‘Creating a Safer Seattle’: First in a series of forums with mayor, chiefs Thursday

| Safety | West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

The question is often asked: What are city leaders actually doing to improve public safety? Mayor Bruce Harrell has announced a series of community forums to try to answer that question. The first is tomorrow night (Thursday, March 14), 6-7:30 pm. In-person attendance at the downtown library is already maxed out but it’ll be streamed live via Seattle Channel (with a recording available afterward). The mayor will talk with moderator Enrique Cerna, and a panel discussion featuring other leaders including the city’s three public-safety chiefs – CARE Chief Amy Smith, Fire Chief Harold Scoggins, Police Chief Adrian Diaz – will follow. Next month, forums are promised in all five SPD precinct areas, so that means there’ll be one in West Seattle/South Park, though specific dates and locations haven’t yet been announced. The forums are described as “open discussion(s) about community safety challenges, accomplishments, and opportunities.”

Kyle March 13, 2024 (9:34 pm)

Question one, why is Seattle, with it’s much bigger budget, paying police officers less than smaller, less complicated cities in the metro? 4 years to work out a contract is crazy.

Seattlite March 13, 2024 (11:29 pm)

Forums….Hmmmm….A great way to delay the most important job of Seattle’s leaders…protecting citizens. How long has the mayor been working on increasing citizens’ safety in Seattle? Answer: Too long. It is a fundamental basic job expectation of the mayor’s to keep citizens safe. The fundamental basics on how to solve Seattle’s increased crime, police officer shortage should have been started two plus years ago as the mayor promised in his campaign. Problem solving 101: Define problem(s); clarify problem(s); Define goals; Identify problem(s) root causes; Develop action plan; Implement action plan; Evaluate results; Correct mistakes; Continue forward. In my opinion, I believe most Seattleites already know how to go about solving Seattle’s safety problems without forums. The question is: Why doesn’t the mayor, city council and other leaders know how to solve Seattle’s safety problems in a timely, effective manner? Why are them dragging their feet?

Jay March 14, 2024 (1:20 am)

It’s not that easy, there are huge politics involved. It’s because SPOG is too powerful. They don’t want any oversight, they don’t want any concessions. We have to hand them the keys to the city and they still won’t be satisfied. They want everything but they also don’t want to have to work or be accountable for anything. But people in Seattle don’t believe that we have limited value. The cops have to work for us, they can’t be in a class above us with no accountability. The 2020 protests show how the working class people of Seattle feel about the issue.
- Al King March 14, 2024 (9:05 am)
  
  Jay. You say SPOG is “too powerful” That argument has been leveled at a LOT of unions. Why are you anti-union?
  - DC March 14, 2024 (2:56 pm)
    
    I think when your job allows you to violate someone’s civil rights, up to and including shooting them dead, you should have unique systems of accountability beyond a normal union job. Don’t you?
Robert March 14, 2024 (8:13 am)

We just elected a city council willing to cooperate with the mayor. The action planning method you write about is of course how all systems address issues. But there will be a difference in how that unfolds in a government vs a business vs a non profit organization. Democracy requires virtues in addition to timeliness and efficiency. Democracy requires patience and the consideration of multiple constituencies.

WS Guy March 13, 2024 (11:46 pm)

It’s time to start hearing politicians use the word “crackdown”.

Al King March 14, 2024 (7:13 am)

Jay. Seeing the crimes committed in West Seattle and the city certainly illustrates what the 2020 protests have produced. Tell us why we’re better off now. I’m really tired of the “police are evil” crowd” dissapearing when asked why crime is rising and you have provided NO real solutions but can only talk. What are your ACTIONS to reduce crime???

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