After growing calls for Director of Law Enforcement Oversight to resign, Dunn asks Council to adopt tougher standards of conduct

Oct. 12, 2023

Following a controversial statement from King County Office of Law Enforcement Oversight (OLEO) Director Tamer Abouzeid defending Hamas’ October 7, 2023, terrorist attacks against Israel, King County Councilmember Reagan Dunn is proposing legislation that would set a code of conduct for this appointed government leadership position.

“The position of OLEO Director acts in a quasi-judicial capacity, and is not fit for activism, inflammatory comments, or the appearance of bias of any kind,” Dunn said. “Abouzeid’s recent statements seeking to justify acts of terrorism highlight the need to put clear standards in place that protect the credibility of office of the OLEO Director—standards that emphasize that the success of role requires an individual who builds bridges and seeks to earn the trust of the general public and law enforcement officers alike.”

During the unfolding of the October 7 terrorist attack on Israeli citizens, OLEO Director Tamer Abouzeid authored a series of tweets, including a statement that charactered Hamas’ terrorist attack on Israel as “an inalienable right.” The U.S. Department of State designated Hamas as a foreign terrorist organization in 1997. According to the U.S. National Counterterrorism Center, Hamas is an outgrowth of the Muslim Brotherhood’s Palestinian branch and is committed to creating an Islamic Palestinian state in Israel’s place.

In response to Abouzeid’s inflammatory remarks, Dunn’s ordinance, if approved by the King County Council, would put in place a new code of conduct for the office of OLEO Director that includes the following requirements:

• The OLEO director shall uphold and promote the independence, integrity, and impartiality of the oversight office, and shall avoid impropriety and the appearance of impropriety.
• The director shall perform duties of the oversight office impartially, competently, and diligently.
• The director shall conduct personal and extracurricular activities in a way to minimize the risk of conflict with the obligations of the oversight office.
• The director shall not engage in activity that is inconsistent with the independence, integrity, and impartiality of the oversight office.

In addition to proposing this code of conduct, Dunn earlier this week called for Abouzeid’s resignation from his position of OLEO Director.

This is not the first time Abouzeid’s inflammatory social media statements have created backlash. In March 2023, Abouzeid’s tweet calling for the “dismantling” of the King County Sheriff’s Office drew criticism from some members of the King County Council and a formal letter of admonishment from the Chair of the King County Council.                                                                                            

Next Tuesday, the Council will refer Dunn’s legislation will to a committee for further consideration.