Hollow Point Bullets

In November 1974, City Council was informed by the Mayor that the Chief of Police changed the official ammunition of the Seattle Police Department to something called "hollow point bullets." An uproar ensued and City Councilmembers Sam Smith and Randy Revelle held public hearings to accommodate the overwhelming public response. They wrote a letter to Mayor Uhlman describing their concerns, which centered around the authorization of these bullets without consultation with the Council. The hearings revealed an underlying tension between the Police Department and minorities and gave voice to those not documented elsewhere in the Archives.

The meeting was rowdy and diverse. Here are some voices from that hearing.

Robert Hanson, Police Chief

Jonathan Hake, Group Health physician

Judith Freel, Radical Women

Roberto Maestas, El Centro de la Raza

Samuel McKinney, Pastor, Mt. Zion Baptist Church

Listen to the entire meeting in Digital Collections. Citation: Public Comment at Seattle City Council Committee of the Whole Meeting, January 7, 1975. Event ID 2700, Seattle City Council Legislative Department Audio Recordings, 4601-03.

Municipal Archives, City Clerk

Sarah Shipley, Interim City Archivist
Address: 600 Fourth Avenue, Third Floor, Seattle, WA, 98104
Mailing Address: PO Box 94728, Seattle, WA, 98124-4728
Phone: (206) 684-8353
archives@seattle.gov

The Office of the City Clerk maintains the City's official records, provides support for the City Council, and manages the City's historical records through the Seattle Municipal Archives. The Clerk's Office provides information services to the public and to City staff.