By
Maria Guerrero
SEATTLE
—
Two
officer-involved shootings in two days.
Under
old Seattle Police Department policy, the only investigators on scene would be
wearing SPD badges.
But
now, a police oversight group will be looking over detectives' shoulders after
shootings. The Seattle Police Department has a new use of force policy approved
by a federal judge.
It
went into effect Jan. 1.
In
it, the Office of Professional Accountability has a defined role that requires
in-person OPA visits to scenes where a person is hurt or shot by Seattle
police.
It
is a permanent change and recently received more funding by the Seattle City
Council.
Now,
as the SPD investigates its own, the civilian representative will be looking
over their shoulders during the investigation.
Pierce
Murphy heads up the OPA.
"We're
not saying that there's any problem with these incidents,” he said. “We're
there to make sure that the investigation is up to the standards that we all
want and expect. We're there to assure the public that the investigation will
be thorough and that the answers they get will be based on facts,” said Murphy.
Murphy
has responded to two officer-involved shootings the last two days.
He
was at the scene ensuring the investigations were handled properly.
"(I’m
there to make sure) the evidence is tagged properly and scene is preserved.
That people don't come in; things aren't moved. That kind of stuff,"
he said.
The
first officer-involved shooting happened early Sunday morning in Belltown.
Police
shot a man waiving a gun during a fight near Second Avenue and Blanchard
Street.
An
officer shot the man in the buttocks.
Murphy
also responded to the second officer-involved shooting Monday night at a bus
stop on First Avenue South near Hanford Street in the SoDo district.
It,
too, involved a man waving a gun and refusing to put it down for officers.
That
man man has life-threatening injuries.
Murphy
says before Jan. 1, his officer wouldn’t have a role unless SPD said an officer
or a situation needed to be investigated.
The
community representative says so far, his presence has been welcomed by the
force.
"Everyone
has acted extremely professionally," said Murphy. "I think this
is a really good change for the Seattle Police Department."
The
OPA will also respond in person to injuries at the hands of officers.
There’ve
been two incidents so far: A blow to the head and a fractured bone.
Murphy
said none of the incidents have turned into misconduct investigations, but they
all continue to be investigated.
If
the OPA sees fit, an officer or officers can be investigated for misconduct.
If
that happens, the OPA will lead the investigation.
