June 22nd, 2017
We, the undersigned, have no confidence that an internal police investigation will find justice for Charleena. We demand Seattle’s Mayor and City Council appoint an independent, community-based committee, empowered to investigate Charleena’s killing, with full access to case evidence, witnesses, and department policies. Nationwide, of 1,155 people killed by police in 2016, only 13 officers […]
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June 20th, 2017
Earlier today, my office asked the Seattle Police Department (SPD) questions about the horrific killing of Charleena Lyles. Charleena was killed by police in her home, in front of her children. This horrific killing happened just two days after the officers who killed Philando Castile were found ‘not guilty’ in Minnesota. Let’s stand in solidarity […]
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May 23rd, 2017
On May 22, 2017, the Seattle City Council passed “police accountability” legislation. Below are my comments explaining what in the legislation is positive, and how it falls far short of what is needed to provide real police accountability in Seattle. I would like to thank the Community Police Commission for their dedication to police accountability, […]
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August 11th, 2016
Thank you to all of the activists who packed Council Chambers on August 10, 2016, to support the “Block the Bunker” campaign demanding Council vote against spending an astronomical $160 million (or $149 million) to build a new North Police Precinct. Their testimony can be seen in the video below. With an affordable housing crisis, ballooning homelessness, underdeveloped mass transit, underfunded education, and […]
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February 2nd, 2015
Garfield High School teacher and social justice activist, Jesse Hagopian, announced at a press conference on January 28th that he is filing a lawsuit against the City of Seattle and the Seattle Police Department (SPD) after being pepper sprayed as he walked down the street. The incident, which was captured on video, occurred after […]
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January 9th, 2015
On Monday, January 12th at 9:30 am at City Hall, Chief O’Toole and other leading officials from the Seattle Police Department will answer questions from Councilmembers about the SPD‘s policing of the Black Lives Matter protests over the last several weeks. It is important that civil rights activists and social justice advocates come to this […]
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June 23rd, 2014
Transcript of Speech as Delivered I want to say in advance that my comments will not be very brief, because I want to express the opinions of the working people of this city. I appreciate all the work that has gone into this police chief search. I appreciate Councilmembers Harrell and Burgess, all the members […]
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Posted: June 23rd, 2014 under
Police.
Tags:
Police,
Police Chief,
Police Reform