FOLLOWUP: Large police presence at Alki again, one night after 3 arrests

(WSB photo)

We’re just back from Alki, after checking to see if police were expanding their presence again tonight, one night after a big gathering at the beach led to three arrests and an early park shutdown (WSB coverage here). What you see above is part of what we found – bicycle officers taking off from Don Armeni Boat Ramp, where multiple SPD cars and other vehicles are parked. No rumors of a repeat tonight; this is just precautionary, we were told. Earlier, Alki photographer David Hutchinson spotted this vehicle on patrol:

We traveled Harbor and Alki Avenues all the way west to 63rd; busy but far fewer beachgoers than this time last night.

Mel May 30, 2021 (6:20 pm)

Love to see this! Thanks SPD.

~Hockeywitch~ May 30, 2021 (6:42 pm)

I was leaving the area towards the city as the Bike Officers were riding in, in formation… Traffic was quite slow as they passed me, so I reached out my window and high fived as many that also put out their hands… Hope tonight is less obnoxious as last night was. THANK YOU SPD!!!!

Alki Dead Ender May 30, 2021 (7:07 pm)

So glad SPD got it RIGHT this year. Usually it is right after High School lets out. We were behind 3 new Police Interceptors, all stealth and under cover on our way home, followed them to.see where they were lagering. Before pong, ran into major backup, they lit their lights and we saw 4 bicycle Cops follow in hot pursuit. Did an illegal 3 point turn, headed back for home. So glad few were hurt, even though we heard other emergency vehicles later. We are often concerned r.e. public safety, and SPD seem to have met their mandate that night.

L May 31, 2021 (6:47 am)

Thank you SPD. The situation could have been a disaster but for the strong police presence. Keep up the strong presence at Alki through the summer.
just wondering May 31, 2021 (7:31 am)

“lagering” and “pong”???????
- Alki Dead Ender May 31, 2021 (6:27 pm)
  
  Lagering implies cold storage, or waiting patiently.pong it the typo for the ever so cryptic word, long.Curious, do you grammar correct all your mail?If so, good for you. Did you notice the extra period?

Joe May 30, 2021 (7:29 pm)

Thanks SPD. We need more of you around, not less.

mok4315 May 30, 2021 (7:45 pm)

Thanks SPD! It doesn’t get said often enough, but we appreciate you!

whalewatcher May 30, 2021 (7:53 pm)

It seems like the drag racing is waaaay worse this year! I’m hearing it non-stop every evening with decent weather.

Karen May 30, 2021 (8:27 pm)

Thank you SPD, appreciate and support you!!!

Ll May 30, 2021 (8:48 pm)

Watched SPD patrol the streets this afternoon at Alki, it was a welcome sight. Enjoyed watching 3 officers participate in a volleyball game for awhile as well. It was heartwarming to see them engage and be accepted along the beach. Thank you SPD, our community welcomes you!

Star May 30, 2021 (8:57 pm)

Great job SPD. Please be sure L. Herbold see’s your great work.

Brian May 30, 2021 (8:58 pm)

This is such a waste of resources.

Delridge May 30, 2021 (10:22 pm)

Yep, agreed. Glad to know that we can always count on Seattle to p*** away our tax dollars.
- Alkiholic May 31, 2021 (8:04 am)
  
  Do you and Brian live in Alki? Did you spend much time here last summer? It was mayhem, and it felt like there was nothing anyone could do. People were doing donuts in the middle of crowded intersections every weekend, at like 5pm. Now, I’ve never been a big fan of cops, I’m a lefty, and I understand the goals behind the defund movement, but if it gets to a point where you feel unsafe crossing the street with your children because some douchebags watched Fast and Furious too many times and don’t give a f#%k about anyone but themselves, bring on the cops! Especially if they’re trying to engage the community in a positive way and reshape their relationships with all of us. If Saturday night had occurred last summer, I guarantee you one or two people would have died, and something probably would have burned down. Does that sound like a nice world to live in?
  - Brian May 31, 2021 (12:35 pm)
    
    It’s wild how someone can go from “i’m a lefty” to “please police the heck out of my community and do whatever it takes”.
    - Resident May 31, 2021 (5:28 pm)
      
      How so?
    - WS98 Lefty May 31, 2021 (8:48 pm)
      
      @Brian – it’s a leap to assume all lefties are anti-police, I’m not. I’m glad to see a strong presence, it’s gotten way out of control, it’s not really safe to be down there anymore to enjoy summer evenings. It’s no longer just free wheeling youth having a good time when gang bangers show up with drugs, alcohol, weapons and start fighting.I live at the top of Charlestown and the noise from all of the selfish non-locals screaming through our streets is unbelievable from this distance. I can’t imagine what it’s like for Alki residents.
Wsea Person May 31, 2021 (9:05 am)

How so?

Huck May 30, 2021 (9:05 pm)

Just saw a woman cursing at a cop down on Alki a few minutes ago.Ahhhh, civilization…just makes me feel all warm inside.

Joe Z May 30, 2021 (9:06 pm)

How much is all this police overtime costing the taxpayers? There were only 3 arrests last night? Judging by the comments you would think this was a violent riot! Is that not the case?

WSB May 30, 2021 (9:14 pm)

No, it was not a riot.
Confusious May 30, 2021 (9:28 pm)

So your logic is that we should only be paying the police for arresting people? We want police presence to prevent violence, not call on them once violence has broken out. I don’t get people at all, we need to defund the police for arresting rioters, but don’t want to pay for them keeping the peace just by being present…. can’t have it both ways people!
- Wsea Person May 31, 2021 (9:06 am)
  
  Seriously, spot on
What Do I Know May 30, 2021 (9:34 pm)

Gotta love Monday morning quarterbacking …

dzag May 30, 2021 (9:45 pm)

Thanks SPD your overtime is well deserved! Let’s increase funding and law enforcement. This city has been over run with crime and violence and it’s time to hold the trouble makers accountable.

BR May 30, 2021 (10:29 pm)

Thank you for keeping our community safe!

Waste of Tax Payer Money May 30, 2021 (10:30 pm)

To all those who are saying “we” or “our community” yeah, that’s a no from me and every other person of color whose been harassed by SPD. We don’t appreciate them and this is a such a waste of resources. I witnessed an extreme over the top reaction to POTENTIALLY criminal activity this week, that could have gone extremely bad had a certain officer decided to fire his AK-47. I don’t agree with what the kids were doing but a couple of teenage girls twerking on police cars (no matter how embarrassing that is for them), does NOT require such a large police presence. I guess they must be bored from not being able to terrorise people of color and black people anymore or as much.

Alki resident May 31, 2021 (12:30 am)

Thank you SPD!

Karen May 31, 2021 (6:10 am)

Thank you SPD, you are needed, wanted and appreciated👏

Runner May 31, 2021 (6:10 am)

Thank you SPD!

Smittytheclown May 31, 2021 (7:05 am)

Thank you SPD! The silenced majority backs you!

Pessoa May 31, 2021 (8:10 am)

Doesn’t seem to be much of a middle ground in West Seattle between an appreciation for law enforcement and obsequious police toadying. On the matter of police funding, no public institution has ever – or will ever – admit that they can get by on less funding. You can place that certainty up there along with death and taxes.

Curious May 31, 2021 (11:12 am)

People are up in arms every time the postal service proposes reducing its costs by not delivering mail as frequently. Yet it has to fund it’s retirement system 75 years into the future. So, the price of stamps goes up. Do you have a better solution?
- Lagartija Nick May 31, 2021 (5:56 pm)
  
  Curious, I’m not sure why you brought up the USPS here, but that solution is simple – get rid of the 75 year retirement fund mandate.
  - Curious May 31, 2021 (7:25 pm)
    
    This was an example of a public institution that proposed a way to get by on less funding, but was unable to do so because of public pushback to not reduce days of service and then had to also meet a Congressional requirement to fund their retirement system which is resulting in an increase in postage. Guess the solution here really is to talk to one’s congressperson about the 75-year funding mandate.

WSMom May 31, 2021 (8:14 am)

Thank you, SPD!So glad for your presence!You are appreciated.

anonyme May 31, 2021 (8:38 am)

This is great but would like to see more laws enforced across the spectrum. If police can be drawn out in these numbers for Alki, we should be able to see better coverage for other problems as well.

MJ May 31, 2021 (9:19 am)

Thank you SPD!!!

Alki Jack May 31, 2021 (10:19 am)

A Big thank you to SPD. Confusious is right on the money. We want SPD’s presents to prevent the need for arrests. Their preventative measures stopped what could have turned into an ugly situation. Personally I pay big time property taxes for living on Alki Ave and I am happy to pay for SPD’s overtime. In fact I should start a fund and I’ll bet lots of tax paying West Seattleites would happily chip-in for police overtime on Alki Avenue. As I’m typing there are several looser’s on Alki Ave on Memorial Day at 10AM in the morning with their illegal exhaust systems, reviving their engines and backfiring as if anyone really thinks it sounds cool.

Runner May 31, 2021 (3:46 pm)

Well said, the people that live in this community deserve better than to be a race track for a bunch of immature idiots.

M May 31, 2021 (12:03 pm)

Thank you SPD. I appreciate you and every time I get a chance in person, I thank you for your service.

Michael Ostrogorsky May 31, 2021 (12:55 pm)

Just to put things into perspective, rowdiness, drunkenness, police corruption, and general mayhem have been part and parcel of West Seattle since the establishment of Luna Park in 1907. The whole reason for getting the city of Seattle to annex West Seattle in 1907 was hope that the city would crack down on public drunkenness and vice caused primarily by Luna Park. Unfortunately for West Seattle, turned out the Seattle Police profited off the very drunkenness and vice West Seattleites hoped to combat. Seattle Police, all the way up to the Chief of Police of the time, Charles Wappenstein, took payoffs from booze, gambling, and women of the night to look the other way.

Kate C May 31, 2021 (4:12 pm)

I can’t stop laughing at “women of the night”
- Vic May 31, 2021 (5:46 pm)
  
  Vampires, obviously.

Understanding what privilege is May 31, 2021 (2:20 pm)

Privilege is being so comfortable and unconcerned about others situations and experiences, it’s not having to fight for systemic changes to feel safer, or to have the same rights and opportunities as others who have more privilege, because they were born with a different skin color. Police are appreciated for their good work. Just because people are advocating for needed change, doesn’t mean they aren’t. They are professional adults who hopefully understand this is true and it is also true that there are issues that need addressing and it’s a time for change. They probably don’t need constant comments of reassurance and praise. However, your neighbors who are fighting for change to make life better and safer for others, would appreciate hearing you understand and support positive change.

Randy May 31, 2021 (3:18 pm)

The vast overwhelming majority of people who live in Seattle appreciate the brave, selfless Police Officers who serve in the Seattle Police Dept. Thin Blue Line.

Pessoa May 31, 2021 (7:43 pm)

Yes, we know, the poor beleaguered police officers, hounded and persecuted at every turn – crying all the way to the bank. Come on, you people can’t be that naive…can you?

Privilege May 31, 2021 (7:07 pm)

Privilege is being so comfortable and unconcerned about others situations and experiences, it’s not having to fight for systemic changes to feel safer, or to have the same rights and opportunities as others who have more privilege, because they were born with a different skin color. Police are appreciated for their good work. Just because people are advocating for needed change, doesn’t mean they aren’t, and we need to lavish them with praise every time they do their job. They are professional adults who hopefully understand this is true and it is also true that there are issues that need addressing and it’s a time for change. They probably don’t need constant comments of reassurance and praise. However, your neighbors who are fighting for change to make life better and safer for others, would appreciate hearing you understand and support positive change.

Belvidear May 31, 2021 (8:41 pm)

This.
WS98 May 31, 2021 (8:55 pm)

Well said!

Sorry, comment time is over.