Who here has been pepper sprayed?

[mister d]

Not sure if this makes sense, but I feel like I could have easily been persuaded to let this go earlier but now that they tried to decide that for you I wouldn't be able to. I'd atleast have to know who it was.

[sancarlos]

Maybe Seattle shouldn't have defunded the police.

Where is the outage font?

Nope

While the police department lost a little over 10% of its budget between 2020 and 2021 (mostly because 911 dispatch and parking enforcement were moved), it has been closing that gap since.

Tellingly, not a single sworn officer has lost their job or pay due to budget constraints. In fact, the department has consistently received more funding for hiring than it can spend. And yet, the myth that the police department was defunded persists, partly because budgets are convoluted and boring, and because it's an easy answer for the police departments' woes.

[The Sybian]

Maybe Seattle shouldn't have defunded the police.

Where is the outage font?

Nope

While the police department lost a little over 10% of its budget between 2020 and 2021 (mostly because 911 dispatch and parking enforcement were moved), it has been closing that gap since.

Tellingly, not a single sworn officer has lost their job or pay due to budget constraints. In fact, the department has consistently received more funding for hiring than it can spend. And yet, the myth that the police department was defunded persists, partly because budgets are convoluted and boring, and because it's an easy answer for the police departments' woes.

Your facts are meaningless. Trump said Seattle is a raging hellhole because they defunded the police, and so it is. Criminals everywhere! Like when Portland burned for 55 straight days, nothing left but a pile of ashes.

[DaveInSeattle]

I finally got to speak to the Detective at the Homicide/Assault desk.

He told me that they don't have the needed staffing to take on misdemeanor assault cases...so nothing is going to happen to the guys who pepper sprayed me. I asked "can't you even send some street officers over there to knock on the door and put the fear of God into them?". But no dice.

And they can't give me the names/addresses of the guys so I could take them into small claims court.

I resisted the urge to ask him would that have been the case if the guy who pepper sprayed me had been African-American.

[mister d]

"So you're telling me I can walk out of here and just pepper spray a few people without any legal concerns?"

[MaxWebster]

Seattle Mayor Harrell Cuts Social Safety Net to Fund 16% Boost to SPD

this fking frosts me - Dave i'm sorry. Is there any...alternate choices one could make? I would never advocate for such a thing but you know, i'm just asking the question.

[Nonlinear FC]

I finally got to speak to the Detective at the Homicide/Assault desk.

He told me that they don't have the needed staffing to take on misdemeanor assault cases...so nothing is going to happen to the guys who pepper sprayed me. I asked "can't you even send some street officers over there to knock on the door and put the fear of God into them?". But no dice.

And they can't give me the names/addresses of the guys so I could take them into small claims court.

I resisted the urge to ask him would that have been the case if the guy who pepper sprayed me had been African-American.

That's pretty wild. What mister D said...

[HaulCitgo]

Around here anyone can file a criminal warrant application in mag court to have anyone locked up. Probable cause a pretty low bar so that other door in the courtroom gets used a fair bit. Georgia is the outlier here but maybe worth a check. Also id think a open records/foia type request would get the names. If not a subpoena definitely would. Id show up at the guys door, fuck the cops but if youre more reasonable, this is what small claims courts are built for.

[Johnnie]

Can't believe I missed this thread initially, but this entire ordeal is why people turn to vigilantism.

You do everything right by the law and law says "Sorry, law's closed. Moose outside should've told you."

I'm sure you could go an extra-legal route to get back at him, but then you put yourself at risk.

I'm sorry you went through this. Hopefully the guy breaks his legs walking down some stairs. Fucking asshole.

[DaveInSeattle]

You do everything right by the law and law says "Sorry, law's closed. Moose outside should've told you."

That made me laugh...



I did email a guy who calls himself "The Bicycle Lawyer" (his office is right off the major bike trail in town), but I haven't heard anything. I also emailed my city council rep a week ago, but no response.