The city of Seattle has implemented a new policy that prevents police officers from knowingly lying to influence suspects, after incidents in 2018 and 2020 may have contributed to a suicide, and incited chaos during the George Floyd protests, MYNorthwest reports.
Following the two incidents, the Office of Inspector General for Public Safety and City Councilmember Lisa Herbold pushed for the policy change, which Mayor Bruce Harrell (D) announced on Oct. 30.
In the 2018 case, a suspect in a Seattle automobile accident committed suicide after an SPD officer lied in a ruse, falsely telling the man’s friend that a woman was in critical condition from the crash.
The man — who has since been identified as Porter Feller — had fled from the scene of a multi-vehicle accident in May of 2018. Two officers followed up at the home his car was registered to, telling his friend, Maggie Parks, that a victim in the hit-and-run was near death, despite the fact that there no actual injuries reported from the crash. One of the officers remarked to his partner, “it’s a lie, but it’s fun.” -MYNorthwest
“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,” said Harrell 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.”
According to Seattle PD Chief Adrian Diaz, the policy is the first of its kind in the US, and continues SPD’s “long tradition of public safety innovation rooted in accountability and a commitment to building public confidence.”
Remember kids, cops are allowed to lie…
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