It’s been a busy week in Seattle courts, though much has flown under the radar. Let’s get caught up.
Continue readingCategory: police
Durkan returns City Council’s ban on less-lethal weapons unsigned, with a litany of critiques
(story updated below) On August 27th, with the City Council in recess, Mayor Durkan quietly returned unsigned the Council’s ordinance restricting SPD’s use of so-called “less lethal weapons,” allowing it to pass into law unchallenged at least for the moment. But she did take the opportunity to attach a scathing letter detailing a litany of complaints about the legislation, calling it “of doubtful legality,” and claiming that the Council knows that “significant parts of the bill will never go into effect” because of its flaws.
Continue readingCouncil updates SPD budget, says “yes” to several of police department’s proposals
Today the City Council’s finance committee finally got down to voting on a proposal from the Seattle Police Department on how to spend $15 million of salary savings accumulating due to the high officer attrition over the past year. And in the end it gave the department much, but not all, of what it wanted while also funding a few of the items on its own community safety wish-list.
Continue readingSPD’s busy day full of odd and notable moments
Earlier this week SCC Insight previewed all of the important events happening for the Seattle Police Department today. When all was said and done, much more was said than done — but some of what was said was still pretty interesting.
Continue readingTuesday will be a busy day for SPD
Between a Council committee meeting in the morning and a court hearing in the afternoon, the Seattle Police Department has a lot going on Tuesday.
Continue readingSPD Chief Diaz fires two officers present at Capitol insurrection
Following up from Office of Police Accountability investigation reports issued last month, today SPD Chief Adrian Diaz fired two officers who were present at the attempted Capitol insurrection on January 6th.
Continue readingState Supreme Court clarifies rules for King County inquests, allows pending inquests to move forward
This morning the Washington State Supreme court issued a powerful 49-page unanimous ruling resolving a fierce, multi-year, multi-party battle over how inquests should be conducted in King County. The ruling upholds portions of the changes that King County Executive Dow Constantine enacted through a series of executive orders, but wipes out other parts.
Continue readingCouncil passes new ban on less-lethal weapons out of committee
This morning the City Council voted out of committee its latest iteration of a ban on SPD’s use of so-called “less lethal” weapons, with a couple of small amendments.
Continue readingOPA investigation finds two SPD officers participated in January 6th insurrection
This afternoon the Office of Police Accountability released its long-awaited and much-anticipated report of its investigation of six SPD officers who were in Washington D.C. on January 6th, the day of the Trump-inspired insurrection. It concluded that all six officers joined the rally at which then-President Trump spoke, but it only found evidence that two of them participated in the illegal storming of the Capitol that followed. It found conclusive evidence that three of the other four were elsewhere at the time, and its investigation of the fourth was inconclusive. Omari Salisbury and I discussed today’s OPA report with OPA …
Continue readingHerbold holds first hearing on new version of “less lethal weapon” ban
This morning, Councilmember Lisa Herbold held a first hearing on her bill revising the Council’s ban on SPD’s use of so-called “less lethal” weapons.
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