Seattle Mayor Promises To Meet With Protesters, Consider Changes

SEATTLE, WA — Mayor Jenny Durkan and Seattle Police Chief Carmen Best addressed a large crowd gathered outside Seattle's Emergency Operations Center Tuesday night, ahead of a news conference planned inside.

Addressing protesters from the steps, Durkan promised to meet with community members to discuss police accountability and ways the city can address concerns to build public trust.

"It will only be successful if we can find some mutual love and common humanity," Durkan said. "I know that it has to be earned. That kind of trust isn't here today, or you wouldn't be out in the streets marching."

When asked when such conversations would take place, the mayor responded, "What are you doing tomorrow?"

Durkan agreed to meet with representatives from the protest group at 3 p.m. Wednesday, and organizers told the crowd they planned to gather daily at the same time until real change is achieved.

While the crowd responded positively to Durkan's early remarks, shouts and boos erupted at other points, including a chant of "no more gas," referencing the police department's frequent use of tear gas during recent protests.

"Nobody wants there to be gas," Durkan responded. "The chief and I have talked about it, I think the officers believed what you did yesterday — the peaceful march — was beautiful. Nobody was happy with how it ended."

But the mayor stopped short of accepting protestors' demands.

"I'm not going to make a promise that I can't keep," Durkan said.

As the Seattle Times reports, the Community Police Commission recommended in 2016 that the department stop using such crowd-control devices, until a thorough review could be completed.

After Durkan and Best ended their remarks Tuesday, the crowd marched toward Cal Anderson Park to join another large group.

The fifth night of demonstrations followed hours of rallies Monday, which reached a flashpoint when officers doused protesters with pepper spray and threw tear gas near the police department's east precinct on Capitol Hill.

The Office of Police Accountability announced Tuesday it had initiated three probes into potential misconduct during Monday's police response. The civilian-led watchdog has received more than 14,000 complaints since protests began Friday night.

During the Tuesday news conference, Durkan acknowledged public outcry over officers' actions on Capitol Hill and pledged additional resources to the OPA and the Office of Inspector General to facilitate a thorough, independent review of each incident.

"Ultimately, we know that every interaction the public has with a police officer either adds to or takes away from public trust," Durkan said.

Chief Best repeated claims from the Seattle Police Department that several objects were thrown at officers before the response escalated. An incident commander declared Monday night's gathering a "riot," around 9 p.m.

Best announced a citywide curfew would remain in place each night, between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m., until Saturday morning.

When asked by a reporter whether officers were giving audible dispersal orders before using devices, like flashbangs and tear gas, Best said municipal code and police department policy require them to do so only "when feasible."

"I saw the video that all of you saw," Best said. "As we get complaints in, we review, review, review. What I won't do is rush to judgment."

Responding to public feedback

Durkan said she would immediately move to address two areas of concern raised by community members during recent protests. The first, being officers wearing black "mourning bands," which cover their badge numbers.

According to the current police department policy, only the officer's name patch, which shows the first initial and surname, must be visible.

"The public wants, apparently, to know this badge number, even if the name is present," Durkan said.

The mayor said she would work with the police department to change the policy, but cautioned the transition would not happen overnight.

Another change Durkan promised to pursue regards officers' body-worn cameras, which are turned off during gatherings where people are expressing their first amendment rights. Durkan said the policy was enacted before her time as mayor, with support from the ACLU and Seattle City Council, citing privacy concerns.

The mayor also promised to institute an enhanced community engagement process, to include feedback from a more diverse group as negotiations continue for a new contract with Seattle's police union.

"It's clear from what is happening in the streets, we need to listen to voice(s) more," Durkan said.

Meetings scheduled Wednesday

A pair of public meetings are scheduled Wednesday to discuss the Seattle Police Department's response during recent demonstrations. The first meeting will take place with the Community Police Commission, beginning at 9 a.m. The Seattle City Council will address recent events at their meeting, scheduled at noon. Both discussions will include public comments, which can be submitted online.