Drafter
Clerk 07/23/2020
title
AN ORDINANCE proposing to amend the King County Charter relating to the county sheriff and the department of public safety; amending Sections 350.20.40 and 890 of the King County Charter and repealing Section 898 of the King County Charter; and submitting the same to the voters of the county for their ratification or rejection at the next general election to held in this county occurring more than forty-five days after the enactment of this ordinance.
Body
STATEMENT OF FACTS:
A. In 1969, the position of sheriff in King County became an appointed one when the King County Charter went into effect. With the passage of the Charter at the general election in November 1968, King County voters approved changing the county's statutorily based board-of-commissioners form of government, which also included several elected officers including a sheriff, to a home rule, charter-based form of government, which originally limited the positions of elected officers to councilmembers, executive and assessor.
B. As an appointed position, the sheriff became subject to the same selection process set out in Section 340 of the King County Charter as the other county department chief officers. Then as now, under Section 340 of the King County Charter, the county executive appoints department chief officers, subject to confirmation by the county council.
C. The 1969 original charter also set out transitory provisions establishing the initial departments and offices of the newly created executive branch. The department of public safety was established by Section 920.20 of the King County Charter, with the duties of enforcing law and order, administering the county jail and responsibility for civil defense.
D. In accordance with Section 920.30 of the King County Charter, for a period of two years, or until at least 1971, the county council could not exercise the powers granted to it under Section 220.20 of the King County Charter with respect to abo...
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