A major milestone has been reached in the decade-plus of federal oversight of the Seattle Police Department (SPD).
Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell's office issued a release Wednesday that said a U.S. District Court judge, James L. Robart, has announced the end of most of the federal oversight of police reforms brought about by the SPD’s 2012 Consent Decree, KING5 reports.
“Judge Robart’s ruling is a critical milestone in our efforts to reform policing. It recognizes the significant changes in our approach to crime, behavioral health incidents, and professional standards. I am grateful for the excellent work of our police officers that brought us to this point. I am also thankful for the people of Seattle who have, from the beginning of this journey 12 years ago, wanted a police service that is fair, respectful, and effective in keeping everyone safe in every neighborhood," Mayor Harrell's office said Wednesday.
Mayor Harrell did include three areas that SPD must continue to improve on and address: crowd control, the police accountability system in the city and the results of collective bargaining with the Seattle Police Officers Guild.
