Overview
The Risk Management Division (RMD) is responsible for the enterprise risk management efforts of the agency, internal and evidence audits, records retention, public disclosure, coordination of all video releases, accreditation, strategic planning, LEAN implementation, and claims management. The division supports agency efficiency, continuous improvement, adherence to best practices, and fulfillment of legal obligations across all operations.
Key Measurements and Statistics
RMD supports agency goals related to improving agency business processes, and reducing agency risk. It measures performance related to these goals in several ways. Examples of key measurements include:
Audit Section
- Internal audit staff completed 100% of the 68 annually required audits in 2020.
Public Records Section
- Disclosure Unit: In 2020, the median number of days to final disposition of all public records requests was one day, with a volume of 14,098 public records requests received. The RMD Disclosure Unit accounted for the majority (87%) of all public disclosure work handled by the agency.
- Video Unit: In 2020, the nine staff of the Video Unit: exported 35,368 dash camera videos; completed 2,500 records holds and 16,601 discovery and disclosure requests for video; and managed 141,665 hours of dash camera video upload to servers by 1,400 officers.
Tort/Claims Management
- RMD staff collaborate with the Department of Enterprise Services Office of Risk Management and the Office of the Attorney General for the processing and defense of all tort claims and litigation. RMD analyzes trends in legal claims against the agency in order to collaborate with operational and training units to reduce claims rates and magnitude. In 2020, WSP received 73 new tort claims and experienced a claims cost of $170,334.08, which represents a significant reduction from 107 tort claims with a claims cost of $801,027.81 in 2019, but such reduction may be at least partially pandemic-correlated.
Strategic Planning/Accreditation
- RMD staff document the agency’s commitment to best practices and continuous improvement by facilitating strategic planning and measurement, Results Washington reporting, LEAN implementation, update and publication of agency policies, and accreditation. In 2020, WSP contracted to pursue Tri-Arc Accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA). While WSP’s law enforcement operations have been CALEA accredited for many years, Tri-Arc Accreditation adds accreditation of WSP’s training and communications (dispatch) units. RMD staff gathered, or worked with agency managers to create, 359 proofs to document compliance with CALEA standards for Tri-Arc Accreditation.
Successes of 2020
- The division conducted 100% of the 68 required annual evidence and financial audits, including 34 evidence audits, 12 cash/imprest audits, 21 credit cards audits, and one user access audit. In addition to annual evidence and financial audits, the division also completed audits from its internal audit plan for 2020, including asset management, civil service overtime, records management, fuel cards, and leave.
- In collaboration with the agency’s Information Technology Division, the Risk Management Division successfully completed an email retention project, which automates for the first time in agency history the archiving and destruction of employees’ email according to retention obligations.
- By analyzing claims liability, RMD identified specific driving behaviors as a frequent source of agency liability to inform training and field supervision opportunities.
- The division contracted with CALEA and began ensuring conformance of standard operating manuals across the agency and gathering 359 proofs to demonstrate standards compliance for CALEA Tri-Arc Accreditation in 2021.