From: Pedersen, Alex

To: Herbold, Lisa

Cc: Aldrich, Newell
Subject: RE: seeking clarification of the letter
Date: Monday, June 8, 2020 6:57:00 AM

Excellent.  Thank you so much for taking the time to answer these questions for me.
 
Count me on board to co-sign the letter today.  Should I let any other CM know (Gonzalez)?
 
Thanks again.
 
Regards,
 
Alex Pedersen
City Councilmember
District 4, Seattle, WA
e-mail: alex.pedersen@seattle.gov
office:  206-684-8804
website: www.seattle.gov/council/Pedersen
 
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From: Herbold, Lisa <Lisa.Herbold@seattle.gov>
Sent: Sunday, June 7, 2020 11:42 PM
To: Pedersen, Alex <Alex.Pedersen@seattle.gov>
Cc: Aldrich, Newell <Newell.Aldrich2@seattle.gov>
Subject: Re: seeking clarification of the letter
 
I reached out, but I know it was late.  See my notes below please...thx for reaching out
 

From: Pedersen, Alex <Alex.Pedersen@seattle.gov>

Sent: Sunday, June 7, 2020 8:45 PM
To: Herbold, Lisa <Lisa.Herbold@seattle.gov>
Cc: Aldrich, Newell <Newell.Aldrich2@seattle.gov>
Subject: seeking clarification of the letter
 
Good evening, CM Herbold.
 
I am hoping to consult with you on the letter that you co-signed with CP Gonzalez, CM
Mosqueda, and CM Morales.
 
 As reported in the Seattle Times, "More Seattle council members may sign the letter Monday;
only up to four can coordinate outside a public meeting." [per the State government's Open
Public Meetings Act]. For reference, here's a link to the
letter: https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/6938771-6-7-Letter-to-Mayor-Durkan-
and-Chief-Best-Re-SPD.html  
 
I'd like to consider it tomorrow (Monday), but I am first hoping to get clarification from you as
Public Safety Chair on your vision and the likely outcome for 3 of the 5 points:
 
3) increase accountability and transparency in police union contracts: will that set a precedent
for negotiations with other unions?
 
​The demand here is consistent with the CPC/OIG/OPA recommendation for subject matter
experts to be a part of the bargaining process as technical advisors.  The MO is supportive.
 We are not "opening bargaining" and the technical advisors will be subject to legal
confidentiality requirements.  There are details to work out and CPLG and I are doing so as
part of our role on the LRPC with support of the other 3 Councilmembers.
 
4) give subpoena and other investigative powers to independent oversight boards: Do the OPA
and OIG already have subpoena power?  If so, what other independent board are we
considering here?
 
The subpoena ordinance is for OIG/OPA, drafted by the CAO independently of me and with support
of the MO.

5) redirect police department funding to community-based alternatives:  I'd like to know your
vision here regarding the scale of the reallocation.
 
Scale is the question of the day...and I think the way the letter is drafted all signers can speak
to their own version of scale.  I have to say, as a person who assured everyone in my re-
election campaign that I supported the SPD hiring plan and agreed we needed to grow the size
of the force, that I'm challenging myself to learn about different visions for a public safety city
agency...I pride myself as a critical thinker and have been reconciling my vision of myself as a
critical thinker with the fact that I haven't been one on this issue.  There are a lot of good
questions to ask (and answer) about who should respond to 911 calls - do they all require an
SPD response?  We've already begun deferring some high acuity calls to SFD.  What other calls
can be diverted to subject matter experts?  I look at my own district...In the “F” sector,
inclusive of the ten Delridge neighborhoods and South Park, there are only 3 officers assigned
to the 1st watch, 6 officers assigned to the 2nd watch, and 4 assigned to the 3rd watch.  Yet, in
2019, in the Southwest Precinct there were 46,091 calls for service.  If you assume half of
those come from F Sector, that is an average of 63 calls for service for 13 officers to handle
each day.  This level of staffing only allows for time to respond to calls for service and no time
for proactive, or community policing.  Is the answer more police or might it be authorizing
other subject matter experts to respond?  
 
I am already on board with:
1) de-militarize the police and
2) further restrict use of excessive or deadly force by police,
 
Please let me know a good time for me to call you; alternatively, call my work cell at any time:
206-640-6499.
 
Things are moving fast and I'd appreciate your wisdom here. 
 
Thank you!
 
Regards,
 
Alex Pedersen
City Councilmember
District 4, Seattle, WA
alex.pedersen@seattle.gov
Office: 206-684-8804
e-mail: alex.pedersen@seattle.gov 
https://www.seattle.gov/council/pedersen
 
Note: Any e-mails received on this account may be subject to public disclosure.