The Seattle police officers’ union filed an unfair-labor-practice complaint July 25 over a mayoral order requiring officers wear body cameras.
The organization, known as SPOG, issued a press release stating that the order was a “clear violation of state law,” although the union was quick to point out that it was not opposed to body cameras.
Under the executive order, bicycle officers in the West Precinct would be the first to begin using the body cameras, followed by all patrol officers in the precinct. The rollout would then proceed one precinct at a time.
Seattle has been discussing body cameras cameras for some time, but the issue came to the fore again after the shooting of Charleena Lyles, a pregnant mother of four, at the hands of two Seattle police officers.
Ashley Archibald is a Staff Reporter covering local government, policy and equity. Have a story idea? She can be can reached at ashleya (at) realchangenews (dot) org. Twitter @AshleyA_RC
Wait there's more. Check out articles in the full August 2 issue.
Real Change is reader supported. Just $5 a month provides work for more than 300 active vendors and keeps community journalism strong.