INTERJURISDICTIONAL
COLLABORATION TO GET A HANDLE O
ORGANIZED RETAIL CRIME. WHEN WE
HAVE EVERYBODY AT THE TABLE AS
PART OF THAT ECOSYSTEM, I GUESS
WE'RE MISSING A FEDERAL PARTNER
TODAY, BUT , BEYOND THAT , WE
HAVE COUNTY, STATE , CITY PEOPL
AT THE TABLE. THIS FALLS ON OUR
END , THE INITIAL INVESTIGATION
OF RETAIL THEFT. I GUESS MY
FIRST QUESTION IS , IF THERE IS
ANYTHING ELSE THE AUDITING TEAM
WANTS TO PROVIDE AROUND RAPID
VIDEO RESPONSE TO EXPLAIN A
LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE
POTENTIAL POLICY AND THE SITE
REPORT IN THE AUDIT TO THE
EXPERIENCE IN KENT IN THE
UNITED KINGDOM WHERE THIS HAS
BEEN AN EFFECTIVE STRATEGY. WE
WOULD LOVE TO HEAR MORE ABOUT
THAT. WE WANT TO HEAR FROM THE
SEATTLE POST FROM ABOUT THEIR
THOUGHTS ON RAPID VIDEO RESPONS
AND HOW THAT MAY BE A COMPONEN
IN OUR WORK TO CONTINUE TO
STRIVE TO INCREASE CUSTOMER
SATISFACTION IN THE CITY AND
INCREASE THE EFFICACY OF OUR
RESPONSE. RESPONSE TO A VARIET
OF CRIMES, INCLUDING ORGANIZED
RETAIL THEFT. WE WOULD LIKE TO
HEAR ABOUT THE AUDITING TEAM AN
SPD WITH THEIR THOUGHTS ON RAPI
VIDEO RESPONSE AS A TOOL WE MAY
USE .
>> AS PART OF THAT RESPONSE, IF
YOU DON'T MIND SPEAKING ABOUT
AN EXPLANATION, FROM A
LAYPERSON'S PERSPECTIVE, IT IS
LIKE FACETIMED ANYWAY , BUT IT
WOULD BE GREAT TO GET MORE
INFORMATION ON WHAT RAPID VIDEO
RESPONSE IS.
>> YES . I WILL START WITH THAT
, COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD . YOU
GOT THE RIGHT . IT IS VERY MUCH
LIKE FACETIMING WITH A POLICE
OFFICER IN A REPORT, WE LINK
TO A RIGOROUS EVALUATION , THE
GOLD STANDARD EVALUATION DONE
BY THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE
IT WAS A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED
TRIAL. THAT CONCLUSIVELY SHOWE
THAT RAPID VIDEO RESPONSE WAS
FASTER AND MORE EFFECTIVE THA
TRADITIONAL PATROL RESPONSE. W
LINK TO AN APPLICATION OF
RAPID VIDEO RESPONSE IN SAN
ANTONIO . IT IS BEING USED FOR
THE FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR MEDICA
CALLS THAT ARE NOT EMERGENCIES
TO GIVE IT MORE TEXTURE , WHAT
HAPPENS IS, A CALLER MAKES A
CALL FOR SERVICE TO THE POLICE
OR FIRE DEPARTMENT. THERE IS A
PROTOCOL THAT DISPATCH FOLLOWS
TO MAKE SURE THE CALLER IS SAFE
AND NOT AN URGENT ISSUES. THE
CALLER IS OFFER THE OPTION OF
PATROL RESPONSE, IN THE CASE OF
KENT, ENGLAND, COULD BE THREE
HOURS OR THREE DAYS LATER , OR
SOMETIMES FALLS THROUGH THE
CRACKS OR, WOULD YOU LIKE THE
RAPID VIDEO RESPONSE? IF THEY
CHOOSE RAPID VIDEO RESPONSE,
THEY ARE PROVIDED WITH A LINK T
, BASICALLY , A VIDEO CALL ,
LIKE A ZOOM CALL OR A FACETIME
CALL. THEY ARE SPEAKING WITH A
OFFICER SPECIALLY TRAINED TO
HANDLE THESE CALLS . THEY WALK
THROUGH ANOTHER SET OF
PROTOCOLS. IN THE CASE OF
RETAIL THEFT, THIS COULD ALSO
INCLUDE UPLOADING PHOTOGRAPHIC
OR CCTV EVIDENCE FROM THE LOSS
PREVENTION STAFF DIRECTLY TO
SPD. THAT GIVES YOU A FLAVOR.
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS, FROM THE
SPIRITS IN KENT, ENGLAND, I MET
WITH THEM AND THEY SAID ONE OF
THE UNANTICIPATED BENEFITS OF
THE RAPID VIDEO RESPONSE WAS
THE OFFICER RETENTION. RAPID
VIDEO RESPONSE IS THE PERFECT
FIT FOR AN OFFICER WHO MAY NOT
LIKE DUTY. IN KENT, ENGLAND, IT
IS A GOOD FIT FOR OFFICERS WH
ARE WORKING PARENTS AND NEED
FLEXIBLE SCHEDULES THAT DOES
NOT INCLUDE PATROL RESPONSE.
THEY HAVE FOUND THAT IT HAD AN
UNANTICIPATED , ADDITIONAL
BENEFIT OF OFFICER RETENTION.
THERE IS THE LINK TO THE
RIGOROUS EVALUATION , AS
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS MENTIONED,
AND IT IS NOT THE ONLY
OPPORTUNITY FOR THE CITY OF
SEATTLE . HEATHER CAN TALK ABOU
THIS . BUT THE SEATTLE POLICE
DEPARTMENT IS CURRENTLY LOOKIN
AT REPLACING ITS ONLINE
REPORTING SYSTEMS, SO THERE MAY
BE A MYRIAD OF OPPORTUNITIES
FOR THE CITY TO INCREASE ITS
EFFECTIVENESS AND EFFICIENCY
RELATED TO RETAIL CRIME
REPORTING.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH . BEFORE W
HEADED OVER TO HEATHER MARX ,
REMINDER FOR COUNCIL MEMBERS
AND THE VIEWING PUBLIC, WE HAVE
THE ASSISTANT CHIEF BRIEF AS I
FEBRUARY ON THE EXISTING
RETAIL THEFT PROGRAM. WE REALL
APPRECIATE THE DEPARTMENT
CONSIDERING LEARNINGS FROM TH
USE OF THE PROGRAM AND HEARING
FEEDBACK FROM MEMBERS OF THE
PUBLIC AND FOLLOWING UP ON SOM
OF WHAT WE HAD A CHANCE TO
LEARN IN FEBRUARY. THANK YOU.
>> ABSOLUTELY . THANK YOU SO
MUCH. WE ARE -- THE SEATTLE
POLICE DEPARTMENT IS WILLING T
TRY ANYTHING THAT WILL MAKE OU
RESPONSE BETTER . WITH ANYTHING
IN PUBLIC POLICY, HEAVEN IS IN
THE DETAILS AND WE LOOK FORWARD
TO DRILLING IN THIS FURTHER
WITH OUR PARTNERS IN THE CITY
AUDITOR'S OFFICE. THERE ARE
ALSO SURVEILLANCE ORDINANCE
APPLICATIONS. WE ARE INTERESTE
IN TAKING IN A LITTLE BIT
FURTHER AND SEEING HOW IT WILL
WORK.
>> THANK YOU. IS PART OF THE
REASON WHY I ASKED FOR THE
LAYPERSON'S EXPLANATION OF WHA
THIS IS. GIVEN THAT IT IS
TECHNOLOGY NOT USED TO SURVEIL
BUT REPORT , HAVE YOU DONE ANY
INITIAL LOOKING INTO WHETHER O
NOT SURVEILLANCE WOULD BE
IMPLICATED IN ANY WAY?
>> WE HAVE NOT DUG INTO THIS
MUCH AT ALL. I JUST KNOW THAT ,
ANYTIME WE HAVE TECHNOLOGY LIKE
THIS, WE HAVE A PROCESS TO GO
THROUGH . I DON'T HAVE KNOWLEDG
ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT IT WILL BE
REQUIRED TO GO TO THE FULL
SURVEILLANCE PROCESS , BUT WE
WOULD NEED TO SUBMIT A PRIVACY
ASSESSMENT. THE DECISION WOULD
BE WITH SEATTLE I.T.
>> I WOULD SAY THAT,
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD , READIN
THE CAMBRIDGE DEEP DIVE, PEOPL
CONSENT TO ACCEPTING THE VIDEO
CALL, IT IS NOT LIKE THEY ARE
SUBJECTED TO THE CALL. I WOULD
THINK IT WOULD GET THROUGH THE
SURVEILLANCE ORDINANCE BUT
SOMETHING WE WOULD WANT TO DO.
>> COUNCILMEMBER NELSON?
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I WILL
RETURN TO THE SURVEILLANCE
ORDINANCE POINT IN A SECOND . I
WANT TO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR
COMPLETING THIS REPORT . I HAVE
BEEN WAITING FOR HIS RELEASE FO
A LONG TIME. LAST DECEMBER, YOU
2022 YEAR END REPORT WAS
RELEASED AND YOU NOTED ON THE
STATUS OF 143 RECOMMENDATIONS
CONTAINED IN 29 REPORTS. THAT,
AS OF DECEMBER 31st, 75% OF TH
RECOMMENDATIONS HAD NOT YET BEE
IMPLEMENTED. 22% OF THE
RECOMMENDATIONS , 31 OUT OF 143
HAD BEEN IMPLEMENTED . I MENTIO
THIS BECAUSE , I IMAGINE THAT
MUST BE FRUSTRATING. MORE TO TH
POINT, I AM PUTTING IN A PLUG
FOR 100% OF THESE
RECOMMENDATIONS TO BE UNLIMITED
I WILL ADVOCATE FOR THAT . I
AGREE WITH THEM. I SUPPORT
THEM. AS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
CHAIR, I HAVE BEEN CONCERNED
ABOUT WHAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING T
SMALL BUSINESSES. I WANT TO
SPEAK TO A COUPLE OF THESE
RECOMMENDATIONS. FIRST , A
COUPLE OF COMMENTS . I
APPRECIATE THE RECOGNITION OF
THE ROLE THAT SUBSTANCE USE
DISORDER PLAYS, ESPECIALLY WHEN
IT COMES TO DRIVING SOME OF
THE BOOSTING ACTIVITY THAT WE
ARE SEEING. I HAVE OFTEN MADE
THE POINT THAT THERE IS AN
INTERSECTION BETWEEN SUBSTANCE
USE DISORDER AND CRIME . I DO
APPRECIATE THE VALIDATION. I
WILL BE CONTINUING TO WORK ON
TREATMENT. ON EACH NINE -- ON
PAGE NINE OF YOUR REPORT, YOU
SAY THAT AUBURN , THE CITY OF
AUBURN, REDUCED ORC BY 30% OF
LINE I WANT TO KNOW WHAT THEY
DID. I THINK WE SHOULD JUST DO
THAT. I SAY THAT WITHOUT KNOWIN
HOW THEY DID THAT. PLEASE ,
REMIND ME TO LEARN. I MUST
NOTE THAT THEY MAY NOT BE AS
UNDERSTAFFED AS WE ARE, THE
POLICE DEPARTMENT . YOU DO NOT
MENTION IN THE REPORT , WHICH
YOU DO IN OTHER REPORTS, THE
STAFFING ISSUES AT SPD. CHAIR
HERBOLD AND I HAVE ENCOURAGED
AND MANY TIMES WANTED TO STEP
UP RECRUITING EFFORTS. I WILL
GET TO MY POINT. YOU MENTIONED
THROUGHOUT THE REPORT SOME OF
THE THINGS THAT WERE SET IN THE
SMALL BUSINESS ROUNDTABLE
DISCUSSION. IN MY COMMITTEE IN
FEBRUARY OF LAST YEAR , AND WE
HAVE ANOTHER ONE, THANK YOU FOR
PAYING ATTENTION, IN THE LAST
SMALL BUSINESS ROUNDTABLE, THEY
REITERATED THE POINT THAT THEY
WOULD LIKE A -- SOMEONE IN THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE TO WORK IN ALL
DEPARTMENTS TO TRIAGE CONFLIC
SITUATIONS INVOLVING CRIME AND
THEY SAID BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
ISSUES. THEY WENT ON TO
EMPHASIZE PRIMARILY THOSE
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ISSUES THAT
ARE DRIVEN BY SUBSTANCE USE
DISORDER. MY POINT IS,
RECOMMENDATION 1 IS IN FACT
CREATING A CENTRAL POINT OF
CONTACT. SO, THE RECOMMENDATIO
IN THE REPORT WAS , SOMETHING
LIKE , LET ME FIND IT, THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE SHOULD HAVE A
DEDICATED PERSON WHO UNDERSTAND
THE COMPLEXITY OF THE ISSUES
CAUSED BY REPEATED CRIMINAL
ACTIVITY OR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
ISSUES AND TEMPLATE KEY ROLE IN
TRIAGING COMPLEX SITUATIONS.
THAT WAS FROM FEBRUARY OF 2022.
OFF-LINE I WOULD LIKE TO TALK
ABOUT HOW YOU SEE THIS CENTRAL
POINT OF CONTACT. IT IS NOT JUS
WORKING ACROSS DEPARTMENTS IN
THE CITY OF SEATTLE, BUT ALSO
WITH THE COUNTY AND PRESUMABLY
WITH THE STATE AS WELL. TO BE
CONTINUED ON THAT. I THINK THAT
IS A PRIORITY. WHICH IS WHAT YO
PUT IN AS NUMBER ONE PROBABLY.
WE WERE TALKING BRIEFLY ABOUT
THE SURVEILLANCE ORDINANCE. I
AM GETTING TO STEP 4, SLIDE 7,
HAVING TO DO WITH TECHNOLOGY .
ADVOCATING FOR THE LIFTING OF
THE SALARY , THE PROVISO ON
SALARY SAVINGS, IT WAS IMPOSED
LAST FALL IN PART TO PROVIDE
RESOURCES TO THE ACQUISITION OF
TECHNOLOGY IN THE MIDYEAR
SUPPLEMENTAL THERE WILL BE AN
ALLOWANCE FOR USE OF THE SALARY
SAVINGS FOR BETTER REPORTING.
WHEN IT COMES TO OTHER
TECHNOLOGIES , I WANT TO SAY
THEY CAN SPEND THE RESOURCES ON
WHATEVER THEY NEED TO HELP WITH
THE CRIME SITUATION. WHEN IT
COMES TO THE SURVEILLANCE
ORDINANCE , TO WHAT EXTENT --
OR , ARE THERE OTHER CITIES YOU
ENCOUNTERED THAT HAVE
RESTRICTIONS THAT PREVENT THE
USE OF TECHNOLOGIES IN OTHER
JURISDICTIONS THAT COULD REALL
HELP IN THE ABSENCE OF A FULLY
STAFFED POLICE DEPARTMENT? I
GUESS , MORE DIRECTLY, WHEN YO
ARE READING WHAT OTHER CITIES
HAVE DONE AND YOU KNOW OF A
REGULATORY ISSUES, DO YOU HAV
SUGGESTIONS FOR WAYS -- FOR
SMALL IMPROVEMENTS THAT COULD
HELP US HAVE THE BEST OF BOTH
WORLDS , BOTH PROTECTION OF THE
SURVEILLANCE ORDINANCE , AND
BETTER TOOLS AT OUR DISPOSAL?
>> THANK YOU , COUNCILMEMBER
NELSON , FOR THE QUESTION . A
NOTE TO THE PUBLIC . I KNOW YOU
AND OTHER MEMBERSOF THE CITY
ARE AWARE , IN TERMS OF
SURVEILLANCE TECHNOLOGY, THERE
IS AN ORDINANCE WHICH SAYS
THAT EVERY YEAR THERE SHALL BE
AFTER THE COUNCIL APPROVES NEW
SURVEILLANCE TECHNOLOGIES , I
SHOULD SAY , WE HAVE HAD TO DO
CATCH UP ON LEGACY SURVEILLANCE
TECHNOLOGY. THE ONES THAT DO
NOT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH TH
SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT, OUR
OFFICE COVERS THE OFFICE OF
INSPECTOR GENERAL DO THE POLIC
DEPARTMENT TECHNOLOGIES. IN
ANSWERING YOUR QUESTION , I WAN
TO LOOP IN THE OFFICE OF
INSPECTOR GENERAL. I WOULD LOV
TO DO THIS OFF-LINE AND TAKE
MORE TIME TO THINK ABOUT IT. I
WE COULD DO ANYTHING TO BETTER
ACHIEVE THAT BALANCE THAT YOU
SPOKE ABOUT. PROTECTING
PEOPLE'S PRIVACY AND CIVIL
RIGHTS , WHICH IS THE INTENT OF
THE SURVEILLANCE TECHNOLOGY
ORDINANCE. ALSO , NOT LETTING
THAT GET IN THE WAY OF USE OF
TECHNOLOGIES THAT CAN HELP
PEOPLE IN OUR CITY.
>> THANK YOU. SMITH HAVE I
ADDRESSED YOUR QUESTION?
>> YOU HAVE. HEATHER MENTIONED
YOU MAY BE DIVING INTO THE
REAL-TIME VIDEO , I CANNOT
REMEMBER THE PRECISE NAME OF TH
TECHNOLOGY THAT PROMPTED THIS
QUESTION , BUT WANTING TO KNOW
WHETHER OR NOT -- I WOULD LIK
TO KNOW WHETHER THAT IS
POSSIBLE WITHIN THIS FRAMEWORK.
BECAUSE WE ARE STILL LOOKING A
TECHNOLOGIES THAT THE CITY HAS
ALREADY ACQUIRED , NOT NEW
TECHNOLOGIES. DO NOT WANT TO
GET IN THE WAY OF THAT PROCESS
.
>> THAT IS PARTICULARLY TRUE O
THE OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL
THERE ARE A LOT MORE
TECHNOLOGIES THAT INVOLVE THE
SEATTLE POST FROM DEFINED AS
SURVEILLANCE TECHNOLOGY . I
WILL TAKE A GUESS, THEY HAVE
ROUGHLY, TWICE AS MANY
TECHNOLOGIES THEY HAVE AS WE D
. FOR OUR OFFICE , IT WAS A
HEAVY INITIAL LOAD TO DO THE
INITIAL REVIEWS OF SURVEILLANC
TECHNOLOGY. THE INFORMATION
TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT IS
THINKING ABOUT THE CURRENT
ORDINANCES , THE CURRENT
PROCESSES , THE BEST ONES , THE
MOST EFFICIENT ONES , GETTING
WHAT WE WANT OUT OF THE
ORDINANCE. ALWAYS HAPPY TO
PARTICIPATE IN THAT CONVERSATIO
AND WOULD LOVE TO TALK TO ABOU
IT OFF-LINE.
>> OKAY THANK YOU, DAVID .
COUNCILMEMBER NELSON , CAN YOU
RESPOND ? I AGREE WITH YOU ,
100%, RECOMMENDATION NUMBER 1 I
COMPLEMENTARY WITH THE REQUEST
MADE BY THE SMALL BUSINESS TASK
FORCE. SO, THAT IS DEATHLY
SOMETHING TO GO INTO A LITTLE
BIT MORE. REGARDING THE 30%
DROP IN ORGANIZED RETAIL CRIME
THAT WAS EXPERIENCED IN AUBURN.
I CAN TELL YOU THIS WAS A CASE
WHERE THEY REALLY DID FOCUS O
THE FENCING OPERATION. THEY
DISMANTLED THE FENCING
OPERATION. WE HEARD THIS TIME
AND TIME AGAIN FROM LAW
DISMANTLING THE FENCING ITH.-
OPERATION IS LIKE CUTTING OFF
THE HEAD OF THE SNAKE. IT CAN B
EXTREMELY EFFECTIVE IN REDUCING
ORGANIZED RETAIL CRIME. MARK
MAY BE ABLE TO TALK ABOUT THIS
MORE. JERRY TALKED ABOUT IT AT
A RECENT MEETING OF THE
WASHINGTON ORGANIZED RETAIL
CRIME ASSOCIATION AND DETAILED
THE CASE STUDY OF EXACTLY HOW
THEY DID THIS IN AUBURN. AGAIN
IT REQUIRED A LOT OF INTERAGENC
COLLABORATION. TAKING DOWN FOR
DISMANTLING THOSE FENCING
OPERATIONS CAN BE VERY
SUCCESSFUL. REGARDING THE
TECHNOLOGY, JUST A PLUG FOR
RIGOROUS EVALUATION . ANYTIME
WE IMPLEMENT A NEW TECHNOLOGY,
WE SHOULD EVALUATE IT RIGOROUSL
TO MAKE SURE IT IS HAVING THE
INTENDED BENEFIT. IS IT MORE
EFFICIENT ? IS IT MORE EFFECTIV
? IS THERE GREATER SATISFACTION
FROM THE PEOPLE WHO ARE SERVED?
>> ME I JUMP IN AND SAY ONE MOR
THING? COUNCILMAN NASON --
NELSON , IN THE LONG TERM, SINC
WE HAVE BEEN TRACKING
RECOMMENDATIONS , I THINK IT IS
ROUGHLY 75% EVENTUALLY GET
IMPLEMENTED. HOWEVER , IN THE
SHORT TERM, THERE IS A LOT OF
THINGS PENDING. I WANT TO ASSUR
YOU AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC
AND THE COUNCIL THAT , EVERY
YEAR, WE COME BACK TO OUR
RECOMMENDATIONS AND WE FOLLOW U
ON THE TO SEE WHETHER THEY CAN
BE OF LIMITED. WE ARE LIKE A DO
WITH A BONE. WE WILL NOT GIVE U
TRACKING IT UNTIL THERE IS A
DEFINITIVE CONCLUSION TO THE
RECOMMENDATION . EITHER IT HAS
BEEN IMPLEMENTED , PARTIALLY
IMPLEMENT IT, OR NOT, AND THE
LATTER CATEGORY TOUCHES ON MAN
REASONS FROM OUTRIGHT REFUSAL T
LACK OF RESOURCES. BUT WE WILL
BE FOLLOWING UP ON THOSE AND
THAT IS OUR GOAL, 100%
LIMITATION.
>> JUST TRYING TO OWN THE
RESPONSIBILITY.
>> ABSOLUTELY. THEY RECOMMEND
THE DEPARTMENTS , THEY ARE TH
IMPLEMENTERS, BUT WE CAN LIFT
THE RECOMMENDATIONS UP AND YOU
SEVERAL TO HELP THAT HAPPEN. S
THANK YOU FOR RECOGNIZING THAT
ANNUAL REPORT , WHICH IS REALLY
HELPFUL IN AMPLIFYING THE
RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CITY
AUDITOR.
>> COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN ? I
SEE THAT YOUR HEAD IS UP.
>> THANK YOU, CHARITABLE. THAN
YOU TO MY COLLEAGUES WHO
REQUESTED THAT REPORT FROM OUR
CITY AUDITOR AND I APPRECIATE
THE CITY AUDITOR NOTING ON PAGE
6 OF THE REPORT THAT IN FEBRUAR
OF 2022 , COUNCILMEMBER NELSON
DID HER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
COMMITTEE TO LIFT UP THIS ISSU
OF RETAIL THEFT. BACK THEN ,
THERE WAS A STATEMENT FROM
NEIGHBORHOOD BUSINESS DISTRICTS
, I HAVE SEVERAL IN MY DISTRICT
THEY WROTE THAT THERE HAS BEE
A RISE IN CRIME, BEHAVIORAL
HEALTH ISSUES ACROSS THE CITY,
BUSINESSES ARE GETTING HIT HARD
AND NEED HELP FROM CENTIMETERS,
AND THAT WAS IN FEBRUARY OF
2022. I BELIEVE THAT SMALL
BUSINESSES ARE STILL STRUGGLING
IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD BUSINESS
DISTRICTS . I WAS RECENTLY
SPEAKING WITH A TARGET IN THE
UNIVERSITY DISTRICT, WHICH IS
SUFFERING FROM RETAIL THEFT.
IT HAS BEEN ONE THING AFTER
ANOTHER, FIRST THE PANDEMIC, AN
NOW THIS ONGOING EPIDEMIC OF
RETAIL THEFT. IT IS NOT ONLY A
LOSS OF THE PRODUCTS THEY NEED
TO SELL TO STAY IN BUSINESS ,
BUT ALSO THE INCREASING SECURIT
THAT THEY ARE HAVING TO COME
OUT OF POCKET WITH AN INCREASE
INSURANCE EXPENSES. WE HEARD
THIS IN THE SMALL BUSINESS
COMMITTEE , BUSINESSES IN MY
DISTRICT HAVE CLOSED BECAUSE OF
RETAIL THEFT AS WELL. I AM
CONCERNED ABOUT THE LOSS OF
POLICE DETECTIVES . WHEN WE
TALK ABOUT THE FUNDING AND
DEFUNDING OF THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT, LOSING 400 OFFICES
NOT JUST THE 911 OFFICES, WE
ALSO LOST DETECTIVES. PAGE 21
OF THE REPORT SAYS THAT THERE I
ONE DETECTIVE IN THE SPD
GENERAL INVESTIGATIONS UNIT
ASSIGNED TO RETAIL THEFT. WAS
THERE PREVIOUSLY MORE THAN ONE
DETECTIVE IN 2018 AND 2019? O
WAS RETAIL THEFT NOT AN ISSUE?
IT SEEMS THERE NEED TO BE MORE
DETECTIVES ASSIGNED TO THIS WOR
IN ADDITION TO EXCELLENT
COORDINATION AND TECHNOLOGY WE
ARE TALKING ABOUT? THAT IS A
QUESTION FOR THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT.
>> YOUR QUESTION IS , DO THEY
NEED TO BE MORE DETECTIVES
ASSIGNED TO ORGANIZED RETAIL
THEFT ?
>> YES.
>> WELL , I MEAN, THAT IS
CERTAINLY AN OUTCOME . WE ARE
DOING OUR BEST TO JUGGLE THE
PRIORITIES THAT COME TO US FROM
THE COMMUNITY TO MAKE SURE
THAT WE ARE SERVING ALL THE
PEOPLE IN A GOOD WAY. I AM
REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO
WORKING WITH CLAUDIA ABOUT
IMPLEMENTING SOME OF THESE
RECOMMENDATIONS TO SEE IF SOME
OF THESE IDEAS CAN HELP US DO A
BETTER JOB WITH ORGANIZED RETAI
CRIME. AS WE MOVE INTO THE
FUTURE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN ,
JUST TO CLARIFY , ON PAGE 21 ,
THERE IS ONE DETECTIVE ASSIGNED
TO THE RETAIL THEFT REPORTING
PROGRAM , AND THAT IS THE ONLIN
PROGRAM THAT SPD IS CURRENTLY
LOOKING TO REPLACE . BUT IT I
THE ONLINE SYSTEM WHERE LOSS
PREVENTION OFFICERS CAN WRITE A
REPORT , AND THERE IS ONE
DETECTIVE WHO IS ASSIGNED TO
THAT PROGRAM IN PARTICULAR.
THERE ARE OTHER DETECTIVES WHO
MAY INVESTIGATE ORGANIZED
RETAIL CRIME CASES IN THE
GENERAL INVESTIGATION AND ALSO
IN MAJOR CRIMES.
>> THAT IS RIGHT, CLAUDIA.
THERE IS ONE PERSON WHO HANDLES
THIS ONLINE REPORTING. BUT ALL
THE DETECTIVES IN GENERAL
INVESTIGATE AND ARE AVAILABLE
TO INVESTIGATE THOSE ORGANIZED
RETAIL CRIMES.
>> MAY I ASK A FOLLOW-UP?
>> ABSOLUTELY
>> JUST AN INFORMATION REQUEST
FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. I
WE CAN GET INFORMATION ON THE
NUMBER OF DETECTIVES WE HAD IN
2019 VERSUS THE NUMBER OF
DETECTIVES WE HAVE NOW, AND HO
MANY OF THOSE IN 2019 OR
INVESTIGATING RETAIL THEFT
VERSUS NOW , THAT WOULD BE
HELPFUL TO KNOW , DIRECTIONALLY
, HOW WELL STAFFED WE ARE IN
THAT AREA.
>> HAPPY TO PRODUCE THAT.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK
YOU , COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN ,
FOR REMINDING US THAT
COUNCILMEMBER NELSON HAD A
COMMITTEE, SMALL BUSINESS OWNER
IN FEBRUARY OF 2022, THE
BRIEFING IN MY COMMITTEE ABOUT
THE RETAIL THEFT PROGRAM , IN
FEBRUARY , THAT WAS IN 2022. I
ONLY SAY SO TO SAY THAT, IN THE
BRIEFING, WITH THE ASSISTANT
CHIEF McAFEE , ABOUT THE
EXISTING RETAIL PROGRAM, WE SAI
, AT THAT TIME , A YEAR AND A
HALF AGO, THE STEEP DECLINE OF
USE OF THE CITY'S RETAIL THEFT
PROGRAM . THAT HAS BEEN
FLAGGED. I AM HAPPY TO HEAR WE
ARE LOOKING AT NEW WAYS TO
ENCOURAGE MORE USE OF THAT
PROGRAM IN A WAY THAT IS
CONSIDERED CONSISTENT WITH BEST
PRACTICES. I HAVE A COUPLE OF
QUESTIONS. ONE FOR THE KING
COUNTY PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE. A
COUPLE FOR SPD , AND ONE FOR TH
CITY AUDITOR. SO, THE FIRST
FOR THE KING COUNTY PROSECUTOR'
OFFICE, THE AUDIT ANALYZED 202
AND 2022 DATA ABOUT ORGANIZED
RETAIL CASES THAT WERE
PROSECUTED BY THE KING COUNTY
PROSECUTING ATTORNEY . IN 2022
THERE WERE 49 CASES. COULD YOU
SAY A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE NUMBER
OF ARRESTS FOR ORGANIZED RETAIL
CRIME , AND THE NUMBER OF
PROSECUTIONS FOR THE CHARGE? HO
DOES KING COUNTY COMPARED TO
OTHER JURISDICTIONS IN THIS
REGARD?
>> I THINK A LARGE PORTION OF
THE QUESTION I WILL HAVE TO GE
BACK TO YOU ON BECAUSE IT WILL
TAKE SOME DATA ANALYSIS ON OUR
END. ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT WE
FACE FROM A DATA REPORTING SID
OF THINGS IS , THERE IS NO ONE
CRIME THESE CASES GET CHARGED
WITH OR ARRESTED FOR, OR BOOKED
WITH THIS IS NOTED IN THE
REPORT BY THE AUDITOR. THERE IS
THE ORGANIZED RETAIL THEFT
STATUTE WHICH APPLIES IN
CERTAIN SETS OF CIRCUMSTANCES.
DEPENDING ON WHAT HAPPENS IN TH
STORE , IN THE REAL WORLD, THA
CASE COULD BE ARRESTED ,
BOOKED , OR CHARGED AS ONE AS
ALMOST A DOZEN DIFFERENT
STATUTES. IT SOMETIMES TAKE
LOOKING TO THE DATA AND NOT
ALWAYS POSSIBLE TO FIGURE OUT
EXACTLY HOW THAT PLAYS OUT. FOR
EXAMPLE ONE CHARGE FREQUENTLY
IS BOOKED ON ITS BURGLARY IN
THE SECOND DEGREE. IF SOMEONE
GOES INTO A RETAIL ESTABLISHMEN
IN VIOLATION OF TRESPASS ORDER
TO COMMIT A THEFT , THAT IS A
BURGLARY. BUT IT IS THE SAME
THING IF IT IS ANY OTHER
BURGLARY IN THE SECOND DEGREE.
GOING THROUGH AND PARSING OUT
WHICH ONE OF THOSE ARE ACTUAL
RETAIL CRIMES VERSUS SOME OTHE
FORM OF BURGLARY CAN BE A
FAIRLY SIGNIFICANT DATA ANALYSI
LIFT. THAT IS A LITTLE BIT OF
HARD QUESTION TO ASK , SORRY,
EASY QUESTION TO ASK , HARDER T
ANSWER. ONE OF THE THINGS WE
HAVE BEEN DOING AT THE PAO IS
TO ATTEMPT TO INTRODUCE A
FLAGGING SYSTEM , SO WHEN A CAS
COMES IN , IT IS A RETAIL CRIME
CASE, AND FLAGGED AS SUCH. BUT
THAT IS A RELATIVELY NEW THING
AND DOES CREATE SOME ISSUES FOR
US,
>> THAT IS A LONG-WINDED WAY O
SAYING I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER
TO YOUR QUESTION RIGHT NOW. IT
IS NOT THE SORT OF THING I CAN
EASILY ANSWER, ON THE SPOT, BU
I WILL FOLLOW UP AND PROVIDE
SOME INFORMATION.
>> I AM JUST WONDERING, ON THE
DATA SELECTION SIDE OF THINGS ,
THERE IS A REFERENCE IN THE
REPORT TO YOUR BEST PRACTICE
OF THE QUESTIONS CHECKLIST. I
AM WONDERING IF THE DATA
COLLECTION AROUND THE PIECE IS
EASIER IF THE QUESTIONS IN THE
CHECKLIST MAKE IT POTENTIALLY
EASIER TO FIND THOSE SORTS OF
DETAILS TO FLAG CASES , OR IS
THE CHECKLIST USED A DIFFERENT
WAY?
>> THE CHECKLIST IS MORE USED I
A DIFFERENT WAY. WE HAVE
NOTICED THERE ARE SOME VERY
BASIC THINGS THAT WE DO HAVE TO
HAVE IN ORDER TO FILE A CASE AN
TO PROVE A CASE. AND THERE ARE
AN AWFUL LOT OF RETAILERS ,
SOME OF WHICH ARE BIGGER
RETAILERS THAT HAVE A DEDICATED
AND WELL-TRAINED LOSS
PREVENTION STAFF. SOME ARE
MOM-AND-POP CORNER STORES WHERE
THEY DO NOT HAVE THAT. A LOT OF
TIMES, PEOPLE DO NOT
NECESSARILY KNOW WHAT IT IS WE
REALLY NEED TO ACTUALLY PROVE
CASE IN COURT. BY THE SAME
TOKEN, PATROL OFFICERS ARE
DOING A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS
ON A DAY IN AND DAY OUT BASIS.
BUT THEY DO NOT ALWAYS KNOW WHA
TO ASK FOR. I THINK ONE OF THE
THINGS IN ANY NUMBER OF AREAS
IS THE IDEA THAT NO MATTER HOW
WELL TRAINED YOU ARE, HAVING A
CHECKLIST IS IMPORTANT, BECAUSE
IT REMINDS YOU OF ALL OF THE
THINGS YOU NEED TO GET. WHAT W
ARE TRYING TO DEVELOP IS
SOMETHING THAT INCREASES
EFFICIENCY AND BRIDGES THAT GAP
BETWEEN RETAILERS, LAW
ENFORCEMENT, AND US . IF YOU
ARE THE RETAILER AND YOU SUFFER
ONE OF THESE CRIMES, THIS IS
WHAT WE ARE GOING TO NEED. WHEN
LAW ENFORCEMENT SHOWS UP,
WHETHER IT IS PATROLS OR A NEW
SYSTEM TO REPORT, WE WANT TO
TRAIN LAW ENFORCEMENT. HERE I
WHAT WE WANT YOU TO GET FROM
THEM. HERE IS WHAT WE NEED TO
GET. AND REALLY TO BREAK DOWN
THAT IDEA OF, HERE IS WHAT WE
NEED , SO THAT WE DO NOT HAVE T
TAKE A REPORT FROM LAW
ENFORCEMENT AND SAY HERE ARE TH
THINGS WE NEED TO GO BACK AND
GET. TO HAVE IT COME THROUGH
ALL AT THE SAME TIME, THAT IS
THE POINT OF THAT CHECKLIST.
>> THANK YOU, A QUESTION FOR
YOU, CLAUDIA. LOOKING AT THE
REPORT , ON PAGE 17 , THE
FINDINGS AROUND
PROBLEM-ORIENTED POLICING , IT
REFERS TO THE FACT THAT IT HAS
EXISTED SINCE THE '80s AND TH
DEPARTMENT HAS NOT
SYSTEMATICALLY IMPLEMENTED IT.
YOU NOTE THAT THE FACT THAT
THERE IS LIMITED EXPERIENCE THA
IS SEEN AS A LIMITING FACTOR. A
PROJECT PILOT, DESIGNED TO
ADDRESS THE TWO DOWNTOWN
SEATTLE CRIME SPOTS -- WE HEAR
ABOUT THE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR
12th AND JACKSON, IN SPD . IT
SEEMS LIKE SPD HAS THE
EXPERTISE AND UNDERSTANDING OF
HOW THE SURROUNDINGS , AT A
PLACE WHERE THERE IS TIME, ARE
INTRINSICALLY LINKED TO THE
ACTIVITY OF CRIME. AND SO IT
APPEARS TO ME THAT THE APARTMEN
DOES UNDERSTAND THAT. YET, THE
FINDING IS THAT THERE IS
SOMETHING ESSENTIAL IN THE
DEPARTMENT, AS FAR AS THE
EXPERIENCE THAT AS MISSING,
NOTING THE NEED. I THINK
HEATHER REFERRED TO THEM AS SOR
OF SISTER DEPARTMENTS. TO
COOPERATE WITH THEM AND SUPPOR
THE IMPLEMENTATION AND
RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE
IMPROVEMENTS. IT DOES NOT SEEM
LIKE IT IS HOLY IN THE
PROVINCE OF SPD TO ENSURE THAT
THAT IS IMPLEMENTED. BUT IF YOU
COULD TELL ME A LITTLE BIT MORE
AT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, WHAT
WE SHOULD BE SUPPORTING, AS WEL
AS ADVOCATING WITH CITY LIGHT
, PARKS, TO ADDRESS THE
CONDITIONS THAT THE DEPARTMENT
HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO OVERSEE AN
IMPLEMENT THEMSELVES. THAT IS
QUESTION FOR CLAUDIA. SOMEONE
WHO HAS DONE THE RESEARCH ON
PROBLEM-ORIENTED POLICING.
OTHER FOLKS FINDINGS HAVE FOUN
A LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN
IMPLEMENTING PROBLEM-ORIENTED
POLICING.
>> THANK YOU , COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD , I WOULD LIKE TO
RECOGNIZE THIS IS A MUCH BIGGE
TOPIC AND WE COULD PROBABLY HAV
AN ENTIRE OTHER HEARING JUST
TALKING ABOUT PROBLEM-ORIENTED
POLICING. IT IS AT BOTH ENDS.
THINK THERE ARE DEFINITELY
THINGS THAT SPD COULD DO TO
IMPROVE CAPACITY TO ENGAGE IN
PROBLEM-ORIENTED POLICING. IT
IS ALSO SOMETHING THAT THE
SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT CAN
ABSOLUTELY NOT DO ON ITS OWN.
FOR EXAMPLE, THERE ARE 68
RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE REPORT.
CRIME PREVENTION THROUGH
ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN AND IT I
A REPORT FOR 12th AND JACKSON
PRODUCED BY THE CRIME
PREVENTION COORDINATOR FOR
SEATTLE'S WEST PRECINCT. THREE
OF THE 68 RECOMMENDATIONS HAVE
BEEN IMPLEMENTED, THOSE INCLUDE
BROKEN STREETLIGHTS AND SOME
NEW POLICE SITES. THERE ARE
OTHERS THAT WILL REQUIRE
COLLABORATION AND COOPERATION
FROM SISTER AGENCIES. FOR
EXAMPLE, ONE OF THE
RECOMMENDATIONS THAT HAS NOT
BEEN IMPLEMENTED TO DATE IS TO
INCREASE THE VISIBILITY OF
STOREFRONTS , THE SIGHTLINES
FROM STOREFRONTS, LOOKING OUT.
SOME OF THE STOREFRONTS IN THE
AREA HAVE SIGNAGE THAT OBSCURES
THE VIEW FROM INSIDE THE STORE
OUT ONTO THE STREET. HAVING
THAT ON THE STREET IS AN
EVIDENCE-BASED TECHNIQUE THAT
PROVIDES NATURAL GUARDIANSHIP.
THERE IS BUSINESS EDUCATION AND
MAYBE SUPPORT TO SMALL
BUSINESSES THAT THE CITY COULD
PROVIDE TO HELP IMPROVE THE
SIGHTLINES OUT ONTO THE
STREETS. ANOTHER RECOMMENDATIO
THAT HAS NOT BEEN IMPLEMENTED S
FAR IS COORDINATING WITH METRO
TO REPLACE , IN THE BUS
STATIONS, TO REPLACE THE PANEL
WITH CLEAR PANELS THAT ARE
VANDAL-PROOF AND
GRAFFITI-PROVE, BUT ARE CLEAR,
TO INCREASE SIGHTLINES, THERE I
A RECOMMENDATION IN THERE ABOUT
PROVIDING SOME LIGHTING AT THOS
METRO BUS STOPS. THESE ARE ALL
THINGS THAT ARE EVIDENCE BASED
AND THEY CAN HELP DISRUPT
CRIME AT THE PLACE. AND SO,
THAT DOES REQUIRE COLLABORATIO
AMONGST THE AGENCIES. WHEN IT
IS MOST SUCCESSFUL, IT REQUIRES
SOMEBODY TO QUARTERBACK IT.
SOMEONE WHO CAN REALLY MAKE SUR
THAT ALL 68 OF THOSE
RECOMMENDATIONS ARE EITHER
DISCUSSED AND/OR IMPLEMENTED.
SO THAT IS MISSING CURRENTLY
FROM THE CITY RIGHT NOW. I
WOULD NOT SAY NECESSARILY THAT
THE RESPONSIBILITY WOULD NEED T
FALL TO SPD. THAT SAID, THE
IMPORTANT STEPS IN
PROBLEM-ORIENTED POLICING
USUALLY BEGIN WITH A KIND OF
ANALYSIS PHASE AND THAT IS
SOMETHING WHERE THE SEATTLE
POLICE DEPARTMENT COULD BUILD
CAPACITY TO REALLY USE THE DATA
THAT THE DEPARTMENT COLLECTS,
TO USE DATA FROM THE PEOPLE
THAT THEY INTERACT WITH AT THE
SITE AND REALLY DO KIND OF A
DIAGNOSTICS AT THE PLACE THAT
WOULD INCLUDE PHYSICAL CHANGES
BUT ALSO WOULD INCLUDE SOME OF
THE UNDERSTANDING THAT ONLY LA
ENFORCEMENT COULD OFFER. SO,
THERE IS THE NEED FOR SPD ,
THIS IS SOMETHING THEY ARE IN
AGREEMENT ON. THERE IS A NEED T
DEVELOP THEIR OWN INTERNAL
CAPACITY, THERE IS A NEED TO
DEVELOP CAPACITY FOR MORE
COLLABORATIONS TO TAKE THESE
IDEAS TO THE FINISH LINE.
>> THANK YOU, I WILL HAND IT
OVER TO HEATHER MARX. PERHAPS
YOU CAN FOLD SOMETHING INTO
YOUR RESPONSE TO THAT QUESTION.
I KNOW THAT CHIEF DIAZ HAS BEEN
WORKING WITH THE EVIDENCE-BASE
CRIME POLICY CENTER TO DO AN
ASSESSMENT OF ALL OF THE
INVESTIGATIVE UNITS. MAYBE WE
COULD GET A LITTLE UPDATE ON
THAT. I THINK IT IS VERY LINKED
BUILDING THE CAPACITY FOR
PROBLEM-ORIENTED POLICING.
>> WE ARE EXPECTING THAT REPORT
FROM GEORGE MASON ANY MINUTE
AGO. ONCE WE HAVE HAD A CHANCE
TO IDENTIFY THE CHANGES THAT WE
WANT TO MAKE WITHIN OUR OWN
ORGANIZATION, I THINK THAT WE
WILL BE IN A BETTER SPOT. WE
WILL BE HAPPY TO COME AND
PRESENT, WHEN THAT TIME COMES.
ALSO WANT TO NOTE THAT WE ARE
CONTINUING TO BUILD OUR CAPACIT
IN THIS EVIDENCE -BASED AND
PROBLEM -ORIENTED POLICING.
SOME RECENT EFFORTS THAT YOU MA
KNOW ABOUT ARE WHAT SOME CALL
EMPHASIS PATROLS AT THIRD AND
PINE, AS WELL AS 12th AND
JACKSON. ONE OF THE IMPORTANT
PARTS OF PROBLEM-BASED POLICING
IS THAT YOU HAVE TO IDENTIFY
AND THEN TRACK THE RESULTS. IF
THE RESULTS, WITH THE TACTICS
YOU ARE USING , ARE NOT WORKING
YOU NEED TO CHANGE THEM. THAT I
AN ONGOING CONVERSATION
HAPPENING IN BOTH OF THOSE
LOCATIONS ABOUT HOW WE HAVE TO
CHANGE OUR TACTICS. ALSO
SOMETIMES A DEEPER DIVE INTO
WHAT THE NUMBERS MEAN. FOR
EXAMPLE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT
HAPPENED IN THE WAKE OF OUR
INCREASED PRESENCE AT 12th AND
JACKSON IS THAT WE FOUND THAT
CALLS WENT UP. INITIALLY, ONE
MIGHT THINK THAT CALLS GOING UP
IS NOT A GOOD THING. YOU WANT
FEWER CALLS. BUT IF THE
COMMUNITY, THOSE ADDITIONAL
CALLS, IF THEY ACTUALLY MEAN
THAT THE COMMUNITY TRUSTS THE
POLICE DEPARTMENT TO ADDRESS TH
PROBLEMS, THOSE INCREASED
NUMBERS ARE ACTUALLY A GOOD
THING. WE ARE CONTINUALLY GOING
THROUGH THOSE LOCATIONS, WHERE
WE HAVE SOME FOCUSED
PROBLEM-BASED POLICING GOING ON
AND IT WE ARE SITTING THAT T
WHATEVER DATA IS COMING BACK TO
US. THAT IS SOMETHING WE ARE
ABSOLUTELY BUILDING OUR
CAPACITY IN.
>> MY LAST QUESTION IS A
TWO-PARTER, ONE, I UNDERSTAND
THE RESOURCE LIMITATIONS THAT
SPD HAS. AND THE REASON FOR
PRIORITIZING VIOLENT CRIME.
BUT, WHEN ASKED BY THE CITY
AUDITOR , YOU DID ACKNOWLEDGE
THAT YOU ARE INVESTIGATED IN
SOME OF THE CASES. MY QUESTION
IS, IF YOU ARE INVESTIGATING
SOME OF THOSE CASES, WHY IS IT
THAT THE CHECKLIST IS NOT BEING
USED? I THINK IT IS NOT A
CAPACITY PROBLEM. THESE ARE
CASES THAT YOU ARE
INVESTIGATING. MAYBE YOU COULD
SEE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MAYBE
NOT LOOKING BACKWARDS, LOOKING
FORWARD. WHETHER OR NOT THE
INTENT IS TO USE THIS
CHECKLIST, MOVING FORWARD.
SECONDLY, AS IT RELATES TO IN
CUSTODY INTERVIEWS, WE RECEIVED
AN OFFER OF HELP FROM OTHER LA
ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES. DOES SPD
INTEND TO TAKE THOSE
LAW-ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES UP , T
HELP WITH THESE VERY IMPORTANT
INTERVIEWS ?
>> I WANT TO GIVE YOU A
PROSPECTIVE ANSWER RATHER THAN
RETROSPECTIVE ONE. I THINK THE
POLICE DEPARTMENT NEEDS TO SIT
DOWN WITH OUR INVESTIGATIONS
LEADERSHIP TO REALLY GO THROUGH
ALL OF THESE RECOMMENDATIONS
THOROUGHLY AND SEE WHAT WE CAN
DO QUICKLY AND SEE WHAT IS GOIN
TO REQUIRE ADDITIONAL TRAINING
OR ALLOCATION OF RESOURCES FOR
EXAMPLE, THE RAPID VIDEO
RESPONSE. THAT IS PROBABLY
SOMETHING LONGER-TERM . I THINK
THAT QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW TO
BETTER USE, THANK YOU, THE
CHECKLIST , IS SOMETHING THAT W
CAN PROBABLY FOLD IN MORE
QUICKLY. AND SO SPEAKING FOR
CLAUDIA, I AM SURE THAT IN
SOME MONTHS, WE WOULD BE HAPPY
TO COME BACK AND REPORT SORT O
WHERE WE ARE WITH RESPECT TO
THE RECOMMENDATIONS. THERE MAY
BE SOME OTHER SISTER AGENCIES
THAT YOU MIGHT BRING IN TO HAV
SOME OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
>> I'M SORRY, MAY I ADD ONE
THING ABOUT THE CHECKLIST ? FRO
OUR PERSPECTIVE, WE HAVE SEEN
ABSOLUTELY NO INDICATION OF
PUSHBACK AGAINST THE CHECKLIST
THIS IS NOT AN ISSUE, IN OUR
MIND AT ALL ABOUT SPD NOT
WANTING TO DO IT. THIS IS ABOUT
GETTING THAT MESSAGE DOWN TO TH
OFFICERS WHO NEED IT. IN MANY
WAYS, THAT IS AS MUCH ON US ,
BECAUSE WE COULD BE PUSHING IT
HARDER. THIS WAS NOT A
CHECKLIST DESIGNED SPECIFICALL
FOR SPD, THIS WAS DESIGNED FOR
ALL OF OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT
PARTNERS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
WE HAVE A ROLE TO PLAY IN
HELPING TO MAKE SURE THAT THE
SPD RANK-AND-FILE GETS THAT
MESSAGE AS MUCH AS SPD
LEADERSHIP DOES. I WANT TO MAKE
CLEAR, THIS IS NOT AN ISSUE OF
PUSHBACK OR DISAGREEMENT, THIS
IS AN ISSUE OF GETTING IT TO TH
PEOPLE WHO NEED IT.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. I AM
LOOKING TO SEE IF THERE ARE
ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS.
>> IT IS NOT OFTEN THAT WE HAVE
SOMEONE FROM THE ATTORNEY
GENERAL'S OFFICE. THIS IS
DIRECTED AT YOU, MS. OLSON, NO
MS. 28, EXCUSE ME. BEFORE THAT
I WANT TO FOLLOW UP ON THIS
CONVERSATION. ONE QUESTION IN M
MIND THAT RAN THROUGH THE
DISCUSSION ABOUT THE POLICE ,
OR, THE PROBLEM-ORIENTED
POLICING, ALSO THE QUESTIONING
OF BOOSTERS AND OTHER THINGS, I
WAS WONDERING WHETHER OR NOT TH
FACT THAT THE JAIL IS NOT
ACCEPTING BOOKINGS FOR
MISDEMEANORS? EXCEPT FOR DV
AND DUIS RIGHT NOW, PERHAPS
THAT IS AND I CAN TAKE THAT
QUESTION OFF-LINE. SO, WHEN
YOU THINK ABOUT THIS DISCUSSION
YOU ARE INVOLVED AT THE STATE
LEVEL AND YOU SEE WHAT IS
WORKING AND WHAT ISN'T IN
JURISDICTIONS ACROSS THE STATE,
WE HAVE HAD A COUPLE OF BILLS I
THINK THERE WERE TWO, MAYBE
THREE IN 2022, PERHAPS THERE WA
ONE IN 2023. THEY WERE PUT
FORWARD BY THE LEGISLATURE THAT
DID NOT PASS. WHAT WOULD YOU
SUGGEST WOULD BE A PRIORITY
PIECE OF LEGISLATION TO ADVANCE
PROGRESS IN ORC ACROSS THE
STATE WE
>> OUR POLICY, IT IS RESPONSIBL
FOR THAT ASPECT OF IT, THAT IS
PART OF THE REASON WHY WE FORM
THE TASK FORCE TO DETERMINE
WHAT WOULD BE THE MOST HELPFUL
CHANGES AND TO ROLL OUT THAT
COMMUNICATION, THE AG'S OFFICE
HAS COMMENTED ON LEGISLATION
THAT HAS GONE FORWARD, THERE IS
THE QUESTION OF WHETHER WE ARE
TALKING ABOUT PROSECUTION, OR
ABOUT REDUCING THE EFFECT ,
WHICH PART OF THE INTERVENTION,
PREVENTION, AND PROSECUTION
ARE WE LOOKING FOR, I THINK THA
IS A VERY COMPLEX QUESTION WIT
A VERY COMPLEX ANSWER. WE HAVE
TO LOOK AT IT THROUGH A VERY
WIDE LENS WHICH IS WHAT WE ARE
IN THE PROCESS OF DOING NOW.
PART OF WHAT WE ARE DOING, IN
OUR NEXT MEETING, IS ADDRESS
SOME OF THOSE DIRECTIONS, HOW
DOES THE STATEWIDE TASK FORCE
WANT TO MOVE FORWARD TO BEST
ADDRESS THIS ISSUE? THAT CAN B
POLICY CHANGES, THAT CAN BE
TARGETED RESOURCES, IT COULD BE
PART OF THE EDUCATION
COMPONENT, THERE IS AN
EDUCATION COMPONENT THAT PEOPLE
DO NOT UNDERSTAND IN
PROSECUTION. WHAT EVIDENCE DO W
NEED? WHAT EVIDENCE IS
ADMISSIBLE ? DO WE NEED TO MAK
CHANGES IN LEGISLATION OR IN
THE WAY THAT WE ENFORCE ? THAT
IS REALLY WHY THE TASK FORCE WA
COMPLETED. WE WILL HAVE A MUCH
BETTER ANSWER FOR YOU IN THE
COMING MONTHS AND YEARS , AND I
LOOK FORWARD TO PARTNERING WITH
THE CITY TO MAKE THOSE
LEGISLATIVE CHANGES AS NEEDED.
>> MADAM CHAIR, MAY I ADD TO
THAT, THIS IS IN MY WHEELHOUSE
AS A LOBBYIST FOR RETAIL THEFT
I WILL TOUCHED ON THIS
BRIEFLY. ONE WAS WHAT CLAUDIA
MENTIONED, PROVIDING GRANTS
TARGETING SMALL AND MIDSIZED
BUSINESSES, WE THINK THAT IS A
REALLY GOOD STEP, THEFT WITH
CONCEALMENT , INTENT TO STEAL,
MULTIPLE ACCOMPLICES, AND THE
FINAL ONE WAS THEFT BY HABITUA
OFFENDERS THAT CONTINUALLY
STEAL MULTIPLE TIMES. THOSE AR
FOUR BILLS WE SUPPORT AND WE
THINK THEY WOULD BE VERY HELPFU
IF THE CITY WAS INCLINED TO HEL
US WITH THOSE.
>> SINCE THE CITY AUDITOR'S
REPORT HAS COME OUT, MY OFFICE
HAS FLAGGED THE NOTE FOR
SUPPORTING THAT, I AM HAPPY TO
FACILITATE THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> AGAIN, THANK YOU , EVERYONE,
FOR YOUR TIME. AS I EXPECTED,
THIS IS A BIG CONVERSATION. A
LOT WAS COVERED TODAY. THERE IS
A LOT TO COVER. AGAIN, REALLY
APPRECIATED FOR YOU TAKING THE
TIME TO BE HERE WITH US. AND
JUST, I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE
AUDITOR , FOR THEIR ENGAGEMENT
AND THEIR COLLABORATION WITH S
MANY STAKEHOLDERS IN THIS AREA
THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, MR.
CLERK, CAN YOU PLEASE READ THE
NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA.
>> AT AGENDA THREE, PREFILING
DIVERSION EXPANSION PILOT FOR
INDIVIDUALS 25 AND OLDER.
>> AS FOLKS FROM THE HUMAN
SERVICES DEPARTMENT AND THE
CITY ATTORNEY 'S OFFICE ARE
JOINING US, I WILL MAKE VERY
QUICK INTRODUCTORY REMARKS. IN
2017, THE SEA , CITY OF SEATTLE
BEGAN A PROGRAM FOR ADULTS 18
TO 24. IN THE 2021 BUDGET
DELIBERATIONS THE COUNCIL
PROVIDED FUNDING FOR AN
EXPANSION OF THIS PROGRAM TO
FOLKS WHO ARE 25 AND OLDER.
THOSE FUNDS WERE PROVIDED IN TH
2022 BUDGET. IT HAS TAKEN SOM
TIME TO GET THE EXPANSION UP
AND RUNNING. BUT WE , SO , WE
ARE SO PLEASED THAT WE ARE AT
CRITICAL STAGE, LAUNCHING THAT
EXPANSION THROUGH AN OLDER CORE
HEART . THROUGHOUT THIS PROCES
OF, YOU KNOW , DEVELOPING AND
SELECTING THE CONTRACTORS,
DEVELOPING THE CONTRACTS AND
GETTING OUT THE DOOR, I HAVE
BEEN IN TOUCH WITH THE HUMAN
SERVICES DEPARTMENT ABOUT WHEN
WOULD BE A GOOD TIME FOR THIS
BRIEFING. TODAY IS THE DAY. I
WILL HAND IT OFF TO THE HUMAN
SERVICES DEPARTMENT FOR THEIR
PRESENTATION. IF WE CAN DO A
QUICK ROUND OF INTRODUCTIONS
FIRST, THEN WE CAN JUMP INTO TH
PRESENTATION.
>> SURE, GOOD MORNING. THANK YO
SO MUCH, COUNCILMEMBER LISA
HERBOLD, FOR GIVING US THE TIM
MY NAME IS NATALIE
WALTON-ANDERSON. I AM THE
CHIEF AT THE SUPERVISOR'S
OFFICE.
>> I AM PER-OLAF SWANSON.
>> AND I AM ANNE LEE.
>> THANK YOU.
>> OKAY, WE ARE GOING TO GET
RIGHT INTO IT . THE PREFILING
DIVERSION UNIT, BEFORE I TURN I
OVER TO AMY LARSON, WHO IS THE
PREFILING DIVERSION UNIT
SUPERVISOR. THERE ARE OTHER
PEOPLE IN OUR TEAM, MARIA MANZA
WHO IS IN THE AUDIENCE, AND
NAOMI KARASAWA, WHO WAS WATCHIN
VIRTUALLY. WE HAVE OTHER
DIVERSIONARY WORK THAT WILL NOT
BE HIGHLIGHTED TODAY. WE HAVE
PROSECUTOR LIAISON POSITION ,
THE LINK INTERVENTION NETWORK
OF CARE DIVISION SUPPORTS
INDIVIDUALS WITH BEHAVIORAL
HEALTH CONCERNS. THEY ARE ALSO
PART OF THIS WORK. THE PREFILIN
DIVERSION UNIT, WHAT IT IS, IT
IS ESSENTIALLY AN ALTERNATIVE T
FILING WHAT WOULD BE A
MISDEMEANOR PROCESS, INSTEAD ,
WE RECEIVED A REFERRAL. THERE
ARE IMMEDIATE CONNECTIONS TO
SERVICES IN THE COMMUNITY. IF I
IS SUCCESSFUL, AND THE RIGHT
RESPONSE IS FOUND, IT REDUCES
THE IMPACT OF CRIME. PREFILING
DIVERSIONS CLEAR AN IMPORTANT
PART OF THE SPECTRUM. IT DOES
NOT WORK FOR EVERYONE. BUT IT
CAN. IT HAS SHOWN TO BE
SUCCESSFUL WITH THE RIGHT TO
INTRODUCTORY SERVICES AND THE
RIGHT CONNECTIONS. THIS
ADMINISTRATION HAS FOSTERED THI
AND INCREASED THE DIVERSION
REFERRALS, WE WILL TALK
SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE WORK THA
OUR PREFILING DIVERSION UNIT,
MEANING THE TWO PROSECUTORS AND
OUR PARALEGAL HAVE DONE, IN THE
LAST YEAR TO EXPAND HIS WORK.
FIRST OF ALL, THEY HAVE MADE A
LOT OF CONNECTIONS IN THE
COMMUNITY. THEY HAVE TALKED WIT
A MYRIAD OF PROVIDERS. THEY HAV
MADE INTRODUCTIONS TO THE HUMAN
SERVICES DEPARTMENT. THEY HAVE
HELPED THE COMMUNITY PROVIDERS
NAVIGATE THE CITY DEPARTMENT,
THEY HAVE TRIED TO EXECUTE THE
CONTRACT SO THAT THEY COULD GIV
THOSE CONNECTIONS. MAKING THOS
CONNECTIONS WITH COMMUNITY
PROVIDERS TAKES A LOT OF EFFOR
AND WORK. AND WE REALLY BELIEVE
IN A DIVERSION MODEL WHERE WE
UNDERSTAND WHAT THE SERVICES AR
AND HOW THOSE COMMUNITY
PROVIDERS CONNECT. AMY AND HER
TEAM HAVE MET WITH THE STAFF,
THEY HAVE TALKED THROUGH AND
LISTENED TO THE CURRICULUM, THE
METHODOLOGY, AND THEY HAVE
WATCHED COMMUNITY MEMBERS
ENGAGED. WE HAVE GONE ON SITE
VISITS TO VISIT THE PROVIDERS
WHERE THEY ARE PROVIDING CARE
TO THE INDIVIDUALS THAT WE
REFER. AMY AND HER TEAM HAVE
LISTENED TO SUCCESS STORIES,
THEY WORK THROUGH CHALLENGES,
THEY BRAINSTORM WAYS IN WHICH T
IMPROVE SUCCESS, AND HOW THEY
CAN DO BETTER IN TERMS OF
OUTREACH. ULTIMATELY, THEY HAVE
BROUGHT THOSE PROVIDERS TO OUR
DIVISION WHERE WE HAVE HAD
OFFICE-WIDE TRAINING. THE GOAL
OF THAT IS TO MAKE SURE THAT OU
ENTIRE OFFICE, INCLUDING THE
CRIMINAL DIVISION IS AWARE OF
THE SERVICES IN THE COMMUNITY.
WANT TO INTRODUCE YOU TO AMY
LARSON, THE SUPERVISOR, MARIA
MANZA, IN THE BACK, ONE OF OUR
LEAD SUPERVISORS AND ALSO OUR
PARALEGAL, NAOMI KARASAWA.
NAOMI KARASAWA INCREASES OUR
CONTACT WITH CRIME VICTIMS. SH
LISTENS TO THEM, SHE LISTENS TO
THE IMPACT THAT THESE CRIMES
HAVE HAD. AND WE DO THAT, AND W
SUPPORT THAT WORK, SO THAT WE D
NOT CONTRIBUTE TO VICTIMS
CONTINUING TO FEEL INVISIBLE IN
TERMS OF DIVERSIONARY WORK AND
CONTINUING TO FEEL INVISIBLE IN
TERMS OF OUR CRIMINAL LEGAL
SYSTEM. BEFORE I TURN IT OVER T
AMY FOR THE REST OF THE
PRESENTATION. I DO WANT TO
EXPRESS MY DEEP APPRECIATION FO
THE PARTNERSHIP THAT THE
DEPARTMENT HAD WITH THE HUMAN
SERVICES DEPARTMENT OVER THE
PAST YEAR. I WANT TO SAY THANK
YOU ABOUT THAT.
>> MY NAME IS AMY LARSON , IF
YOU LOOK ON THE LEFT OF THE
SLIDE, I WILL DO AN OVERVIEW.
ANYTIME A CRIME IS COMMITTED I
THE CITY OF SEATTLE, WE WILL GE
THAT REFERRAL FROM THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT TO DECIDE IN OFFICE
IF WE WILL PROCEED. BETWEEN
MARIA, MY COLLEAGUE, AND MYSELF
WE HAVE DONE EXTENSIVE TRAININ
TO VIEW THESE CASES WITH AN
RACIAL EQUITY LENS. AND WE MAK
THE DECISIONS. AND OUR
PARALEGAL DOES A LOT OF WORK
TALKING TO VICTIMS ABOUT THE
IMPACT THAT THESE SITUATIONS
HAVE HAD ON THEIR LIVES, AS WEL
AS EDUCATING THEM ABOUT WHAT
DIVERSION IS AND HOW IT IS
BETTER THAN WHAT THEY WOULD GET
THROUGH THE MAINSTREAM SERIES.
MARIA AND I DO TAKE VERY
SERIOUSLY, AND TAKE INTO
ACCOUNT, THE VICTIM PERSPECTIVE
THE PARTICIPANTS WILL HAVE TWO
MONTHS IN ORDER TO COMPLETE THE
DIVERSION PROGRAMMING. AT THAT
POINT, IF A PERSON SUCCESSFULL
COMPLETES THE PROGRAM, WE DROP
THE CHARGES, THERE IS NO
INTERACTION. WE ALSO FOUND
THROUGH WHAT WE COMPLETED IN OU
OWN DATA THAT THERE WAS RACIAL
DISPROPORTIONALITY, OFFERING
PREFILING OPPORTUNITIES. SO WE
ALSO OFFER A CHANCE TO POST
-FILE SO THAT THE INDIVIDUALS
GET A CHANCE TO ENGAGE AND
PARTICIPATE IN THAT WAY.
SOMETHING THAT IS INTERESTING
ABOUT THIS WORK, WE HAVE FOUND
THAT THERE IS A LOT MORE HUMAN
CONNECTION BETWEEN THESE
PROVIDERS AND WHAT THEY WOULD
GET THROUGH THE COURT SYSTEM,
FOR EXAMPLE, CHOOSE 180 , YOU
HAVE SOMEONE THAT CAN FOLLOW-U
FOR UP TO A YEAR, DOING DROP
CHAINING SKILLS AND WHATEVER
SERVICES THEY MAY NEED. THIS IS
A TIMELINE, JUST QUICKLY, ON
THE HISTORY OF PREFILING
DIVERSIONS. WE HAVE CONTINUED T
HAVE SUPPORT UNDER THIS
ADMINISTRATION, OUR FIRST
CONTRACT WAS IN THE FALL OF 20
2017, WE DID AN RFP IN 2021 AN
GAY CITY WAS AWARDED THE
CONTRACT. THEY ARE NOW CALLED
THE LGBTQ PLUS CENTER, WE HAVE
WORKED WITH THEM FOR THE LAST
TWO YEARS. AND THEN COME UP
WITH A TRANSITION TO A NEW
ADMINISTRATION, WE WERE MET WIT
SUPPORT AND ENTHUSIASM TO EXPAN
THE WORK, AND IN THE SPRING OF
2022, WE SPENT A LOT OF 2022
DEVELOPING A GREAT RELATIONSHIP
WITH HSD, SINCE THAT TIME WE
HAVE CONNECTED WITH AND STARTE
CONTRACTING, WITH THREE SPECIFI
COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS. WE HAV
TWO MORE IN CONVERSATION THAT W
HOPE TO HAVE BY THE END OF THIS
YEAR. THERE WA A LOT THAT GOES
INTO FINDING THESE
ORGANIZATIONS. WE ARE EXTREMELY
PASSIONATE ABOUT THIS WORK ,
THIS IS REALLY FUN FOR US. IT I
A LOT OF WORK TO FIND THE
ORGANIZATIONS AND DO A DEEP DIV
INTO HOW THEY OPERATE, WHO THEY
CAN SERVE, AND HOW THEY
OUTREACH, WHAT THEY OFFER. ALL
OF THAT. BUILDING TRUST WITHIN
THE ORGANIZATIONS AND THEN ALSO
INTRODUCING THEM TO HSD AND
ASSISTING AS MUCH AS NEEDED. A
WE MOVE FORWARD, WE ARE EXCITED
ABOUT CONTINUING TO FIND WAYS
TO EXPAND THIS WORK WE LOOK
FORWARD TO WHAT IS TO COME. I
WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE SOMEON
NOW TO TALK ABOUT THE DATA.
>> THANK YOU. DATA IS VERY
IMPORTANT. PREFILING DIVERSIONS
, VERY IMPORTANT, DATA IS A VER
IMPORTANT PART OF UNDERSTANDING
THAT, LOOKING TO MAKE SURE THA
IT IS ALWAYS GETTING BETTER AND
IMPROVING. WE PUT A LOT OF
EFFORT INTO TRACKING DOWN
PERFORMANCE METRICS AND THINGS
LIKE THAT, YOU CAN SEE , IN THE
CHART ON THE LEFT, EVERY
QUARTER, PRETTY MUCH, THERE HAS
BEEN A TREND OF OF SUCCESSFUL
PRE-FILE DIVERSION. THIS DOES
NOT INCLUDE THE RECENT EXPANSIO
THAT ANNE LEE JUST SPOKE ABOUT
IT HAS GONE UP SIGNIFICANTLY .
WITH THAT, WE HAVE LOOKED AT TH
RECIDIVISM AND WE HAVE FOUND
WAYS TO COMPARE PREFILED
DIVERSION TO TRADITIONAL WAYS.
IT IS A PRETTY STARK
DIFFERENCE. PREFILED DIVERSION
CAN MAKE A REALLY IMPORTANT
DIFFERENCE IN LIVES, BOTH ON
THE DEFENDANT AND THE SUSPECT
SIDE. NOT SHOWN HERE, BUT WHAT
IS REALLY IMPORTANT, IS THAT WE
HAVE A MUCH BETTER ABILITY TO
ELECT INTERESTING DEMOGRAPHIC
DATA. NOT JUST THE TRADITIONAL
CRIMINAL JUSTICE SPECIFICS,
RACE, AGE, GENDER, THINGS LIKE
THAT. WE CAN COLLECT HOUSING
STATUS, EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION,
ALL SORTS OF REALLY INTERESTING
THINGS THAT CAN GIVE US GOOD
INSIGHTS INTO OTHER BENEFITS O
THESE PROGRAMS AND WHO THEY ARE
REACHING. I THINK THAT IS THE
KIND OF THING THAT CAN BE VERY
HELPFUL. WITH THAT, I WOULD LIK
TO TURN IT BACK OVER.
>> THANK YOU. WE VERY MUCH
APPRECIATE THE PARTNERSHIPS WE
HAVE BEEN WORKING ON AND
ADVANCING THROUGH THIS PROJECT.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO INTRODUCE
COUPLE OF KEY PEOPLE WITHIN HSD
IN THE BACK , THEY HAVE DONE
QUITE A BIT OF WORK, WORKING
WITH THE TEAM, DEVELOPING THE
CONTRACT. I WILL GIVE YOU A
LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ABOUT
HOW WE GOT HERE, WITH THE
COUNCIL BUDGET ACTION OVER THE
YEARS , AS WELL AS SOME OF THE
CONTRACT DEVELOPMENT PROCESS
STEPS THAT WE HAVE BEEN TAKING
AT HSD. THE FIRST SLIDE
PROVIDES AN OVERVIEW SPECIFIC
TO THE CBA, EXPANDING PREFILING
DIVERSION. IT WAS PAST AS PART
OF THE 2022 BUDGET. IT ADDS
$750,000 OF GENERAL FUNDS TO TH
HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT
CONTRACT, IN ORDER TO CONTRACT
WITH COMMUNITY-BASED
ORGANIZATIONS, ON PREFILING
DIVERSION. THIS IS SPECIFICALLY
FOR INDIVIDUALS 25 AND OLDER.
THIS BUDGET ACTION WAS INFORMED
BY THE COUNCIL-FUNDED RACIAL
EQUITY TOOLKIT, CONDUCTED BY
THE ATTORNEY 'S OFFICE IN 2022
ADDRESS THE CONCEPT. EXCELLENT
SO, AS ALLUDED TO IN THE FIRS
QUARTER OF 2023. ONE SECOND,
THERE YOU GO. YEAH. IN THE
FIRST QUARTER OF 2023, CAO
REVISITED THE CONVERSATION.
THEY ASSESSED THE PROGRAM
MODELS , BUDGETS, AND OVERALL
FEASIBILITY. THEY MADE
INTRODUCTIONS TO HSD AND
PROSPECTIVE PROVIDERS. IN
QUARTER TWO , DOING CONTRACT
NEGOTIATIONS, HSD PARTNERED
WITH CAO TO CLARIFY PROGRAM
SPECIFIC DETAILS ON THE
REFERRAL PROCESS AND PROGRAM
PARAMETERS FOR EACH AGENCY
CONTRACT. ONGOING, CAO IS THE
POINT OF CONTACT FOR QUESTIONS
SURROUNDING REFERRAL AND PROGRA
MODEL LOGISTICS AND HSD WILL
LEAD ON CONTRACT-SPECIFIC
REQUIREMENTS. THE NEXT SLIDE
SUMMARIZES THE CONTRACTING PLAN
SO FAR AND THE AGENCIES THAT
HAVE EXECUTED OR ARE VERY CLOSE
TO SECURING CONTRACTS. SO ,
HSD, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE
CITY, AND HAVE ADDITIONAL
DISCUSSIONS WITH THE AGENCY, AS
MENTIONED EARLIER. AGAIN, NOT
ON THE SLIDE, THERE ARE TWO
ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE ALREADY
UNDER CONTRACT AND THEY HAVE
BEEN FOR SOME TIME.
SPECIFICALLY, ONE OF THE NEW
PROGRAMS IN THE PILOT IS UNIFIE
OUTREACH. THIS IS A PROGRAM
THAT ESSENTIALLY IS A ONE-TIME
SIX-HOUR SESSION THAT CAN SERVE
UP TO 20 INDIVIDUALS AT A TIME
THIS DEALS WITH EARLY CHILDHOO
TRAUMA, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, THE
CRIMINAL SYSTEM, ADDICTION,
RECOVERY, AND MORE. THERE IS A
SURVEY BEFORE AND AFTER THE
SESSION, TO LEARN HOW THE
INFORMATION CAN HELP THEM MOVE
ON. THE SECOND PROGRAM IS
THROUGH THE URBAN LEAGUE. THIS
IS A LONGER PROGRAM, A FOUR-WEE
PROGRAM MODEL. PARTICIPANTS
ATTEND WEEKLY SESSIONS THAT
FOCUS ON LIFE SKILLS, FINANCIA
LITERACY, AND JOB READINESS.
PARTICIPANTS ARE CONNECTED TO
SOCIAL CIRCUSES AND THEY ARE
ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE UP TO $500
FOR SUPPORT SERVICES AND $200
STIPENDS FOR EACH WEEK THAT THE
ATTEND. UPLIFT NORTHWEST IS
SORT OF A JOBS CONNECTION
PROGRAM. THERE IS A PRETTY QUIC
TURNAROUND BETWEEN THE ONE-WEEK
ENTIRE PROCESS IN THIS MODEL.
THE CLIENT IS THE PATIENT CAN
SPAN SEVERAL MONTHS ONCE HIRED
INDIVIDUALS REFERRED WILL
COMPLETE A JOB APPLICATION AND
DO AN INTERVIEW. UPON
SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION,
APPLICANTS WILL BE SCHEDULED FO
ADDITIONAL SCREENING, PAPERWORK
AND ORIENTATION. ONCE HIRED, AL
INDIVIDUALS ARE ELIGIBLE FOR
PARTICIPATING IN SUPPORTIVE
SERVICES AT UPLIFT NORTHWEST.
TH FINAL PROGRAM THAT WE ARE
GOING TO TALK ABOUT TODAY IS TH
PUBLIC HEALTH SEATTLE KING
COUNTY JAIL HEALTH SERVICES
THERAPEUTIC ALTERNATIVE
DIVERSION PROGRAM. THAT IS A
MOUTHFUL. THIS IS A PROGRAM THA
RUNS FOR ABOUT TWO TO FOUR
MONTHS. THEY USE A
MULTIDISCIPLINARY INTAKE
PROCESS TO DETERMINE APPROPRIAT
NEEDS AND THEY REFER CLIENTS T
COMMUNITY-BASED PROVIDERS, THER
IS CARE COORDINATION AND
SHORT-TERM CASE MANAGEMENT AND
RESOURCES AS A BRIDGE UNTIL
CONNECTIONS WITH COMMUNITY-BASE
PROVIDERS ARE SECURED. THE
DIVERSION TEAM WILL SURVEY
PARTICIPANTS AMONG THE PROGRAM
SURVEYS WILL BE ATTEMPTED , JUS
TO GET SOME FEEDBACK AROUND
WHETHER IT WAS SUCCESSFUL OR
NOT. SO, AS PART OF ALL OF THE
BRUCE HARRELL SEVEN CONTRACTS,
WE DO INCLUDE PERFORMANCE
METRICS. ACROSS THE DIFFERENT
PILOT PROGRAMS, THE AGENCIES
WILL BE REPORTING MONTHLY ON TH
NUMBER OF REFERRALS THEY GET
FROM THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
THE NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS WHO
ENROLL. THE NUMBER WHO GRADUATE
AND THE NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS
FOR AT LEAST ONE NEED HAS BEEN
MET. WITH THE LAST PROGRAM THE
THERAPEUTIC ALTERNATIVE
DIVERSION PROGRAM, WE ARE ALSO
TRACKING THE NUMBER OF VISITS
WITH CARE COORDINATORS. SO THAT
IS A QUICK OVERVIEW OF THE
CURRENT CONTRACT IN PLAY. WE
WILL OPEN IT UP TO QUESTIONS.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. JUST TO
UNDERSTAND, THE PREFILED
DIVERSION MODEL, BECAUSE WE
HAVE MULTIPLE CONTRACTING
AGENCIES THAT OFFER DIFFERENT
TYPES OF PROGRAMS . IS IT
CORRECT TO ASSUME THAT THERE IS
AN ANALYSIS OF THE INDIVIDUAL'S
NEEDS AND THAT INFORMS THE
CITY ATTORNEY'S REFERRAL TO A
PARTICULAR PROGRAM ? IS THAT
MORE OR LESS HOW IT WORKS ?
>> YES, THAT IS TRUE. THERE ARE
ALSO CERTAIN AGE REQUIREMENTS,
DEPENDING ON THE ORGANIZATION.
BUT WE ARE TRYING TO ASSESS
NEEDS AS MUCH AS WE CAN.
>> ON PAGE NINE, IT SHOWED THAT
, FOR THE EXPANSION OF THE
PROGRAM, TO FOLKS 25 AND ABOVE
THEY WERE LOOKING AT SERVING
325 INDIVIDUALS. MY
RECOLLECTION OF THE UNDER-25
COHORT , THAT THE PROGRAM HAS
SOME LIMITATIONS ON THE
UNDERLYING CRIMES THAT MIGHT
MAKE SOME OF THE ELIGIBLE OR
NOT ELIGIBLE FOR A PREFILED
DIVERSION. IS THAT THE CASE FOR
THE ADULT PROGRAM AS WELL? IF
SO, CAN YOU GIVE US THE BIG
PICTURE OF WHERE THAT DIVISION
LIES ?
>> YES, THAT IS CORRECT. WE HAV
PUT TOGETHER SOME CRITERIA,
LOOKING AT PREFILING DIVERSIONS
FIRST, ENGAGING WITH THE
PROVIDERS TO SAY, WHAT ARE THEI
LIMITATIONS, RIGHT? WHAT COULD
WE PUSH THEM TO CONSIDER? IN
ADDITION, WE LOOKED AT A LOT OF
OUR OTHER, JUST TURN IT
DIVERSIONARY PROGRAMS. AND WE
ALSO LOOKED AT SOME OF OUR
THERAPEUTIC ALTERNATIVES. WE
TRIED TO ACTUALLY MAKE IT MORE
ACCESSIBLE THAN WHAT OUR
THERAPEUTIC COURTS WERE DOING.
WE HAVE SOME SMALL ONES, CLASS
A FELONIES, AND TIME LIMITS ON
CERTAIN VIOLENT OFFENSES, BUT
ULTIMATELY WE TRIED TO PUSH TO
MAKE THIS CRITERIA A LITTLE BI
MORE ACCESSIBLE FOR INDIVIDUALS
COMING IN, BEYOND OUR YOUNG
ADULT AGE GROUP.
>> I APPRECIATE THAT. JUST
LOOKING AHEAD TO THE COUNCIL
DELIBERATIONS ON LEGISLATION FO
INCORPORATING STATE LAW,
REGARDING POSSESSION AND PUBLI
YOUTH, INTO THE MUNICIPAL CODE,
WOULD ANY OF THESE PROGRAMS BE
ACCEPTABLE PROGRAMS FOR THAT
COHORT OF PEOPLE BEING ARRESTE
?
>> I THINK THAT IS ENTIRELY
PLAUSIBLE. I THINK IT DEPENDS.
WE NEED TO USE KIND OF A COMMON
SENSE APPROACH WHEN LOOKING AT
THINGS LIKE THE LINK PROGRAM,
WE REALLY HAD DIFFICULTY WITH
PEOPLE SHOWING UP. A LOT OF
THIS IS GOING TO BE BASED ON
OUTREACH IN TIMES OF REFERRING.
BUT THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF
INDIVIDUALS , NONE OF THE
PROGRAMS WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT,
FOR YEARS, WILL NECESSARILY BE
ABLE TO ACCEPT THEM, UNLESS WE
CHANGE UP SOME OF THE PRACTICES
WE CURRENTLY HAVE. WE ARE
LOOKING AT TWO ADDITIONAL
PROVIDERS AND WE HOPE TO BE ABL
TO REFER THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO,
YOU KNOW, WE THINK THAT THIS IS
NOT GOING TO BE A PROBLEM THAT
CAN ENCAPSULATE ALL OF THE
INDIVIDUALS THAT REALLY NEED
SERVICES FOR SUBSTANCE USE. AN
WE HAVE DIFFICULTY GETTING
PEOPLE TO SHOW UP IN COURT.
EVEN OUR PROVIDERS WILL SAY, YO
KNOW, THE OUTREACH ATTEMPTS ARE
VALIANT, AND THEY HAVE HAD SOME
SUCCESS, BUT THERE WILL BE SOME
CHALLENGES IN TRYING TO TAKE AN
ENTIRE POPULATION OF PEOPLE THA
WE HAVE REALLY STRUGGLED TO
ACCESS AND PUT THEM IN TO
PREFILING DIVERSION. WE WILL
WORK WITH ANYTHING. I WILL PUT
THAT OUT THERE. WE WILL WORK
WITH ANYONE WHO FEELS THAT THEY
CAN FULFILL THE GAPS.
>> WE ARE ONLY LOOKING AT
CAPACITY FOR 50 INDIVIDUALS. OF
ALL OF THE CONTRACTING
ORGANIZATIONS, THAT IS PROBABLY
THE ONE THAT IS MOST ALIGNED
WITH THAT POPULATION AND THAT
IS A PRETTY SMALL NUMBER FOR
CAPACITY.
>> IT IS. WE ASKED IF THEY COUL
TAKE MORE. THERE IS A LIMIT IN
TERMS OF THE CAPACITY. I THINK
WE WANT REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS
IN WHAT THE PREFILING UNIT CAN
DO, FOR ANY SORT OF ANTICIPATED
ORDINANCE OR LEGISLATION.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
NELSON ?
>> THANK YOU. WHEN YOU TALK
ABOUT IT BEING LIMITED RIGHT
NOW, I AM INTERESTED IN LEARNIN
MORE ABOUT HOW IT IS ALL GOING.
AND YOU PUT DOWN ON SLIDE 14,
THE PERFORMANCE METRICS AND JUS
UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THESE
MODELS OF WORKING, THAT WOULD B
VERY IMPORTANT FOR ME. I
APPRECIATE THERE ARE SOME NEW
ORGANIZATIONS BEING CONTRACTED
WITH. AND I PUT FORWARD A
PROPOSAL THAT WAS NOT SUCCESSFU
FOR A CONTRACT WITH UNIFIED
OUTREACH AND IN FACT, YOU DID
THAT. AND THEY PROVIDE FOR ,
THEY PROVIDE SERVICES BASED ON,
YOU KNOW? ART AND MAKING A
LIVING OFF OF ART FOR USING
FOR GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION.
THAT IS NOT CAPTURED IN THIS
CONTRACT. LOTS OF OTHER THINGS
THAT THEY CAN DO. AND I AM SURE
THE OTHER PROVIDERS CAN'T. SO,
WILL BE FOLLOWING UP, OFF-LINE,
TO FIND OUT WHAT YOU HAVE
LEARNED SO FAR ABOUT HOW IT IS
GOING AND THOUGHTS ABOUT THE
FUTURE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, I
APPRECIATE IT.
>> THANK YOU. SO, WE
APPRECIATE YOUR PRESENTATION.
AS WE ALWAYS DO IN THIS
COMMITTEE, WE ARE RUNNING VERY
LONG, BEHIND SCHEDULE.
>> I HAVE A FEW BRIEF QUESTIONS
>> I DID NOT SEE YOUR HAND UP.
>> I AM NOT ON ZOOM. I WAS
DOING IT THE OLD-FASHIONED WAY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE
BREAKDOWN IN THE PRESENTATION.
WANTED TO ASK A LITTLE BIT ABOU
THOSE CAPACITY QUESTIONS THAT W
JUST REFERRED TO WITH T.A.D.
ARE THOSE RELATED TO THE SCALE
EVEN IF WE HAD MORE MONEY, THAT
WE COULD CONTRACT WITH THEM,
THEY PROBABLY WOULD NOT BE ABLE
TO MEET THE SCALE OF MORE THAN
50 PER YEAR ? BUT, IF THE CITY
HAD A BIGGER APPROPRIATION,
WOULD THEY BE ABLE TO SCALE,
COMMENSURATE TO ADD MORE
CAPACITY, WHAT IS OUR TAKE ON
THAT?
>> I THINK IT HAS MORE TO DO
WITH STAFFING. I WILL DIVERT TO
AMY, LIKE MANY PROVIDERS, THAT
WAS THE REPORT TO ME, I WAS ABL
TO WORK WITH T.A.D. AT KING
COUNTY. WE SAW A LOT OF THE
ADVANTAGES OF PEOPLE WORKING IN
T.A.D., I WILL DEFER TO AMY,
I KNOW THAT WE ASKED FOR THE
ABILITY TO HAVE CAPACITY FOR
MORE THAN 50.
>> THAT IS EXACTLY RIGHT. IT IS
A STAFFING THING. I DO NOT WANT
TO SAY , I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK
FOR T.A.D. BUT THE OTHER
PROVIDER WE ARE IN CONVERSATION
WITH , THEY ALSO DO SUBSTANCE
ABUSE, MENTAL HEALTH, THAT WOUL
ADD MORE NUMBERS TO THIS. IT I
STILL A SMALLER PORTION.
>> JUST SO I UNDERSTAND THE
CHART CORRECTLY, DOES THAT
MEAN, M.I.A. TO READ THAT TO
MEAN THAT THE ENTIRE $750,000 I
COMMITTED TO HERE, BUT ONE OF
THE PROVIDERS IS ON A BIANNUAL
BASIS , AND THAT IS ACCOUNTED
FOR IN THE NUMBER , OR IS THERE
STILL ADDITIONAL MONEY BEING
BID? THE ASTERISK IS THROWING
ME OFF A LITTLE BIT.
>> SO, I DO NOT KNOW THE EXACT
ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION. I
BELIEVE THOUGH, LOOKING BACK A
THE TEAM, THIS IS SOMETHING THA
HAS ALREADY BEEN COMMITTED IN
THE CONTRACT. THE TOTAL FUNDS,
ANNUALLY, ART 585 OUT OF THAT
750, THEY ARE PROGRAMMATIC. I
THINK THAT WE COULD PROVIDE MOR
DETAIL AT A LATER DATE OVER HO
MUCH IS STILL AVAILABLE FOR THE
CONTRACTS FOR THIS REMAINING
YEAR.
>> BUT SOME OF THAT MONEY IS
BASED ON NEGOTIATIONS WITH SOME
OF THE OTHER PROVIDERS THAT AMY
JUST ALLUDED TO?
>> YES.
>> OKAY, THANK YOU.
>> AGAIN, I AM SURE WE WILL
HAVE FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS TO TAK
OFF-LINE. WE APPRECIATE YOU
BEING HERE. WE DO HAVE ONE MORE
ITEM ON THE AGENDA. WE HAVE
BEEN WAITING VERY PATIENTLY. WE
ARE GOING TO MOVE ON, MUCH
APPRECIATED, THANK YOU FOR YOUR
WORK. MR. CLERK, CAN YOU READ
THE FINAL ITEM ON TODAY'S
AGENDA?
>> ITEM 4, TRANSFORMATION IS
POSSIBLE, RECOMMENDATIONS FROM
THE SEATTLE COMMUNITY RESPONSES
TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE WORKGROUP.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, JUST A
QUICK BACKGROUND, AS FOLKS ARE
JOINING US AT THE TABLE. THIS I
ANOTHER , THE FOURTH OF FOUR
UPDATES ON COUNCIL WORK. THIS
ONE, IN PARTICULAR, RESULTED
FROM COUNCIL REQUEST ,
REGARDING INDIVIDUALS IMPACTED
BY THE CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM.
THESE INDIVIDUALS, AS PART OF A
TASK FORCE MET THROUGHOUT 2021
IT WAS CONVENED BY THE OFFICE
OF CIVIL RIGHTS TO DEVELOP
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR POLICY
CHANGES TO REDUCE HARM AND
PREVENT PEOPLE FROM ENDING UP I
THE SYSTEM TO BEGIN WITH. THESE
TASK FORCE MEMBERS CREATED A
REPORT TITLED A FOCUS ON
COMMUNITY RESOURCE PROGRAMS.
THEY PRESENTED TO THIS COMMITTE
BACK IN SEPTEMBER, 2021. ONE OF
THE RECOMMENDATIONS WAS TO
CREATE ALTERNATIVES TO
INCARCERATION THAT ADDRESS
MISDEMEANOR AND DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE . FOR THE 2022 BUDGET,
I SPONSORED A BUDGET AMENDMENT
FROM THE OFFICE OF CIVIL RIGHTS
TO SUPPORT THIS. I WILL PASS I
OFF TO OUR PRESENTERS. LET'S
START WITH A QUICK ROUND OF
INTRODUCTIONS AND THEN WE WILL
TAKE IT OFF.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH,
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD. MY NAME
IS SHANNON PEREZ-DARBY AND I A
WITH ACCOUNTABLE COMMUNITIES
CONSORTIUM. LET US START WITH
OUR PRESENTATION.
>> HELLO , EVERYONE, I AM THE
FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
I AM HAPPY TO BE HERE.
>> MY NAME IS AMARINTHIA
TORRES AND I USE SHE /HER
PRONOUNS.
>> HELLO, COUNCILMEMBERS , MY
NAME IS ERIKA PABLO AND I AM
WITH THE SEATTLE OFFICE FOR
CIVIL RIGHTS. THANK YOU.
>> APOLOGIES. WE WERE HAVING A
QUICK TECH MOMENT. JOINING US
REMOTELY IS SID JORDAN, THE
CO-AUTHOR OF THE TRANSFORMATION
IS POSSIBLE REPORT.
>> ALL RIGHT. LET'S SEE. IT
MIGHT BE , I SEEM TO BE LOCKED
OUT OF THIS COMPUTER, EVEN
THOUGH IT HOLDS OUR
PRESENTATION.
>> YOU CAN ASK FOR HELP ON ALL
LEVELS HERE.
>> COULD YOU COME DOWN ? THANK
YOU.
>> ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT. THANK
YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PATIENCE.
SO, WHO ARE WE? COMMUNITY
RESPONSES TO THE DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE TASK FORCE IS 15
MEMBERS. WE ARE SURVIVORS,
ADVOCATES, LOCAL LEADERS, A
COMMUNITY-BASED AND
CULTURALLY-SPECIFIC
ORGANIZATION. IT INCLUDES
PEOPLE WITH EXPERIENCE WORKING
DIRECTLY WITH PEOPLE WHO HAVE
CAUSED HARM OR ENGAGED IN
PATTERNS OF ABUSE. OUR PRIMARY
QUESTION DRIVING THIS
WORKGROUP, THIS WORKGROUP MET
FOR OVER ONE YEAR TO DEVELOP
RECOMMENDATIONS. AND OUR
QUESTIONING IS , WHAT
COMMUNITY-BASED SUPPORT IS
AVAILABLE IN THE SEATTLE METRO
AREA FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN
ABUSIVE? SO, SOME OF THE THING
THAT WE LEARNED , POLICYMAKERS
HAVE GENERALLY FAVORED FUNDING
COMMUNITY-BASED SUPPORTS FOR
SURVIVORS AND CRIMINAL PENALTIE
FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN
ABUSIVE. FOR A PERSON WHO IS
BEING ABUSIVE, THERE WERE VERY
FEW NON-CRIMINALIZING SUPPORTS
AVAILABLE TO STOP THE ABUSIVE
BEHAVIOR AND BE ACCOUNTABLE FOR
THE HARM THEY HAVE CAUSED. AND
WE LEARNED THAT THE CITY OF
SEATTLE DOES NOT CURRENTLY FUND
NONPARENTAL, COMMUNITY
RESPONSES TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
THAT FOCUS ON REACHING PEOPLE
WHO ARE BEING ABUSIVE IN A
ROMANTIC, INTIMATE, OR SPOUSAL
RELATIONSHIP. ONE OF THE CORE
CHALLENGES THAT WE DISCOVERED,
AS COMMUNITY-BASED WORKERS , I
BELIEVE WE HAVE OVER 200 YEARS
OF EXPERIENCE WORKING IN THE
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE FIELD . IT WA
THE NEED FOR FRAMING DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE AS A PATTERN OF POWER
AND CONTROL. ONE OF THE THINGS
WE REALIZED, AS WE TALKED ABOUT
THE MYSTIC VIOLENCE, MANY PEOPL
HAD DEFINITIONS. WE ARE USING A
LOT OF DIFFERENT FRAMEWORKS TO
UNDERSTAND THE ISSUE. WE WERE
UTILIZING A VERY SPECIFIC
COMMUNITY-BASED UNDERSTANDING O
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. I AM GOING
TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO JUST
SHARE THAT, AND THEN I WILL PAS
IT ALONG TO THE WORKGROUP
MEMBERS TO SHARE ABOUT THEIR
WORK. SO, WHAT WE UNDERSTAND IS
THAT WE KNOW SOMEONE WHO IS
USING A PATTERN OF POWER AND
CONTROL TRIES TO TURN A SUBJECT
INTO AN OBJECT. THAT IS THE COR
HARM OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. WE
UNDERSTAND THAT PART OF THE TAS
OF BEING A PERSON IS THAT YOU
GET TO MAKE CHOICES ABOUT YOUR
LIFE, YOUR VALUES, AND WHAT IS
IMPORTANT TO YOU. AND THEN YOU
GET ACT EVERY DAY TO TRY TO LIV
OUT YOUR VISION OF THAT. AT ITS
CORE, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
INTERRUPTS THE SURVIVOR 'S
ABILITY TO DO THAT TASK. THAT
IS WHY WE TALK ABOUT IT ,
BECAUSE IT INTERRUPTS THE
SURVIVOR 'S ABILITY TO BE A
PERSON. THE CORE HARM IS THAT
OBJECTIFICATION. SURVIVORS LOSE
THE ABILITY TO MAKE CHOICES OVE
THEIR OWN LIVES. PHYSICAL
VIOLENCE IS A TOOL OF
OBJECTIFICATION. SO WE CARE
DEEPLY ABOUT PHYSICAL VIOLENCE
BUT IT IS NOT THE ONLY DYNAMIC
THAT IS PRESENT IN AN ABUSIVE
RELATIONSHIP. IF WE UNDERSTAND
OBJECTIFICATION, AS THE CORE
HARM OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, WE
KNOW THAT WE COUNTERBALANCE THA
BY SUPPORTING PEOPLE WHO HAVE
BEEN EXPERIENCING DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE IN AGENCY, IN
SELF-DETERMINATION. WE RESTORE
THEIR ABILITY TO MAKE CHOICES
ABOUT THEIR OWN LIVES. WE KNOW
THAT EVERYONE NEEDS SUPPORT. TH
KINDS OF SUPPORT THAT FOLKS
NEED IS DISTINCT. FOR PEOPLE WH
ARE EXPERIENCING A PATTERN OF
POWER, CONTROL, AND
EXPLOITATION, WE USE THE WORD
SURVIVOR TO FOLKS WHO HAVE THA
EXPERIENCE. THEY NEED THAT
SUPPORT IN SELF-DETERMINATION
AND SAFETY. IT NEEDS TO BE A
DEEP CONVERSATION ABOUT PEOPLE
BEING ABLE TO MAKE DECISIONS
ABOUT WHAT IS RIGHT FOR THEM IN
THEIR OWN LIVES. IT IS
ESSENTIAL TO ENDING DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE TO HAVE MEANINGFUL
SUPPORTS FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE
ABUSIVE. FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE
ESTABLISHING A PATTERN OF POWER
AND CONTROL AND EXPLICATION,
WEEK ALSO CALL THOSE FOLKS
PEOPLE WHO ARE ABUSIVE, WE NEED
ACCOUNTABILITY. THAT MEANS
MEANINGFULLY ATTENDING TO THE
HARM THEY HAVE CAUSED. MUCH OF
OUR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE RESPONSE
AS REALLY BEEN FOCUSED ON
COMMUNITY-BASED RESPONSES FOR
SURVIVORS AND CRIMINALIZING
RESPONSES FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE
ABUSIVE. WE KNOW IN THIS
COMMUNITY-BASED MODEL, A PERSON
WHO EXPERIENCES A PATTERN OF
POWER AND CONTROL IS A SURVIVOR
A PERSON WHO ESTABLISHES THE
PATTERN IS A PERSON WHO HAS
CREATED THAT. PEOPLE WHO ABUSE
THEIR PARTNERS ESTABLISH A
PATTERN OF POWER AND CONTROL
THAT HAPPENS 24/7. MOMENTS OF
VIOLENCE, MOMENTS OF ESCALATION
ARE AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE
PATTERN. TO UNDERSTAND AND TO
CREATE MEANINGFUL AND VIABLE
RESPONSES TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE,
WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THE BIG
PICTURE OF THE SITUATION. MANY
SURVIVORS WILL TELL YOU ABOUT
THE COMPLEX EXPERIENCE OF BEING
IN A RELATIONSHIP WITH SOMEONE
THEY LOVE, WHO IS ALSO HARMING
THEM. IT IS A DEEPLY CONFUSING
EXPERIENCE TO MAKE SENSE OF TH
TENSIONS AND DICHOTOMY AND
UNDERSTANDING THE FULL PICTURE
OF THAT SITUATION IS HOW WE BOT
SUPPORT SURVIVORS AND ALSO MAK
MEANINGFUL PLANS TO PREVENT
HARM AND TO SUPPORT PEOPLE WHO
ARE BEING ABUSIVE IN BEING
ACCOUNTABLE. WE ALSO KNOW IN
THIS COMMUNITY MODEL, PEOPLE
WHO ARE ABUSING THEIR PARTNERS
USE A NUMBER OF TACTICS. SOME
OF WHICH ARE LEGAL, MOST OF
WHICH ARE LEGAL. IT IS LEGAL
TO SAY YOUR SISTER IS REALLY I
OUR BUSINESS A LOT, I WISH YOU
WOULD NOT HANG OUT SO MUCH. THA
IS AN EFFECTIVE TOOL IN
ISOLATING SOMEONE. THAT IS NOT
QUESTION FOR THE CRIMINAL LEGAL
SYSTEM. WE KNOW THAT MANY THING
THAT HAPPEN IN ABUSIVE
RELATIONSHIPS ARE OUTSIDE THE
SCOPE OF A CRIMINAL , LEGAL
RESPONSE. MEANWHILE, WE KNOW
THAT IN A CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM
A PERSON IS A VICTIM IF THE
CRIME HAS BEEN COMMITTED AND
THE PERPETRATOR IS THE PERSON
ACCUSED OF COMMITTING THE CRIME
IN THE CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM,
IT IS DESIGNED TO ADDRESS
SPECIFIC INCIDENCES AND
DETERMINE IF SOMETHING HAPPENED
THAT IS ONE OF THE PRIMARY TASK
OF THE LEGAL SYSTEM. IT IS
LOOKING AT MOMENTS IN TIME. TH
CRIMINAL SYSTEM IS VERY LIMITED
IN ITS ABILITY TO LOOK AT THE
FULL PICTURE OF BEHAVIOR THAT
GOES INTO CREATING THE PATTERN
OF POWER AND CONTROL. THE WORKE
REALLY BELIEVES DEEPLY THAT
UNDERSTANDING THIS
COMMUNITY-BASED MODEL OF POWER
AND CONTROL IS ESSENTIAL TO
UNDERSTANDING WHAT THIS WORK WA
SO IMPORTANT. AND REALLY THAT W
NEED A BROAD RESPONSE TO
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. IT WILL NEED
MANY DIFFERENT TOOLS AND
TACTICS. ONE OF THE GAPS THAT
CURRENTLY EXISTS IS THE SUPPORT
FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE ABUSIVE, WHO
HAVE NOT BEEN CRIMINALIZED. WE
KNOW THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE WHO
HAVE BEEN ABUSIVE WHO HAVE NEVE
TOUCHED THE CRIMINAL LEGAL
SYSTEM,IN RELATIONSHIP TO THE
ABUSE THAT THEY HAVE DONE. AND
WE DO NOT HAVE A SOLUTION FOR
THAT. WE DO NOT HAVE SUPPORT
AVAILABLE FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE
ABUSIVE WHO HAVE NOT BEEN
CRIMINALIZED. OUR
RECOMMENDATIONS ARE TO ESTABLIS
DURABLE PUBLIC FUNDING STREAMS
FOR COMMUNITY RESPONSES THAT
REACH PEOPLE BEING ABUSIVE AND
ARE INDEPENDENT FROM THE
CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM. TO
INVEST FIRST IN STRATEGIES
DEVELOPED BY MARGINALIZED
SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
AND PRACTICED IN BLACK AND
INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES AND OTHE
COMMUNITIES OF COLOR. THAT
INCLUDES THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY,
IMMIGRANT AND REFUGEE
COMMUNITIES AND OTHER
COMMUNITIES WHO HAVE BEEN
SYSTEMATICALLY HARMED BY THE
CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM. OUR
RECOMMENDATIONS INCLUDE STARTIN
A PILOT PHASE , INCLUDING A
COMMUNITY-DIRECTED FUNDING
PROCESS, WITH SUFFICIENT FUNDIN
FOR COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TO
PLAN, DESIGN, IMPLEMENT AND
EVALUATE PROGRAMS OVER A
THREE-YEAR PERIOD. WE HIGHLY
RECOMMEND PROTECTING
COMMUNITY-OWNERSHIP THROUGH
PROGRAMS, INCLUDING INDEPENDENT
LEADERSHIP AND DECISION-MAKING,
REPORTING REQUIREMENTS THAT
REFLECT COMMUNITY HAVE DRIVEN
EVALUATION CRITERIA AND
PARTICIPANT CONFIDENTIALITY AND
TO DEMONSTRATE PUBLIC LEADERSHI
AND TRANSPARENCY IN THE ADOPTIO
OF COMMUNITY RESPONSES TO
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. I AM GOING
TO PAUSE THERE AND I AM GOING T
TURN IT OVER TO MY COHORTS TO
TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THEIR
WORK.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, AGAIN,
LIKE I SAID, MY NAME IS RAHMA
RASHID AND I AM THE FOUNDER AN
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE
MUSLIMAHS AGAINST ABUSE CENTER.
IT IS A DEDICATED NONPROFIT
ORGANIZATION COMMITTING TO
HELP YOUNG GIRLS OF COLOR TO
OVERCOME PAST TRAUMA AND LEAD
SUCCESSFUL LIVES, DESPITE FACIN
MANY CHALLENGES DUE TO LIMITED
FUNDING, OUR PURSUIT IS STRONG
WE AIM TO CREATE POSITIVE
CHANGES IN UNDERSERVED
POPULATIONS. AT MUSLIMAHS
AGAINST ABUSE CENTER, WE SERVE
PRIMARILY THE CULTURAL
BARRIERS AND UNIQUE CHALLENGES
THAT ARE FACED BY YOUNG WOMEN O
COLOR. I UNDERSTAND THE MANY
NEEDS WITHIN THAT COMMUNITY,
WHICH POSSESSES AN
UNDERSTANDING IMPACTED OUR
JOURNEY, AS AN ORGANIZATION,
BEGAN IN 2020, WE HAVE OVER 10
YEARS OF EXPERIENCE HELPING AND
CREATING SUPPORT GROUPS AND
ADDRESSING CONCERNS FACING THE
COUNTLESS YOUNG WOMEN IN OUR
COMMUNITIES. WE SERVE WITH A
ONE-ON-ONE ADVOCACY PROGRAM AS
WELL AS A SUPPORT GROUP, WHERE
WE DIVIDE A CONFIDENTIAL AND
NURTURING ENVIRONMENT WHERE OUR
CLIENTS CAN SHARE THEIR
EXPERIENCES AND ALSO RECEIVE
TOOLS AND RESOURCES TO BETTER
HELP THEM HEAL AND GROW. WE
HAVE THE 18-AWARENESS PROGRAM,
HELPING TO FOCUS ON PREVENTION
AND MENTAL HEALTH. WE HOST A
CULTURALLY-RESPONSIVE WORKSHOP
TO HELP WITH DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
PREVENTION, MENTAL HEALTH, AND
SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION, JUS
TO NAME A FEW. WE UNDERSTAND
THE IMPORTANCE OF STARTING OFF
AT A YOUNG AGE. WE ALSO PROVIDE
THE HONOR ROLL PROGRAM, FOR
YOUNG WOMEN AND GIRLS TO DISCUS
TOPICS THAT AFFECT US IN OUR
COMMUNITIES, SUCH AS HEALTH AND
WELL-BEING. SOME OF THE
WORKSHOPS ARE BIRTH EQUITY,
TRAUMA , DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
PREVENTION , POSTMODERN
DEPRESSION, AND JUST TO NAME
FEW. THEY ARE TRYING TO HELP
THEM LEARN AND GROW. WE ARE
TRYING TO CREATE LASTING CHANGE
FOR WOMEN AND YOUNG GIRLS IN
OUR COMMUNITY BY PROVIDING THEM
ESSENTIAL SUPPORT, EDUCATION,
AND RESOURCES. WE ARE EMPOWERIN
THEM TO OVERCOME THEIR PAST AN
THRIVE IN THE FUTURE. TOGETHER,
WE ARE FOSTERING A STRONGER,
SAFER AND MORE RESILIENT
COMMUNITY FOR ALL. WE WANT TO B
THE CHANGE THAT WE DESPERATELY
NEEDED GROWING UP. THANK YOU.
>> THANKS SO MUCH. IT IS REALL
NICE TO BE HERE. AGAIN, I AM
THE COEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR,
AMARINTHIA TORRES, WE SUPPORT 3
COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS
AIMING TO PUT IN END TO
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. WE WERE SO
PLEASED TO BE ABLE TO
PARTICIPATE IN THIS WORKGROUP
ALONGSIDE SO MANY COMMUNITY
LEADERS. WE WANTED TO SHARE A
COUPLE OF HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE
COALITION AS A REPORT. INCREAS
THE CHOICES SURVIVORS HAVE ABOU
HOW THEY RESPOND TO ABUSE
SUPPORTS THEIR
SELF-DETERMINATION AND SAFETY,
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS SO MUCH
ABOUT CONTROLLING AND LIMITING
ANOTHER PERSON'S CHOICES AND
HEALING FROM ABUSE IS THE
PROCESS OF RECLAIMING THE CHOIC
AND AGENCY IN ONE LIFE. SOME
SURVIVORS JUST WANT THE ABUSE
TO STOP, BUT THEY DO NOT WANT
THEIR PARTNER INCARCERATED,
DEPORTED, OR HARMED BY THE
CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM. THERE AR
LOTS OF VALID REASONS FOR ALL O
THESE PROFOUNDLY HARD CHOICES
THAT SURVIVORS ARE FACED WITH,
AND WE KNOW THAT SURVIVORS SEE
SAFETY IN A VARIETY OF WAYS, NO
JUST THROUGH THE CRIMINAL LEGA
SYSTEM, THAT SPEAKS TO SO MUCH
OF WHAT THIS REPORT DOES. IT
ASKS US TO GRAPPLE WITH MULTIPL
TRUTHS AT THE SAME TIME. THAT I
ONE OF THOSE. SAFETY CAN LOOK A
LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS. SURVIVOR
ARE REALLY THE EXPERTS OF THEI
OWN SITUATIONS AROUND WHAT IS
SAFE AND WHAT THAT DOES MEAN FO
THEM. A BIG PART OF AN
ADVOCATE'S JOB IS TO SUPPORT
THOSE CHOICES, NO MATTER WHAT
THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE. WE LEARN,
TOO, THAT ONE-SIZE-FITS-ALL
APPROACHES ARE NOT EFFECTIVE
GIVEN THE COMPLEXITY OF
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND THE UNIQU
NEEDS OF SURVIVORS. FOR US, AS
COALITION, THE MORE INCREASE
OPTIONS BEFORE THEM , WHEN THEY
ARE FACED WITH HAVING TO RESPON
TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN THEIR
OWN LIVES, THAT INCREASES THEIR
SAFETY, THAT INCREASES THEIR OW
ABILITY TO RECLAIM , BY HAVING
MORE CHOICES AVAILABLE. THE
ADHERENCE TO THE CRIMINAL LEGAL
SYSTEM IS JUST ONE MORE OPTION
THAT WE CAN EXPLORE WITH THEM.
LASTLY, I WOULD SAY THAT A BIG
PART OF THE WORK THAT WE WANTED
TO HIGHLIGHT IS THAT A ROBUST
AND STABLE NETWORK OF SURVIVORS
AND ORGANIZATIONS IS AN
INDISPENSABLE PART OF OUR
REGIONAL RESPONSE TO DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE. THIS WORKGROUP AND TH
REPORT ITSELF, IT REALLY ASKS U
TO GRAPPLE WITH A LOT OF
PROFOUND AND COMPLEX QUESTIONS.
THINGS LIKE, CAN SOMEONE WHO
HAS BEEN ABUSIVE CHANGE THEIR
BEHAVIOR? WHAT DOES
ACCOUNTABILITY LOOK LIKE ? HOW
DO WE RECONCILE ONGOING
DISPARITIES AGAINST FOLKS OF
COLOR, BLACK FOLKS, WITHIN THE
SYSTEM, BOTH WITH SURVIVORS AND
THE FOLKS CAUSING HARM, ALL IN
THE NAME OF TRYING TO SUPPORT
SURVIVOR SAFETY. THESE ARE NOT
QUESTIONS WITH EASY ANSWERS, WE
DO NOT PRESUME TO HAVE THE
ANSWERS HERE TODAY. BUT I CAN
TELL YOU THAT COMMUNITY
ADVOCATES OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
PROGRAMS GRAPPLE WITH THESE
EVERY DAY AND THE SUPPORT THAT
THEY OFFER TO SURVIVORS.
SURVIVORS GRAPPLE WITH THESE
QUESTIONS IN THEIR LIVES. AS
THEY THINK ABOUT, HOW DO I WANT
TO RESPOND TO HOW MY LIFE
PARTNER IS TREATING ME, WHAT AR
THE CHOICES BEHIND ME IN MY
COMMUNITY, AND IN OTHER SYSTEM
THAT THEY MAY BE NAVIGATING, I
THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE
THAT ADVOCATES, EVERY DAY, IN
OUR REGION AND CITY EXPLORE AL
OF THESE OPTIONS AND CHOICES
WITH SURVIVORS TO HELP THEM MAK
THE CHOICES THAT ARE RIGHT FOR
THEM AND THEIR FAMILIES. THE
CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM IS NOT
EASY TO NAVIGATE. IT IS VERY
COMPLICATED TO ACCESS. WHEN A
SURVIVOR CHOOSES THAT ROUTE,
WHICH MANY SURVIVORS DO,
ADVOCATES ARE THERE TO HELP
SUPPORT THEM BEST. JUST AS
ADVOCATES SUPPORT SURVIVORS IN
THAT OPTION, ADVOCATES SUPPORT
SURVIVORS IN EXPLORING
ALTERNATIVES TO THE TERMINAL
LEGAL SYSTEM. THAT IS SOMETHIN
THAT I LIKE THAT THE REPORT
REALLY HIGHLIGHTS. IT CAME UP
SO MUCH IN THE WORKGROUP, HOW
MUCH GENDER-BASED WORK PROGRAMS
AND FOLKS WITH EXPERTISE HAVE
BEEN DOING THIS ALREADY. THEY
ARE GOOD RESOURCES TO GO INTO,
HOW DO WE CREATE ALTERNATIVES,
IF WE WANT SOMETHING ELSE OUT O
THE CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM.
ADVOCATES ARE REALLY DOING A LO
OF WORK TO HELP SURVIVORS
EXPLORE THOSE OPTIONS IN A
NONJUDGMENTAL WAY. REALLY
SUPPORTING THEM WITH THEIR TRUE
CHOICE ABOUT HOW THEY WANT TO
PROCEED. THE LAST THING I AM
GOING TO SAY ABOUT THAT, WITH
THAT SPECIFIC PROGRAM, THEY
WILL HAVE SO MUCH EXPERTISE ,
THEY WILL REALLY GO TO THOSE
FOLKS WHEN THEY HAVE THOSE
QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT
ALTERNATIVES LOOK LIKE AND HOW
WE CREATE THAT, ADEQUATE FUNDIN
FOR THIS IS ESSENTIAL TO
UPHOLDING THE SURVIVOR CHOICES
WHEREVER THEY LAND ON THE
SPECTRUM OF SERVICES AND
WHEREVER THEY LAND ON THE
SPECTRUM OF HOW THEY WANT TO
RESPOND TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. I
THINK THOSE WERE MY MAIN
POINTS. WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE
NEXT STEPS IN IMPLEMENTING
RECOMMENDATIONS. WE REALLY
APPRECIATE THE TIME TO SPEAK
WITH YOU ALL TODAY.
>> WE ARE NOW AVAILABLE AND
HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS
THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
>> JUST A QUICK OBSERVATION.
PERIODICALLY, THE CITY ATTORNE
WILL, AND BRIEF US ON THEIR
QUARTERLY REPORTS REGARDING
THEIR WORK. AND THE MOST RECEN
REPORT THAT I HAVE, QUARTER
ONE, FOR 2023 SHOWS , CONSISTEN
WITH PREVIOUS REPORTS , THAT
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE REFERRALS
HISTORICALLY HAVE HIGHER DECLIN
RATES THAN ANYTHING ELSE. THAT
IS COMPARED TO WHATEVER ELSE TH
ATTORNEY'S OFFICE DOES. THE
PROSECUTORS , IN MAKING THESE
DECISIONS, THEY WEIGH THE
IMPACTS ON THE VICTIM, THE
VICTIMS' DESIRED OUTCOMES, TH
NATURE OF PAST REFERRALS , BUT
VERY LARGE NUMBER OF THESE
DECLINES ARE RELATED TO THE
VICTIMS' WISHES. MOST RECENTLY
WE ARE LOOKING AT 65% DECLINE
RATES. REGARDLESS OF HOW
UNCOMFORTABLE WE MIGHT BE WITH
THE IDEA OF NOT PROSECUTING
THESE CRIMES , THE REALITY IS ,
THEY ARE NOT BEING PROSECUTED.
MANY OF THEM ARE NOT BEING
PROSECUTED. FOR THOSE EXAMPLES,
THERE ARE NOT CONSEQUENCES AND
THERE IS NO ACCOUNTABILITY, IN
ADDITION TO THE EXPERIENCES
THAT YOU HAVE UPLIFTED FROM THE
WORK THAT YOU DO, THIS REALLY
POINTS TO THE NECESSITY TO FIND
OTHER WAYS. I THINK, WHEN YOU
BRIEFED ME ON THIS REPORT, I
ADMITTED THAT I REALLY STRUGGLE
WITH THE IDEA OF A PERPETRATOR
OF VIOLENCE BEING HELD
ACCOUNTABLE, WITHOUT HAVING,
YOU KNOW, THE THREAT OF
PROSECUTION OR A PROGRAM LIKE
THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
INTERVENTION PROGRAM THROUGH
THE COURTS, SOME SIDE OF IT, A
STICK IN ADDITION TO A CARROT
YOU SHARED WITH ME THAT THERE
WAS PREVIOUSLY A PROGRAM VERY
MUCH LIKE THIS. IT OPERATED I
SEATTLE FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.
IT DOES NOT OPERATE HERE
ANYMORE, THAT WAS NOT A FACTOR
RELATED OR A RESULT OF FACTORS
RELATED TO INEFFECTIVENESS, I
THINK IT WAS MORE OF FUNDING
DECISIONS. IF YOU COULD TOUCH
UPON THIS PREVIOUS PROGRAM THAT
OPERATED IN THIS COMMUNITY,
VERY MUCH ALIGNED WITH THIS
MODEL?
>> YES. THE PROGRAM YOU ARE
REFERRING TO, IT WAS AN
INTERVENTION PROGRAM THAT
EXISTED FOR DECADES, WELLSPRIN
SERVICES. WE INTERVIEWED FOLKS
WHO RAN THAT PROGRAM AS PART OF
OUR WORKGROUP ACTIVITIES TO
LEARN MORE ABOUT WHAT THEY HAD
DONE. MANY OF US HAVE HAD
EXPERIENCES, AS DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE ADVOCATES, REFERRING
PEOPLE AND BEING IN VERY CLOSE
COLLABORATION, YES, IT IS OUR
UNDERSTANDING THAT THAT PROGRAM
ENDED, NOT BECAUSE THERE WAS A
LACK OF NEED OR DESIRE, BUT TH
FUNDING PRIORITIES CHANGED AND
THAT RESULTED IN THE PROGRAM NO
LONGER EXISTING, THAT WAS A
WELL-LOVED PROGRAM . AS A
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ADVOCATE, I
FELT THERE WAS A LOT OF TRUST
IN THE NEED TO SUPPORT PEOPLE
WHO WERE ABUSIVE, TO REFER FOLK
TO, THAT WAS A AN ESSENTIAL
RESPONSE OF OUR NETWORK.
>> PEOPLE WHO WERE ABUSIVE
PARTICIPATED?
>> YES, VOLUNTARILY. AND THEY
RECEIVED REFERRALS. BUT YOU
COULD SELF SELECT INTO THAT
PROGRAM. THEY DID THAT FOR
FOLKS WHO WERE CRIMINALIZED AS
WELL AS PEOPLE WHO WERE
REFERRED.
>> THANK YOU. WHEN I MET WITH
YOU EARLIER TO LEARN ABOUT YOUR
RECOMMENDATIONS, I DID SHARE
WITH YOU MY CONCERNS ABOUT THE
CITY'S LOOMING BUDGET
CHALLENGES. AND I UNDERSTAND
THAT YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR A
PILOT ARE SCALABLE AND WE LOOK
FORWARD TO ADDITIONAL
CONVERSATIONS WITH YOU ABOUT
THAT. AND, JUST LOOKING , MY
COLLEAGUES, WHETHER OR NOT THER
WERE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS,
REALLY APPRECIATE THAT FOLKS
HAVE STAYED LATE. WE DO NOT
WANT TO LOSE THE QUORUM.
>> IN THE INTEREST OF TIME, I
AM NOT GOING TO SAY THE THINGS
WANT TO SAY. MOSTLY IT IS JUST
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THIS
PRESENTATION. MY MIND IS ALSO
OPENING TO DIFFERENT WAYS OF
RESPONDING TO THIS INFINITELY
PERVASIVE PROBLEM. AND I
APPRECIATE YOUR FRAMING OF IT,
TOO. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU , COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD.
>> WE ARE HAPPY TO STAY IN THE
CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS WORK.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. FOR THE
VIEWING PUBLIC AND ANYBODY ELSE
WE THANK YOU. THE NEXT
REGULARLY IVAN SCHEDULED MEETIN
IS SCHEDULED FOR TUESDAY,
AUGUST 8th, 2023. IF COUNCIL O
COMMITTEE MEMBERS ANTICIPATE
BEING ABSENT, WE ASK THAT YOU
LET THE OFFICE KNOW. IF THERE
ARE NO ADDITIONAL COMMENTS,
SEEING NONE, THE TIME IS 12:15
P.M. WE ARE ADJOURNED. THANK
YOU, EVERYONE.