Chief O’Toole Announces New SPD Leadership Team
March 11, 2015 5:00 am
I am pleased to announce the next generation of leaders in the Seattle Police Department.
Chief O’Toole Responds to New OPA Auditor’s Report by Reiterating Commitment to Reform
February 24, 2015 7:09 pm
The Seattle Police Department is absolutely committed to reform and accountability. We are well underway as noted in the Federal Monitor’s most recent report. We will continue to follow the Mayor’s lead and work collaboratively with the CPC, the OPA Director and the OPA Auditor to enhance accountability further.
Chief O’Toole Announces New Social Media Policy
February 20, 2015 2:36 pm
The Seattle Police Department is working tirelessly to rebuild community trust and restore pride in our organization. It’s unfortunate that behavior on social media by a few has contributed to the erosion of our collective efforts. Moving forward, I want to be certain that employees are clear regarding my expectations… [ Keep reading ]
SPD Accomplishes Milestone on the Road to Compliance
February 19, 2015 2:05 pm
On the heels of Mayor Ed Murray’s state of the city address where he promised continued reforms related to bias-free policing, the Seattle Police Department released a Request for Proposal (RFP) yesterday for a new business intelligence computer system, accomplishing a key milestone on the road to compliance with the… [ Keep reading ]
Chief Orders Review, Transfers Officer As Department Moves Forward With Reform
January 29, 2015 2:50 pm
Until yesterday I was unaware of Officer Whitlatch’s Facebook posts. I was shocked and disappointed to read her comments. We are working to reform the Seattle Police Department, and behavior of this nature seriously undermines our efforts. Today, I have taken these immediate steps: I have ordered a comprehensive review… [ Keep reading ]
Chief O’Toole Orders Review Of Officer Conduct, Supervision
January 28, 2015 5:39 pm
Today I heard many concerns from community members about the conduct of an SPD officer assigned to the East Precinct. These concerns are related to two incidents that occurred during the summer of 2014, one of which was detailed previously by our department. I have directed East Precinct commander Captain… [ Keep reading ]
Chief O’Toole Seeks New Leadership Team
December 15, 2014 2:40 pm
When appointed chief in late June, I indicated that I would take five to six months to assess the existing leadership team and to determine how I will structure the SPD command staff going forward. Since then, I have recruited three civilian managers to fill the important positions of chief… [ Keep reading ]
Broadening Scope of Review, Chief Asks City Auditor to Look at All Overtime
October 3, 2014 5:36 pm
Earlier this week, in response to an OPA Report, I sent a letter to the City Auditor requesting a review of overtime expenditures in the SPD Education and Training Section. After my initial letter, I also ordered a preliminary Department review of all overtime spending in 2014. Today, I sent… [ Keep reading ]
Chief O’Toole Sets Expectations for “Appropriate” Use of Force
September 26, 2014 9:04 pm
Use of force by police officers has been the subject of much discussion in Seattle and elsewhere in our country. As Chief, it is my duty to provide clear direction to my officers and to ensure that they have the training, equipment and support to do their jobs safely and… [ Keep reading ]
Chief O’Toole: SPD Moving Full Speed Ahead With Reform
August 28, 2014 5:18 pm
The Seattle Police Department is moving full speed ahead in implementation of the Consent Decree and will not be distracted in the process. During a hearing in federal court last week, the honorable James L. Robart, who is overseeing our department’s progress under the Consent Decree, said it best: “get… [ Keep reading ]