Overturned Findings
What is a Reversed or Overturned Finding?
The Chief of Police has authority over discipline of SPD employees. This includes the ability to overturn OPA’s sustained findings and recommended discipline. When this occurs, the Chief is required under SMC 3.29.135(B) to issue a letter to the Mayor and City Council President providing an explanation for the reversal.
OPA attends a discipline meeting prior to issuing a discipline recommendation to the Chief. Discipline meeting attendees generally include the OPA Director, the employee's chain of command (Captain and Assistant Chief), a representative from SPD Human Resources, and SPD legal counsel. For more information on how recommendations for discipline are made, see Volume 24 of OPA’s Case & Policy Update.
The table below shows OPA sustained findings that the Chief has reversed since 2015. Case numbers link to OPA's closed case summary of the incident. The table also shows whether the employee's chain of command agreed or disagreed with OPA's findings at the discipline meeting, as well as the Chief's final determination on findings and discipline.
| Case Number | Chain of Command | Chief's Letter Date | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020OPA-0334 | Agreed | May 12, 2021 | Reversed in Full |
| 2018OPA-1037 | Disagreed | July 30, 2019 | Reversed in Full |
| 2018OPA-0243 | Agreed | November 20, 2018 | Reversed in Full |
| 2017OPA-0859 | Disagreed | June 20, 2018 | Reversed in Full |
| 2017OPA-0950 | Disagreed | June 20, 2018 | Reversed in Full |
| 2017OPA-0153 | Agreed | November 3, 2017 | Reversed in Part |
| 2016OPA-0281 | Agreed | October 27, 2016 | Reversed in Full |
| 2015OPA-1149 | Disagreed | April 8, 2016 | Reversed in Full |
| 2015OPA-0117 | Agreed | September 15, 2015 | Reversed in Part |