Seattle Pursues Looser Police Hiring Standards After High-Profile Screening Failure
The Seattle Police Department hired a cop with a record of reckless driving who went on to kill Jaahnavi Kandula while driving recklessly. However, instead of tightening hiring protocols, Seattle officials are looking to loosen them further.
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.
How to Reduce SPD’s Budget, Improve Public Safety
I admit to having mixed feelings about the phrase “defund the police.” When I was working on community policing in the 1990s, police budgets...
Transpo Notes: Digital Ads Arriving, Security Incidents Trends, and Pessimistic Service Plans
This Transpo Notes roundup touches on a mix of transit stories, including:
New digital advertising screens appearing at Link stations;Security incident trends on Sound Transit;Sound...
What to Look For in a New Seattle Police Contract
The Seattle Police Officers Guild (SPOG) collective bargaining agreement has languished for three full years since its expiration at the end of 2020. That...
Seattle’s Embattled Police Accountability Director Resigns, Raising Reform Questions
Office of Police Accountability Director Gino Betts resigned amid police union criticism and complaints of harassment and creating a toxic work environment. The turmoil has raised questions about the effectiveness of the city's accountability system and the police reform it was supposed to advance.
A Perspective from the City Across the Lake
It was fitting for my first full day in the Pacific Northwest to start off with a cold and rainy January morning. As I...
Bob Kettle Alleges Safe Street Upgrades Hinder Emergency Response, Lacking Evidence
Seattle Councilmember Bob Kettle has asserted that projects intended to improve traffic safety can negatively impact emergency response. The data to back it up is not there.