OLYMPIA, WA - The police department of Olympia will ban its officers from customizing their equipment in a settlement with the family of a man shot and killed in a 2022 altercation.
The city has also agreed to pay $600,000 to the family of Timothy Green, who was killed in the encounter, according to the Seattle Times. The Olympia Police Department is required to enforce policy banning the "personalization" of equipment within one year.
“The settlement requires the Olympia Police Department to take steps addressing the use of force, crisis intervention, and police culture," Leslie Cushman, an attorney for the Green family, said of the Monday settlement.
Green, a diagnosed schizophrenic, had stated his intent to "kill everyone in the town" at an Olympia Starbucks, spurring a police call from concerned witnesses. Officers sought to deploy a less-than-lethal device on Green after he obtained a Bible and folding knife from a backpack, with Officer Brenda Anderson firing three rounds at Green when the device failed.
Green had been known to Olympia Police Department officers previously, who had answered calls made in regards to his erratic behavior at least four times before the shooting.
Police had borne equipment bearing the "Thin Blue Line" insignia, widely considered supportive of law enforcement, during the fatal encounter. Another patch displayed on a squad car laptop was reminiscent of the "Don't Tread On Me" American Revolutionary flag.
An investigation by the Thurston County Prosecutor’s Office concluded that the shooting of Green was lawful and justified in December 2023.
Green's family has called for the four officers involved in the altercation to face criminal charges nonetheless, and sought for Washington's Criminal Justice Training Commission to remove the officers' police certifications.
The city has also agreed to pay $600,000 to the family of Timothy Green, who was killed in the encounter, according to the Seattle Times. The Olympia Police Department is required to enforce policy banning the "personalization" of equipment within one year.
“The settlement requires the Olympia Police Department to take steps addressing the use of force, crisis intervention, and police culture," Leslie Cushman, an attorney for the Green family, said of the Monday settlement.
Green, a diagnosed schizophrenic, had stated his intent to "kill everyone in the town" at an Olympia Starbucks, spurring a police call from concerned witnesses. Officers sought to deploy a less-than-lethal device on Green after he obtained a Bible and folding knife from a backpack, with Officer Brenda Anderson firing three rounds at Green when the device failed.
Green had been known to Olympia Police Department officers previously, who had answered calls made in regards to his erratic behavior at least four times before the shooting.
Police had borne equipment bearing the "Thin Blue Line" insignia, widely considered supportive of law enforcement, during the fatal encounter. Another patch displayed on a squad car laptop was reminiscent of the "Don't Tread On Me" American Revolutionary flag.
An investigation by the Thurston County Prosecutor’s Office concluded that the shooting of Green was lawful and justified in December 2023.
Green's family has called for the four officers involved in the altercation to face criminal charges nonetheless, and sought for Washington's Criminal Justice Training Commission to remove the officers' police certifications.
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Comments
2024-08-29T16:36-0500 | Comment by: Harry
This was a typical response to a justified shooting by police. It sounds like the city caved to the victim's family's lawsuit rather than defending the officers, something typical of DemocRAT controlled liberal administrations. And, what does the display of the thin blue stripe symbol have to do with how the officers did their jobs ? I guess this city panders to the criminals and demonizes their police officers ! Sounds despicable to me !!!
2024-08-29T16:54-0500 | Comment by: CHARLES
Unfortunately, this isn't the only time that the thin blue line patches, flags, etc. being banned from the uniform, vehicles, and even the PD itself. Sad state of affairs. What I think is contradictory is the BLM shirts, etc. can be proudly displayed and that's not offensive.
2024-08-29T21:36-0500 | Comment by: Don
One of the first police departments that I heard do this was the Campus Police at UW-Madison. I thought this was a police chief slapping her people in the face. Truly a thankless job for some people. I understand the university campus police bending over for radical students, but a police department within a community appears to be anticommunity. A bad guy's family complains about the police. Wow! Imagine this happening. I had three siblings that were criminals (one was caught & spent time in Attica before being transferred to a medium NYS prison). My siblings hate me (even as a retired FLEO) and disparaged me with other family members. They tell me that I was never trusted. If this were true, I could have arrested my siblings at least three times (we all know that when family members are involved, we are removed from the case). We (LEOs/FLEOs) do not get involved with family mishaps. When I hear about a bad guy's family complaining I am neither surprised nor moved. This is the way people who do not adhere to the laws of the United States and the state that they reside in will act. They do not believe in these social institutions. Many of us here are not impressed when police chiefs act in such a weak manner. Police chiefs need to begin backing their police officers. The job is difficult and today it has become more difficult. We need a friend in the “big chair” and not a super politician who cares about nothing other than their acceptance by politicians. Sad.
2024-08-29T23:55-0500 | Comment by: Michelle
I always find it interesting that the families of these people with mental illness don’t help them or want them around, yet when police have to deal with them they’re always there to file lawsuits. Maybe if they took the time to take care of the mentally ill family member they wouldn’t end up getting injured or killed. But then we all know that money is what it’s all about.
2024-08-30T08:20-0500 | Comment by: Gerald
What's next, banning the US flag?
2024-08-30T08:20-0500 | Comment by: Gerald
What's next, banning the US flag?
2024-08-30T08:27-0500 | Comment by: EDWARD
Can't wait for the first AI robot cop. Keep telling police they can't be human and see what you get!
2024-08-30T11:43-0500 | Comment by: James
GOOD, GLAD to see it .... The pig, blue line emblem is nothing more than the signage of a comminst, totalitarian, tyrannical, kakistocracy .... The pigs might as well be sporting the hammer and sickle .... OATH violating FILTH ........
2024-08-30T14:47-0500 | Comment by: Robert
Then they also need to remove all the rainbow bS off the patrol cars and off their uniforms. Failure to do is is discrimination and favoritism.