Comments On: Department of Justice Finds that Seattle Police Engage "In a Pattern or Practice of Unnecessary Force," But No Evidence of Discriminatory Policing Against Minorities by Cienna Madrid

Comments On: Department of Justice Finds that Seattle Police Engage "In a Pattern or Practice of Unnecessary Force," But No Evidence of Discriminatory Policing Against Minorities by Cienna Madrid http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2011/12/16/department-of-justice-finds-that-seattle-police-engage-in-a-pattern-or-practice-of-unnecessary-force-but-no-evidence-of-discriminatory-poli Comments On: Department of Justice Finds that Seattle Police Engage "In a Pattern or Practice of Unnecessary Force," But No Evidence of Discriminatory Policing Against Minorities by Cienna Madrid en-us Copyright 2013 The Stranger. All rights reserved. This RSS file is offered to individuals, The Stranger readers, and non-commercial organizations only. Any commercial websites wishing to use this RSS file, please contact The Stranger. webmaster@thestranger.com (The Stranger Webmaster) Fri, 24 May 2013 00:00:01 -0700 Fri, 24 May 2013 22:45:00 -0700 Foundation http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss <![CDATA[Re: Department of Justice Finds that Seattle Police Engage "In a Pattern or Practice of Unnecessary Force," But No Evidence of Discriminatory Policing Against Minorities]]>
Looking for a correction... a five-year period spanning from Jan 1, 2009 to April 4, 2011... Five years from incorrect dates, or just two-ish?
Posted by IAnonSucks]]> Mon, 19 Dec 2011 14:16:24 -0800 The Stranger <![CDATA[Re: Department of Justice Finds that Seattle Police Engage "In a Pattern or Practice of Unnecessary Force," But No Evidence of Discriminatory Policing Against Minorities]]> Posted by jimmy]]> Fri, 16 Dec 2011 21:03:54 -0800 The Stranger <![CDATA[Re: Department of Justice Finds that Seattle Police Engage "In a Pattern or Practice of Unnecessary Force," But No Evidence of Discriminatory Policing Against Minorities]]> Posted by John Trouble Smith]]> Fri, 16 Dec 2011 17:10:41 -0800 The Stranger <![CDATA[Re: Department of Justice Finds that Seattle Police Engage "In a Pattern or Practice of Unnecessary Force," But No Evidence of Discriminatory Policing Against Minorities]]>
And FWIW, I think Fnarf is on to something. I work downtown, right on the fringe of Pioneer Square - social service capitol of the NW - and it is amazing to me the amount of resources we put into ineffectually dealing with the mentally ill and substance abusers.

The missions, and places like the DESC, keep them alive just enough to be problems for the other citizens and law enforcement. Law enforcement who - as Fnarf points out - are not mental health professionals (indeed, they have a tendency towards mental problems themselves) deal with it in the only way they know how.

Add to that the meathead population who descend on Pioneer Square and Belltown for the nightlife, and the ordinary garden variety stupid criminal, and I can see why a cop gets warped.

I've met a lot of Seattle Police in my line of work, and I think most of them are good solid people. But when you get a group together, and they get defensive, things go sideways quickly. Especially in violent situations.

There has to be a better, more compassionate way to deal with the mentally ill and chronic substance abusers. And to work with those police officers who need psychiatric help themselves.

Posted by Catalina Vel-DuRay]]> Fri, 16 Dec 2011 15:50:48 -0800 The Stranger <![CDATA[Re: Department of Justice Finds that Seattle Police Engage "In a Pattern or Practice of Unnecessary Force," But No Evidence of Discriminatory Policing Against Minorities]]>
Posted by NaFun]]> Fri, 16 Dec 2011 14:43:19 -0800 The Stranger <![CDATA[Re: Department of Justice Finds that Seattle Police Engage "In a Pattern or Practice of Unnecessary Force," But No Evidence of Discriminatory Policing Against Minorities]]>
I've noticed this attitude with too many supposedly well meaning Seattle whites that "the cops have a tough job" as if yeah a person gets beat down, but we shouldn't do anything to alleviate the institutional problems causing the brutality--particularly since we're generally not victims:). Maybe some of them will get the message with this wake up call of a report.

Posted by neo-realist]]> Fri, 16 Dec 2011 14:37:23 -0800 The Stranger <![CDATA[Re: Department of Justice Finds that Seattle Police Engage "In a Pattern or Practice of Unnecessary Force," But No Evidence of Discriminatory Policing Against Minorities]]> Posted by NaFun]]> Fri, 16 Dec 2011 14:27:45 -0800 The Stranger <![CDATA[Re: Department of Justice Finds that Seattle Police Engage "In a Pattern or Practice of Unnecessary Force," But No Evidence of Discriminatory Policing Against Minorities]]> Posted by Thank you SPD!]]> Fri, 16 Dec 2011 14:00:46 -0800 The Stranger <![CDATA[Re: Department of Justice Finds that Seattle Police Engage "In a Pattern or Practice of Unnecessary Force," But No Evidence of Discriminatory Policing Against Minorities]]> Posted by rob!]]> Fri, 16 Dec 2011 13:56:02 -0800 The Stranger <![CDATA[Re: Department of Justice Finds that Seattle Police Engage "In a Pattern or Practice of Unnecessary Force," But No Evidence of Discriminatory Policing Against Minorities]]>
The DOJ report is damning, but it's got some powerful suggestions in it. If you're interested in taking the "SPD is just plain fucked, we're done discussing it" you don't want to hear that, but most people do. NaFun has some good things to say there.
Posted by Fnarf]]> Fri, 16 Dec 2011 13:47:34 -0800 The Stranger <![CDATA[Re: Department of Justice Finds that Seattle Police Engage "In a Pattern or Practice of Unnecessary Force," But No Evidence of Discriminatory Policing Against Minorities]]>
On December 5, 2011 at 10:18 AM, Joe Szilagyi wrote:

1. The head of SPD should be nominated by the Mayor and approved by the City Council and should not be an officer. This person should answer directly to the Council, who would have sole authority to hire and fire this person on a contract that they have authority to terminate at any time.

2. OPA should be separate from SPD and should be the sole deciding voice in discipline. Appeals made to the City Council. OPA answers to the City Council. SPD would have no veto rights in any way in OPA business or appointments. OPA gets 100% access to all SPD records and documentation.

3. #1 and #2 should be a legal requirement in City Law so that the city can't enter into any police union contract without them. Simple and easy. If the City Council won't do it, the NAACP and local civil rights groups should do a city-level initiative to make such a thing law. If the City Council, Mayor, and SPD won't fix things, then fix things yourselves: get a law passed that the city is barred from entering into any SPD contract without these provisions.

4. The contract runs usually 2 years. Even if the city and SPD enter a new one today and this law passes tomorrow, the next 2014 negotiations would be bound up in it.

5. Once that is all set, everyone get out of the way and let the 99.9% of SPD that are good cops do their work.

I support this plan 100% and would love to help make it happen.
Posted by Phil M]]> Fri, 16 Dec 2011 13:45:48 -0800 The Stranger <![CDATA[Re: Department of Justice Finds that Seattle Police Engage "In a Pattern or Practice of Unnecessary Force," But No Evidence of Discriminatory Policing Against Minorities]]> Posted by UNPAID COMMENTER]]> Fri, 16 Dec 2011 13:42:48 -0800 The Stranger <![CDATA[Re: Department of Justice Finds that Seattle Police Engage "In a Pattern or Practice of Unnecessary Force," But No Evidence of Discriminatory Policing Against Minorities]]> in DC at the Jefferson Memorial.
Posted by Westlake, son!]]> Fri, 16 Dec 2011 13:27:33 -0800 The Stranger <![CDATA[Re: Department of Justice Finds that Seattle Police Engage "In a Pattern or Practice of Unnecessary Force," But No Evidence of Discriminatory Policing Against Minorities]]>
Whatever, it doesn't matter to you. I just wish I could block specific IP addresses from appearing in my Slog comments myself.
Posted by NaFun]]> Fri, 16 Dec 2011 13:23:10 -0800 The Stranger <![CDATA[Re: Department of Justice Finds that Seattle Police Engage "In a Pattern or Practice of Unnecessary Force," But No Evidence of Discriminatory Policing Against Minorities]]> Posted by Thank you SPD!]]> Fri, 16 Dec 2011 13:20:53 -0800 The Stranger <![CDATA[Re: Department of Justice Finds that Seattle Police Engage "In a Pattern or Practice of Unnecessary Force," But No Evidence of Discriminatory Policing Against Minorities]]>
Do they work in Wallingford or the Rainier Valley? If it's the CD, I think these poor policeman deserve a break.

I have a suggestion for all you cop haters out there: move to South Park and be sure to leave your windows open the first warm evening. Don't call the cops.
Posted by Thank you SPD!]]> Fri, 16 Dec 2011 13:18:40 -0800 The Stranger <![CDATA[Re: Department of Justice Finds that Seattle Police Engage "In a Pattern or Practice of Unnecessary Force," But No Evidence of Discriminatory Policing Against Minorities]]>
Oh, and this book should be given to every new SPD hire:
http://www.amazon.com/Verbal-Judo-Gentle…

Do as Amazon says and bundle it with this:
http://www.amazon.com/Verbal-Judo-Way-Le…

I specifically asked Chief Diaz about Verbal Judo training for officers at the Police Accountability forum, and his response was basically "well, we don't think it applies well to our force, and we're thinking of doing something similar in a limited pilot project at some point..." - in other words, we don't give a shit about de-escalation training for our officers.

Posted by NaFun]]> Fri, 16 Dec 2011 13:18:31 -0800 The Stranger <![CDATA[Re: Department of Justice Finds that Seattle Police Engage "In a Pattern or Practice of Unnecessary Force," But No Evidence of Discriminatory Policing Against Minorities]]> Posted by Will in Seattle]]> Fri, 16 Dec 2011 13:11:15 -0800 The Stranger <![CDATA[Re: Department of Justice Finds that Seattle Police Engage "In a Pattern or Practice of Unnecessary Force," But No Evidence of Discriminatory Policing Against Minorities]]>
SPD is out of control.

But not racist.

So, when will Council man up and put some teeth in that Police Oversight and get a new Chief?
Posted by Will in Seattle]]> Fri, 16 Dec 2011 13:10:34 -0800 The Stranger <![CDATA[Re: Department of Justice Finds that Seattle Police Engage "In a Pattern or Practice of Unnecessary Force," But No Evidence of Discriminatory Policing Against Minorities]]> Posted by seandr]]> Fri, 16 Dec 2011 13:06:26 -0800 The Stranger <![CDATA[Re: Department of Justice Finds that Seattle Police Engage "In a Pattern or Practice of Unnecessary Force," But No Evidence of Discriminatory Policing Against Minorities]]>
And I loved Joe Szilagyi's suggestions the other day for restructuring citizen oversight/internal review, but I can't find them right now. Can you put them up again on this thread, Joe, or can somebody else link his comment?
Posted by rob!]]> Fri, 16 Dec 2011 13:00:21 -0800 The Stranger <![CDATA[Re: Department of Justice Finds that Seattle Police Engage "In a Pattern or Practice of Unnecessary Force," But No Evidence of Discriminatory Policing Against Minorities]]> Posted by Brandon J.]]> Fri, 16 Dec 2011 12:50:37 -0800 The Stranger <![CDATA[Re: Department of Justice Finds that Seattle Police Engage "In a Pattern or Practice of Unnecessary Force," But No Evidence of Discriminatory Policing Against Minorities]]> Posted by icouldliveinhope]]> Fri, 16 Dec 2011 12:48:16 -0800 The Stranger <![CDATA[Re: Department of Justice Finds that Seattle Police Engage "In a Pattern or Practice of Unnecessary Force," But No Evidence of Discriminatory Policing Against Minorities]]>
Read this article. SPD officers are quite literally trained to beat the shit out of people using officer safety as a justification. For example, the SPD considers body slamming a woman on the ground (fracturing her cheekbone) for dispensing legal advice during an arrest to be justified use of force, despite the fact that no crime was committed and she posed no threat to anyone.

As for the police union, nobody is listening to their bluster anymore. They've got nothing.
Posted by seandr]]> Fri, 16 Dec 2011 12:37:25 -0800 The Stranger <![CDATA[Re: Department of Justice Finds that Seattle Police Engage "In a Pattern or Practice of Unnecessary Force," But No Evidence of Discriminatory Policing Against Minorities]]>
Because there are many, many cases of cops being perceived as too lenient on mentally-ill people, like that guy who stabbed Shannon Harps to death a few years ago -- everyone knew he was a threat, but they just stood and watched him deteriorate.

Where this really breaks the public safety into a million pieces is how this affects how the cop sees the average citizen. He or she is already predisposed for the worst. Ultimately, a career of encountering the mentally ill and intoxicated street denizens will cause other people to be abused too. Cops need better tools, but they also need better working conditions, with fewer nutjobs running around the streets.

This isn't really a problem that gets solved; rather, mitigated. One hopes they can find ways to train cops to deal with these situations better, just as they have trained them over the past couple of decades to respond differently, and more effectively, to domestic violence. But at some point, we're going to have to really address the issue of mentally ill people on the street.

Just as a small number of crazy people on the street create an inordinate amount of trouble for everyone, from cops to shelter workers and social workers, a small number of cops are clearly not meant for modern big-city police work. They need to be supervised out of the system. I hope this report moves them successfully in that direction.

Watch the pushback from the cop union, though -- it's going to be spectacular.
Posted by Fnarf]]> Fri, 16 Dec 2011 12:28:41 -0800 The Stranger