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Two Programmers Expose Dysfunction and Abuse In the Seattle Police Department
reifman writes: Programmers Eric Rachner and Phil Mocek are now the closest thing Seattle has to a civilian police-oversight board. Through shrewd use of Washington's Public Records Act, the two have acquired hundreds of reports, videos, and 911 calls related to the Seattle Police Department's internal investigations of officer misconduct. Among some of Rachner and Mocek's findings: a total of 1,028 SPD employees (including civilian employees) were investigated between 2010 and 2013. (The current number of total SPD staff is 1,820.) Of the 11 most-investigated employees—one was investigated 18 times during the three-year period—every single one of them is still on the force, according to SPD.
In 569 allegations of excessive or inappropriate use of force (arising from 363 incidents), only seven were sustained—meaning 99 percent of cases were dismissed. Exoneration rates were only slightly smaller when looking at all the cases — of the total 2,232 allegations, 284 were sustained. This is partly why the Seattle PD is under a federal consent decree for retraining and oversight. You can check out some of the typically excellent Twitter coverage by Mocek from his #MayDaySea coverage.
In 569 allegations of excessive or inappropriate use of force (arising from 363 incidents), only seven were sustained—meaning 99 percent of cases were dismissed. Exoneration rates were only slightly smaller when looking at all the cases — of the total 2,232 allegations, 284 were sustained. This is partly why the Seattle PD is under a federal consent decree for retraining and oversight. You can check out some of the typically excellent Twitter coverage by Mocek from his #MayDaySea coverage.
That is, until the video surfaces.
There have been enough high profile instances of police officers outright lying about what happened that I simply am not willing to assume they're telling the truth. Because often when a video shows up the police are proven to be lying.
If the good cops can't weed out the bad ones, then it's time to treat them all like children who can't be trusted.
If you or I did that, it would be perjury and obstruction of justice.
This is a police force which was already under a federal consent decree ... which means they've been acting like this for a long time.
Boo hoo ... the poor police feel all ganged up on because they can't break the law and get away with it.
You mean like the video in the Ferguson Michael Brown shooting case: "Ferguson Police Officer Exonerated in the Shooting of Michael Brown"
I agree that there are bad cops who lie in order to cover up their incompetence, poor police work, etc. But there are also cases where video would show that the officer followed procedure. In my opinion, Police officers should be begging for tamper resistant body cams. It helps the honest cops and would help weed out the bad ones.
Don't assume all libertarians find the police beyond reproach, or support the republican party!
The Libertarians have been the far right of the Republican Party since they nominated Ron Raul as their presidential candidate. At the time of Paul's nomination he had most conservative voting record in congress since the end of WWII.
In my opinion, Police officers should be begging for tamper resistant body cams. It helps the honest cops and would help weed out the bad ones.
Assuming the majority of cops are in fact honest 'good cops', we should expect to see some serious begging for tamper resistant body cams.
Do we? (Or rather, do you? I don't live in the US)
CLI paste? paste.pr0.tips!
Perhaps the law should be adjusted to say that when audio and/or video recordings of a police interaction should have been available but are not, then the law presumes the missing evidence would be exculpatory for the civilian defendants. Not that I expect any legislators to risk (a) holding the police accountable or (b) being portrayed as 'soft on crime.'