Comments on: Followup: Capt. Joe Kessler now back in West Seattle as Southwest Precinct commander

By: Norma

Norma — Sat, 05 Jan 2013 00:55:59 +0000

Me too! I’ve lived in West Seattle for 73 years. The rate of crime always fluctuates. I feel less safe now than at other times but I certainly don’t blame the police. In my dealings with them they have been very supportive and responsive with limited resources.

By: WS rats in a cage

WS rats in a cage — Fri, 04 Jan 2013 22:41:53 +0000

I agree, G.

By: G

Fri, 04 Jan 2013 21:42:12 +0000

Last night a dozens of young adults gathered at 44th and Hinds, shouting, cursing, fighting, drinking, and running into people’s lawns and generally terrorizing the neigborhood, until the cops finally showed up. It was shocking, to be truthful. I hope Capt Kessler can improve response times to these types of events. This is not the first time this has happened.

I’ll say it again, I feel safer in LA than I do in West Seattle.

By: WSB

WSB — Fri, 04 Jan 2013 20:59:44 +0000

Diane – Capt. Kessler was not leading the West Precinct at the time of this change. After the jump line, we mention he was West Precinct commander for the first year and a half after he left here. (He mentioned “20 months” in our conversation – that would have meant till last May, or so.) ‘Then he moved to a different beat …’ The West Precinct website lists Capt. Dermody as its current commander, as of 2012.
.
http://www.seattle.gov/police/precincts/west/captain.htm
.
I will assume that’s still the case, although SPD has not yet updated the webpages for the SW and South Precincts to reflect this week’s changes (so I don’t know if any other captains moved around). – TR

By: Diane

Diane — Fri, 04 Jan 2013 20:55:41 +0000

looking at his short bio (thanks for link to West Precinct), good to see Captain Dermody has “previous assignments include Patrol, Anti-Crime and SWAT at both the officer and sergeant ranks”; but doesn’t say anything about what he’ll do to clean up downtown, make bus stops/walking safe for West Seattle residents who commute, and/or safe for those of us who simply like to go downtown for fun
~
http://www.seattle.gov/police/precincts/west/captain.htm

By: Diane

Diane — Fri, 04 Jan 2013 20:46:16 +0000

any info about who is replacing him in West Precinct? which is very important to the (100’s, maybe 1,000’s) West Seattle residents who commute downtown, and have to wait at crime-ridden bus stops to get home, and navigate walks to/from work in Pike/Pine/3rd/4th open-air drug dealing and large groups literally blocking entire sidewalks; we REALLY need some strong leadership downtown