News Licata Proposes More Changes for Police Accountability
posted by on September 12 at 9:00 AM
Right now, City Council President Nick Licata is holding a press conference to propose some big structural changes to the Seattle Police Department’s Office of Professional Accountability (OPA), which investigates citizen complaints against SPD officers.
Licata’s proposals—backed by council members Richard McIver and David Della—are, of course, in direct competition with Mayor Greg Nickels’ Blue Ribbon Taskforce for the OPA, which has yet to make any recommendations for revamping police oversight.
Licata’s proposal flags 3 of the biggest problems with the current oversight system:
First, Licata’s proposal would require the Chief and the OPA director to report on a semi-annual basis on any disagreements over recommendations for officer discipline. Additionally, the Chief and the OPA director would be required to put their recommendations in writing. The Chief and the police guild would almost certainly object to this requirement, as they claim some of the Chief’s decisions involve “personal information” about officers which they don’t want to air in public.
The OPA Director would also be required to report any disciplinary recommendations which were not enacted because the 180-day window for officer discipline—built into the police guild’s contract—expired. This would draw attention to cases where the Chief “ran out the clock” to avoid disciplining officers.
Finally, Licata wants council to have final approval over OPA’s budget. Since OPA is part of the police department, money that’s designated for OPA can be shifted around, and Licata wants any changes in OPA’s budget to pass through council. This would keep OPA adequately staffed and add provide another level of separation between OPA and SPD.
So far, Licata only has council support from McIver and Della. Even so, by putting these ideas out there, Licata’s proposals come as a shot across the bow of Nickels’ panel. It’ll be interesting to see if they come up with a few of their own recommendations sometime soon.
David Della is in a bush. Making paper.
Cops can't have it both ways. Either they're public officers open to scrutiny or they're mercenaries enacting whatever private agenda is most powerful at the moment. If they want authority and respect from Seattle, the department had better step up and show why it deserves that.
Just wonder where ex cop - Timmy Burgess - would be in any progressive skirmish with the cops?
Hah - as they say, "he is one of us."
As long as the Chief can override the disciplinary action recommended by the OPA, we have no accountability.
Even so, by putting these ideas out there, Licata’s proposals come as a shot across the bow of Nickels’ panel.
That's your opinion. Stick to reporting the facts, even if your superiors won't.
Jonah - The 2 modest proposals are NOT a "shot across the bow of Nickels’ panel."
This kind of rhetoric about political brinksmanships detracts from the efforts to make good public policy. If there's any question of this, take a look at today's Times. SPOG President Rich O'Neil uses the same line, suggesting that the intent is for the Council to try to "politically upstage the panel."
The bill proposed today is a long standing recommendation of OPARB (the advisory group that, by law, makes recommendations to the Council) and a "fix" that Nick has been interested in pursuing since earlier this year. It also was one of the original '99 recommendations AND something that former Chief Stamper (under Schell) did voluntarily...not a new idea by any means nor politically motivated.
The Mayor's panel will be making recommendations to the Mayor. Nick absolutely welcomes the value added to the public discussion about OPA that their broader review will provide.
Gomez-
I believe Licata's meeting this morning was scheduled for the same time as a Nickels press conference.
How could it be anything but a big middle finger to the mayor?
Jonah,
Try doing what a little work and ask Licata or his staff if he intended this to be a shot at the mayor's panel. Otherwise, you're just making shit up.
How can his proposals be "in direct competition" with the panel when they haven't started making their recommendations yet? Maybe they agree.
As for the Chief "running out the clock" on discipline, I thought the 180 days ran out in the Sackman case while OPA was investigating.
Pretty lame post for what could be a good story.
Lisa in Nick's office here...Mayor's press conference was at 10 AM, Council's an hour earlier at 9AM...just 7 floors upstairs. I'm betting (tho I didn't attend the Mayor's press conference) that the reporters just got in the elevator and went upstairs.
oh yeah, one other thing...Nick invited Mayor's panel members to join us today too!
7. Jonah... Let your readers draw that conclusion, instead of insulting their intelligence and telling them how to interpret it.
I'm assuming, of course, that your readers are intelligent.
I really wanted to attend this since I'm very interested in police accountability, being a victim of abusive SPD tactics myself I suppose it's a deeply personal interest. But I had to work and only got notice last night, not enough time to call in late.
Good thing I can count on some media outlet to give me an unbiased assessment of the event... Oh, wait.. I suppose not. Next time I'll make sure I go in person to get the real details and not an opinion.
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