Community Police
Commission
Recommendations on
Seattle’s Crowd Control
Weapons Ban
COMMUNITY POLICE COMMISSION
SEPTEMBER 11TH, 2020

 

Why the CPC made these
recommendations


Background

The Crowd Control Ordinance requested
the Office of Police Accountability
(OPA), Office of Inspector General (OIG),
and Community Police Commission
(CPC) each submit recommendations
that include:


Suggested policy revisions to Seattle
Police Department’s (SPD) manual for use
of less-lethal weapons for the purpose of
crowd dispersal; and



Identification of crowd dispersal
authorization process that requires
Executive approval and reflects best
practices in policing to minimize harm to
protestors.

 

Background

Some community experiences with
Crowd Control Weapons


Dozens of injuries from SPD less-lethal
weapons were reported.



Many protestors were seriously
burned or maimed by blast balls.



Munitions hit journalists who were
reporting on the protests.



There were reports of infants suffering
from the effects of tear gas while
sleeping in their homes.

 

Background

Prior CPC recommendations were not
implemented




CPC repeatedly raised issues regarding
SPD’s use of Crowd Control Weapons

CPC’s Crowd Control Weapons Ban
report offers nine recommendations

 Recommendation
1:

The CPC supports the City’s ban on the use
of crowd control weapons during First
Amendment protected activity and
recommends SPD implement it as soon as
possible.

 Recommendation
2:

SPD should immediately revise, with input
from the CPC, OIG, OPA, and Federal
Court, crowd control policies and training
to comply with the City’s elimination of
Crowd Control Weapons. Over the coming
months, those policies and trainings, along
with all other SPD crowd control policies
and tactics, should go through a
community-centered review process that
incorporates input from CPC, OPA, OIG,
and Federal Court.

 Recommendation
3:

The City should ensure the Crowd Control
Weapons Ban allows the use of some
appropriate less lethal options, with strong
policies and accountability mechanisms,
outside of crowd control.

 Recommendation
4:

The CPC recommends the City work with
CPC, OPA, OIG, and other community
stakeholders to set clear, strong, and high
standards for when police and city officials
are authorized to declare unlawful
assemblies, riots, and establish curfews.

 Recommendation
5:

The CPC recommends in the event SPD
issues orders to disperse or declare a riot,
the authorizing officers should thoroughly
document and an agency outside of SPD
should subsequently review any and all
actions taken and resulting outcomes.
Additionally, we recommend to make all
documentation publicly available within 24
hours of the incident, effective
immediately.

 Recommendation
6:

The CPC recommends the City prohibit the
sale of banned Crowd Control Weapons
to other law enforcement agencies.

 Recommendation
7:

The CPC recommends SPD investigate and
make public the full inventory of the
Department’s crowd control weapons to
determine next steps of disposal.

 Recommendation
8:

The CPC recommends the City initiate a
community-centered review of SPD’s use
of force policies in collaboration with key
community stakeholders, CPC, SPD, and
the Federal Court.

 Recommendation
9:

The CPC recommends a review of SPD’s
strategic plans for disparities in the way
officers attend, appear, and use force
during demonstrations.

 Recommendations
1.

The CPC supports the City’s ban on the use of crowd control weapons during First Amendment protected activity and
recommends SPD implement it as soon as possible.

2.

SPD should immediately revise, with input from the CPC, OIG, OPA, and Federal Court, crowd control policies and training to
comply with the City’s elimination of Crowd Control Weapons. Over the coming months, those policies and trainings, along
with all other SPD crowd control policies and tactics, should go through a community-centered review process that
incorporates input from CPC, OPA, OIG, and Federal Court.

3.

The City should ensure the Crowd Control Weapons Ban allows the use of some appropriate less lethal options, with strong
policies and accountability mechanisms, outside of crowd control.

4.

The CPC recommends the City work with us, OPA, OIG, and other community stakeholders to set clear strong, and high
standards for when police and city officials are able to declare unlawful assemblies, riots, and put curfews in place.

5.

The CPC recommends in the event SPD issues orders to disperse or declare a riot, the authorizing officers should thoroughly
document and an agency outside of SPD should subsequently review any and all actions taken and resulting outcomes.
Additionally , we recommend make all documentation publicly available within 24 hours of the incident, effective
immediately.

6.

The CPC recommends the City prohibit the sale of banned Crowd Control Weapons to other law enforcement agencies.

7.

The CPC recommends SPD investigate and make public the full inventory of the Department’s Crowd Control Weapons to
determine next steps of disposal.

8.

The CPC recommends the City initiate a community-centered review of SPD’s use of force policies in collaboration with key
community stakeholders, CPC, SPD, and the Federal Court.

9.

The CPC recommends a review of SPD’s strategic plans for disparities in the way officers attend, appear, and use force during
demonstrations.

 Ques?ons?