Do you remember First Nation Wood Carver, John T. Williams? He was an unarmed community member, shot and killed by a Seattle Police officer in 2010. This incident, along with several other serious incidents involving police and people of color ignited public concern about excessive use of force and bias in the Seattle Police Department.
Teen Feed has been given the opportunity to hear what you have to say about the Seattle Police Department (SPD). Teen Feed, working in cooperation with the Seattle Community Police Commission, would like you to complete a survey and inform you about upcoming policy changes with the SPD. The Seattle Community Police Commission will review the surveys and implement SPD policy changes necessary to provide fair and equitable policing. In the coming years, the Commission will oversee ongoing research to see if the SPD is enforcing the new policy changes. This community feedback process will continue until the Department of Justice is satisfied that all Seattle citizens are treated fairly and respectfully under the eyes of the law. Specific areas of review include:
– Bias-Free Policing
– Excessive Use of Force
– Unnecessary Stops and Detentions
– Reliable In-Car Video Recordings
We, the volunteers, community members, and staff of Teen Feed, are often witnesses interactions the guests of Teen Feed have with the Seattle Police Department. We advocate for youth by participating in these surveys ourselves, as every perspective – even positive feedback – provides unique insight into possible inequities in treatment. Please take a moment to complete a SPD feedback survey by Friday, October 2, 2013. Please note the community organization “Teen Feed” as the source of the survey (questions 19 & 20).
THANK YOU for sharing your experiences and perspective. Should you have any questions, please reach Alexis Lair, Meal Team Program Manager at alexis@teenfeed.org or (206) 229-0813.
The post Share Your Perspective on the Seattle Police Department appeared first on Teen Feed.