Report Calls on Seattle Cops to Rethink Use of ‘Less-Lethal’ Weaponry
In its second “Sentinel Event Review” report, Seattle’s Office of Inspector General for Public Safety has offered 26 recommendations to the Seattle Police Department that include rebuilding trust with the community, improving its communication with protesters, and modifying its use of less-lethal and chemical munitions in crowd settings.
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Seattle’s Office of Inspector General for Public Safety has released its second “Sentinel Event Review” report, offering 26 recommendations to the Seattle Police Department that include rebuilding trust with the community, improving its communication with protesters, and modifying its use of less-lethal and chemical munitions in a crowd, reports the Seattle Times. The report and critique of the department’s response during the six-day period between June 2-7, 2021, when protesters gathered at SPD barricades around the East Precinct and police deployed tear gas and blast balls, said that in some instances used weapons in ways that “deviated from policy,” eroding trust between SPD and the community.
However, some members of the panel, made up of SPD representatives and community members, argued having options like tear gas reduces the need for more aggressive tools like batons to disperse a crowd, while others disagreed. One recommendation called upon SPD and the City Council to restrict the use of tear gas to only “full-scale riot situations involving violence” and advised not using weapons like tear gas “solely in defense of property. The report stated the barriers erected around the department’s East Precinct became “hot spots” for conflict that escalated tension with protesters. The review committee also acknowledged officers had been working extended shifts without time off for 11 consecutive days by June 7. Panelists were not able to agree on what force options are appropriate for crowd facilitation.
