Comments

1
I guess everyone is realizing that you are the real dick Dominic.
2
Wow. Once again the Times kicks your ass on your own story. That's pathetic.
4
Murray is paying off his SPOG endorsement. Big surprise. Which special interest is next?
5
Well, he was the establishment candidate.
6
@2:

Of course, the notion that SPD would deliberately withhold this information from the very person who submitted the original complaint, perhaps as a sort of nose-rubbing tactic, is completely inconceivable, right?
7
@1
Dom is not a dick for being an American citizen with constitutionally protected rights. Just a real quick breakdown: The cops exist so that when someone infringes on your rights, you have someone to call who will respond and enforce your rights. When a cop is the one infringing on your rights, there is a big problem in that organization. Its like a food bank stealing and hoarding food.
8
UWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!
9
@2 cool story troll

Bailey sucks, Murray sucks, and this was entirely predictable.
10
SPD needs to be completely taken over and run by the Justice Department for a few years, with new leadership from outside the department phased in and officers like Marion given the boot. I'm sure he can find work in Idaho or someplace.
11
@3 for the Elections Have Consequences win
13
John Marion has a tiny, little penis.
14
Of course the SPD is rotten and needs serious reform. Unfortunately, despite your attempts to the contrary, you will not be the poster boy for this effort. If anything, I think your personal story only gives more sympathy to the SPD.

15
@10

Obama's Justice Department will not be interfering with the Democratic establishment's Mayor Murray or his police chief or the SPD.

Party loyalty is everything these days, especially in a city that serves as a financial base for the Democratic Party...justice be damned.

Have you already forgotten the expedient deal the Democratic Party cut with Boeing, the banks and the international union to fuck over the local, Boeing workers and the Washington taxpayers?

Just like their Republican counterparts, the Democratic Party works for the corporations (aka - the banks)...so do the police.

You'd do well to remember your place in their world.

Have a nice day!
16
wow I didn't expect Murray to lose so much public trust so soon. first film/music, now police, what next?
18
I'm going with a formulaic G Rated movie version here.
Officer John Marion just needs a hug and a friend. He is acting like a bully because he is afraid. He was bullied once, too. And a swore that he would never be bullied again, burying his fear beneath a mask of anger.

The training will involve hugs, and yes, tears.

(Report on the training that corrects this kind of public engagement.)
19
Team Murray has been completely snookered by the anti-reform old guard and in doing so they have significantly set back meaningful reform. I can't recall the last time I saw such a public display of being screwed by the pooch.
20
Having watched the video, I don't see that this officer was behaving in a manner that was in violation of anyone's rights. What I do see is another hipster hack journalist wannabe playing being dismissed by a cop who could have been more professional. I don't care for hack journalists any more than I do unprofessional cops. Both of you are hereby relegated to the kiddie table.
21
@19

"Team Murray" hasn't been "snookered."

Perhaps, you have been, and your beliefs about Mayor Murray are simply leaving you blind to the obvious truth.
22
Can we just cut to the police guild giving the guy a medal already?
23
Bailey is the trojan horse of the status quo in Police enforcement asserting itself---a move to give legitimacy to illegitimate police conduct by installing an African American figurehead as chief.....and Murray payback to the union in all likelihood.
24
MY NAME IS DOMINIC HOLDEN LOOK AT MEEEEE
25
@23

Shocking, just shocking.

How could anyone have predicted that electing a longtime insider of the establishment would result in an establishment "yes man" as police chief?

Shocking indeed.
26
Unrelated- have you guys noticed that anyone who refers to the kiddie table is a sophomoric asshat? It's like their secret password.
27
At this point, I think I have heard more about this particular American tragedy than Pearl Harbor or the JFK assassination. Good lord, man, get over yourself and move on.
28
@20 welcome to slog. Which precinct do you work at?
29
I was worried about things like this happening when Murray made changes before being able to see the problems... at least that is what it looked like.
30
Thanks for continuing to report on this, Dominic. The public needs to see what a farce Seattle Police Department's internal investigations process is. Officer John T. Marion #6963 should be fired. Alternatively, he should be removed from a position in which he's likely to harm someone when he blows his top. People like him should not be carrying guns.
31
I defended the suspension, but this is obviously indefensible. This is what was predicted by us nay-sayers when Bailey was appointed. Murray made hay of McGinn's failings in his handling of the SPD. Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.
32
@10: No, Marion needs to stay here. We need tough cops for tough streets. He should attend a PowerPoint on community relations though, so as to not further ruffle the delicate sensibilities of the citizens he's devoting his career to protect.

@13: No, it's over 9" and uncut.
33
We need to lead from below.

It really *IS* a big deal when those placed in a position of authority abuse that authority. The fact that it was a very minor run-in is beside the point. The SPD is *SUPPOSED* to be cleaning up it's act, and holding it's officers accountable for their actions. Every time you allow abuses of authority slide, they will continue to slide. Honestly, this was probably minor enough that a slap on the wrist was sufficient... But when the bully's mommy comes out and says NO to that slightest wrist slap, it is a sign of something worse. It is a wink and a nod.

I *want* the SPD to clean up it's act. I *want* fair treatment of Seattle's citizens. I want a professional police force that deescalates and defuses situations.... Not one that is a good-ol-boy everybody covering for everybody club.

And for gods sake. If your own disciplinarian board finds discipline is warranted, let them do their job. As for "lead from below": I have sent my very brief email complaints to the Mayor and SPD.
34
@27
HAHAHAHA
Are you seriously suggesting that a news blog should spend time reporting on PEARL HARBOR?! We are talking about the attack that happened roughly 73!!! years ago? Youre right! Thats news! I wonder what will happen after that!
Thats all on you man. Read some books instead of this blog if that is what you care to know about.
35
Hopefully now people realize the story told in the media about SPD reform in 2012 and 2013 was completely wrong. Tragically wrong. It wasn't McGinn vs DOJ. McGinn was never undermining reform on behalf of SPOG. Murray's support for reform was mostly empty rhetoric lacking specifics. When SPOG endorsed Murray that should have been a huge giveaway, but people preferred to stick to the earlier narrative.

So what is going on? This is a power struggle. Pete Holmes and Jenny Durkan want to control the police department. McGinn was an obstacle and they worked to undermine him quite successfully. McGinn was slow to understand the public's anger over the issue and never was as forceful as he needed to be. But he was right about many things, including the need for the community, not the DOJ or a mayor, to own this process.

Murray, Durkan, and Holmes are all now in alignment with each other - and with SPOG. With Murray in office, scores could be settled. Pugel had to go because he had offended Holmes last summer with the 28 referral cases for downtown offenses. Sanford had to go because SPMA and SPOG hated his guts, as did Durkan (because Sanford would not fall in line behind her). Whitcomb had to go because he too did not toe the SPOG line. There's a lot more that's happened but those are the ones with the highest profile.

So actual reformers are out. The DOJ, contra to @10, is not actually interested in root and branch reform. They're not for the status quo exactly, but they are mostly interested in changing some of the processes and ensuring they and their allies are in charge. Power for its own sake. Otherwise Durkan would never have signed off on Bailey as chief and letting him purge the ranks and do SPOG's bidding.
36
@32
I am unaware of this definition of "tough" you are using. I didnt see this officer withstanding great hardship while showing good character. I saw this officer intentionally mislead a journalist about the law, and then verbally harrass citizen. That sound more like bullying than being tough in a manly way.
37
This is the exact reason I never made a complaint about officer Birk when he threatened to take me to jail for the terrible crime of reporting a dangerous situation to the police. There would never be a punsihment and I would be doing nothing but painting a target on my back.
38
Looks like we do need the Dept of Justice to come in and clean house. The powers that be in this town obviously won't.

That includes McGinn, who dragged out and belittled SPD reform for years and only gave minimal compliance. The election changed nothing to SPD reform.
39
Mm, I especially like the combative stance, the “What the fuck are you looking at?” demeanor. These cowardly cops act like they’re doing us a favor and we’d better consider ourselves lucky that they don’t kick our asses just for looking at them. Whoever is leading the SPD is woefully incompetent, and worse, to foster this kind of antagonism and disrespect for the public they’re hired to serve and protect. The only thing they’re protecting is their own job, at the expense of the community’s safety. I hope Judge Robart is paying attention.

Whoever is in charge of hiring must have “cowardice” and “anger” at the top of their list of priorities. Whoever that person or panel is who do the hiring, they should be fired.

Where is the mayor on this?
40
And it is NOT easy to take a picture of a cop who's coming at you like this one did. The arrogance this department shows is unbelievable.
41
You could see all of this in Murray's eyes during the campaign.
42
@19 Team Murray wasn't snookered by anybody. This is the payback for the Guild endorsement. Utterly and wholly predictable.

Hey, where's the crow eating from all the commenters who pointed to police misconduct under McGinn as a reason to vote against him? What do you have to say about your Protector of the Common Man Knight in Shining Armour Murray now?

Fuckin' Murray, that guy's got so many chits out, this is only the beginning of the twisted shit we are going to see as he goes about making good on his back room political and economic promises.
43
@10 send him to Spokane. He'll be a nice fit.
44
Maybe, as many of us suggested in the past, a newspaper with a massive platform and committed editorial principles--like The Stranger--should help organize a public ballot measure for the city to go on the ballot and tie the hands of all Mayors and City Councils, if it's legally possible.

Bar the city from accepting ANY future or modified contracts with any police union unless there is the following:

1. A civilian head/controller of the SPD, like a Commissioner, who is nominated by the Mayor and renewed every 2 years by the City Council. This person controls all SPD and replaces the Chief as head director.

2. A civilian oversight board who is the final arbiter of discipline. 11 positions. 2 selected by the Mayor and approved by the Council. 1 each selected by each Councilmember and approved by the Council. 4 year terms. Can't be active duty LEO.

3. Remove the authority from anyone in SPD to "undo" discipline.

Don't take items 1-3? Fine. The City is legally barred from signing a contract then.

Could the Stranger get behind this?
45
"...confirming a rumor I'd heard recently ..."

HAHAHAHA. Sure you had.
46
Huh. Apparently one can not refer to Uncle Tom on the SLOG. Noted.
47
@44 passed your comments to the mayor https://twitter.com/sleepylemur/status/4…

3. yes, undoing discipline is reprehensibe
48
Let's not forget the other SPD fiasco this week, reported the NY Times here. Was the Stranger going to please cover that SPD took Federal cash for a domestic spying program pilot, before Wikileaks outed it all? Who's running SPD? SPOG? Bailey? Murray? Us? No one?
49
Joe, I like Option No. 1.

I don't believe Murray is going to stand up to the police guild, and they obviously believe the same.
50
@32:

So, do you regularly blow SPD officers, or is Officer Marion just a "special friend"?
51
@49 that's the point. If the Executive and Legislators are too scared--for whatever reason--why not take away the option for them to be scared and shackle them?
52
Wow, a lot of people are angry that we're talking about the need for police reform.
53
@48: was that the program the Stranger did several in depth pieces on and had lots of slog coverage a few weeks ago?
54
what a surprise that the white progressive liberal dominic holden made this all about him. have you even mentioned what happened to the person initially being harassed by those cops? oh thats right, because you privileged wankers don't even think about other peoples oppression as long as you have your fancy plastic toys and comfortable housing. dominic holden writing this "few bad apples" bs while he, in typical white progressive liberal fashion, completely forgets about the people who face the wrath of ALL cops every day is all too typical.
55
@53 the question is who in SPD ever approved it without public review or oversight. Who controls SPD? The Executive? The City Council? SPOG? Random officers? That's the problem. Report on, name, and shame the person(s) responsible for all of this stuff.
56
@53: I think you're referring to the stories about the surveillance network SPD installed all over town after they slipped it past City Council under the guise of a U.S. Department of Homeland Security "port security" grant program.
57
Cops can verbally assault me, claim they're going to stalk me, and this is ok? Sounds like a corrupt asshole's work to me. SPD must be proud as fuck about themselves. Mouth off to a reporter? Get a day of training. With a reward dinner and shit.
58
@55: wait, I'm confused, that article you linked is from 2012....... What did the NYT report on this week?
59
So what day will this day of training take place, who will be the trainers, and what will the curriculum be?
60
@44 that is exactly the path we need to follow. The idea of waiting for some government figure - whether a mayor, a DOJ official, or a judge - to fix this for us is never going to work. We have to take this into our own hands as residents.
61
@50: No just taking a guess, just like @13.
62
#1 (bitchslap) says dominic is a dick for exercising his constitutional rights? Why do republitards hate the constitution? Even if Dominic was being a dick, which he wasn't, he still had a constitutional right to be a dick. Do republicans want more oppressive police power in this nation? Next thing you know they will be asking for gun control.
63
Why haven't you sought an attorney with the ACLU? Or, have you?
64
@39 The post has an update. Mayor stands by his man 100%.
65
What good is training if there isn't real repercussions for breaking the rules? Training just becomes a paid holiday.
66
Newsflash: Seattle cops hate the public. You should stay out of their way and obey even the most outrageously belligerent or unconstitutional demands. This is their city and no union or police chief or mayor will stand up to them. Why belabor the point? Either submit or move somewhere less scary.
67
@35: spot on. It's not just the good people who this administration took out of power at SPD, but some of the very questionable people who were elevated.
68
At least the Times' got your back - front page online. I got your back too, Dom. Bully cops fucking suck. Hurt the good cops more than anyone.
69
@63

He could probably use the Stranger's attorneys, since Officer Marion was interfering with the press.
70
@20 Thank you. Exactly. I have seen the video, and as much as I think the cops were out of line, Dominic was being an asshole, and cops are human. I am so sick of hearing about this. Domenic, you are not Rodney King.
71
Escalating a situation to the point the law protects you from consequence for using force is easier then de-escalating a situation.

It can also be emotionally more fun.

72
@70
I disagree that Dom was being an A-hole, and cops are human. They make mistakes like normal people, and Im ok with that. If they make a mistake at their job, like misspelling my last name on a report, I totally get that. I have those sorts of brain farts too. But I've never had the sort of brain fart where I threaten to harrass people(custumers?) at their place of business, misrepresent the law, and claim to have to power to forcibly remove them from public property as though it was my own. THAT is not a workplace mistake. If someone did that to me on the street, I would call the cops.
73
Meet the new boss. Same as the old boss.
74
It takes guts to stand for something against a tide of indifference, against a corrupt institution. We don't have enough real life crusaders anymore. I hope SPD has crossed the Rubicon. There has to be a point where the tide rushes back in to engulf those who willingly trample on the very ones they are entrusted to protect.

I will be following this as I have since August 30, 2010. This comes incidentally on the eve of John T. Williams' birthday and annual celebration at the memorial totem and the release of the Documentary The Making of John T. Williams Totem. Go Holden. I have a good feeling about how this will play out.
75
I agree he needs more training - but immediately AFTER he serves his day of unpaid suspension, not INSTEAD of the suspension. It should have been in addition to, not in place of. This was an absolutely wrong decision on the place-holder chief's part. In his letter to the mayor he states:

"While I concur with the disposition, I disagree with the recommendation that the officer receive merely a one day suspension without pay"

And then he cancels the suspension and gives a single training day? If he disagreed with 'merely' a one-day suspension, why didn't he stiffen the penalty rather than do this garbage and essentially let the cop-in-the-wrong off the hook?
76
Maybe Dom should offer up the Stranger HQ as the site for the retraining session... the whole staff could learn to be more sensitive at the same time. It would make for a Linda Brill level of insight into how the SPD is addressing issues and the retraining measures that are employed.
77
Ah, SPD, just like old times. One step back, then four steps backwards.

Don't let reform get in the way of their true priority: stomping on minorities.
79
SSDD at the SPD!
80
@77
Its even worse than that. The DOJ report was clear on this point; the public thinks the police are discriminating against minorities in their use of force, but they aren't. They are instead beating up everybody. This isnt a case of an otherwise ok department that has issues with its members racism. This is a case of a department which feels totally natural beating the crap out of anyone for no reason at all.
81
@73, no. McGinn was naive but cared. Murray is cynical and doesn't.
82
@81:

McGinn cared about as much as Murray did. McGinns thoughts were synonymous to the cops themselves. He thought that perceived crime control mattered more than civil liberties abuses and rampant racial abuse and discrimination. Dont forget, McGinn was the guy who put Olsen in charge of the OPA...you know, the department created to hold officers accountable to the public for abuses. He put a woman there that went out of her way to retaliate against PoC's who complained about racial abuse at the hands of officers. That doesnt exactly say 'caring'.

Murray, like many before him, has taken the position "The best way to deal with a corrupt, racist police department is to put more figureheads of color in the department in front of the camera".

Whats alarming about both is that neither seems to have read ANY of the countless academic studies on the SPD and crime in Seattle showing the department has a serious problem with blatant open racism (not bias, not discrimination, open RACISM) towards African Americans, Latinos and Natives, and another serious problem with lack of any accountability.

Seattle is experiencing a drastic rise in meth and heroine use, both of which have been the predominant illicit drug in the area for at least the last 12 years, yet crack remains the primary focus of manhours, funding, profiling, arrests, and charges by the department. Thats right, the drug used by about 4% of illicit drug users accounts for 60+% of police enforcement. Guess what color the meth and heroine users are, then guess what color the crack users are, then guess what color most of the SPD, the SPO, and its management are and youll have come 3 steps further into understanding this than McGinn, and 2 steps further than Murray.

Sources:
http://www.law.washington.edu/About/Race…

http://faculty.washington.edu/kbeckett/a…
84
What about the guy you were attempting to protect by videotaping the cops? Sounds like you filmed the cops for the ego rather than to actually helping a person clearly in need.
85
@84 Not bad on the concern trolling, but you didn't stick the landing. I give it an 8.3.

86
This decision by Bailey/Murray reinforces my view that I should do my best to avoid the SPD in all situations. There is no greater threat to my life/liberty in Seattle proper.
87
@86: You should always do your best to avoid police, unless contact is absolutely necessary. It doesn't matter how considerate or well-intentioned an officer is. He or she is almost always the most immediate threat to your liberty.
88
It's no secret. Everyone knows that the OCA is a joke and is in place just to "look like" they care to get their shit together and not be a corrupt organization. Get rid of the OCA and put the cost of the office into something that really works.
89
Technically, Bailey is the interim police chief. You can argue that it's not right (afterall, he was a consultant in the whole DOJ talks) but as a temp, maybe he has to try to keep the department together rather than go full throttle as a reformer.

http://blogs.seattletimes.com/today/2014…
Bailey, 69, who served 35 years in the Seattle Police Department, most recently worked for former Mayor Mike McGinn. He was hired as a consultant on community relations and police changes in June 2012, when the city was engaged in talks to reach an accord with the U.S. Justice Department after its finding that officers had engaged in a “pattern or practice” of unnecessary force.

After leaving the Seattle police, Bailey served as director of security for the Seattle Sonics and then the Oklahoma City Thunder when the team moved there after the 2007-08 season. He also has served as the volunteer security director for Mount Zion Baptist Church in Seattle.
90
LOL, you harrass him at work and I say he should be able to harrass you at work. You create news. You're the worst kind of person.
92
@90
So your constitutionally protected rights to be on public property and to take picture in public are now known as harassment? Thats really odd. If you dont like have your picture taken, get a desk job on private property. I worked in the pike place market for years, and people took my picture about once every 5 seconds. I didnt like it much. I was in public. They were not harassing me. They were just taking pictures.
93
No one threatened Dominic Holden. A threat would be if, say, someone promised to give him the beating of his life. Who has done this?
94
@93
That's why everyone has been saying that the officer "harassed" Dom. Harassment and verbal assault are different things. If I tell you Im going to hit you, that's a threat. If I tell you that Im going to follow you home to find out where you live, that's harassment.
An easy way to see why the officers behavior was wrong is to simply reverse the roles. Lets do a test question.
1) Imagine a police officer being told by a civilian that the civilian was going to follow him around and "bother" him when he wasn't expecting it. How long would it take the officer to apply handcuffs to the civilian?
a)5 seconds
b)10 seconds
c) trick question they use zip-ties
95
Every time a cop "harasses" Domick Holden, an angel gets its wings. Dominick Holden is a slimy little punk, just like the rest of the Stranger's writers. It is a threat to wish that they all get cancer and die badly?
96
I'd hate to see how much therapy Dominic would need if someone actually threatened him.

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