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Dear Neighbor,
With the snowy weather we just received, I think we are all looking forward to the start of spring. February was another busy month, highlighted by an important Council action to lift a budget proviso so body cameras can be fully deployed this year. Council also officially adopted our 2017 work program and participated in several notable remembrance events.
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Full Deployment of Body Cameras!
 On Monday, February 27th, the Full Council lifted a budget proviso to release $2.4 million to fund a full deployment of body cameras this year. Approximately 26 officers and sergeants are currently equipped with body cameras in the initial deployment. I have said from day one that body cameras are a game changer for police accountability, public safety, and as a training tool to improve policing performance. Police accountability advocates such as Campaign Zero, Seattle legislative districts and community leaders have asked for body cameras. More than 1,000 police departments nationwide are using body cameras in some form, as well as approximately 50 police departments in our state. The Federal Monitor, Merrick Bobb, and U.S. District Court Judge Robart have expressed unfettered support of body-worn video deployment.
Of course, few things are done without controversy. When storing and releasing videos to the public, the faces of victims, children, witnesses, and other special circumstances are blurred to protect privacy rights and many other privacy protections are put in place. We fully understand how privacy rights must still be protected.
The Seattle Federal Monitor has conducted three community surveys since 2013 and each one resoundingly says Seattleites want to see body cameras on officers. The most recent survey in October 2016 showed the highest support at 92%. Body camera technology will deter abuses by police officers, limit frivolous complaints against officers, provide a reliable source of evidence of crimes and encourage respectful treatment of all individuals. Body cameras will increase accountability and public trust. Several studies show reductions in police use of force and improved behavior among both officers and civilians. Once people know they are being recorded, they generally tend to moderate their behavior. A study by the Rialto (California) Police Department found that the cameras decreased the number of police misconduct claims by 88% and reduced the number of times officers had to use force by 60%. Without question, our work continues on making sure we have the best policies in place to protect an individual’s privacy and dignity in specific circumstances. Read the policy online. I anticipate adjustments will be made as we learn and improve and I have asked SPD to be fully transparent by bringing any proposed changes before Council, so they can be openly discussed.
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Mount Baker McClellan Street Redevelopment Opportunity Zone
 Council unanimously adopted Resolution 31731 in early February to designate an area of the Mt. Baker neighborhood a Redevelopment Opportunity Zone. The designation allows the Mount Baker Housing Association to become eligible for the Washington State Department of Ecology’s grant funds for cleanup and redevelopment of the former gas station and dry cleaning property on S McClellan and MLK Jr Way S. After the environmental cleanup, 150 affordable homes will be built. With the Mt. Baker light rail station only two blocks away, this project supports our affordable housing, transit-oriented development and neighborhood planning goals. We want to enliven this soon-to-be prominent gateway into the Mt. Baker neighborhood where we have affordable homes, affordable retail space, and is a place of diversity and vitality.
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National African American Involvement Day
 On February 13th, I was proud to stand with hundreds of amazing parents and welcome our future leaders to school at South Shore PK-8. This was the second annual event where we greeted students at South Shore school to promote family engagement in a child’s education, strengthen the school-family relationship, and identify what more can be done to ensure every child at South Shore has access to tools, mentors, and a belief that each student is capable of anything. It is critical that we continue to invest time and resources in our youth, so that they have the best opportunities to succeed. I have been friends with several of these community members since we were in grade school and I am proud of their willingness to give back to their community.
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Japanese Day of Remembrance
 February 19th marked the 75th Anniversary of the Signing of Executive Order 9066. The executive order signed by the President in 1942 represents a tragic part of our nation’s history where Japanese Americans were relocated to ten Relocation Centers. My mother and her family were sent to the Minidoka Internment Camp, the single largest relocation center in U.S. history. Our family’s property was seized by the government. My story is no different than other Japanese families who were loyal Americans, but treated like enemies. This year’s recognition and “Day of Remembrance” was especially significant because of some of the current national rhetoric. With the exception of the indigenous people, we all migrated here and our failure to recognize this dishonors our parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents. Our diversity and welcoming of all cultures makes us unlike any country in the world. Most importantly, whether it is 2017, 1942, or 2067, we must always stand by the proclamation that, “Your individual rights and freedoms must never be denied.” The Seattle City Council and Mayor issued a proclamation for February 19, 2017 and “encouraged all businesses, organizations, public institutions and City residents to acknowledge this as a day of remembrance and an opportunity to reflect on the lessons to be learned when tragic history repeats itself, and when hatred, fear and racism cause our government and our nation to lose their way.”
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Black History Month
In honor of Black History Month in February, I was asked to speak and attend a special celebration at the Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute on February 28th. I spoke about my history growing up in the Central District in the 70s and 80s and what I try to teach my own children. In our new age of activism, I tried to articulate that when we fight for a better society, we must impart: 1) The need for self-empowerment, 2) The need to support our own communities, 3) The need to control our own destiny, and 4) The need to know our own history. As African Americans, we must be unapologetic of our cause and fight for a level playing field.
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Seattle Public Schools High School Athletic Hall of Fame
 Last year, I began working with the community and the Seattle School District on the development of the Seattle Public Schools Athletic Hall of Fame. With almost 138 years of rich Seattle Schools history, the Hall of Fame will recognize outstanding Seattle high school students, teams, coaches, administrators, and celebrate their accomplishments. The inaugural class included Brandon Roy, Nate Robinson, Helene Madison, Rhonda Smith, Joyce Walker, Fred Hutchinson, Keith Harrell and other greats from each of the 10 current high schools (Ballard, Cleveland, Franklin, Garfield, Nathan Hale, Ingraham, Rainier Beach, Roosevelt, Chief Sealth, and West Seattle). I was the MC and a sponsor of the event and it was spectacular.
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Rainier Ave S is safer to travel thanks to changes made in Columbia City and Hillman City
 In 2015, we funded a project to re-channel a one-mile stretch of Rainier Avenue South between Columbia City and Hillman City. The project achieved its goals of reducing both travel speed and frequency of collisions for a corridor that experienced nearly 3,600 total collisions over a ten-year period. That means, on average during that period, 1 crash per day occurred and each crash took approximately 45 minutes to clear. Over the past year, there have been zero fatal or serious traffic injuries, bus reliability has improved by 3 minutes, and the number of people speeding decreased by 10%. With these positive results, we allocated an additional $1 million to implement the next phase of safety improvements. The plan is to extend the road safety improvements south to S Henderson St. The Seattle Department of Transportation will convene workshops and community meetings to discuss proposed design changes and welcome all who live, work, and shop to be part of the process.
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Report a Pothole!
 Our weather in the Northwest is a major reason for the many potholes we see in late winter and early spring. Some streets have a subbase that are not in good conditions and as a result when water seeps through cracks, the water freezes and expands due to the temperature fluctuations and causes the pothole. Our office has asked SDOT to look at the significant number of potholes along Orcas St. between Beacon Ave S and Seward Park Ave S. Report a pothole using this link. We keep track of performance goals on pothole repair, making sure they are repaired in a timely manner in District 2. The City seeks to repair 80% of potholes reported within three business days. Before winter started, 93% of potholes were repaired within 3-days in District 2. You can also download the app to report potholes at: http://www.seattle.gov/customer-service-bureau/find-it-fix-it-mobile-app
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Take care and stay tuned for more exciting news from City Hall.
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Bruce A. Harrell
President, Seattle City Council - District 2
Chair: Education, Equity, & Governance Committee
206-684-8804
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