This week Councilmember Lisa Herbold is formally introducing an update to the City Council’s ban on less-lethal weapons that it passed last summer and that was subsequently struck down by Judge James Robart.
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SPD Chief Diaz demotes assistant chief for role in protests, “pink umbrella” incident (updated)
Two weeks ago, SPD Interim Chief Adrian Diaz announced that he was overruling a disciplinary recommendation by the Office of Police Accountability for a supervisor who had a central role in the “pink umbrella” incident during last summer’s protests. Diaz came under fire for asserting that he would not punish the supervisor for decisions that were made above him, while not providing any more details as to what those higher-up decisions were nor holding anyone else accountable. At the time, a spokesperson for SPD said that further actions would be forthcoming. Today, Diaz announced that he has demoted one of …
Continue reading911 call center moves to new civilian public safety agency, while SPD budget cut still on hold
This afternoon the City Council passed an ordinance transferring the employees of SPD’s 911 call center to the newly-created Community Safety and Communications Center (CSCC), a civilian-led sister organization to the police department. But after a last-minute amendment, SPD’s parking enforcement officers were left in place until consensus can be reached on the right place to move them.
Continue readingHerbold challenges Diaz on reversal of OPA findings in “pink umbrella” case
Last Thursday and continuing today, Councilmember Lisa Herbold and SPD Interim Chief Adrian Diaz have been exchanging emails over Diaz’s reversal of an OPA discipline recommendation last week.
Continue readingSPD Chief Diaz overturns OPA’s findings of violations in last summer’s “pink umbrella” protest incident
In a surprise announcement yesterday, SPD Interim Chief Adrian Diaz announced that he has overturned a finding by the Office of Police Accountability that a police supervisor violated department policies last June when he ordered a crowd of protesters to be dispersed with blast balls, pepper spray, and tear gas.
Continue readingSPD’s civilian-run sister department slowly taking shape
Earlier this week the City Council took the first steps toward staffing up the newly-formed Community Safety and Communications Center, a civilian-run department intended to house community safety functions at arm’s length from sworn police officers. But negotiations with unions are slowing the pace of moving staff into the new organization.
Continue readingCouncil struggles with proposed SPD budget cut
Usually when the City Council gives itself sufficient time to research and deliberate on policy questions, the issues eventually become clear and in many cases work themselves out. But in the current case of a proposed $5.4 million cut to the Seattle Police Department budget, things have become messier as the weeks and months have passed. The path forward is now murky, and the Councilmembers are deeply divided on what action to take.
Continue readingAnnual SPD public safety survey provides interesting insights, if you dig enough
Last month the Seattle Police Department’s annual public safety survey report was released. It is a timely reflection back on a tumultuous year for the community’s relationship with the police, as we approach the first anniversary of the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police to be followed by months of violent clashes between protesters and SPD on the streets of Seattle and other cities. The 147-page report provides the results of a survey taken in October and November 2020 of over 11,000 Seattle residents. The results are detailed; the analysis is not. Let’s take a look …
Continue readingAppeals court upholds SPD termination of Shepherd (updated)
This morning, the State Court of Appeals affirmed a lower court’s ruling that the Seattle Police Department was acting appropriately when it terminated the employment of Officer Adley Shepherd for excessive use of force.
Continue readingHerbold proposes smaller SPD budget cut, but police monitor still has questions – UPDATED
(update at bottom of article) Tomorrow morning Councilmember Herbold’s Public Safety and Human Services Committee will once again take up a proposed $5.4 million cut to the Seattle Police Department budget. But after SPD’s blunt assessment two weeks ago of what the budget cuts have done to department operations, Herbold is proposing an alternative version of the bill that would allow SPD to keep most of the money to mitigate aspects of the budget cuts and attrition.
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