AN ORDINANCE submitting a proposition to the qualified electors of the City of Seattle, at the general election to be held on November 2, 1999, to amend Article VI, Section 2 of the Charter of the City of Seattle, and to delete Article VI, Section 3 of
said charter, to eliminate the requirement that a competitive examination be administered to all candidates for Chief of Police; ratifying and confirming prior acts; calling on the City Clerk to certify the proposed amendment to the Director of Records
and Elections of King County and directing such Director to submit the proposition to City voters; and providing for the publication of such proposed amendment.
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY OF SEATTLE AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Subject to the approval of a proposition by a majority of the qualified electors casting votes thereon, Section 2 of Article VI of the Charter of the City of Seattle is amended, and Section 3 of Article VI of said charter is deleted, as
follows:
ARTICLE VI Department of Police
Sec. 2. CHIEF OF POLICE; QUALIFICATIONS, APPOINTMENT, REMOVAL; TO APPOINT SUBORDINATE OFFICERS: The Chief of Police shall be appointed by the Mayor, subject to confirmation by a majority vote of all members of the City Council. He shall be
selected by the Mayor from among the three highest ranking candidates in a competitive examination to be conducted under the direction of the Mayor. The Mayor may remove the Chief of Police upon filing a statement of his or
her reasons for so doing with the City Council. A Chief of Police appointed from the classified civil service may take leave of absence from his or her classified position until completion of his or her
tenure as Chief of Police. All subordinate police officers shall be appointed by the Chief of Police under civil service rules and regulations.
Sec. 3. RESERVED. COMPETITIVE EXAMINATION: The competitive examinations shall adequately test the qualifications of all candidates for Chief of Police, and all records of such examinations shall be filed with the City
Council by the Mayor together with his appointment of the Chief of Police. Such records shall be open to public inspection for at least seven days prior to the City Council taking action on said appointment.
Section 2. The King County Director of Records and Elections, as ex officio supervisor of elections, is hereby directed to submit to the qualified electors of the City the proposition set forth below at the City general election on November 2, 1999.
The City Clerk is hereby authorized and directed to certify the proposition to the King County Director of Records and Elections in the following form:
Proposed City Charter Amendment No. ____
Shall the Seattle City Charter be amended to eliminate the requirement that a competitive examination be administered to all candidates for Chief of Police; and shall Section 2 of Article VI of the Charter of the City of Seattle be amended and Section 3
of Article VI of said charter be deleted accordingly?
Yes ____ No ____
Every qualified voter at the election desiring to ratify the proposition shall mark his or her ballot "Yes." Every qualified voter desiring to reject the proposition shall mark his or her ballot "No."
Section 3. The City Clerk shall certify to the Director of the Department of Records and Elections of King County as Supervisor of Elections the charter amendment proposed herein in the form of a ballot title conforming to the foregoing statement of
the same, and shall certify a copy of the proposed charter amendment, and the same shall be published by the City Clerk in two daily newspapers in the City for at least thirty (30) days prior to such election, and as required by RCW 35.22.170.
Section 4. Certification of the charter amendment proposed herein by the City Clerk to the Director of Records and Elections and any other act pursuant to the authority and prior to the effective date of this ordinance is hereby ratified and
confirmed.
Section 5. This ordinance shall take effect and be in force immediately upon approval by the Mayor or, if not approved and returned by the Mayor within ten (10) days after presentation, then on the eleventh (11th) day after its presentation to the
Mayor or, if vetoed by the Mayor, then immediately upon its passage over his veto.
Passed by the City Council the _____ day of ____________, , and signed by me in open session in authentication of its passage this _____ day of _________________, . _____________________________________ President _______ of the City Council
Approved by me this _____ day of _________________, . ___________________________________________ Mayor
Filed by me this _____ day of ____________________, . ___________________________________________ City Clerk July 7, 1999 (Ver. 1 )