The Seattle Police Officers’ Guild, the employees union representing approximately 1,350 sworn officers, publishes a newspaper each month called the Guardian. Written by and for cops, it’s not online, not for sale, and not in newspaper boxes. Most Seattle residents have never seen a copy. But if they had been reading the Guardian over the past year, while the city grappled with several high-profile incidents involving officers using force against racial minorities, they would’ve gained insight into the views of some police officers.
Take, for instance, last month’s issue featuring an editorial by Officer Steve Pomper, who’s angry about the five-year-old program to train all city employees on racial disparities and profiling issues.
“The city, using its Race and Social Justice Initiative, continues its assault on traditional and constitutional American values such as self-reliance, equal justice, and individual liberty,” Pomper begins. “But more to our concern, the city is inflicting its socialist policies directly on the Seattle Police Department.”
What’s that “socialist” program he’s so upset about? Approximately 1,800 officers have taken a “Perspectives in Profiling” class, says Kathryn Olson, director of the SPD’s Office of Professional Accountability. The eight-hour workshop involves officers watching several video clips of potentially suspicious behavior and discussing how they would handle the situations.
Pomper described the experience this way: “The ‘Perspectives in Profiling’ class (or as one officer put it, one of our ‘de-policing classes’) served as a good way to learn what the enemy is up to. (Yes, enemy. A liberal after my money in taxes may be my opponent, but a socialist attacking the Constitution and my liberty is my enemy.)”
Not all of the articles in the Guardian focus on “the enemy.” Many feature nuts-and-bolts fundraising updates or retirement announcements. However, editorials relating to police conduct often contain incendiary themes: disdain for civilian oversight, the idea that city hall is too liberal for its own good, and an insistence that city-sponsored programs pushing for racial and social justice must be stopped.
Pomper says officers should “take the City’s use of Social Justice terminology and implementation of policy seriously and oppose it in every legal way possible.”
Even measured articles, such as one in September by union president Rich O’Neill, express resentment for public scrutiny of police work. He mentions the “media frenzy” after SPD officer Ian Birk fatally shot Native American wood carver John T. Williams. (Williams was shot in the side four seconds after being given commands from the officer, and his legal carving knife was found closed. This week, King County District Court is holding an inquest into the death.) O’Neill lamented, “It is extremely frustrating when individuals with zero police training feel qualified to voice their opinions on police actions.”
Then there’s a November article by Officer Clayton Powell, who works in the South Precinct, discussing the phrase “mother f**ker,” which, he argues, is a “commonly used street term showing endearment to something or someone.” He names a couple more endearing terms: “bitch” and “n***a.” (Asterisks are his.)
“If I can communicate with someone in their primary language… it makes me a more effective officer,” writes Powell. “Learn to accept and appreciate the direct method of in-your-face communication.”
Asked what goal this sort of rhetoric serves, O’Neill says in an e-mail: “It is called free speech and freedom of the press. Officers have those rights, too.”
Likewise, SPD spokesman Sean Whitcomb explains, “You’re always going to find a diversity of opinions in a union newspaper.” But he repeats in our interview, emphatically, that the department—especially the command staff—embraces the Race and Social Justice Initiative and knows that cussing at civilians is strictly against policy.
Still, that chasm between SPD’s brass and beat cops like Pomper and Powell is exactly the concern of ACLU of Washington deputy director Jennifer Shaw. “The messengers who are talking to the people on the streets are the ones reading the Guardian,” Shaw says. “I think comments like that send a message to people of color in our city that they are less valued.” The ACLU has called for a federal probe into an “ongoing problem” of Seattle police officers using force on people of color.
Not that all cops give a shit what the ACLU thinks. In a December article, East Precinct officer Chris Leyba writes patronizingly, “There are ways in which civilian oversight does benefit us. Wait! Please don’t break leather on those guns, ladies and gentlemen! I’m not an ACLU hipster or Urban League lackey in disguise.” He argues—after joking that cops would pull their guns out at ACLU leaders, African-American leaders, or people advocating more police oversight—that civilian oversight is fine, but he calls citizen review boards “sideshows” that lack any disciplinary power and exist only for chiefs and sheriffs to provide an illusion of citizen accountability.
Olson, who runs the SPD’s internal misconduct oversight program, says the articles don’t represent “a widespread culture” but rather “reflect the values of the authors and very few others.” Nonetheless, that is a perspective getting plenty of ink in the police union’s official newspaper.
“The intended audience is the police department,” says Whitcomb. “It’s very police-y. It’s specific jargon. They are writing to a specific audience.” 
At the request of the police guild, links to full articles from The Guardian have been removed from this article.
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Time to fire every last of these thugs and their brass and start over. They failed to evolve and adapted along with the rest of society, and can no longer be trusted to protect the public, since they see many of us as enemies.
It’s funny to hear cops bitching about socialism while they are drawing a salary paid by tax dollars. Law enforcement is socialist organization, idiots. You are paid by us. We own you, so show some respect for the community.
I must be very naive. I didn’t really think the characterization of most police as retrograde, racist dipshits could really hold true overall. Now I know.
Police are the gang we pay protection money to protect us from the non-police gangs.
So if they’re so damn disgusted by this liberal city and its attitudes, let ’em get a job in fucking Enumclaw or whatever hillbilly holler with “real American values” they crawled out of.
Dominic, I’d be happy to get the police union newsletter on the Web for all to read if you or someone else is able and willing to provide copies of it to me.
@ 3 Your statement is not far from the truth.
From:http://www.thestranger.com/extras/images/Guardian2.pdf
re: America in 1776
“America was exceptional then, and we must remain exceptional now.”
I think slaves, women and non-property owning males would like to have a word with you on the definition of “exceptional”
This is only going to pour fuel on probably many fires but please pass the full content on to every member of the City Council and the Mayor. This is pretty outrageous — why are they police in a city or region if they have an obvious and crushing problem with the norms of the society they decided to be police in?
It’s actually on the guild’s website, Dominic. Good job with your research.
Sounds like the city can save some money by eliminating frivilous expenses, like a police union’s newspaper.
In regards to the N-Word, at least theyre not dropping the hardy R.
@9: Link, please.
@9) The online archives show no update since 2009.
I see the article titled, “Just Shut Up and Be a Good Little Socialist” is online here:
http://www.thestranger.com/extras/images…
The third paragraph:
The final paragraph:
I’m sorry, I thought the collective voters and elected officials set city and police policies? This is ridiculous–the whole article is essentially advocating a revolt by the Seattle Police Department against the city’s own priorities, elected officials, and policies.
Seriously — you guys should contact the Mayor’s office and each Council member for a statement on this.
@9 That’s funny. I just went to the Police Officer’s Guild website and did see a link to the ‘Current Issue’ of the Guardian. It hasn’t been updated since April of 2010, and even that issue won’t load for me.
They do have the President’s Message up to May 2010 though. And the tone of those letters pretty much matches up to this article. The Police are the Good Guys and everyone else is just out to get them.
Funny, I thought their motto was to Protect and Serve.
I think it’s time for the Department of Justice to independently investigate the SPD and find out if this rot is as pervasive as it seems.
@12 Yeah, I just noticed the date of the President’s Message, and it was May of 2009.
“Yes, enemy. A liberal after my money in taxes may be my opponent…”
…also known as “where your salary and pension comes from”, officer.
So, if it’s okay for them to call me a “bitch” and a “motherfucker,” does that mean we can call them names too? Or will that get me a nightstick upside the head or a Tasing?
The Seattle police have stolen from us a national treasure in the form of culture we can never get back. The footage is chilling. The thought that a person could be shot dead in the street in an instant with no non-lethal methods administered. I am only left with questions. I sincerely hope this changes the face of our city. As a lifelong resident of Seattle I think some “cleansing” is in order as far as our public servante are concerned. However the problem may be some peoples motives to become a police officer, as well as fierce hiring campaigns and other such things. I hope that we can begin to hold officers as accountable for their actions if not more accountable than the public.
Officer Clayton Powell endorses using “motherfucker”, “bitch”, and “n****a” as effective, “in-your-face” communication. Would that be the same officer Clayton Powell whose ex-wife accused him in 2000 of being abusive, controlling, and demeaning toward women, and has a permanent restraining order against him?
I don’t know if he should be offering communication advice.
http://www.seattlepi.com/local/131879_co…
Dominick, watch your ass my friend. Please, honestly, be careful. Cops can be very, very vindictive.
Isn’t the very notion of a government-subsidized police force socialist in nature? Last I checked, my money is being taken from me to pay for law enforcement, without my explicit consent or right to abstain. One could argue that the average citizen could do a better job of protecting themselves through the purchase of personal firearms rather than pay for communal police protection.
Let’s let the free market decide!
Methinks some of these officers not only need an education in racial sensitivities, but basic civics, rhetoric, and introductory logic.
@22 and he is also a member of a union! Aren’t unions a socialistic anti-capitalistic organization? (according to teabaggers)
Some cops seem to have forgotten that they serve at the pleasure of the public. Or perhaps they never fully understood this to begin with.
The Seattle PD is a disgrace to this great city. There are a lot of unemployed, eager, fit, smart, ethical young men and women in this city. Fire these useless racist fucks, bring in new effective leadership, get some effective oversight, and hire some new cops not poisoned with this kind of shit.
To all of the leftist stakeholders…
The Guardian is the PROPERTY/PUBLICATION of the Seattle Police Officers Guild…. a union…
This has nothing to do with the City of Seattle period! There is NOTHING the City of Seattle can do about this.
The Mayor and City Council members are each mailed a copy of this each month.
Have you fine citizens ever heard of the 1st Amendment protection of Freedom of Speech and Freedom of the Press? Of course you lefties are familiar with the 1st Amendment because your type hides behind it when you burn the precious American flag, or want to call a crucifix submerged in urine as art…. And of course the Stranger rag knows the 1st Amendment protects their vulgar shit they print each week…. “Fucking in the Streets” etc.
There is not one fucking thing you can do about the Freedom of Speech and Freedom of the Press enjoyed by the rank and file of the Seattle Police Officers Guild.
Should the City even try to curtail that a lawsuit will be filed in Federal Court and the Seattle citizens will pay!
Before you run off at the gums about the author with the flowery N word…. better figure out how dark is skin is…… You may be shocked!
Dominic… How about we mail you a copy each month, or drop one by the 1500 block of 11th Avenue?
You people…. yes I said you people…. print what you deem necesary, and we the pigs will write what we want!
Tough Titty said the Kitty if you don’t like it!!!!
ROFLMAO!!!!! Cheers!
I love how one author calls the city ‘leftist’ and ‘socialist’ while calling himself ‘apolitical’.
That’s like saying “I’m not religious, but you are a witch and should burn at the fucking stake.”
@26: fake troll.
@26 – I assume you are a Seattle cop by the contempt you exhibit for those you are appointed to protect. (Lots of liberals in Seattle – good to know you hate them.)
You also seem dim-witted, seeing as you completely missed the point of the article: No one said you can’t publish whatever the hell you want; no one is trying to take away your first amendment rights – they are just dismayed at what is written.
We want good cops, not a bunch of assholes who believe they are above the law. Which category to you fall into?
@26- I didn’t see anyone say a single thing about having the government censor the private publication of The Guardian.
No sir, like most conservatives, you can’t tell having your moronic ideas criticized from being censored.
“You people…. yes I said you people…. print what you deem necesary, and we the pigs will write what we want!
Tough Titty said the Kitty if you don’t like it!!!!
ROFLMAO!!!!! Cheers! “
The issue isn’t that Seattle cops are allowed to write this shit. The issue is, the kind of Seattle cops we have choose to write this shit. I’m not sure how the Seattle PD got this bad, but it’s a disgrace.
This is pretty fucking disturbing! These are the people who are charged to “protect and serve.” More like divide and conquer. This shows that the department is completely out of touch and out of control. Mayor McGinn or Tim Burgess should be all over this shit. If they do not act it really shows who is running things in this town. The cops.
Until about 30 years ago SPD officers were required to live inside the city limits. Originally this was so they could get someplace fast in an emergency; but wouldn’t it be a good idea if they actually had to live among us?
Freedom of speech and freedom of the press are both guarantees against prior restraint. The idea that public employees can say whatever the fuck they want to without getting any reaction from their employer is nonsense.
soo cute watching everyone bash the cops but they’re the first ones you going crying for when you get robbed or your shitty passive aggressive hipster attitude gets you socked in the mouth at a bar.
@26 or @35 Right, Cops are just so special we shouldn’t criticize them or ever think they do anything bad.
Fuck, man, Cops are people and if we the people don’t oversee the Cops, then they can devolve into a gang.
With great power comes great responsibility.
We have to be careful not to paint the entire SPD with the same brush because of these disturbing authors. I know a lot of people in Law Enforcement, most of whom are humane, caring people who literally put their lives on the line to serve all of us. As in any sector of society there are people with strong and perhaps disagreeable opinions and unfortunately they tend to be the most vociferous. Let’s attempt to keep a balanced and respectful attitude so that real communication remains possible and the real issues can be addressed.
Please do not ascribe to the approximately 1200 members of the Seattle Police Officers Guild (myself included) the views of the three or four individual officers who bother to submit material to the Guardian.
@36 Moot wrote, “soo cute watching everyone bash the cops but they’re the first ones you going crying for when you get robbed or your shitty passive aggressive hipster attitude gets you socked in the mouth at a bar.”
I see this argument frequently, and I don’t understand it. We go to the police to intervene when someone violates the law. It’s their job to do so. We also complain when they abuse their authority and when they express disdain for us — their employers. There is nothing contradictory about these actions.
@37 DRSpamNot wrote, “We have to be careful not to paint the entire SPD with the same brush because of these disturbing authors. I know a lot of people in Law Enforcement, most of whom are humane, caring people who literally put their lives on the line to serve all of us.”
DR, could you please refer to one instance of the good apples speaking out against the bad apples at SPD?
@38 “serving in seattle” wrote, “Please do not ascribe to the approximately 1200 members of the Seattle Police Officers Guild (myself included) the views of the three or four individual officers who bother to submit material to the Guardian.”
Sir or Madam, have you submitted opposing material to The Guardian or elsewhere? Would you care to publicly (and non-anonymously) denounce the words published there with which you disagree? Until you do, your silence will be seen by many of us as agreement and complicity.
@ 37 but keep in mind that one of those authors (SPOG pres Rich O’Neill) was elected by all members of SPOG.
The problem with the race and social justice Initiative is that it tells cops and prosecutors to treat people differently based upon their race. Seriously. It wants prosecutors to take into account a persons race before charging them. That is why cops and prosecutors hate it. Cops and prosectuors want everyone to be treated equally, is that so bad? The author may use strong words, or even words that are offensive to you, but understand all he wants is equality. The pendelum has swung too far in Seattle. We worry so much about not being discriminatory to minorities, policys now intentionally discriminate against the majority. A white male can be charged with crimes in the city that a black male can’t. While it is just for suspended licenses now, it will likely extend in the future.
The concern over coarse language is a differnet entity entirely. Officers should be able to use strong (non-derrogatoty) language when it is neccesary. Imagine dealing with a violent felon who is about to attack you. Sometimes violent criminals would be more likely to respond to “get the fuck back” then ” please don’t hurt me sir”. Officers don’t want to call you names or hurt you. They just want to be able to use the language necessary to keep you safe.
You can hate on the police all you want and critizce them regularlly because of freedom. Call them names if you like, it’s your freedom. But no when you need a cop, really need one, that same cop is going to be running to help you.
@42- And the problem with the cop who wrote about it is that he thinks liberals are his enemies (not his political opponents).
I think I know why Seattle cops get gunned down.
@42 DBA wrote, “Sometimes violent criminals would be more likely to respond to `get the fuck back’ then `please don’t hurt me sir’.”
False dichotomy. “Step back NOW,” communicates the order without profanity or an expression of fear.
If it is just a handful of officers that are spewing this crap one would think that the rest of the officers would stand up and say something to them.
I mean if I were a cop, and just wanted to do a good job and help people (which there are many of) then I go and read that crap, I would say something, because I would not be lumped in to that stereotype.
But if the good cops just sit back on their hands and don’t speak out about the bad apples they really have no grounds to stand on. Their silence and passivity says it all.
This country has enough hate going on right now. If you have a voice good honest policemen and women USE IT. Please use it.
@42 the problem, though, is that it is the role of the police, and similarly the military, to enforce policy and law as decided upon by the people they protect and the elected officials that those people put forward. It is neither the right nor position of the police or military to either set policy nor law, excepting the application of policy to enforce the policies and laws that the people tell them to enforce. That’s it. The entire mission of the various “armed forces”, as they were, is to enforce the law that we ask them to, in the manner we ask them to do that. If that’s incompatible with their beliefs, they need to take their police work to another community.
@42, and I’m neither endorsing or denouncing things like the race and social justice initiative. The point is–that’s city policy, law, and the direction voters and elected officials in the city want. If a given city employee isn’t OK with that, well… they can run a city initiative to get it changed, or try to replace enough elected officials to get it changed. But, police, as a group, in their capacity as cops, don’t, shouldn’t, and should never get to make such decisions if those decisions override city policy.
@45 I have to respectfully disagree. Sometimes that works great without a doubt. But I’m inclined to believe that you are not a violent felon, and don’t understand that their are people that need to be spoken to using harsher words. I’m specifically talking about intense situations where the language is necessary to deter or prevent a use of force.
@47 Thanks for your intelligent response. I too believe it is the police’s responsibilty to serve the people. One thing we need to remember is that Seattle cops never made any commitment to enforce the policy or will of the city. They swore to uphold the laws of the state of Washington and the constitution. The intiative the officer objects to is not law. The law gives the officer discretion of enforcement.
I personally would not tell an officer that he is not allowed to follow his own beliefs on what is right. They hired him beause they believed he was capable and knew the difference between right and wrong. Officers need to be able to think like you and I and not be forced to blindly follow a public policy which borders on unconstituionality (I may have just made that word up!)
Public policy isn’t always right. Remeber that racially charged public policy once prevented blacks in certain areas or from using a certain drinking fountain. Civil rights activists, including public officals and police went against these policys. While the social justice programs are nowhere near the injustices of the 60’s, they are discriminatory and I beleive the officer has the right to stand against it.
Thanks again for discussing and not the all too prevelant name calling.
Why are the douchebags always the loudest ones in the room?