“She left the department before…”
Unfortunately that’s the case with 300 or so cops, which Seattle cannot replace.
As far as Seattle being safer with 1/2 of a police force, the evidence doesn’t show it.
Is this seriously the worst you could dig out of the reports? A cop speeding, arresting someone fleeing a stolen car without enough "evidence", and a domestic incident where it was impossible to determine what actually happened? Time to dissolve the OPA.
@8 of course. Because if you dare to push back on TS rabid anti cop rhetoric or the Seattle Progressive gospel of ACAB then you’re a bootlicker and a facist. Meanwhile I noticed it was the police who apprehended the woman who brutally murdered the Uber driver and not anyone from mutual aid groups.
If this was about serial/repeat offenders, that would be something.
Can anyone explain where the names used in the article came from? I didn't see them listed in the links. If those are really their names, those should be redacted. Using their real names for public shaming based on minor infractions would be deplorable. I hope they're made up, but I didn't see any indication of that in the article, but maybe I missed it.
Examining and highlighting public records about what our public servants are doing to oversee this crucial governmental function... fantastic! Go, Ashley!
"OPA recommended that a supervisor review with her SPD policy on detaining suspects."
Now, let's go back over that lesson plan and see if we can do better next time...
"This is not the first time the spouse of a cop called 911 during a domestic incident and responding law enforcement ended up arresting the spouse rather than the cop."
@11, @12: The Stranger’s writers will have much time on their hands with which to pursue stories* like this. CM Sawant will soon leave office. Just think of all the time and effort they have spent critiquing her statements, comparing them to her actual performance in office, exposing her ethical lapses, and determining whether she was a “bad boss” when she hired and fired City employees based solely upon their standings within Socialist Alternative.
Speaking of that organization, there was all the Stranger’s additional, related investigations, which exposed so many of that secretive group’s covert activities: where Socialist Alternative gets money, how much it really contributed to her many campaigns, how much influence it had over her. Sure, the Stranger’s writers did some easy ones, too, like when they eagerly ripped apart her risible assertions about District 3 being full of racist right-wingers, but for the most part, their diligence about how this public servant oversaw crucial government functions both demonstrated dedication to telling the whole truth, and functioned as a masterclass in journalistic integrity and practice.
After dedicating years of their lives to that hard work, I think we can understand their desire to back off a bit.
—-
*Note: by “pursue stories,” we mean, “cherry-pick through other people’s work, presenting only the very worst cases as normal.”
Five problems with going through OPA closed case files in this manner are:
(1) it ignores the decades old continuing problem that a huge percentage, up to 50%, of OPA complaints are buried in their "contacts" log,
(2) it fails to consider what happens to the investigation of profoundly serious & systemic recent abuses like this, which won't end up on website for 1+ yrs.: https://www.capitolhillseattle.com/2023/02/video-shows-east-precinct-officers-back-down-after-bystanders-step-in-over-heavy-response-to-capitol-hill-shots-fired-911-calls/,
(3) it is only a "closed case" file, not the investigation, so important facts & details are missing, most importantly the victims voice,
(4) a journalist needs to inform readers that ALL serious complaints can ONLY be investigated by a serving SPD sergeant, i.e., an SPD officer who will serve in OPA for ~2 yrs. & then go back to serving w/the officers he might have investigated, &
(5) it takes the trained eye of someone (like myself) who has read hundreds of OPA reports & has looked at independent evidence to understand how OPA reports often fail to ask the right questions, are tailored to conclusions already reached by SPD brass, & are ginned up questionable w/prose & claims.
For an example of a critical analysis of a serious OPA case from beginning to end see: https://hjgale.tumblr.com/post/661009838278639616/what-seattles-investigation-of-the-spd-killing
“She left the department before…”
Unfortunately that’s the case with 300 or so cops, which Seattle cannot replace.
As far as Seattle being safer with 1/2 of a police force, the evidence doesn’t show it.
@4 The Stranger needs an editor.
Is this seriously the worst you could dig out of the reports? A cop speeding, arresting someone fleeing a stolen car without enough "evidence", and a domestic incident where it was impossible to determine what actually happened? Time to dissolve the OPA.
Cop-lovers out in force here in the comment section.
@8 of course. Because if you dare to push back on TS rabid anti cop rhetoric or the Seattle Progressive gospel of ACAB then you’re a bootlicker and a facist. Meanwhile I noticed it was the police who apprehended the woman who brutally murdered the Uber driver and not anyone from mutual aid groups.
I see nothing here that can't be fixed with a few billion dollars' worth of retraining.
This isn't a new low for TS, but it's down there.
If this was about serial/repeat offenders, that would be something.
Can anyone explain where the names used in the article came from? I didn't see them listed in the links. If those are really their names, those should be redacted. Using their real names for public shaming based on minor infractions would be deplorable. I hope they're made up, but I didn't see any indication of that in the article, but maybe I missed it.
Examining and highlighting public records about what our public servants are doing to oversee this crucial governmental function... fantastic! Go, Ashley!
"OPA recommended that a supervisor review with her SPD policy on detaining suspects."
Now, let's go back over that lesson plan and see if we can do better next time...
"This is not the first time the spouse of a cop called 911 during a domestic incident and responding law enforcement ended up arresting the spouse rather than the cop."
And...?
@11, @12: The Stranger’s writers will have much time on their hands with which to pursue stories* like this. CM Sawant will soon leave office. Just think of all the time and effort they have spent critiquing her statements, comparing them to her actual performance in office, exposing her ethical lapses, and determining whether she was a “bad boss” when she hired and fired City employees based solely upon their standings within Socialist Alternative.
Speaking of that organization, there was all the Stranger’s additional, related investigations, which exposed so many of that secretive group’s covert activities: where Socialist Alternative gets money, how much it really contributed to her many campaigns, how much influence it had over her. Sure, the Stranger’s writers did some easy ones, too, like when they eagerly ripped apart her risible assertions about District 3 being full of racist right-wingers, but for the most part, their diligence about how this public servant oversaw crucial government functions both demonstrated dedication to telling the whole truth, and functioned as a masterclass in journalistic integrity and practice.
After dedicating years of their lives to that hard work, I think we can understand their desire to back off a bit.
—-
*Note: by “pursue stories,” we mean, “cherry-pick through other people’s work, presenting only the very worst cases as normal.”
Five problems with going through OPA closed case files in this manner are:
(1) it ignores the decades old continuing problem that a huge percentage, up to 50%, of OPA complaints are buried in their "contacts" log,
(2) it fails to consider what happens to the investigation of profoundly serious & systemic recent abuses like this, which won't end up on website for 1+ yrs.: https://www.capitolhillseattle.com/2023/02/video-shows-east-precinct-officers-back-down-after-bystanders-step-in-over-heavy-response-to-capitol-hill-shots-fired-911-calls/,
(3) it is only a "closed case" file, not the investigation, so important facts & details are missing, most importantly the victims voice,
(4) a journalist needs to inform readers that ALL serious complaints can ONLY be investigated by a serving SPD sergeant, i.e., an SPD officer who will serve in OPA for ~2 yrs. & then go back to serving w/the officers he might have investigated, &
(5) it takes the trained eye of someone (like myself) who has read hundreds of OPA reports & has looked at independent evidence to understand how OPA reports often fail to ask the right questions, are tailored to conclusions already reached by SPD brass, & are ginned up questionable w/prose & claims.
For an example of a critical analysis of a serious OPA case from beginning to end see: https://hjgale.tumblr.com/post/661009838278639616/what-seattles-investigation-of-the-spd-killing