Comments

1
The only real solution to systemic bias against the very citizens you are sworn to serve and protect is to weed out the bigots and thugs, and instead recruit well-rounded, empathetic people for the job. This will take a generation to fix, which is more than a memo that says "if you're a hateful piece of shit, don't broadcast it online" can ever accomplish. A band aid on a hemorrhage.
4
Kathleen the tool. PC policing at it's most stalinesque.
5
However, it's time for a new citizens initiative. A fynd to defend and help support good cops victimized by the intolerant bigotry of lefty loonies is in order.
6
SB, he of the alleged interracial marriage, bravely stands up for racism.

Hey SB, remember when you evicted lesbian tenant for political reasons? Talk about Stalinisn on a personal scale.
7
Matt dear, I think you are spot-on in your assessment, but I also think that in the meantime we can also punish the people that are doing stuff that is wrong. We can walk and chew gum at the same time.

I wonder how many veterans are being fed into the police department, and whether that is a good or bad thing, and whether that is part of the problem of the militarization of the force. I'm all for hiring veterans into government work, but if racist or disturbed vets get priority admission, aren't we perpetuating the problem?

8
I wish that I got put on paid leave until things blew over when I made a mistake at work. Life without consequences must be fun.
9
Still way too high Matt,

Along with 'proof' the definition of 'racism' eludes you?

What Officer Byrd wrote were political opinions. Thinking your president Obama (since he's shown no inclinations to represent any but his ideological ilk he sure as hell isn't my president) a terrible president for example, absent using his skin color as the reason, isn't racism. It's good judgement. Now this officer, who hasn't been claimed to have a job performance problem, is being punished for lack of political purity? Where will the re-education camps be again?
10
I also wonder if this cop's comment about "social justice" is about the RSJI initiative. Every city employee has to attend a mandatory training session which consists of watching the TV show "Race: The Power of Illusion" (which is a great show, btw), followed by a discussion.

Many employees go into it with a very jaded attitude and unless the moderator is a good one, they may leave that way as well. When I took it, several years back, there were some redneck guys who came in with a *real* attitude, but the show and the conversation afterwards really helped change their perspective. I give the moderator a great deal of credit for that.
11
@10

Thanks. The re-education camps are at taxpayer expense as a condition of government employment. Good to know.
12
Here we go, we now have the thought police.

It is rather ironic. We're on a faster track to becoming a police state from liberals who remove people's inherent freedoms of diversity of thought and political and societal dispositions -- than anything that could ever come from conservatives and libertarians.

13
I thought that would get to you, Seattleblahs. Just think how mad you'd be if you actually paid taxes.....
14
We always have "thought police," raindrip. You're only now perceiving it because it's cutting against your values for a change.

@ SB, your every post proves my point further.
15
Social media policy? What about appropriate hiring and training policies to make sure that officers can do their job with a diverse population? Pushing bigotry underground isn't going to solve the problem.
16
@11: From a free-market perspective, why should an agency hire an employee whose actions are likely to hurt his employer by triggering costly lawsuits? Sensitivity training and anti-bias stuff is STANDARD in the private sector. But when Uncle Sam wants to make sure that his peace officers aren't going to go looking for black heads to crack, suddenly it's the thought police. Nice selective outrage, dickhole.
18
@12 Show a little decency please. The political left has been systematically shunted out of the public sphere through witch hunts to the point where it is non-existent and it is quite unpleasant to read your ignorant drivel.
21
They keep telling these cops to use their common sense. They are using their common sense, as much common sense as they have. The problem is we've staffed our whole police force with people who aren't capable of seeing that there's a problem here. It's why the cops feel so persecuted: they haven't got a clue that they've done anything wrong.
22
@18: Perhaps it would cheer you up to know that the political left has had the White House for nearly 6 1/2 years, and in control of the Washington Governorship and Seattle Mayor for decades, and has steered the helm of the mainstream media for scores of years. You don't realize how good you have it, actually.
23
@22 See, you are conflating neoliberal democrats with the left, which shows that the left no political expression since it has been witch-hunted out of the public sphere. Example: what happened to antiwar TV people during the build up to the Iraq war?
24
Oh Sgt. Doom, how you do prattle on. If you think what I said was an "attack" you must live a very sheltered life.

Everyone acknowledges PTSD, and everyone knows that there have been problems with skinheads and such in the military. It's also established that they lowered the requirements for entrance in the military to get people to enlist during the last two wars.

My question was are we adequately screening these candidates? If they are suffering from PTSD (which I don't think should automatically disqualify you from police work, but should be a consideration) are we giving them the mental health support they need - particularly for the sort of work policing entails.

And while I wait for my limousine to pick me up for my Hillary rally, could you please give examples of times I have "gone after" the "little guy"
25
@ 22, Obama, the "political left"?

Just another deluded con.
26
Catalina doesn't seem like a creep. Probably just another poor soul who's been victimized by fluoride and chemtrails.
27
Now that you mention it, seatackled, I have pretty much always lived under a flight path, I love water, and I don't have any cavities. Plus, my shots are up-to-date. Maybe I am just one of the sheeple. If only I could get a few hits of whatever our dear Sgt. is on.
29
@27: Sgt_doom recommends you try adjusting your perspective with his special hat!

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en…
30
So with Kathleen the Tool throwing her subordinates under the bus at the slightest provoc, how much respect and cooperation do you think she'll get from the fine men and women of the SPD?

(Hint- leaders who hate and refuse to support their own team don't get very far.)
31
@ 30, I'm sure you speak from experience, given your past expressed disdain for your (probably imaginary) employees.
32
@31

Whatever. When you actually have something, anything at all, anything even remotely of substance to say I'll bother reaponding to you again. So, guess you won't see me responding to you again, big guy.
33
@ 32, you're so cute when you project. Don't forget to clean up, we don't want anyone getting sick.
34
And a big old nanny-nanny-boo-boo to you too, Seattleblahs.
35
@30

Do the fine men and women of SPD include the lesbian Officer Cynthia Whitlatch and the probable homosexual Officer Dorian Oreiro?
36
@1 and @21 are right. Most officers in the SPD were hired at a time when these jerks' attitudes were the standard.
37
@35

Unlike you folks I'm not interested in policing the private lives of cops, provided their behavior is legal. I'm really not interested in scanning social media to try to convict them of thought crimes. If Whitlach and Oriero are performing well as LEOs I could care less what they do off duty.
38
@37 Thoughts and attitudes lead to actions, especially when you serve the public in a position such as a police officer.

Additionally, freedom of speech means you are free to speak, not free from responsibility for that speech.
39
@37 So you'd have no problem renting an apartment to Officer Cynthia Whitlatch an out and I assume proud lesbian.

40
@ 37, LMAO - your poor lesbian tenants weren't doing anything illegal, but you were when you denied them housing based on their sexual orientation.

Typical wingnut double standard. IOKIYAR.
41
@30, I think O'Toole will get respect from the fine men and women of the SPD, although she won't get it from the racists and homophobes on the force. But since she's their Chief, they'll either learn or they'll leave.
42
@30 - actually, great leaders set high expectations and hold those who don't meet those standards to account, in a fair manner. You wouldn't know this, having never been employed or even employable.
44
@35:
(+1(Cop))*(+1(Racist+Angry))-(2(HOMO))="A wash" apparently
45
@44: For extra credit, code that using a Lamda expression.
47
I'm satisfied that the secret sauce to having a genuinely new SLoG post on the weekend has been discovered. Apparently it involves attention whoring by Ansel, because for the past few months this would just wait until Monday.
48
@15 said, "Pushing bigotry underground isn't going to solve the problem."

I agree. We would not have known of the racist attitudes of some police officers had it not been for their posts on social media since the OPA complaint process is such a sham.

That said, the solution will be when hiring practices change to weed out those unfit to be entrusted with the power to kill. That will take skill and time.
49
@45) Learn to spell "lambda", twit.
50
And to remind all you apologists yet again, you are free to say anything you want (Amendment #1), but you are not immune from the consequences of your speech.

If what you say damages your employer, expect your employer to take action on that be you in private or public sector.
51
@30: Actual leaders communicate expectations to their team and hold them to those expectations. If people don't follow that guidance, you work with them to resolve issues. But at some point, if people refuse to work as part of the team, you need to make an example. It's unfortunate, but if an employee isn't performing to the standards or even making an effort to improve, they have to go.
I know this because my boss is a hell of a leader. I wasn't a very good employee at first. He worked with me to help me become better at my job. I made the effort. I'm not only still on the team but moving up in the ranks. Sadly, not everyone makes the effort to be better at what they do.
The point is that effective leaders have to balance support and discipline of their workers, because it's their job to do both.
52
Dear Police Chief,
You don't need a social media policy for SPD, you need better recruiting. People who have so much contempt for minorities and women will NOT serve and protect minorities and women.
53
A Chief of Police as weak and ineffective as our Mayor. While she spends time "cleaning house," residents such as myself (on Capitol Hill) who work in the city, support our local businesses, pay taxes and, yes, donate very generously to community and social causes are being harassed, mugged, having our property stolen and stepping over spent needles and human excrement in the stairwells and lobbies of our buildings. Hey, Madame Police Chief -- leave the house and get some police work done. Sending one car through the neighborhood every couple of days isn't helping (just in case you thought it was).
54
What a dreadful man. He needs to find Jesus, Buddha, or a really good psychotherapist to help him with his anger issues.
55
So its okay to be a racist prick but just dont talk about it online?
56
There are plenty of good candidates for police officers. Just keep up the good work hirinup good cops and getting rid of those who can't measure up.
57
@55

Or act on it.
59
@58

One of the things that indicates immaturity in the left is their strident vulgarity. It's like being around adolescents, mostly because that's the levwl of maturity. I mean, adults simply wouldn't buy the transparent stupidity of the social and economic positios the left ttaes.
60
@59 LOL Well you do know all about immature strident vulgarity Subhumanblues your posts drip of it.

*tosses Subbie a troll snack* Good little Subbie. *pats on head*
61
Tweet about Lynch brought bad juju to the Seahawks.
But seriously, people's right to express their opinion on their own time deserves protection, and the specifics of what crosses the line needs to be detailed and specific, more so than just saying common sense, which so general to be meaningless.
62
@59 Vulgarity is a quality only seen in liberals? Have you heard the Nixon White House tapes, just for instance? Goddamn you are a fucking idiot (there's some vulgarity for you to bitch about. You're welcome).
63
@59: "perverts" "deviants" "loonies" "barbarians" "fags and dykes" "disgusting traitor" "hatred for honorable men" "petulant child" "decay" "simpering morons" "narcissistic little boy" "subhuman thing" "[d]eranged perverted deviant" "seriously mentallly [sic] ill" "trash" "filthy bit of human debris" "repulsive bit of scum" "filthy pervert" "spoiled junior high school girl" "freak"

Those are all words you've used to describe liberals, gays, and many of them Dan Savage in particular. (What's up with your obsession with him anyway?) But sure, let's hear about how you're opposed to immaturity and "strident vulgarity".
Once more you're opposed to something, unless YOU'RE the one doing it, in which case it's right as rain.
65
@59- I didn't know that Ted Nugent, Anne Coulter, Sean Hannity and Alex Jones were liberals, but I guess they must be; they are, after all, childish and vulgar.
As are you, coincidentally.
Hmmmmm.....
Oh, THAT'S what "projection" means. Got it.
67
My read - O'Toole is anticipating the inevitable release of dash cam footage showing Officer Byrd punching an elderly black woman in a wheelchair.
68
@SeattleBlues: The police work for us. This isn't the kind of police the city of Seattle wants. This is the free market speaking, and the only thing standing in the way is the goddamn union.

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