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SEARCHThe civil-rights suit, filed in U.S. District Court, contends the changes have effectively created “hesitation and paralysis” among officers, stripping them of their constitutional and legal right to make reasonable, split-second judgments in the line of duty.
More than 100 Seattle police officers filed a lawsuit Wednesday asking a federal judge to block what they called “mechanical” and unrealistic use-of-force policies imposed on them under a court-ordered consent decree.
The 43-page suit alleges policies stemming from an agreement between the city and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) stoked a “bold, new disregard for police authority in the streets of Seattle,” putting officers and the public in unreasonable danger.
The civil-rights suit, filed in U.S. District Court, contends the changes have effectively created “hesitation and paralysis” among officers, stripping them of their constitutional and legal right to make reasonable, split-second judgments in the line of duty, the Seattle Times reports.
The suit, filed by 123 officers, detectives and sergeants, largely from the department’s North Precinct, was brought without an attorney, although a civil-rights attorney in Washington, D.C., assisted.
It also was filed without the approval or support of their union, the Seattle Police Officers’ Guild (SPOG).
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“My Administration is steadfastly committed to empowering State and local law enforcement to firmly police dangerous criminal behavior and protect innocent citizens,” Trump said.
Read More →The revamped policy, which takes effect Feb. 1, bars police from pursuing suspects for traffic infractions, violations or non-violent misdemeanors, police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said.
Read More →“It’s absolutely ludicrous that you have an officer with pink hair and nails longer than their fingers,” one Manhattan officer said. “We’re a police department not a hip hop department. Let’s go back to being police officers.”
Read More →“My recommendation for your consideration is we go for a six-month window,” said Matt Giordano, executive director. “We would go to six months of the last use.
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Complicated guidelines that require officers to make decisions during the heat of the moment are not working.
Read More →If the court grants the motion, BPD must maintain compliance with the provisions for one year before the court can terminate these sections of the consent decree.
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The report concludes: “When a consent decree is truly warranted, it must focus on the most urgent concerns. The violations should be clearly identified and fully supported by rigorous evidence."
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