Slog - Comments on Police Review Board Veteran Steps Down in Protest http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/police_review_board_veteran_officially_s Sheley Secrest, a key member of the City Council's Office of Professional Accountability Review Board (OPARB)—the City Council's police accountability panel—has decided not to reapply for her position on the board , and will step down when her term ends next month. "I did not want to reapply if [Councilmember] Tim Burgess wasn’t going to reappoint me," she says."Not seeing the importance of having a review board member continue on [is] disturbing." Earlier this month, Burgess—who controls OPARB through his public safety committee—asked Secrest to reapply for her position, despite the fact that board members have not previously been required... Copyright 2008 Mon, 31 Mar 2008 17:52:55 -0800 Tue, 01 Apr 2008 10:37:52 -0800 http://www.movabletype.org/?v=3.34 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Comment by Will in Seattle It's a shame that the OPA can't do it's job just because of a contract the Mayor should never have signed with the Police Guild.

Not that police don't have difficult jobs, but this continuing farce helps nobody.

]]> Will in Seattle http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/police_review_board_veteran_officially_s#c986675 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/police_review_board_veteran_officially_s#c986675 News Mon, 31 Mar 2008 18:14:46 -0800 Comment by w7ngman Wow, so you're subject to a performance review. Kind of like that thing you do. Oh, the humanity!

Seriously, stupidest "protest" ever. You are not a Supreme Court justice, you privileged ass. At least make your argument be that the board should be truly independent, instead of pretending like a political appointment wouldn't be, you know, POLITICAL.

”Not seeing the importance of having a review board member continue on [is] disturbing.”

You clearly don't think it's all that important, either, or you would fucking REAPPLY.

"We're concerned retribution, or perceived retribution, could have a chilling effect on the oversight process," Bible says.

Uh, James? Sounds like it already has:

Secrest plans to devote more time to her role as the Vice-President of the Seattle NAACP, where she will have more freedom. “The gag order [will] be off,” she says. “No more holding back.”

If only there were some kind of "interview" process coming up where Secrest could defend her decisions...

]]> w7ngman http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/police_review_board_veteran_officially_s#c986694 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/police_review_board_veteran_officially_s#c986694 News Mon, 31 Mar 2008 18:57:37 -0800 Comment by Sam It appears Josh Feit lost his balls and doesn't want people to comment on his "I quit" thread.

Nevertheless, I'm going to anyway.

Josh - congrats on the begin decision and your new beginning (in a month to come). It was a pleasure reading your work and The Stranger will have a hard time replacing you. The Stranger has an amazing staff and every time there is a shift it's hard to figure out exactly what the next steps will be and how coverage will go.

Congrats again!

]]> Sam http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/police_review_board_veteran_officially_s#c986731 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/police_review_board_veteran_officially_s#c986731 News Mon, 31 Mar 2008 21:03:47 -0800 Comment by vooodooo84 I am going to have to second @3's sentiment, Josh you have single handedly given me faith in local political reporting. When most papers are content to focus on the superficial beauty contest that is national politics you, from 5-4 to counter intel, have consistently gotten down and dirty to help inform us the cesspool of ungrateful stranger readers

I for want to thank you

]]> vooodooo84 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/police_review_board_veteran_officially_s#c986748 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/police_review_board_veteran_officially_s#c986748 News Mon, 31 Mar 2008 22:02:28 -0800 Comment by Trevor I don't get the Secrest resignation. If she wants to stay on OPARB, she should reapply. If she doesn't, she shouldn't say she was forced out. She got a cold shoulder from a former cop (Burgess). So what? She should see it as a badge of honor, not a reason to quit. If she didn't get resistance, it would be a sign she wasn't doing her job.

]]> Trevor http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/police_review_board_veteran_officially_s#c986764 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/police_review_board_veteran_officially_s#c986764 News Mon, 31 Mar 2008 23:03:03 -0800 Comment by unPC 1. Josh, great work, better political reporting than the PI or the Times.

Thanks. Do hope you will stay around. What in the world could possibly draw you back East??

2. Secrest:
yup, go thru the interview process and blast 'em as appropriate. And a "gag order"? WTF? What was she holding back? She's supposed to blow the whistle not shut herself up.

]]> unPC http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/police_review_board_veteran_officially_s#c986864 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/police_review_board_veteran_officially_s#c986864 News Tue, 01 Apr 2008 09:34:17 -0800 Comment by infrequent she should reapply. if tim is going to cut her, let it be on him, not her.

]]> infrequent http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/police_review_board_veteran_officially_s#c986939 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/police_review_board_veteran_officially_s#c986939 News Tue, 01 Apr 2008 10:37:52 -0800