King County - File #: 2006-0037

• File #: 2006-0037
• Version: 2
• Type: Ordinance
• Status: Passed
• File created: 1/30/2006
• In control: Law, Justice and Human Services Committee
• Final action: 10/9/2006
• Enactment date: 10/20/2006
• Enactment #: 15611
• Title: AN ORDINANCE relating to oversight of the sheriff's office; adding a new chapter to K.C.C. Title 2, adding a new section to K.C.C. chapter 2.36 and adding a new section to K.C.C. chapter 2.20.
• Sponsors: Bob Ferguson, Julia Patterson, Kathy Lambert, Reagan Dunn, Larry Phillips
• Indexes: Sheriff
• Code sections: 2 - , 2.20 - , 2.20.005 - , 2.20.035 - , 2.20.040 - , 2.20.042 - , 2.20.045 - , 2.20.080 - , 2.36 - , 2.52 - , 2.52.080 - , 2.52.110 - , 2.52.120 - , 2.52.130 - , 2.52.140 - , 3.42.020 - , 3.42.030 - , 3.42.050 -
• Staff: Curry, Clifton

Date	Ver.	Action By	Action	Result
10/9/2006	2	Metropolitan King County Council	Hearing Held
10/9/2006	2	Metropolitan King County Council	Passed	Pass
9/28/2006	2	Law, Justice and Human Services Committee	Recommended Do Pass Substitute	Pass
9/21/2006	1	Law, Justice and Human Services Committee	Deferred
9/7/2006	1	Law, Justice and Human Services Committee	Deferred
7/20/2006	1	Law, Justice and Human Services Committee	Deferred
7/6/2006	1	Law, Justice and Human Services Committee	Deferred
6/15/2006	1	Law, Justice and Human Services Committee	Deferred
6/1/2006	1	Law, Justice and Human Services Committee	Deferred
5/18/2006	1	Law, Justice and Human Services Committee	Deferred
5/4/2006	1	Law, Justice and Human Services Committee	Deferred
4/20/2006	1	Law, Justice and Human Services Committee	Deferred
4/6/2006	1	Law, Justice and Human Services Committee	Deferred
3/16/2006	1	Law, Justice and Human Services Committee	Deferred
3/2/2006	1	Law, Justice and Human Services Committee	Deferred
1/30/2006	1	Metropolitan King County Council	Introduced and Referred

Drafter
Clerk 10/04/2006
Title
AN ORDINANCE relating to oversight of the sheriff's office; adding a new chapter to K.C.C. Title 2, adding a new section to K.C.C. chapter 2.36 and adding a new section to K.C.C. chapter 2.20.
Body
STATEMENT OF FACTS:
1. The metropolitan King County council is charged with the responsibility of providing oversight to all county agencies and departments, including the sheriff's office.
2. The council exercises its responsibilities for providing oversight of county agencies and departments in a variety of ways, including the establishment of offices within the legislative branch to provide specialized oversight services. The county auditor and ombudsman are just two of the offices that facilitate independent county oversight.
3. A recent series of articles by a local newspaper has questioned the sheriff's systems for investigating allegations of misconduct and citizen complaints. The articles have also called into question the sheriff's system for disciplining deputies and other sheriff's employees.
4. The sheriff's office has systems for addressing citizen complaints and allegations of employee misconduct, but unlike many other jurisdictions, the county has no independent civilian oversight agency dedicated to the oversight of law enforcement. Most large jurisdictions, and many small ones, have implemented a variety of models for civilian oversight of alleged law enforcement officer misconduct. For example, the city of Seattle has established an office of professional accountability to monitor misconduct allegations within the Seattle police department.
5. Recognizing the need to bolster public confidence and to ensure proper oversight is exercised, the council began deliberations on legislation that would implement civilian oversight of the sheriff's office. The council's law, justice, and human services committee held ten separate hearings on the issues associated with civilian oversight of law enforcement. ...