Should Seattle police pay out of pocket for excessive force?
Jun 22, 2016, 6:28 AM | Updated: 12:00 pm
The SPD settled on a $195,000 payout to a woman who was punched while handcuffed by an officer after she kicked the officer in the face. (SPD)
(SPD)
The Seattle Police Department has a history of settling with citizens for use-of-force incidents.
In 2015, the SPD shelled out $1.975 million for a 2009 shooting. More recently, the SPD agreed to a $195,000 settlement with a woman who was punched while handcuffed by an officer after she kicked that officer in the face.
Related: SPD union president says $195k payout proves ‘crime pays’
With that in mind, KIRO Radio’s John Curley posed the question: Rather than have that money come from the taxpayers, should that money come from the police pension fund?
“Then do you think the police would watch their own a little closer?” Curley asked.
Co-host Tom Tangney said the police department likely wouldn’t want to take on that kind of liability, and that it might not be fair. He said it would be like everyone involved in the “Tom and Curley Show” being penalized every time Curley does something bad.
Tom Tangney: “No thanks. I don’t want your bad behavior on me.”
John Curley: “Then we’d all watch each other a little more carefully. Because now, it’s oh, who pays? The taxpayer pays. Oh boy, I feel bad for him. But if you made it come out of the police pension, and they had a little pull, they’d be like, ‘Hey Steve, you’d better calm it down because it’s going to hurt all of us.”
TT: “That’s true. The problem is sometimes Steve isn’t controllable.”
JC: “Well, then you’ve got to get Steve out of there because Steve is a loose cannon and he will cost us.”
TT: “Self-policing police.”
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Tune in to KIRO Newsradio weekdays at 3pm for The John Curley Show.
