(The Center Square) – Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes says that any police officer who violates the city’s new policy requiring documentation of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement actions, including video recording, will be subject to disciplinary proceedings.
“This would be a violation of our policy, a violation of the law,” Barnes told the Seattle City Council’s Select Committee on Federal Administration and Policy on Thursday. “They could be placed on administrative leave per the [Seattle Police Officers Guild] collective bargaining agreement.”
Barnes said what would happen to the officer ultimately would be based on a recommendation by the city Office of Police Accountability. He said he would offer an officer the chance to talk to him before making a final decision on any permanent discipline.
Barnes has the power to fire police officers.
The chief’s testimony to the committee comes after the city council’s Tuesday approved a plan requiring the police department to document evidence of potentially unlawful acts by ICE agents during enforcement actions.
The city council’s action follows an executive order by Seattle Mayor Katie Williams on Jan. 29 directing police to follow a set protocols regarding any ICE enforcement actions that may take place in the city.
Under the policy, police officers arriving on the scene of any federal enforcement action must start the video on their in-car and body-worn video cameras, in addition to asking for identification from ICE agents to assure they are not impersonating law enforcement agents as part of gathering evidence for possible transmission to prosecutors.
A spokeswoman for ICE declined to comment on the police chief’s statements.
But she repeated a statement made to The Center Square on Feb. 27 that the it will “not tolerate the obstruction of law efforts to enforce federal law enforcement policy.”
The spokeswoman noted that federal officials have sued several jurisdictions over their lack of cooperation with ICE.
The city’s new policy also calls for the installation of more than 650 signs prohibiting ICE staging and enforcement actions on city property.
Kent Loux, the new president of the Seattle Police Officer’s Guild, did not respond to an email seeking comment.
But former president Mike Solan criticized Wilson’s executive order on X the day after she issued it.
Barnes told the committee that the expectation of Seattle police officers after they arrive at the scene of an immigration enforcement action involves four things: “peacekeeping, de-escalation, rendering medical care, and documenting the incident.”
He said while the city does not approve of ICE enforcement actions, Seattle has no power to stop them.
The chief said he expects his officers to do what has been his mantra during his long career – “to do the right thing at the right time.”
