The goal of a newly formed ad hoc committee of the Port Townsend City Council will be to study and review policing practices at the Port Townsend Police Department and recommend areas for reform.
A resolution to create the committee was passed 6-1 at a special meeting of the City Council June 29.
By recommendation of Mayor Michelle Sandoval, the ad hoc committee will be what is called a “committee of the whole,” meaning that all seven city council members will be involved. Other ad hoc committees usually see the appointment of three city council members who then make recommendations to the full council.
Sandoval said she felt it was important that each council member be involved in the process so they can be accountable to their constituents about the potentially large decisions the committee will be making.
The committee is tasked to operate for six months, but may be extended if needed.
At the first meeting of the committee, a goal and a work plan will be set and the committee will decide how often it should meet. Most ad hoc committees meet monthly.
A few issues the committee may explore were detailed in the resolution and include examining the type of calls the Port Townsend police respond to, the judicial doctrine of qualified immunity, the police union’s collective bargaining agreement, and use-of-force policies.
Sandoval said she believes the work of the committee will not only be to explore changes within the PTPD but also to inform a larger conversation about systemic inequalities that extends beyond the city limits to also include the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, the local justice system and the relationships with regional correctional facilities.
“I think we will need to go further to truly address the systemic nature of everything that happens in this county,” she said. “I don’t think that looking at just our police department is enough.”
City Manager John Mauro said he strongly regards the work the PTPD does and that he believes the committee will find that it is often on the forefront of 21st century policing standards.
“But that doesn’t mean we don’t have more work to do,” he said.
Interim Police Chief Troy Surber said he believes the PTPD officers are excited to be engaged in the process and that they are always looking for ways to improve what they do.
Many community members spoke via written public comment in support of the resolution. Some suggested areas of reform to consider, including banning chokeholds, making lynching a hate crime, banning the use of chemical weapons such as tear gas, and creating an office of police accountability. Commenters also spoke to the importance of including people of color in the process.
Many written comments were received from Jefferson County residents who do not live within city limits but still consider themselves members of the Port Townsend community. Sandoval said she was happy to see the amount of interested people from outside of town comment as it shows that Port Townsend is more than the sum of those who share its zip code. This is why the City Council must seek to engage with other organizations like the Board of County Commissioners, she said.
Councilwoman Monica MickHager voted against the resolution. She was in full support of the resolution’s purpose but she felt the issue was being rushed and should be brought for a second time to the council for passage in accordance with council rules.
Councilwoman Amy Howard made a friendly amendment to the resolution to waive council rules to allow it to pass on its first reading.
“Waiving council rules just so we don’t have to do what’s in our rulebook just doesn’t seem right,” MickHager said. “This is not an emergency. I think we should show that we are thoughtful and that we are willing to listen to people more.”
Sandoval stressed that this would not be the last opportunity for the public to weigh in on the issues. Instead, she said, it was just the beginning of a long process which will include public comment every step of the way.
