February 7, 2012 in City

In brief: Resolution on police gets council assent

 

The Spokane City Council on Monday unanimously approved a resolution calling for a series of measures that it said would improve accountability of the police department.

At the heart of the resolution is a provision to amend an ordinance governing the Office of Police Ombudsman to restore independent investigative authority to the ombudsman and remove a prescreening requirement provided to the Police Guild, which represents rank-and-file officers.

The resolution calls for publishing internal affairs reports from 2009 through 2011 on the website of the Office of Police Ombudsman by March 1.

The council also is calling for a program to purchase and equip officers with body cameras.

The Police Guild said Monday that it agrees with the issue of reform, but that changes would have to be negotiated under the Guild’s labor contract with the city because the changes could affect working conditions.

City leaders reject firefighter labor contract

A tentative labor contract with Spokane firefighters was narrowly rejected Monday night by Spokane City Council members.

The 4-3 decision hinged on Councilman Steve Salvatori, who said he opposed the lack of transparency in how the tentative agreement was struck. Joining him in opposing the deal were council members Nancy McLaughlin, Mike Allen and Mike Fagan.

The three-year contract was negotiated in December by former Mayor Mary Verner in her final days in office.

Under the rejected deal, firefighters would not get cost-of-living raises this year or next. In 2014, they would have received a 1.9 percent raise. In exchange, firefighters would have received more money in their paychecks by paying none of the cost of their health insurance premiums in 2013 and any portion of health coverage increases beyond 4 percent after that.

Officials said the deal would have increased city spending on Fire Department payroll and benefits by more than $1 million per year.

Lawmaker wants EPA out of Silver Valley

BOISE – An Idaho lawmaker says the Silver Valley is clean enough, and she wants federal regulators to end their Coeur d’Alene Basin cleanup, rescind the valley’s Superfund designation and get out within five years.

Freshman state Rep. Shannon McMillan, R-Silverton, told the House Environment Committee on Monday that by the Environmental Protection Agency’s own admission, “blood-lead testing of local residents have proven that the hazard is gone if it even existed. Also with the way technology is growing by leaps and bounds, we feel that the cleanup should be wrapped up.”

McMillan’s nonbinding resolution would tell Congress that Idaho wants the EPA out because any further cleanup in the basin “would have a devastating effect upon our mining industry.”

Suspected voyeur arrested in Cheney

A man with unzipped pants was arrested on suspicion of voyeurism following reports that he was spying on young women in Cheney late Friday.

Police responded about 10:45 p.m. Friday to the 500 block of Clay Street, where an Eastern Washington University student said she arrived home to find a man looking into her apartment window. She said she’d seen the same man looking into her neighbor’s window last week. Police didn’t find anyone, but they were called back to the apartment about 11:30 p.m. on reports the man had returned.

Police didn’t locate anyone, but officers responded to the apartments again about 12:52 a.m. after hearing reports the man’s vehicle was seen driving by. They stopped the dark Hyundai SUV and identified the driver as Richard M. Wallingford, 37, who matched the description of the alleged voyeur.

Wallingford’s pants were unzipped when he exited the SUV, police said.

Wallingford left jail on $7,500 bond over the weekend. Arraignment on three counts of voyeurism is scheduled for Feb. 22.

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Five comments on this story so far. Add yours!

  • hollyjoe on February 07 at 5:18 a.m.

    The Police Guild said Monday that it agrees with the issue of reform, but that changes would have to be negotiated under the Guild’s labor contract with the city because the changes could affect working conditions.

    Get rid of the guild! do not allow third party intervention

  • DickAdams on February 07 at 8:22 a.m.

    Is Roco Treppiedi still the guilds mouth piece? I guess Mayor Condon has faith in his law firm on the 5th floor of city hall (one of the larger law firms in the Lilac City). Apparently, Condon approves of his hot shot city attorney Delaney. Why else would he appoint him if he didn`t agree with the way things are handled at city hall? Does that include the Otto Zehm cover-up? YUP!!

  • DISENFRANCHISED_X on February 07 at 10:09 a.m.

    Let’s face facts, having that mutt Delaney nearby isn’t based on faith, it’s based on the obnoxiously substantial history Delaney has built with the city demonstrating he will roll over and do whatever his master tells him to do. Bend and hide facts, operate unethically, this is what Delaney does best. Zehm, is just the most visible of Delaney’s efforts. Condon should bring in fresh blood to move he city forward unless he wishes to continue the downward spiral of Spokane Ethics, which will be remembered when he runs for office again.

  • Ron_the_Cop on February 07 at 10:48 a.m.

    @Dick and Disenfranchised,

    I too wonder why Mayor Condon hasn’t dropped kick City Atty Delaney and Asst. CA Treppiedi out of City Hall for their complicity in the Zehm case. I would be very concerned if he’s continuing to rely on their legal opinions re anything to do with SPD.

    I alluded to this in my other post in the other thread on the related a related issue involving SPD:

    Panel will review police policies, procedures
    Civic leaders press need for accountability
    http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2012/feb/05/bounds-of-power/?comments#c407663

    This resolution is a good start but it’s more on style than substance. The Mayor and the Council at least seem to be on the same page and recognize the need to reform the SPD.

    Mayor Verner was outright lying aided by the City Attorney’s Office, the former Council members were burying their heads in the sand, were locked into unproductive battles on the increasing the authority of the Ombudsman and failed to take any meaningful action.

    It was a surprise to see the presidents of the Guild and Lts. and Captains bargaining unit in attendance and speak in favor of the resolution subject to meet and confer negotiations. At least they’re realizing they have an image problem with the public.

    There is much in this resolution about increasing the authority of the Ombudsman but the Guild will fight this and water down this effort. Also Burns can only do so much.

    My recommendations will bring immediate organizational/behavior/culture change without having to negotiate with the Guild.

  • Ed Byrnes on February 07 at 2:10 p.m.

    I was there and spoke: This is a first step in a long process, which will be arduous at many junctures, and is part of a longer historical story.

    Resolutions are non-binding and much like wind, though it was good to find a wind that is worth raising a sail into.

    Ed

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