In a statement released this afternoon, the Seattle Police Officer's Guild (SPOG) and Seattle Police Management Association state that a lawsuit filed today in superior court today to permanently block the city from making any changes to police officers' wages, hours, or working conditions as part of the city's police reform efforts "should not be construed in any manner as opposition to police reforms."

If you'll recall, the police reform plan is part of a settlement agreement with the Department of Justice, which found that Seattle police officers engaged in a pattern and practice of excessive force with suspects, among other things.

The unions argue that the lawsuit is about preserving the unions' collective bargaining agreements with the city:

Mayor Mike McGinn, City Attorney Pete Holmes, Public Safety Chairperson Bruce Harrell, and members of the City Labor Relations Unit have all indicated that they intend to bargain those issues which are called for under Washington State law. The Monitoring Team however has given indications that they do not intend to follow the bargaining process set forth in the State collective bargaining laws. Our organizations are troubled by this as it appears to violate State law and has ramifications that could affect our members collective bargaining rights as well as the bargaining rights of other unions in our region.

Today, we filed a Declaratory Judgment Action in King County Superior Court asking for a decision on the role of State collective bargaining laws as the City moves forward with changes to the Police Department. This is about the rights of workers and should not be construed in any manner as opposition to police reforms. Both SPOG and SPMA have cooperated with the DOJ investigation and with the efforts the Monitoring Team has already taken.

I've read the proposed reform plan. It doesn't seem to indicate that Bobb or his counsel intend to ignore state law regarding bargaining agreements. What we do know for certain is that both unions have met with Bobb and his team. Moreover, both unions are represented on the city's newly formed, 13-member Community Police Commission, which was assembled earlier this year to support the police reform process—except instead of supporting reform, as they've been tasked, they're now blocking it.

And we know that Rich O'Neill, the lightning-rod leader of SPOG, was against appointing Bobb as court monitor and moreover, he was opposed to the entire Department of Justice investigation, so this highly diplomatic statement strikes me as a bit specious.

Full press release after the jump.

RE: Filing of Declaratory Judgment Action by SPOG and SPMA

This is a joint press release from the Seattle Police Officers’ Guild and the Seattle Police Management Association. We believe in the Constitution and the protections that are afforded to all people under the Constitution. Both organizations support and are committed to constitutional policing and necessary police reforms. For example, we commend the Seattle Monitoring Team for acknowledging the benefits to officers and to the community that come with more supervisors and more training.

Both organizations also support Washington State’s Collective Bargaining Laws outlined in RCW 41.56. Throughout this entire process, both organizations have been transparent and open with the Department of Justice and the Monitoring Team. We have, however, received mixed messages. The United States Attorney for Western Washington, Jenny Durkan assured both groups that the DOJ respects the collective bargaining rights outlined in Washington State law. Mayor Mike McGinn, City Attorney Pete Holmes, Public Safety Chairperson Bruce Harrell, and members of the City Labor Relations Unit have all indicated that they intend to bargain those issues which are called for under Washington State law. The Monitoring Team however has given indications that they do not intend to follow the bargaining process set forth in the State collective bargaining laws. Our organizations are troubled by this as it appears to violate State law and has ramifications that could affect our members collective bargaining rights as well as the bargaining rights of other unions in our region.

Today, we filed a Declaratory Judgment Action in King County Superior Court asking for a decision on the role of State collective bargaining laws as the City moves forward with changes to the Police Department. This is about the rights of workers and should not be construed in any manner as opposition to police reforms. Both SPOG and SPMA have cooperated with the DOJ investigation and with the efforts the Monitoring Team has already taken.

It is our hope that the Monitoring Team will engage both organizations in a collaborative approach. Through this approach, those reforms that are mandatory subjects of bargaining will be successfully bargained, State law will be respected, and the Seattle Police Department will be a better organization at the end of this process.