Mayor requested extension to overlap with new chief
Brian Coddington, Communications Director, 509.625.6740
Tuesday, May 17, 2016 at 1:30 p.m.
The U.S. Department of Justice Community Oriented Policing Services will, at the request of Spokane Mayor David Condon, extend its technical assistance work with the Spokane Police Department by an additional six months to overlap with the next police chief.
COPS will issue its 18-month update report this fall as scheduled. The extension, which will begin in September, will ensure a seamless transfer and continuation of the collaborative reform work after a permanent police chief is hired this summer.
“The collaborative reform process has been tremendously valuable for Spokane,” Condon said. “The Spokane Police Department has made great progress on the recommendations and is committed to making the department a model agency.”
Through April, the police department has reported to COPS that 31 recommendations have been completed and seven remain in progress. The remaining four are being implemented by the Office of the Police Ombudsman.
Condon met with COPS Director Ron Davis on Monday in Washington, D.C. to request the extension. The collaborative reform process focuses on four areas: examining use of force policies and procedures, analyzing a sample of use of force investigatory files, examining the role of the ombudsman in use of force recommendations, and improving the division’s culture and public trust. COPS released its Six-Month Assessment Report on the Spokane Police Department in December.
