Police and Public Safety

The death of Metro operator Shawn Yim has prompted a broader discussion of safety on Seattle's overall transit system. Ideas for potential fixes are coming from elected officials, union leaders, and bus drivers themselves.

To allow staff to participate in a memorial for slain bus driver Shawn Yim, King County Metro has announced plans for reduced service Friday. Amalgamated Transit Union 587 is honoring Yim with a 10am funeral procession through Downtown Seattle and a memorial service at Lumen Field Event Center.

On Monday, interim Seattle Police Chief Sue Rahr fired SPD Officer Kevin Dave. Dave was driving 74 miles per hour in response to an overdose call almost two years ago when he killed graduate student Jaahnavi Kandula while she was in a crosswalk.

Nathan Vass shares his remembrances of fellow driver Shawn Yim, who was murdered during a late-night shift earlier this month. He also urges leaders to prevent future tragedies with robust interventions.

Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell has tapped Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes for top cop. Demoted former police chief Adrian Diaz, meanwhile, was sent packing for lying to investigators over his romantic relationship with his chief of staff.

The transit operators union is hosting a vigil tonight, Saturday, 7pm at 15th Avenue NE and NE 41st Street in the U District, near where King County Metro bus driver Shawn Yim died in a recent stabbing.

The Seattle City Council is preparing to pass new crowd control legislation in January that would largely defer to police over use of "less lethal" weapons. These weapons are still very dangerous and should be tightly regulated, critics contend.

Rory O'Sullivan is a long-time Democratic party leader and legal aid attorney. He's challenging Republican Seattle City Attorney Ann Davison, who he sees as ineffective and out of step with Seattle values.