City of Spokane

Spokane Municipal Code

***Note: Many local criminal codes can now be located under Chapter 10.60 SMC while others are now cited under the Revised Code of Washington (RCW), which was incorporated into the municipal code in 2022. (See SMC 10.58.010). Code Enforcement, including Noise Control and Animal Regulations are located in Chapters 10.62 through 10.74.

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Title 04
Chapter 04.32
Section 04.32.080
 

Title 04 Administrative Agencies and Procedures

Chapter 04.32 Office of Police Ombudsman (OPO)

Section 04.32.080 Appointment

  1. Whenever there is a vacancy in the police ombudsman position due to expiration of term, resignation, sickness, death, retirement, conflict of interest, or any other reason, the commission shall, no later than the next regular meeting following its receipt of notice of the vacancy, convene a selection committee which shall consist of five members, and which shall forward to the commission its recommended list of no more than three candidates for the police ombudsman position, one of which shall be selected. The committee shall be composed of:

    1. one member appointed by the Spokane Police Officers Guild,

    2. one member appointed by the Lieutenants and Captains Association,

    3. one member appointed by the city council,

    4. one member appointed by the mayor, and

    5. the fifth member selected by the other four members.

  2. The five member selection committee will select the committee’s chair.

  3. The commission shall, within forty-five (45) days of its receipt of notice of a vacancy in the police ombudsman position, appoint an interim police ombudsman for a term not to exceed twelve (12) months. Should a permanent ombudsman not be selected and hired within the term of the interim police ombudsman, the commission may, with the prior approval of the city council, extend the interim police ombudsman’s term for six (6) months. If the commission fails to appoint an interim ombudsman, the city council shall appoint an interim ombudsman, to serve until the permanent police ombudsman is hired.

  4. In order to remain prepared for future vacancies, the commission should maintain a list of applicants for the positions of interim and permanent police ombudsman from which future interview pools can be drawn.

  5. Any period of service as interim police ombudsman, by itself, shall not disqualify the person holding that office from being considered for the permanent police ombudsman position.

  6. The selection committee shall, according to its own process and organizing principles, forward a list of no more than three (3) qualified candidates for the position of permanent police ombudsman to the commission no later than one hundred twenty (120) days from the committee’s formation. For purposes of this section, the “committee’s formation” occurs when the final member of the committee is seated.

  7. No later than sixty (60) days after receiving the selection committee’s list of qualified candidates for the position of permanent police ombudsman, the commission shall select one of the individuals on the list for appointment as permanent police ombudsman.

Date Passed: Monday, November 30, 2015

Effective Date: Wednesday, January 13, 2016

ORD C35274 Section 1