In Community

OPA Deputy Director, Director, and staff attend the 33rd Annual Judge Charles V. Johnson Youth and Law Forum

OPA Attends Youth and Law Forum

The Seattle Office of Police Accountability (OPA) Director Gino Betts Jr. and staff attended the 33rd Annual Judge Charles V. Johnson Youth and Law Forum on October 21st. This year’s theme was “Journey to Justice,” featuring special guests Seattle Seahawks legend Doug Baldwin and King County District Court Judge Andrea S. Jarmon. The forum brought together youth from around Seattle youth to expose them to the justice system and careers within it.

Live OPA Telephone Hours

Live OPA Telephone Hours: If you wish to file a complaint or share a good experience you had with an SPD officer, OPA’s live telephone line is open 10 am–2 pm Monday through Friday. Call us at (206) 684-8797. You can also file a complaint 24 hours a day at seattle.gov/opa/complaints/file-a-complaint.

For SPD Officers

Understanding the Difference Between Supervisor Actions and “FYI” Supervisor Actions

A Supervisor Action (SA) generally involves a minor policy violation or performance issue that is best addressed through training, communication, or coaching by the employee's supervisor. In these instances, OPA sends a memo mandating the employee’s supervisor to take specific, relevant action with the employee. The supervisor has 15 days to complete the action and return the case to OPA for review. Upon request by the supervisor, OPA may extend the deadline for completion. OPA may not classify allegations of excessive force, biased policing, and violations of law for Supervisor Action.

OPA may issue an “FYI” Supervisor Action for a complaint deemed unfounded through the intake investigation that does not meet the criteria to be closed as a Contact Log. In these situations, OPA directs the chain of command to take no action other than informing the named employee of the complaint’s closing.

For more information, see “Classification Types and Definitions” on page 21 of OPA’s 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.

Below is a selection of our CCSs from the previous month.

View All Closed Case Summaries

2022OPA-0325 – All Allegations Sustained The Complainant — an acting sergeant — alleged that Named Employee #1 (NE#1) used prohibited force when he punched an arrestee’s — Community Member #1 (CM#1) — chest multiple times to prevent CM#1 from swallowing narcotics. It was also alleged that NE#1 was unprofessional during the encounter.

Click Here for the Full CCS

2023OPA-0179 – All Allegations Sustained It was alleged that Named Employee #1 (NE#1) and Named Employee #2 (NE#2) failed to make a reasonable effort to protect a domestic violence (DV) victim and arrest a suspect. It was also alleged that the named employees failed to thoroughly investigate a DV incident and activate their in-car video and body-worn video equipment.

Click Here for the Full CCS

2022OPA-0223 – All Allegations Sustained It was alleged that Named Employee #1 (NE#1) negligently operated a motor vehicle on a public roadway by driving under the influence of alcohol, endangering other people and property.

Click Here for the Full CCS

News and Information

Office of Police Accountability Staff attend the 2023 NACOLE conference in Chicago, IL

OPA Attends NACOLE’s Annual Conference in Chicago

OPA Director Gino Betts Jr. and OPA staff attended the National Association for Civilian Oversight of Law Enforcement's (NACOLE) 29th annual conference in Chicago, Illinois, November 12^th-16^th. Global experts presented and led discussions about assessing oversight systems, implementing best practices, and building better oversight.

NACOLE is a nonprofit organization that “works to create a community of support for independent, civilian oversight entities that seek to make their local law enforcement agencies, jails, and prisons more transparent, accountable, and responsive to the communities they serve.”

LEARN MORE: nacole.org/about_us

Was this Newsletter shared with you? 

OPA's newsletter is a great way to stay up-to-date on the latest Seattle police accountability news. Each month, you'll receive the following content in your inbox:

1. In Community: sharing highlights from our community engagement team plus upcoming events. 
2. Closed Case Summaries of the previous month's closed complaints including a summary of the the investigation, the OPA director's analysis and findings, and any recommended and imposed discipline. 
3. News and Information about police accountability work happening in Seattle and across the nation plus updates about Seattle Police Department policy and state laws. 
   
   

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