A proposal by Seattle City Council this week to strip the police department of funding and officials could block roadblocks because of a permit decision with the federal government.
The proposals seek to reduce the police department by as many as 100 officers and cut nearly $ 4 million from its $ 400 million annual budget. The vote came after weeks of police protests in the city and across the country, fueled by the death of George Floyd while he was being held by Minneapolis police in May.
File: Police in riot gear storm a rally on Friday, removing hundreds of protesters by truck.
(AP)
The proposal for massive layoffs prompted Carmen Best, Seattle’s first Black police officer, to protest in protest, saying her decision was “about the utter lack of respect for the officers.”
Since 2012, the Seattle Police Department has been under a licensing decision with the federal government. The decision was implemented that year after the U.S. Department of Justice published findings of a ‘pattern as practice’ of unconstitutional use of force within the department, according to the city’s website.
It was signed by then-American Attorney for the Western District of Washington Jenny Durkan, who is now mayor of Seattle.
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The permit decision required the department to make urgent reforms, including on the use of force, training for deportation and new oversight with community involvement.
Reviews by an independent monitor have determined that the changes under the consent decision have led to a drop in how often police use violence. But critics have said the department’s actions in recent protests show that not enough progress has been made.
Durkan said the council’s pressure for dissolution would make it difficult for the city to fulfill its obligations under the permit decision – issues such as training, data performance, transparency or oversight, KOMO News reported.
Seattle Police Chief Carmen Best, center, speaks as Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan, left, and Deputy Chief of Police Adrian Diaz, right, look on during a news conference, Tuesday, August 11, 2020, in Seattle.
(AP)
Durkan and Best had urged the council to carry out their talks on police budgets, saying the issue could be taken seriously when the 2021 city budget is considered.
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U.S. District Court of Western Washington Judge James Robart, who oversees the federal agreement, issued a warning after city council passed the proposal. He said, “the court encourages the city of Seattle to remain aware of its obligation for consent decision.”
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Fox News has reached out to the Seattle Police Department for comment.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
