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Racial Profiling

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Kudos to the DOJ! Now On to the Hard Work of Reform

Kathleen Taylor, Executive Director
Friday, December 16th, 2011 at 3:36 pm
I returned, very happily, from the Department of Justice press conference this morning. The DOJ’s in-depth report confirms what the ACLU has been saying and what many people of color and others have experienced – that the Seattle Police Department has engaged in a pattern and practice of excessive use of force. Read More »
 
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Help stop racial profiling by the Border Patrol

The U.S. Border Patrol is supposed to secure our borders. But far from the border in Washington state, Border Patrol agents have been stopping individuals based on their appearance and accent — without any suspicion of wrongdoing. Tell your members of Congress to stop this illegal racial profiling. Read More »
 
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Yes, Race Still Matters in Our Criminal Justice System

Jennifer Shaw
Friday, March 11th, 2011 at 2:50 pm
Several years ago, comedian Chris Rock created a “public service announcement” called “How Not to Get Your Ass Kicked by the Police.”  The message includes obvious directions like “obey the law” and as well as tongue-in-cheek suggestions like “if you have to give a friend a ride, get a white friend” and satire about police reactions. This piece is funny because it is based on a simple truth known throughout communities of color:  If you are a black or brown man, you don’t have to work very hard to attract the attention of the police. Read More »
 
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Expose the Facts about Racial Bias in Washington!

Jennifer Shaw
Monday, March 7th, 2011 at 3:37 pm
Is the criminal justice system in Washington biased against people of color? Statistics from a new report may surprise you. Suppose a black driver and white driver are pulled over by police: Do you know which one is most likely to be searched? Do you know which one is most likely to actually have contraband in the car? Get involved and get the facts about racial bias. Take the quiz. We are working in the courts, in Olympia, and within Washington communities to stop racial bias, but we can't do it alone. We need your help. Take the quiz and spread the word about this injustice. Read More »
 
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Community Members Want Real Solutions to Gang Violence

Liezl Rebugio
Thursday, March 3rd, 2011 at 9:28 am
Eva’s son died from gang violence.  Every day she lives with an aching desire to hold him again.  But despite her grief, she opens her home to young people in her community, some of whom are at risk to be involved in gangs. A Yakima Valley resident, she wants to keep them off the streets and safe from the violence.   Eva is angry that her son is no longer with her, yet she wants more opportunities to help young people rather than sending them behind bars. Read More »
 
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Officer Birk and the SPD's Bigger Problem

Jennifer Shaw
Wednesday, February 16th, 2011 at 9:22 pm
I can understand why many people in Seattle are angry that Seattle Police Officer Ian Birk will not be charged with murder. If you or I intentionally shot and killed someone who was not an immediate threat to us, we would be charged with murder or at the very least manslaughter. But the law treats police officers differently. In 1986, Washington’s legislature passed a law that allows police officers to escape criminal charges for killing a person so long as the officer had a good faith belief that his actions were justified and he acted “without malice.” This law protects the officer even if his “good faith belief” was wrong. So, it is not surprising that King County Prosecutor Dan Satterberg believed that he would not be able to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Officer Birk murdered John T. Williams. Read More »
 
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Coalition Concerned about Racial Profiling Opposes Gang Bill (HB 1126)

February 3, 2011
A coalition of communities and organizations concerned about racial profiling is urging the legislature not to pass HB 1126, the omnibus gang bill. 23 groups have cosigned a letter saying the bill will encourage racial profiling and result in railroading vulnerable youth into the juvenile justice and prison systems. Read More »
 
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The Williams Inquest: Will Its Result Bring Justice?

Nancy Talner, ACLU-WA Staff Attorney
Wednesday, January 5th, 2011 at 11:54 am
On January 10, an inquest regarding the August 30, 2010, fatal shooting of First Nations carver John T. Williams by Seattle Police Officer Ian Birk will be held at the King County Courthouse. Reports indicate the police department’s Firearms Review Board preliminarily ruled the shooting was unjustified.

Does this mean the inquest verdict will be the same? Read More »

 
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Civil Rights and Community Organizations Request DOJ to Investigate Seattle Police

December 3, 2010
The ACLU of Washington and 34 other civil rights and community-based organizations are requesting that the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice investigate whether the Seattle Police Department has engaged in a pattern or practice of violations of civil rights. The action comes in response to a series of incidents in which Seattle police officers inflicted unnecessary and excessive physical violence on residents. Read More »
 

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ACLU-WA Calls for Change in Mindset and Training of Seattle Police

September 7, 2010
In the wake of the tragic shooting of a Native American wood carver, the ACLU-WA told Seattle leaders they must provide leadership in preventing overreactions by police. Among other changes, officers must be trained to understand that “appearing different” doesn’t make someone a threat to public safety. Read More »
 
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