Council Passes Women’s Reproductive Health Rights Resolution Seattle– The Seattle City Council today unanimously approved Resolution 31541, calling on the United States Congress and President Obama to repeal all federal bans on public coverage of abortion and supporting efforts to improve access to public and private insurance coverage for comprehensive reproductive health care. “Every woman who...
Category: Councilmember Harrell
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Council Urges Federal Comprehensive Immigration Reform to Help Seattle Families
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 8/11/2014
Councilmember Nick Licata
Councilmember Bruce Harrell
Councilmember Kshama Sawant
Council Urges Federal Comprehensive Immigration Reform to Help Seattle Families
SEATTLE - City Council unanimously adopte...
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Councilmember Harrell Seeks Candidates for Human Rights Commission
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 7/31/2014
Councilmember Bruce Harrell
Councilmember Harrell Seeks Candidates for Human Rights Commission
Seattle - The Seattle Human Rights Commission is seeking applicants to fill vacant Commissioner positions. The Commission advises the Mayor and City Council on human rights and social justice issues.
The Commission works with the Director of the Office for Civil Rights to end discrimination based on race, religion, creed, color, national origin, sexual orientation, political ideology, ancestry, age, marital and parental status, disability and Section 8 status. The Commission works to have an impact on the lives of people in Seattle through its policy work and community outreach.
"I am proud to work with the City's Human Rights Commission," said Councilmember Bruce Harrell, chair of the Public Safety, Civil Rights and Technology Committee. "The Commission continues to play a vital role in hearing discrimination appeals and shaping the City's dialogue on human rights for all Seattle residents."
Participation on the Commission requires a minimum time commitment of 10-15 hours per month. This includes attendance at monthly meetings held the first Thursday of each month in the evening, participation in committee work, meeting with City departments, communicating with state legislators and addressing human rights concerns.
The Commission also hears and adjudicates appeals of discrimination cases from the Seattle Office for Civil Rights. Commissioners are appointed to two-year terms and all appointments are subject to confirmation by the Seattle City Council. Commissioners must reside within the City of Seattle. The Commission is particularly interested in applicants with backgrounds in human rights, education, law, public policy and advocacy. Commissioners serve without compensation.
To be considered, email a letter of interest, resume and SHRC application to marta.idowu@seattle.gov by August 25, 2014. The SHRC application is available at www.seattle.gov/humanrights/archive.htm or by request made to marta.idowu@seattle.gov.
The City is committed to promoting diversity in its commissions. Women, people with disabilities, youth, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, immigrants and people of color are encouraged to apply. All are welcome.
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City Council Confirms New Chief Technology Officer
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 7/21/2014
Councilmember Bruce Harrell
City Council Confirms New Chief Technology Officer
SEATTLE - City Council unanimously approved Michael Mattmiller as Chief Technology Officer and Director of the Department of Information Technology (DoIT) today.
"Michael brings new energy and a fresh perspective to solving technology solutions and operating more efficiently," said Councilmember Bruce Harrell, chair of the Public Safety, Civil Rights and Technology Committee. "I look forward to working with Michael to make Seattle the most innovative city when it comes to use of technology in government."
As CTO, Mr. Mattmiller will manage a department that has about 200 employees and an annual budget of $41.8 million. DoIT is responsible for the City's main data center, Seattle.gov website, the Seattle Channel, the City's fiber network, the City's data and telephone network, the Public Safety Radio network and cable franchises. DoIT develops common standards, architectures and business solutions as part of policy planning to City departments and manages the City's technology infrastructure to serve Seattle's residents and businesses.
Mr. Mattmiller most recently worked as a Senior Strategist for Enterprise Cloud Privacy at Microsoft. From 2005 to 2013, he worked in the Washington DC-area on risk assurance and data management consulting work for PricewaterhouseCoopers. Mattmiller earned a Masters in Information Systems Technology from George Washington University.
DoIT has three key objectives:
- Serve the information needs of our residents, businesses, NGO partners and visitors to Seattle, with government information and data solutions available across web, mobile and television platforms.
- Lead by providing our internal City customers (employees and departments) innovative communication and information technology solutions that support effective and efficient services to our constituents.
- Make Seattle a national municipal leader in championing technology access and affordability for all the people of our City.
Link to Michael Mattmiller Confirmation Packet
Link to Confirmation Questions & Answers
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Federal Police Monitor to Brief Council on Police Reform Progress
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 7/15/2014
Councilmember Bruce Harrell
Federal Police Monitor to Brief Council on Police Reform Progress
Seattle - Councilmember Bruce Harrell, chair of the Public Safety, Civil Rights, and Technology committee will host F...
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Councilmember Harrell to Explore Seattle Municipal ID Cards
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 7/14/2014
Councilmember Bruce Harrell
Councilmember Harrell to Explore Seattle Municipal ID Cards
SEATTLE - Councilmember Bruce Harrell, chair of the Council's Public Safety, Civil Rights and Technology Committee, issued the following statement today regarding the City of Seattle exploring the idea of creating a program that will make voluntary municipal identification cards available to all city residents:
"There can be serious barriers to acquire a Washington State Identification Card for some residents, and without ID, people can face challenges in accessing important services. I think it is well-passed time to explore the creation of a municipal ID card program. Cities such as New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and New Haven, CT have implemented programs, and, if we work closely with the ACLU to address privacy concerns, we could have a successful program in here in Seattle, too.
"A municipal ID card can provide a much more affordable and easier pathway for residents from diverse communities to succeed and more efficiently access critical services. I'll be working with the Mayor, the Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs, ACLU and the public to determine whether a municipal ID card program is right for Seattle, and, if so, how we can make it successful. Some of the benefits include:
- The identification card would be accepted as proof of identity by all City agencies, as well as other institutions within the City of Seattle.
- The implementation of the municipal ID Program could gain thousands of Seattle residents easier access in obtaining library cards, furthering education, getting medical help, cashing a check, signing leases, finding employment or opening a bank account.
- The identification card would allow many of Seattle's most vulnerable residents such as immigrants and refugees, the elderly, the homeless and members of the transgender community better access to participating in civic life.
- The identification card will allow members of the immigrant and refugee community to gain greater confidence and feel more comfortable when seeking assistance from law enforcement.
"There is an exciting opportunity here, and if done right, a municipal ID card program could empower more Seattleites to succeed. I look forward to exploring the opportunities and pitfalls in the coming months to determine whether or how we can make this program a reality in Seattle."
The concept of a Seattle Municipal ID Card system will be discussed at the Public Safety, Civil Rights and Technology Committee meeting on Wednesday July 16, 2014 at 2:00 p.m.
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Councilmember Harrell to Honor Community Leaders at Civil Rights Act 50th Anniversary Celebration
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 7/9/2014
Councilmember Harrell to Honor Community Leaders at Civil Rights Act 50th Anniversary Celebration
Seattle - Councilmember Bruce Harrell will address attendees of the 50th Anniversary of the Civil Rights Act Celebra...
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Council to discuss confirmation of Seattle’s Chief Technology Officer
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 7/1/2014
Councilmember Bruce Harrell
Council to discuss confirmation of Seattle's Chief Technology Officer
Seattle - Councilmember Bruce Harrell will convene a Public Safety, Civil Rights, and Technology committee meeting...
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Councilmember Harrell Statement on Mayor’s Public Safety Speech
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 6/25/2014
Councilmember Bruce Harrell
Councilmember Harrell Statement on Mayor's Public Safety Speech
SEATTLE - Councilmember Bruce Harrell, chair of the Council's Public Safety, Civil Rights and Technology Committee, issued the following statement today regarding Mayor Ed Murray's state of the city public safety speech:
"I applaud Mayor Murray for outlining a pragmatic, call-to-action public safety plan. I would like to express my gratitude to the Mayor for prioritizing public safety and calling all departments to engage in addressing public safety. I believe our focus, commitment and collaborative partnerships will be much different than what this city has ever seen. We will work together to implement the short-term solutions and set the budget for long-term solutions that address the underlying root causes of the problems we are seeing.
"In addition to supporting the Mayor's ‘Summer of Safety' plan, I hope to continue working with the Mayor on the following policy and public safety budget issues:
- Explore the feasibility of an automated gunshot locator system (AGLS) in the fall biennial City budget. The system uses acoustic sensors to instantly triangulate and identify the exact location of gunfire. This technology, often coupled with an activated camera system when shots occur in hotspot corridors, deters activities and significantly increases intelligence gathering of unlawful shooting activity.
- A complete assessment of crime prevention programs targeting and helping 18-30 year olds. This group is often referred to as "opportunity youth," young people who are disconnected from education and employment pathways to success.
- Seek a resolution to the unresolved ambiguity regarding the legality of medical dispensaries in Seattle. Medical dispensaries should provide access to medical quality cannabis to patients in need, not as a breeding ground for criminal activity as we've seen in recent violent incidents.
- Partner with the community, local businesses, local sports teams, and faith-based communities to discourage the "No-Snitch" code. This "code" has been changed in other communities by changing the narrative to describing an opportunity to protect and serve one's community.
- Chief O'Toole must identify and support Precinct captains with a set of expectations for the foreseeable future and establish reasonable continuity in these positions. This is a particular concern to Southeast Seattle.
- Examine community benefit agreements for employers to incentivize development in hotspot corridors. The city should partner with regional employers and labor to expand the summer youth program and increase training opportunities. As the Mayor stated, "nothing stops a bullet like a job."
"In addition to these items, Council will work with the Mayor and Chief O'Toole to focus on these major areas to improve public safety:
- Focused and proactive crime reduction using evidence-based methods to reduce the most serious neighborhood crime problems;
- Positively change the culture at SPD and attitudes related to the practice of collecting and reporting the required data as part of the six new policies developed as part of the Settlement Agreement;
- Build community relationships and trust in all neighborhoods with a consistent visible presence; and,
- Prioritize build out of the Business Intelligence System.
"As part of the confirmation of Chief O'Toole this last Monday, Council presented a letter of expectations to Chief O'Toole. Read the complete six-page letter of expectations to Chief O'Toole here."
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Council Confirms Kathleen O’Toole as Chief of Police
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 6/23/2014
Councilmember Bruce Harrell
Council Confirms Kathleen O'Toole as Chief of Police
SEATTLE - CityCouncil voted 8-1 to confirm Kathleen O'Toole as the next Chief of Police for the Seattle Police Department (SPD). O'Toole began work with the Boston Police Department in 1979 and has over three decades of experience as a police officer, Commissioner, Chief Inspector and attorney.
"Chief O'Toole has earned an international reputation for her ability to lead and inspire officers, change and reform a department and work with communities from the ground up to reduce crime in urban neighborhoods," said Councilmember Bruce Harrell, chair of the Public Safety, Civil Rights, and Technology committee.
O'Toole's top four priorities are: 1) restoring public trust, 2) restoring SPD pride and professionalism, 3) addressing crime and quality of life issues, and 4) promoting best business practices. O'Toole has committed during the first 90 days to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the police department, which would culminate in a plan of action with measurable goals and objectives.
The Council also presented written expectations for O'Toole. Progress reports will be submitted to Council quarterly, beginning at the end of the third quarter of 2014. Council would like to see progress in these major areas: focused and proactive crime reduction using evidence-based methods to reduce the most serious neighborhood crime problems; positively change the culture at SPD and attitudes related to the practice of collecting and reporting the required data for the six new policies developed as part of the Settlement Agreement; build community relationships in all neighborhoods with a consistent visible presence; and, prioritize build out of the Business Intelligence System.
Council's confirmation vote concludes the City's six month-long process to find a new Police Chief. Mayor Murray launched a national search in January with an extensive public outreach plan that included seven community workshops throughout Seattle and an online forum to receive feedback. To reach non-English speaking communities, online and print advertisements were placed in Somali, African-American, Chinese, Korean, Spanish and Vietnamese publications.
The Mayor appointed community members to two committees. The Community Advisory Committee consisted of a 32-member panel representing the diverse communities of Seattle and assisted in providing feedback from a community perspective. Secondly, a 12-member Search Committee was formed to screen all applicants and tasked to present the Mayor with three finalists.
Council President Tim Burgess stated, "Chief O'Toole has the skillset, experience and personality to move our police department forward through a new era of reform and improvement. The women and men of the department who work tirelessly on our behalf yearn for the clear leadership and direction Chief O'Toole will bring."
"What an opportunity! I welcome Ms. O'Toole'sapproach to building neighborhood-specific policing plans," said Councilmember Sally Bagshaw. "She will be a great partner to those of us working to make downtown and our other neighborhoods safe and welcoming for everyone. I am delighted she has been selected to lead the Seattle Police Department and look forward to making Seattle a positive model for cooperative policing."
"I'm looking forward to Chief O'Toole taking over," said Councilmember Sally J. Clark. "She's demonstrated great leadership and accomplishment in her career leading to this step. I'm impressed with her depth of knowledge and commitment to high caliber policing and safe neighborhoods in Seattle."
"A rigorous search revealed the best candidate for Seattle's next police chief as Kathleen O'Toole," said Councilmember Jean Godden. "It is a proud day for Seattle to confirm such a qualified leader, and a woman, as police chief."
"We have hired O'Toole for one major task: reform our police department. The Council's task is to help her succeed," said Councilmember Nick Licata. "If she does, we will have more responsive and effective policing in our city."
The Mayor announced O'Toole as his appointee on May 19. The Public Safety committee conducted three confirmation meetings: June 4, June 11 and June 12. The June 11th meeting was held offsite in the community at New Holly Gathering Hall. As part of the extensive outreach process, the committee sent approximately one thousand emails to community groups and ethnic minority groups asking for feedback and making them aware of the police chief confirmation process. Feedback was also solicited on Council's Facebook and Twitter accounts.
The Chief of Police will manage an annual operating budget of approximately $290 million and will be responsible for leading and managing 2,000 employees at SPD.
For more information regarding Kathleen O'Toole, please visit the following links: