Seattle City Council moves to complete police accountability review board

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Councilmember Tim Burgess

Seattle City Council moves to complete police accountability review board
Position for former law enforcement officer last to be filled

SeattleThe Seattle City Council’s Public Safety and Education Committee voted this morning to appoint Joe Hawe to the Office of Professional Accountability Review Board, the seven-member civilian body that reviews the City’s policies related to police accountability. Hawe, a former Chief of Police, Sheriff and United States Marshall, fills the position vacated by Martha Norberg designated for an individual with law enforcement experience.

Hawe joins three new members appointed to the board in September. The new board brings a strong diversity of professional experience and community perspectives to police accountability issues in Seattle.

“The new members we have appointed in the last few months bring a lot of energy and focus to the Review Board,” said Councilmember Tim Burgess, Chair of the Committee. “These seven members are dedicated to strong accountability and transparency in policing. They are a diverse group of people who value the highest integrity and fair and professional law enforcement.”

Working in concert with the civilian OPA Director and the civilian OPA Auditor, the Review Board plays an important role in Seattle’s police accountability system through its assessment of policies and practices and recommendations for their improvement.

To inform its conclusions, the OPA Review Board (a) reviews the handling process for police accountability complaints, (b) organizes outreach to receive community feedback and (c) researches national trends and best practices in police accountability and civilian law enforcement oversight. It delivers its findings and recommendations to the City Council twice a year.

[Go to Council Newsroom]