Does this sound familiar, THE SEATTLE POLICE DOESN"T FEEL THST THEY WERE GIVEN ENOUGH INFO TO PREPARE

greenspun.com : LUSENET : TimeBomb 2000 (Y2000) : One Thread
Police officer, blames city's poor planning Editor's note: Brett Smith is a 10-year veteran of the Seattle Police Department, stationed in the West Precinct. This week, the former University of Washington football player stood on the volatile front lines of the World Trade Organization protests - downtown and on Capitol Hill.

Taunted and spit on by demonstrators, Smith's squad was one of the first to use tear gas and make arrests. Upset over Mayor Paul Schell's apologies over police actions, he felt compelled to speak out.

This is his account, which he provided to P-1 report* Dan Raley:

This started at roll call in September when the mayor came to talk to us, to let us ask questions about WTO. Officers told him we don't have the right equipment. We were worried we weren't going to get the hockey gear, the shin guards, that we needed or that only certain people were going to get it. The mayor got defensive. He started berating officer-s. He said, "If you can't do the job, well get somebody who can." To me, that was so unbelievable. In October, we had our mandatory nine-hour riot training and Assistant Chief (Ed) Joiner was there. We had a question-and-answer session. Someone said, "Don't we expect violent protests?" He said, "No, there's nothing to worry about. It won't be violent." Questions were asked in so many ways about how we were prepared. In reading the papers, the protesters had said they were going to disrupt the meetings and we had better be prepared. There was no doubt in my mind, we weren't prepared. We heard that officials from Geneva, where the WTO had been held before, had offered to tell us what happened and how they dealt with it and the department said, "We don't need your assistance, we've got it covered." We had some follow-up meetings and an officer whose brother works for King County said there was FBI and Secret Service in their riot training sessions and they were told to fully anticipate that five to six officers would be lost during the protests, either seriously injured or killed. We asked about this and were told by our commander not to spread rumors. We knew it was true, that the King County officers had been told that, yet we were sitting and hearing nothing was going to happen. We felt like the department wasn't sharing everything with us.

I was in the trenches for two days and I was in the middle of it. Whenever we used tear gas or bullets with pepper gas, we warned people. We gave them five minutes to leave. When the first gas was deployed, we already were getting bottles thrown at us. That's what's bothering me: Now we're being the ones accused of causing this, and we were told in our meetings, "Don't be the spark." Nothing but professionalism was displayed by our officers. There was incredible patience as we took taunts and had things thrown at us. There was a bottle that was thrown at me and missed, cutting another officer. There was a guy spitting at me and I couldn't do anything. -1 couldn't be the spark. I took it.

To hear how the officers were out of hand is hard to take. We were ordered to hold our ground. It was embarrassing for me as a police officer to see a foreign delegate, 3 feet away from me, getting grabbed by protesters and pleading with me to do something, and I had to hold my ground.

There were no contingency plans for breaks or food, and that was demoralizing. We were told we would get one meal for every 12 hours we were out there, but we weren't fed, not until the state of emergency was called. The people at the Sheraton were great; they brought sandwiches down to the line and fed us. In roll call, we were told there would be accommodations. What we got were a couple of chairs in the parking lot of the convention center, and a cold parking garage, with no heaters and no carpet. Or we got five minutes on a knee. Right away, they're treating us like second-class citizens. There was no plan to clean our uniforms if they had tear gas on them'. 90 the next day, we went out there with tear gas on our uniforms. We weren't prepared.

Before the WTO conference, all we were saying was, "We needed to be prepared." But it seemed like they closed their eyes and said, "I hope nothing happens, I hope nothing happens."

I feel the field commander, Capt. (Jim) Pugel, did an excellent job. He was a great leader. We had confidence in him. Our lieutenant, Mike Sanford, also did an excellent job. But they didn't seem to have support. There was no command center to tell where all the troops were. Our leaders in the field did the best job they could. We're so upset our squad of 10 or 11 wants to do our own protest march when this is all over. After being on the front line, I just want to say, "You know, mayor, if you feel you can't do the job, maybe you should find somebody who can..

So there, The sheeple aren't the only ones wo are being told - "now be good, believe us, it won't be bad"

I wonder if any of them equate what they were told with what they are told of Y2K??

Robert

-- Same as B4 (NWphotog@Foxcomm.net), December 06, 1999

Answers

The whole world was watching as the Men In Black spray painted reporters' camera lenses with Black Paint, and then went on a window breaking rampage.

The whole world watched as these thugs went UNMOLESTED by the

Seattle Pigs

while innocents were gassed and beaten.

The world will NEVER forget the Police Procured Police Riot!!

-- Z (Z@Z.Z), December 06, 1999.

Z,

Go pound sand! The cops did a great job, putting up w/all the BS put out by the "peaceful" protestors and the "forthright" leadership. As an ex-cop, having been in smaller riots, I thought that the police showed considerable restraint. I agree w/Free speech and the right to "peacably" assemble, but when you're warned to vacate a city street (ever hear of emergency response?), and people in the crowd that you are a part of start committing felonies (ever hear of assault with a deadly weapon? I was taught in the acadamy "if the bad guy uses his hands, use your stick. If they use a stick, knife, or bottle, use your gun), then you are as much of the problem as they are. You aren't part of the solution. And when did you ever assume that your 1st Amendment rights were inviolable? Read your history. Contrary to what you may espouse, not all cops are bad and plan on taking away your rights. Grow up and accept some responsibility for your actions (which, by the way, I mean your stupid, hateful use of your 1st Amendment right).

-- James (jpeet@u.washington.edu), December 06, 1999.

would this be the same Seattle Police who in august of this year placed a rush order for 800 new pieces of threate level IIIA battle vests, with the stipulation that they be delivered before October ?

-- Nunja Biznec ( @ .org), December 06, 1999.
by the way, " ex-cop ", please enlighten the rest of us as to just exactly determines the difference between :
a common thug who is attempting to deprive you of your liberty and rights.
a uniformed officer of the court wearing a ski mask that hides his face and wearing taped over badges and insignia that prevents any of his employers, you know , those pesky citizens, from identifying him.

please explain the justification for silenced mp5 submachine guns, such as are standard issue for many of the federal [sic] law enforcement department's shock troops.

please tell us by what right or by what law, the US Special Forces is allowed to " assist " in domestic law enforcement?

and finally, please tell us what shining example of manhood shoots unarmed, cowering women at point blank range, huddled at his feet? even if it is so called " rubber bullets ".

we would all be fascinated to hear your version of " honor " and " duty " in such matters.

-- Nunja Biznec ( @ .org), December 06, 1999.
I heard the same story several days before the riots (about the FBI/ Secret Service estimates of injured and killed police) from a Darigold delivery driver-who heard it from a SPD Officer. Irregardless, the cop poses some interesting questions-ones I'd like to put to the City Council when they hold their open hearing Wednesday afternoon at the Seattle Public Library. Where was Chief Stamper? Manning the PR trenches? Out golfing? Exactly WHO was directing this disaster? What part did the FBI/Secret Service play and who was giving orders to whom? The FBI had a whole hotel reserved for their use-the Silver Cloud Inn on Lake Union. (being in the hotel biz, you hear things). The local papers stated that there were Green Berets here; a Seal team 25 sniffer dogs and their handlers and teams from the CDC and the AEC. Some of those helos were doing more than being intimdating. Was this a test? There were many references to "new agressive techniques" being used by officers reported by the media.

Who is going to start rebuilding trust (if that's possible)? Mayor Schell? Is he going to offer up Chief Stamper to save his job? Is the Pope... The chilling thing about this is the ease with which a rift has been driven between local law enforcement and the population. If I were a conspiracy buff, I'd speculate about a very cynical, calculated set- up that functioned on many levels. But of course, thats silly. This is America, right?

-- Greg Lawrence (greg@speakeasy.org), December 06, 1999.

There were at least 3 groups of violent protestors.

1. The Eugene OR Anarchists

2. The undercover cops who never seemed to be hurt hit or arrested.

3. The paid rioters (Mercenaries) paid by several companies to disrupt the talks

-- watcher (deap@throat.gov), December 06, 1999.

suppose I'm a janitor and I work at a downtown hotel. In fact, both my pregnant wife and I are janitors at this hypothetical hotel. At the end of our shift, we exit the hotel and make our way down the sidewalk, heading for the bus stop to go home.

now, as we walk towards our bus stop, I see a figure all dressed in black.

black fatigues, black jacket, black combat type boots. his face obscured by a black ski mask. he has in his hand some kind of large dark object. He is hollering at us and advancing rapidly and menacingly. I can't make out what he is saying becaues his speech is garbled by the black mask that hides his face.

I have only a few seconds to make a decision.

I have a sacred obligation to protect my wife and our unborn baby. do I drop a cap on him? is he a dangerous psychotic? Or is he a policeman with his badge and insignia blacked out with electrical tape? How do I tell the difference? I hav only a few seconds to choose.

SEATTLE RADIO KIRO reported that a number of Seattle detectives and uniformed officers, speaking anonymously, had told the station that they could not move against the "anarchists" because of politics ....

An individual identifying himself as "Todd" called KIRO saying he and his four-month pregnant wife were employed for a downtown hotel working in housekeeping. When their shifts concluded, they departed the hotel to catch a shuttle home. His wife was struck and beaten with a police baton and pepper sprayed/gassed as she exited the hotel whereupon she collapsed. She was transported to a hospital where she had a miscarriage. Todd called the mayor and his police chief "murderers". Todd said he and his wife absolutely despise Seattle and will move ....

A later caller stated that police were using a "code word" amongst themselves anytime television cameras got too close enough to film any details. http://prorev.com/indexa.htm



So tell us all, please, " ex-cop " / ex-baby killer,

when did the law enforcement officers of the United States become court sanctioned Samurai? Endowed with a legal authority to " test the sharpness of their swords on the necks of the peasants" ????

-- Nunja Biznec ( @ .org), December 06, 1999.
Many of you seem to think the police are at fault for taking precautions and prepping (i.e., ordering the armor). Does that make them doomers, or cautious. It swings both ways. I, like many of you, have a deep seated distrust of government. Unlike many, I have actually seen what a repressive government can do (I was in Laos in the early 70s, and Thailand in the late 70s and witnessed, firsthand, what the communist governments did in Laos and Kampuchea). How many of you can say something similar? As to "shooting rubber bullets into crowds of unarmed women" I will state once again, they were given the option of leaving, and chose not to. For those of you who wish to discuss philosophy or semantics, they were committing an act of violence (i.e., using force to get their way). Was it a violence designed to create physical harm? No. But it was violence and force nevertheless. Why don't those of you who seem so concerned about the poor, innocent victims (i.e., the protestors) consider what the police went through? I have seen many people here talk about killing rioters/looters (after lurking for 6 months). Why are you so upset when the police didn't? I'm glad they showed considerable restraint, considering the backing they recieved from their (lack of) leadership. While you might be getting some of the sensational reporting (or snapshots), there was much that was missed (like the anarchists who attempted to obtain gasoline to firebomb the precinct station on Capital Hill - which led to the police taking an active stance to disband rioters at 2 am). FBI had informed SPD to expect up to 5 casualties (read dead cops). None were killed. No protestors were killed. All around, kudos to cops. Kudos to the AFL-CIO protestors (who protested peacefully).

-- James (jpeet@u.washington.edu), December 06, 1999.
James, Part of the problem here is the peanut gallery which has NEVER had teh good fortune to go through a true nonviolent training class, and then do the demonstration on the street. You are trying to have discourse with armchair quarterbacks who, on their own can't hit a 4' circle 25 yards away with the football. Ignore the ignorant.

folks, if you have never stood on EITHER side of a demonstration line, or gone through the nonviolent training, you have NO CLUE as to what the dynamics are. Please speak to what you have some experience/understanding of.

SHEESH

Night train

-- jes an ol experienced hippie dippie footballer (Wash DC 1971 WeatherMen days of Rage vet) (nighttr@in.lane), December 07, 1999.

James: sitting on the ground is "committing an act of violence"?

You had me with you, right up to that bizarre statement.

So, you're saying that if I'm out protesting, you're going to gas and shoot me and regardless of what I'm doing?

Good message. That'll provoke the right kind of behaviour.

-- Colin MacDonald (roborogerborg@yahoo.com), December 07, 1999.

This story is consistent with the hours of police scanner I listened to when we first got the link here. I didn't listen the following two days, so I couldn't say.

-- Hokie (nn@va.com), December 07, 1999.
News this morning: the loyal general falls on his sword...Chief Stamper resigns. Hizzoner accepted a formal letter of resignation following a meeting with Stamper. One down. One to go.

-- Greg Lawrence (greg@speakeasy.org), December 07, 1999.
James, ex pig,

Under SEATTLE PIG circumstances, the best I would hope for is that someone had "capped" you (and yours)...Pigs and their sluts...NEVER AGAIN!!!

-- Z (Z@Z.Z), December 07, 1999.

I find it curious the mayor had such advance warning and specific expectations of the outcome as early as September.

I am reminded of the Powers interview on the Tony Brown's Journal PBS television program and the reference to initialization of disruption by agents provacateur.

-- Tom Beckner (tbeckner@xout.erols.com), December 07, 1999.

Just saw a video of a police motorcycle
riding up a protesters crotch with his
cycle trying to get him to let go of his
human chain. Another cop when asked why
they did that replied, "Because we can."

-- spider (spider0@usa.net), December 07, 1999.
Night Train,

You're correct, which is why I have not personally attacked any of the ignorant (they aren't worth it).

Colin,

That comment was both philosophical and semantic. Take it for what it's worth. I sure wouldn't have wanted to try and wade into a group and try to extract the sit-in crowd while bottles, rocks, bricks, golf balls, etc. were being thrown at me. I can empathize with the protestors somewhat, but having been on the other side, I empathize with them a whole lot more.

-- James (jpeet@u.washington.edu), December 07, 1999.

Moderation questions? read the FAQ