DOES NOT MEAN WE SHOULD
PURSUE OUT OF ORDER LAYOFFS FOR
THE DETRIMENT OF LAYING OFF
OFFICERS FIRST.
THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE IN
SEATTLE BELIEVE WE CAN AND MUST
DO BETTER.
BEFORE BECOMING A CITY
COUNCILMEMBER, I SPENT YEARS,
WELL OVER A DECADE WORKING ON
AND BELIEVING IN POLICE REFORM.
I FUNDAMENTALLY BELIEVE REFORM
OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WAS
SOMETHING POSSIBLE.
WHAT WE SAW EARLIER THIS SUMMER
IN RESPONSE TO THE GEORGE FLOYD
DEMONSTRATIONS AND WHAT WE ARE
SAYING ACROSS THE COUNTRY HAS
REFRAINED MY PERSPECTIVE ON
THAT POINT.
I HAVE SAID BEFORE AND I WILL
SAY IT AGAIN, YOU CANNOT REFORM
SOMETHING THAT IS FUNDAMENTALLY
BROKEN.
DESPITE WHAT APPEARS TO BE SOME
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE CITY
COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR IN BOTH
IDEOLOGIES AND VALUES AND
APPROACHES ADDRESSING THIS
ISSUE, WE AS A COUNCIL REMAIN
OPEN TO WORKING WITH THE
EXECUTIVE.
AND WE ARE STANDING AT THE READY
TO WORK WITH THE MAYOR AND
CHIEF BEST TO FIND A PATHWAY
FORWARD THAT WILL UPROOT THE
HARMFUL SYSTEMS THAT HAVE
CONTINUED TO OPPRESS BLACK AND
INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES AND LAY
THE FOUNDATION FOR NEW SYSTEMS
TO BE BUILT THAT CENTER THE
HUMANITY HEALING AND GROWTH OF
COMMUNITIES.
THIS WORK WILL BE HARD PICK
TODAY, I HOPE WE CAN TURN A
PAGE, THE COUNCIL YESTERDAY
TOOK ALMOST UNANIMOUS VOTE ON
ALL THE AMENDMENT AND UNANIMOUS
VOTE ON THE ULTIMATE PACKAGE WE
ARE PROPOSING.
WE AS A COUNCIL ARE UNIFIED IN
OUR VISION AS REPRESENTED IN
THOSE PROPOSALS AND WE NOW
STAND AT THE READY AS ONE UNIT
TO COME TOGETHER WITH THE MAYOR
AND CHIEF TO NEGOTIATE AND TALK
ABOUT OUR PROPOSALS AND OUR
VISION.
I HOPE THE INVITATION I HAVE
SENT TO THE MAYOR AND CHIEF IN
THE LAST 48 HOURS WITH A
MULTITUDE OF DATES AND TIMES TO
BE ABLE TO COME TOGETHER AND
SPEAK AND TALK ABOUT HOW TO
CHART THIS PATH FORWARD ARE
ACCEPTED.
I HOPE THAT INVITATION IS
ACCEPTED WITH DUE HASTE.
I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR
BEING HERE TODAY.
I WILL GO AHEAD AND HANDED OVER
TO MY COLLEAGUE, COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
SO, I WANT TO SPEAK A LITTLE
BIT ABOUT HOW MAYOR DURKAN
KEEPS SAYING WE SHOULD BE
REALISTIC AND WE HAVE BEEN
RESPONSIBLE FOR COMMITTING TO A
GOAL BEFORE WE HAD THE DETAILS.
I HAVE NEVER IN MY 22 YEARS IN
GOVERNMENT OR EIGHT YEARS PRIOR
AS AN ACTIVIST INSIDE OR
OUTSIDE GOVERNMENT SEEN A
SINGLE HARD THING SHAKING UP
THE STATUS QUO AND RESPONDING
TO HISTORICAL MOMENT
ACCOMPLISHED BY LIMITING ACTION
TO WHAT SEEMS REALISTIC.
IN THIS INSTANCE, REIMAGINING
POLICING MEANS IMAGINING WHAT
MAY NOT AT FIRST SEEM REALISTIC.
BY SIGNING ONTO A STRETCH GOAL,
THE COUNCIL BEGAN A PARTNERSHIP
WITH COMMUNITY THAT HAS BROUGHT
US TO THE PLACE WHERE WE ARE
TODAY.
A UNIFIED COUNCIL POSITION ON
THE 2020 SPD BUDGET AND A
PATHWAY AND A PLAN FOR HOW TO
LEVERAGE THE DECISIONS WE ARE
MAKING RIGHT NOW TO REDUCE THE
SIZE OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT
IN 2021.
WE HAVE SHARED INFORMATION
ABOUT THE VERY REAL BARRIERS TO
OUR GOALS IN REAL TIME WITH THE
COMMUNITY AS WE WERE
UNDERSTANDING THOSE BARRIERS
OURSELVES.
IN DOING SO, I HOPE WE HAVE
BEGUN TO BUILD TRUST AND MADE AN
INVESTMENT IN THE LEADERSHIP
INFRASTRUCTURE OF THE PEOPLE
WHO ARE SO CRITICAL TO THIS
IMPORTANT MOMENT.
THE ACTIVISTS AND ADVOCATES,
THE PEOPLE WHO EXPERIENCED HARM
AT THE HANDS OF OUR CRIMINAL
AND JUSTICE SYSTEM AND THE
ALLIES THAT NEVER HAD THESE
EXPERIENCES FIRST-HAND BUT KNOW
THE PROMISE OF JUSTICE WILL
NEVER EVER BE DELIVERED IF THEY
REMAIN COMPLACENT AND SILENT TO
THE INJUSTICES THEY SEE EVERY
DAY.
THE EXECUTIVE IN THE COUNCIL
CLEARLY HAVE A VERY DIFFERENT
APPROACH FOR MEETING THE
DEMANDS OF THE MOVEMENT FOR
TRUE COMMUNITY SAFETY.
FROM WHAT THEY HAVE SHARED SO
FAR, IT DOES NOT SEEM TO
INVOLVE MEANINGFUL STRUCTURAL
CHANGE OR PARTNERING
EFFECTIVELY WITH EMPOWERING
COMMUNITY MEMBERS WITH THESE
LIVED EXPERIENCES.
THE MAYOR SAYS THE COUNCIL AND
COMMUNITY HAVE THE RIGHT IDEAS
BUT THIS IS THE WRONG TIME.
SHE TELLS US SHE IS WORKING
WITH THE CHIEF TO BRING A
PACKAGE THAT REIMAGINES THE
POLICE.
THE PROBLEM WITH THIS, IT
IGNORES EXACTLY WHAT THE
COMMUNITY HAS BEEN SAYING.
THEY ARE NOT AT THE TABLE AND
THEY WANT TO BE.
THE COMMUNITY IS HERE NOW
PUSHING THE COUNCIL AND WORKING
WITH US TO DO WITH THE MAYOR
AND CHIEF SAY WE SHOULD DO
LATER.
THE MAYOR AND THE CHIEF ALSO
SEEM TO BE USING STRUCTURAL
BARRIERS IN GOVERNMENT
INSTITUTIONS TO SAY WHAT THEY
CAN'T DO INSTEAD OF TRYING TO
FIND A WAY FOR US TO WORK
TOGETHER TO TRY AND ACCOMPLISH
WHAT WE ALL SAY WE WANT TO
ACCOMPLISH, REDUCE THE FOOTPRINT
OF ARMED POLICE RESPONSE FOR
EACH AND EVERY SOCIAL PROBLEM
REGARDLESS OF WHETHER IT IS THE
RIGHT RESPONSE.
REMEMBER, 56 % OF 911 CALLS ARE
NONCRIMINAL AND ONLY 3 % RESULT
IN ARREST.
WE ARE ASKING POLICE OFFICERS
TO DO TOO MUCH AND IN DOING SO,
WE MAKE OUR COMMUNITIES LESS
SAFE, WHETHER IT IS SENDING A
POLICE OFFICER WHO WAS ARMED TO
A SITUATION THAT DOES NOT
REQUIRE AN ARMED RESPONSE OR
REDUCING POLICE CAPACITY TO
ADDRESS REAL CRIME.
THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF INTEREST
IN THE ABILITY OF THE CHIEF TO
DO OUT OF ORDER LAYOFFS.
THIS IS ONE OF THE
INSTITUTIONAL STRUCTURAL
BARRIERS I MENTIONED EARLIER.
THE BOTTOM LINE IS, THE RULE
EXISTS AND THUS CAN BE USED.
OUR CHALLENGES THE EXECUTIVE AND
COUNCIL TOGETHER SHOULD FIGURE
OUT HOW TO USE IT TO MEET OUR
SHARED OBJECTIVES, NOT START
FROM THE SUPPOSITION A RULE THAT
CLEARLY EXISTS TO BE USED CAN'T
BE USED.
ON MONDAY, AT THE PRESS
CONFERENCE THE MAYOR AND CHIEF
HEALTH, DANIEL BEEKMAN OF THE
SEATTLE TIMES ASKED WHETHER OR
NOT THE CHIEF WOULD SUBMIT AN
OUT OF ORDER LAYOFFS REQUEST
WITH THE PUBLIC SAFETY CIVIL
COMMISSION AS SHE EMPOWERED BY
THE RULE TO DO PICK THE CHIEF
INSTEAD ANSWER, THE DECISION
LIES WITH THE PUBLIC SAFETY
CIVIL COMMISSION DIRECTOR.
WE ALL UNDERSTAND THAT.
THE COMMUNITY UNDERSTANDS THAT.
OUR REQUEST IS WHETHER OR NOT
SHE WILL WORK WITH US
DEVELOPING THAT REQUEST TO THE
PS CSC, THE CHANCE TO PRESERVE
THE DIVERSITY OF THE LEASE
DEPARTMENT IN A WAY THAT IS
CONSTITUTIONAL, LEGAL ACCORDING
TO LABOR LAW, DOES NOT CHOOSE
LAYOFFS BY RACE AS SOME HAVE
CLAIMED WE ARE ASKING, INSTEAD
DOES SO IN A WAY THAT PRESERVES
THE EFFICIENT FUNCTIONING OF
THE DEPARTMENT AS THE RULE
ITSELF REQUIRES.
WE ARE REIMAGINING AND SO OUR
LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ALL OVER THE
COUNTRY.
HOW WILL THEY TACKLE THESE VERY
SAME ISSUES? LET'S ASK THESE
QUESTION AND LEARN AND ABOVE
ALL, TRY.
AND IF WE ARE UNSUCCESSFUL
AFTER TRYING TOGETHER, THEN THE
COUNCIL, USING TWO PROVISO
INSTEAD OF MAKING RECKLESS
CUTS, HAS VOLUNTARILY PUT
OURSELVES IN A POSITION TO BE
ACCOUNTABLE AND WILL HAVE TO
CONSIDER LIFTING THE PROVISOS.
I HOPE THAT DOES NOT HAPPEN BUT
THE REAL QUESTION IS, IF THE
EXECUTIVE DOES NOT TRY, THEN
THEY WILL BE THE ONES BEING
HELD ACCOUNTABLE.
THE QUESTION TO THAT BRANCH OF
GOVERNMENT WILL BE, DID YOU
REALLY WANT TO REIMAGINE
POLICING IN OUR CITY? THANK YOU.
LET ME TURN IT OVER TO MY
COLLEAGUE ON THE LEFT OF THE
DAIS, COUNCILMEMBER TAMMY
MORALES.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD.
GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE.
I WANT TO BEGIN BY SAYING AS
THE COUNCILMEMBER REPRESENTING
DISTRICT 2, THE PART OF THE CITY
WHERE BLACK, BROWN, AND
INDIGENOUS COMMUNITY MEMBERS,
OUR NEIGHBORS, THE LAST TO HOLD
IN THE CITY DUE TO
GENTRIFICATION AND
DISPLACEMENT, ALSO VIOLENCE,
YOU KNOW, THIS IS A COMMUNITY
OVER POLICED.
I'M HERE TODAY IN THIS SEAT
BECAUSE THOSE NEIGHBORS ELECTED
ME TO BRING THEIR VOICES TO
CITY HALL AND TO SPEAK FOR THEM
IN THIS BODY.
I WANT TO START BY HONORING THE
VERY HARD WORK MY COLLEAGUES
HAVE BEEN DOING.
COUNCIL MEMBERS AND STAFF HAVE
BEEN DIVING DEEP INTO THE
POLICE BUDGET, LISTENING TO
COMMUNITY, AS WE SHOULD, AND
RESEARCHING OTHER MODELS OF
COMMUNITY SAFETY FROM ACROSS
THE COUNTRY.
WE HAVE HAD ROBUST DISCUSSIONS
AND WE HAVE HAD LOTS OF
DISAGREEMENTS AND THAT IS HOW
IT SHOULD BE BECAUSE WE
FRANKLY, REPRESENT DIFFERENT
PARTS OF THE CITY THAT HAVE
DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES ON THESE
ISSUES.
BUT I HAVE THE UTMOST RESPECT
FOR MY COLLEAGUES AND FOR THE
WORK THAT THEY DO TO REPRESENT
THIS CITY.
THIS WORK IS CHALLENGING AND IT
IS REALLY IMPORTANT WORK.
AND THE WORK WE HAVE BEEN DOING
SINCE JUNE, BY BEGINNING THIS
INQUEST INTO THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT REFLECTS OUR GENUINE
EFFORT TO TRANSFORM WHAT
COMMUNITY SAFETY LOOKS LIKE IN
OUR CITY.
THE MAYOR AND POLICE CHIEF HAVE
SOUGHT TO UNDERMINE OUR
CREDIBILITY AND THE HARD WORK
OF THIS BODY.
IT IS DISRESPECTFUL, IT IS NOT
COLLABORATIVE, AND WHEN WE TALK
ABOUT THE SAFETY OF BLACK AND
BROWN NEIGHBORS, IT IS
DOWNRIGHT DANGEROUS.
WE ARE DULY ELECTED, THIS IS A
COEQUAL BRANCH OF GOVERNMENT.
AND IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO
LEGISLATE AND TO DETERMINE THE
PRIORITIES FOR HOW PUBLIC
DOLLARS ARE SPENT.
TO JUST HAND OF THOSE DUTIES
OFF TO THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH AND
FOR THEM TO DECIDE THESE
MATTERS FOR US WOULD BE
RESPONSIBLE.
I WANT TO BE CLEAR, WE ALL KNOW
WE ARE IN THE MIDST OF A RACIAL
RECKONING IN THIS COUNTRY NOT
JUST HERE IN SEATTLE BUT ACROSS
THE NATION.
PEOPLE ARE RISING UP TO DEMAND
WE CHANGE OUR CRIMINAL LEGAL
SYSTEM AND DISMANTLE IT.
I DON'T KNOW WHY IT TOOK THE
DEATH OF GEORGE FLOYD TO SHAKE
THIS COUNTRY AWAKE AND MAKE
THEM PAY ATTENTION.
I DON'T KNOW WHY THAT DIDN'T
HAPPEN AFTER THE MURDER OF
EMMETT TILL OR ANY OF THE
HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF BLACK,
BROWN, AND INDIGENOUS PEOPLE
WHO HAVE DIED IN THIS COUNTRY.
WHO HAVE BEEN KILLED BY STATE
VIOLENCE OR MOB VIOLENCE.
WHAT I DO KNOW IS THAT THE
RECKONING IS HERE AND WE CANNOT
LET THE ENERGY SLIP AWAY
WITHOUT MAKING DRAMATIC
IMPACTFUL CHANGE, EVEN IF IT
MAKES US UNCOMFORTABLE.
THE DEMANDS TO DEMILITARIZED
AND DIVEST FROM THE POLICE WILL
NOT BLOW OVER IN A MATTER OF
MONTHS.
IF THE MAYOR THINKS A STRATEGY
TO DELEGITIMIZE, DELAY, AND
DISTRACT FROM THIS EFFORT WILL
BE SUCCESSFUL, SHE IS CLEARLY
NOT PAYING ATTENTION TO THE
MOVEMENT HAPPENING IN THIS
COUNTRY.
AS WE PREPARE TO DELIBERATE ON
THE 2021 BUDGET AND WHAT LONG-
TERM COMMUNITY SAFETY REALLY
LOOKS LIKE, IT IS CRITICAL FOR
THIS BODY, THIS COUNCIL, TO
LEAD WITH OUR VALUES OF
REPAIRING THE SYSTEMIC HARM
DONE TO OUR COMMUNITIES BY
INVESTING IN BLACK COMMUNITIES
NOW.
FOR TOO LONG, BLACK, BROWN, AND
INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES HAVE
BEEN TOLD TO WAIT.
WHEN PROSPERITY RAINS, THEY ARE
THE LAST TO SHARE IN IT.
WHEN AUSTERITY HITS, THEY ARE
THE FIRST TO SEE CUTS.
AND NOW, WHEN A PANDEMIC
STRIKES, THEY ARE MOST DEEPLY
DEVASTATED BY THE HEALTH AND
ECONOMIC IMPACTS.
AS I HAVE SAID BEFORE, IT IS
TIME FOR US TO SHIFT POWER AWAY
FROM SYSTEMS THAT HAVE FAILED
TO INVEST IN AND HAVE REGULARLY
EXPLOITED THEIR TREMENDOUS
INNOVATION, BRILLIANCE,
RESISTANCE AND SMART SOLUTIONS
THAT ARE HAPPENING IN BLACK AND
BROWN IMMUNITIES.
THE INVESTMENTS WE APPROVED
YESTERDAY WILL SUPPORT THE WORK
WE NEED TO HAPPEN NOW SO THAT
WHEN SIGNIFICANT RESTRUCTURE OF
COMMUNITY SAFETY HAPPENS, WE
HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE IN
PLACE TO SUPPORT OUR NEIGHBORS.
THIS COUNCIL IS WORKING HARD TO
RESTRUCTURE COMMUNITY SAFETY
WITHOUT CENTERING POLICE, WE
STARTED THAT WORK THIS YEAR, WE
KNOW THIS IS WORK THAT WILL
CONTINUE INTO NEXT YEAR
STARTING WITH THE NEXT BUDGET
CONVERSATION IN THE FALL.
THE LAST THING I WANT TO SAY,
IT IS CLEAR ACROSS THE COUNTRY
AND HERE IN SEATTLE, TO
PARAPHRASE ANGELA DAVIS, THE
PEOPLE ARE NO LONGER ACCEPTING
WHAT THEY CANNOT CHANGE.
THEY ARE CHANGING THE THINGS
THEY CANNOT ACCEPT.
WE INVITE THE MAYOR TO WALK
ALONGSIDE US OR STEP OUT OF THE
WAY, THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, TO MY COLLEAGUES,
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD,
COUNCILMEMBER MARIAH ELLIS FOR
THOSE WORDS.
I ALSO DEEPLY RESPECT AND
APPRECIATE ALL OF YOUR
COLLECTIVE HARD WORK ON BEHALF
OF YOUR DISTRICTS AND AS
SOMEONE WHO REPRESENTS THE
ENTIRE CITY, REALLY RESPECT THE
DISTRICT FOCUSED VOICE YOU
BRING TO THIS ISSUE.
I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR
YOUR TREMENDOUS WORK ON THIS
ISSUE AND LOOK FORWARD TO THE
MANY HARD WEEKS BEFORE US TO
CHART A PATH FORWARD TO WORK
COLLABORATIVELY TO ENGAGE CITY
STAKEHOLDERS AND CONTINUE TO
ENGAGE IN IMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS
ON DELIVERING ON OUR COMMITMENT
FOR 2021.
WE WILL OPEN IT UP FOR
QUESTIONS.
ALL HEADED OVER TO THE COMMUNE
OCCASIONS DIRECTOR, --
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
WE WILL TAKE QUESTIONS FIRST
FROM THE REPORTERS HERE IN
COUNCIL CHAMBERS FOLLOWED BY
REPORTERS DIALED IN ON THE
CALL.
I WILL CALL YOU IN THE ORDER OF
APPEARANCE OR AS YOU APPEAR
HERE THIS MORNING AND TEE UP
THE PERSON BEHIND YOU SAY CAN
PREPARE YOURSELF.
DEEDEE SUN IS THE FIRST PERSON
úASKING QUESTIONS.
WE INVITED THEM ONE AT A TIME
TO COME TO THE PUBLIC COMMENT
MC.
AND THEN SHE WILL BE FOLLOWED
BY PATRICK QUINN.
SPEAK VERY CLOSE TO THE
MICROPHONE, THANK YOU.
>> THIS IS A QUESTION FOR ALL
THREE COUNCILMEMBERS, EVEN
AMONG PROTESTERS, ESPECIALLY AT
THE BEGINNING, THERE WAS A LOT
OF DIVISION ABOUT HOW MONEY
THAT DOES END UP BEING DIVESTED
FROM SPD SHOULD BE INVESTED, WE
TALK A LOT ABOUT INVESTING IN
BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES,
THERE'S A BIG QUESTION, WHERE
WILL THE MONEY GO AND HOW IT
WILL HELP COMMUNITIES?
HAVE YOU GIVEN ANY THOUGHT AS
FAR AS WHERE SPD MONEY IS GOING
TO GO YET AS FAR AS
SPECIFICALLY FOR COMMUNITIES?
>> THAT IS AN EXCELLENT
QUESTION, WE HAVE WORKED ON
THAT CLOSELY.
I WILL HANDED OVER TO
COUNCILMEMBER MARIAH ELLIS WHO
HAS BEEN LEADING THE WORK ON
BEHALF OF COUNCIL AND RELATED
TO COMMUNITY INVESTMENT.
>> THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
YESTERDAY, WE WERE TALKING
SPECIFICALLY ABOUT SOME OF THE
INVESTMENTS.
AS I SAID, WHAT WE ARE TRYING
TO DO IS DISMANTLE THE EXISTING
SYSTEM THAT DOES NOT WORK.
E WANT TO SPEND PAR
TIME DOING THAT.
WE ALSO WANT TO SPEND A
SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TIME
REBUILDING WHAT IS TAKING ITS
PLACE.
WERE LOOKING TO INVEST IN
ORGANIZATIONS DOING IMMUNITY
SAFETY TYPE PROGRAMS ALREADY,
VIOLENCE PREVENTION, MENTAL
HEALTH ASSISTANCE, YOU KNOW,
THERE ARE FOLKS WHO TEACH SELF-
DEFENSE, WHO WORK ON DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE INTERVENTION, FOR
EXAMPLE.
THERE ARE ANY NUMBER OF GROUPS
FOCUSED ON PUBLIC SAFETY AND IN
SUPPORTING MENTAL HEALTH,
ACCESS TO EDUCATION, THE KINDS
OF INVESTMENTS IN OUR COMMUNITY
THAT HELP BUILD HEALTHY
IMMUNITIES AND HELP COMMUNITIES
THRIVE.
THERE IS A FOCUS ON
ORGANIZATIONS DOING THAT KIND OF
PUBLIC SAFETY FOCUSED WORK
ALREADY AND THAT IS PART OF THE
PLAN.
>> Reporter: THANK YOU.
>> THE NEXT QUESTION FROM
PATRICK QUINN AND FOLLOWED BY
PAUL.
>> Reporter: THIS QUESTION, I
WILL START WITH COUNCILMEMBER
MORALES.
IS THE BILL YOU MAINLY SPONSOR,
I KNOW COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD
WAS CALLED IN FOR YOUR INPUT AS
PART OF THIS DISCUSSION THROUGH
YOUR EXPERIENCE ON THE COUNCIL
REGARDING THE NAVIGATION TEAM.
JUST AS YOU MENTIONED,
COUNCILMEMBER MORALES, A BIG
PART OF THE BUDGET DISCUSSION
IS ABOUT DISMANTLING WHAT IS
NOT WORKING AND REBUILDING IT
WAS SOMETHING THAT COULD WORK
INSTEAD.
DISBANDING THE NAVIGATION TEAM
WAS VOTED ON YESTERDAY IN BACK
AND FORTH TRAVERSAL DISCUSSION,
WHAT WILL TAKE ITS PLACE?
>> SO, WE ALREADY HAVE WILL
TAKE ITS PLACE.
THERE IS ALREADY REACH, LEAD,
THERE ARE SERVICES AVAILABLE
WORKING DOING CASE MANAGEMENT,
REFERRALS TO SHELTERS, THAT
WORK EXISTS.
WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS INVEST IN
THOSE KINDS OF ORGANIZATIONS
ALREADY DOING THE GOOD WORK TO
HELP THEM SCALE UP BECAUSE THEY
HAVE THE TRUST OF THE HOMELESS
COMMUNITY, THEY HAVE THE
CONNECTIONS AND RELATIONSHIPS
WITH THE SHELTER PROVIDERS AND
OTHERS, MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES
THAT FOLKS MIGHT NEED.
THEY REALLY ARE THE ONES WHO
UNDERSTAND HOW THAT SYSTEM AND
CONSTELLATION OF SERVICES AND
PROVIDERS WORKS.
THAT IS THE INTENTION HERE, TO
PROVIDE THE RESOURCES SO WE
HAVE THE OUTCOMES WE WANT TO
SEE, WE WANT TO SEE MORE
PEOPLE, NOT JUST REFER TO
SHELTER BUT EXCEPT SHELTER
PLACEMENT INTO PERMANENT
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.
THAT IS THE INTENT IS TO SEE
THE REAL OUTCOMES THAT WE WANT
INVESTED IN RATHER THAN A
SYSTEM THAT IS KIND OF MOVING
PEOPLE AROUND THE COMMUNITY AND
THE LAST THING I WILL SAY, IF
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD WANTS TO
ADD TO THAT, WHAT WE ARE NOT
DOING HIS SHIFTING FUNDS AWAY
FROM HEARTS AND REC, WHO IS THE
ENTITY RESPONSIBLE FOR TRASH
PICKUP AND HELPING WITH SORT OF
THE MAINTENANCE OF SANITATION
PIECES.
>> THAT IS CORRECT REGARDING
PARKS AND REC.
PARKS AND REC DOES DO SOME
GARBAGE CLEANUP, PRIMARILY IN
PARKS.
BUT ALSO THE SEATTLE PUBLIC
UTILITIES WORKS WITH OUTREACH
WORKERS ON SOMETHING WE ON THE
COUNCIL BEGAN CALLED THE PURPLE
BAG PILOT.
OUTREACH WORKERS GO AND
DISTRIBUTE PURPLE BAGS AT
PARTICULAR LOCATIONS ABOUT THE
CITY AND WE CONTINUOUSLY
EXPANDED THE NUMBER OF
LOCATIONS SO THAT FOLKS WHO ARE
LIVING ON SHELTERED HAVE THE
RESOURCES AND ABILITY TO
MAINTAIN PUBLIC SPACES AND THE
SEATTLE PUBLIC UTILITIES THEN
PICKS UP THE BAGS ON A REGULAR
BASIS LEFT ON THE CURBSIDE.
THAT IS A REALLY SUCCESSFUL
PROGRAM TO HELP MITIGATE THE
IMPACTS TO PEOPLE LIVING
OUTDOORS AS WELL AS SURROUNDING
COMMUNITY.
I THINK IT IS ALSO REALLY
IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE REACH
HAS BEGUN A GEOGRAPHIC-BASED
OUTREACH APPROACH. SO, THEY ARE
NO LONGER JUST FOCUSED IN THE
AREAS WHERE THERE ARE THE
HIGHEST CONCENTRATIONS OF
ENCAMPMENTS, THERE ARE OUTREACH
WORKERS THAT ARE ASSIGNED, IF
YOU WILL, TO EVERY PART OF THE
CITY.
THAT ALLOWS US AS CONTACT, WE
HEAR FROM CONSTITUENTS ABOUT
LOCATIONS WHERE PEOPLE NEED
ASSISTANCE.
IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT I THINK
TO RECOGNIZE THE RELATIONSHIPS
THAT OUTREACH WORKERS BUILD
WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE LIVING
OUTSIDE ARE INTEGRAL TO BUILDING
THE TRUST NECESSARY FOR PEOPLE
TO CONCEIVE OF CHANGING THEIR
LIVING SITUATION IN THOSE
INSTANCES WHERE THERE IS
ANOTHER OPTION.
SO OFTEN, THE OPTIONS EITHER
DON'T MEET PEOPLE'S NEEDS ARE
THEY DON'T BELIEVE THEY WILL
MEET PEOPLE'S NEEDS ARE THEY
DON'T EXIST.
WHEN THEY DO EXIST, WHERE THERE
IS SOME PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO GO
TO, THE RELATIONSHIP PEOPLE
FILLED WITH OUTREACH WORKERS IS
REALLY IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO
MAKE THAT MOVE, PARTICULARLY
PEOPLE OUTSIDE THE LONGEST.
PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN OUTSIDE
úTHE LONGEST ARE THE ONES, IT I
REALLY IMPORTANT WE DON'T MOVE
THOSE PEOPLE AROUND BECAUSE
WHEN YOU MOVE THOSE PEOPLE
AROUND, WHAT THAT IS DOING, IT
IS DESTROYING THE RELATIONSHIPS
OUTREACH WORKERS ARE BUILDING
BECAUSE THE OUTREACH WORKER HAS
TO FIGURE OUT WHERE THAT PERSON
HAS MOVED TO.
THIS IS ALL PART OF A CONTINUUM
THAT ENCOURAGES PEOPLE, AGAIN,
WHEN THERE IS A PLACE AVAILABLE
, THAT IS REALLY KEY AS WELL,
TO COME INSIDE AND BELIEVE
EITHER A SHELTER WILL BE LOW
BARRIERS, ALLOW THEM TO BRING
THEIR BELONGINGS, BRING THEIR
PETS, BE WITH THEIR PARTNER.
AGAIN, FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN
OUTSIDE A LOT, FOR A LONG
PERIOD OF TIME, THAT TAKES SOME
TIME TO DEVELOP THAT.
>> I WANT TO SUMMARIZE QUICKLY,
YES, YESTERDAY THE CITY COUNCIL
TOOK STEPS TO SHIFT FUNDING
FROM THE NAVIGATION TEAM AWAIT
THE OTHER SERVICES.
THE REALITY IS, WHAT WE HAVE
CHOSEN TO DO IS INSTEAD OF FUND
IN-HOUSE CODE, THOSE OUTREACH
AND HOMELESS SERVICES, WE ARE
CHOOSING TO FUND COMMUNITY-BASED
ORGANIZATIONS WE HAVE EXISTING
CONTRACTING RELATIONSHIPS WITH
WHO HAVE SHOWN TREMENDOUS
SUCCESS IN ACHIEVING, MOVING
FOLKS WHO ARE CURRENTLY
EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS FROM
THAT EXPERIENCE TO MOVING THEM
INSIDE.
SO, WHAT WE WILL EXPECT, THERE
WILL BE INCREASED INVESTMENT IN
PROGRAMS LIKE REACH AND
PROGRAMS LIKE LEAD AND CO-LEAD,
ALL PROGRAMS WHOSE ENTIRE FOCUS
IS TO DO COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND
ENGAGEMENT, TO PEOPLE
EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
THE DECISION WE MADE YESTERDAY
WAS, SHOULD THE CITY AND CITY
WORKERS BE IN THE BUSINESS OF
DOING THESE OUTREACH SERVICES?
OR SHOULD WE CONTRACT WITH
THIRD-PARTY PROVIDERS TO DO
THOSE SERVICES OF OUTREACH AND
ENGAGEMENT? WE HAVE SEEN THAT
THE NAVIGATION TEAM IN PRIOR
EVALUATIONS BY OUR INDEPENDENT
CITY AUDITOR AND OTHERS HAS A
DISMAL PERFORMANCE RATE.
LESS THAN 6 % OF THE PEOPLE
THEY HAVE COME INTO CONTACT
WITH WERE ACTUALLY PLACED IN
HOUSING OR SHELTER.
IN COMPARISON TO OUR THIRD-
PARTY PROVIDERS, NONPROFIT
ORGANIZATIONS WHOSE PERCENTAGE
RATE OF SUCCESS IS VASTLY BETTER
AND I DON'T WANT TO CITE TO YOU
THE PERCENTAGES BECAUSE I DON'T
REMEMBER THEM OFF THE TOP OF MY
HEAD, PERHAPS COUNCILMEMBER ARE
BOLD OR MORALES.
>> Reporter: I WANT
CLARIFICATION, I NOTE TRASH
PICKUP AND LITTER WILL CONTINUE
THROUGH THE PARKS DEPARTMENT,
ACTUAL ENCAMPMENT REMOVALS WILL
BE DISCONTINUED WHAT HAPPENS
FOR ENCAMPMENTS THAT ARE
HAZARDOUS OR POSE UP PUBLIC
SAFETY RISK.
WHO WOULD COME AND REMOVE THOSE
?
>> DO YOU WANT TO TAKE IT?
>> SURE.
HST HAD A PROPOSED POLICY THEY
WERE LOOKING AT FOR THE TEAM,
IT WAS REPORTED C IS FOR CRANK.
THE PROPOSED POLICY WAS THAT
THE NAVIGATION TEAM, INSTEAD OF
EVICTING PEOPLE FROM THE
LOCATIONS WHERE THEY ARE, IN
THE INSTANCES THOSE LOCATIONS
PROVIDE A TRUE HAZARD OR TRUE
OBSTRUCTION AND THAT POLICY WAS
FOR THE NAVIGATION TEAM TO WORK
WITH PEOPLE, GET THEM TO
VOLUNTARILY MOVE TO ANOTHER
OUTDOOR LOCATION IN THOSE
INSTANCES WHEN INDOOR LOCATIONS
WERE NOT AVAILABLE.
ANOTHER SAFER LESS HAZARDOUS
OUTDOOR LOCATION.
THAT WAS SOMETHING THE DIRECTOR
OF THE HUMAN SERVICE DEPARTMENT
WAS PROPOSING FOR THE
NAVIGATION TEAM, THAT POLICY
WAS NOT APPROVED, THAT IS
EXACTLY THE SORT OF THING WE
HAVE BEEN ASKING, THAT HSD
CONSIDER DOING, WORKING IN
THOSE INSTANCES WHERE PEOPLE
ARE IN DANGEROUS LOCATIONS,
HELP THEM FIND OTHER PLACES
THAT ARE LESS DANGEROUS LIKE
POINTING THEM TO A PARKING LOT
THAT IS NOT BEING USED.
AND THAT PROPOSAL WAS NOT
APPROVED, THEY DID NOT MOVE TO
THAT APPROACH.
BUT THAT IS SOMETHING OUTREACH
WORKERS CAN DO.
OUTREACH WORKERS CAN TAKE A HARM
REDUCTION APPROACH. WHETHER OR
NOT THAT IS THE CONCEPT OF THE
PURPLE BAG PROGRAM, BUT
OUTREACH WORKERS WORKING WITH
PEOPLE WHO ARE LIVING OUTDOORS
TO HELP MINIMIZE THE IMPACT OF
THEIR OUTDOOR LIVING AS IT
RELATES TO THEIR OWN HEALTH AND
SAFETY, ALSO THE SAFETY TO THE
BROADER COMMUNITY.
WHETHER OR NOT THAT IS PICKING
UP GARBAGE IN THE AREA THEY
LIVE THEMSELVES.
BECAUSE AGAIN, PARKS WILL NOT
BE PICKING UP GARBAGE IN THE
LOCATIONS WHERE PEOPLE LIVE.
THEY WILL DO GARBAGE PICKUP
AROUND THE ENCAMPMENTS AND ONLY
WHEN IT IS IN PARKS.
PROGRAMS LIKE THE PURPLE BAG
PROGRAM HELPS CREATE SELF-
SUFFICIENCY WITH THE CITY
WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE
FOLKS LIVING OUTSIDE BY
PROVIDING THE BAGS AND
PROVIDING THE PICKUP.
OUTREACH WORKERS LIKE REACH,
LIKE SELF CLUB, LIKE THE OTHER
ENTITIES THAT ARE DOING THIS
WORK COUNCIL PRESIDENT GONZALEZ
JUST MENTIONED CAN ALSO WORK
WITH FOLKS TO MINIMIZE THE HARM
USING HARM REDUCTION APPROACHES
TO THE LOCATIONS WHERE PEOPLE
ARE AT.
AND THEY DO THAT.
>> I THINK WE ARE READY FOR THE
NEXT QUESTION, I WOULD SAY ON
THAT PARTICULAR POINT, AGAIN,
IF WE INVEST AT THE RIGHT LEVELS
IN A HARM REDUCTION BASED
OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT TO OUR
ON SHELTERED NEIGHBORS, WE WILL
ACTUALLY BE MORE EFFECTIVE IN
MINIMIZING THE NUMBER OF
UNSANCTIONED ENCAMPMENTS
BECAUSE WE WILL BE EFFECTIVELY
MOVING ON HOUSE NEIGHBORS FROM
THOSE ENCAMPMENTS TO SHELTER,
PERMANENT SOME MORE SUPPORTIVE
HOUSING OR SOME OTHER TYPE OF
SHELTER THAT MEETS THEIR NEEDS.
THAT IS THE BOTTOM LINE.
WE ARE MAKING A CHOICE TO
INVEST IN OUTREACH SERVICES
THAT HAVE SHOWN GREATER DEGREE
OF SUCCESS AND ELIMINATING
UNSANCTIONED ENCAMPMENTS,
PERIOD.
THAT IS THE DIRECTION WE'RE
MOVING IN AND THE DIRECTION I
THINK WE NEED TO KEEP MOVING
IN.
NEXT QUESTION.
>> THE NEXT QUESTION COMES FROM
PAUL FROM C IS FOR CRANK
FOLLOWED BY NATALIE.
>> Reporter: HI, NICE TO MEET
YOU.
>> RIGHT BACK AT YOU.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MORALES,
YESTERDAY IN THE BUDGET
DISCUSSIONS, YOU MENTIONED
DELIVERABLES FOR CONTEXT OF
COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS,
CAN YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT THOSE
DELIVERABLES ARE AGAIN AND
CLARIFY HOW THEY WILL CHANGE
OVER TIME AS WE MOVE INTO THE
COMING YEAR?
>> SURE.
THE FIRST BUCKET OF INVESTMENTS
WE ARE TALKING ABOUT IS THE $3
MILLION IN PARTICIPATORY BUDGET
PROCESS.
SO, WHAT THE OUTCOMES AND
DELIVERABLES FOR THAT WOULD BE
CREATING A WORK PLAN, FOR THOSE
OF YOU THAT DON'T KNOW, THIS
ANTICIPATORY BUDGETING IS A TOOL
THAT IS A WAY TO DEMOCRATIZE
ACCESS TO POWER, ACCESS TO
RESOURCES AND REALLY ENGAGE
COMMUNITY.
SO, SOME OF THE DELIVERABLES
FOR THAT WOULD BE TO CREATE A
WORK PLAN, DO SOME LANGUAGE
ASSESSMENT NEEDS BECAUSE
LANGUAGE NEEDS ASSESSMENT SO WE
CAN MAKE SURE EVERYBODY IN THE
COMMUNITY CAN PARTICIPATE.
IT WOULD ALSO INCLUDE THE ACTUAL
BUDGET PROCESS ITSELF AND THE
TRAINING FOR STAFF, PART OF THE
GOAL HERE IN PARTICULAR IS TO
EMPLOY YOUNG PEOPLE IN OUR
NEIGHBORHOODS, GIVE THEM A
LITTLE INCOME AND JOB TRAINING
OPPORTUNITIES.
SO, THE PARTICIPATORY BUDGET
PROCESS ITSELF AND THE DATA
COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS AND
REPORTING BACK ON WHAT THAT
LOOKS LIKE.
THIS PARTICULAR PROCESS IS
INTENDED TO BE SPECIFICALLY
ABOUT THE PUBLIC SAFETY
ELEMENTS OF THE CITY BUDGET.
THAT IS THE FIRST CONTRACT WE
ARE LOOKING AT TRYING TO
IMPLEMENT AND THE KIND OF WORK
WE ARE LOOKING TO HAVE
COMPLETED.
THE OTHER BUCKETS ARE FOR, AS I
WAS SAYING EARLIER,
ORGANIZATIONS LIKE COMMUNITY
PASSAGEWAYS, CHOOSE 180, MAYBE
THE CORNER GREATER PROGRAM AT
RAINIER BEACH ACTION COALITION,
CREATIVE JUSTICE, ORGANIZATIONS
THAT WORK WITH YOUNG PEOPLE,
THAT WORK WITH COMMUNITIES MOST
IMPACTED BY POLICE VIOLENCE WHO
ARE LOOKING FOR RESTORATIVE
JUSTICE TOOLS AND PRACTICES AND
REALLY ENGAGING PEOPLE IN THAT
WAY.
SO, WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO IS
SCALE UP THOSE KINDS OF
ORGANIZATIONS SO THAT WHEN WE
START TO RESTRUCTURE THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT, RATHER THAN CALLING
911 ON A YOUNG PERSON WHO IS
CONSIDERED TO BE LOITERING OR
WHO MIGHT BE DOING SOMETHING WE
DON'T LIKE, THERE ARE
ORGANIZATIONS READY TO EMBRACE
THAT YOUNG PEOPLE, OFFER ACCESS
TO HOUSING, SCHOOL, JOB
TRAINING, THE KINDS OF THINGS
THAT MAKE OUR COMMUNITIES
HEALTHY AND THRIVING RATHER
THAN JUST MOVING THEM INTO THE
JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM, FOR
EXAMPLE.
THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF OUTCOMES
WE ARE LOOKING FOR AND THE
DELIVERABLES FOR THEM WOULD
REALLY BE AROUND HOW TO BUILD
UP THEIR CAPACITY AND THEIR
ABILITY TO DO THAT WORK BETTER.
>> Reporter: [ INAUDIBLE
QUESTION ]
>> WELL, THAT BIGGER POT OF
MONEY IS FOR AN ONGOING PERIOD.
I WOULD NOT EXPECT THAT WOULD
BE ALL IN 2020 NECESSARILY.
THE CONTRACTING WOULD BEGIN BUT
THE WORK WOULD CONTINUE.
THAT PROCESS WOULD THEN LEAD
INTO THE PLANNING AND
RESTRUCTURING SO PART OF IT IS
TO GET COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AS
WELL INTO THAT RESTRUCTURING
PROCESS FOR 2021 AND REALLY GET
AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT
COMMUNITY SAFETY LOOKS LIKE
THAT ISN'T CENTERING THE POLICE.
>> NATALIE WILL HAVE THE LAST
QUESTION IN THE ROOM.
WE HAVE A NUMBER OF CALLERS ON
THE LINE.
A NUMBER OF CALLERS ON THE LINE
ARE ALREADY REPRESENTED BY IN
THE ROOM, BEING SENSITIVE OF
TIME, AFTER NATALIE, THE NEXT
CALLER ON THE PHONE TO ASK THE
QUESTION WILL BE KEVIN OF
S.E.C.
INSIGHT.
>> Reporter: GOOD MORNING.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT, I HEARD YOU
SAY IN THE LAST 48 HOURS, YOU
HAVE REACHED OUT TO CHIEF BEST
AND YOU ARE READY TO WORK, ONE
QUESTION I WANTED TO TELL ME,
HOW MANY CONVERSATIONS HAVE YOU
HAD WITH CHIEF BEST ABOUT THIS
BUDGET AND IF NOT, WHY NOT? AND
A QUESTION FOR ALL THREE OF
YOU, WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT
THE MARCHES THAT HAPPENED AT
COUNCILMEMBER'S HOMES, POLICE
CHIEF'S HOME, THE MAYOR'S HOME.
SOME CASES OF VANDALISM, WHAT
YOU HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THAT?
>> I WILL JUST SAY I THINK
THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF
CONVERSATIONS AROUND HOW THE
EXECUTIVE AND THE LEGISLATIVE
BRANCH HAVE ENGAGED ON THESE
PROPOSALS OVER THE LAST SEVERAL
WEEKS.
AND I THINK ALL OF US AT A
VARYING DEGREE, WE ARE ALL
INDEPENDENTLY ELECTED
OFFICIALS, HAVE HAD INTERACTION
WITH THE CHIEF ON OUR OWN
TERMS.
I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK FOR THE
ENTIRE CITY COUNCIL.
I WILL SAY, ON THAT ISSUE, I
WILL SAY IN MY MIND, IT WAS
IMPORTANT TO DEVELOP A UNIFIED
COUNCIL POSITION WHICH
DEVELOPED YESTERDAY IN OUR
COMMITTEE, BEFORE HAVING A
CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT OUR
COUNCIL IS HOPING TO DO AND
WHAT OUR VISION IS AND WHAT
THE MAYOR AND THAT CHIEF'S
VISION MIGHT BE.
I THINK THAT STEP WAS REALLY
IMPORTANT IN MY MIND IN ORDER
TO HAVE A FRUITFUL AND
MEANINGFUL CONVERSATION AND
NEGOTIATION WITH THE MAYOR AND
CHIEF ABOUT WHERE THE COUNCIL
AS A WHOLE STANDS.
AND WE NOW HAVE THAT POSITION
AS A CITY COUNCIL.
YESTERDAY WAS A UNANIMOUS VOTE
ON THE PROPOSALS INTRODUCED BY
MYSELF, COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA,
COUNCIL MEMBER MORALES, AND
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD. WE ARE
READY TO TURN THE PAGE, WRITE
THE NEW CHAPTER AND ENGAGE IN
MEANINGFUL PRODUCTIVE
CONVERSATIONS WITH THE CHIEF
AND THE MAYOR BASED ON WHAT I
SEE AS OUR DIRECTIVE FOR THE
REMAINDER OF 2020 AND THE
POSITIONS WE HAVE TAKEN ON
ITEMS WE WISH TO BE ABLE TO
BEGIN CONVERSATIONS ABOUT FOR
2021.
THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF
ASSERTIONS THAT SOMEHOW OUR
FAILURE TO ENGAGE IN SAUSAGE
MAKING AT THE EARLY PROCESS
WITH THE EXECUTIVE IS THE
SIGNAL OR INDICATION OF OUR
DISRESPECT.
THAT COULD NOT BE FURTHER FROM
THE TRUTH.
I SAT ON THE HIRING COMMITTEE
AND THE SEARCH COMMITTEE THAT
LOOKED FOR OUR NEW CHIEF.
THAT CHIEF IS CARMEN BEST.
I HAVE RESPECT FOR HER AS AN
INDIVIDUAL AND AS A WOMAN OF
COLOR IN WORKING IN THIS SPACE,
I UNDERSTAND THAT IS DIFFICULT,
I HAVE COMMUNICATED THAT
DIRECTLY TO HER IN THE PAST.
I WANT TO SAY REALLY CLEARLY, I
THINK WE CAN DO THIS WORK
WITHOUT TEARING EACH OTHER
DOWN.
IN FACT, IN A PREVIOUS
CONVERSATION I HAD WITH THE
CHIEF, I TOLD HER THAT.
WE ARE GOING TO HAVE MOMENTS
WHERE WE DISAGREE FUNDAMENTALLY
ON THE DIRECTION WE ARE HEADED
BUT I WILL NEVER TEAR YOU DOWN
BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND WHAT IT
MEANS TO BE A WOMAN OF COLOR IN
A POSITION LIKE YOURS, A
POSITION OF POWER AND I BELIEVE
I HAVE STAYED TRUE TO THAT.
IN TERMS OF, WOULD YOU ALL LIKE
TO ADDRESS THE FIRST QUESTION?
GO AHEAD, COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD.
>> I ALSO WANT TO MENTION, WE
HAVE HAD A SPEEDY REPRESENTED
AT OUR BUDGET COMMITTEE TABLE
SEVERAL TIMES, WE HAVE HAD THE
CHIEF POLICY ANALYST THERE, WE
HAD THEIR CHIEF BUDGET OFFICER
THERE AND WE HAVE BEEN ENGAGING
DIRECTLY WITH SPD STAFF THROUGH
THIS ENTIRE PROCESS.
IT MIGHT SEEM BUREAUCRATIC BUT
THE REALITY IS, IS THAT FOR
EVERY BUDGET PROCESS I ACTUALLY
WENT BACK AND LOOKED, AT LEAST
DATING BACK TO 2016, WE HAVE
HAD A PROTOCOL.
IMAGINE, THERE ARE NINE PENCIL
OFFICES, EACH COUNCIL OFFICE
HAS BETWEEN THREE AND FOUR
STAFFERS.
IMAGINE IF DURING THE BUDGET
PROCESS, COMPRESSED INTENSE
TIME, WE ARE ANALYZING OVER A
DOZEN DEPARTMENTS, IF WE PICKED
UP THE PHONE AND CALLED THE
CHIEF ARE CALLED DEPARTMENT
STAFF DIRECTLY, WE HAVE A
PROTOCOL WE ARE REQUIRED TO USE
THAT PUTS OUR QUESTIONS FROM
OUR OFFICES AND STAFF THROUGH
TO CENTRAL STAFF AND THEY ROUTE
IT TO THE EXECUTIVE.
ANYTIME WE DIVERGE FROM IT, WE
GET SCOLDED.
SO, THIS IS A PROCESS WE USE TO
PROCESS THE HUGE AMOUNT OF
INFORMATION AND ENSURE OUR
QUESTIONS ARE GETTING ASKED.
WE RECEIVED A MEMO FROM THE
CHIEF A COUPLE WEEKS AGO WITH
18 QUESTIONS ANSWERED IN
RESPONSE TO WHAT SHE UNDERSTOOD
OUR INTERESTS WERE AND SHE
UNDERSTOOD THE COMMUNITY'S
INTERESTS WERE.
IF YOU ONLY READ THE LETTER,
YOU WOULD THINK WE HAD NOT
ASKED THOSE QUESTIONS BUT IN
REALITY, EACH ONE OF THOSE
QUESTIONS AND THEIR ANSWERS WAS
THE PRODUCT OF THE QUESTIONS WE
WERE ASKING THROUGH OUR CENTRAL
STAFF AND WE WERE GETTING
ANSWERS TO FROM HER STAFF.
AND THAT IS WHAT HAS BUILT THE
BUDGET DISCUSSION.
I WHOLEHEARTEDLY AGREE WITH
COUNCIL PRESIDENT GONZALEZ ,
THIS IS NOT A REFLECTION OF NOT
WANTING TO COLLABORATE WITH THE
EXECUTIVE, AND I REALLY
UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, IT IS NOT
UNUSUAL DURING A BUDGET PROCESS
FOR A DEPARTMENT HEAD TO DEFEND
THEIR DEPARTMENT FROM HAVING
ANY CUTS AT ALL.
BUT WE ARE MAKING I THINK A
VERY SCALPEL BASED APPROACH TO
CUTS AND WE WANT TO TALK WITH
THEM ABOUT HOW TO IMPLEMENT
THEM.
AND AS IT RELATES TO THE SECOND
QUESTION, I THINK WE HAVE ALL
INDIVIDUALLY AND COUNCIL
PRESIDENT GONZALEZ
REPRESENTING THE COUNCIL HAS
REPEATEDLY SPOKEN OUT AGAINST
VIOLENCE, HATE SPEECH, PROPERTY
DAMAGE, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER
OR NOT THAT WAS PROTEST AT THE
HOMES OF ELECTED OFFICIALS OR
OTHER PUBLIC OFFICIALS OR IN
THE STREETS.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO CALL FOR
PEACEFUL TACTICS IN ALL
INSTANCES.
>> Reporter: [ INAUDIBLE
QUESTION ] CROSSING THE LINE
WITH VANDALISM.
>> THAT IS CORRECT.
>> DISTANT MINUTE,
COUNCILMEMBER MORALES.
>> I WILL BE BRIEF, IN RESPECT
TO YOUR FIRST QUESTION, I THINK
WE ALL AGREE, ESPECIALLY AS
WOMEN OF COLOR, WE ARE IN HARD
POSITIONS SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW,
WHEN IT COMES TO THESE KINDS OF
NEGOTIATIONS AND THE
DISAGREEMENTS WE HAVE.
JUST BECAUSE WE ARE DISAGREEING
WITH ONE ANOTHER DOES NOT MEAN
WE DON'T RESPECT THE WORK OR
THE OBLIGATION TO SERVE OUR
COMMUNITY WELL, THAT IS WHAT WE
ARE TRYING TO DO HERE.
WE VERY MUCH DISAGREE WITH THE
IDEA OF NOT REDUCING THE POLICE
FORCE, THAT IS OUR POLICY
STATEMENT WE ARE MAKING, THAT
IS THE GOAL AND THE WORK WE ARE
STRIVING TOWARD OVER THE NEXT
SEVERAL WEEKS AS WE ENTER THE
NEXT BUDGET PROCESS.
REGARDING THE EVERY DAY MARCH
AND PROTEST HAPPENING, I WANT
TO SAY THERE'S NOTHING NEW
ABOUT WHAT IS HAPPENING, THERE
IS A LONG HISTORY IN THIS
COUNTRY OF MARCHING AND
PROTESTING IN FRONT OF THE
HOMES OF ELECTED OFFICIALS.
THERE'S A LONG HISTORY OF
HOLDING PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE IN
FRONT OF THEIR HOMES AND SO,
YOU KNOW, WHILE WE DON'T
CONDONE MISOGYNY, WE CERTAINLY
DON'T CONDONE ANY THREATS.
I WOULD SAY WITH THIS
PARTICULAR SERIES OF PROTESTS
WE HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING, EACH
OF US HAS HAD THIS GROUP OF
FOLKS COME TO OUR HOME, THESE
ARE YOUNG PEOPLE EXERCISING
THEIR FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS.
THIS IS THE NEW GENERATION OF
PEOPLE WHO ARE FRANKLY ANGRY
THAT PREVIOUS GENERATIONS HAVE
NOT SOLVED THIS PROBLEM YET.
SO, YOU CAN'T BLAME THEM FOR
COMING TO THEIR ELECTED
OFFICIALS AND ASKING WHAT THE
HELL IS GOING ON.
THEY HAVE COME TO MY HOME,
THERE IS GRAFFITI IN FRONT OF
MY HOUSE ON THE STREET.
THEY DID NOT TRESPASS, THEY DID
NOT THREATEN ME, MY DAUGHTER
WENT OUTSIDE AND SAID HELLO AND
OFFERED HER SUPPORT TO THE
MOVEMENT.
AND I WANT US TO PUT THIS IN
PERSPECTIVE BECAUSE THERE IS
NOTHING NEW ABOUT PROTESTS,
THAT IS WHAT THIS COUNTRY WAS
FOUNDED ON.
FOR BETTER OR WORSE.
AND I JUST WANT TO SAY A LOT OF
THESE YOUNG PEOPLE ARE FROM MY
DISTRICT, I DO WANT TO OFFER
THEM RESPECT AS WELL BECAUSE
THEY ARE FIGHTING FOR THEIR
FUTURE AND AS THEY HAVE SAID TO
ALL OF US WHO HAVE CHILDREN WHO
CAME OUT TO THE STREET TO GREET
THEM WITH OUR CHILDREN, THEY
ARE FIGHTING FOR OUR CHILDREN'S
FUTURE TOO.
>> AND AGAIN, TO BE CLEAR, I
HAVE SPOKEN VERY CLEARLY ABOUT
THIS, I DO NOT CONDONE, I DO
NOT SUPPORT THE USE OF
MISOGYNISTIC LANGUAGE, THE USE
OF HOMOPHOBIC LANGUAGE, OR ANY
OF THOSE KINDS OF TACTICS.
IN THESE ACTIONS.
WE HAVE BEEN ASKED IN SOME
INSTANCES TO CATEGORICALLY SAY,
FOLKS DO NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO
PROTEST.
PERIOD.
I AM NOT IN A POSITION TO SAY
THAT THESE FOLKS SHOULD
CATEGORICALLY NOT BE ALLOWED TO
EXERCISE THEIR FIRST AMENDMENT
SIMPLY BECAUSE SOME OF THE
FOLKS WHO ARE PROTESTING
DISAGREE WITH THEIR POSITION
AND TACTICS.
THAT WOULD BE INAPPROPRIATE AND
I BELIEVE A VIOLATION OF THE
OATH I'VE TAKEN TO UPHOLD THE
U.S. CONSTITUTION AND THE
CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF
WASHINGTON.
NEXT QUESTION.
>> I WOULD LIKE TO ADD ONE MORE
THING, I HAVE NOT HAD THE
OPPORTUNITY TO SAY WHAT I HAVE
SAID TO THE EVERYDAY MARCHERS
WHEN THEY CAME AND VISITED ME,
I BELIEVE IT WAS SUNDAY, I
BELIEVE IT WAS MONDAY AFTER
THEIR SATURDAY ATTEMPT TO VISIT
THE CHIEF IN SNOHOMISH.
I HAVE NOT HAD A CHANCE TO SAY
THIS PUBLICLY, I AM INCREDIBLY
SADDENED BY THE FACT THEY WERE
MET BY INDIVIDUALS IN THAT
NEIGHBORHOOD WITH GUNS AND AT
LEAST ONE INSTANCE, A GUN WAS
BRANDISHED, REPORT, I SAW THAT
IN THE VIDEO.
I DON'T KNOW FOR A FACT IT WAS
POINTED AT ANYBODY, BUT THAT IS
WHAT THE MARCHERS REPORTED.
I'M SADDENED THE PEOPLE WHO
LIVED IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD
BLOCKED THE STREET, PUBLIC
STREET, WITH THE VEHICLE.
I'M SADDENED THAT THEY WERE
ACCUSED OF TRESPASSING OR
TRYING TO BREAK THE LAW WHEN
THEY WERE WALKING ON A PUBLIC
STREET.
JUST REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT
SOME OF THE THINGS WE HAVE BEEN
SEEING SINCE JUNE, PARTICULARLY
IN SNOHOMISH AND OTHER RURAL
AREAS WHEN PEACEFUL PROTESTERS
úGO OUT AND ARE ASSUMED TO BE
INTENDING TO ENGAGE IN UNLAWFUL
ACTION AND THESE RUMORS ARE
STARTED BY PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN
THE AREA AND SOMETIMES ALSO BY
LAW ENFORCEMENT.
THAT THERE ARE INTENSE INTENTS
TO DO RIOTS AND ANTIFA, I'M
SORRY TO THESE YOUNG PEOPLE
FIGHTING FOR THEIR LIVES,
FIGHTING FOR THE FUTURES OF
THEIR FAMILIES, OUR FAMILIES
WERE MET WITH THAT KIND OF
RECEPTION.
THANKS.
>> THANK YOU.
THANK YOU TO KEVIN OF S.E.C.
INSIGHT.
HE HAS AGREED TO CEDE HIS TIME.
AND THE NEXT QUESTION FROM
DANIEL AT SEATTLE TIMES.
>> Reporter: THANKS A LOT.
CAN YOU HEAR ME?
>> WE CAN HEAR YOU.
>> Reporter: OKAY, I HAVE A
QUESTION FOR MYSELF AND MY
COLLEAGUES, HER QUESTION WAS
THE INTENT SEEMS TO BE FROM THE
DISCUSSION YESTERDAY WITH
REGARD TO THE AMENDMENT,
DEFUNDING THE NAVIGATION TEAM
AND TAKING POLICE OFFICERS,
ELIMINATING THOSE POSITIONS,
ATTEMPTING TO STOP ENCAMPMENT
REMOVALS, DO YOU BELIEVE THESE
STEPS WILL STOP ENCAMPMENT
REMOVALS OR EVEN WITH THESE
STEPS, COULD THE EXECUTIVE AND
SPD CONTINUED TO REMOVE
ENCAMPMENTS INDEPENDENT OF ANY
OUTREACH? THE SECOND QUESTION
IS, SORT OF MORE OF A BIG
PICTURE ONE RATHER THAN THE
NITTY-GRITTY DETAIL, IT IS JUST
THAT THIS DISCUSSION HAS BEEN
GOING ON ABOUT ENCAMPMENT
REMOVALS FOR A LONG TIME, WHAT
IS IT ABOUT THIS MOMENT TO TAKE
THIS POLICY STEP RIGHT NOW, DID
IT HAVE TO DO WITH THE MOMENTUM
FROM THE DEFUNDING AND BLACK
LIVES MATTER MOVEMENT?
THANKS.
>> THANK YOU, DAN.
I APPRECIATE THOSE TWO
QUESTIONS, THE FIRST QUESTION
RELATED TO THE NAVIGATION TEAM
AND ENCAMPMENT REMOVALS AND
INTENT WILL BE TAKEN BY
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD , YOUR
SECOND QUESTION TWO WHY NOT
WILL BE TAKEN BY COUNCILMEMBER
MORALES.
>> THANK YOU, I THINK IT IS
IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER AND THANK
YOU FOR THE QUESTION, ONLY A
PORTION OF NAVIGATION TEAM, OF
ENCAMPMENT REMOVALS ARE
ACTUALLY DONE BY THE NAVIGATION
TEAM AT.
THERE'S A WHOLE OTHER SUBSET OF
ENCAMPMENT REMOVALS IN AREAS OF
TRUE OBSTRUCTIONS DONE BY
POLICE OFFICERS.
I THINK AS LONG AS THE
EXECUTIVE CONTINUES TO SEE THIS
AS A POLICING ISSUE, WE CAN
RESPECT WHETHER OR NOT THERE IS
A NAVIGATION TEAM OR NOT FOR
POLICE OFFICERS TO BE
CONTINUING WHAT THEY ALREADY
ARE DOING WHICH IS REMOVING
ENCAMPMENT IN AREAS THAT HAVE
BEEN DEEMED TO BE OBSTRUCTIONS.
BUT HOPEFULLY, IT WILL NOT
MORPH INTO SORT OF A REBRANDED,
REIMAGINED NAVIGATION TEAM TO
REPLACE THE FUNCTIONS THE
COUNCIL IS SAYING WE NO LONGER
SUPPORT.
COUNCILMEMBER MORALES.
>> SURE.
DAN, THANKS FOR THE QUESTION.
MY IMMEDIATE REACTION, THERE IS
A PICTURE ON TWITTER RIGHT NOW
FROM 2007, THAT IS HOW LONG WE
HAVE TRIED TO END THIS PRACTICE.
REMOVING PEOPLE FROM THE
STREETS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM FOR
A LONG TIME.
WHAT WE ARE REALLY TRYING TO DO
IS MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE
OUTCOMES WE ARE LOOKING FOR, WE
HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS IN
MY OFFICE SINCE DAY ONE OF THIS
TERM AND AS YOU RECALL, IT DID
HAVE A LONG CONVERSATION IN THE
HOMELESS COMMITTEE TRYING TO
ACHIEVE THE SAME GOAL.
WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO HERE
ELIMINATE THE GATEKEEPING THAT
HAS BEEN HAPPENING, WE DID HEAR
EXTENDED CONVERSATION FROM SOME
OF THE OUTREACH WORKERS DURING
THE HOMELESSNESS COMMITTEE
MEETINGS ABOUT THEIR, YOU KNOW,
THE BYZANTINE EFFORTS THEY HAD
TO GO THROUGH ONCE THEY WOULD
SPEAK TO A CLIENT, TRYING TO
CONNECT TO THE NAVIGATION TEAM,
TRYING TO CONNECT TO A SHELTER,
TRYING TO SUPPORT THEIR CLIENTS
AND JUST BEING STONEWALLED AT
EVERY EFFORT BECAUSE THERE IS
SO MUCH GATEKEEPING HAPPENING
THAT PREVENTS THEM FROM REALLY
ACHIEVING THE OUTCOMES THEY ARE
INTENDING.
ATTEMPT TO SHIFT AS COUNCIL
MEMBER MORALES WAS SAYING,
SHIFT RESOURCES INTO
CONTRACTING WITH THOSE
ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE ALREADY
DOING THE WORK, DOING IT WELL
AND HAVE THE TRUST OF THE
HOMELESS COMMUNITY TO WORK WITH
THEM UNTIL THEY ARE ABLE TO
FIND THE RIGHT PLACE AND TO
MOVE INTO MORE STABLE
SITUATIONS.
>> NEXT QUESTION OR FOLLOW-UP.
>> THERE IS NO FOLLOW-UP.
>> Reporter: IF I CAN, COUNCIL
MEMBER MORALES, I KNOW THIS
HAS BEEN A PRIORITY FOR YOU
SINCE DAY ONE, I GUESS MY
QUESTION WASN'T AS MUCH
DIRECTED AT WHY YOU ARE LOOKING
FOR THIS NOW MORE ABOUT WHY YOU
THINK OBVIOUSLY, IT HAS NOT
HAPPENED UNTIL NOW, WHY DO YOU
THINK THIS MOMENT WAS THE ONE
IN WHICH IT HAS HAPPENED?
>> I WILL SAY IT WAS A NARROW
MARGIN, ONE I HOPE WILL GROW BY
MONDAY.
THERE REALLY IS SO MUCH, WE ARE
IN A GLOBAL PANDEMIC, IT LOOKS
LIKE A HUGE PUBLIC HEALTH
CRISIS RIGHT NOW, I THINK THERE
IS A REALIZATION WE HAVE TO GET
PEOPLE OFF THE STREET, WE HAVE
TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE GETTING
INTO NON-CONGREGANT SHELTER,
THAT IS WHAT SO MUCH OF THE
ENERGY OF THIS COUNCIL HAS BEEN
ABOUT THE LAST FEW MONTHS, NOT
JUST MOVING PEOPLE OR GETTING
RID OF THE NAVIGATION TEAM,
MAKING SURE IN ITS PLACE, WE
ARE CREATING OPPORTUNITY FOR
MORE NON-CONGREGANT SHELTER,
THAT IS LIKE WE TALKED MORE
ABOUT TINY HOUSE VILLAGES,
REALLY PUSHING THE EXECUTIVE TO
INVEST IN HOTEL ROOMS'S SO AS
WE ARE MOVING PEOPLE INTO,
TRYING TO HELP PEOPLE GET OFF
THE STREET, THERE IS A SAFE
PLACE FOR THEM TO GO.
WHAT WE WERE SEEING IS THAT
THERE IS NOT THAT FINAL STEP
COMING FROM THE NAVIGATION TEAM
ABOUT ACTUALLY MOVING THEM INTO
NON-CONGREGANT SHELTER.
THERE SEEMS TO BE A REAL
UNWILLINGNESS TO MAKE THAT
INVESTMENT EVEN THOUGH THE
COUNCIL HAS BEEN REALLY CLEAR
THAT IS HOW WE NEED TO DO IT
DURING COVID OTHERWISE WE ARE
INCREASING PEOPLE'S RISK FOR
EXPOSURE AND PUTTING PEOPLE'S
PUBLIC HEALTH IN DANGER.
>> I WILL PUNCTUATE THAT ALSO
BY SAYING, DAN, THIS RACIAL
RECKONING HAS TAKEN THE GROWTH
TRAJECTORY IT HAS TAKEN BECAUSE
OF POLICE VIOLENCE.
THE REALITY IS, COMMUNITIES OF
COLOR, IN PARTICULAR, BLACK
COMMUNITIES ARE
DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED BY
EVERY SINGLE SYSTEM THAT EXISTS
IN OUR SOCIETY AND HOMELESSNESS
IS NO EXCEPTION TO THAT.
INJECTING POLICING MODELS TO
ADDRESS ISSUES RELATED TO
HOMELESSNESS AND ENCAMPMENT IS
JUST ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF HOW WE
HAVE ALLOWED LAW ENFORCEMENT TO
CREEP INTO ISSUES LAW
ENFORCEMENT SHOULD NOT BE
DEALING WITH IN THE FIRST
PLACE.
WILL KNOW IN THE RECENT POINT
IN TIME COUNT THAT CAME OUT IN
JULY 2020, WE HEAR ONCE AGAIN,
THERE IS CONTINUING
DISPROPORTIONALITY OF
HOMELESSNESS AMONG COMMUNITIES
OF COLORS.
THOSE INDIVIDUALS ARE LIVING IN
THESE UNSANCTIONED ENCAMPMENTS.
WE SEE IN THE BLACK AFRICAN-
AMERICAN COMMUNITY, WHO ARE
ONLY 7 % OF THE SEATTLE KING
COUNTY POPULATION, 25 % OF
THOSE INDIVIDUALS SURVEYED IN
THE POINT IN TIME COUNT ARE
BLACK AND AFRICAN-AMERICAN.
IT IS 15 % FOR LATIN PERSONS
AND 15 % FOR NATIVE AMERICAN
ALASKA NATIVES.
THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT HAS BEEN
COMING TO THE FOREFRONT BECAUSE
OF THOSE DISPROPORTIONALITY
REALITIES.
AND AGAIN BECAUSE WE HAVE
ALLOWED POLICING TO SEEP INTO
OUR HOMELESSNESS RESPONSE AND I
THINK YESTERDAY, WE SAW THE
COUNCIL TAKE A POSITION, ALBEIT
BY THIN MARGIN, ON CHOOSING A
DIFFERENT WE HAVE SEEN HAS HAD
GREATER SUCCESS IN TERMS OF
MOVING PEOPLE FROM UNSANCTIONED
ENCAMPMENTS INTO SOMETHING
SAFER.
NEXT QUESTION.
>> THANK YOU.
BEING SENSITIVE TO TIME, I
RECOGNIZED TWO OF THREE COUNCIL
MEMBERS HAVE ADDITIONAL
COMMITMENTS THIS HOUR.
THE NEXT QUESTION COMES FROM
TRACI OF THE WEST SEATTLE BUG.
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD AGREED
TO TAKE THE QUESTION.
THE FINAL QUESTION WILL TO
HANNAH SCOTT OF KIRO RADIO.
>> Reporter: I HAVE TWO
QUESTIONS, FOR THOSE WHO STILL
DON'T QUITE UNDERSTAND WHAT IS
GOING ON, IF COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD WOULD SUMMARIZE THE
PRECINCT DISAGGREGATION
AMENDMENT AND HOW SHE BELIEVES
THAT WOULD KEEP THE CHIEF FROM
GOING OUT WITH HER SUGGESTION
THE SOUTHWEST PRECINCT WOULD
HAVE TO BE CLOSED.
>> GREAT QUESTION.
CURRENTLY, ALL OF THE MONEY FOR
PATROL IS DUMPED INTO PATROL,
CALLED BUDGET CONTROL LEVEL.
PREVIOUSLY, USED TO BE
AGGREGATED OUT AMONG THE FIVE
PRECINCTS.
EACH PRECINCT HAD DEDICATED
FUNDING FOR THE FUNCTIONS OF THE
PARTICULAR PRECINCT, INCLUDING
THE STAFFING OF PATROL OFFICERS.
THAT WAS THE BUDGETING APPROACH
UP UNTIL LAST YEAR AND I SIMPLY
WANT TO SHIFT IT BACK TO THE
WAY IT USED TO BE SO THAT THERE
IS A DEDICATED SOURCE OF FUNDS
FOR EACH PRECINCT AND THAT
CAN'T BE REDUCED OR MOVED BY
THE EXECUTIVE, THAT IS A
FUNCTION OF THE COUNCIL AND IT
MAKES SURE THAT THE COUNCIL IS
IN CONTROL OF WHETHER OR NOT
THE CITY CHARTER REQUIREMENT
THAT THERE BE ADEQUATE POLICE
SERVICES IN EVERY DISTRICT IS
COMPLIED WITH BY THE EXECUTIVE.
>> ANY FOLLOW-UPS?
>> VERY NICE.
>> NO, THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, TRACI.
>> THE FINAL QUESTION GOES TO
HANNAH SCOTT WITH KIRO RADIO.
HANNAH.
I THINK YOU ARE ON MUTE.
HANNAH, ARE YOU THERE?
ALL RIGHT.
GOING ONCE, GOING TWICE, NO
BUYER.
>> SHOULD BE LET FOLKS KNOW
ABOUT PEOPLE DOWNSTAIRS?
>> ALL RIGHT.
I THINK WE HAVE CONCLUDED THE
PERIOD OF QUESTIONS.
FOLKS, FOR THOSE MEMBERS OF THE
MEDIA WHO ARE PHYSICALLY
PRESENT --
>> I CLOSED THE AUCTION HANNAH.
>> Reporter: SORRY.
I COULD NOT FIND THE BUTTON.
>> THIS IS SPECIFICALLY FOR
COUNCIL PRESIDENT ALICE BUT
ANYONE ELSE ON THE COUNCIL IF
THEY WANT TO WEIGH IN, I'M
HEARING FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE
CONCERNED WHO ARE NOT CONCERNED
ABOUT THE SAFETY WHO LIVE IN
SEATTLE, CONCERNED ABOUT CUTS
FOR THEIR OWN PUBLIC SAFETY AND
WONDERING WHAT THE COUNCIL
WOULD BE PREPARED TO DEAL WITH
NEGATIVE RESULT FROM CUTS TO
SPD, WHETHER TO MANY CUTS OR
TOO ABRUPT OF CUTS, TOO MUCH OF
A SHIFT, WHETHER IT IS MURDER
OR HOME INVASION GOES WRONG
BECAUSE OF LACK OF POLICE
ABILITY? CAN YOU SPEAK TO THAT,
IF THAT IS A CONCERN, SOMETHING
THAT COULD HAPPEN IF THERE IS
THAT KIND OF REDUCTION IN THE
CITY?
>> FIRST OF ALL, HANNAH, I
REJECT THE PREMISE OF THE
QUESTION IN LARGE PART BECAUSE
I THINK THE REALITY IS THERE IS
THIS FALSE ASSUMPTION THAT
SOMEHOW THE MERE EXISTENCE OF
POLICE PREVENTS VIOLENT CRIME
FROM OCCURRING.
IT LOOKS LIKE IT IS NOT THE
CASE BECAUSE VIOLENT CRIMES
CURRENTLY OCCUR WITH FULLY
STAFFED AND ROBUSTLY STAFFED
POLICE DEPARTMENT HERE AND
ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
THAT BEING SAID, WE AS A COUNCIL
APPRECIATE WE NEED TO DELIVER
ON THE CHARTER REQUIREMENTS
AROUND PUBLIC SAFETY AS A
SERVICE TO PEOPLE IN THE CITY.
THAT IS EXACTLY WHY OUR
PROPOSAL TAKES THIS SCALPEL
APPROACH AND RESTRICTS THE
EXECUTIVE FROM SPENDING DOLLARS
ON A CERTAIN NUMBER OF SWORN
OFFICER POSITIONS AND I THINK
THAT IS A CAREFUL APPROACH
RECOGNIZING WE HAVE LABOR
OBLIGATIONS WE HAVE TO FULFILL
AND IN THE COMING WEEKS, WE ARE
PREPARED TO CONTINUE OUR
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AROUND HOW
AND WHAT THE SEATTLE POLICE
DEPARTMENT SHOULD BE DOING.
IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO
RECOGNIZE THEIR NEEDS TO BE A
NARROWING OF THE SCOPE THE
INHERENTLY IMPACTS THE SIZE OF
THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
SO AGAIN, THIS IS GOING TO BE
STEADY WORK, IT IS GOING TO BE
A LONG-TERM WORKPLAN.
I'M NOT SAYING THAT TO NEGATE
THE SENSE OF URGENCY WE ALL
FEEL AROUND THIS, BUT WE
RECOGNIZE WE NEED TO TAKE A
CAREFUL APPROACH AND WE NEED TO
SCALE UP OTHER PUBLIC SAFETY
PROGRAMS BEFORE WE CAN BEGIN
THE PROCESS OF DRASTICALLY
REDUCING THE SIZE OF THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT.
SO, DOING IT IN THAT FASHION,
IF YOU CAN IMAGINE A SCALE
HERE, IF WE DO IT IN THAT
FASHION, THEN WE SHOULD NOT SEE
ANY DRASTIC IMPACT TO THE
POLICE DEPARTMENT'S ABILITY TO
RESPOND TO 911 CALLS THAT ARE
OF MOST SIGNIFICANT CONCERN.
JUST AS A REMINDER, CURRENTLY,
56 % OF 911 CALLS THE SEATTLE
POLICE DEPARTMENT RESPONSE TO
OUR NONCRIMINAL ACTIVITY.
THINGS LIKE PARKING VIOLATIONS,
SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY, WELFARE
CHECKS, PROPERTY DAMAGE.
ONLY 3 % OF 911 CALLS RECEIVED
BY THE SEATTLE POLICE
DEPARTMENT ACTUALLY RESULT IN
ARREST FOR A CRIME.
CLEARLY, WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY
TO NARROW IN ON THOSE THINGS
THAT ACTUALLY MERIT A QUICK AND
FAST 911 RESPONSE BECAUSE OF
THE SEVERITY OF THE INCIDENT AS
OPPOSED TO JUST ASSUMING EVERY
INCIDENT DESERVES AND NEEDS
ARMED LAW ENFORCEMENT RESPONSE.
THAT IS SIMPLY NOT THE CASE.
WE HAVE ALSO HEARD FROM THE
CHIEF AND ALSO HEARD FROM OTHER
POLICE OFFICERS HERE IN SEATTLE
AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY, THEY
HAVE LONG BEEN SETTLED WITH
ISSUES THEY JUST DON'T WANT TO
DEL WITH.
THINGS THAT OTHER SYSTEMS
SHOULD BE ADDRESSING.
I JUST WANT TO POINT TO A QUOTE
THE CHIEF BEST GAVE HERSELF IN
MARCH 2019 IN AN ARTICLE IN
CROSSCUT THAT SAID, "THE FACT
OF THE MATTER IS, I FEEL LIKE
WE ARE WORKING WITH A LOT OF
SYSTEMS THAT REALLY HAVE NOT
REACHED THEIR FULL POTENTIAL SO
THAT OFFICERS AND UP ON THE
FRONT LINES OF ALL OF THIS
STUFF WE DON'T NEED TO BE AT
THE FRONT LINES OF, A LOT OF
TIMES WE HAVE TO BE MENTAL
HEALTH PROVIDERS OR WORK ON
ADDICTION ISSUES". SHE
CONTINUED ON TO ACKNOWLEDGE
THAT MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING,
ADEQUATE MENTAL HEALTH FUNDING
AND STREET PROGRAMS IS WHAT IS
NEEDED IN ORDER TO ADDRESS THE
ISSUES THAT WE AS A SOCIETY
CURRENTLY EXPECT THE POLICE TO
RESPOND TO.
I THINK THAT IS THE ULTIMATE
GOAL, TO ACCOMPLISH THAT
BALANCE AND WE WILL TAKE THE
NEXT FEW WEEKS AND THE NEXT
SEVERAL MONTHS IN ORDER TO DO
THAT ENGAGEMENT.
COUNCIL MEMBER HERBOLD, DO YOU
WANT TO ADD SOMETHING ?
>> JUST REALLY SMALL, I WANT TO
RESPOND TO THE SUGGESTION THAT
THE ACTIONS THE COUNCIL IS
TAKING WILL RESULT IN ABRUPT
LAYOFFS.
THERE IS NOTHING ABRUPT ABOUT
GIVING NOTICE OF LAYOFFS THAT
ARE NOT ACTUALLY EXPECTED TO
TAKE EFFECT FOR MONTHS.
I BELIEVE THE DEPARTMENT HAS
CONSEQUENTLY MONTHS TO PLAN AND
MAKE ADJUSTMENTS.
>> THANK YOU.
THAT IS ALL THE TIME WE HAVE.
IF NOTHING FURTHER, THIS
MEETING IS ADJOURNED.
>> JUST REALLY QUICKLY, I'M
SORRY, FOR FOLKS OF THE MEDIA
WHO ARE PRESENT PHYSICALLY, I
UNDERSTAND THERE ARE
PARTICIPANTS FROM THE EVERYDAY
MARCH WHO ARE DOWNSTAIRS, ADAM,
ARE THEY OUTSIDE?
OKAY.
YEAH.
I DON'T NEED THE EDITORIAL.
OKAY, GREAT.
>> JUST LET FOLKS KNOW WE WERE
GOING TO INVITE THE REPORTERS
IF YOU WANT TO GO DOWN.
>> FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO MAY BE
INTERESTED IN SPEAKING TO THOSE
YOUNG FOLKS WHO ARE ORGANIZING
AND PARTICIPATING IN THE
EVERYDAY MARCH, THEY ARE
AVAILABLE TO THE PRESS
DOWNSTAIRS.
IT SOUNDS LIKE FROM ADAM'S
DESCRIPTION ON THE CORNER OF
FIFTH AND CHERRY, WHATEVER THAT
STREET IS, IT'S BEEN A WHILE
SINCE I'VE BEEN DOWN THERE.
TANKS, ADAM.
THANK YOU, EVERYBODY.
>> THANKS, EVERYBODY.