In Community

Planning for 2024

We know that the difference between Seattle’s other police accountability partners and the services that OPA provides can sometimes be unclear. The Office of Police Accountability (OPA) is committed to helping the community to better understand OPA’s structure and functions, how the complaint process works, and educating youth on their rights as a citizen during SPD interactions.

Our community outreach specialists deliver presentations across Seattle at schools, youth programs, organizations, and community events. If you would like to have OPA present in the New Year, you can click the box below to connect with our Community Engagement team.

Click Here to Request a Meeting

(PICTURED ABOVE: Rectangular graphic titled Accountability Partners, with three different color boxes defining the role of each one in their respective box. The yellow box says OPA (the Office of Police Accountability) investigates allegations of employee misconduct, the light gray box says CPC (the Community Police Commission) provides community input on policing and police reform, and the light blue box says OIG (the Office of Inspector General) which conducts systemic and OPA audits and review to hold OPA accountable. They are positioned over top of a long rectangular graphic that says Seattle Police Department, which provides public safety services. SPD receives feedback from each accountability partner.)

OPA Welcomes New Deputy Director

We are pleased to announce that Bonnie Glenn (she/her) has joined OPA as Deputy Director of OPA. Glenn brings over twenty-five years of legal and judicial experience to the Office of Police Accountability (OPA). Prior to arriving at OPA, she served seven and a-half years as an Administrative Law Judge with the Office of Administrative Hearings, presiding over cases that include Child Protective Services, Adult Protective Services, Child Support, and Public Assistance. Glenn also served as a Lead Assistant City Attorney and acting Director of the Domestic Violence Unit with the Seattle City Attorney’s Office, a Deputy Chief of Staff with the King County Prosecutor’s Office, an assistant to the Secretary of DSHS on juvenile justice and Director at the Juvenile Rehabilitation Administration overseeing juveniles on parole and community programs for the state of Washington.  Additionally, Glenn has been an adjunct faculty member at Seattle University’s Criminal Justice Department for fifteen years and taught juvenile justice at Seattle University School of Law, receiving the 2023 Provost Award from Seattle University for Excellence in Teaching.

(PICTURED ABOVE: OPA Deputy Director, Bonnie Glenn (She/Her). Bonnie has long, brown hair and is wearing a navy-blue blazer.) 

For SPD Officers

New Policy Update: 5.300 – Patrol Ruses (Effective date 11-1-2023)

On November 1, 2023, a new policy concerning the use of “Patrol Ruses” will go into effect. The policy defines a Patrol Ruse as, “an officer’s act of deception intended to achieve a person’s cooperation.” SPD Policy 5.300‑POL‑1 (effective 11/01/2023). The introductory language to the new policy provides the following explanation:

The public expects law enforcement officers to be truthful and transparent in their interactions with the community they serve. The community also rightfully expects their law enforcement officers to fulfill law enforcement objectives in a manner that promotes the safety of all involved.

This policy recognizes that patrol ruses may serve an important role in mitigating the inherent risk in some activities and may promote a vital community safety interest, while at the same time recognizing that any act of deception, regardless of intent, when improper, may detrimentally impact the public’s trust in the department and may undermine law enforcement efforts.

Department policy requires officers to be truthful in their communications (5.001-POL-11 Employees Will Be Truthful and Complete in All Communication). However, no portion of 5.001-POL-11 or any other policy will be interpreted to prohibit officers from using deception in the form of a patrol ruse to accomplish a specific, legitimate, lawful purpose if the patrol ruse is deployed consistent with this policy.

This policy applies to patrol officers.

SPD Policy Manual

Closed Case Summaries

About Closed Case Summaries

OPA creates Closed Case Summaries (CCS) for all completed investigations. CCSs detail the complaint, the investigation, the OPA director's analysis and findings, and any recommended and imposed discipline. Policies cited for each allegation are drawn from the Seattle Police Manual and represent the policy in effect when the alleged misconduct occurred. Currently, OPA posts CCSs on its website every other Friday.

Important Trigger Warning: To promote transparency, OPA includes photos and other evidence in CCSs that some may find disturbing.

Closed Case Summaries Page

2023OPA-0058 – (Includes a sustained finding and Management Action Recommendation) It was alleged that Named Employee #1 (NE#1) violated department policy while participating in a federal task force. It was also alleged that Named Employee #2 (NE#2), a screening supervisor, failed to aid an injured subject and investigate or report NE#1’s possible violations.

Full CCS for 2023OPA-0058

2023OPA-0081 – (Includes a sustained finding) The Complainant alleged that Named Employee #1 (NE#1) was unprofessional for dismissing her 9-1-1 call as a civil issue without speaking with the Complainant. The Complainant also alleged that NE#1 engaged in bias-based policing based on her status as a tenant and that NE#1 failed to document a primary investigation in a report. It was also alleged that NE#1 failed to adhere to a Seattle Police Department (SPD) training digest concerning landlord-tenant complaints.

Full CCS for 2023OPA-0081

News & Policy

Press Release on Case Number 2023OPA-0303

OPA refers the ‘Makeshift Tombstone Case’ to OIG for investigation due to a conflict of interest

SEATTLE - In July, the Seattle Office of Police Accountability (OPA) received several complaints concerning a political flag and a makeshift tombstone displayed at an SPD precinct. On July 12, 2023, OPA opened an intake investigation under case number 2023OPA-0303. During the intake investigation, OPA Director Gino Betts, Jr. identified a conflict preventing OPA from further involvement. Specifically, an SPD officer assigned to OPA when the investigation was opened was among those accused of misconduct. Although that officer has since transferred from OPA, it was determined under section 2.2 of the Seattle Office of Police Accountability Internal Operations and Training Manual that he had professional relationships with OPA’s investigators and leadership, creating the appearance of partiality. On September 12, 2023, the director referred the case to the Office of the Inspector General (OIG). For the reasons above, OPA will not participate in future aspects of the investigation. For further information, please contact the Office of the Inspector General at: oig@seattle.gov.

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