Labor Goes After Seattle PD

Over the past two years or so, the Seattle Police Department has been mired in controversy over several incidents of excessive use of force. The most noteworthy example was when a SPD member shot and killed a woodcarver in downtown when the woodcarver made a threatening move towards the police officer who shot him. There have been other incidents recent which finally caught the attention of the US Justice Department.  After a top-down review, the report was particularly harsh on the SPD, especially the senior-level leadership.

Now a influential labor group, the King County Labor Council, has called for Mayor Mike McGinn to replace or shuffle the SPD leadership.

The King County Labor Council urged McGinn to make sweeping changes to the command structure with SPD, calling the leadership within the department “deficient” and saying there’s a lack of oversight from the top down. (Source: Seattle PI)

The council might not be reaching far enough in my opinion. They are calling for changes within the department, which I think might be a good idea, but I think they need to look at McGinn. While it is true that McGinn is not the Chief of Police for the SPD, John Diaz, who is the chief, works for McGinn. Diaz does admit the DOJ report has merit and changes will be made.

Executive secretary David Frieboth writes that “this situation is particularly troubling, as it tars good cops with the sins of the few.”

He also writes that there appears to be a “pattern of excessive force that clearly indicates deficient leadership,” and “this absence of accountability reveals a major defect in leadership at the Seattle Police Department.” (Source: Seattle PI)

I do have to wonder why a labor group would stick their nose into an issue that really is kind of out of their area of expertise. While everyone does have an opinion about the SPD situation, a labor group is probably reaching outside their neighborhood by getting involved with this matter.

DOJ to Investigate the Seattle PD

This is not going to go well.  The Department of Justice (DOJ) is going to look into the Seattle PD’s “use of force practices, including treatment of minorities”.

Don’t misunderstand me; if a police department has a history of excessive force, especially against minorities, then investigations need to happen. But having the politically charged DOJ look into issues involving minorities is not going to go well. The racially charged issues at the DOJ are well documented here and here.

According to the article in the Seattle Times, the Seattle PD just might have some problems that need looking into.  Here is some recent history:

Michelle Malkin Is Asking For Our Help

Michelle Malkin is asking for our help locating her missing cousin, who is a student at the University of Washington. Marizela Perez has been missing Saturday afternoon. Her parents have filed a missing persons report. Please read here for all the information needed to be of assistance. If you are able to provide any information, please contact the Seattle Police Department.

More Protests Turn Violent

Protest against Seattle perceived police brutality turned violent last weekend. Kind of ironic that a group that would protest violence would use violence to make their point. When one considers recent events in Wisconsin, Ohio, Massachusetts, and other locations in recent days, it is really not surprising that a protest that involves the left would turn violent.

 There is a bright side to the lefty violence if you choose to look for it. It means they are losing the battle for America. As the right continues it slow and steady march to regain control of our country the left sees they are losing. Since words have not been able to either hold or convince people the left way is the best way, they need to resort to these tactics. I just hope that no one gets seriously hurt or killed by these nut jobs as they continue to try to drown out the voice of the right.