Posted on 05/20/2017 3:45:27 PM PDT by TigerClaws
When Seattle police officers write use of force reports they no longer call a suspect a suspect.
“Community member” is the new term. Several officers say the term is offensive, explaining their work with violent suspects.
Sources point to the suspect who shot three officers last month after a downtown Seattle armed robbery. When officers involved in that incident were writing their use of force reports they were required to refer to the shooter, Damarius Butts, as a “community member,” not a suspect, police sources said.
Police fatally shot Butts after they said he shot the officers.
“I think this is all in an effort to make sure our report writing sounds politically correct,” Seattle Police Officers' Guild Kevin Stuckey told KIRO 7.
The online use of force reporting system, called Blue Team, is used for more than just use of force reports. It also tracks the department’s administrative investigations and the Early Intervention System among other reports. A photo sent to KIRO 7 shows the Blue Team in a recent online department training.
The “community member” terminology changed for multiple forms – but it’s only in the use of force reports that officers find offensive.
“The change appears to be part of a routine update by the software developer, which services more than 600 law enforcement agencies worldwide,” department spokesman Jonah Spangenthal-Lee said. “The department’s force review section has not received any inquiries about the change.”
Changes after DOJ oversight
Department policy restricts officers and other department members from speaking to reporters without a supervisor’s approval, so multiple officers spoke to KIRO 7 to provide background. Kevin Stuckey, the Seattle Police Officers' Guild president who can speak publicly, said he believes the term "community member" is too vague.
“I don’t think you should have a broad stroke like that and call everybody the same thing,” he said. “I don’t think there’s anything wrong with calling someone who is a victim a victim, or calling someone who’s a suspect a suspect.”
Seattle Police Chief Operating Officer Brian Maxey said the changes are purely for accuracy. Labeling someone a suspect can sometimes be misleading if they are not suspected of anything.
At least through 2010, use of force forms used the terms suspect and subject. Blue Team was adopted after Department of Justice oversight of the department and the term “citizen” was coined for use-of-force reports. Now, the acceptable term is “community member.”
“Similarly, we don't know or inquire about citizenship status, so labeling someone a citizen is arbitrary,” Maxey said in an email.
“Neither term is confusing at all.”
So when do police use force on a suspect who is not suspected of violating a law?
“Doing a building search or responding to an alarm with guns drawn is an example, department spokesman Sean Whitcomb wrote in an e-mail.
“We might contact individuals who are not suspects, but rather subjects. Approaching someone at gun point is Type 1 force, and must be reported.”
Whitcomb and others didn’t specify how long someone at gunpoint has been a reportable use of force or when Type 1 use of force designations were first used.
Officers told KIRO 7 that Type 1 use of force designations came with the Department of Justice oversight, and pointing a gun at a person in such a scenario did not previously require a use of force report.
Department of Corrections made similar change
Changes in terminology are nothing new in Washington, and Whitcomb said “the words are synonymous and commonly used throughout the law enforcement profession.”
Last fall, the Washington Department of Corrections stopped calling inmates “offenders” and instead use the term “student.”
“The term ‘offender’ does have a negative connotation and significantly impacts a broad group of people and communities,” Acting DOC Secretary Dick Morgan wrote in an internal department memo, obtained by KIRO 7.
“Times change, and so does our language.”
However, that means Gary Ridgway -- the most prolific American serial killer who said he has at least 71 victims -- is no longer called an inmate or an offender. Neither are other murderers, rapists and felons.
The phase-out of the word “offender” started Nov. 1 and replaced with “individuals,” “student” or “patient,” the DOC secretary wrote to his staff. Use this link to read the full DOC memo.
“It takes time to change habits but I encourage all of you to make an effort,” Morgan wrote in the memo last fall. “Start by referring to individuals by their names (if you don’t already), practice replacing or removing the word ‘offender’ from your communication and presentation to others.”
In Seattle regarding use of force incidents, Stuckey, the guild president, said he plans to bring up the language concerns to command staff.
“I guess a community member could be the person who breaks into your car and breaking into your home or harms you or your child,” he said. “But who are we talking about?”
Even if this phrase Community Member catches on,
before long it too will be seen as ‘shaming or bullying’, then comes the search for an even more neutral new phrase.
Call them what they are; Accused hoods, thieves and thugs.
it’s like when a muslim in sweden rapes a white girl and the papers say-”Swedish man attacks...blah blah”. Houston man, group of teens, there was an altercation, the victim may have known one of the assailants, witnesses say blah blah. The msm has all this sh&@ on hotkeys
They are Community Members and probably Amish but, they are not good citizens and belong in a gated community....
Be on the lookout for a Community Member.
Don’t forget the next Two Minutes Trump-Hate, at 1900 sharp. I expect to see you there.
Get more range practice and call him John Doe.
Or Jane doe, or in this case I’ll even go with Zis Doe.
“Seattle Police Chief Operating Officer Brian Maxey said the changes are purely for accuracy. Labeling someone a suspect can sometimes be misleading if they are not suspected of anything. “
So I guess now the proper expression is this man/woman/?? is a community member of robbing a bank.
what if the perp is just visiting from out of town ?
“Community Member” = African. Got it.
Works OK for me, as long as that’s shorthand for:
Future Inmate Community Member
Community member is today’s citizen or comrade.
I suppose they are learning how not to get caught next time.
Ill stick with SAVAGES
just like letting those charged with felonies waltz into court with regular clothes and no handcuffs because we wouldn’t want the jury think the defendant is “guilty”...
God bless those officers.
Pussies.
I live in in a high minority - high crime city.
Some black community organizers complained about blacks being mentioned regarding crime.
So now when a bank robbery takes place and armed suspects are on the loose they say “two young males.” Nevermind PC bull might get someone murdered.
You have to go to the clues, “Wearing sports clothing. Closely cropped hair.” Or my favorite “light skinned.”
I guess it’s those white Mexicans at it again or the albinos....
The highlight of this inanity was when a serial killer’s race was identified as black via DNA evidence and the police refused to tell the public. Might have led to racism.
Are they trying to out-stupid California in the realm of PC nonsense?
Let's be consistent then. Seattle police officers should also be called "community members". Future headlines will read, "Community members apprehend community members."
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