Tacoma Chief of Police Patti Jackson announced that the Washington State Office of Independent Investigations (OII) now leads criminal investigations into officer-involved shootings in Tacoma. This follows a legislative change in 2021 that created OII, which began conducting investigations in Pierce County on May 1, 2026.
Sunday's September 27, 2026, shooting is the first Tacoma Police Department officer-involved shooting investigated by OII since its expansion into Pierce County.
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Statement from Tacoma Chief of Police Patti Jackson on Understanding the Office of Independent Investigations (OII) — Wed, 30 Sep 2026 23:32:34 +0000 Following the officer-involved shooting in Tacoma on Sunday, September 27, 2026, you may be hearing about the Washington State Office of Independent Investigations, or OII, for the first time. OII is leading the criminal investigation into this incident. I want our community to understand who OII is, what has changed, and where information about the investigation will come from. What has changed? For years, independent regional teams have investigated officer-involved shootings and other deadly-force incidents in Pierce County. That has included the Pierce County Force Investigation Team, known as PCFIT. These teams use investigators from law enforcement agencies other than the agency involved in the incident. Independent investigation is not new to Tacoma, but the agency responsible for conducting it has changed. In 2021, the Washington State Legislature created OII through Engrossed Substitute House Bill 1267. OII is an investigative law enforcement agency within the Office of the Governor. Rather than assembling a regional team of investigators from neighboring police agencies, OII has its own investigative staff. OII has been building its operations region by region. It began conducting investigations in December 2024 and expanded into Pierce County on May 1, 2026. Pierce County makes up Region 2 of the agency’s six regions statewide. Sunday’s incident is the first Tacoma Police Department officer-involved shooting to be investigated by OII since that expansion. What does Source: https://tacoma.gov/news/statement-from-tacoma-chief-of-police-patti-jackson-on-understanding-the-office-of-independent-investigations-oii/ 2026 AMOCAT Arts Award Winners Announced — Wed, 30 Sep 2026 18:39:12 +0000 The Tacoma Arts Commission has announced this year’s AMOCAT Arts Award recipients: Arts & Culture Coalition of Pierce County (Arts Patron), Rainbow Center and Ted Brown Music (Community Outreach by an Organization), and Theresa Pan Hosley and Angela Jossy (Community Outreach by an Individual). The AMOCAT Arts Awards honor the people and organizations that positively impact the community with their passion, innovation, and commitment to the arts. Arts Patron Award The Arts Patron award recognizes the Arts & Culture Coalition of Pierce County for bringing the region’s cultural organizations together and advocating for lasting public investment in the arts. The Coalition represents more than 30 arts, culture, science, and heritage organizations, as well as key regional stakeholders. It strengthens sector relationships through convenings, member spotlights, and consistent information-sharing that helps organizations collaborate, problem-solve, and learn from one another. Through coordinated advocacy, strategic partnerships, and decades of persistent organizing, the Coalition has helped secure major policy wins that reshaped the region’s cultural landscape. It championed Washington State’s Cultural Access legislation in 2015, led the community campaign that established Tacoma Creates in 2018, and supported its successful reauthorization in 2025. In partnership with Inspire Washington, it has mobilized advocates, resulting in unprecedented state investment in Pierce County’ Source: https://tacoma.gov/news/2026-amocat-arts-award-winners-announced/ City of Tacoma Awarded Competitive State Grant to Evaluate Residential Development Regulations and Permit Processing Times — Tue, 29 Sep 2026 20:43:32 +0000 The City of Tacoma has received a $70,000 grant from the Washington State Department of Commerce. This grant funding allows for an independent audit of the City’s existing residential development regulations. The City expects to have a consultant under contract in early 2027, with the regulation audit beginning shortly after. The project will result in a prioritized set of recommended
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