Feds Scrutinize Seattle Cops (But Don’t Expect a Lawsuit)

The US Department of Justice is now launching a preliminary review of the Seattle Police Department, stemming from complaints that officers are using excessive force, particularly against racial minorities. A rash of caught-on-video incidents in 2010 triggered the scrutiny, including an officer beating an inmate, another cop threatening to beat a Latino man, an undercover agent kicking a cooperating suspect, and Officer Ian Birk killing Native American woodcarver John T. Williams.

Depending on what investigators uncover—in the course of interviewing police officers, city officials, and advocacy organizations—they may proceed to a full-scale probe of the police department. But either way, don’t expect a federal lawsuit against the Seattle police.

US Attorney Jenny Durkan, the top prosecutor in Western Washington, says that if the Justice Department takes any official action, it would likely conclude by making recommendations. The feds would provide guidance on the appropriate use of force, de-escalation tactics, and training.

In contrast, court-mandated reforms of police departments take years to implement and create an adversarial culture between police officers and those they serve, Durkan notes. “Sometimes that [route] is all the Department of Justice has,” she says. “But that is not what we have in this situation.”

Nonetheless, the ACLU of Washington, which requested the investigation—along with 34 other organizations—in December, says that even recommendations would be welcome. And Mayor Mike McGinn is grateful even for the preliminary review: “We think elevating these issues and bringing some sunshine to them is a good thing.”