Template revised April 12, 2018.
COMMISSION
AGENDA MEMORANDUM
Item No.
9a
BRIEFING ITEM
Date of Meeting
June 30, 2020
DATE: June 25, 2020
TO: Port of Seattle Commissioners
FROM: Eric Schinfeld, Senior Manager, Federal & International Government Relations
Veronica Valdez, Commission Specialist
SUBJECT: Community Forum on Port Policing
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
A broad consensus has formed in the United States that a close examination of current policing
practices is necessary and urgent. The Port of Seattle has the responsibility during this critical
moment in history to ensure that our Police Department is held to the highest nationwide
standards achievable for public safety, protection of civil rights, equity, accountability and
oversight.
While much of the Port of Seattle Police Department’s primary function is in service to port-
owned facilities and the unique requirements of international aviation and maritime activities,
public safety remains at the core of its mission. In addition, Port Police also provide mutual aid
requests to other jurisdictions, when needed.
The Port can lead by example, by embracing the need for a thorough review, and by acting
swiftly and meaningfully in identifying and acting upon areas for improvement.
BACKGROUND
The tragic killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Manuel Ellis, Rayshard Brooks and Ahmaud
Arbery are only some of the most recent in a long history of unjust killings of Black Americans at
the hands of police, reflecting a deeply disturbing pattern of systemic racism in our country that
continues to severely impact our cities, communities and essential institutions.
Over the past few weeks, hundreds of thousands across our nation gathered to protest, and
continue to protest, the unjust death of George Floyd, and the tolerance of racism by our
communities and institutions. The cruelty and callousness of these deaths is abhorrent to a just
and civil society. Recent demonstrations organized by groups in our community and around the
country and world have offered people an opportunity to share their pain, heal, organize, and
demand immediate action for broad social change, and to end systemic racism in policing and
beyond.
COMMISSION AGENDA – Briefing Item No. 7a Page 2 of 2
Meeting Date: March 24, 2020
Template revised September 22, 2016.
The Port of Seattle relies on a diverse and inclusive workforce to accomplish our work for a
better future. Respect for one another is a Port core value. The Port must therefore take
responsibility by doing its part to respond to the call of history at this seminal moment.
In light of the national movement to reexamine policing within our communities and in
accordance with the Port’s Century Agenda goal to “Become a Model for Equity, Diversity, and
Inclusion,” a review of the policies, practices and oversight of the Port of Seattle Police is fully
appropriate. On June 30, the Port of Seattle Commission will direct a comprehensive
assessment of the Port of Seattle Police Department’s policies, protocols and procedures
impacting issues of diversity, equity and civil rights, in order to develop recommendations for
action. In addition, the Commission will authorize the creation of a Commission Task Force on
Port Policing and Civil Rights. Based on the work of the Task Force, the Port will issue a set of
recommendations and a plan for ensuring that the work of the Port Police is transparent and
accountable to community members and is fostering safe, healthy communities.
On June 23, Executive Director Metruck announced publicly that he would use his authority to
direct the Acting Port of Seattle Police Chief to take immediate actions on this topic, including an
immediate ban on use of vascular or airway neck restraints; mandates related to diversity on
Police hiring evaluation panels; disqualifications of Police officer applicants based on a
substantiated finding of the use of excessive force against a member of the public, or a
substantiated finding of racial discrimination against another employee; requirements for de-
escalation, “bystander’’ intervention and anti-discrimination training and other items.
The embrace of reforms in police departments around the country has shown how adapting
policies based on values of civil society, social justice, and the best available science can reduce
the incidence of violence in encounters between members of the community and police. It
must be stated that the Port of Seattle Police have not been implicated in the kinds of tragic
events that are the focus of local and nationwide protests. In spite of that record of strong
public service to the community, the work of the task force less urgent and necessary, and will
broadly benefit the Port, the communities we serve, and users of Port facilities.
ATTACHMENTS TO THIS BRIEFING
(1) Draft Motion – Directing a Comprehensive Assessment of the Port of Seattle Police
Department
