About the Seattle Consent Decree

Welcome to the website for the Seattle Police Monitor.

In 2012, the City of Seattle and the United States Department of Justice entered into a settlement agreement, or “Consent Decree” that requires Seattle to implement reforms “with the goal of ensuring that police services are delivered to the people of Seattle in a manner that full complies with the Constitution and laws of the United States, effectively ensures public trust and officer safety, and promotes public confidence…” (Settlement Agreement, ¶ 1)

The Consent Decree is overseen by Judge James L. Robart of the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington. The “Court” determines when the Consent Decree and federal oversight will be lifted based on progress and compliance with the reforms set out in the Decree.

In September 2020, the Court appointed Dr. Antonio Oftelie and a three-member team to help oversee the implementation of the Settlement Agreement. The primary role of the Monitoring Team is to advise the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington on the progress of Seattle to meet the requirements of the Federal Consent Decree. Within this role, the Monitoring Team’s scope of work includes engaging with city partners on innovation in policing, developing measures and metrics for progress, providing technical assistance on initiatives, and reporting on progress.

This site serves to inform the Seattle community and broader public on updates and news related to the Consent Decree, as well as share resources and information related progress on achieving the goals within the Decree.

More information about the monitoring plan and process can be found in the Documents section of the website