Handling Restricted Information for Protecting Dignitaries

SEA-MC tit. 14, ch. 14.12, subch. V

in effect

Seattle Mun. Code ch. 14.12, subch. V, § 14.12.210 Collecting and filing restricted information

14.12.210 - Collecting and filing restricted information A. Departmental personnel assigned the duty of providing for the security and protection of visiting officials and dignitaries may collect restricted information for investigatory purposes under Sections 14.12.150 through 14.12.190, or for dignitary protection under Sections 14.12.220, 14.12.230, and 14.12.240, and may transmit restricted information in accordance with Sections 14.12.200 or 14.12.240. B. Unless an authorization pursuant to Sections 14.12.150, 14.12.160 or 14.12.170 allows its use for a criminal investigation, restricted information collected under Sections 14.12.220, 14.12.230, and 14.12.240 shall be subject to the following conditions: 1. The restricted information shall be maintained in a separate record system under the custody of the departmental personnel assigned to providing security and protection for visiting officials and dignitaries (called dignitary protection files herein), indexed separately, and accessible only to these departmental personnel and their supervisors; 2. Collection of restricted information, other than unsolicited communication, may not begin before departmental personnel receive notice of an anticipated arrival date of the visiting official or dignitary for whom security and protection are to be provided, and shall cease upon notice that the anticipated visit will not occur or upon the visitor's departure from the City, whichever occurs sooner; 3. A log shall be kept, including each access made to the dignitary protection files and the reason thereof; 4. The restricted information shall be used only for providing necessary security and protection for visiting officials and dignitaries; 5. The restricted information shall be purged within 60 days after the authorization for its collection expires, unless a unit commander certifies that the subject of the information poses, has posed, or has made a threat to the life or safety of a visiting official or dignitary; or the retention of the information may be necessary for pending or future civil or criminal litigation involving the City; and 6. The dignitary protection files shall be reviewed annually under the direction of the Chief of the Department, and the restricted information deemed no longer relevant to protecting visiting officials and dignitaries shall be purged. Transfers to other uses may be made of restricted information collected under Sections 14.12.220 or 14.12.230 with an authorization under Sections 14.12.150, 14.12.160, and 14.12.170. (Ord. 110640, § 8, 1982; Ord. 110572, § 20, 1982; Ord. 108333, § 19, 1979.)

Seattle Mun. Code ch. 14.12, subch. V, § 14.12.220 Collecting restricted information without an authorization

14.12.220 - Collecting restricted information without an authorization Departmental personnel assigned the duty of providing for the security and protection of visiting officials and dignitaries may, without an authorization: 1. Collect restricted information from records open for public inspection, newspapers and libraries, and written communications directed at the general public; 2. Collect restricted information about a demonstration or activity directly from a person who is planning the demonstration or activity in connection with a visiting official or dignitary and who is advised of the purpose of the inquiry; 3. Accept an unsolicited communication; 4. Collect restricted information from another criminal justice or governmental agency which was originally derived from public sources, from direct communication with the subject of the information, or as an unsolicited communication; and/or 5. When time is of the essence, collect restricted information on the condition that it shall be purged within 24 hours after receipt, unless an authorization is granted under Sections 14.12.150 or 14.12.230. (Ord. 110572, § 21, 1982 [grammar correction and style update]; Ord. 108333, § 20, 1979.)

Seattle Mun. Code ch. 14.12, subch. V, § 14.12.230 Authorizations for dignitary protection

14.12.230 - Authorizations for dignitary protection A. The Chief of the Department may authorize the collection of restricted information when there is a reasonable suspicion that the subject of the restricted information could pose a threat to the life or safety of a visiting official or dignitary. When time is of the essence, an authorization may be requested and given orally, but the authorization shall be reduced to writing within two working days. An authorization under this Section 14.12.230 shall limit the use of the restricted information collected to dignitary protection purposes, unless an authorization granted under Sections 14.12.150, 14.12.160, or 14.12.170 allows the information to be used for a criminal investigation. B. An authorization for dignitary protection shall include: 1. The identity of the subject about whom the restricted information will be collected, if known; 2. The name of the visiting official or dignitary to be protected and his or her anticipated date of arrival; 3. An explanation of the restricted information likely to be sought; 4. The facts and circumstances that provide the Chief of the Department a reasonable suspicion that the subject of the restricted information could pose a threat to the life or safety of a visiting official or dignitary; and 5. If an informant or infiltrator will be used to gather restricted information, the reasons why the use of an informant or infiltrator is deemed necessary for dignitary protection. C. Notice of each authorization shall be given to the Auditor. D. The collection of restricted information pursuant to an authorization for dignitary protection shall be limited to the scope stated in the authorization. (Ord. 110640, § 12, 1982; Ord. 110572, § 22, 1982; Ord. 108333, § 21, 1979.)

Seattle Mun. Code ch. 14.12, subch. V, § 14.12.240 Receipt and transmission of restricted information

14.12.240 - Receipt and transmission of restricted information A. Sections 14.12.190 and 14.12.200 controlling the receipt and transmission of restricted information from and to another criminal justice or governmental agency apply to the handling of restricted information by departmental personnel assigned the duty of providing for the security and protection of visiting officials and dignitaries, unless the information is collected and transmitted in conjunction with a task force. Restricted information collected for an operating task force may be transmitted or purged with other task force materials. B. Departmental personnel serving on or working with a task force of cooperating law enforcement and governmental agencies to provide security and protection while a visiting official or dignitary is present, and/or for a period of up to ten days prior to his or her scheduled visit, may: 1. Collect restricted information from cooperating agencies, provided that the information shall be purged within ten days after the visiting official or dignitary departs, unless an authorization under Sections 14.12.150, 14.12.160, or 14.12.170 or a certification under subsection 14.12.210.B.5 allows its retention; and/or 2. Transmit restricted information collected by departmental personnel to other cooperating agencies, provided that wherever practical, the first page and each page containing restricted information in a document transmitted shall contain a prominent notice limiting dissemination or use of the information to the specific purposes for which the document was transmitted, unless otherwise authorized by the Chief of the Department. C. A log of each written transmission shall be maintained which contains the name of the subject of the restricted information and the recipient agency. D. Nothing in this Section 14.12.240 shall prevent departmental personnel from transmitting an evaluation of information or pooling information in a common investigation of a series of related incidents as long as restricted information is not disclosed. (Ord. 110572, § 23, 1982; Ord. 108333, § 22, 1979.)

Source: City of Seattle, Seattle Municipal Code and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/wa/seattle/codes/municipal_code?nodeId=TIT14HURI_CH14.12COINLAENPU_SUBCHAPTER_VHAREINPRDIFetched: 11/1/2026