A serious complaint of brutality against the Seattle Police
Department has been dismissed. The Office of Professional
Accountability (OPA)—tasked with investigating citizen complaints
against the police department—has cleared four officers of any
wrongdoing in Toby Campbell’s (better known as Seattle DJ DV One)
controversial September 2006 arrest [“Spinning Out of Control,” Charles
Mudede and Sarah Mirk, Sept 27, 2006]. The Office of Professional
Accountability Review Board (OPARB) has already committed to reviewing
OPA’s investigation to see if it was “thorough and proper.” What’s
more, Campbell’s attorney says OPA is blatantly misrepresenting the
facts.
This isn’t the first time OPA has faced harsh criticism. Last
February, OPA was lambasted for their handling of an investigation into
whether two officers beat and planted drugs during the arrest of a
wheelchair-bound man. OPARB audited the original OPA investigation, and
their report raised questions about Seattle Police Chief Gil
Kerlikowske’s role in the case. The outcome of OPA’s investigation, and
OPARB’s commitment to reviewing Campbell’s complaint, may reignite
debate about the reliability of OPA’s investigations.
According to police reports, Campbell got into an altercation with
Seattle police officers outside of Memorial Stadium, after a
high-school football game, when they grabbed his 14-year-old daughter
for blocking traffic. Campbell allegedly tussled with officers before
being subdued by officer David Blackmer, who reportedly Tasered
Campbell for 11 seconds.
Campbell, who is black, says officers used excessive force—he
claims they asked him if he “liked being Tased”—and made racist
remarks during his arrest. But according to OPA’s just-released August
report, “there is no evidence to support that [officers] did anything
inappropriate during [Campbell’s] arrest.” The report references
statements from a witness who claims to have seen Campbell elbow an
officer in the face, and it also cites several witnesses at the scene
who claim not to have heard the officers use any derogatory language.
OPA investigators deemed officer’s actions—including the lengthy
Tasering—”reasonable, proper, and necessary.”
According to Campbell’s attorney, Lisa Daugaard, the witness OPA
referenced in its report was one of five witnesses, and the only one
who claimed Campbell made contact with the officer. “Yet, she’s the
only one that the report refers to,” Daugaard says. Additionally,
Daugaard says, the witness stated that it appeared Campbell’s contact
with the officer was accidental. Daugaard also says she has statements
from several high-school security guards—who were at the
stadium—who say police overreacted. “Numerous civilian witnesses,
who we will be calling at trial, say Toby did not hit this officer,”
Daugaard says.
Campbell’s trial is expected to begin
October 11. 
