Justice Dept. says Seattle police reached many goals of 2012 consent decree

After more than a decade of federal oversight, the Seattle Police Department has achieved substantial compliance with most of the core requirements of a 2012 consent decree that aimed to stem the use of excessive force by officers, the Justice Department said Tuesday. Federal authorities said achievements included reducing force by 60 percent in cases that do not involve crowd management, and deploying mental health specialists, instead of police officers, to respond to crises involving potentially mentally ill suspects. The department also has reduced improper stops and searches of suspects...