Seattle Police Lt. Daniel Whelan at the WTO protests in 1999. On 11/29/99, using a bullhorn, Lt. Daniel Whelan told protesters that "the last thing the Seattle Police Department wants is for anyone to get injured."

Lt. Whelan listening to a person who was attending an anti-war rally at Westlake Park on 9/22/01. Notice the use of goggles over his glasses (in case the cops needed to use pepper spray?). He also has a gas mask bag attached to his left leg.

Whelan was one of the Lts. that oversaw the N30 march/rally on 11/30/01. He was quite fashionable in his Police poncho. At least nine people were arrested, including "one for trespassing after refusing to get off a nearby holiday carousel." More photos of Dan coming soon (so check back soon, you visitors from ci.seattle.wa.us!). Email us if you have a photo you'd like to contribute. Whelan made an appearance at the 11/9/01 Anti-WTO rally/march and sometimes seemingly joined the marchers! Whelan attended the peace/anti-war rally at Westlake park on 9/22/01, perhaps to make certain that the demonstrators were properly penned into the barricades that were set up. I witnessed one of the attendees ask Lt. Whelan if he could comment on the abuse allegations surrounding the Reclaim the Streets rally last month. Whelan apparently didn't wish to chat with the questioner as he offered no comment and hurriedly walked away. It is believed that Lt. Whelan may be the officer who punched a woman during Reclaim the Streets in Seattle on Aug. 25th, 2001. According to one account: "I witnessed an officer in the police department step a good ten feet up onto the sidewalk behind those congregating in the street and punch a young woman right in the face, then turn around and briskly walk away. I have photographs of the officer but do not as yet have a name. I would also have videotape of the officer but that tape has been confiscated by the police..." On the right side of this photo is an officer who may be Lt. Whelan. Officers in the photo are busy confiscating food being shared by Food Not Bombs in Denny Park at Reclaim the Streets. Citations were apparently given to three FNB members for sharing food without a permit. Another photo of the same scene and the same officer. A list of WTO-related documents that mention Whelan. (please note that the actual documents are not online.) In 1997, Neko's Restaurant and Nightclub in Belltown went out of business because the police targeted the place, according to a suit filed against the city in 1999. Part of the suit included a memo written by Sgt. D. Whelan: "I think we need to move sooner than that [next week]," Sgt. D. Whelan writes Sgt. J. J. Jankauskas. "We need to strike while the iron is hot.... If she does get her [liquor] license she still wants to have dancing and music. For that she will need an added activity permit from the Liquor Control Board. We have a great deal of power in giving and taking those away." Read more at http://www.thestranger.com/1999-09-30/other_news2.html Do you have more information or photos relating to Lt. Whelan and his actions as an officer? Email us and let us know if we can use the info/photos on this page. Thanks.