Tacoma mayor vows ‘meaningful, thorough’ reform to police department
Jun 9, 2020, 10:13 AM | Updated: 11:20 am
Tacoma Mayor Victoria Woodards. (Photo courtesy of the City of Tacoma)
(Photo courtesy of the City of Tacoma)
Tacoma Mayor Victoria Woodards released a statement Monday, affirming her commitment to “a long-term approach to reforming our criminal justice system.”
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Last week, Woodards called for the firing and prosecution of the officers involved in the death of Manuel Ellis. Ellis died on March 3, 2020, from a lack of oxygen, after being restrained by Tacoma police. A medical examiner ruled the death a homicide, but found drugs and a heart condition also contributed to Ellis’ death.
The Tacoma Police Union responded last Friday, claiming that the mayor was speaking “without an ounce of evidence to support her words beyond misplaced rage.”
The Pierce County Sheriff’s Department is currently conducting an outside investigation of Ellis’s death.
On Monday, Woodards said she hopes to “move immediately on interim measures we can take to make change within the Tacoma Police Department putting greater emphasis on community engagement and support in law enforcement work.”
“Like many cities across America, we must take stronger actions to remove systemic racism from all government institutions, including the Tacoma Police Department, and I commit to being a leader in that effort,” she stated.
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Woodards was not specific in terms of what policies she hopes to enact, but intimated that she plans to consult with the city’s Citizen Police Advisory Committee “to find ways to expand and strengthen their charge.”
“Through meaningful and thorough reform, the City Council and I will work to offer a lasting legacy to all the suffering and loss of life perpetuated by systemic racism and all other forms of marginalization,” she concluded.
This comes as Seattle Councilmembers have vowed to cut funding for the city’s own police department by as much as 50%, while calling for a ban on crowd-control measures like tear gas, flash bangs, and more.
