Seattle
officials say they have submitted their response to the US Department of
Justice regarding police reform. It comes after several days of rancorous
accusations from both sides about the possible cost and scope of federal
oversight. But community groups say only an independent monitor can restore
their trust in the police department.
TRANSCRIPT
TRANSCRIPT
In December,
the Department of Justice (DOJ) released its findings that Seattle police were
engaged in excessive use of force, often against minorities and the mentally
ill. The agency called for a variety of changes at the police department.
In March, DOJ
followed up with a confidential settlement proposal. Mayor Mike McGinn complained
that implementing that proposal could cost Seattle up to $41 million. Seattle
Police Department (SPD) says it can implement its own reform plan, called
20/20, with no new funding.
Seattle City
Council Member Nick Licata says he was surprised by the contrast.
Licata:
"I'm not sure how that pencils out, I'd like to see the work they've done
on it."
Licata says
there's no question the DOJ proposal calls for sweeping changes at the Seattle
Police Department. And those changes struck him as moving in the right
direction.
Licata:
"The objection that the mayor has is that they may be too expensive to
apply to our department. And that raises a number of questions — are they
unreasonable? Or are they procedures that we should have been following right
along and now basically the bill has come due?"
Now Seattle
officials confirm that they have submitted their response to DOJ. They say it
would allow for an independent monitor as DOJ has requested. That filing could
pave the way for a settlement or for a trial if the city and federal officials
can't reach agreement.
Bruce Harrell
chairs the Seattle City Council's Public Safety Committee. He says if the city
would focus on two goals, solid policing and transparency, he believes the
DOJ's concerns would be addressed along the way.
Harrell:
"Because that's the kind of work we should be doing anyway. And quite
candidly I don't think we have been doing that kind of both policy work and
executive work with respect to public safety."
Meanwhile
minority and civil rights groups have continued to call for a court enforceable
agreement with an independent monitor to resolve use of force complaints
against SPD.
Ernest Saadiq
Morris is a lawyer and heads the group Urban Youth Justice. He calls SPD's own
20/20 reform plan a half–measure and says it's no substitute for federal
scrutiny.
Morris:
"That being the case I think we need to basically allow the police to go
ahead and continue with the 20/20 reforms if they'd like, but at the same time
accept and embrace oversight to make sure it's done properly, as well as have
court oversight."
US Attorney
Jenny Durkan says McGinn has overstated the costs of complying with DOJ
oversight. She says when the DOJ appointed a special monitor in Cincinnati, the
cost turned out to be $3.5 million over five years. That monitor has been
mentioned as a candidate to oversee Seattle's reforms as well.