[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6378369,"mediaKeyId","2137731-7735f46523e04d11f5a23f0a66796df3","parentId",2137731,"title","Legal counsel briefs commissioners on Open Public Meetings Act; discussion turns to expanding commission membership","audioSeconds",240,"startMs",4335000,"endMs",4575000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2137731-7735f46523e04d11f5a23f0a66796df3&start=4335&end=4575","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2137731-7735f46523e04d11f5a23f0a66796df3/thumbnail_4335000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6378369/Spokane/Spokane-County/Washington/Legal-counsel-briefs-commissioners-on-Open-Public-Meetings-Act-discussion-turns-to-expanding-commission-membership","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6378369-63b0ccbac31734cbaf2281b687ce2c5e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771158861&Signature=bs0PjH1CbaZrGxp2uR4fcany03lDC9OoAXkpPYARceb4ZnfK-B4TyXMKLfc71dO~d~7yfll1ymswLc4nlEpubR3K5R1ST6HE~I8e87uQayOYHcPmSU4JpAf0JK275r8xR4ymABMYWQ3gaJThtGA~JK3cPsxAxp2mvCOTGYcpDoyMzQ6TB7DnCqcylgao8nl5LL4GNtp-UQZNHYl10upO-mlgb~C5pm7INb6RFtDUYbWaLp6oxARBDwNaaawugieawZBH1Ttrd79-85NQQGeVi4hFmFz24df~7tXi0RHN0ud3YTfxy~wwrgaLlqe6YWVQhFznhsgvM~WWSAsm3oPihg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Spokane City, WA","date","2025-01-22T04:57:56Z","article","Bridal \"Boone,\" the commission’s legal counsel, gave a concise briefing on the Washington Open Public Meetings Act and how it applies to commission work. Counsel emphasized that a quorum is a majority of the governing body and that \"anytime any 3 commissioners are talking to 1 another contemporaneously, discussing, considering, deliberating, that is a meeting within the definition of the open public meetings act.\" He warned that meetings do not require physical presence and can occur by email, text or virtual platforms when a quorum is involved.

Boone explained practical consequences for subcommittees and staff interaction: two commissioners may meet and discuss business with staff present, but three commissioners would create a meeting under OPMA and require public notice and access. He advised that passive receipt of information from staff does not by itself create a meeting, and suggested using BCC when staff distribute materials to the full commission to avoid inadvertent serial discussions.

Commissioners raised the recurring issue that the commission’s five-member size limits subcommittee work. A number of members said a larger commission would allow more robust subcommittees and reduce the administrative friction of the quorum rule. Legal counsel and staff explained that increasing commission membership requires a city ordinance change and a city-council process. Counsel offered to draft proposed ordinance language if the commission wanted to pursue the change.

Why this matters: OPMA rules shape how commissioners can gather information, consult staff and hold subcommittee meetings without violating public-meeting laws. The commission’s current five-member composition limits the practical size of subcommittees and, according to commissioners, hinders workload distribution.

Next steps: Commissioners agreed to consider whether to ask the city council to expand the commission; counsel offered to prepare draft language and staff said the item could be placed on a future meeting agenda for further discussion.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","January 21st, 2025 Police Ombuds Commission","oneSentenceSummary","City legal counsel reviewed Washington's Open Public Meetings Act (OPMA), quorum rules and best practices; commissioners discussed whether to seek an ordinance change to enlarge the commission to reduce subcommittee constraints.","taxTitle","Spokane, Spokane County, Washington","taxId",2644,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6378374,"Ombudsman report finds March takedown outside policy; commission adopts ten recommendations",3360,3805000,7165000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2137731-7735f46523e04d11f5a23f0a66796df3&start=3805&end=7165","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2137731-7735f46523e04d11f5a23f0a66796df3/thumbnail_3805000.jpg","/articles/6378374/Spokane/Spokane-County/Washington/Ombudsman-report-finds-March-takedown-outside-policy-commission-adopts-ten-recommendations","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6378374-7177a3cad4c420a90af169f22fa7799c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771158861&Signature=ck~LxOWV5wEvXu87ii6pimSsTqFgbtEEycGqJxtTTo9jPEuNuhl-0Hd0WGVI02C1tNWAgsPpjcKZXarMC0eMZeA3uqRoMVUzfRUfxRo~DpPDz7DY5MBDGOqYQ7XJkObm7V-BUR9QaHPI3WzPplkKme~Ux7jXiEAy05CiIhc4JzDPHq4Tauc9Uaoho9aZB82S7aa5AcjuZZCmCMYAY4KZgUeR99pkNoW-JlrjW3qN3o6QlWoaXoqN91qylI8ZRWj5gMwWgzzj8AyKjygMx7vdUKEpUx~zDUvSiBwHrdvHDuiekqIp6NbABLZH~W~MuLYwN3WldCkcPKtnFEAKos7K7g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Office of Police Ombudsman presented a closing report on an officer-involved takedown that occurred in March 2024 and concluded the action was outside Spokane Police Department policy; the commission voted to accept the report’s ten recommendations.

\"The officer picks up the subject by their waistband...and then slams them onto the ground,\" the report presenter said while describing cell-phone video from a neighbor that captured the moment force was used. The subject sustained an elbow injury and later sought medical care; the report noted the injury and that the incident led to review-board proceedings.

The report said the takedown involved an \"exceptional technique\" not in SPD's defensive-tactics manual and raised concerns about the review-board process, timeliness of reviews, supervisor accountability, and how training failures are characterized. The ombudsman's findings criticized what it described as a reluctance in the chain of command to find policy violations and recommended clearer definitions of the board’s purpose, annual training for review-board members, explicit supervisor responsibilities, tighter timelines for reviews, and other procedural changes.

Commissioners discussed the report at length. Commissioner Amy McCollum called the incident troubling and said the citizen video was essential: \"That could have been me,\" she said, summarizing why the public should record interactions when safe to do so.

SPD Lieutenant Jake Jensen, the department’s lead defensive-tactics instructor, attended and described steps the department is taking since the incident. Jensen said the department is revising defensive-tactics training and pre-field training for laterals, increasing supervisory training on reviews, and consulting with the Criminal Justice Training Commission on technique standards. \"If I can train...officers more, especially in defensive tactics use of force, and yes, properly, then hopefully the performance will increase,\" Jensen said.

The commission voted to accept all ten recommendations in the ombudsman’s closing report (motion moved and seconded on the record). The roll call was recorded as ayes and the chair declared the motion passed.

Why this matters: The report addresses policy, training and accountability gaps that affect how Spokane Police Department supervisors review officer conduct and how the department adapts training to prevent injuries. The commission’s acceptance signals formal oversight urging changes and follow-up.

Votes at a glance
- Motion: Accept the ten recommendations and closing report F-20419; mover: not specified in the record; second: not specified; outcome: approved (ayes recorded during open vote).
- Consent agenda (agenda and minutes from Dec. 3, 2024): approved by voice vote at the start of the meeting.

Steps reported by SPD and next steps: SPD leaders told commissioners they have held executive-level briefings, reassigned review-board membership, begun mentor-based feedback to supervisors, are reworking defensive-tactics materials and pre-field training for laterals, and scheduled follow-up training and reviews. The commission asked for continuing updates and indicated it would monitor whether the department implements the recommended changes.","A Spokane use-of-force closing report concluded an officer's takedown in March 2024 was outside department policy and urged changes to review-board procedures, supervisor responsibilities and training. The commission accepted the report’s ten recommendations and SPD leaders described immediate steps and training adjustments.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6378378,"State investigative office describes operations, answers Spokane questions",2589,227000,2816000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2137731-7735f46523e04d11f5a23f0a66796df3&start=227&end=2816","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2137731-7735f46523e04d11f5a23f0a66796df3/thumbnail_227000.jpg","/articles/6378378/Spokane/Spokane-County/Washington/State-investigative-office-describes-operations-answers-Spokane-questions","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6378378-3b21c487f56d1600fd11cfb8f28b3c72/orig.mp4?Expires=1771158861&Signature=BH2CCoo5mNVQT-okxeB-kbZQ3Z9X8D0oy38xL76ykLNsVwwfwJCDysiiviqHqNxjYx-w6oljXFeQ4r42qVlSYbLwq1JuXCjc2RlL2yvVWCutxjmTylXOhrpjUG5eIP2xaBpOWPxOHr6C6CZWJ~Ga6JYnfiF2VKRNeM-wbqDmvrdCkZ56PkX8lhhamus0foi5dUyuG9lm~TheDGkk620EgbGG1XGpNEy9Jl3xIrQSmzRQ0dWAOSwMi5OmZNj9j6pyJ4OG9x52ROuQneV3tItSUfTymyww0Rhl2BXk3TsAXh6ZKgr2UHzWLC6U3mZGG-DdNNj64IeBQ3O-YLJMHW8zvA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Hector Castro, director of communications and community relations at the Office of Independent Investigations, told the Spokane Office of Police Ombudsman Commission on the evening of the meeting that OII was created by the state legislature in 2021 and began receiving notifications of law-enforcement deadly-force incidents in November 2022.

\"By statute, law enforcement agencies are required to notify our agency when 1 of their officers is involved in the use of deadly force incident,\" Castro said, adding OII opened a prior-investigations program in July 2023 and started responding to active incidents in Region 1 on Dec. 1, 2024.

The agency is organized into six regions, Castro said, and will initially investigate only cases that result in a fatality. He said OII does not make charging recommendations; it completes an investigative report and delivers the file to the appropriate local prosecutor.

Anwar Peace, who identified himself during public comment as \"a 24 year police accountability expert,\" described a December officer-involved shooting in Spokane that killed his upstairs neighbor and urged the commission and the visiting OII staff to investigate possible failures of prior police responses in that case. \"I'm demanding that there's an investigation...on the 30 times that my neighbors called police to get Joshua Musselman help, and they did not do anything,\" Peace told the commission.

Castro and OII staff answered questions from commissioners about forensics, evidence collection and legal authority. \"We're a full investigative team,\" Castro said, describing OII's ability to photograph scenes, canvass neighborhoods, process involved officers and collect evidence. He added OII staff cannot compel statements: \"No. We can't compel anyone to speak.\" Castro said the agency presents the investigative file to the local prosecutor's office; referrals to the state attorney general's criminal division are \"not currently\" part of the process.

Angie Smith, OII director of tribal relations, said agency staff have met with many Washington tribes and are preparing culturally appropriate outreach and coordination plans. \"We wanna be able to provide culturally appropriate services wherever we can,\" she said, noting tribal jurisdictional complexities and that OII generally does not exercise authority over sovereign tribal nations.

Felicia Cross, community liaison supervisor, described outreach plans and said OII will hold community briefings before it opens operations in a region. \"We're gonna do that for every region before we open,\" Cross said. She also asked community groups to invite OII to local events and said the agency will post notices and a community tab on its website.

Commissioners pressed OII about service in Spokane (Region 6). Mark Griffiths, identified in the presentation as OII’s regional supervisor for the Spokane area, is on staff but Castro said OII does not yet have a full team in Region 6 and cannot immediately respond to active incidents there. On timing for opening Region 6, Castro said only that the agency is \"having those discussions now\" and would make a public announcement in advance of becoming operational in any additional region.

Castro described OII's policy for video release: body-worn camera footage \"won't be released until the investigation has been complete,\" although family liaisons can arrange viewing for impacted family members on request. He also described OII's prior-investigations program, which reopens past deadly-force incidents only when a claim of new evidence is submitted and the incident resulted in a fatality.

Contact information and outreach: Castro said OII posts materials and regional maps on its website and maintains a 24/7 notification hotline. \"We established a hotline, it's staffed 24/7,\" he said.

Why this matters: OII is a newly created statewide investigatory agency whose operations and region-by-region rollout affect how deadly-force incidents are investigated in Washington. Commissioners and community members asked specifically how quickly Spokane will be covered and how OII interacts with local prosecutors and tribal authorities.

Looking ahead: OII staff told the commission they will continue community outreach in eastern Washington, recruit for vacancies and provide public notice before opening operations in another region.

","The state Office of Independent Investigations (OII) reviewed its mission, staffing and limited jurisdiction, described how it responds to fatal officer-involved uses of force, and fielded questions about Spokane-area coverage and body-camera release policies.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Legal counsel briefs commissioners on Open Public Meetings Act; discussion turns to expanding commission membership

Ombudsman report finds March takedown outside policy; commission adopts ten recommendations

State investigative office describes operations, answers Spokane questions