Connect with us

Seattle, WA

Seattle Police recruiting DACA recipients to be cops

Published

on

Seattle Police recruiting DACA recipients to be cops


Faced with an unprecedented shortage of officers, the Seattle Police Department (SPD) is actively recruiting recipients of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival Status (DACA) to become cops. It’s possible thanks to bipartisan legislation that went into effect on June 6.

Senate Bill 6157 allows DACA recipients to apply for civil service jobs across Washington State. These include police officer, firefighter and sheriff’s deputies. Prior to the legislation, they were prohibited from holding these positions.

The bill is getting renewed scrutiny after a LinkedIn job application post from the SPD for DACA recipients started receiving attention. The ad explains the SPD “is now accepting applications from DACA recipients! Apply Now!”

Jason Rantz Exclusive: Mayor’s office demanded fewer white men, military in Seattle police recruitment

Advertisement

Is it constitutional to hire DACA recipients for police jobs?

Seattle is not alone in hiring DACA recipients for police positions. Earlier in the year, the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) made the same move. They even altered its written firearms policy to allow DACA cops to carry a firearm while off-duty.

With new guidance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), DACA recipients are allowed to carry firearms and ammunition if it’s part of official law enforcement officer duties. But any local agency hiring DACA recipients must reform their gun policies to make it clear that their DACA employees can carry firearms.

But the changes in policy and guidance leave open questions as to the constitutionality of the decision. Guidance from ATF isn’t forever binding, and it won’t change how a court uses the Gun Control Act should this legislation face challenges. The whole concept is also subject to changes with any new administration. And it’s contingent on DACA protections remaining in place.

With potential uncertainty, it could put DACA cops and their agencies in difficult and costly positions. Will a DACA recipient want to become a cop if their ability to carry a firearm is contingent on an agency not changing policy? It’s obviously not worth the resources to train if the policy suddenly changes under a new administration or via the courts.

Is it right for DACA recipients to become law enforcement?

There’s nothing inherently controversial about the decision to hire DACA recipients as police officers.

Advertisement

DACA recipients are allowed to work in the United States, though they do so under a renewable two-year work permit.

There’s also a need for new officers. Thanks to an alarming staffing crisis hitting departments like the SPD, agencies could use as many qualified applicants as possible. Based on the latest Seattle police staffing data available, only 424 patrol officers were in the department. Across all positions, there are 280 eligible for retirement this year. They need bodies to patrol the streets.

It’s true, however, to note the irony.

DACA recipients are in this country illegally and they’d be tasked with enforcing laws. But DACA recipients were brought to this country illegally through no action of their own. Even though a teen from 13-15 years old would have known what they were doing is illegal, it’s not a reasonable position to fault a child for following their parents into this country.

But the legislation has the potential problem of treating legal citizens unjustly.

Advertisement

Extra points for DACA recipients at the Seattle Police Department?

The City of Seattle has struggled with recruiting beyond dealing with the catastrophic defund movement, which demonized officers and scared off new recruits. But the Mayor’s Office hasn’t made recovery easy.

Under this new law, applicants may earn extra points for being fluent as a “native speaker” in a language (or languages) other than English. This gives an advantage to a DACA recipient that progressive hiring managers and agencies may use to reject an American citizen.

It would be unwise to offer this kind of preferential treatment when staffing is so dire. But it’s not hard to imagine how this could be used once staffing course-corrects. In fact, the Seattle Mayor’s Office has already shown an interest in socially engineering the SPD.

More from Jason Rantz: Adrian Diaz out as Seattle Police Chief, will stay with department

City of Seattle looked to hire fewer white men, military veterans

Under strategist Ben Dalgetty from the Mayor’s Office, recruitment has struggled. Rather than seek applicants who are qualified, Dalgetty and other mayoral staff have sought a more diverse-looking department. But that means an SPD free from too many white men or military veterans.

Advertisement

In a March 2023 memo to SPD human resources staff titled “SPD Marketing More and Less,” Dalgetty asked for “less” images and videos of “officers who are white, male,” and “officers with military bearing.” In their place, Dalgetty asked for more “officers of color,” “officers of different genders,” and “officers who are younger.” And rather than reach as many possible applicants as possible, the strategy was to hyper-target black, Hispanic and Asian Seattleites with early marketing efforts.

After complaints from SPD, Dalgetty edited the memo several times. Moreover, the original memo was destroyed and not initially turned over via a public disclosure request by “The Jason Rantz Show” on KTTH.

Still, it’s reasonable policy

Despite the easy way to abuse this law, the policy itself is advantageous. It’s why all but one Republican in the Senate supported the bill.

Though it was adopted in a clearly unconstitutional way, it seems likely that DACA recipients are here to stay. If they’re interested in helping protect our communities, how can their employment be problematic? They’d still be subject to the other qualifications to become an officer or deputy. And they’d still be required to go through the same training.

The media (and the public) must ensure DACA recipients aren’t offered special treatment as a result of their status. If that happens, we should demand reforms. But short of abuse, that a DACA recipient wants to become a cop is something that should be celebrated.

Advertisement

This isn’t someone knowingly coming to this country illegally, jumping the line ahead of people who are waiting to be eligible the legal way. These are people who are trying to make good on illegal actions taken by their parents or guardians by giving back to the community.

Listen to “The Jason Rantz Show” on weekday afternoons from 3-6 p.m. on KTTH 770 AM (HD Radio 97.3 FM HD-Channel 3). Subscribe to the podcast here. Follow Jason on X, formerly known as Twitter, Instagram, and  Facebook.





Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading
Advertisement
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Seattle, WA

Seattle weather: Clouds to sunbreaks Friday

Published

on

Seattle weather: Clouds to sunbreaks Friday


Showers have returned this evening as our next frontal system moves into the Pacific Northwest. 

Advertisement

Showers have returned this evening as our next frontal system moves into the Pacific Northwest. 

We started off the day with dry and cloudy skies. We saw a few sunbreaks further south, which helped warm some spots to average temperatures of the upper 60s.

HIGH TEMPS

We started off the day with dry and cloudy skies. We saw a few sunbreaks further south, which helped warm some spots to average temperatures of the upper 60s. (FOX 13 Seattle)

Advertisement

Tonight we will see light scattered showers and breezy winds, especially for the north interior. Temperatures will be mild with overnight lows in the mid 50s.

Overnight lows

Tonight we will see light scattered showers and breezy winds, especially for the north interior.

Advertisement

A few lingering showers early Friday morning, but clouds will give way to sunshine. 

Showers early Friday

A few lingering showers early Friday morning, but clouds will give way to sunshine. 

Highs will be similar on Friday compared to Thursday, with highs in the upper to mid 60s. Skies will be dry with mostly sunny skies.

Advertisement

Highs Friday

Highs will be similar Friday compared to Thursday, with highs in the upper to mid 60s. (FOX 13 Seattle)

Skies will be cloudier to start the weekend with highs in the low 60s. More sunshine will return from Sunday into Monday. Showers chances return Tuesday into Wednesday.

Advertisement
Seattle Extended

Skies will be cloudier to start the weekend with highs in the low 60s. More sunshine will return Sunday into Monday.



Source link

Continue Reading

Seattle, WA

Klatt: Why Seattle Seahawks' Macdonald isn't just a defensive guru

Published

on

Klatt: Why Seattle Seahawks' Macdonald isn't just a defensive guru


Mike Macdonald has been one of the NFL’s top storylines this week after guiding the Seattle Seahawks to a 3-0 start.

‘We put our track shoes on’: How Seahawks’ defense rebounded

In doing so, the 37-year-old Macdonald became the first Seahawks coach in franchise history to begin his career with three straight wins. He also became the NFL’s first rookie head coach to start 3-0 since 2015.

At the center of Seattle’s early success has been a revamped defense under Macdonald, who is calling the plays on defense. The Seahawks rank among the league’s best in numerous categories, including first in yards allowed per play, second in yards allowed per game and fourth in points allowed per game.

Advertisement

That only further adds to Macdonald’s reputation as a defensive mastermind following his immense success the past two seasons as the Baltimore Ravens’ defensive coordinator. But as FOX college football analyst Joel Klatt explained Tuesday on Seattle Sports’ Brock and Salk, there’s much more to Macdonald than just his defensive brilliance.

Klatt got to know Macdonald back when he was the Michigan Wolverines’ defensive coordinator in 2021. From conversations he had with Macdonald, Klatt was very impressed by how he approached his defensive play-calling from a holistic, team-wide perspective.

“He was such a bright guy and thought about the game in such a complementary fashion,” Klatt said. “And I remember thinking he was going to be a very solid head coach, and the reason is that he didn’t just think about defense. He thought about the way to call a game that was in complement with the rest of the team.”

As an example, Klatt shared an anecdote about how Macdonald would pick his spots to be aggressive on defense – and why he liked to do so after a Michigan scoring drive.

Advertisement

“He would wait for a moment, (often in) the third quarter, and he would say to himself, ‘This is my time to go and be aggressive. I’m not going to be aggressive all the time, but this is the opportunity, because if I force a three-and-out now, I put a tired defense back on the field, and our odds of creating points are going to be much higher. And then if we get a two-score lead with our offense and the way that our defense plays, that’s basically the game,’” Klatt said.

“And so he would understand these finite moments within games where he was going to change up – whether it’s his schematics or his aggressive nature – in order to give his overarching team a better chance to win. And I have never had a conversation like that, specifically with a defensive coordinator, in relation to the overall game and team. And I just remember thinking to myself, ‘This guy’s gonna make a great head coach.’”

Former NFL quarterback Brock Huard, a colleague of Klatt as a FOX analyst, agreed with Klatt’s assessment that Macdonald views the game differently than most head coaches who double as either an offensive or defensive coordinator.

“I do not feel like Mike Macdonald is a defensive-minded head coach,” Huard said. “I feel like Mike Macdonald is a complementary, football-minded head coach. He’s not calling the signals because of what he wants to accomplish defensively. He’s doing everything in the aspect of a team.

“And that is unique for defensive guys. The ones that I played for in my life, that was not the way (they were) wired. … That is not typically how defensive guys have been brought up through the years.”

Advertisement

Listen to the full conversation with Joel Klatt at this link or in the audio player near the middle of this story. Tune in to Brock and Salk weekdays from 6 to 10 a.m. or find the podcast on the Seattle Sports app.

More on Seattle Seahawks

• Rost: What we know and don’t know through three games
• How Huard expects a Seahawks reunion with veteran OT to play out
• DK Metcalf at his best? Three ways Huard says he’s grown
• How real is Seahawks’ defensive dominance? 10 stats that stand out
• Why Rayshawn Jenkins was a player the Seattle Seahawks wanted





Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Seattle, WA

Odds Lions Beat Seahawks in Week 4

Published

on

Odds Lions Beat Seahawks in Week 4


The Lions (2-1) take on the Seattle Seahawks (3-0) in a must-see Monday night showdown in Week 4.

The Seahawks, top 10 in both points for (24.3 per game) and points against (14.3/game), are coming off a 24-3 win over the Miami Dolphins. Meanwhile, Detroit is coming off a 20-13 win over the Arizona Cardinals.

Both teams are dealing with multiple injuries going into the primetime tilt. 

Seattle is working through injuries to running back Kenneth Walker (oblique), defensive end Leonard Williams (ribs) and rookie defensive tackle Byron Walker (hamstring), each of whom is up in the air for Monday night. However, it is believed that linebacker Uchenna Nwosu, who’s missed the first three games of the season with a sprained medial collateral ligament in his left knee, will be able to give it a go. It’d be a big boost to Seattle’s defense, as Nwosu led the Seahawks with 9.5 sacks, 12 tackles for loss and 26 quarterback hits a season ago.

Advertisement

Meanwhile, the Lions will be without defensive end Marcus Davenport (torn triceps) and linebacker Derrick Barnes (knee) for Monday night, both of whom were placed on injured reserve Tuesday. Davenport’s injury has been reported to be season-ending, while Barnes will miss a significant amount of time.

Along with those significant blows, Detroit is also dealing with injuries to center Frank Ragnow (torn pectoral muscle), defensive back Brian Branch (concussion) tight end Sam LaPorta (low-ankle sprain), defensive tackle Alim McNeill (shoulder), Alex Anzalone (concussion), Ifeatu Melifonwu (ankle) and Ennis Rakestraw (hamstring).

With the rash of injuries, Lions head man Dan Campbell is once again deploying his “next man up” approach.

“You have a 69-man roster, because every one of those guys is going to have to help you at some point or another, and we’re developing those guys as well as the young players that are on the roster, the vet squad, all that,” Campbell told reporters this week. “So, these guys know, man, it’s next man up, and we don’t bat an eye. We acknowledge there’s some good players that could be down, but this is your opportunity now.”

Seattle possesses numerous playmakers on both sides of the ball. 

Advertisement

Offensively, the NFC West division leaders are notably equipped with wide receiver DK Metcalf, who is coming off two consecutive 100-plus-yard receiving games. I wouldn’t be surprised if he gives Detroit’s injury-riddled secondary fits on Monday. 

Plus, in the backfield, the Seahawks could have both Zach Charbonnet and Walker for this Week 4 affair. Charbonnet is coming off a career-best performance, with 18 carries for 91 yards and two touchdowns in Week 3 against Miami. Walker, meanwhile, could be in line to play for the first time since Week 1, when he rushed 20 times for 103 yards and a score.

And on the defensive side of the ball, the Seahawks possess a variety of high-impact players. For starters, they feature the game’s best safety in Julian Love, who’s recorded an interception and earned a league-best (for safeties) 90.6 overall grade from Pro Football Focus through three weeks. Lions signal-caller Jared Goff will need to be cognizant of where he’s at on the field at all times Monday. Plus, he’ll need to be readily aware of where Seattle cornerback Tariq Woolen is lined up. Woolen has racked up an interception, a team-high three passes defensed and an 80.8 overall grade from PFF through three games. Additionally, he has nine picks to his name in 36 career NFL games.

It won’t be easy for Goff and the Lions, which have dropped six straight games to the Seahawks (including the teams’ wild-card playoff matchup in 2016), to beat Seattle on Monday night. Yet, at this present juncture, I’ll give Campbell’s squad a 54 percent chance to defend home field and capture the Week 4 win.



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Trending