Seattle Council Approves New Police Crowd Control Rules

The Seattle City Council has approved new legislation that regulates the use of less-lethal crowd control weapons by the Seattle Police Department (SPD), including tear gas, blast balls, and pepper spray. This ordinance was passed to provide oversight and accountability, aiming to balance police flexibility with community safety, following a history of controversies surrounding the use of these weapons during protests. Under the new rules, tear gas can only be deployed during a declared civil emergency and after other force options have been exhausted, while blast balls require supervisor approval in imminent threat situations. This legislation is part of the city's effort to end federal oversight of the SPD, which has been under scrutiny since the 2020 protests. Critics voiced concerns that the ordinance could lead to excessive use of force, reminiscent of past incidents where protesters were injured. The implementation of this policy is contingent upon the approval of the federal court overseeing Seattle's consent decree.