Seattle, DOJ reach tentative agreement on police reforms
Jul 26, 2012, 10:02 AM | Updated: 6:18 pm
The Department of Justice and the City of Seattle have
reached a tentative agreement on reforms to address a
finding that officers have a “pattern or practice” of
using excessive force, confirmed Seattle councilmember Bruce Harrell.
Federal officials set a July 31 deadline for an agreement,
The Times reported. Lawyers for the DOJ threatened to file
a civil rights lawsuit against the city if a deal was not
reached.
Both sides are still at the table hammering out details
about who will oversee the plan and what exactly a court-
monitored consent decree will include, The Times reports.
Reached by phone Thursday, Executive Assistant U.S.
Attorney Thomas Bates told 97.3 KIRO-FM he could not
comment on the report. He said the city and DOJ
officials continue to engage in discussion over reforms.
Mayor Mike McGinn continues pushing the city’s proposed
“20/20” plan, which calls for 20 reforms over 20 months.
Federal officials have characterized it as a “framework”
but say it lacks real substance.
A joint statement released by the mayor’s office Thursday stated: “The City and the Department of Justice are engaged in extensive and detailed discussions. Those discussions are ongoing.”
This is a developing story.
