2 Law Enforcement Reforms Advance At King County Council

SEATTLE, WA — Two key law enforcement reforms could end up on the November ballot after four King County councilmembers advanced recommendations Wednesday.

If the legislation is approved by the council, voters will decide whether to transform the King County Sheriff into an appointed position and grant the county's Office of Law Enforcement Oversight subpoena power.

"These are important reforms that can help improve our justice system," Councilmember Rod Dembowski said. "They have been thoroughly vetted and developed with public input over many months. OLEO must have the power it needs to conduct its mission. A decade of opposition to its authority needs to end, and end now."

The Charter Review Commission recommended both changes in a report last year, following more than 18 months of discussion.

In reverting the sheriff's position to an appointed office, commissioners pointed to the county's growing diversity and shrinking unincorporated areas, leading to fewer voters being "directly served" by the sheriff. The commission cited five additional findings in support of their recommendation:

• Elections politicize an important law enforcement function
• Appointment would provide increased accountability to residents and proportional representation
• Appointment provides flexibility when change is needed especially during the interim between election years
• Appointment avoids the internal strife that contested elections can cause
• An appointed Sheriff is more accountable for performance and for complying with county ordinances and policies

The county's Office of Law Enforcement and Oversight was created in 2006, as an independent investigative office of the legislative branch, and added to the county's charter in 2015. Commissioners say the office's ability to conduct thorough investigations has been severely limited from the start.

"Since its inception, OLEO's powers have been hindered as the terms of civilian oversight are subject to collective bargaining, this has included the ability of OLEO to issue subpoenas," the report reads. "Without it, while OLEO can request information, it has no ability to require it."

The commission's Equity Committee, including Nikkita Oliver, Elizabeth Ford, Alejandra Tres, Marcos Martinez and Rob Saka released a statement Wednesday, linking the two reforms with ongoing protests against police killings and racism.

"Especially in light of the recent officer-involved killings and the movement of people for Black Lives across our region and the nation, we feel that any action to consider systemic changes in concerns to police accountability and transparency are critical to have before the council and ultimately before the voters."