The past month has brought calls for dramatic reductions to police departments budgets, including here in Seattle. In order to make sense of those demands, it’s important for us to understand how police departments request and spend their budgets. Here is a deep dive of the SPD budget, with a historical perspective, breakdowns from a number of different angles, a look at Mayor Durkan’s proposed 2020 cuts (as well as her early thoughts on next year’s budget), and some of the principles behinds calls to “defund the police.”
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Black Lives Matter, ACLU sue city over police tactics at protests
Today Black Lives Matter Seattle-King County filed a lawsuit on behalf of itself, several individual protesters, and one journalist, over the Seattle Police Department’s use of force during the protests over the past week and a half. (UPDATE at end of article)
Continue readingNew police officer contract released, sent to Council for approval
Today the Mayor’s Office transmitted to the City Council the new contract negotiated last month with the Seattle Police Officers Guild, in the process releasing it to the public for the first time.
Continue readingUnderstanding the Budget, Part 4: The Police Department
You’d think the budget for a medium-large city’s police department would be complicated. Think again.
Continue readingNews roundup: police scrutiny
Increasing scrutiny of the Seattle Police Department leads the news this morning.
Continue readingNews roundup: Amazon, Comcast, more
This morning’s news covers Amazon, Comcast, the NHL, police reform, gun safety, and the Seattle P-I globe.
Continue readingPolice overtime cost Seattle this year
Police overtime and the substantial cost to the city in 2015 was the major topic at today’s Finance and Culture Committee meeting.
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