The Policeman Who Refused to Leave
After being told his resignation was expected, an officer showed up at a commission meeting to demand his job back, turning the proceedings into a chaotic argument.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
The police commissioners held a meeting at headquarters last evening which abounded in spirited discussion and ended with a revival of the celebrated Kent case. Policeman Kent was in attendance and took the floor to protest that he had been ill-treated and laid off duty without notice, suspecting a combination of policemen had conspired to get him discharged. Chief Jackson retorted that he had informed Kent his resignation would be acceptable, and for that reason, he was not assigned to a beat. Dr. Marion moved that Kent's name be dropped from the force, but the motion failed for lack of a second. Mayor Ronald added, 'I am free to confess that now I don't want Kent on the force. I was once his best friend.' Ultimately, the board referred the matter back to a committee, leaving Kent, who continued to draw pay, in limbo.
“I am free to confess that now I don't want Kent on the force. I was once his best friend.”
Internal police politics and debates over the power of commissions to discipline officers remain a volatile aspect of Seattle civic life, mirroring contemporary struggles over police accountability and the difficulty of firing problematic personnel.
From readers
No comments yet. If you know something about this story — a correction, a family memory, a source — it belongs here.