Public Safety Committee reviews bill to revise complaint investigations naming Seattle police chief

The Seattle City Council Public Safety Committee on May 13 heard a presentation on Council Bill 120977, legislation that would revise the process for handling complaints that name the chief of the Seattle Police Department. Karina Bull, council central staff, told the committee the bill would allow the Office of Police Accountability (OPA), with agreement from the Office of Inspector General for Public Safety (OIG), to close qualifying complaints as a contact log after an initial screening; allow qualified non-supervisory civilian staff to perform intake work; permit OIG to initiate new investigations that arise while it is managing an existing investigation; and require OIG to provide more frequent reporting on complaint counts and status.

Why it matters: The three-part oversight system created by the 2017 accountability ordinance and refined by a 2022 ordinance left a procedural gap, committee members were told. Since the 2022 process for complaints naming the chief went into effect in mid-July 2022, Bull said, OPA had received more than 70 such complaints and that in 2024 OPA received 29 complaints naming the chief, with 27 closed as a contact log after intake.

Lisa Judge, inspector general for public safety, described OIG—s role and the practical strains under the current code. "OIG's role in all of these investigations is management of investigations," Judge said. She told the committee that because the current ordinance prescribes certain positions to do intakes and OPA has had limited supervisory staff, the intake step can become a bottleneck. Judge said the proposed changes would "streamline" steps that currently add time without changing the standard for whether a complaint merits investigation.

Bonnie Glenn, interim director of OPA, told the committee staffing constraints were a principal driver for the proposal. Glenn said the ordinance initially tied intake authority to a specific supervisory position and that OPA has sometimes had only one such supervisor available, which increased delays. Allowing additional qualified civilian investigators to perform intakes, she said, would expand capacity without altering investigative standards.

Members pressed on several specifics. Council member Moore asked why the bill replaces a requirement for "immediate" notification to OIG with language allowing for "prompt" notification; Judge replied the change reflects investigative realities and provides limited flexibility for practical vetting needs while maintaining close communication. Moore also asked whether the quarterly reporting would notify the council president or public safety chair of contact-log closures; staff said the legislation requires OIG to include counts and status information in quarterly reports to the mayor, council president and public safety chair but does not mandate notice about individual contact-log closures.

Committee members also asked about the legal text and where the governing provisions live online. Bull and others noted that the accountability ordinance language is not fully published in the municipal code website and said updating online resources could be considered as the ordinance is refined.

Next steps: Bull said the bill will return for committee discussion at the next meeting and, if passed out of committee, could be eligible for council action as early as June 3, 2025.

Ending note: Committee members and staff encouraged colleagues to schedule briefings with the accountability partners to review processes and the proposed changes in more detail.