Seattle police reform: Protest, forum - and another dashcam
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SEATTLE - The community is rallying together in the wake of another dashcam video that some say shows yet another case of brutality involving Seattle police officers.
The protest comes the same day that Mayor Mike McGinn sat down with well-known civil rights attorney Connie Rice.
The protesters are concerned about accountability and transparency when it comes to issues with police. And the conversation started Saturday morning at a meeting with city leaders and Rice.
"Be very clear. You have some changing to do," Rice told city officials.
She has spent her career working on police reform. And Saturday was no different.
"Once you get done fighting, you realize that if safety is the first of all civil rights, you have to have the police with you," she says. "You can't fight the police."
Nearly one year after a Department of Justice review found Seattle police were too quick to resort to use of force, Rice attended a forum with the city's mayor - to provide her insight on the issues within the deparment.
"You are going to have to learn what cops do," she says. "You are going to have to respect what they do."
During the discussion, many questions were raised about a recent dashcam incident. Police say the man in the video - Leo Etherly- was driving a van spotted after a hit and run.
Officers say when they tried to question him, he resisted - and spit on them.
But protesters say the video is just another example of on-going issues within Seattle's force. The mayor says changes have been made - and continue to be made.
"This city will hold itself accountable for the actions of all its officers, and we have done that and will do that moving forward," says McGinn.
The city is also planning to form a community police commission. It will include various members of the community, and they will address many of the concerns raised Saturday.
The protest comes the same day that Mayor Mike McGinn sat down with well-known civil rights attorney Connie Rice.
The protesters are concerned about accountability and transparency when it comes to issues with police. And the conversation started Saturday morning at a meeting with city leaders and Rice.
"Be very clear. You have some changing to do," Rice told city officials.
She has spent her career working on police reform. And Saturday was no different.
"Once you get done fighting, you realize that if safety is the first of all civil rights, you have to have the police with you," she says. "You can't fight the police."
Nearly one year after a Department of Justice review found Seattle police were too quick to resort to use of force, Rice attended a forum with the city's mayor - to provide her insight on the issues within the deparment.
"You are going to have to learn what cops do," she says. "You are going to have to respect what they do."
During the discussion, many questions were raised about a recent dashcam incident. Police say the man in the video - Leo Etherly- was driving a van spotted after a hit and run.
Officers say when they tried to question him, he resisted - and spit on them.
But protesters say the video is just another example of on-going issues within Seattle's force. The mayor says changes have been made - and continue to be made.
"This city will hold itself accountable for the actions of all its officers, and we have done that and will do that moving forward," says McGinn.
The city is also planning to form a community police commission. It will include various members of the community, and they will address many of the concerns raised Saturday.
To all the idiots who say you should just listen, and obey what a "COP" says. You would have been the first to be beaten, illegally imprisoned, lined up and shot, buried in a pit, or go up in ashes in Nazi controlled Germany. If "ANY" police, or police officers are allowed to act like Nazi's, then we can all expect the death toll to rise by their hands. Let's just be glad this latest victim of absolute brutality wasn't native american, hearing impaired, and carrying a whittling knife. Or he would have most likely been shot in the back like John T. Williams, a Native American wood carver. I've worked with "GREAT" police officers, and even they are disgusted with these so called public service officers. It only takes a few rotten apples to spoil the whole batch. And the other officers who condoned his behavior are guilty by association. Quite frankly, this guy among others are a disgrace to the badge and the uniform they wear.
"This city will hold itself accountable for the actions of all its officers, and we have done that and will do that moving forward," says McGinn.
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Then today two officers were arrested for DUI, hit and run, then one of them tried to assault other officers during her arrest. So, yeah, let's see some accountability Mayor McGinn.
The media needs to be held accountable for their role in the perception of the situation.Â
Resist arrest and spit in the face of an officer will not end well for you anyplace on the planet.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uj0mtxXEGE8
Seattle P.D. officers: Â Take some stress out of your life and enjoy your career. Â Let the crime happen, take your time responding, and get there just in time to take a report. Â
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End the complaints. Â Do not be pro-active. Â See something happening, turn your car or your bike in the other direction. Â Let these citizen "I can do better" people handle it. Â Then come and write the report.
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Report writing never brought a complaint. Â When you get there and they are angry, just smile, nod, and pretend you care. Â Write the report, leave, go home - enjoy a night with no stress.
@sentryone or, how 'bout they do their jobs correctly and professionally? no need to kick everyones butt - if someone is a suspect, cuff them and move on. if these guys can't handle the strain of the job without beating people up, maybe they aren't cut out for police work....
@SwampThing If they spit in your face, what would you do? If that happened between the hommies in the hood then there would be a homicide investigation. Perhaps that would be better anyway.
The guy spit in the cops face! He got a lot less from that officer than he deserved. I hope the officer sues him.
 @DDG He says he didn't mean to do any such thing and after reviewing the video, it looks like prosecutors agree with him:
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"Etherly was charged Oct. 8 with misdemeanor hit-and-run and misdemeanor assault in Seattle Municipal Court. But the detective in charge of investigating the case wanted the spit considered for a felony charge, so the misdemeanor charge was dismissed Oct. 22. King County prosecutors, who handle felony cases and not misdemeanors, declined to file such a case."
from http://www.seattlepi.com/local/article/Dash-cam-video-fails-to-clear-air-4071778.php
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 @DDG Was the driver convicted of anything?
 @Larry*X*K  @DDG As I recall, the prosecutor's office declined to press charges after they saw the video.
 @Larry*X*K  @DDG convicted, i don't believe so, arrested yes, it was for assaulting an officer