Seattle revisits police force rules for crowd control
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
A police officer stands in front of a Black Lives Matter sign during a 2020 rally at Seattle City Hall. Photo: Noah Riffe/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
The Seattle City Council is set to vote Tuesday on new legislation that would allow Seattle police to use a range of "less lethal" weapons, including blast balls, tear gas and pepper spray, for crowd control under certain circumstances.
Why it matters: This vote is a key step toward concluding Seattle's 12-year federal consent decree with the U.S. Department of Justice, which mandates reforms in police practices, including crowd control measures.
Driving the news: Introduced by Mayor Bruce Harrell, the proposal seeks to replace previous ordinances that heavily restricted SPD's use of less lethal weapons during protests.
State of play: The earlier bans, enacted after SPD's response to the 2020 George Floyd protests, were later blocked by a federal judge after the Department of Justice successfully argued that restricting crowd control weapons could result in greater police use of force by officers left with only more lethal options.
- SPD has since operated under interim policies.
What they're saying: "It balances the city's obligation to protect free speech and peaceful assembly while maintaining public peace," Deputy Mayor Tim Burgess told Axios.
Friction points: Supporters argue that the new policy provides SPD with necessary tools to manage public safety effectively during large-scale events, emphasizing that the legislation includes specific conditions under which these weapons can be deployed.
- Critics, however, express concern that the policy could lead to misuse and injuries, citing past incidents in which the deployment of such weapons resulted in harm to protesters and bystanders.
The intrigue: Under the proposed policy, tear gas deployment would require a declaration of emergency by the mayor and could be used only as a last resort when there is an immediate threat to life.
- Blast balls could be used to prevent imminent threat of violence against people or significant property damage, with approval from a supervisor.
- Pepper spray may be used if there is an imminent risk of injury or significant property damage.
What's next: If the City Council approves the legislation, SPD will draft revised crowd management policies within 60 days, at which point they will undergo review by the DOJ and the federal monitor overseeing the consent decree.
- Upon approval, the policies will be submitted to the court for final consideration, potentially leading to the termination of the consent decree.