A finding in the Seattle Police Department’s (SPD) after-action report on the July 26 Bite of Seattle shooting confirms officials distracted officers from getting information out.
“Senior and elected officials distracted sworn staff from completing timely public safety information and on-scene decision-making,” the report stated.
The first press briefing did not happen until five hours after the shooting, a delay for which both SPD and the mayor’s office have been criticized. The report also noted two internal briefings took place before the first public briefing.
Report calls for changes to public safety communications
Among the report’s “Suggested Personnel and Equipment Upgrades” is pre-designating an on-scene public information officer “with standing public-safety-alert authority.”…