Details about this story

• Source: Seattle Post-Intelligencer
• Date: January 31, 2008
• URL: Read the story
• Bylines: Daniel Lathrop , Eric Nalder
• Topics: Local Government , Safety
• Data Types: Local Data
• Description/Excerpt: The Seattle Police Department hasn't disciplined any officers for unnecessary force in the past 18 months, during a time when it ruled on at least 161 force cases. During that same period, 12 other excessive-force complaints resulted in supervisory intervention with officers. The last batch of sustained force cases occurred in the first few months of 2006, when three cases dating from 2004 and 2005 resulted in discipline, including a suspension, a suspension that was held in abeyance for good behavior and two reprimands. The department takes disciplinary action in about 1 percent of cases where a complaint of unnecessary force is made. It sustains other allegations about 10 percent of the time, records show. Other types of complaints include abuse of authority, false arrest and discourtesy.
• Methodology: See explainer