Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes is facing questions over his frequent travel after he was in Dallas when a mass shooting at the Bite of Seattle festival left three people dead. The shooting occurred while Barnes was away from the city, sparking criticism from local officials and community members. The chief has not yet publicly commented on the timing of his trip or the response to the incident.
In a separate development in India, the Kerala Police Association (KPA) has moved the Kerala High Court against a state Home Department order restructuring police forums. The order, issued by the Additional Chief Secretary (Home), mandates the reorganization of the KPA to include ranks from Civil Police Officers to Grade Sub Inspectors, and revamps the Kerala Police Subordinate Officers Association (KPSOA) by including ranks from Sub Inspector to Superintendent of Police (non-IPS). The KPA argues that the order oversteps the authority of the Home Secretary and renders another association, the Kerala Police Officers Association, redundant. The association contends that each forum has distinct objectives and that the restructuring undermines their independent functioning.