| Video Voters' Guide Statement Against | |
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Click Here to View the Video Statement |
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| Statement Against | |
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Vote NO on Proposition 10
Proposition 10 eliminates accountability to citizens in selection of our police chief. The mayor may currently choose from among the top three candidates on a competitive examination and citizens have access to this information. We support the current fair, objective process to ensure accountability to citizens, an experienced, capable police chief AND the opportunity for citizens to participate. Maintaining the current process is critical to promote public safety and confidence in law enforcement. Proposition 10 would make selecting a new chief of police a purely political choice instead of the objective, competitive process that now exists. If the amendment passes, the mayor could appoint anyone who meets the minimal requirements of state law: U.S. citizenship, graduation from high school, passing police training, two years experience in law enforcement and no felony record or conviction of a gross misdemeanor or crime of moral turpitude within a five-year period. Allowing the mayor sweeping power to appoint the chief sets up political favoritism. The chief of police should be chosen on the basis of merit—not political connections. The chief sets the tone for the entire Police Department. The chief hires, fires, disciplines 1261 sworn officers and 710 civilian employees, administers the department (1999 budget: $136,365,115) and sets and carries out law enforcement policies. An objective process draws capable, professional candidates. Most Washington cities appoint their chief of police "solely on merit, efficiency and fitness" through an open, competitive examination. Washington's law for Civil Service for City Police requires these criteria unless a city opts out, as Seattle did. Because Seattle has chosen to exempt itself from the state law, it is especially important to preserve the charter requirement for police chief professionalism. An open competitive process gives the chief more job security to resist improper political pressure. A chief so chosen starts with public support based on his/her merit selection. A chief's firm "No" makes the politicians pause because replacing the chief would invoke another such objective process. In November 1977, Seattle voters rejected this exact measure by a vote of 47,286 Yes, and 94,704 No. Two-thirds voted No and for good reason. If it ain't broke, don't fix it! Keep the current charter language and help maintain public confidence in the Seattle Police Department. Seattle City Councilmember Nick Licata; Jorgen Bader, Co-President, Seattle Community Council Federation, including representatives from 20 community councils throughout Seattle; Jeannie Hale, President of the Laurelhurst Community Club representing 2800 households in Seattle's Laurelhurst neighborhood; Pat Wright, Laurelhurst Crime Prevention Representative to the North Precinct Advisory Council; Sue Baker, resident of the Roosevelt neighborhood; Matt Fox, resident from Seattle's University District; Alexandra Gorny, resident from Seattle's Roosevelt neighborhood; George Holzapfel, resident of Seattle's Hawthorne Hills neighborhood; Chris Leman, resident from Seattle's Eastlake neighborhood; Frederica Merrell, resident from Seattle's Beacon Hill neighborhood; Peggy Tlapak, resident of Seattle's West Seattle neighborhood |
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| Statement prepared by: | |
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Jorgen Bader Jeannie Hale |
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| Rebuttal to Statement Against | |
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Proposition 10 would not reduce public accountability for the
Police Chief. The Chief would still be nominated by the Mayor
and subject to confirmation by the City Council. The Council
would still have full authority to review the qualifications and fitness
of the proposed Chief. All Proposition 10 does is to eliminate
an outmoded reference to a "competitive examination" of
candidates, since recent Mayors have preferred to use a process that
involves extensive interviews by community members instead of
written tests. An interview process allows far broader participation
and allows factors to be considered that cannot be measured by
written tests.
The opponents say that Proposition 10 would allow the Mayor to "appoint anyone." This is simply not true. Any candidate would still need to be confirmed by the City Council. Proposition 10 provides a better way to select a Police Chief. Vote YES. |
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| Rebuttal prepared by: | |
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Paul Schell, Mayor, City of Seattle Sue Donaldson, President, Seattle City Council |
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