(The Center Square) – A recently released report from the Office of Law Enforcement Oversight (OLEO) suggests the King County Sheriff’s Office change its practice in notifying families and the public about use of force incidents that result in serious injury or death.
The 46-page report lists seven recommendations for change, including having officers change into plain clothes before they notify next-of-kin and release the names of deputies that discharged a firearm or otherwise employed force in an incident.
Lea Hunter is a policy analyst with OLEO.
She tells The Center Square their motivation for the report came from OLEO’s prior work and reviewing critical incidents that have occurred.
“Through those reviews we kind of saw a pattern emerging of some really serious challenges around loved ones of people who were killed by police,” said Hunter. “Like in getting access to critical information, as well as some issues around public communication from the sheriff’s office.”
“This report grew from there, looking at what has happened in the past,” she said.
Existing notification procedures involve a sheriff’s office supervisor responding immediately after a use-of-deadly-force incident. After that, the sheriff’s office contacts an independent investigation team that assumes control of the incident scene.
The report recommends law enforcement engaging with next of kin have non-law enforcement personnel accompany visits, and for law enforcement to meet with next of kin in-person, wearing plain clothes and not uniforms.
“In looking at some of the research and best practices, we were trying to look at ways to make the situation less traumatic, if possible,” said Hunter.
“Especially when someone is coming to terms with the fact that their family member has been injured or killed, sometimes someone showing up in uniform can really kind of trigger that same trauma,” she said. “So having someone come in plain clothes and accompanied by a multi-disciplinary team, like someone from mental health, can provide the necessary support for people who are dealing with incredibly traumatic news.”
Response from the King County Sheriff’s Department-
“The King County Sheriff’s Office will continue to work with the Office of Law Enforcement Oversight, positively and proactively, as we review the recommendations and determine how best they fit the needs of our staff and the greater good of the community at large,” the office said in a statement provided to The Center Square.
The King County Police Officers Guild (KCPOG) has been critical of the direction of OLEO since the 2021 appointment of civilian director Tamer Abouzeid by the King County Council.
Abouzeid came under fire for tweets bashing police, calling for the public to bring down and “completely replace” the entire criminal justice system.
The Center Square reached out to KCPOG for comment on the OLEO report, but Guild President Mike Mansanarez responded via email to say they had not seen the report.
One of the recommendations is to include names of officers involved in initial press releases issued by the department.
“That’s in keeping transparency and helping to promote trust in the agency and to help in the investigation,” said Hunter. “And it’s consistent with other agencies in the region as well.”
OLEO has no authority to require the sheriff’s department to adjust it’s practices.
“There is no obligation for them to adopt,” said Hunter, who acknowledged there have been several changes for policing in recent years and it can’t all happen overnight.
“We anticipate that this is the start of a longer conversation,” she said.