Federal judge dismisses Seattle police lawsuit challenging new use-of-force policy
www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/10/federal-judge-dismisses-seattle-police-lawsuit-challenging-new-use-of-force-policy/
Federal judge dismisses Seattle police lawsuit challenging new use-of-force policy
Reuters
20 Oct 2014 at 20:21 ET
A U.S. judge on Monday dismissed a lawsuit by Seattle police officers challenging new rules restricting the departments use of force, which they claimed could endanger both them and civilians.
More than 120 officers joined the lawsuit, which sought a complete dismantling of a new use of force policy hammered out between the Seattle Police Department and the U.S. Department of Justice to stem an alleged pattern of excessive force.
The officers lawsuit complained the revised rules, which went into effect this year, unreasonably restrict and burden Plaintiffs right to use force reasonably required, to protect themselves and others from apparent harm and danger.
The Seattle Police Department has been under federal monitoring since 2012 following an investigation into incidents in which officers appeared to engage in excessive force, particularly against minorities.