Crime and punishment for all
If anyone were to assault a police officer, they would be arrested and put in jail immediately [”Group wants cops in video fired,” NWWednesday, May 19]. Why then were police officers — who were caught on video and audio assaulting an innocent citizen — not given the same treatment?
This is unacceptable and inexcusable. This tells me that police are exempt from the laws of the land and that there is an obvious and unmistakable double-standard here, which needs to be addressed.
Someone who is involved in a crime, but did not actually do something directly is often charged as an accomplice for aiding and abetting. The sergeant in charge could have intervened and taken action against the offending officers. His failure to act is no different from being a partner in crime. He is just as guilty as the cops who assaulted the Latino man.
Only after significant outcries from the public did Interim Police Chief John Diaz finally decide that he should do something. Why did Seattle Police simply do an investigation when the officers were caught red-handed violating the law?
This is another example of why we need a commission made exclusively of civilians who have complete authority over Seattle Police. Officers should get the same treatment as anyone breaking the law or should be held accountable to an even higher standard, just as a criminal who gets a longer sentence for a repeat violation because he should have known better.
— Brian Luther, Seattle