Title
2023 Police Auditor Annual Report Briefing
Recommended Action
Committee Recommendation:
Not referred to a committee
City Manager Recommendation:
Receive a briefing on the 2023 Police Auditor Annual Report.
Report
Issue:
Whether to receive a briefing on the 2023 Police Auditor Annual Report.
Staff Contact:
Debbie Sullivan, Assistant City Manager, Office of Strategic Initiatives 360.753.8499
Presenters:
Debbie Sullivan, Assistant City Manager
Rich Allen, Police Chief
Tara Parker, Police Auditor, Clarify Investigations & Consulting
Genevieve Chan, Social Justice and Equity Commission Co-Chair
Background and Analysis:
The City Council employs a Police Auditor (Auditor) to provide an independent review and audit of the Olympia Police Department's uses of force and its internal investigations regarding complaints against the Department and its employees. The Police Auditor's duties and responsibilities include examining uses of force, complaint investigations, and public demonstration responses to determine whether there is any evidence of unlawful bias or civil rights violations, and to ensure that they are aligned with best practices.
The City Council contracts with Tara Parker of Clarity Investigations & Consulting for police auditor services. Ms. Parker has completed the 2023 Annual Report to the City Council which covers incidents between January 1 and December 31, 2023.
The Report includes: the number and types of use of force reports that have been audited; the number and types of complaint investigations recorded by the Office of Professional Standards that have been audited; findings; observations; and recommendations for improvements to Department policies and practices.
On March 11, 2024, a Sub-Committee of the Social Justice and Equity Commission met with the Police Auditor to discuss the Draft 2023 Annual Report. The meeting was structured based on the draft Community Oversight of Law Enforcement (COLE) recommendations, whereby the Po...
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