TONIGHT: Councilmember Saka’s community-safety forum for North Delridge, High Point, Snake Hill

| Neighborhoods | West Seattle news

Due to event coverage this morning, we’re not able to publish a highlight list for today, but you can check our West Seattle Event Calendar for all the listings. We did want to make a quick reminder about tonight’s biggest event – the community-safety forum that City Councilmember Rob Saka is coordinating for North Delridge, High Point, and Snake Hill, all coping in particular with gunfire incidents. It’s happening at High Point Neighborhood House (6400 Sylvan Way SW), starting at 6:30 pm. From his announcement:

I’ve invited key city leaders to join us including Police Chief Shon Barnes, Chief of Public Safety Officer Natalie Walton-Anderson, Parks Superintendent AP Diaz, and Seattle City Light CEO Dawn Lindell. Council President Sara Nelson and additional city representatives will also be in attendance.

This community gathering is about listening — and acting. Our goal is to give city leadership a clear understanding of how this violence is affecting daily life and to explore real, cross-departmental and community-rooted solutions. Because no one agency — and no one person — can solve this alone.

Again, though we usually publish a home-page list every morning, today you’ll need to go here to see what else is happening in the hours ahead.

Citizen Joe May 14, 2025 (1:29 pm)

Finally the moment I’ve been waiting for. A chance to talk with Mr. Saka about what’s happening in his very neighborhood face to face. I can’t wait.

KD May 14, 2025 (4:39 pm)

In case I don’t make the meeting, can some of you folks PLEASE-PLEASE bring up that one cannot get through to make a report?? So much data and complaints fall away due to 911 operators switching you to the non-emergency operators and they never EVER come on line! I also know to call the non-emergency line (206)625-5011 first, but it just rings and rings and rings. I held for better part of an hour many times. The other day, 15 minutes, I finally hung up. No excuses, plus, they don’t seem to be as trained as the 911 dispatchers, they seem no patience or really dumb questions (the very rare times I have got through) I remember the father with the baby seat with the bullet hole in it that was from the same shooting in Saka’s neighborhood. On the tv news he said he tried 25(!) times on the non-emergency line and never got through. New SPD Chief Barnes needs to have that department step up more.. more non-emergency hired and properly trained. I wonder how different the data statistics would be if every non-emergency # call was actually taken in a timely manner. Yes, I have tried to file online, it’s very long and intensive, and I was not able to click through and submit, even though I answered everything it would not submit. It’s way too frustrating to report crimes, and I’m guessing most are not accounted for 🫤😤😡

WSB May 14, 2025 (5:03 pm)

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Great issue but a couple things to note: The “25 times” was because all the lines were full that night. 100 gunshots, they had a huge deluge of callers. No matter how much you staff up, at some point you’re going to hit capacity. Also, please note that 911 is NOT part of SPD. And regarding “dumb questions,” there are questions the calltakers are required to ask. – TR
- KD May 14, 2025 (7:02 pm)
  
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  I’ve been trying to make a report for over a month now about a verbal threat from a dangerous person who is also an animal abuser. Can’t get through. I’d go in person to the SW Precinct, but they closed the lobby to the public during and after covid, don’t know if it’s open to the public again. Point is it should not be so difficult for anyone for numerous tries to have a report taken. Same thing when I tried online and on the phone to report car break-in… Not able to get through, so no data recorded 🫤😡
  - RR May 14, 2025 (10:07 pm)
    
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    They’ve made it easy to file a report via the website. Unless it’s life or death, they’re not going to spend time on that.
Chelsea May 15, 2025 (10:06 pm)

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Agree, there should be visibility into the statistics and data points. You should never have to wait to reach someone during a 911 emergency, and for non-emergency it should be triaged and que’d, with a wait no longer than 3-5 minutes at most.

gingersnap May 14, 2025 (7:51 pm)

this meeting could have been an email. 10 min for questions is prepostetous.

Seriously Saka?! May 14, 2025 (8:27 pm)

I’m outraged by what happened at Councilmember Saka’s meeting tonight. This was supposed to be a conversation about gun violence in our community something that’s affecting real people’s lives every single day. And yet, the very community this crisis is impacting wasn’t allowed to speak. Over 100 of us showed up, took time out of our weeknight, sat there for over 90 minutes, and weren’t given a single second to share our experiences, our ideas, or our anger. Instead, we were talked at by a panel as if we were just an audience to manage, not people whose lives are on the line. That’s not leadership. That’s not accountability. And it’s definitely not community engagement. It was a disgrace. I was proud to vote for Councilmember Saka, but never again. High Point and Delridge deserve so much better.

Julian May 14, 2025 (9:18 pm)

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Hmm, I just read this on Reddit. :)
Andrew Mead May 15, 2025 (7:15 am)

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That is not right. I am so sorry. Glad I was coaching basketball practice TBH or I would have raised pointed questions and called that BS out. I have lived in High Point for 19 years and believe that relational problems require relational solutions. We need focus on being community based and build coalitions of people that care about the health and safety of our people. As a former Trustee of the High Point Neighborhood Association, I would love to help be part of the solution. andrew@transformationcrossing.com

Sillygoose May 15, 2025 (9:07 am)

Yes indeed that’s “Spend It All Saka” for you. He did the samething at the SW Crime Prevention Meeting last year. He stood up there like he was at a campaign rally! The psychology of his actions are, he knows he isn’t qualified or saficing the needs of our community so he puffs out his chest and tells us he is!!! Sad really sad at the continued spending gor ridiculous studies over and over that accomplishment nothing!!!

Josh May 15, 2025 (10:55 am)

Saka is so obviously just some bozo who is trying to use public office for his own personal advancement and preference. I look forward to sending him back to corporate law in the next election.