"Community groups say proposed Seattle Police reforms lacking" (with video)

Linda Byron (KING 5 News),with video (03:29):

The fatal police shooting of native woodcarver John T Williams. An undercover officer kicking an African American teen who appears to be surrendering. A veteran gang detective using racially charged language. These and other cases were at the heart of the ACLU's call for a federal investigation into the Seattle Police Department's use of excessive force. "It showed a pretty consistent pattern that people of color were being targeted,” said Jennifer Shaw, Deputy Director, ACLU of Washington. The Department of Justice is pushing for a Consent Decree - a court enforced settlement with the City of Seattle - for major reforms in how police officers do their jobs. Yet the city's proposal - recently delivered to Justice - deals only with curtailing excessive force. It says nothing about ways to ensure minorities aren't treated differently. "And that signals to the communities of color in Seattle that they aren't important enough to be included in these very important documents,” said Shaw. MORE...