“We the rank and file of SPOG are under siege from City Hall, led by Mayor Mike McGinn’s frequent trashing of YOUR guild in public,” writes Ron Smith in the latest edition of the Guardian, the union newspaper by and for the Seattle Police Department's 1,350 sworn officers. He expresses outrage that McGinn is "trying to fundamentally transform the deep-rooted culture of our beloved police department" and says the problems won't end until voters “oust this mayor from office.” Smith then asks if members will write a check to "ensure SPOG has a war chest in place to help ensure that candidates who support public safety are elected to office in Seattle?"

The guild never comes right out to say money will be used to defeat McGinn—the group won't make endorsements until 2013—but SPOG clearly has sights set a new mayor and Smith's column culminates with a pitch to fund SPOG's 2013 election campaign. "You can be assured that SPOG will be a major player through political action," Smith adds, "and will seek out a candidate we can get behind and support all the way to the finish line."

Also in this issue, SPOG president Rich O’Neill declares that "Ian Birk is a good young man,” referring to the officer recently found unjustified in the fatal shooting of Native American John T. Williams. O'Neill then reacts to a police-accountability forum in February where many Native American activists heckled the panel, saying that that at future panels, “I will require that the participants follow the rules and that those who do not are held ‘accountable.'” And when three city council members made 11 recommendations for the department last month, O’Neill says, “The letter outraged the membership and made relations even worse.”

Plus there’s more: Chaplain's corner! A letter saying that criticisms of Seattle police "will get someone killed." A letter to O’Neill, saying, “Our officers are very lucky to have you on their side.” An officer claims that cops with families can’t afford to live in Seattle because the water bills are too high and, besides, gang members know where they live. Officer Steve Pomper says that an "official action has been initiated" against him and he can’t comment on his previous essays to oppose "the enemy" to end the race and social justice training. “Therefore, an article about that subject will have to wait,” Pomper says. Stay tuned.

At the request of the police guild, links to full articles from The Guardian have been removed from this post.