SPOKANE, Wash. — The Spokane City Council unanimously approved the city's proposed contract with the Spokane Police Guild during a meeting on Monday night, weeks after the city and the guild reached a tentative agreement on the deal.
The deal comes after years of officers working under an expired contract. The approved contract includes backpay for officers, who haven't had raises in years, and increased transparency and accountability, mostly through the Office of the Police Ombudsman.
The contract still needs to be approved by the Spokane Police Guild, which did not respond to a request for comment Monday night.
Spokane Mayor Nadine Woodward released a taped statement on the vote Monday night, calling it "the result of people setting aside their differences."
"This contract is the result of people setting aside their differences, really listening to each other and exchanging ideas to reach agreement," she said in part. "The Spokane Police Department can now move forward with greater clarity on civilian oversight, knowing that the community is behind its officers. I appreciate the work the Guild and the City Council did with me on this."
Spokane City Council President Breean Beggs said in a statement on Monday night that he "appreciates the community's long-standing support."
“Eight years after Spokane voters approved independent civilian police oversight by 69%, we finally have achieved a police contract that empowers the Police Ombudsperson to independently investigate all complaints and publish closing reports with policy and training recommendations to reduce future harm," Beggs said in the statement. “I appreciate the community’s long-standing support for this work, the Police Guild’s willingness to engage, the Mayor’s leadership, the Office of Police Ombudsman’s steady work, and a united City Council that insisted on the will of the voters.”
Spokane City Councilmember Betsy Wilkerson also released a statement, calling the contract "not perfect" but saying it is "a beginning."
“This is not a perfect contract, but a beginning as to how we go forward with input from the community as we re-imagine what policing can be in Spokane," Wilkerson said in the statement.
Spokane City Councilmember Lori Kinnear, who also serves as Chair of Public Safety and Community Health, said in a statement that she is "happy to support" the agreement.
“I am heartened by the collaboration that resulted in this Police Guild contract. I am happy to support this agreement for our police officers who serve and better our Spokane community daily through their tireless work to keep us safe," she said in the statement.
In a press conference in February when the tentative agreement was announced, Woodward said the contract was estimated to be $9.5 million.
"Total cost of the contract is estimated to be $9.5 million and will be paid for out of both the 2021 operating budget that was approved by the city council in December, and also general fund unappropriated reserves," Woodward said.
But tax payers won't be taking a hit when it comes to the contract.
"So, there is enough money to pay now and no anticipation of anymore taxes. The community has already sort of prefunded this," Spokane City Councilmember Candace Mumm said during the press conference.
Issues of accountability - one of the main reasons in the contract's delay - were addressed in the new agreement.
"The ombudsman, in both the previous agreement and the TA, didn't have a clear path to providing an uncensored version of what they believed happened in the situation, and they can now speak freely," Beggs said in February.
Michael Cathcart, the lone conservative on the council, also switched from a no to a yes vote. He said the improved independence of the ombudsman will not only aid in disciplining officer who break rules, but also in clearing the names of officers who have unsubstantiated complaints leveled against them.
"I think it's a win-win across the board to be able to have this sort of oversight, independent oversight," he said.