105 Replies to "FOLLOWUP: What SPD and Parks are doing next about Alki Beach problems"

• Duffy August 5, 2020 (1:29 pm)

  Imagine how bad of a depressing LOSER you have to be to do circles like that in a Camaro just with the hopes that random strangers will think you look cool. Wow. Get a life pal. Thanks to Parks and SPD for working together to piecemeal an emphasis patrol. I still propose paying the big wig officers LESS so that they can afford to pay more police so that these patrols would not need overtime.

  • newnative August 5, 2020 (5:22 pm)

    Well, those random strangers all stood around and filmed his little smoky magic show. It’s like a competition for lowest common denominator. 

  • Sibbiticus August 6, 2020 (10:39 am)

    How about the Defund The Police protesters put their money where their movement is and help enforce the curfew? They can join hands, block traffic, and politely ask these individuals to respect local ordinance.  I  would actually pay to see this.  

    • Zark00 August 6, 2020 (12:00 pm)

      How about the currently fully funded police do their jobs?

      • crissy gonzales August 16, 2020 (3:05 pm)

        seriously..

• Lola August 5, 2020 (1:37 pm)

  I think the people are doing the same thing that they did up at CHOP, when night time comes they come out of the woodwork as they know that Seattle Police are already possibly on the Chopping Block and they figure they can get away with it.  They will keep pushing the boundries with little things like Parking where they are not supposed to, being at the beach after a certain time, or now even having Fired on the beach  when their are no fire pits.  It is the People who want to say FU Seattle we can do what we want now and there is not a D_ _ _ _ thing you can do about it.  It is sad that we have come to this. 

  • Lispector August 5, 2020 (2:47 pm)

    CHOP was started as a protest against the constant killing of Black people by the police, and eventually people took advantage of the area. Alki’s party and CHOP are not the same so don’t get it twisted. It’s sad that you don’t see the difference. 

    • WTF August 6, 2020 (5:41 am)

      Lispector  “…constant killing of Black people by the police.” Show me the numbers. How constant? Everyday police in America set out to kill? Really? The system needs changing, YES. But, your narrative is tired.What happened at chop should never have happened. And neither should the BS at Alki. Crime is crime.

      • Lispector August 6, 2020 (9:10 am)

        People like you denying the pain that Black folk are feeling is a tired narrative. The data has been compiled in The Washington Post’s Police Shooting Database. Although half of the people shot and killed by police are white, black Americans are shot at a disproportionate rate. They account for less than 13 percent of the U.S. population, but are killed by police at more than twice the rate of white Americans. Hispanic Americans are also killed by police at a disproportionate rate.#blacklivesmatter

      • crissy gonzales August 16, 2020 (3:11 pm)

        You could do your own independent research and educate yourself if you are legitimately interested in knowing. Yes, police disproportionately targeting black folks along with other ethnic minorities. There is a sh-t ton of research out there to support that notion. SPD is worthless trash and yes, the should fave major reform on their annual budget. 

• WontDoAnything August 5, 2020 (1:47 pm)

  Great, 3 hours of “quiet” to be followed by the resumption at 11pm. 

  • Herongrrrl August 5, 2020 (1:53 pm)

    Yep.

  • Anne August 5, 2020 (2:02 pm)

    Well lucky  to get  those 3 hours. 

  • Hortsig August 5, 2020 (4:11 pm)

    I really feel bad for all of you affected by this stuff along Alki. Thus 3 hour stint will do nothing…as soon as the 3 cops leave, they’ll start right back up.I would have thought the PD would have, at least, made their patrol Later at night into earlier morning hours…at least the troublemakers might have pooped themselves out a little more by then.

  • Flipzzz August 5, 2020 (4:31 pm)

    Is it too much to ask for curfew at 11.00 pm .why are people out socializing .you blame the federal leadership for our Covid numbers .. ha it’s all of you who can’t stay home . Curfew and fines. Get this under control . 

• Jim August 5, 2020 (1:57 pm)

  There is our future.  Departments/people having to buy police protection from an already understaffed SPD.  A fully supported SPD would patrol Alki as part of their job.  Defunding without a solid plan is lunacy.

  • Lispector August 5, 2020 (2:51 pm)

    The police are not defunded right now and yet they have wasted so much money they can’t protect Alki Beach. You should read up on exactly what is being proposed with the Defund SPD movement. The SPD had a 409 million dollar budget,  meanwhile Parks & Rec had only 262 million and have to pay for SPD’s overtime. This should concern you.Why defund

  • DefundNow August 5, 2020 (4:29 pm)

    Maybe if the police didn’t blow their entire budget attacking residents of Seattle on Capitol Hill, they’d have money to respond to areas where they are really needed. Perhaps you should get involved in the efforts to fix the police instead of just thinking you can throw money at them, because that clearly hasn’t worked  – and didn’t work last summer or the summer before or the summer before that when they were ‘fully supported.’

    • Jim August 5, 2020 (6:03 pm)

      SPD was not fully supported last year.  Even our CC acknowledged we were short on police officers.  Taking money from SPD does not “fix” the problem.  You just have the same problems with fewer officers.  And then you have additional problems because of fewer officers.  Your proposed plan is full of wishful thinking.   Nobody is hiring social workers to patrol Alki.  They’re hiring trained, armed police officers because that is what is required. 

    • PedroTheLion August 5, 2020 (7:40 pm)

      Spare us the Trump style rewriting of history. The police on Capitol Hill were responding to rioters bent on looting and destroying propery (like the East Precinct). Yes, peaceful protestors got caught up in it – that’s what happens when you mix with violent criminals who have no respect for others. The morons on the hill could have avoided all of this by peacefully protesting during the day; but they wanted to feel special by being part of a movement and being there after dark when the mayhem starts. “Watch my live stream, please watch me, I’m part of history.” How about finding meaning by being a productive member of society. Working hard, paying your taxes, and engaging in peaceful dialog to present your point. 

    • Anne August 5, 2020 (9:52 pm)

      What a bunch of baloney -“SPD blowing their entire budget on attacking residents of Seattle & Capitol Hill” -check that- not baloney-pure garbage.

      • Zark00 August 6, 2020 (12:12 pm)

        Tear gas canisters cost about $30 a pop. SPD fired off over 50 in one night of protests according to the times. That’s just tear gas and just one night. Every officer in riot gear is wearing about $1000 in gear only used for riots. Overtime for the chop is going to run into the millions most likely. They blew a significant portion of their budget and have nothing to show for it but more of what people were protesting against to begin with.

• West Seattle Hipster August 5, 2020 (2:05 pm)

  I think it would a great idea to turn a big stretch of Alki into a “safe streets” area and ban automobiles.

  • Anne August 5, 2020 (3:39 pm)

    No- no no.Do not close Alki For many of us -driving us the only way to get there..Alki belongs to everyone- not just those that can walk or bike there.So ridiculous to keep touting closing the street as the answer to behavior like this. 

    • ~Hockeywitch~ August 5, 2020 (9:33 pm)

      I agree with you Anne..  I enjoy going to Alki, but am not able to walk there… and I am not mobile enough to walk far enough to catch a bus at the bus stop. I like to just go for a drive, find a spot to park my car and watch the water, the people and the animal life. I understand the frustrations of the people that live on Alki, but that’s MY beach too and closing it for a “Safe Street” takes it away from me.

  • JaBa August 5, 2020 (9:08 pm)

    West Seattle Hipster, While that might be nice for you and your friends on fixies, it wouldn’t be so nice for businesses on Alki.

• Wsguy123 August 5, 2020 (2:10 pm)

  Others have commented on other posts that cops will be there but not do anything about people on the beach after 9:30 or fireworks or fires. It’s great 3 cops will be there now from 8-11 but are they allowed to do their jobs or are their hands tied by politics or other things?

  • Math teacher August 5, 2020 (6:26 pm)

    @ WSGUY123 – We lack consensus on what it means “to do their jobs”. For example, I think “doing their jobs” probably involves establishing a calming presence that builds community and trust, reduces the risk/incidence of shootings, reduces crazy fireworks and campfires, de-escalates conflict, and gently encourages folks to call it a night and head home. Someone else might believe that “doing their jobs” involves acting like some sort of intimidating occupying force, strictly enforcing curfews, detaining and arresting, and so on.

• 22blades August 5, 2020 (2:11 pm)

  Place a couple of “Social Distancing” concrete Jersey Barriers every other car length to reduce parking capacity in  half to start with. When the blocks are so close to the traffic lane, the donuts they’re pulling will not end well. Banning outright would be great!

  • Alki resident August 5, 2020 (3:04 pm)

    No, I don’t think so. We have enough of a time finding street parking for the residents down there. 

    • KBear August 5, 2020 (9:04 pm)

      Street parking is for everyone. If you need a permanent storage space for your private automobile, that’s what your garage or driveway is for. 

      • Alki resident August 5, 2020 (9:31 pm)

        Apartments down there don’t all have parking in their buildings. Which was my whole point, we must park on the street. 

      • alki_2008 August 6, 2020 (10:59 pm)

        So, you mean “everyone” EXCEPT the people that live on Alki?  A bit hypocritical, don’t you think?

• west seattle fed August 5, 2020 (2:29 pm)

  How do the police not have the money? This should have been in the plan way before this last round of protests and before COVID. Every year Alki is a show in the summer evenings…this isn’t a secret. This is the police misutilizing funding and then trying to manipulate the public into saying it’s a “defunding” issue because it’s the popular topic. So it was never in their plan to actually “protect” the public property and citizens here. They don’t seem to have a problem using war vehicles and tear gas protecting “property” when folks are exercising their 1A. 

  • WS Taxpayer August 5, 2020 (3:01 pm)

    Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.Call me crazy but I believe continued attempts to force anyone to abandon their lawful “property” (residence, precinct, etc) (or damage/deface said residence) with violence or threat of violence, is no longer captured under the context of peaceably.  

    • Mrsb August 5, 2020 (6:00 pm)

      Exactly!!!!

  • mok4315 August 5, 2020 (3:27 pm)

    The emphasis patrol on Alki is OT. The reason it needs to be OT is because there aren’t enough officers in Seattle to make this a non-OT shift. SPD has used up its OT for the rest of the year (6 weeks), with A LOT of that OT going to the protests. If you’ve tried taking the Fauntleroy ferry recently, you might also notice how long it takes to offload the cars (30 minutes yesterday around 1300) because of the lack of an OT paid traffic controller. 

    • WSB August 5, 2020 (4:08 pm)

      That’s not an SPD thing. As reported here
      https://westseattleblog.com/2020/06/state-ferries-execs-explain-pandemics-toll-on-fleet-staff-riders-and-revenue/
      the state is now contracting with a private firm to provide off-duty officers Th-Fr-Sat.

      • mok4315 August 5, 2020 (4:20 pm)

        You’re right, WSB, I forgot ferries started contracting out last month to get consistent (Thr-Sat) off-duty enforcement. 

    • N August 5, 2020 (4:34 pm)

      It’s a moot point with the direction we are going in now but your right.  Total staffing counts with SPD show we are staffing at about the same level as the 1970’s, and it seems our population has grown a tad in the last 50 years.  Benchmarking to similar cities shows we are far less staffed per capita.  

    • Bert Yahnkitseslovitz August 5, 2020 (5:00 pm)

      It does not require a police officer to wave at traffic at the ferry dock. any ferry deck hand could do it. And no, its not dangerous and it doesn’t require any special training either. I mean, they train kids to be school crossing guards so any adult who can see and hear should be able to just go out there and do it.

      • mok4315 August 5, 2020 (5:40 pm)

        Bert Yahnkitseslivitz, I would agree with you.  I’d rather have officers responding to 911 calls, not directing traffic or writing parking tickets. I think it’s been an officer thing because maybe traffic enforcement falls under SPD. As WSB pointed out though, the cops that work with ferries now are off duty, and it’s up to them what they want to do with their free time.

  • Anne August 5, 2020 (3:29 pm)

    Oh please-are you freaking serious?

• aRF August 5, 2020 (2:32 pm)

  I live within a half mile of this and can attest to this not being the usual state of affairs on Alki. One gets accustomed to some level of summer craziness, and I truly love how many people come to enjoy the beach, the families, the couples, the elderly, the youth, but this is a new level of chaos that threatens everyone’s enjoyment of the beach. It seems to get worse by the week.

  • Kristine D August 5, 2020 (3:11 pm)

    Agreed! I’ve lived in Alki for 11 years. You expect a lot more activity during the summer every year, but I’ve never seen it like this before. The illegal fires, the endless fireworks, cars on the beach. We used to have cops coming through and looking for people with alcohol at the legal fire pits within opening hours. Now it’s chaos. I’m happy they’ll be there from 8-11, but a lot of problems happen later than that. 

    • neighbor August 5, 2020 (5:46 pm)

      This is totally unlike any of the 15 previous summers we’ve lived here. We’re in the neighborhood a couple blocks off the beach, but we’ve had insane amounts of speeding cars, including one doing donuts just like in that video, but in daylight and with families trying to cross the street. I’ve never seen anything like what we’re experiencing this summer, and a police presence is definitely needed. 

• David August 5, 2020 (2:38 pm)

  Why is it that the volleyball nets and polls are still on the beach? Every weekend I see dozens of people without masks playing volleyball. If the parks department is going to the extreme of removing fire pits the volleyball equipment should also be removed since it encourages people to not practice social distancing.

• wondering August 5, 2020 (2:38 pm)

  Does the SPD budget ever get audited to see just how much money is spent and on what?  Who audits it, their own accountants or a third party? Is it available to the public? And who decides to where and to what the money will go? 

  • WSB August 5, 2020 (5:17 pm)

    City budget website has many details on departments’ budgets.

  • 98126res August 6, 2020 (12:09 pm)

    Wondering, Good luck looking thru the murky details of city budgets or seeing ANY real audits of the budgets.  They have no desire to let public see how they actually spend our money.

• LK August 5, 2020 (2:45 pm)

  This level of rowdiness and lack of social distancing is unacceptable.  I feel for the residents who I imagine just want some semblance of peace in the evening.  If the police are unable to do their jobs and this goes on, what’s next?  Perhaps residents need to consider hiring private security or form a volunteer neighborhood patrol?  Either way, some common sense enforcement is sorely needed.

• High up August 5, 2020 (2:52 pm)

  I agree with West Seattle Hipster. Make the street along Alki pedestrian only. That would make the beach so nice and quiet and eliminate many problems. 

• Alkiman August 5, 2020 (3:12 pm)

  The City and PD should tell how much less money (in Dollars, not vague talk) they were getting  these past few months up to now than say a year or two ago.  I suspect the PD has been getting a lot more and simply are doing less.  Actually getting less Dollars than a year ago is starting when?

  • Morgan August 5, 2020 (7:14 pm)

    Part of SPD’s budget expenditures relate to approximately five times the training that they were doing now compared to before the consent decree.   I believe, in total, over $100 million has been spent on bringing SPD into compliance.  Training, as I understand it, drives a fair amount of overtime because the department has to backfill for those officers who are in training.  

• Flipzzz August 5, 2020 (3:32 pm)

  More police presence WILL deter the poor behavior . It’s not rocket science . Our police need and deserve as much support as possible at these venues to ensure safety and enjoyment for all of WS  residents Especially in summer and on weekends . Also reminder again masks , social distance please …let’s not forget we are in a pandemic and our numbers are rising . cant we all just stay home for a bit on weekends too.??? 

• Sweetiebee August 5, 2020 (4:04 pm)

  This is an excellent start! Thanks!! Closing the street to vehicles would be a great break too.

  • Mellow Kitty August 6, 2020 (9:43 am)

    @sweetiebee, I agree, it’s a good start. Is it a perfect solution? Perhaps not, but if the addition of a 3 hour emphasis patrol shows positive results, maybe SPD will beef up the emphasis patrol in the future. I find it disheartening to see people comment from the start that this is not good enough. Give it some time before saying it’s not going to make a difference.

• Kravitz August 5, 2020 (4:25 pm)

  It’s all fun and games until one loses control of their penile extension mobile and kills one of the fools filming it.  You couldn’t pay me to live on Alki and put up with this.

• Barb August 5, 2020 (5:06 pm)

  I feel sorry for the the cops on duty. Just think of the support they will receive from the City Council should they have to enforce the law. I hope the community will support them.Go back to the 70’s when cruising was an issue. The roads we closed after a certain time!! 

• WSMom August 5, 2020 (5:11 pm)

  Welp, here people are wanting to defund the police but at the same time complaining about what goes on down at Alki. What do you really want? Do we want police presence or not?

  • Medium August 5, 2020 (6:01 pm)

    That’s what I keep thinking. A lot of complaints about a lack of police presence and cut the budget until they do more? There has been a micro community policing plan in Seattle seeking community feedback. Lack of police capacity (visibility) is usually #1 regardless of neighborhood. I would like more cops, community policing, neighborhood engagements.

• Rockatansky August 5, 2020 (5:25 pm)

   How would one of the councils new social workers deal with this, a sternly written letter perhaps ?

  • flimflam August 5, 2020 (6:03 pm)

    Good idea, but the letter should be very sternly written, then it may work…

• Lagartija Nick August 5, 2020 (5:42 pm)

  The annual SPD budget is around $430million, they have around 1000 officers so assuming a generous package of $150k/officer, that’s $150million for salaries. Where does the other $280million go? Nothing’s been defunded yet. How can they possibly claim they’re out of money? As another commenter pointed out they know Alki is an issue every year and every year they budget for emphasis patrols. Where is that item in the budget for this year? Why are the emphasis patrols OT only? Policing is a 24hr job, why are these not staffed as regular shifts to avoid OT pay to begin with? It seems like quite a lot could be cut from that extra $280million so we don’t lose officers. Unless of course tear gas and flash grenades are a heck of a lot more expensive than I thought. The whole organization stinks.

  • mok4315 August 5, 2020 (5:58 pm)

    Here’s a link the council provided with a breakdown of SPD’s budget. The pie chart is the one that’s been circulated by many news agencies, so while I haven’t verified it personally, I am confident they have. Additionally, the CC claims to have gotten its information from SPD, so probably trustworthy? Anyway, it gives you an idea: https://sccinsight.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/2020-adopted-budget-at-a-glance.jpg

  • N August 5, 2020 (7:19 pm)

    I would imagine property wouldn’t be cheap – including buying and maintaining vehicles, police boats, helicopters plus the cost to lease office space.  Do they also pay for temp jail space?  I am sure the budget is more complex than we would imagine.  

  • Duffy August 5, 2020 (8:55 pm)

    THANK YOU NICK. I’ve been beating this drum for weeks. Why did I get a parking ticket the other day in a 6 hour time zone in front of a church that hasn’t been occupied for 5 MONTHS because I parked there for 7 hours one day while I worked in my garage? Why wasn’t that police officer on Alki fighting crime? I don’t understand…the minute the cops are asked to actually do what we think they are supposed to do, their response is “we don’t have money or resources.” Really???

    • Really?? August 5, 2020 (10:24 pm)

      @DUFFY Are you 100% sure a police officer gave you that ticket? Not simply parking enforcement, the one who drive around in the go carts?

    • Hammer in Hand August 5, 2020 (10:29 pm)

      Parking enforcement officers are no fire armed packing officers. They would not be the ones patrolling Alki park overtime pay the fine

    • WTF August 6, 2020 (5:58 am)

      Well there ya go! Proves so MANY people have no idea what LEOs do.  Shaking my head. 

    • Know Your Rights August 6, 2020 (7:11 am)

      Oh lord, you got a ticket from a civilian that works for Seattle Police Department.  It’s literally the same thing the council is looking to expand.  The only difference is they have a uniform that says Seattle Police on it.  They have ZERO authority to detain you or anyone else and they don’t carry a weapon (other than charging you with fees from a pen and paper).  The biggest money maker for Seattle is parking tickets.  You will not see those go away with defunding SPD, that will just shift to some other badge name under the cities bureaucratic system.  It’ll be very curious how the new world order will play out.  I won’t be stopping to pull over for anyone that is not a sworn officer of the law and nor should anyone else, that’s a violation of your Fourth Amendment rights.

• Medium August 5, 2020 (5:46 pm)

  The police Staffing per capita for large American cities Is recommended 3.5 per 10k. Seattle is already staffed at 50% for a city with over 700,000 people at 1,300 police officers. The city council Thought we needed more cops less than 6 months ago. I am worried about the quality of candidates for our city knowing the lack of support they can expect. I am more worried about my children that are more likely to be a victim of crime in a lawless city.

• Medium August 5, 2020 (5:53 pm)

  Oops, I meant 3.5 per 1k. 

• AlkiResidentforYears August 5, 2020 (6:13 pm)

  Living on Alki for 25 years, this is the worst I have seen. I have called non-emergency and 911 at least 50 times since May.  I have written Lisa Herbold numerous times and she is totally ABSENT. We need the emphasis patrols and serious attention from 4pm until 2am. Herbolds voice mail is full and no returned emails. We need a real City Council person who represents ALKI.

  • M August 5, 2020 (9:48 pm)

    Maybe Alki residents impacted by this, should protest at Herbolds house since that seems to be the only way you can talk to her. Then protest at the other council members’ house including Dow Constantine.

• Cycleman August 5, 2020 (6:36 pm)

  Close the street! It will stop some traffic.

• Oliver August 5, 2020 (6:47 pm)

  Get ready! Alki beach and your whoas will be the last thing on SPD’s mind when your city council gets done decimating the agency. Learn to fend for yourselves; you’re getting exactly what you voted for. 

• Jpavel August 5, 2020 (7:23 pm)

  Why not every night?  Does this mean that Friday and Saturday night are going to be free for all crazy time?

  • Runner August 5, 2020 (7:52 pm)

    The worst times are the weekend nights. 

  • Skort August 6, 2020 (3:09 pm)

    The article clearly states the patrols will be Thursday through Sunday nights, so no, Friday and Saturday will not be “free for all crazy time.”

• chrissycool August 5, 2020 (7:57 pm)

  This is the biggest bunch of b+++sh++ I have ever seen! Oh yeah close it down for 3 hours and then at 11pm the nightmare starts all over.. How many open drug deals, obnoxious “music” and other crap are people going to just have to deal with! this is insanity!  People are moving out of Seattle because they don’t feel safe! it’s over folks and don’t try and tell me we can police ourselves.. you see how that’s working out! Hope none of you get mugged on Alki or take a walk at the wrong time..good luck having the police show up.

• Findlay August 5, 2020 (8:10 pm)

  After listening to the City Council budget meeting today, good luck for any police enforcement of the beach rules and forget getting response from 911.   According to the City Council, there’s no need for SPD and that civilian resources will negotiate with the gang members associated with these incidents (unless someone gets killed).  Calling 911 will connect us with limited resources and subject to the judgement of the out-sourced, contracted operator.   And there is no talking sense to our Council Members.  They are all about blowing up the system and fixing it later.  I wonder how many people will be harmed by our grand social experiment.  Lisa Herbold pretty much admitted that their recent efforts to combat homeless has been a disaster.  So frustrated that we continue to elect these ungovernable leaders.

• Doug August 5, 2020 (8:10 pm)

  Lisa Herbold and her pals on the council have fully endorsed this behavior with their votes to defund police. Shameful. 

• flimflam August 5, 2020 (8:17 pm)

  social workers will completely rule this situation, just not the navigation team (if needed), they were chopped by the council. all encampments are now permanent..

• Born and Raised August 5, 2020 (9:19 pm)

  well I know it is getting out of hand there  but we used to do the same thing at Alki (burning rubber)there in 1968.  My buddy would go through a set of retread tires just burning rubber in front of a big  crowd power braking  – not doing donuts.   Still laugh at the memory. But those were very innocent days ……never shootings…..and we would all leave without being told to…those were the dayssss

• Beth August 5, 2020 (9:28 pm)

  https://stopdefunding.com/

• valvashon August 5, 2020 (10:55 pm)

  Because Camaro.

• ScubaFrog August 5, 2020 (11:29 pm)

  Nothing’s been defunding, but the SPD’s own culture of brutality and depolicing is the reason it needs to be defunded.  They’re absent. They’ve depoliced*. This right now, is exactly how it would be if they were defunded.  Depolicing:  De-policing is a term for police disengaging from active police work, generally as a reaction to external scrutiny or negative publicity. De-policing represents a de facto police strike, in which the police withdraw an aspect of their crime prevention services.  They’re laying low on duty somewhere, collecting their HUGE salaries, and the entire city suffers.  We lost a gem with Captain Davis, we’re being punished for others’ rioting and the SPD’s culture of brutality. President Obama told the SPD to reform, it’s taken them this long, and we’ve seen nothing toward that end.  In fact, it would appear the SPD’s become more militant and aggressive.  Who can blame Black Lives for protesting (and don’t malign BLM with the rioters, BLM’s peaceful).  Those who’d condemn peaceful protest as un-American (trump, the entirety of the GOP and many white democrats) are terrified of seeing a huge group of Black men and women together.  Defunding the SPD has to happen in order to force reform.  Durkan, Best, the “Q-Anon” President of the Union are too toxic to be trusted, and far too dangerous to be leave to their own devices with a full budget and military wares.

  • WTF August 6, 2020 (6:15 am)

    1- what’s a HUGE salary? 2- Give us data & names/incident descriptions for the “culture of brutality and depolicing” you speak of. If you said it, you must know of these incidents and how such brutality is carried out. Or are you just reiterating the pot and pan banging narrative?  3-“De-policing represents a de facto police strike, in which the police withdraw an aspect of their crime prevention services.  They’re laying low on duty somewhere,” You don’t actually believe what you’ve said?!

  • Jim August 6, 2020 (6:34 am)

    >>>This right now, is exactly how it would be if they were defunded. <<<No, it’s going to get a lot worse after the defunding.This is just the beginning.

• Lisa August 6, 2020 (6:06 am)

  Perhaps Alki residents and other outraged commenters on here should organize your own protest. Show up with bright flashlights and blast classical music as you walk up and down the beach shining your flashlights on the groups. Take back the beach! It’s obvious there’s a problem. It’s obvious there are a lot of you concerned and it’s obvious the police aren’t going to do anything. If this were my neighborhood and I was seeing this every night, absolutely I would be doing something to stop it.

  • Frog August 6, 2020 (9:33 am)

    If classical music doesn’t work, try the Carpenters.

    • BoogieNights August 6, 2020 (11:37 am)

      I prefer Captain and Tenille, Muskrat Love!

  • AlkiMom August 6, 2020 (11:45 am)

    In Los Angeles neighborhood communities hired their our community security.  Perhaps we should explore this option now?

• Runner August 6, 2020 (7:33 am)

  Seattle is a mess and becoming unsafe. This grand experiment that the vocal minority and the city council is moving forward with will result in unnecessary deaths and property destruction.  Who will stand up and be accountable when this fails?  It is so sad for the emerald city.

  • 98126res August 6, 2020 (12:15 pm)

    Completely agree.  Thank you.

• SlowDown WS August 6, 2020 (10:50 am)

  Time for a community fund-raiser and an early morning working party!https://www.trafficsafetystore.com/speed-bumps-humps/plastic-12#SBP12R

• MM August 6, 2020 (11:20 am)

  I feel for the residents on Alki and all of us West Seattle neighbors that regularly enjoy the best beach in Seattle. We are so lucky to have this treasure. I wonder where the people are coming from that are causing these late night problems?  Are they locals? Same repeat crowd every night?  Where were the ones that did the shooting come from?

  • WSB August 6, 2020 (12:25 pm)

    No one has been arrested so we don’t know.

• TimesUp August 6, 2020 (11:26 am)

  1. Do not defund police. 2. Hire more police officers.3. Improve law enforcement training 4. Oust bad apples.5. Support and defend our law enforcement.6. Enforce the laws.7. Prosecute violators and punish accordingly.(this is not rocket science)oh, I almost forgot… 8. Elect new city council members and mayor.

• AlkiMom August 6, 2020 (11:43 am)

  If you all are complaining here PLEASE contact your City Council who are currently putting into place a budget to defund police by 50%.  They need to hear it!!  They are suggesting that parks employees or other non law enforcement representatives should be deployed to deal with these types of situations. I understand the long history of escalation and brutality toward black, brown, lgbtq and other communities from law enforcement.  I think we are a great live case study that sending out non law enforcement to deal with these situations is pointless.  These poor parks people have zero tools to deescalate, enforce or have any impact at all.

• Zach August 6, 2020 (5:22 pm)

  The Red Car in the Video came down 62nd street hit 3 three parked cars and the two male drivers fled on foot.

  Police responded. Took a report and towed the car then left.

• R August 6, 2020 (9:58 pm)

  Good step in right direction on the beach tonight..several patrol on street and some kind of sand/beach vehicle on the sand…though the rain and cooler weather couldn’t have made tonight more calm! One of the quietest nights/days on Alki this year! I sure hope this is just a trial run for them to perfect their patrol when it is actually needed! And actually run periodically through the night. If so…big thumbs up!!

  • WSB August 6, 2020 (10:10 pm)

    Yup, we were just down there at closing time, publishing a followup shortly.

• Huck August 8, 2020 (1:30 pm)

  In a way this is good for the city. It needs to get worse (much worse) for people to realize that defunding the police is a bad……. very bad idea.I feel sorry for you people on the beach though. Keep your heads down.

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