WHEREAS, the City Charter requires that the City provide adequate police protection throughout the City; and

WHEREAS, Seattle has grown substantially in recent years while the number of sworn officers in the Seattle Police Department has remained essentially the same; and

WHEREAS, because of their concerns about and direct experience with crime in Seattle, many citizens have asked the Council to make an increase in the number of police officers its top priority; and

WHEREAS, the Council believes the men and women of the Police Department do an excellent job with the resources they have available; and

WHEREAS, the Council wishes to determine the number of sworn officers and other Police Department resources that will reasonably enhance public safety in the long term; and

WHEREAS, the Police Department has initiated an effort to improve the deployment of Patrol officers in order to improve response times to 911 calls, make more time available for proactive crime reduction efforts, increase equity in officer workloads, and create teams of officers who are knowledgeable about and focused on the neighborhoods in which they work; and

WHEREAS, the Council and Executive are jointly engaged in developing performance measures that will allow the Council and the public to routinely assess the Department's effectiveness in reducing crime and enhancing public safety; and

WHEREAS, the Executive intends to conduct a survey of Seattle residents' opinions about public safety and police in 2007 as it has in 2003 and 2005; and

WHEREAS, the Mayor has announced his intention to present to the Council his recommendations on the appropriate number of police officers and the funding necessary for these, and to do this early next year; and

WHEREAS, the intent of this resolution and of the City in general in providing police services is to provide for and promote the health, safety and welfare of the general public, and not to protect individuals or otherwise establish or designate any particular class or group of persons who will or should be especially protected or benefited; NOW, THEREFORE,

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SEATTLE THAT:

Section 1. The Council requests that by March 31, 2007, the Mayor recommend the appropriate number of police officers for the next five years, 2008 through 2012. The Council requests that the Mayor explain his recommendations with a clear rationale based on the desired public safety outcomes. Reflecting the initial joint work on performance measurement, the outcomes should be related to the following dimensions of police performance:

(1) reducing crime; (2) reducing fear of crime and increasing the sense of security; (3) increasing traffic safety; (4) increasing safety in public places; (5) providing good customer service by responding to calls and attending to community needs; (6) holding offenders accountable; (7) using authority and force fairly and only as reasonably necessary; (8) protecting homeland security; and (9) using public resources efficiently and effectively.

The Council requests that the Mayor also explain how the Council and the public will be able to assess whether the desired outcomes have been achieved, and that he propose a schedule for measuring the outcomes.

Section 2. The Council also requests that the Mayor's recommendations for the number of police officers take into account and capture the benefits of known opportunities for improvements in the deployment of Patrol officers in location and time, with the goals of improving response time and making more time available for proactive crime reduction efforts.

Section 3. The Council also requests that the Executive conduct the planned 2007 survey of Seattle residents' opinions about public safety and police in the first half of the year so that the results can inform the Council's discussions and deliberations about police staffing and public safety outcomes. Pursuant to Seattle Municipal Code Chapter 5.09, the Council requests that the Executive present a description of the survey to the Council in the first quarter of 2007.

Section 4. The Council also requests that the Mayor propose a plan for funding the number of police officers he recommends for 2008 through 2012, and that he present a 2008 proposed budget that is consistent with this plan.

Section 5. The Council also requests that the Police Department report monthly on crime in each of the five precincts. The reports should include the serious offenses that are traditionally reported, and should also include minor offenses because of their impact on the quality of life. The reports should describe recent localized increases and decreases in crime, and should describe enforcement efforts and the number of arrests. The reports should be timely. They should be provided to the Public Safety, Government Relations & Arts Committee and made available to the public in an easily accessible and understandable electronic form.

Adopted by the City Council the _____ day of _______________, 2006, and signed by me in open session in authentication of its adoption this _____ day of _______________, 2006. ________________________________________ President of the City Council

Filed by me this _____ day of _______________, 2006. ________________________________________ City Clerk

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