To the citizens of Seattle:

Why is SPOG supporting Adley Shepherd? We feel it is important for the citizens of the City of
Seattle to understand why we continue to support him and fight to get his job back.
Adley Shepherd is a decorated military veteran and when employed by the City of Seattle as a
police officer, was a committed Public Safety servant who received recognition for his good work
and efforts to keep Seattle safe. As a police union, SPOG understands that supporting Adley
Shepherd will have political implications, as his case lives inside the highly charged conversation
around police reform and the 2012 Department of Justice Settlement Agreement. However, the
inevitable controversy around our decision to support Adley Shepherd won’t deter us from
supporting him. It’s important to note that SPOG members have met all ten requirements set forth
under the Agreement between the DOJ and the City of Seattle. We are in full effective
compliance with 10 out of 10 of those requirements. With that context in mind, a review of events
is in order.
On June 22, 2014, then Seattle Police Officer and SPOG member Officer Shepherd responded to
a domestic violence call in the South Precinct. After arriving at the scene, Officer Shepherd
arrested a female suspect for violation of Washington State domestic violence laws. While he was
putting the suspect into the back seat of his patrol car, she violently assaulted him, kicking him in
the face. (See SPD in car video: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdZkFO_5jvA&t=180s In
order to stop the assault as quickly as possible and bring the situation under control, Officer
Shepherd struck the suspect once in the face. That use of force was successful as it allowed
Officer Shepherd to fully restrain the suspect. The case was investigated by an independent agency,
the case was reviewed for criminal charges and no charges were filed by either State or Federal
Government.
Fast forward two years later, then Seattle Police Chief Kathleen O’Toole eventually fired Officer
Shepherd in 2016. SPOG challenged the City’s action as we believed that the City’s termination of
Officer Shepherd was in violation of the terms of the CBA. In November 2018, a neutral arbitrator
ruled that Officer Shepherd should be reinstated. Unbelievably, the City has disregarded the
arbitrator’s directive and has appealed this decision. SPOG is working hard to resolve this situation
in the courtroom and we are confident we will prevail.
As a labor organization, SPOG is the exclusive bargaining representative for all sworn police
officers of the Seattle Police Department up to and including the rank of Sergeant. It is our duty
and responsibility to represent the officers and sergeants in collective bargaining with the City of
Seattle. The City of Seattle and SPOG have negotiated in good faith and entered into collective
bargaining agreements for many years that have included binding arbitration following Washington.

State law, specifically the Public Employees Collective Bargaining Act. Binding arbitration is not
unique to the City of Seattle and SPOG; it is found in collective bargaining agreements with public
employers and their employees across the State and Country and other professions.
Since his termination, Adley Shepherd has worked tirelessly to provide for his family. It has been
and continues to be a struggle. We call on the City to follow the Arbitrator’s award and reinstate
him. SPOG is proud that we work for the citizens of this wonderfully diverse community. We are
part of this community. We feel that part of what makes Seattle special is that we have compassion
for one another. We are a well-educated community that allows and listens to different
perspectives on social issues. Given our strong commitment to professionally serve and protect
our community, SPOG will always follow labor laws and fight to protect our CBA thus protecting those that protect ALL of us.

Respectfully,
Seattle Police Officers Guild