Panel approves civilian oversight of disciplinary practices in Sheriff's Office

Members of the Metropolitan King County Council and County Executive Ron Sims took steps Thursday to establish civilian oversight of disciplinary practices in the Sheriff's Office.

Following a blue-ribbon panel's blueprint, the council's Law, Justice and Human Services Committee unanimously approved an ordinance that creates an Office of Law Enforcement Oversight that will monitor the sheriff's internal investigations of allegations of misconduct by deputies.

The ordinance also directs the auditor to prepare annual reports on police disciplinary practices and creates a citizens' committee to advise the oversight office.

The committee's bipartisan, 5-0 vote virtually assures the ordinance will pass the full nine-member council next month.

"I think it is long overdue, that we here in King County are behind the times ... when it comes to independent oversight of police misconduct," said County Councilwoman Julia Patterson, D-SeaTac. She said the new system would provide independent and "transparent" review of discipline practices in the Sheriff's Office.

Shortly after the vote, Sims said his proposed 2007 budget will include $1.3 million to operate a four-employee sheriff's oversight office and make other changes recommended by the Sheriff's Blue Ribbon Panel.

The panel said the Sheriff's Office should hire 10 more sergeants to supervise deputies, create an Investigational Services Unit to oversee internal policies, improve officer training, hire outside attorneys in disputes over discipline, create a system of "early intervention" for problem officers, and beef up the Internal Investigations Unit.

Sims said the county can't afford the panel's estimated $4 million to $5 million first-year cost for those changes and said some changes can be made within the Sheriff's Office's existing budget. Instead of spending the panel's estimated $2 million cost to hire and equip new sergeants, Sims will propose spending $320,000 to upgrade 10 vacant positions from deputies to sergeants.

Sheriff Sue Rahr was not available for comment Thursday.

Randy Revelle, the former King County executive who chaired the blue-ribbon panel, welcomed the committee's adoption of the oversight ordinance and Sims' commitment to implement the panel's recommendations.

"They're establishing oversight, they're funding the recommendations," Revelle said. "These guys look like they're serious."

Patterson and County Councilman Bob Ferguson, sponsors of civilian-oversight ordinance, modeled it largely after Los Angeles' system and then modified it to match the blue-ribbon panel's recommendations.

Revelle said the legislation departed from the panel's proposal by allowing the ombudsman's office to continue taking complaints about sheriff's deputies (a role established by county charter), adding oversight by the council-hired auditor, and deleting a recommendation that the director have "a sense of humor."

Keith Ervin: 206-464-2105