Seattle’s ban on police lies is a “first-in-the-nation” policy, reports L.B. Gilbert, and applies to anything said in media or in any way that will “shock the conscience.”
Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell announced the policy change Oct. 30, emphasizing that the public trust lost during the use of these ruses outweighs any benefits gained by officers.
“Effective public safety requires community buy-in, and this new policy is an important step to build understanding with the public, demonstrating that for SPD operations to be successful, they must be paired with a commitment to unbiased, constitutional policing,” Harrell said in a statement. “This innovative new policy will lead to better police work thanks to the voices of many, including the media who brought attention to this tactic, community members who called for guidelines to match our values, and Seattle accountability and police leaders who developed a plan to make that vision real.”
Sorry to be a downer but this is the sort of thing that will conclusively show that cities have no practical or legal control over their police departments.
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