Four positions on the Community Police Commission, the civilian police reform advisory board created as a part of federally mandated reforms in the Seattle Police Department, have sat vacant for months. Mayor Ed Murray announced his nominations to fill those spaces Monday. His nominees are Fred Kiga, the interim Executive Director of the state Public Disclosure Commission; Executive Director of the Ethnic Business Coalition Taylor Hoang; Isaac Ruiz, an attorney with Keller Rohrback Isaac Ruiz; and Josias Flynn, an attorney at Seattle law firm Riddell Williams.
As it stands now, the CPC will only exist so long as the Department of Justice is in town as part of a settlement agreement signed with the City of Seattle in 2012. A majority of the candidates for Seattle City Council have said they support making the CPC a permanent body. That said, the CPC has been a bit of a buzzkill for city officials who are gung-ho on body cameras for police, including Mayor Murray. The CPC is urging the city to delay until all privacy and public disclosure law are worked out. Nevertheless, Murray's nominations were bolstered with positive language for the civilian commission.
“The Community Police Commission plays a key role in police reform and serves as an important stakeholder voice for Seattle,” said Murray in a statement. “A role for the CPC will continue, and I expect significant input as we provide greater fairness, independence and transparency in the police discipline and accountability process.”
