SEATTLE, WA (AP) – The Washington State Supreme Court heard arguments in a case that will determine whether the names of four Seattle police officers who attended events in the nation’s capital on January 6, 2021, should be released.
The officers say they did nothing wrong and revealing their names would violate their privacy.
But those seeking disclosure say the officers’ attendance at a widely covered public demonstration was not a private activity.
When then-Seattle Police Chief Adrian Diaz learned that six of his officers traveled to attend former President Donald Trump’s Stop the Steal rally, he ordered the Office of Police Accountability to conduct an investigation into their activities to see if they violated any laws or department policies.
The investigation found that married officers Caitlin and Alexander Everett crossed barriers set up by the Capitol police, prompting Diaz to fire the pair.
Investigators said three other officers had not violated policies and the fourth case was ruled inconclusive.