On Monday three bills introduced last week that put restrictions on the Seattle police Department come up for adoption by the City Council.
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Judge issues temporary restraining order restricting SPD’s use of crowd-control tools
This afternoon, U.S. District Court Richard Jones issued a temporary restraining order that restricts Seattle Police Department from using some “less lethal” crowd control devices.
Continue readingWith no deal on temporary restraining order, Black Lives Matter and city face off in court tomorrow morning
Yesterday I reported that lawyers for Black Lives Matter and for the City of Seattle were trying to negotiate a mutually agreeable temporary restraining order related to the city’s use of “less lethal” weapons such as tear gas, rubber bullets and blast balls for crowd control during the ongoing protests. But having failed to reach an agreement today, the issue now heads to a hearing tomorrow morning with U.S. District Court Judge Richard Jones. In advance of that hearing, late this afternoon the city filed a brief with the city opposing the request for a temporary restraining order.
Continue readingDurkan issues executive order requiring SPD body-cams to be turned on during protests
As promised, today Mayor Durkan issued an executive order reversing SPD’s existing body-cam policy and requiring that officers turn on their body-cam during free-speech demonstrations.
Continue readingIn lawsuit brought by Black Lives Matter, city tries to negotiate temporary restraining order it can live with
There was a flurry of activity yesterday and today between the lawyers for Black Lives Matter and the Seattle City Attorney’s office over the lawsuit filed earlier this week, which alleged that SPD’s response to the last several days of protests violated the protesters’ constitutional rights. Yesterday the plaintiffs filed a motion for a temporary restraining order (TRO) prohibiting the city from using “less lethal” crowd control weapons, including tear gas, on protestors. Today the city notified the court that it intends to oppose that motion, at the same time revealing that the two sides have been negotiating the terms …
Continue readingIt’s time to face reality: the consent decree didn’t work.
As our country tries in this moment to face its chronic issues with structural racism and over-policing (what Stephen Colbert called “our nation’s pre-existing condition”), Seattle has a unique perspective on the problem. The city was busted in 2012 for biased policing practices after an investigation led by U.S. Attorney Jenny Durkan; it admitted the problem, signed a consent decree, and began many years’ hard work of reforming its practices under court supervision. If everything had gone according to plan, the city would have completed the two-year sustainment period by now (having been found to be in initial compliance in …
Continue readingSPD Chief Best authorized non-SWAT officers to use tear gas on May 31
New documents requested by SCC Insight and released by SPD provide details surrounding the authorization for non-SPD officers to use CS tear gas, and show that it was authorized by the Chief of Police herself due to a concern over depletion of other crowd-control equipment.
Continue readingSPD chief bans use of tear gas at protests for next 30 days
After a joint recommendation from the three police accountability groups with oversight of SPD, this afternoon Chief Carmen Best issued an order banning the use of CS tear gas for the next 30 days at events where demonstrators are exercising their first amendment rights.
Continue readingCity officially withdraws motion to terminate portions of consent decree
Following up on its announcement yesterday, this afternoon the City of Seattle officially filed with the U.S. District Court to withdraw its motion to terminate part of the 2012 consent decree related to the Seattle Police Department’s policing practices.
Continue readingSPD Chief orders that badge numbers be “prominently displayed”
Hoping to put a close to the “mourning badge” controversy, this afternoon Seattle police Chief Carmen Best issued an order to all SPD sworn officers directing that mourning badge bands may not obscure badge numbers.
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