Seattle Mayor signs order to evaluate police dept functions

Seattle, Oct 3 : Seattle Mayor Jenny A. Durkan has signed a new executive order to evaluate the functions of the US city’s police department and identify areas of response that can be transitioned to civilian and community-based responses, her office said in a statement.
The statement released on Friday said that the Mayor’s 2021 Proposed Budget also creates a Seattle Emergency Communication Center (SECC) and a new Safe and Thriving Communities division in the Human Services Department (HSD).
The SECC is the first step towards unifying emergency response across the City and addressing the goals of reducing dispatches for the Seattle Police Department (SPD) and substituting alternate responses from other departments or community-based organizations, it added.
In the statement, the Mayor said that “with this executive order and real community investments, we’re committing ourselves to a rigorous, transparent, and community-led discussion on issues of policing and community safety”.
“The roots of institutions that have historically marginalised Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour (BIPOC) communities run deep… My budget reflects a historic $100 million investment in BIPOC communities and continued investments in alternatives to policing.
“With 800,000 911 calls in our City, it will take thoughtful analysis and deliberate action to truly transform policing,” Durkan added.