Report: Crowd Control Weapons
P U B L I C S A F E T Y & H U M A N S E R V I C E S CO M M I T T E E   S E P T E M B E R 1 1 , 2 0 2 0

A nd re w M y e r b e rg , O PA D i re c to r

9/11/2020

SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL

1

 Presentation Outline
1. Background
2. Process
3. Recommendations: crowd control weapon use
4. Recommendations: crowd management policy

5. Recommendation: executive approval process

9/11/2020

SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL

2

 Background
1. Council passed ordinance banning SPD use of crowd control
weapons (June 15th)

2. Court halted implementation of ordinance so it could
evaluate accountability entities’ feedback (present)
3. Accountability entities submitted feedback on whether crowd
control weapons should be reauthorized (August 15th)

9/11/2020

SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL

3

 Process
OPA staff interviewed SPD personnel and reviewed relevant
documentation, including:
• Studies on impact weapon use
• SPD policies, the SWAT Manual, and Incident Action Plans
• SPD use of force data & body-worn video footage
• Past SPD uses of less-lethal tools in non-crowd control contexts

9/11/2020

SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL

4

 Recommendations:
Crowd Control
Weapon Use

1. Reauthorize use of all less-lethal
tools for non-crowd control
situations

2. Reauthorize use—with new
restrictions—of all less-lethal
tools except CS gas for crowd
control situations

9/11/2020

SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL

5

 Recommendations:
Crowd
Management
Policy

1. Prevent individual officers from
using less-lethal tools during a
demonstration solely to prevent
property destruction

2. Require incident commanders to
circulate detailed plans prior to
deploying officers at
demonstrations

9/11/2020

SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL

6

 Recommendations:
Crowd
Management
Policy

3. When safe and feasible, minimize
presence when demonstrations are in
response to law enforcement

4. Make portable public address
systems available and require audible
broadcast of orders to disperse
5. Explore the feasibility of tactics
allowing targeted arrests of people
engaged in criminal activity

9/11/2020

SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL

7

 Recommendation:
Executive Approval
Process

9/11/2020

1. Do not create a crowd dispersal
authorization process that requires
Executive approval

SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL

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9/11/2020 SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL 9