It’s been a rough few weeks for the reputation of Seattle Police. Many would say officers have brought it upon themselves. Some have. But here’s a report from an incident earlier this year that provides a small story about just how hard the job is — and the benefit of having experienced officers on patrol in large enough numbers to get the job done.
The callout comes late on a Sunday night in January to a reported disturbance just a block from the East Precinct. The officer arrives to find a situation he has seen before.
Nothing dramatic occurs, but in the report, you’ll read details of an officer who comes into regular contact with the people who live on the streets around you — many of them time and time again.
According to the officer, the man at the center of the disturbance had a simple request:
The officer talked to the man, diffused the situation, and got back to work.
Like we said, nothing dramatic. Just an East Precinct cop who knows his beat dealing with the day to day — or night to night — on Capitol Hill.
Are we supposed to be impressed or feel sympathy for a cop doing a very ordinary part of their job in our urban neighborhood? OK, insert seal claps.
No, but I think this story does well to make the people that make up the police as much a part of this local news as the people that make up other things. I like that CHS is about people in the neighborhood rather than soapboxes.
Do you really think this article was really shared without an agenda?
An article that attempts to humanize the police and show that they’re really just ‘good guys doing their jobs’ is a response to the many recent articles that The Stranger has had calling out shitty behavior by the police. This same behavior was the subject of a federal probe by the Justice Department – and the Seattle police were found to be at fault.
When there is a light shining on negative police conduct – an article like this has an agenda and is shared on a soapbox.
Agreed. The title of the article says it all. Soapy.
We should stop harrasing the homeless so much! Where are they suppose to go anyways?
It’s not harassment if someone is being called out about their illegal activity, such as trespassing on private property. There are plenty of places for homeless people to go….public parks, day centers, food programs at churches, shelters at night, etc.
It would be harassing if the guy was sitting on a park bench minding his own business, but he was illegally trespassing.
I have seen many of the neighborhood cops dealing gently with erratic individuals. I feel bad when I hear about SPD’s bad reputation, because I think most of them (at least in East Precinct) really try. Although the guy in the story has had so many interactions with cops already because of his own misdeeds, it is great that he felt comfortable to call the police himself.
Most of them do, indeed, do what we pay them to do without abusing people in the process. It would be nice if they’d speak up about their coworkers’ misconduct. Or about any police misconduct.
Phil, don’t be shocked…..I agree completely!
Is Hill single and looking? And does he spell his name with a capitol H?
On a much less hilarious note, I was planning to get my bike tuned up at that place and now I don’t have to look up which building it’s in. Because it’s in the “Gay News” one, aka the reprint gay press release news building. Plus it’s good to know they have a tire iron. My bike might need that.
Try Tinder.
Tinder fixes bikes? Weird.
Thank you for sharing this story. Not good, not bad. Just life.
It is a very hard job, and the people who are willing to serve as police deserve our appreciation. I have been a part of the recent protests, but that does not make me anti-police; if anything, I think the Hill needs more police walking or biking the neighbor hood (and some TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT is extremely needed – it’s dangerous out there as a pedestrian!).
However, officers who abuse their powers, use excessive force, or show disdain for those they are supposed to protect, whether it be racism, sexism, or homophobia, need to be removed from duty, and those protecting the are part of the problem. Police who abuse their power should be held to a higher standard and appropriately charged and punished (fines or jail time), not protected. Paid leave and desk duty are not adequate deterrents, and do an injustice to those who have been wronged.
You are about to tell me how I am making this positive article and turning it negative. In reality, I am saying I want all cops to be good cops, which I would say is a pretty positive message. The only way we can accomplish that though is by not ignoring that the bad ones exist, and by improving upon our currently ineffective and insufficient safeguards. Improving hiring would also go a long way in ensuring that we chose those who want to help communities, not terrorize them.
Very well-said!
Maybe instead of arresting elderly black people and throwing them in jail for the night, SPD should focus on these “petty criminals.”
You have placed your jounalistic services at the disposal of interests who are turning America into a police state by the simple device of ignoring the conditions that give rise to criminality and then demanding increased police powers and the extension of punishment for poverty to deal with a situation they have created.
The article shows it is not a simple narrative of police are all bad, citizens are all good. A better trained and disciplined police force is needed, but the police can only respond to conditions on the ground, the national political issues you raise are way beyond the control of the Seattle police department.
This story reflects the professionalism I experience during my interactions with SPD. I can’t say the same for the local transients I deal with on a regular basis. Unfortunately, it’s difficult to get a timely response from SPD unless its life or death, because they are so understaffed.