Best ways to prevent crime? Councilmember’s ‘policy essay’

| Crime | West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

When the Seattle City Council meets at 2 this afternoon, there will be changes, including committee chairs. Councilmember Tim Burgess, a former police officer, will no longer be chairing the Public Safety Committee (Bruce Harrell will). As Burgess leaves that role, he has published a 14-page “policy essay” with his thoughts on preventing crime. He introduces it on his website here. As he notes – and as is obvious in neighborhood-crime coverage – violent crime is not Seattle’s biggest problem, but rather what Burgess calls “persistent and extremely corrosive street crime and disorder.” His recommendations include focusing on the so-called “hot spots” where a disproportionate amount of crime happens, frequent offenders who are responsible for more than their share, and “problem-oriented policing,” proactive as well as reactive. The essay is linked from his website, or you can go directly to it here.

sarelly January 9, 2012 (4:44 pm)

This is interesting, but vague. The obvious question is, if neighborhoods are targeted for an increased police presence, will that increase simply push offenders into different neighborhoods? The report does not identify the high crime areas in Seattle, nor does it explain what makes an area conducive to criminal activity.

Fred January 9, 2012 (8:45 pm)

If you read the policy paper, you see that the crime is not simply displaced to another location. However, I have a hard time believing that any of the 4% of streets that Burgess mentions are in West Seattle. Does this mean we would lose police officers as they would be transferred to downtown or Rainier Valley or U-District?

Think about it January 10, 2012 (9:47 am)

Crime does get pushed to other areas. They move all around downtown. If police are in Belltown they move to Pike/Pine. The significant problem in Belltown with the shootings are the hip hop clubs. They don’t frisk these guys before going in for guns and the venues unfortunately attract them. I think the other issue that is missing is that Seattle Police through the last year have experienced eroded street authority and the perpetrators know this and capitalize on it. Threatening to complain and lie about police brutality to get off. I strongly disagree with the ‘cops and robbers’ comment by Burgess. Before SPD was in defensive mode they were proactively policing which was getting these guys before they caused harm. Now due to the police crackdown they are in defensive mode. Although I do feel Burgess laid out some good points here in support of true police work. That’s truly where this discussion has to go. Are we going to crackdown on crime and let SPD be the experts or are we going to continue to allow it via denial and armchair quarterbacking their work? I think we as a society have agreed to have police to keep these things from happening and those things are happening because the police are getting the message they are not going to be supported by the city if they are proactive in their policing. In fact they likely will be prosecuted at their own expense.

sarelly January 10, 2012 (4:53 pm)

I did read the report – Burgess seems to say the repeat offenders at these undisclosed locations would ideally be diverted from their activities into rehabilitation programs – but that can only happen if they are caught. Otherwise I’d guess they would move on to another location. This is why I question the concept of location-based policing – I don’t understand how or why it would work. Presumably the target audience for this report will understand what he is talking about.

There are valid reasons why the police have lost some credibility and public support. The SPD should be held accountable for excessive or unwarranted use of force and civil rights violations. I think it’s possible and essential for police to do their jobs and use their authority without abusing it. That said, citizens should also make the effort to learn what their legal rights are in police encounters.

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