I am deeply saddened and frustrated that SPD’s Force Review Board found that killing Charleena Lyles was within department policy; it is both devastating and unacceptable that our policies can lead to this kind of tragedy. There still remains an investigation by the Office of Police Accountability, and the King County Prosecutors Office will be reviewing and determining legality.
While the sequence of events in the case before us sadly cannot be changed, I am heartened by and hopeful of the changes that are happening in real time to the way policing looks in Seattle. On May 22nd Council passed the Police Accountability Ordinance, and we are working to implement its contents as quickly and as intentionally as possible:
- Today we are appointing civilian lawyer Andrew Myerberg as the director of OPA. He has a 7-year track record of increasing police accountability and knows the ins and outs of our city. I believe he will bring meaningful change to the policing culture of Seattle.
- On Monday, the Seattle Police Management Association signed a new contract with the City of Seattle, voluntarily embracing progressive, necessary changes happening to Seattle’s policing policies, including the use of body cameras and regulations around bias free policing.
- During the current budget season negotiations, I’ve been supportive of Councilmember González’s proposals to ensure we have the funds to expand OPA and stand up the Office of the Inspector General.
- We are actively working on getting a civilian into the role of police auditor, a new role that will independently review all of the rulings of the Force Review Board and OPA.
- And I look forward to working with the Community Police Commission to make sure that D4 residents have a voice at the table to review policies and have an impact.
In the wake of the shooting last summer, I spent a lot of time talking with residents living in and around Magnuson Park about what changes they want to see to realize a safer and healthier community. I’ve been working during the budget season to find funding for their priorities and will continue to do my best to amplify the voices of those who know what is best for their community.
Black lives matter. And while I’m hopeful about the work we are doing, we are all frustrated with the pace of necessary change. There are many systems beyond policing and criminal justice that overwhelmingly impact communities of color. When we affirm black lives matter, we must also acknowledge the experience with other institutions that can exacerbate the types of outcomes that continue to demonstrate disparities in health, housing, access to opportunities, jobs, income inequality, and intergenerational wealth.
As we continue to prioritize investments and make updates to city policy, I commit to continue leading with race as a lens to evaluate and inform our City actions to advance equitable outcomes for all.