SEATTLE, WA- Police officers in Seattle would be wise to follow the lead of their NYPD brethren and get the hell out of that city. Unlike New York, where the commissioner is at least sane and appears to be supportive of her officers, Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes is, from all appearances, an unhinged lunatic, joining the chiefs of Portland, Oregon, Minneapolis, Minnesota, and a handful of others among those who are an embarrassment to their badge and oath of office.
Last week, Barnes told a Seattle City Council committee that Seattle officers are required to provide documentation of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) actions, including video recording. Any officer who does not abide by the policy will be subject to disciplinary proceedings, KRCR-7 reported.
Barnes told the Select Committee on Federal Administration and Policy that officers who do not follow the policy could be placed on administrative leave under the collective bargaining agreement between the city and the Seattle Police Officers Guild.
“This would be a violation of our policy, a violation of the law,” Barnes told the committee. “They could be placed on administrative leave per the collective bargaining agreement.”
Barnes said any discipline would be based on recommendations by the Office of Police Accountability, a city agency. He said officers would be given the opportunity to speak with him before he would make a decision on any permanent discipline. In other words, he’s “letting” officers avail themselves of the Constitutional right to due process. How big of him.
Last week, the city council approved a plan requiring Seattle police officers to document evidence of alleged unlawful acts by ICE agents during enforcement actions.
The council’s action follows an executive order by unhinged leftist Seattle Mayor Katie Williams on Jan. 29 that directed police officers to follow a set of protocols regarding any ICE enforcement actions that take place in the city.
In what appears to be a clear violation of the Supremacy Clause, Williams’ directive tells police officers who arrive at any federal enforcement action to activate video cameras in their police cruisers and body-worn cameras. They are also “required” to ask for identification from ICE agents to make certain they are not “impersonating” law enforcement personnel. Those recordings would be used for “evidence” for prosecutors in any criminal investigation.
KRCR reached out to ICE, however a spokesperson declined to comment on Barnes’ statements. However, in a statement made to The Center Square on Feb. 27, she said the Department of Homeland Security will “not tolerate the obstruction of law enforcement efforts to enforce federal law enforcement policy.”
She also reminded the outlet that federal officials have filed lawsuits against several jurisdictions over their lack of cooperation with federal immigration enforcement officials.
The city will also post 650 signs prohibiting ICE from staging and undertaking enforcement actions on city property, again setting up a showdown between federal law enforcement officials and local authorities.
KRCR reached out to Kent Loux, president of the Seattle Police Officers’ Guild, who didn’t respond to an email seeking comment.
Former president Mike Solan, however, slammed Wilson’s executive order on X the day after it was issued.
Barnes told the city council committee that Seattle police officers are expected to do four things when they arrive at the scene of an immigration enforcement action: “Peacekeeping, de-escalation, rendering medical care, and documenting the incident.”
He also reminded the committee that while Seattle doesn’t approve of ICE enforcement actions, they have no power to stop them.
Barnes said he expects his officers “to do the right thing at the right time,” which has been his mantra throughout his career.
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