Olympia’s protest bill: $112,168

The protests of military shipments at the Port of Olympia last month cost the city of Olympia at least $112,168, and the city should consider sending the bill to the port and other entities, City Manager Steve Hall said Tuesday.

Hall said most of the costs were for police overtime and compensation time. Also, nearly $4,000 in damage was done to police cars, and the city spent nearly $2,500 on equipment, including pepper spray, he said.

The tab likely will grow, Hall said.

"City time of other departments during the event and follow-up with regard to complaints, phone calls, allegations of misconduct, potential future claims and lawsuits could create significant diversions of city resources in the coming months," he said.

Hall addressed the costs and protesters' complaints of police brutality Tuesday night in an unusual special report to the Olympia City Council.

He said the city should consider:

• Billing the Port of Olympia, the military and "others who are determined responsible for extra costs to the city."

• Examining its relationship with other law enforcement agencies during future military shipments, including the National Guard. "City resources are inadequate to provide support to opposed multiday military cargo movements through the Port of Olympia," he said.

• Examining the city's relationship and communication with the port, military and protest groups.

Hall said the city is investigating 15 complaints filed about the way the city handled the protests Nov. 5-17. In an interview later, he said the complaints mostly have to do with police tactics, including why the city used pepper spray on protesters. His investigation will be reviewed by an internal affairs police officer; then an independent auditor who isn't part of the department will review his conclusions.

An additional four complaints were filed against Councilman TJ Johnson, who participated in the protests. Those are referred to the mayor and are separate from the other complaints, he said. The complaints about Johnson are from people who don't think a council member should be involved in protests, Hall said.

Port protesters have come to council meetings since the protests began to voice concerns about police tactics.

At Tuesday's meeting, Olympia Port Militarization Resistance member Andrew Yankey said Hall should be held accountable for police using chemical weapons against protesters.

"I would ask that the City Council re-examine the role of the city manager in relation to police," he said.

But Hall suggested it would be difficult to determine facts.

"There are no truths to be concluded from this incident — only truths as witnessed by individuals somehow connected to the event," he said. "Emotions ran high among many participants or observers of the events, and in general, clouded people's objectivity and ability to determine facts."

Councilman Jeff Kingsbury agreed. "This may take months to sort all of this out because of all the emotion involved in it," he said.