As part of its lobbying efforts, The Washington Coalition for Police Accountability convinced a lawmaker to alter a bill the organization believes would weaken law enforcement accountability.
GEO Transit, which carts immigrants from Spokane to Tacoma for deportation, had its lawyer call the requester to make sure ‘you’re not gonna hurt my peeps.’
In 5-2 vote, council bucks dissenting public commenters, who worry the grant conditions will endanger immigrants or expose Spokane to retribution from the federal government.
Many organizers asking the state for police justice reforms are based in Spokane — home to some of the highest rates of police violence in the US — and want stronger state oversight of local agencies.
Amid a nationwide backlash over privacy concerns, state legislators are looking to clamp down on data retention for automated license plate reader cameras.
ICE protesters facing federal charges made a hard choice, but some fear a chilling effect: ‘They want to frighten people so they are afraid to use their First Amendment rights.’
