Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn has proposed a series of police reforms following a damning federal report after a series of high-profile incidents involving minorities.
McGinn on Thursday said among the initiatives were training for all officers on use of force standards, the development of protocol to make sure encounters don't escalate and steps to address biased policing.
In December, the U.S. Justice Department said inadequate supervision and training had led officers to grab weapons such as batons and flashlights too quickly, intensifying confrontations — even when arresting people for minor offenses.
The department launched an investigation following the fatal shooting of a homeless Native American woodcarver and other reported uses of force against minorities.
Federal investigators determined Seattle police engaged in excessive force that violated federal law and the Constitution.
On the Web:
- Mayor Mike McGinn's plan
- The Seattle Times: A "collaborative effort" between the mayor, city attorney and City Council to create a unified response to a U.S. Department of Justice investigation into the use of force by Seattle police has unraveled, according to sources familiar with the talks.
