Police Accountability Civilian Oversight: CPC, OIG, and OPA

Summary

The 2017 Police Accountability Ordinance established the current SPD accountability system, made up of the Community Police Commission (CPC), the Office of Inspector General (OIG), and the Office of Police Accountability (OPA).

Community Police Commission (CPC)

First created by the 2012 Consent Decree to “promote greater transparency and public understanding of the Seattle Police Department” and charged with reviewing the police accountability system and making any necessary recommendations. Members were appointed by the Mayor and representative of “the many and diverse communities in Seattle, including members from each precinct of the city, police personnel, faith communities, minority, ethnic, and other community organizations, and student or youth organizations.”

The 2017 Police Accountability Ordinance enshrined the CPC as a permanent body and broadened its responsibilities. The CPC is now a diverse coalition of 21 community members, with the Mayor, the City Council and the CPC each appointing seven Commissioners. It is designed to be completely independent, from among other things, the Mayor, City Council, and Seattle Police Department (SPD). The CPC is charged with providing community input on needed reforms to Seattle’s police accountability system, as well as providing ongoing, community-based oversight of SPD and the police accountability system. 

Office of Police Accountability (OPA)

The OPA’s primary function is to investigate allegations of misconduct involving SPD employees, relating to SPD policy and federal, state, and local law. The Office is civilian-led, however its staff encompasses a mix of sworn police officers and civilians (the current SPOG contract only allows for two civilian investigators). OPA staff complete investigations of complaints and recommend findings to the Chief of Police. In addition to investigating misconduct, the OPA engages to public to increase awareness about the investigation process and makes recommendations to SPD to improve policies.

OPA is physically and operationally outside of SPD but within it administratively. This is meant to ensure complete and immediate access to all SPD-controlled data, evidence, and personnel necessary for thorough and timely complaint handling.

Office of Inspector General (OIG)

The OIG was established by the 2017 Police Accountability Ordinance and began work in 2018. The OIG is designed to provide objective oversight of SPD and OPA. Its staff is completely civilian and it is designed to be a completely independent agency. 

The OIG provides systemic oversight of the SPD and OPA, including auditing and systemic review of both SPD and OPA, reviewing OPA complaint handling and conducting investigations of allegations against OPA staff, and working with SPD to improve policies and practices. When reviewing OPA investigations, a full certification from the OIG occurs when the investigation has met criteria in three areas: timeliness, objectivity, and thoroughness. Partial certifications of investigations are also possible.

Importance

These three bodies share responsibility for the accountability of SPD officers and employees. They currently do not exercise the full powers that they were intended to have through the Accountability Ordinance of 2017. The Mayor and City Council will play important roles in the negotiation of the new SPOG contract, which will determine whether the roles of these bodies will be adjusted to meet experts’ recommendations.

Acronyms

CPC - Community Police Commission

OIG - Office of Inspector General

OPA - Office of Police Accountability

SPD - Seattle Police Department

SPOG - Seattle Police Officers Guild