On October 26, Mayor Ed Murray nominated four new members—Fred Kiga, Taylor Hoang, Isaac Ruiz and Josias Flynn—to the Community Police Commission (CPC), the City’s panel of community members and stakeholders that provides input and feedback on reform of the Seattle Police Department.
Beginning in March 2013, the CPC has provided community input into the effort to reform the Seattle Police Department under the consent decree with the U.S. Department of Justice. The CPC continues to make recommendations about the department’s accountability system intended to support constitutional policing and promote public confidence.
Fred Kiga is the Interim Executive Director of the Public Disclosure Commission in Olympia. Previously he has served in senior positions at Vigor Industrial, Amazon, Boeing, Russell Investments, and as Chief of Staff to Gov. Gary Locke. He has a bachelor’s degree, a law degree and an MBA from the University of Washington.
“I look forward to working with commissioners to provide input on the reform of the Seattle Police Department,” Kiga said in a statement. “I want to promote public confidence in our police officers and police department.”
Taylor Hoang is the founder of Pho Cyclo Café and serves as the Executive Director of the Ethnic Business Coalition. Born in Da Lat, Vietnam, Hoang moved to the Seattle area when she was 7. Previously, she managed a brokerage firm that served many start-up businesses founded by members of the ethnic and immigrant communities. She is a graduate of the University of Washington.
“The CPC is an innovative initiative in strengthening citizen oversight of policing by ensuring that residents have a meaningful role in shaping the future direction and success of SPD,” Hoang said in a statement. “As a small business owner and entrepreneur, it is an honor and a great opportunity to play a role in contributing to Seattle’s vision and promise as a progressive city.”
Isaac Ruiz is a partner in the Seattle law firm Keller Rohrback LLP. Previously he was an attorney at Perkins Coie and clerked for Judge Carlos F. Lucero of the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit. He has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas and a law degree from Notre Dame.
“As the son of Mexican immigrants, and having grown up working the fields with my family, I am passionate about social justice,” Ruiz said in a statement. “Like many people, I have followed the commission—whose existence I consider a testament to our community’s strong commitment to reforming police practices. I am honored to have been selected and very much look forward to working with the commissioners to help build trust and strengthen relations between the community and police.”
Josias Flynn is an attorney at Seattle law firm Riddell Williams. He is a graduate of Truman State University and the University of Washington School of Law. Flynn is a cooperating attorney with the ACLU working on police accountability issues.
“The police play an important role in keeping people safe,” Flynn said in a statement. “But they must perform their duties impartially, in a way that respects all community members. The CPC provides an opportunity for the City, the SPD and the community to work together to promote an accountable police force that effectively serves the people of Seattle.”
Members of the Commission do not receive a salary, but are provided a per diem to attend meetings. The four nominations must be approved by the Seattle City Council. If approved, Kiga, Ruiz and Flynn would begin their terms immediately, while Hoang would be seated on the commission in January.
