Police, public safety flashpoints in Seattle mayoral debate | National news from the Associated Press

SEATTLE (AP) – Police and public safety dominated the last televised debate between the two people vying for Seattle’s next mayor. Lorena González and Bruce Harrell disagreed on police staffing Thursday evening, with Harrell criticizing his opponent for supporting the defunding moment after the assassination of George Floyd in Minneapolis. González, the city council president, countered by saying the Seattle Police Department needed an overhaul. The department is under federal oversight after the US Department of Justice finds a pattern of excessive violence and evidence of biased policing. The Seattle mayoral election on Tuesday is being watched closely across the country. Seattle is one of those communities where the police funding debate is a major issue.

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