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Police and Public Safety

Protestors gather behind a police barricade at the East Precinct building, chanting “Hands up, don’t shoot,” on Sunday, May 31.

Seattle Council Poised to Allow Expanded Use of ‘Less Lethal’ Crowd-Control Weapons

A Seattle Council committee voted to move forward with Mayor Bruce Harrell's new less lethal weapons bill on Tuesday. Scheduled for a final vote on February 4, this bill is one of the last steps in Seattle exiting the consent decree, but critics are concerned it could impact Seattleites' constitutional rights of free speech and assembly.
A bus has Shawn Yim on its display.

Transit Workers Demand Safety Fixes as They Mourn Shawn Yim

The death of Metro operator Shawn Yim has prompted a broader discussion of safety on Seattle's overall transit system. Ideas for potential fixes are coming from elected officials, union leaders, and bus drivers themselves.
The pedestrian bridge to the University Washington campus looms in the background and a bus stop with two buses waiting at a stop light.

Metro Plans Reduced Service as Staff Hold Shawn Yim Memorial Friday

To allow staff to participate in a memorial for slain bus driver Shawn Yim, King County Metro has announced plans for reduced service Friday. Amalgamated Transit Union 587 is honoring Yim with a 10am funeral procession through Downtown Seattle and a memorial service at Lumen Field Event Center.

Chief Rahr Fires Seattle Cop Who Struck and Killed Jaahnavi Kandula

On Monday, interim Seattle Police Chief Sue Rahr fired SPD Officer Kevin Dave. Dave was driving 74 miles per hour in response to an overdose call almost two years ago when he killed graduate student Jaahnavi Kandula while she was in a crosswalk.
An empty driver seat in a Metro bus with a highway overpass in the background

The View From Nathan’s Bus: Shawn Yim and Keeping Transit Safe

Nathan Vass shares his remembrances of fellow driver Shawn Yim, who was murdered during a late-night shift earlier this month. He also urges leaders to prevent future tragedies with robust interventions.
Barnes is a black man with glasses pictured posing in a police uniform.

Harrell Taps Top Madison Cop for Chief, Fires Diaz for Lying

Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell has tapped Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes for top cop. Demoted former police chief Adrian Diaz, meanwhile, was sent packing for lying to investigators over his romantic relationship with his chief of staff.

Riders Plan Vigil for Metro Bus Driver Shawn Yim Following Stabbing

The transit operators union is hosting a vigil tonight, Saturday, 7pm at 15th Avenue NE and NE 41st Street in the U District, near where King County Metro bus driver Shawn Yim died in a recent stabbing.
Tear gas rises near the East Precinct building on E. Pine St. on Monday, May 1, as police disperse a crowd of protestors. (Photo by Ethan Campbell)

Harrell Proposes Rollback of Restrictions on Police Weapons for Crowd Control

The Seattle City Council is preparing to pass new crowd control legislation in January that would largely defer to police over use of "less lethal" weapons. These weapons are still very dangerous and should be tightly regulated, critics contend.