New documents reveal deeper divide between Seattle, DOJ over police reforms
Jun 26, 2012, 5:35 AM | Updated: 8:30 am
Previously confidential documents just released by local
and federal officials reveal the divide between the City
of Seattle and Department of Justice on how to change the
Seattle Police Department is even bigger than previously
thought.
DOJ emails accuse the city of failing to address its
concerns over discrimination and accountability. And the
city flat out disagrees with the DOJ’s findings that
there’s a department-wide pattern of unnecessary or
excessive force.
After some confidential documents were released by the
city, the DOJ accused the city of trying to negotiate this
process in the press.
Although they express a willingness to work with
federal officials, city officials continue to question the
effectiveness of proposed fixes and the methodology used
by the Justice Department to determine its
recommendations.
“The fact that DOJ has limited its analysis to a small
subset of cases where force was used should prompt caution
in drawing broad conclusions from the evidence,” the city
wrote in one response to the Justice Department.
The DOJ is seeking a number of changes including the
hiring of new sergeants to oversee supervision, enhanced
training and an expansion of the internal investigation
process.
While officials won’t discuss specific remedies
publicly, details were leaked in May to The Associated
Press.
A mediator has been brought in to negotiate a settlement
and help avoid litigation.
While federal and city officials said they released the
documents to “increase transparency”, what they most
reveal is the chasm that continues to exist between the
DOJ and local officials.
“We are particularly troubled and surprised that the City
has not included any measures to respond to the issues of
discriminatory policing, community engagement, or the
City’s accountability system,” wrote Jonathan Smith, chief
of the Special Litigation Section of the Justice
Department’s Civil Rights Division in Washington, D.C.
Mayor Mike McGinn continues pushing the city’s proposed
“20/20” plan, which calls for 20 changes in 20 months.
Federal officials have characterized it as a “framework”
but lacking real substance.
