An officer who was injured in the riots in Seattle lamented the hate she has witnessed toward officers in her city.
Officer Ellie Khalife, who tore her meniscus after being drilled by a rock during the riots, expressed support for the nationwide protests that remain peaceful and said she is open to hearing calls for changes in policing. But, Khalife stressed, the violent demonstrations and clashes with police that left her and other officers injured have taken their toll.
“I’m feeling hurt, physically and emotionally. I didn’t expect this to happen,” Khalife told KOMO, a Seattle radio station. “We’re human beings behind the badge. We are people just like them. We decided to do this for a living because who else is going to do it?”
“It just feels very unfair that people are hating Seattle police so much when we try so hard. We’re not perfect, but we try,” she added.
Khalife said the riots made her feel as though she was in a movie.
“You could see the fireworks being thrown in our direction, and you really have to move,” she said. “A rock’s coming — you dodge. You have to move. It’s a scene like no other — it’s surreal. It felt like I was in the middle of a movie.”
Khalife’s injuries require surgery and a two-month recovery period. On top of her injuries, Khalife said she is concerned about losing her job if her department is defunded, as the Seattle City Council has been considering. She noted that officers are fired in order of seniority, with the newest officer going first. She said the city may not have enough officers to manage a major threat to Seattle.
“We will not have enough officers to respond if something big happens,” she said.
