Police

Law & Courts

Charleena Lyles' family reels after inquest jury finds Seattle cops justified in her shooting death

A King County inquest jury has found that two Seattle police officers’ use of deadly force was justified when they shot and killed Charleena Lyles, a pregnant mother of four, as they responded to her 911 call in 2017. The jury, which returned its findings Wednesday afternoon, determined that the officers had largely followed department policies and training.

Crime

Don't call 911 to report fireworks unless it's a true emergency

King County and Pierce County officials are don't call 911 or the non-emergency number to report illegal uses of fireworks. You can report illegal uses of fireworks in King County and Pierce County online. Only call 911 in the event of injury, fire, or emergency,

Week in Review: Roe vs Wade, right to carry, and Charleena Lyles inquest

Bill Radke discusses the week’s news with Publicola’s Erica Barnett, Seattle Times Patrick Malone, and Puget Sound Business Journal’s Alex Halverson. We were also joined today by Eilise O’Neill.

Law & Courts

Inquest begins into police shooting of Charleena Lyles

An inquest began today into the 2017 Seattle Police killing of Charleena Lyles, a 30-year-old with mental illness who was gunned down in front of her children. Lyles' killing sparked ongoing public outrage. The petite mother of four was pregnant when she called police to her apartment to investigate an alleged burglary.

Government

Washington state creates process for public to seek police decertification

A new process in Washington State allows members of the public to seek the decertification of police and corrections officers , which strips away their license to work in law enforcement statewide.

Government

The unchecked power of the elected sheriff

Last week, a judge ordered Pierce County Sheriff Ed Troyer to stay 1000 feet away from a local Black newspaper carrier. The carrier, Sedrick Altheimer, had filed an anti-harassment protection order against Troyer. And this isn’t the only legal trouble Troyer is facing. Yet Troyer is still in office. And he says he plans to stay there.

Government

Who will be Seattle's next director of the Office of Police Accountability?

Seattle has spent years trying to figure out how to make its police department more accountable and transparent. That's a big reason the Office of Police Accountability, or OPA, exists. The OPA's job is to investigate cases of police misconduct - everything from dishonesty and rudeness from officers, to excessive use of force. Now, a new director will soon take over.

Government

Finalists for Office of Police Accountability call for more civilian roles

Seattle is hiring a new director for its Office of Police Accountability, which investigates complaints of police misconduct.

Government

Former Seattle police chief admits deleting texts in wake of 2020 Capitol Hill protest

Two years ago, the Seattle Police Department abandoned the Capitol Hill East Precinct, leading to the creation of the Capitol Hill Occupied Protest (CHOP). At the time, former Police Chief Carmen Best distanced herself from that decision. Whether Best approved the move remains an open question that is difficult to answer due to missing text messages. In a deposition obtained by Axios, Best said she deleted texts she sent during the 2020 protests.