By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

Amid a wave of persistent crime affecting local businesses, the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce convened a public-safety forum for its members last night.

Seattle Police Chief Adrian Diaz, King County Prosecuting Attorney Leesa Manion, and District 1 City Councilmember Lisa Herbold – who chairs the Public Safety and Human Services Committee – answered questions for about an hour with more than 20 people in attendance at ArtsWest (WSB sponsor) in The Junction. On behalf of the Chamber’s Government Affairs Committee, restaurateur Dan Austin moderated, asking questions submitted in writing in advance.

First, here’s our video of the hour-long event:

If you can’t or don’t want to watch, here’s our summary of how it went:

First question, what’s being done about burglaries and other crimes happening at businesses?

Chief Diaz said data showed they’re dropping in number, so he wants to be sure that it’s not because people aren’t reporting them – he implored people to report everything. (What he admitted is a “little archaic” online-reporting system is being overhauled, he mentioned, and an improved version should be up and running by June.) That aside, he mentioned a multi-pronged approach – first, crime-prevention strategies, such as looking at repeat targets and seeing if something can be done to make them less attractive to criminals; second, analyzing “what kind of crime we’re deaing with” – for example, if someone comes into a shop and makes threats, maybe it’s someone in need of services. He also suggested personal-safety workshops for employees. And once someone’s arrested, he added, ensuring they can be prosecuted. (Though not business-specific, Diaz noted here that SPD has been engaged in operations targeting vehicle thefts and has “made a number of arrests.”)

Austin followed up by asking how to connect with the kind of prevention information the chief mentioned; Diaz recommended talking with Southwest Precinct Crime-Prevention Coordinator Jennifer Danner (who was in attendance).

Councilmember Herbold added that an “audit” of organized retail theft is expected to be complete within the next month or so, and she’s hoping for “actionable recommendations.” Dealing with “fencing” is vital too, Prosecuting Attorney Manion noted.

Austin then asked Manion about sentencing guidelines, given the “catch and release” perception that even though suspects are being arrested, they’re not being kept in custody – or, if prosecuted, sentenced – for long. She emphasized that sentencing guidelines are state law, created by legislators, and “we’re bound by it,” with the decision in the hands of judges. During the pandemic, King County Jail’s population had to be reduced for the safety of officers and inmates, she explained, but “we are coming out of those restrictions” now.

Next question was directed first at Herbold, asking how the 2020 discussion of potentially “defunding” SPD affected the department’s staffing loss and attempts to recruit replacements. Herbold reiterated that the council “never voted on 50 percent defunding” – Councilmember Kshama Sawant proposed it but “never got a second.” She contended that “a lot of factors” contributed to the departure of hundreds of officers, and yes, discussion of reductions was one of them, as were the protests, “but this is a national issue,” she stressed, saying “every city across the country has had large numbers [of police] retiring or quitting (and) recruitment numbers are down.” She says community ideas have been helpful in recruiting, such as paying referral bonuses to city employees who refer candidates that get hired (that, she said, is being done for other departments too). Also, Herbold said, some changes have been made such as how long it takes to get into the academy. She then reiterated that the council has “fully funded SPD’s staffing plan” for three years running, so the money is there to hire officers.

Next question was for Diaz, about how the Black Lives Matter movement has affected “police culture.” He first talked about his community roots – a former 10-year resident of West Seattle, and having spent a lot of time in South Park – and said he’d been involved in many “difficult conversations with communities affected by police violence.” He talked about the Before the Badge program for new officers to meet with community members: “We focus on culture change, but it has to start at the very beginning.” Otherwise, he explained, the police academy still puts more of a focus on aspects of the job such as shooting and driving. Overall, he said, thanks to “great work by officers,” they’ve used less force and received fewer complaints despite having made more arrests last year than in previous years “at full staff” and seizing more guns. Violent crime is down 26 percent in recent months, he said. (Herbold noted that Before the Badge has West Seattle sessions coming up – you can register here to participate.)

How do the city attorney and county prosecutor work together? Manion said their “relationship has never been better” – the offices’ teams communicate and collaborate. Teamwork, she said, helped reduce retail theft downtown by 20 percent; she said their collaboration had resulted in felony charges being filed rather than misdemeanors in some cases. She noted that City Attorney Ann Davison had inherited “an office of misfiled charges.”

Is anything new in the works to help small businesses cope with the costs of property crime? No.

What about alternative public-safety responses? Herbold said she’s “very frustrated” that funding provided by the council since 2020 has not yet led to its intended results, though some work is under way (a presentation was scheduled before her committee this morning). Manion detailed the multiple levels of dealing with the mental-health crisis, saying she hopes to get state law changed so it can be more collaborative, But right now, she said, Western State Hospital is full: “What we need is an increase in capacity (there) … (it) should be a priority for our state lawmakers.” She also noted that 400 people are waiting for licensing to become mental-health providers, and finding a way to accelerate the process would be helpful. Diaz added that there are “no services available” to “high-utilizer” types of people upon release. Right now, he said, it’s a six-week wait for a “designated crisis responder” to evaluate someone who is in crisis now. The funding is there, but they are short on help. Programs like LEAD and JustCARE are doing what they can, but overall, he warned, “this is going to be a longstanding problem.”

What can the panelists say to exhausted, exasperated businesses – is there light at the end of the tunnel? Austin asked. “What do you need from us?”

Stay in business. Open businesses. That’s what Diaz urged – saying that if more businesses are operating, more people will be out and about, and that will reduce crime. “Hold on for just a little longer,” he said, urging optimism and looking ahead to upcoming major events like the All-Star Game this year and World Cup in four years. “We’re going to get through this.”

Manion and Herbold agreed there’s cause for hope. The prosecuting attorney said for one, community leaders “have been cooperating in ways that feel very different to me.” The councilmember said she feels “we are turning the corner” after the pandemic years of forgetting “how to be together” but also exhorted a “collaborative approach.”

After a question about Prosecuting Attorney’s Office staffing levels – “some vacancies, not perfect, but manageable,” said Manion – Austin brought the discussion back to police, and how to both hold them accountable and thank them. The chief says on the former, they’re “teaching officers what we value,” but if you have a complaint, you can take it to the Office of Police Accountability. On the latter, “just thank them.” The new online followups on reports are helping, he noted – “nine of 10 are getting positive feedback … we’re showing it to the officers and that’s helping offiers feel like ‘my work is being valued’.”

Chamber executive director Whitney Moore wrapped up by noting that the forum was in part thanks to a city grant. She also said the Chamber has 13 more events between now and May – you can check the calendar on their website to see what’s coming up.