The OPA is a paper tiger. The Chief can make up his/her mind at any point in the process and seemingly independent of any process. The Chief has the first, middle and last word. Anyone else's word is just part of the process.

The bottom-line problem lies with the police guild, which is a type of union, and will ALWAYS protect its own. That protection IS the process which counts in this city, not an OPA investigation.

The trouble is, while the process protects good cops, it also allows for bad cops, aka Thugs With Badges, to continue to stay on the force in good standing, instead of being held to account for their actions.

Want to be a big city, Seattle? Looks like your racist junta of a police department is already there! The rest of the city has work to do, but your PD is just as corrupt as the police in big cities!

There needs to be a fundamental shift to who governs the SPD. Having the chief only answer to our corrupt, clueless and apathetic mayor and an empty, powerless OPA does not help anyone... well, except the SPD and the Mayor.