Tag Archives: Police Accountability

Voices

OPINION | The Affected Persons Program: Seattle’s Broken Promise to Families Impacted by Police Violence

by Castill Hightower

(This op-ed was copublished with Real Change.)

I finally felt some relief.

Almost 20 years have passed since my brother, Herbert Hightower, was murdered by Seattle police. Almost 20 years since we struggled to bury him and felt we had no voice or community. So when, at my instigation, the City Council passed legislation in 2022 to create an Affected Persons Program (APP) workgroup, I felt we would finally be able to bring some level of aid and representation to those most affected by police violence.

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News

NEWS GLEAMS | Trial for Manuel Ellis Continues; ‘Seattle Gay News’ Under New Ownership

A roundup of news and announcements we don’t want to get lost in the fast-churning news cycle!

by Vee Hua 華婷婷

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Voices

OPINION | Not Just a Bad Apple, A Rotten Tree: Jaahnavi Kandula’s Death Calls for Defunding our Corrupt Justice System

by Ruba Ayub

On Jan. 23, along with concerned community members and activists from King County, I protested at the Tukwila City Hall to demand the defunding of the Tukwila Police Department. We collectively demanded an end to the over-policing of Black and Brown people in our neighborhood. Our demands were crystal clear: Redirect these funds towards vital community-based services, such as affordable housing, youth programs, real restorative justice initiatives, and mental health services.

As we protested, heartbreaking news emerged regarding the tragic killing of Jaahnavi Kandula, a 23-year-old student from Uttar Pradesh, India. Kandula was struck by Seattle police officer Kevin Dave as she was crossing the street in South Lake Union.

Continue reading OPINION | Not Just a Bad Apple, A Rotten Tree: Jaahnavi Kandula’s Death Calls for Defunding our Corrupt Justice System →
News

Activists Demand Accountability as Trial Starts for Tacoma Police Officers Charged in the Homicide of Manuel Ellis

by Luna Reyna

On March 3, 2020, Manuel Ellis was pronounced dead while in police custody. After the Pierce County Medical Examiner determined Ellis’ death was a homicide, three Tacoma police officers who had been involved in detaining Ellis, Christopher Burbank, Matthew Collins, and Timothy Rankine, were charged with Ellis’ murder. Jury selection is scheduled to begin on Monday, Sept. 18.

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News

Comments From Seattle Police Officer Regarding Death of Jaahnavi Kandula Provoke Local and International Outrage

by Lauryn Bray

Last Updated on September 18, 2023, 2:37 pm.

Seattle District 2 Councilmember Tammy Morales called for immediate action and Mayor Bruce Harrell apologized to the family of Jaahnavi Kandula after bodycam footage showed Seattle police officer Daniel Auderer laughing and joking while discussing the 23-year-old’s death after being struck and killed by a speeding Seattle police car enroute to a call.

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Voices

OPINION | Debunking the Defunding Myth

by Gennette Cordova

The summer protests of 2020, fueled by police violence like the murder of George Floyd, brought amplified calls for the defunding of police departments across the country, at a volume that had not been heard prior and has not been heard since. The overwhelming backlash to those demands was swift and, in many cases, intentionally misleading. From country clubs to coffee shops, on the news and at family gatherings, out of the mouths of electeds and regular folks commenting online, a pronounced characteristic of post-2020 America is the scapegoating of imaginary police defunding for societal failures.

The truth of the matter is that there was never any change to our city’s police budget that kept them from paying officers or hindered their ability to prevent or solve crime.

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Features

Derailing the Defund: How SPD Manipulated the Media Narrative Around the 2020 Protests

by Glen Stellmacher

(This article was originally published on Real Change and has been reprinted under an agreement.)

While thousands of Seattleites took to the streets to protest George Floyd’s murder at the hands of Minneapolis police, calling for the Seattle Police Department (SPD) to be defunded by 50%, exclusive SPD documents obtained via public records requests reveal internal deliberations and backroom dealings designed to craft a counternarrative to those demands.

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Voices

OPINION | In the Fight to End Police Abuse, False Choices Help the People in Power Stay in Power

by Howard Gale

George Floyd’s brutal and senseless murder by Minneapolis police on May 25, 2020, ignited protests around the world on a scale not seen in recent decades. The degree of brutality and the police officers’ wanton disregard for Floyd’s humanity and life fueled the outrage.

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News

Unreleased Investigation Sheds Light on Police Use of Tear Gas on Protesters in 2020

Report reveals officers who made decisions to permit police tear gas use were treated only as witnesses by OPA.

by Carolyn Bick

The Emerald’s Watchdragon reporting seeks to increase accountability within our city’s institutions through in-depth investigative journalism.

The Emerald has obtained documents that reveal new information regarding one of the two open 2020 protests-related investigations into former Seattle Police Department (SPD) Chief Carmen Best. The documents the Emerald obtained are draft reports that specifically regard the investigation into the use of tear gas on protesters on June 7, 2020, into the early hours of June 8, 2020. The incident ties into the abandonment of the East Precinct on June 8, 2020.

While these documents are technically drafts of a forthcoming report by the Seabold Group — the outside agency the Office of Police Accountability (OPA) contracted to investigate the two cases involving Best — they appear to highlight several key points, based on the investigative interview snippets contained within. Based on the file names of the documents the Emerald received, Seabold submitted its first draft report on Oct. 26, 2022, and an amended draft report on Jan. 4, 2023. The Emerald will be focusing on the most recent version of the draft report, dated Jan. 4, 2023. Neither draft report contains conclusions.

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News

Seattle-Based Seabold Group Investigated Fmr. SPD Chief Best — Unclear Where Investigation Stands

Despite contract going into effect in August 2022 and expiring in December, SPD did not file with the City Clerk’s Office until April 2023.

by Carolyn Bick

The Emerald’s Watchdragon reporting seeks to increase accountability within our city’s institutions through in-depth investigative journalism.

The Emerald has learned that the Office of Police Accountability (OPA) retained Seattle-based firm the Seabold Group to investigate former Seattle Police Department (SPD) Chief Carmen Best over her actions and decisions during the 2020 protests, including the abandonment of the East Precinct, alleged improper deployment of tear gas, and allegations of dishonesty in the media. 

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