Police vehicle pursuits could be hot topic at WA Legislature – again Citing “growing sense of lawlessness,” some coalitions of police, mayors and prosecutors say they will press state legislators to revisit current restrictions on police vehicle pursuits in the upcoming session. Amy Radil Play AudioListen 1 min
Why did a mental health crisis end in death for a 63-year-old Seattle man? The press release simply stated that a 63-year-old man was found unresponsive in his cell minutes after being booked. But reporters Sydney Brownstone and Greg Kim of The Seattle Times went beyond the press release — they dug into this story, and uncovered a lot more about who Michael Rowland was and how he died. Libby Denkmann Play AudioListen 19 mins
'It's tough.' King County Sheriff Patti Cole-Tindall goes back to the academy “Humbling.” That’s how King County Sheriff Patti Cole-Tindall describes going through the police academy in her late fifties. She’s five weeks into the 19-week process. Not that she’s counting. Amy Radil Play AudioListen 2 mins
Tacoma pastor calls Pierce County Sheriff’s acquittal ‘troubling but not surprising' “Disappointing” and “troubling.” Reactions of one Tacoma pastor to the not-guilty verdict for Pierce County Sheriff Ed Troyer. Amy Radil Play AudioListen 1 min
Pierce County Sheriff Ed Troyer has been acquitted, but is the case against him over? A jury has found Pierce County Sheriff Ed Troyer not guilty on two criminal misdemeanor charges. KNKX reporter Kari Plog has been following the case. She spoke with KUOW's Angela King about what we learned during the trial and what comes next for Troyer. Angela King Play AudioListen 7 mins
Case against Pierce County Sheriff Ed Troyer goes to jury Jurors are poised to deliberate in the trial of Pierce County Sheriff Ed Troyer, after hearing closing arguments from attorneys on Wednesday. The prosecutor maintained that Troyer lied to a 911 dispatcher, well knowing the type of response his claim of being threatened would initiate. His defense lawyer Anne Bremner called the case a wrongful prosecution that was politically motivated by racial justice protests after the murder of George Floyd. Amy Radil
Seattle teen faces felony charges for threat of mass school shooting An 18-year old Seattle student has been arrested and charged with two counts of felony harassment for threatening to shoot students at Sammamish High School in Bellevue. The recipient of the threats notified the school principal, and Bellevue School District initiated a lockdown for three hours Friday morning until the student who made the threats was arrested by Bellevue police at his home. Amy Radil Play AudioListen 1 min
Onboarding progresses slowly for new Office of Independent Investigations In Washington state's legislature, the killing of Manuel Ellis in March 2020 by Tacoma Police helped propel a police reform package of more than a dozen bills. One of those bills created The Office of Independent Investigations, or OII, which was signed into law by Governor Jay Inslee in 2021. This is the first office of its kind in the nation, with plans to train civilian investigators to watchdog the use of deadly force by police throughout the state. Libby Denkmann Play AudioListen 19 mins
Taking the stand, Pierce County Sheriff denounces 'media narrative' Pierce County Sheriff Ed Troyer testified in his own defense Thursday, telling jurors he’s been eager to give his version of the events because "the media’s made me out to be a racist and the state’s made me out to be a liar.” Amy Radil
