Spokane OPIO presents 2025 annual report, commissioners approve and form subcommittee on bargaining limits

The Office of the Police Ombudsman presented its 2025 annual report to the commission on June 30 and the commission voted to approve the report with suggested edits and follow‑up. Commissioners also voted to form a subcommittee to develop language and recommendations addressing collective‑bargaining limitations that the office said restrict its ability to conduct independent investigations.

Mr. Logue (OPIO) briefed the commission on April and May activity and annual metrics, saying the office handled thousands of community contacts and participated in dozens of internal affairs interviews and review boards. He listed key figures for 2025, including 3,557 community contacts and 110 certified investigations reviewed for the year to date, and noted trends such as an increase in community‑filed complaints driven in part by the June 11 protest response.

Logue and Christina Cody summarized complaint outcomes and recommendations. The office reported 13 recommendations issued in 2025; according to the presentation eight were fully implemented, three were in progress, one was partially implemented and one was not implemented. On outcomes, Mr. Logue said OPIO certified cases, conducted reviews and observed internal investigations but does not generally issue discipline—discipline is decided by the police chief.

On the June 11 protest response, Logue told commissioners the office compiled a voluminous closing report and said it could not carry out an independent investigation of the protest because the city did not complete a memorandum of understanding with the police guild that would allow the office that scope of fact‑finding: 'The current collective bargaining limitations affect the scope of our role in this matter,' he said. The closing report is scheduled for presentation at the APEC meeting on July 21.

Commissioners suggested clearer labeling of acronyms in the annual report, more explanation of which parts of 'partially implemented' recommendations were completed, and clearer graphics. After discussion, the commission moved to approve the annual report with suggested changes; the motion passed unanimously.

Separately, commissioners moved to create a subcommittee to develop policy language and a strategy for engaging the mayor, city council and human resources regarding collective‑bargaining changes that could restore or expand OPIO’s fact‑finding authority in special circumstances. That motion also passed unanimously.

Procedural notes: earlier in the meeting the commission approved the June agenda and the April 21 minutes (the latter carried with Commissioner Justin Ackerman recorded as abstaining). The OPIO reported a May 21 critical incident (a domestic‑violence case in the 2000 block of North Cincinnati) that is being investigated by the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office according to the transcript.