UPDATE: Big Seattle Police deployment for Alki

(WSB photos)

2:58 PM: Arriving at Don Armeni Boat Ramp to check on the aftermath of the boat rescue, we happened onto this – a big Seattle Police deployment gathered there, at least 10 vehicles plus the Mobile Precinct.

Police tell us this is in part because of a social-media rumor we’ve gotten a couple questions about – an alleged huge party at Alki Beach after 6 pm tonight, being organized on TikTok. Officers were gathering at Don Armeni for roll call and planning to fan out after that, though we subsequently found extra SPD vehicles already at the beach, too.

They said they’re also tasked with responding to street racing and other stunt driving, if it happens.

7:48 PM: Just drove Harbor and Alki Avenues to see how things were going. Definitely a crowd gathering. Police have spread out from Harbor/Spokane to 63rd/Alki, pulled over at intervals with rollers going, on foot too. Also still there, the special-purpose vehicles we noted earlier (the white truck now has a mast up with a camera). We’ll be checking back in another hour or so. (We’ll have a separate update late tonight – watch our Twitter feed for updates sooner.)

66 Replies to "UPDATE: Big Seattle Police deployment for Alki"

  • Brian May 29, 2021 (2:59 pm)

    Oh cool I’m not on TikTok but now I know there’s a big party on Alki at 6 o’clock tonight.    

    • OldSteveTheWhaler May 29, 2021 (4:33 pm)

      Dude, haha! Zang!

    • Rick May 30, 2021 (3:33 pm)

      How DARE they use the road  for cars!

  • Marcus May 29, 2021 (3:27 pm)

    Excellent, thank you for finding the funding for this effort.  Now more families and elderly people can enjoy a city park without worrying about dangerous activities.

    • mark May 29, 2021 (8:10 pm)

      Happy to pay more city taxes to support law and order.  What a change from a year ago.  Still not sure if any of the looters downtown were ever charged….    I know they were arrested and charged in Bellevue.

      • barman May 29, 2021 (9:42 pm)

        You’re not sure? Yes, people were arrested in Seattle. What a dumb thing to say.

        • WSB May 30, 2021 (2:51 am)

          No, arrests do not always result in charges.
          I still have a King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office media memo from last September. It detailed that between May and September of last year, KCPAO filed charges in:
          -9 Seattle-related protest cases
          -5 Bellevue-related protest cases

          I don’t have the memos on what’s happened since then but searching Seattle protest charges

        • Anita Erickson May 30, 2021 (9:13 am)

          Learn to be kind to people. Name calling isn’t necessary.. Or calling people stupid.even if their comments are uneducated or ignorant.grown folks need to learn to be kinder to one another.

      • Sam May 29, 2021 (10:35 pm)

        I DONT BUY IT

  • Karen May 29, 2021 (3:30 pm)

    Thank you SPD!

  • StopCuttingDownTrees May 29, 2021 (3:31 pm)

    Outstanding! So glad to see a strong SPD presence down there. FINALLY, an Alki weekend without dangerous car stunts, drivers smoking marijuana behind the wheel at Don Armeni Park, off-road-only motorcycles doing wheelies on Beach Drive, large groups blocking the bike path, etc.

    • Chuck May 29, 2021 (4:15 pm)

      Defunded SPD. This is a waste of money and NOT what the good citizens of Seattle voted for. Oppressive police need to be disbanded! 

      • Danimal May 30, 2021 (1:56 am)

        Chuck, this is exactly what I voted for, and what the police need to be doing. Defund the police doesn’t mean disband the police. A very small minority of this city thinks lawlessness and mayhem is what constitutes freedom. What would you be saying if someone were shot on your front lawn, someone did doughnuts in the grass and on the baseball diamond in the park, and someone was killed when a hot rod lost control doing a burnout? I wish more people had been arrested.

        • Tomba May 30, 2021 (9:19 am)

          Agree

    • Starbikes May 29, 2021 (9:07 pm)

      “Without large groups blocking the path?” I biked down tonight to cruise around and check it out and the bike path is basically shut down because there’s so many people (7-8pm). I had to get off and walk a couple times.

      Plenty of police on hand, but not doing anything yet. Probably just there in case things get rowdy, which they hadn’t yet. Packed yes, but not aggro.

      Although as I was biking home I could hear police sirens starting up LOL

      • Rick Cook May 29, 2021 (9:21 pm)

        How dare pedestrians use the bike path!

        • Matt P May 29, 2021 (9:44 pm)

          Yes, how dare they.  The bike path is for bikes.  There are plenty of other places to walk.

        • bike lanes May 30, 2021 (9:32 am)

          It isn’t safe for pedestrians to walk in bike lanes, just as it isn’t for cars to drive on sidewalks. Not their intended usage. And not the same as bikes riding slower and yielding/avoiding pedestrians while sharing the sidewalks. Pedestrians are often lacking some awareness of their surroundings, in conversation or looking at their phones, which is expected on sidewalks, but not on roadway. People seem to want to turn this into an entitlement thing, but it’s really a safety thing.

        • Scott Collins May 30, 2021 (10:56 am)

          Rich, while I detect a bit of sarcasm, what you said was correct.   There are two separate paths for wheels and heels for a very good reason…to keep both safe.  Pedestrians meandering on the bike path put themselves and those on wheels in danger.   Lack of awareness is no excuse

  • Alki Local May 29, 2021 (3:34 pm)

    Oh, thank you SPD!!

  • anonyme May 29, 2021 (4:01 pm)

    I want to see more of this, not less.

  • ~hockeywitch~ May 29, 2021 (4:01 pm)

    I was down there earlier and saw them all at the boat launch. I had a feeling it had something to do with this weekend and keeping things to a minimum roar.  Every 5 cars or so,, it seemed there was an officer driving..almost like a pace car..maybe to keep the speeds down.  Was nice to see them all on what’s going to be a busy weekend for them, I’m sure. Thank you SPD

  • Mel May 29, 2021 (4:03 pm)

    Thank you SPD!

  • Grateful May 29, 2021 (4:09 pm)

    Much gratitude to SPD! We need police to help keep our city safe.

  • LazzerBoner May 29, 2021 (4:26 pm)

    Totally lame dude. Police are so overfunded they can send 10 dudes to break up a small party with only a couple hundred expected— and send them like 5 hours early!! Dudes – first dj comes on at like 10. And that when pop up bars start serving. So U guys are wasting tons of time just fanning yourselves out in the hot sun. After all we’ve been through, we still give the cops enough to try to prevent crimes before they happen?? How many police does one small town need? They just need volunteers and addiction counselors at this party. Maybe like one medic dude. But the cops aren’t needed cuz they won’t even have fun. They’ll be all trying to stop fights and trying to stop peeps from ODing and just bringin the vibe down. Lame. They shoulda defunded them and put some money into the party tonight or another rave. Or give us a boat for vip. Just off top of my head. Hella better possibilities. Hit me up at alki if want to talk ideas

    • Alki resident May 29, 2021 (5:44 pm)

      Ok great idea Spicoli

      • Dave May 29, 2021 (10:05 pm)

        !

    • Ardelia May 29, 2021 (6:30 pm)

      Ah yes, the dude who posted this all over Reddit including “PartyParrot.” Lame.

    • infantry72 May 29, 2021 (7:05 pm)

      i hear ya dude, totally bogus. i’m gonna grab me some tasty waves after my final with mr hand. slackers unite, bro!

    • John May 29, 2021 (7:08 pm)

      I have a question.  How do the police stop crime before it happens? Is magic involved? Maybe Superman can help.  My understanding is that rarely can the police look into the future.  Unless of course, mlmyou know of some secret way.  

      • Seattlite May 30, 2021 (9:00 am)

        John…You seem to have common sense and logical thinking…most excellent.

    • LazzerBoner4Mayor May 29, 2021 (7:12 pm)

      @LazzerBoner – dm me so we can organize your campaign for WS mayor

    • Andros May 30, 2021 (8:26 am)

      How’s that hangover feel this morning, haus??

  • Steven May 29, 2021 (4:49 pm)

    Yay! It’s about time to get some help on Alki! As much as we like to have dinner there and walk the length of the beach, the party-on-the-road crowd has dimmed the joy a bit. Thank you SPD for helping make it family friendly again!

    • Steve May 29, 2021 (11:48 pm)

      When I was younger I participated in a lot of shenanigans on Alki.  15-20 years ago it didn’t get crazy like it does now.  In December it is quiet, cold, windy and beautiful.  In July it’s crowded, loud, and on some days dangerous. I’m still assuming it will be a relatively quiet summer with the bridge closed.  No other neighborhood goes from being a beautifull

      • Alki Local May 30, 2021 (8:51 am)

        Last summer was anything but quiet. It was a total nightmare those of us who live on Alki. The bridge did nothing to detract from people coming here. We expect it to be busy but not totally out of control. Fireworks every single night between midnight and 4am from July to September. If this year is even marginally better I would be ecstatic. 

  • Shotinthefoot May 29, 2021 (5:05 pm)

    Freedom via Intimidation = Liberation ? 

    • Curious May 29, 2021 (5:42 pm)

      People following the rules = Liberation

    • StopCuttingDownTrees May 29, 2021 (6:41 pm)

      Chaos + crime = destroyed quality of life

  • Graciano May 29, 2021 (5:19 pm)

    Those parking spots are for vehicles with trailers… , where’s the parking enforcement?

    • AB83 May 29, 2021 (6:25 pm)

      They’re busy crossing the low bridge responding to emergencies 

  • Mr J May 29, 2021 (5:27 pm)

    Wow must be stopping a lot of crime there, let’s give them 10 billion more dollars to make us feel safe from noise.

    • Marcus May 29, 2021 (5:55 pm)

      Very silly and basically the reason why crime is so apparent in WS.  

    • Curious May 29, 2021 (5:58 pm)

      I vote for $20 billion more, or whatever it takes, if it works.

    • Sam May 29, 2021 (7:44 pm)

      Good luck spd 😂

  • DB May 29, 2021 (8:07 pm)

    I live on Admiral, uphill from Alki.  Speeds of cars coming up and down hill are ridiculous… they are following each other at high speeds racing with huge noise.  Nobody seem to be on point here. 

    • Db May 29, 2021 (9:45 pm)

      Thank you SPD!  For now, cars seem to be slowing their roll on Admiral!  

  • Leelee May 29, 2021 (8:17 pm)

    Everyone on this cheugy af.

    • Auntie May 29, 2021 (9:14 pm)

      How did this post get approved and what does it mean???

      • WSB May 29, 2021 (9:41 pm)

        Google it.

        • K M May 29, 2021 (10:19 pm)

          I love you, WSB! 

        • Auntie May 29, 2021 (10:23 pm)

          OK, I’m a cheug. Argh!

    • JVP May 29, 2021 (10:30 pm)

      Using the term cheugy is cheugy af. Oh the irony.


      WSB’s response: not cheugy. 

    • R0B0 May 29, 2021 (11:35 pm)

      Is it cheugy af to call out your generation for parking in handicapped spaces and littering then yeah I guess I am. Make me a bumper sticker. Also if you’re still using the slang cheugy from 2013 you should put the same bumper sticker on yours. Sit on it! Ayyyyy!

  • gkgtgjfncfbkvehhhtkjhkedgrddkhgu May 29, 2021 (9:55 pm)

    Thank you, SPD. Please enforce the law including excessive noise prevention https://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=46.37.390

  • jissy May 29, 2021 (9:57 pm)

    Shut the roadway down…. that’s what happened when I was a cruising teenager.  Yep, when I was finally old enough to drive, we would cruise Alki, it would take 2-3 hours to go one way, you’d turn around and take 2-3 to go the other direction, man, those were the days (yep, I’m old).    Right about when I was 17 they passed “Anti-cruising” laws and would shut Harbor/Alki Ave down at Ferry Avenue to the South and 59th to the North, you’d only get let by if you could show proof of residency (or if you knew about Bonair but that could only get you one direction).    Sounds like a decent idea again!

  • Alki Jack May 29, 2021 (10:00 pm)

    SPD is doing the right thing, however, would love to see them enforce the noise ordinance. The majority of cars cruising Alki Avenue are there just to make noise. Stupid looking cars, non-stop backfiring and purposely making all the noise they can. Some of these idiots spend all day going back and forth on Alki Ave bringing their car rpm’s up and then dumping the exhaust…pop….pop…..pop over and over again. PLEASE GROW UP  and act “normal”. You don’t look cool, but really really stupid. When will SPD actually pull drivers over and issue citations!

    • StopCuttingDownTrees May 30, 2021 (12:41 am)

      Probably never. The City’s Inspector General says SPD should stop enforcing ALL minor traffic infractions like noise, revving, illegal car mods, loud stereos, expired tabs, speeding up to 20 mph over, bad turns, rolling stops, etc.

      • Jort May 30, 2021 (10:05 am)

        It’s a very interesting stance, given the direct correlation between death and serious injury and speeding. Speeding is not a victimless crime! It has thousands of victims in the United States, particularly vulnerable street users. I can understand that it is racially biased in its enforcement, but this can be easily remedied by automating speed enforcement, equitably. And this system MUST be in place before police begin “giving up” on enforcement of something that kills as many people as cancer in America every year. 

  • Sweetiebee May 29, 2021 (10:12 pm)

    I applaud this and the SPD! Finally!! Thank you!! All these beyond loud car racers don’t care that people and pets live here! Their driving is terrifying.

  • Alki Resident May 29, 2021 (10:46 pm)

    Thank you SDP! 

  • Alki resident May 29, 2021 (10:48 pm)

    Thank you, SPD.  I love seen you here:) I Live in Alki, and these hooligans are really ruining it for the residents.

  • CheugyandProud! May 30, 2021 (5:22 pm)

    I don’t have anything to say about policing Alki at this time.  Just wanted to adopt a new RAD handle!  Thanks groovy people, and 23 Skidoo!

  • Marcus May 30, 2021 (6:35 pm)

    Grew up here in WS.  Went cruising all the time.  Even lived for a while off Alki.  That was a bit of time ago.  Alki has always needed some kind of police presence.  Keeps it nice and friendly.Hey I do not care if people come from other communities.  Enjoy the beach, walk the length, grab a bit and then drive to Lincoln Park.  Spend money or just watch the water.  But in all of that respect my community as if you live here.Thank you SPD.

Sorry, comment time is over.