Office of the Mayor

City of Seattle

Edward B. Murray, Mayor

Executive Order 2017-03: An Executive Order implementing a body-worn video program for patrol officers in the Seattle Police Department.

WHEREAS, there is compelling research showing that body-worn video dramatically reduces both civilian complaints against officers and the use of force by officers;

WHEREAS, the details of fatal interactions between civilians and law enforcement officers are often subject to dispute, at best, resulting in increased tension between communities and law enforcement;

WHEREAS, the Washington State Legislature has found that technical advancements such as video recording interactions between law-enforcement officers and the public present opportunities for additional truth-finding, transparency, and accountability;

WHEREAS, the Consent Decree in U.S. Department of Justice v. City of Seattle expressly requires that "(a)s soon as practicable following a reportable use of force, SPD should ensure that the incident is accurately and properly reported, documented, and investigated";

WHEREAS, a growing number of jurisdictions have successfully implemented body camera use, including major cities such as Oakland, Denver, Atlanta, Washington, D.C. and Detroit;

WHEREAS, the federal monitor's June, 2015, semi-annual report notes that jurisdictions using body cameras have found that cameras help to resolve conflicts in testimony, affirm good officer-decision-making, create a substantially more detailed and credible record of what transpired in confrontations and critical incidents, promote increased public confidence, and allow a department to more closely and accurately consider the implications of an officer's performance for training and policy;

WHEREAS, in 2016, SPD conduced a successful body-worn video pilot program that included a stakeholder and community engagement process;

WHEREAS, after the conclusion of the BWV pilot program, SPD continued to develop and improve its BWV policy, including by engaging in further discussions with community stakeholders and by seeking the practical input of the officers who participated in the pilot.

WHEREAS, a 2016 study commissioned by the federal monitoring team overseeing the Consent Decree between the Department of Justice and the City of Seattle found that 92 percent of Seattleites want to see body cameras on officers;

WHEREAS, another 2016 survey conducted by the Community Police Commission and SPD found that 86 percent of community members would want officers to be wearing body cameras when they responded to a call for service;

WHEREAS, the City of Seattle submitted a draft policy regulating in-car and body-worn video to the federal court, identified as Policy 16.090 in the Seattle Police Department Manual, and the Court approved this policy on May 3, 2017;

WHEREAS the contents of the In-Car and Body-Worn Video policy were extensively discussed with stakeholders and labor unions, with a number of provisions developed and modified as a result of such discussions;

WHEREAS, though the Department of Justice and the federal monitor have noted significant progress by SPD under the Consent Decree, and despite significant advances in de-escalation training, SPD officers have continued, and will continue, to interact with the public in situations that lead to the use of force in circumstances that require thorough documentation with currently available technology, including body-worn video cameras;

WHEREAS, the department will better serve Seattle's residents by equipping officers with body-worn cameras;

WHEREAS, the prompt implementation of body-worn cameras is necessary to ensure that no further significant uses of force by police officers will be undocumented by a video record;

WHEREAS, additional delays would otherwise deprive the residents of Seattle the necessary accountability tool of body-worn video on a timeline consistent with the Department's needs and community expectations;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, EDWARD B. MURRAY, Mayor of Seattle, hereby order:

THAT, to enhance public trust and transparency, the Seattle Police Department will: deploy body-worn video to all West Precinct bike patrol officers by July 22nd; fully deploy body-worn video to all patrol officers in the West Precinct by September 30; and shall in good-faith proceed with deployment to all patrol officers throughout the department on a monthly precinct by precinct basis until body worn video is deployed to all patrol officers.

THAT, in order to fully comply with the City's collective bargaining obligations under Washington law, the Labor Relations Unit of the Seattle Human Resources Department shall continue to engage in bargaining the effects of implementing this body-worn video program upon officer and sergeant working conditions, including but not limited to effects on discipline and privacy. Such bargaining may occur prior to and after implementation of the program as Ordered above; and

THAT, in order to implement the body-worn video program in accordance with the United States Constitution and the orders of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, the Chief of Police shall order that all patrol officers and sergeants follow the provisions of SPD Manual section 16.090 ("In-Car and Body-Worn Video") that was approved by the Court on May 3, 2017, unless and until any changes to the policy resulting from labor negotiations are approved by the Court.

Dated this 17th day of July, 2017

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Edward B. Murray

Mayor, City of Seattle