SPOKANE, Wash. – In a special meeting, Spokane City Council voted 5-2 to amend the budget to include a $1 million grant from the Department of Justice.
The COPS hiring grant, according to The Department of Justice, is designed to “reduce crime and advance public safety through common sense community policing by providing direct support to state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies nationwide.” The funding is designated to hiring additional officers.
The grant comes with several conditions, including following all executive orders.
Spokane Police Chief Kevin Hall addressed community concerns about compliance with executive orders during the meeting.
Hall explained that in the past 12 months, the presidential administration has issued 225 executive orders.
“I have done my best to go through as many as I possibly can that seem relevant to this particular grant,” Hall said. “And I don’t see anything that would put us at odds with any of those.”
Some community members expressed apprehension about the executive orders that could require local law enforcement to act in an ICE capacity.
Several pointed to the “Protecting the American People Against Invasion” executive order, which was signed nearly a year ago.
Under the “Protecting the American People Against Invasion” executive order, Homeland Security is allowed to authorize local law enforcement to function as ICE officials, but only with consent and compliance with legal standards. Hall clarified that this is not a legal requirement.
Several commentors raised concerns that applying that executive order would violate the “Keep Washington Working Act.“
“They saw how it could violate the Keep Washington Working Act by forcing our protectors to report us and our neighbors to people who would use such deception,” Joseph Godze said.
Hall said that wouldn’t be the case.
“This grant changes absolutely nothing from what the police department has been doing for the past several years,” Hall said. “It does not require these officers to enforce immigration.”
Hall reiterated the Keep Washington Working Act makes it illegal for local law enforcement to assist in federal immigration efforts.
Hall also clarified that should a future executive order put the department in noncompliance with the grant, he would return the grant money to the Department of Justice.
“If there is anything at all that provides a risk to the city, to my department, to my employees, I have no issue in rejecting this grant,” Hall said.
