SEATTLE, Wash. — A police misconduct agency is on the watch this Election Day.
Law enforcement agencies in Washington’s larger cities are prepared to respond to unrest during the election tonight.
At the same time, police misconduct investigators warned that they’ll be watching the officers to make sure they handle protesters appropriately.
The Office of Police Accountability said its investigators and supervisors are on-call and ready to respond to potential misconduct and complaints.
They encouraged the Seattle Police Department “to allow demonstrators to freely exercise their First Amendment rights” without “creating unnecessary barricades or arbitrarily restricting movement.”
They advised demonstrators to protest peacefully and discouraged damaging property or inciting violence.