Video: Mayor tours West Seattle with SPD, meets media for Q/A at Southwest Precinct

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(With the mayor: SW Precinct Capt. Joe Kessler, center, and Lt. Ron Smith, right)
After a tour of West Seattle with Seattle Police‘s West Seattle leadership, Mayor McGinn met the media (WSB and three TV stations showed up) this morning for a Q/A session outside the Southwest Precinct. He’s been doing this at every precinct; West Seattle was originally scheduled for July 5th, but breaking news that day elsewhere in the city forced a postponement to today. First, here’s our video of today’s entire 32-minute briefing/Q-A session with the mayor and precinct commander Capt. Joe Kessler:

We asked about something that was a hot topic on the post-Independence Day Friday when this event was originally scheduled – this year’s fireworks craziness, which was not just a West Seattle hot topic (we saw it come up on multiple neighborhood sites around the city, as well as sparking regional-media coverage). The mayor agreed there would need to be “a dialogue” before next Fourth of July, but also insisted “the community” would have to step up here, since it was beyond SPD’s ability to deal with possibly thousands of violations. We also asked about the status of the SPD surveillance cameras installed from Fauntleroy to Alki to Harbor Island and beyond (our coverage archive is here), which the mayor had said would not be activated until a “thorough public vetting” had taken place. The next step, he said, would be for “protocols” to go to the City Council, at which time there would be more public vetting; no timetable so far, though originally, when we first reported on this almost six months ago, SPD was working toward a March 31 target for activation.

While robbery and burglary numbers for the Southwest Precinct were higher in the first half of this year than a year earlier, Capt. Kessler said they had dropped in recent weeks due to some key arrests. Having reported some of those arrests here, we asked the mayor if his administration works with King County on issues such as prosecution of the suspects; he said they do. (No specifics.) Capt. Kessler also mentioned that SPD has changed up its Alki patroling strategy to some degree this summer, focusing on nighttime rather than daytime, and so far, no major problems. Alki was part of the tour the mayor took before the precinct Q/A; he said he also had visited High Point to talk about issues such as those raised at last week’s community meeting (WSB coverage here) and had been to the “Nickelsville” encampment – where, he said, the population has been going up, not down (we have heard a recent estimate of 170). On our video, you’ll also hear the mayor answering some non-WS questions asked by the TV crews.

The entire visit was pegged to a followup on the Safe Communities initiative, which included a meeting here in West Seattle nine months ago (WSB coverage here). A city staffer handed out paper copies of a handout with West Seattle-specific toplines on how concerns raised at that time had been dealt with since; we’re checking to see if we can get a digital copy to attach here.

ADDED: Here’s the aforementioned report.

michael July 15, 2013 (1:00 pm)

Still won’t get my vote.

GoGo July 15, 2013 (2:42 pm)

Neither will he get mine. Fooled me once, won’t happen twice.

East Coast Cynic July 15, 2013 (3:04 pm)

But what would Lesser Steinbrueck, Murray, or Harrell do better? At least he gives a damn about better transit for West Seattle.

Fish July 15, 2013 (3:37 pm)

“Anyone But This Guy” is how we got McGinn in the first place. How’s that political stance working out for ya? Your gripes sound to me like the entitled me-first culture of 21st century America and not anything to actually pay attention to.

BWD July 15, 2013 (4:01 pm)

McGinn DOES NOT give a damn about better transit in West Seattle.

Gene July 15, 2013 (4:33 pm)

McGinn gives a damn about better transit in West Sattle??
What a bunch of … baloney!!

Brian July 15, 2013 (4:53 pm)

If the current state of public transit in West Seattle is an example of McGinn’s caring nature, I’d hate to think what he might do to reward us for voting him into office for a second term!

The transit system reeks and the mayor deserves to be bounced in the primary!

West Seattle Hipster July 15, 2013 (7:23 pm)

Still not voting for him either, he has been divisive and pandered to the special interest groups that got him elected.
He spent the first two years of his term fighting a personal agenda against the viaduct and seemed to neglect the rest of his mayoral duties. When he hired crony David Hiller, that sealed the deal. He ignores the working class and wastes hard earned tax dollars.

An epic failure as mayor.

LivesInWS July 15, 2013 (8:05 pm)

So a “dialogue” is the answer to the fireworks craziness? And communities will have to “step up,”
(whatever that is), because the cops can’t do it all. I agree the cops can’t do it all — but they could at least do more than the nothing they do now.

At least rounding on the neighborhood parks to slap fines on the boors setting off small (and medium) rockets could bring the city some bucks.

Gene July 16, 2013 (6:18 am)

Hey folks- you want more police- advocate for them . Just how would you deploy officers- send them into the park?? Ok – but where does that leave our neighborhoods?
City leaders are the ones who ” have done nothing at all” they ban fireworks — in the city limits–but give police no way to enforce such a ban. Just another ” feel good” law- typical of local & state government.

Norma July 16, 2013 (10:52 am)

As a victim of crime I can tell you that I found the police very responsive and willing to work with our neighborhood to help resolve the cause of that crime. The justice system was pretty sluggish but that’s all part of assuring the rights of those accused. As for McGinn, I don’t understand why he even wants to be mayor. He could better serve his narrow causes in a different organization. Seattle needs a leader who knows how to work with and respect all of the neighborhoods and various governmental agencies.