The city of Olympia, Washington, will pay $600,000 to the family of a Black man shot and killed by police in a settlement that also stipulates that officers will be banned from personalizing any of their work equipment.
Lawyers on Monday announced the details of the settlement of a wrongful death tort claim filed by the family of Timothy Green, who was shot and killed in 2022.
The settlement stops the display of symbols on city police equipment such as the thin blue line on an American flag. The symbol has become associated with Blue Lives Matter, a term which has been used by some police supporters in response to the Black Lives Matter movement.
Officers had displayed Blue Lives Matter emblems and a sticker reminiscent of the yellow Gadsden flag, with its rattlesnake and “Don’t Tread on Me” message on items at the time Green was shot.
Too many get the “us vs them” in their training and daily briefings. It’s a systemic problem.