Condon announces police culture audit will be completed by Gonzaga University students

More than three years after the Use of Force Commission recommended that Spokane leaders study the attitudes and culture within the Spokane Police Department, Mayor David Condon announced Friday the city will move forward with a culture audit.

The Use of Force Commission, which was formed in response to the conviction of a Spokane police officer for violating the civil rights of Otto Zehm, made numerous recommendations for improving the department. The city moved forward on most of the recommendations, but police leaders in 2015 said they didn’t believe a culture audit was necessary.

After Police Chief Frank Straub was forced to resign last year and after a Spokane police officer was accused of sexually assaulting a fellow officer, however, there were renewed calls to conduct an audit.

This summer, city officials said they were working with Gonzaga University to do the study. On Friday, a city news release confirmed that the deal was final.

Under the leadership of JoAnn Danelo Barbour, doctoral students in the Leadership Studies program will conduct the work, according to a city news release. A final study is expected in February.