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SPD Releases First of Two Reports on Disparity

The Seattle Police Department filed with the US District Court the
first of two disparity reviews to demonstrate sustained compliance with the Consent Decree and further transparency into SPD’s policing practices.

Under the Consent Decree, SPD has filed quarterly reports as well as reports on use of force, crisis intervention, stops and detentions, bias free policing, and community engagement.

This report reflects SPD’s commitment both to critical self-evaluation and to ensuring that the service we provide is informed by data-driven practice and analysis. We know disparities still exist and any place we see disparity is important to us, and we must work to address it.

Over the study period, SPD answered nearly a million calls for service, comprising 2.1 million associated officer dispatches. This report dives into data around two specific instances where officers engaged in 19,500 Terry stops and 4,400 uses of force.     

While the numbers in this report represent rare interactions with SPD, we must examine these interactions, which provide focused direction for further research and solutions. Numbers alone without more context do not tell us everything, which is why we need to look closely, honestly, and transparently at all contributing factors.

In the second of its planned reviews, SPD will seek to further refine the analysis by identifying additional situational factors that may further explain the disparities observed.    

By understanding the differences, we aim to find practical applications to address disparate outcomes and improve public trust and confidence.