SEATTLE, Wash. – Seattle’s mayor and police chief spoke to the crowd of protestors Tuesday night for the first time since a riot was declared by police during Monday’s protest.
One of the things Mayor Jenny Durkan addressed was concerns about officers covering their badge numbers to hide their identities.
KOMO reports the Mayor explained the bands were used to honor fallen officers.
She said they would change the policy so officers can still wear mourning badges while making sure badge numbers are always displayed.
Meanwhile, the Office of Police Accountability is reviewing video from Monday’s protest that turned violent to investigate the use of pepper spray on protesters, and Seattle’s police chief is vowing to make changes in crowd-control tactics amid continued protests in response to the killing of George Floyd.
During an online meeting with members of the Community Police Commission Wednesday, Chief Carmen Best said while she’s sickened by the horror of George Floyd’s death, she has a responsibility to protect lives, property, and the officers.
Best says she will make sure her officers’ badges are visible when they cover protests.
She also agreed to look into their crowd-control tactics, but she defended their need to wear protective equipment.
More than 12,000 complaints have been filed against the police since the protests began.