SEATTLE — For the second year in a row, Seattle police officers will not be allowed to march in uniform at the Seattle Pride Parade on Sunday.
It's a policy that has left some LGBTQ+ police officers disappointed and frustrated.
"It's a stunning hypocrisy and a double standard that to us, it's extremely concerning," said Mike Solan, president of the Seattle Police Officers Guild which represents more than 1,300 members of the Seattle Police Department. "I think it’s a gross violation of just human decency.”
"Police officers that are LGBTQ, they don't seem to really want to embrace and to us, that's a double standard and shows the utter bigotry and the lack of inclusivity that for us is absolutely unacceptable," said Solan.
He said there are dozens of LGBTQ+ officers within the Seattle Police Department and many of them have reached out to him in the last few days.
"Very upset that this was occurring and they didn't want to go on record because they would not be able to contain their frustration and anger," said Solan.
Meanwhile, the interim executive director of Seattle Pride Noah Wagoner stands by the policy. Wagoner emailed KING a statement saying in part:
“As with many Pride Parades around the country, last year Seattle Pride’s board of directors instituted a policy allowing police officers to march in the parade – with other City of Seattle employees – out of uniform. This decision was made based on feedback from a community survey, as well as the result of the queer community’s long history of distrust of law enforcement, criminalization of LGBTQIA+ people, and police violence against marginalized groups – which was the genesis of the Pride movement, and is why Pride Parades around the country are held on the last Sunday in June in remembrance of the Stonewall rebellion.”
Wagoner also said just like in previous years, Seattle Pride is required to work with SPD for permitting through the City of Seattle, and it remains in close contact with SPD regarding safety measures and monitoring and adjusting safety plans as needed ahead of the parade.
KING did reach out to the Seattle Police Department about the policy. It told KING it is not commenting at this time.