Council Considers Resolution for City Code Required Police Chief Investigation

Lisa Gardner, City Council Communications Director, 509.625.6226

Monday, April 24, 2023 at 4:38 p.m.

During Monday’s Public Infrastructure, Environment, and Sustainability (PIES) Committee Meeting, Spokane City Council President Breean Beggs brought forward a resolution requesting that the Mayor comply with Spokane Municipal Code 04.32.030(Q). that requires all complaints against the Chief of Police be directed to the Mayor and then investigated by the City’s human resources department.

To date, the City has received multiple complaints concerning the Chief that have not yet been investigated.  The complaints received appear to be based on a report published in December 2022 from the Office of the Police Ombudsman (“OPO”) identifying allegations of unusual and concerning communications between Spokane Chief Craig Meidl and members of the Spokane Business Community, including the release of confidential police investigations and information to assist in lobbying.  The OPO is not permitted to provide opinions on policy or legal violations, nor can it directly investigate the police chief.

Council President Breean Beggs observed that, “The Mayor appears to have ignored the Municipal Code’s requirement for human resources to conduct an investigation of the Ombudsman’s observations of irregular communications by her office and the police department.  Council’s job is to provide oversight when the Administration doesn’t follow the Code.”

The resolution is calling for the Mayor to:

  1. No later than May 30, 2023, direct the Department of Human Resources to engage an outside investigator to review the release, dissemination, and use of City records identified in the OPO Report, to further investigate said matters, to make factual findings with respect to the same, and to identify any violations of state law, or municipal law or policy; or
  2. No later than May 30, 2023, engage special counsel to assist the City Attorney in the investigation assigned to it under this Resolution.

The resolution is especially calling for questions to come from the investigation, which include:

  1. Whether said release, dissemination, and use of City records violated any City policies or procedures, including, but not limited to, the Spokane Police Department Policy Manual and the City’s policies with respect to City records;
  2. Whether said release, dissemination, and use of City records violated the City’s anti-bullying policies and anti-harassment policies (e.g., ADMIN 0620-16-66 and ADMIN 0620-05-53) by indirectly supporting any bullying or harassing conduct by third parties;
  3. Whether said release, dissemination, and use of City records, and any communications connected thereto, violated Spokane law or policy relating to electioneering, including, but not limited to Article IV, Section 22(b) of the Spokane City Charter and the City of Spokane Policy ADMIN 0620-11-62;
  4. Whether said release, dissemination, and use of City records violated state law, including, but not limited to, RCW 42.17A and 42.23; and
  5. Any other matters the City Attorney and the investigator(s) or special counsel appointed hereunder deem relevant to the release, dissemination, and use of City records.

“Through an official investigation, I hope to have clearer guidance on how City officials can treat business owners and residents alike,” co-sponsor Council Member Lori Kinnear said.  “However, this resolution is not just about investigating potentially inappropriate behavior by our Chief of Police. The resolution formally asks for an investigation of all non-represented City staff to determine if any actions published in the report from the Office of the Police Ombudsman violated City policies or procedures or state law.”

The resolution is a prompt to the Mayor to uphold the law within the Spokane Municipal Code in performing a fair and transparent investigation that clarifies the conduct by the Spokane Police Chief.  With much community dialogue, pressing allegations, and untrustworthy communications, the investigation will uncover any violation in conduct, and potentially disclose if there was a compromise in the municipal Code of Ethics.

If the Mayor continues to refuse to follow the Code, Council will vote on the resolution during a Legislative Session at a future date.  Once a date is chose for a vote, members of the public are encouraged to watch that meeting, in person in City Council Chambers or online at https://my.spokanecity.org/citycable5/live/ and https://www.facebook.com/spokanecitycouncil.