In Response to the City of Seattle's Motion to Withdraw from the Consent Decree
To: Mayor Jenny Durkan
Dear Mayor Durkan,
Beacon Hill Safe Streets believes that streets should be safe for you to walk or bike on, at any age, with any ability. Every street should be safe to cross. We believe in Vision Zero. We recognize that to have safe streets we must acknowledge and end systematic racism and over policing of People of Color (POC) and specifically the black community. Our streets are not safe for all people and one of the reasons why is because the Seattle Police Department (SPD) and its union, SPOG, continues to contest oversite. Over- policing, aggressive policing, and biased policing has impacted the African American community for far to long and it must end.
We are dismayed to learn that the City of Seattle has filed a motion to terminate the Consent Decree Sustainment Plan for the Seattle Police Department (SPD). We do not support the removal of Sustainment Plan. We are in support of the NAACP guidance, not to remove the consent decree. There are several reasons why, however we are highlighting a few:
To remove the consent decree will continue to challenge the fragile relationship between SPD and our community and
The City of Seattle is on the verge of negotiations with the Police Union, and we find that maintaining the consent decree will give the City of Seattle a unique opportunity to build confidence between SPD and their constituency
Maintaining the consent decree will support a platform to continue resolving significant issues of accountability which have not been resolved between SPD and the Seattle communities.
In addition, and while we understand the City of Seattle submitted their motion prior to the protests that took place, we hope the City of Seattle and Court will consider the officers role in creating riots and disrupting peaceful protest. We also hope the City of Seattle and Court will consider the inefficient and slow response of SPD Leaders and Mayor’s office to control and respond to an emergency being created by their officers.
Considering the points above, we are formally joining the NAACP:
“The Seattle King County NAACP opposes the City of Seattle and Department of Justice motion to release the police from remaining Consent Decree oversight. The NAACP-SKC will work in collaboration with the office of Councilmember Kshama Sawant and other community organizations to respond in opposition to the City of Seattle and Mayor Jenny Durkan’s collaboration with the Trump Justice Department.
The SPD should not be released from oversight while its police union contract rejects accountability measures.
Accountability failings in the Seattle Police Officers Guild (SPOG) contract mean court mandated oversight is still necessary. The SPOG contract appeals’ process evidenced by the case of SPD Officer Adley Shepherd, highlight the accountability failings that are still on-going. Recall that in 2014, while the SPD was under the oversight of the Consent Decree, Officer Shepherd punched a handcuffed and defenseless woman in the back seat of his patrol car. He was rightfully terminated for use of excessive force, but his job was later reinstated through a convoluted arbitration appeal process. The City has yet to address mechanisms in the police union contract that allow for officers like Shepherd to have seemingly more rights than the citizens they are sworn to protect.
The NAACP-SKC condemns the premature motion to end the Consent Decree and its police accountability oversight.”
Given the events that occurred on several days between May 29th and June 2nd, 2020 we will dispel with the usual pleasantries.
On behalf of Beacon Hill Safe Streets,
Robert Getch
Chair
Beacon Hill Safe Streets
cc:
Tammy Morales, Seattle City Council
Lorena Gonzales, Seattle City Council
Teresa Mosqueda, Seattle City Council
Carmen Best, Chief of Police, Seattle