This is the Seattle Community Police Commission's weekly newsletter. We know keeping up with all the news about police reform can be hard. So every week, we'll give you a digestible dose of it delivered right to your inbox. If you'd like to unsubscribe, click the button at the bottom of this email and press send. 

Seattle approves big bonuses to attract new police officers

The Seattle City Council has passed legislation that will give up to $15,000 dollars to officers who have experience and transfer to SPD. It would also give $7,500 bonuses to new recruits.

One of the key promises of the legislation is it will be used, in part, to attract police officers from communities that are historically underrepresented in the police department. The CPC will be closely watching this program as it develops to see how it plans to fulfill this promise.

The CPC has also done a lot of work over the years in other areas to help improve recruiting by SPD. You can see some of that work below. 

Also read: 

CPC Report: Recruitment, Hiring, and Training Recommendations for SPD

CPC Report: An Assessment of the Seattle Police Department’s Community Engagement January 2016 Through Recruitment, Hiring, and Training

Seattle police approval ratings up, but issues remain

The monitor also released the results of poll conducted in January about the Seattle Police Department. 

It found that nearly three-quarters of Seattle residents approve of SPD. A similar poll was conducted in 2016 and found similar results.

While the monitor says the results were "generally quite good news," he did point to some concerning results. 

For example, Black and Latino people are still more likely than White people to have concerns about racial imbalances in law enforcement. 60 percent of Black people and 49 percent of Latinos believe SPD frequently uses excessive force. Just 40 percent of White people and even less Asian people believe the same. 

African American and Latinos were also more than twice as likely to report having been stopped by Seattle Police while in a car this year than White people.

The vast majority of African Americans also said SPD engages in racial profiling.

Read the full results in the report here.

Other Local News

• Nikkita Oliver: Too often, shooting victims get scrutiny that police don't

• Spokesman-Review: Mother of Otto Zehm leaves legacy of police reform after her death

• FOX 5 Atlanta: Seattle PD recruiting in Atlanta could impact APD

The Seattle City Council and Mayor's office are searching for more CPC commissioners to appoint right now. Know someone who should apply? Forward them this newsletter. Learn more about applying here: https://bit.ly/2GEgbQE 

National News

• VOX: Sacramento police officers will not be charged for fatally shooting Stephon Clark

• Washington Post: Sacramento police arrest reporter, 84 protesters at march against Stephon Clark shooting

• CNN: Federal officials say they won't pursue charges against former Oklahoma officer who fatally shot unarmed black man

• NPR: 5 Chicago Police Officers Died By Suicide Since July. Is The Department Doing Enough?

• New York Times: In tense political contest, police reform advocate wins NYC public advocate race

• FBI: FBI Preliminary Semiannual Crime Statistics for 2018 Released

Have any feedback or ideas about this newsletter? Email jesse.franz@seattle.gov