HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOPCAB 2021-10-14 Agenda PacketUKWI,LA OLICE;
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COPCAB Minutes
September 9, 2021
6:30pm — 8:OOpm
Virtual Meeting Via Microsoft Teams
Click here to join the meeting
Or call 253-292-9750
Conference ID: 526157821#
Members present: Jay Stark, Jan Bolerjack, Katrina Dohn, John Lindsey
Staff present: Chief Eric Dreyer
Guest: None
Allan Ekberg, Mayor
Eric Dreyer, Chief of Police
• Approval of minutes: August meeting minutes approved
• Pre -topic: (discussed before meeting was officially called to order)
o Do we have our own dispatch?
✓ No. It is important to be connected to the whole region. It's not cost effective to stand alone. Being
connected streamlines communication, where extra help is often sent to situations before being
requested. A suggestion was made that, when the pandemic allows, we tour Valley Com Dispatch
Center to see how things work. Chief Dreyer said this would be a good topic for an upcoming
meeting.
• The meeting was called to order at 7:40 pm.
• Chief's Update:
o Staffing
✓ Recruiting and retaining officers is a priority.
✓ They are feeling the impact of low retention and zero recruitment.
✓ 30 entry-level applied, only six met minimum requirements, only three came to interview and only
one passed. That one person did not pass the chief's interview.
✓ This is a national narrative. Reform issues are contributing to the problem.
✓ Two applied for lateral transfers. One is not right for Tukwila, and the other one is interviewing next
week.
✓ We need four now plus the seven frozen positions.
✓ One has resigned, and one has pulled their name from the possible hiring list. Five or six other
current officers have applications in elsewhere.
✓ The use of force issue creates liability. People are worried about having charges filed.
o Recruitment
✓ The bonus in Tukwila has been 5$5,000. Other departments are at $20,000 or $25,000, plus other
perks.
15005 Tukwila International 8/vd. Tukwila, WA 98188 • Phone (206) 433-1808 • Records Fax (206) 244-6181 Invest. Fax (206) 431-3688
✓ All agencies are in the same boat. Kent is down 1/3 of their force. They have converted to a 12 -
hour schedule, and their pay is up 16%. Port of Seattle has higher pay.
✓ The question is if we can pay over and above. The current document says we are to pay the
average.
✓ It is hard to have enough to keep patrol staffed. This reduces proactivity and causes officers to
resort to reactivity.
✓ We may have to dissolve some specialty units—traffic, narcotics, CPT, etc.
✓ Non-commissioned Police Support Officer — PSO position is vacant. It is not deeply needed right
now because in-house court is not being held. They will continue with video trials for the near
future. Poor design of the new Justice Center requires two PSOs for hand-off of those on trial. The
department is using the money from the PSO position and converting it to a Community
Engagement position. This will be posted in the next couple of weeks.
o Support
✓ Officers are burnt out. The department has been focusing on officer wellness. They had a seminar
where they asked for ideas from the officers. Some ideas offered included an in-house counselor
and a therapy dog.
✓ How can COPCAB help support? Cookies? Notes of appreciation? What else can we do or help
organize?
• Community Survey:
o The survey was published last month. Three weeks of results are in, with 35 responses posted.
o A problem with the survey system is that when results are published, the response grids don't
coordinate the questions with the answers given. Names and phone numbers need to be connected
to those requesting follow-up as well.
o Most responses were from reporting parties. No responses came in from suspects. Are the cards
being given to all?
o The department is changing the business cards of officers to have the link to the survey on them
rather than on a separate card.
o Six respondents requested callbacks. The department is working on the logistics of doing that.
• SPIDR Tech Platform
o This is a digitized customer service platform that is automated.
o It sends out case information to victims as their case is updated. Crime victims get emails when
updates happen, next steps are coming up, etc.
o This platform can be tied to the survey as well so that the survey is automatically sent out to all who
have an active case.
o Kent PD is using it and love it.
o Tukwila PD will do a pilot year using savings. This will save employee time in the future and should
pay for itself.
o TPD will run the current survey until they know SPIDR Tech is working properly.
o There will need to be a system to make sure that people know to expect these emails and don't think
of them as SPAM.
• Other topics:
o Recruiting
✓ Member asked how recruiting is done —job fairs?
✓ Job fairs are not as beneficial as other options.
✓ The department is setting up targeted recruiting in many areas.
15005 Tukwila International 8/vd. Tukwila, WA 98188 • Phone (206) 433-1808 • Records Fax (206) 244-6181 Invest. Fax (206) 431-3688
✓ They are looking into helping to teach criminal justice courses at CWU. This would give good
connection to new people coming through the program.
✓ They are working on how to get the general application process moving quickly so they can get
people before other departments do.
✓ TPD is creating a recruitment video about the community.
✓ Are they looking at other universities yet? No. CWU is the starting point to establish the program.
They will they work to replicate it and go to other schools.
✓ TPD is talking to the city council about changing the standing resolution to update the offers to new
officers.
o Maple Crest fire
✓ Criminal investigation is being done by the TPD.
✓ The fire originated on the back side of the building.
✓ They don't know if it was intentional or not yet. They do have a person of interest who may have
been there when the fire started.
o Tagging/Graffiti on 42nd Ave. S.
✓ This is the job of Public Works to clean it up.
✓ Can a community group take on this task?
✓ Chief Dreyer will check and see if that can be set up.
o Compliment on the educational pieces put out by the Tukwila PIO
o Response concern:
✓ People are still getting a response of "We can't do anything about it" when calling the police.
Happened on Aug. 31 and was caught on video.
✓ Ongoing concern about response of "you have to witness it" before anything can be done.
✓ Chief Dreyer sent out an email about NOT using those phrases. That dashes hope for victims. Help
may mean referring people elsewhere, but help still needs to be offered.
✓ There is still confusion over the new legislation.
✓ Officers may be "scaring themselves into inaction"
✓ Chief Dreyer asked that anyone who hears those phrases used please call him directly.
o Question about legality and wisdom of open carry situations
✓ Example of a person openly carrying in a public place. He said the TPD told him to carry it because
he's a black man in this city. He says he went to register for concealed, but was told it was not
needed because we are an open carry jurisdiction.
✓ Response from Chief Dreyer
■ It is legal to carry openly. However, it could lead to assault if someone wants to take the gun
they see. People need to learn gun safety.
✓ Member mentioned that this is a good example of the need for firearms training to be available.
People are buying guns, but lack knowledge.
✓ Could this be done online as a community engagement piece?
o SHAG Update
✓ Things are better, but not yet where they need to be.
✓ They haven't had any complaints in the last 2 weeks.
✓ Fire officials came and talked to them about fire drills.
✓ There is security, but it could be better functioning.
o Cascade Behavioral
✓ Do police respond to issues there? Yes.
✓ They are still dealing with the labor issue.
15005 Tukwila International 8/vd. Tukwila, WA 98188 • Phone (206) 433-1808 • Records Fax (206) 244-6181 Invest. Fax (206) 431-3688
✓ Fire is also called if there is a safety concern.
o Next meeting—Update by-laws?
✓ By next meeting, members will look over the by-laws and see if any changes are needed. This will be
an agenda item for the October meeting.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:10pm.
Minutes taken by Katrina Dohn
15005 Tukwila International Blvd. Tukwila, WA 98188 • Phone (206) 433-1808 • Records Fax (206) 244-6181 Invest. Fax (206) 431-3688