Op-Ed: Seattle Leaders, Keep Your Promise — Keep Cops Out of Schools
A group of high school student activists make the case we don’t need more cops in schools. We need more care, as the Seattle Student Union fought for and had been promised. The research is clear on what works.
Op-Ed: Latest Hit-and-Run Shows Harrell’s Failure on Lake Washington Boulevard Safety
A June 15th hit-and-run crash on Lake Washington Boulevard during a Bicycle Weekend makes the case for expanding the event and improving safety features on the boulevard. The reticence of police to investigate hit-and-run collisions may also be contributing to a culture of motorist impunity.
Op-Ed: Restoring Seattle’s Community Court Is Good, Pre-Filing Diversion Even Better
Reviving community court isn’t a simple fix for Seattle’s criminal legal system — pre-filing diversion programs are more effective, cost less money, and avoid the harmful consequences of prosecution. Here's one Seattle City Attorney candidate's plan.
License Plate Readers Proliferate in Washington, Bringing Concerns over ICE Overreach
Automatic license plate readers have proliferated across 81 cities in Washington State, and audits have shown federal agents and anti-abortion states are using Washington plate data to hunt abortion seekers, immigrants, and refugees. This is despite state sanctuary laws intended to shield such vulnerable populations.
Op-Ed: ICE Tactical Units Are Preparing to Deploy in Seattle — We Must Fight...
We need to be absolutely clear: we will not allow Seattle to become a testing ground for authoritarianism. And resistance starts with using every legal tool at our disposal. The Seattle City Attorney’s office has a central role to play in defending our neighbors and our fundamental rights. Here’s how:
Op-Ed: Seattle Police Mishandled Protests Again, We Must Learn from Mistakes
Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell called for an internal report after police took heat for disrupting a pro-LGBTQ counterprotest and shielding anti-trans protesters. Given a long-running pattern of police failures, the process must be public and rigorous to make a difference, Seattle City Attorney candidate Rory O'Sullivan argues.
Former Seattle Police Chief Diaz Sues City, Harrell for Retaliation
Last week, former Seattle Police Chief Adrian Diaz filed a lawsuit against the City and Mayor Bruce Harrell, alleging wrongful termination, retaliation, and wage theft. Beyond the monetary cost, the suit could be yet another political headwind for a mayor facing a tough reelection fight.
Op-Ed: Seattle Police Officers Guild is the Problem
The Seattle Police Officers Guild has continually sabotaged reform after reform. We can no longer allow SPOG leadership to remain an obstacle to accountable, constitutional policing. Seattle City Attorney candidate Nathan Rouse lays out what the office can do to help.