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Mayor Durkan and Chief Best Commend SPOG Membership Approval of Proposed Contract

Seattle (September 20) – Following the members of the Seattle Police Officers’ Guild voting to approve the proposed six year contract, Mayor Jenny A. Durkan and Seattle Police Chief Carmen Best commended the support from officers who have been working since 2014 without a contract. In the coming weeks, Mayor Durkan will transmit the tentative agreement to Council for their approval.

“Both Chief Best and I have been committed to getting a fair contract for Seattle police officers, who have been working without a contract since 2014. Despite that, our officers have continued to work every day to keep our residents, neighborhoods and businesses safe and brought SPD into full and effective compliance with the federal consent decree. Working together over the course of many months, we were able to reach an agreement that is good for our officers, good for reform, and good for our city,” said Mayor Durkan. “As the fastest growing city in America, Seattle has new ‘big city’ challenges — including public safety challenges. Every day, we ask our police to meet these challenges in a complex and changing environment. This agreement would recognize the difficult job we ask officers to perform, continue the important job of reform and help ensure Seattle can hire and retain the best police officers.”

“Even without a contract, our officers deserve credit for the significant changes that have been made during the Consent Decree process, which has now reached ‘full and effective’ compliance. Officers have embraced the use of body cameras, new trainings that emphasize de-escalation, a new approach to how officers interact with people experiencing mental crisis, and improved supervision and oversight with community involvement.  And it has made a difference across this city,” said Chief Carmen Best. “Mayor Durkan and I are committed to making sure we have the best department in the country.  We will continue to support our officers, continue the focus on public safety and community policing, and ensure the Department reflects the best values of Seattle, including equity, inclusion and respect.”

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