Seattle, feds seek to end most oversight of city’s police

By GENE JOHNSON
Associated Press

SEATTLE (AP) — The U.S. Justice Department and Seattle officials have asked a judge to end most federal oversight of the city’s police department. They say Seattle’s sustained, decade-long reform efforts are a model for cities around the country whose law enforcement agencies face federal civil rights investigations. Seattle has overhauled virtually all aspects of its police department since the Justice Department found in 2011 that officers were too quick to use force. Officials say the use of serious force is down 60% since then. U.S. District Judge James Robart would continue to oversee reform work in two key areas, however, police accountability and crowd control.