Maybe bringing a box of doughnuts to a Support the SPD rally isn't the best idea?
Approximately twenty wives and family members of SPD officers gathered outside the West Precinct at Eight and Virginia on Tuesday night to show their support for the SPD and counter some of the negative press local police departments have received in recent months. The timing of this rally did not work to the SPD supporter's advantage. Last week, King County completed an inquest into the fatal shooting of David Young that occurred last August in Federal Way. Over the weekend, another fatal shooting occurred involving a suspect armed with a machete in rural King County. Monday brought news that improper handling of DUI cases by SPD has put dozen of cases on hold until an internal investigation can be completed, which prompted the usual line of excuses from Seattle Police Officer's Guild President Richard O'Neill.
The Seattle Police Department has a public relations problem that feel-good demonstrations like this one are not going to solve. A good argument anticipates likely rebuttals and signs like "Landlords Back SPD" only confirm the arguments of anti-police critics that claim law enforcement only exists to protect the rights of privileges of wealthy elites. Appeals to sentiment might not be the best coarse of action either: "my dad spends nights away from me to keep you safe" can be countered effectively by "a cop shot my dad in the head." If you want to be taken seriously, leave the kids and the doughnuts at home.
The fact that no minority officers were represented at this rally also reinforced a common criticism of police departments. A bunch of white suburban soccer moms singing "Stand by Your Man" won't do much to convince Seattle's Native and African American communities that they're not subject to disproportionate police attention based on racial grounds.
Additional rallies are planned for other Seattle precincts in the coming weeks.
Photos via flickr:
"... won't do much to convince Seattle's Native and African American communities that they're not subject to disproportionate police attention based on racial grounds."
ReplyDeleteBlack males committed at least 14 of the 28 homicides in Seattle in 2008.
Black males committed at least 12 of the 21 homicides in Seattle in 2009.
Black males committed at least 8 of the 17 homicides in Seattle in 2008.
Black males commit about 80% of all violent crime in Seattle.
Black males make up only about 4% (or less) of Seattle's population.
THEREFORE: If the Police ARE NOT "racially profiling" black males, and if they ARE NOT subjecting to black males in Seattle to "disproportionate police attention", then THE POLICE ARE BEING NEGLIGENT OF THEIR DUTY.
Ooops sorry that should have read:
ReplyDelete"Black males committed at least 8 of the 17 homicides in Seattle in 2010."