Seattle announces new efforts to rebuild public trust in police department

Seattle Mayor Ed Murray has announced a number of proposals designed to strengthen independent oversight of the police department’s accountability system.

Among other things, the changes would allow for a permanent civilian oversight board to give citizens a say in the way that officers are disciplined for poor behavior.

“Today, we are announcing major reforms to bring greater fairness, independence and transparency to the police discipline and accountability system, and to rebuild public trust,” Murray said Wednesday, alongside Seattle Police Chief Kathleen O’Toole.

The Community Police Commission (CPC) was created in 2012 as part of an agreement between the city and the U.S. Department of Justice, following an investigation into allegations of excessive force and discriminatory policing on the part of Seattle police officers.

The agreement did not mandate that the CPC become a permanent oversight function, but Chief O’Toole said it is a welcome addition to the police accountability process going forward.

“Independent oversight makes us stronger, and it leads to increased trust and legitimacy with the people we serve,” O’Toole said.

Since the CPC started work in March 2013, it has come up with 55 recommendations to improve the department’s accountability system.

Recommendations include requiring the Office of Professional Accountability, which investigates officer conduct, to post results of those investigations online. While that recommendations is still under review, Mayor Murray said the city has already implemented, or is the process of implementing, two-thirds of the CPC’s 55 recommendations.

Other reforms announced by the mayor Wednesday include efforts to streamline the overall police accountability and discipline process, which has been called confusing, in part because of its protracted appeals process.

Some of the mayor’s proposals are subject to union bargaining, while others must be approved by the city council.