By Jason Grotelueschen
Reporting for West Seattle Blog

Concerns about safety in and around Westwood Village were the focus of a community forum organized and hosted by the Seattle Police Department.

The meeting was held online last week by Southwest Precinct Crime Prevention Coordinator Jennifer Danner, at the request of staff and residents at nearby Daystar Retirement Village (WSB sponsor), but was open to neighbors and the general public (as we previewed here). The agenda included safety trends, suggestions for how to best communicate with neighbors and report issues to SPD effectively, and how to best use the neighborhood Block Watch model.

Danner was joined in the meeting by Southwest Precinct officer Tammy Frame, along with Crime Prevention Coordinator colleagues Sarah Lawson and Katelyn Yep (from SPD’s North Precinct).

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We are holding a Westwood neighborhood Block Watch meeting.

We have invited Daystar Retirement Community, as well as Westwood Village Property Management and Security.

We are hoping our community will join us to talk about safety, how to communicate with one another, and how to report effectively.

6pm- 6:15pm Introductions & Discussion of Concerns

6:15pm- 6:30pm What is Block Watch? How can it be helpful?

6:30pm- 6:45pm Reporting Suggestions and When to Call 911

6:45pm- 7pm Q&A and Closing Comments

Link: Join meeting here

(Karen Berge, Deb Greer receiving SPD community-service award last August)

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

Almost a decade after launching face-to-face meetings, the founders of the West Seattle Block Watch Captains Network are “thinking we need to shake it up a bit.”

Karen Berge and Deb Greer told attendees at last night’s WSBWCN meeting that they’re ceasing monthly meetings. Over all these years, there have been some memorable meetings – touring a local home with an SPD officer explaining Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design – and even some tumultuous moments, like the protester-disrupted 2015 forum with then-Chief Kathleen O’Toole. But there also have been lightly attended meetings with well-trod topics, such as yet another explanation of how 911 works.

And it’s not just about the meetings themselves.

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By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

Just concluded this past hour at the Southwest Precinct, the West Seattle Block Watch Captains Network‘s first post-summer-hiatus meeting, with a featured presentation delving deeper into how 911 works.

WSBWCN co-founder Karen Berge led the meeting, with some new participants among the ~20 attendees.

POLICE BRIEFING: “Our summer wasn’t as problematic as anticipated,” began precinct commander Capt. Pierre Davis. He talked about trying to track serial offenders “post-arrest,” and ongoing strategies including “area saturation … targeted enforcement … (and) public awareness.” They also use data to “track repeated call locations” which often help them find the aforementioned “serial offenders.” Crime in the area is down overall about 10 percent from a year earlier; he stressed the importance of “report, report, report,” even if it’s something small and simple. That helps police know where in the area – the SW Precinct covers West Seattle and South Park – to focus the types of strategies he mentioned.

In Q&A, he was first asked if LEAD had been implemented yet.

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Before the weekend wraps, we have one more community meeting from this past week to recap: The West Seattle Block Watch Captains Network‘s final meeting before summer hiatus. Here’s what happened when the WSBWCN gathered Tuesday at the Southwest Precinct:

PRECINCT UPDATE AND COMMUNITY Q&A: Capt. Pierre Davis said crimes against persons are up 14 percent, largely because of the string of robberies earlier in the year. Property crimes are down 13 percent. Citizen diligence remains helpful – he admits you’ve heard it many times, but, “if you see something, say something.” In the Southwest Precinct jurisdiction, South Park remains an area of emphasis – the Anti-Crime Team is there, serving warrants. Alki Beach is a West Seattle area of emphasis and they started early this year, including one group of dedicated traffic officers.

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Join your neighbors to talk about crime prevention, safety, and emergency management at Tuesday’s West Seattle Block Watch Captains’ Network meeting, last one before summer hiatus. The agenda includes an update from and Q&A with SPD leaders from the Southwest Precinct, which is where the meeting will happen, 6:30 pm Tuesday (June 25th), 2300 SW Webster. All welcome – Block Watch involvement not required.

Guardian One, 2013 WSB archive photo

Story and photos by Jason Grotelueschen
Reporting for West Seattle Blog

Neighborhood leaders gathered Tuesday night to share ideas and hear from police leadership at the monthly meeting of the West Seattle Block Watch Captains Network at the Southwest Police Precinct.

Special guests at the meeting: Members of the Guardian One helicopter team from the Air Support Unit of the King County Sheriff’s Office, who talked about their work in the skies of West Seattle and the surrounding area.

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If recent high-profile incidents have you wondering about the next chance to talk with SPD leadership at community meetings, two things you should know:

WEST SEATTLE BLOCK WATCH CAPTAINS NETWORK: Though WSBWCN usually meets fourth Tuesdays, they’re skipping this month and inviting you to their next meeting at 6:30 pm April 23rd (at Southwest Precinct), at which you’ll hear from the Guardian One helicopter crew.

HIGHLAND PARK ACTION COMMITTEE: At 7 pm this Wednesday (March 27th) at HP Improvement Club, the HPAC meeting will include a crime-trends update from precinct operations Lt. Steve Strand and a presentation by Crime Prevention Coordinator Jennifer Danner.

(WSB photo, Tuesday night)

City Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda was the spotlight guest at this month’s West Seattle Block Watch Captains Network meeting. Before the Q&A with her, WSBWCN heard the local crime/safety update:

CAPTAIN’S UPDATE: Southwest Precinct commander Capt. Pierre Davis said they’re working on strategy for the warmer months and also planning a variety of “emphasis” enforcement focuses. Crime dropped during the recent snow, he noted. “Rogue street robberies” centered on cell-phone thefts continue to be an issue but they’ve identified suspects and are “developing the probable cause” to make arrests.

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Southwest Precinct commander Capt. Pierre Davis gives a status update with help from Operations Lt. Steve Strand, as WSBWCN co-founders/co-leaders Deb Greer and Karen Berge lead the meeting.

Story and photos by Jason Grotelueschen
Reporting for West Seattle Blog

Neighborhood advocates gathered on Tuesday night at the Southwest Precinct for the first 2019 meeting of the West Seattle Block Watch Captains Network (WSBWCN), to discuss issues and opportunities for the community.

It was the group’s first meeting since October, and featured idea-sharing for neighborhood improvement, an update from police leadership and a presentation about 9-1-1 effectiveness.

WSBWCN co-leaders Deb Greer and Karen Berge called the meeting to order and asked attendees to go around the room and share thoughts regarding two key questions:

1. What are the major problems in your neighborhood?
2. What issues do you plan to work on with your Block Watch this year?

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As announced by the West Seattle Block Watch Captains Network for Tuesday night ([corrected] 6:30 pm January 22nd):

Our main presentation topic is 9-1-1, something most of us take for granted until something goes wrong…

Our guest speaker will be Kayreen Lum, the E-911 Outreach and Training Specialist for King County. She will talk about the recent 9-1-1 outage, what caused it, and what to do if it happens again. She’ll also explain when and how to use the relatively new option, to send text messages to 9-1-1 (which is now available in Seattle and King County).

As always, a police briefing/Q&A will be part of the meeting too. WSBWCN meets at the Southwest Precinct (2300 SW Webster), all welcome – you don’t have to be a Block Watch captain or even member.

The only monthly meeting with coffee and home-baked treats (pumpkin crumble this time) is now on hiatus until the new year. Here’s what happened when the West Seattle Block Watch Captains Network met Tuesday night at the Southwest Precinct:

CRIME UPDATE: Precinct commander Capt. Pierre Davis said auto theft remains a big issue. We noticed that earlier in the day, looking at the slides from the most recent downtown SeaStat intradepartmental briefing (MVT = motor-vehicle theft):

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Three notes this afternoon:

SMASHED WINDOWS: That’s one of two cars we spotted with broken windows in the Alki area after a tip this morning. Haven’t heard directly from any victims so we don’t know whether these were break-ins or vandalism.

FOUND ITEMS: William found items behind his apartment building in the 3900 block of California SW, dumped and likely stolen, and would like to get them back to their owner(s):

While walking my pooch this morning I found several items that look like they were stolen from someone’s car.

There are two bins, and one fairly nice bag. I am sure that the owner of these items probably wants them returned. Maybe the owner can email me at dempsey.w (at) hotmail (dot) com and describe the items?

JUNCTION BUSINESS BLOCK WATCH: While passing through The Junction on Thursday, we spotted police on foot patrol and tweeted the photo:

Today, SPD Blotter has just published the news that The Junction has become the first business district in the city to launch a Business Block Watch.

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

For the fourth time in two weeks, the big headline in a community-meeting update from Southwest Precinct police leadership was the Myers Way east-side cleanup – now under way.

This time, the update was at the first West Seattle Block Watch Captains Network meeting since the group’s summer hiatus (most community groups skip at least a month of meetings in the summer). The meeting also included a briefing on Mental Health First Aid training. But first:

POLICE BRIEFING: Precinct commander Capt. Pierre Davis said they’re trying to “not spend a lot of time reintroducing ourselves to old problems … there’s a lot of frustration with problems that pop up over and over again.” He said RVs and encampments are a recurring concern and insisted “we go after them very vigorously until we get them gone.” He said they have been “dismantling that monstrosity,” referring to the illegal encampment on Myers Way where a major city-led cleanup is in its second day – we went by again this afternoon and saw 29 city vehicles large and small, including SPD’s Mobile Precinct.

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After summer hiatus, the West Seattle Block Watch Captains Network resumes monthly meetings tomorrow (Tuesday, September 25th, 6:30 pm, Southwest Precinct). The spotlight topic: Mental Health First Aid. From the announcement:

Most of us are familiar with or have attended First Aid classes to learn CPR, how to respond to someone experiencing a heart attack or identify signs of a stroke. As well, many of us are aware of the newer First Aid courses offered locally such as Stop the Bleed, and Disaster Response First Aid.

But, did you know that there is also a worldwide movement to train the public in Mental Health First Aid?

Our guest speaker will be Sue Wyder, King County Mental Health First Aid Coordinator and Valley Cities Mental Health Program Manager. Please join us to learn more about Mental Health First Aid and King County’s new free 8-hour certified course on this topic.

How can learning Mental Health First Aid help you help someone? Why is it important? Statistics suggest that you are more likely to encounter someone in emotional or mental crisis than someone having a heart attack. It’s especially important to recognize the signs that someone close to you — family, friends, co-workers, neighbors — may be in crisis, and to learn and understand Mental Health First Aid techniques so you can help them and others who may be in need.

As this first fall meeting gets underway, we’ll also have introductions; a few announcements; and an in-depth update from SW Precinct leadership, Captain Pierre Davis on recent crime and safety issues.

The precinct is at 2300 SW Webster. You don’t have to be a Block Watch Captain – or even in a Block Watch – to attend; everyone’s welcome.

(UPDATED 2:15 PM with date that new noise-enforcement ordinance was signed)

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

No arrest yet in the south West Seattle break-ins in which residents came face to face with intruders, but they were a major topic at last night’s West Seattle Block Watch Captains Network meeting at the Southwest Precinct.

CAPTAIN’S UPDATE: Precinct commander Capt. Pierre Davis reminded the 20+ attendees that “watching out for each other” is the most important thing they can do. Property crime is still the prevalent type in West Seattle right now. He said it doesn’t generally ease until they “arrest a lot of people” and then “appeal to prosecutors and judges” to deal harshly with the repeat offenders.

Sheds and outbuildings were the big targets for burglars until recently, when the “anomaly” series of occupied-home burglaries happened (our most-recent coverage is here and here) on 11th SW, 12th SW, 13th SW along several blocks just north of Roxbury between June 17th and 19th.

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From last night’s West Seattle Block Watch Captains Network meeting at the precinct:

(Precinct liaison Joe Everett, right, with precinct commander Capt. Pierre Davis seated at left)

PRECINCT LIAISON EXPLAINS THE JUSTICE SYSTEM: Joe Everett, the Southwest Precinct‘s liaison from the City Attorney’s Office, gave an overview, starting with an explanation of his role – the face of a “long-term, proactive partnership.” The program started in 1995 “as a thing that happened downtown,” then over time “moved out to the precincts.” Until late last year, South and Southwest Precincts were handled by one liaison lawyer; now, each precinct has its own. Reducing crime, developing a more efficient/effective response to public-safety problems, improving communications are all part of what he’s supposed to help with. Also: “Providing real-time, proactive legal advice for officers … protecting SPD resources by working closely with other City agencies to address neighborhood problems before they become criminal problems.” Overall, “I like to think of myself as a problem solver,” he summarized.

Explaining the court system:

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Want to learn the basics of deterring criminals from targeting your residence or business? The slide deck embedded above (or in PDF here) shows the highlights from Southwest Crime Prevention Coordinator Jennifer Danner‘s presentation at last night’s West Seattle Block Watch Captains’ Network meeting.

As always, the meeting at the precinct was led by WSBWCN founders Karen Berge and Deborah Greer. Precinct commander Capt. Pierre Davis started with a briefing, saying property crime was front and center as always.

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By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

For the first time in three months, the West Seattle Block Watch Captains Network reconvened at the Southwest Precinct last night – and most of the meeting could be summarized as the multiple faces of the opioid crisis:

First, a crime update from local police, who say much of the area’s property crime is tied to drugs, and people trying to get money for them; second, an emotion-stirring presentation from people who have been caught up in the crisis, mostly through family members, some of whom have lost their lives to it.

The two-dozen-plus attendees, in around-the-room introductions, listed neighborhoods all around this area, from Beach Drive to Top Hat.

POLICE BRIEFING: First up, Southwest Precinct commander Capt. Pierre Davis talked about property crime, still our area’s most pervasive crime problem.

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Earlier this week, we reported on what the West Seattle Block Watch Captains Network heard from this month’s guest, City Councilmember Lisa Herbold. Now, the other part of the meeting – what they heard from police:

(WSB photo)

That sign installed today in The Junction is related to crime-prevention work that police are doing with the West Seattle Junction Association. Southwest Precinct commander Capt. Pierre Davis and crime-prevention coordinator Jennifer Burbridge talked with WSBWCN about working with WSJA executive director Lora Swift to discuss and address chronic issues. Right now, the precinct’s bicycle patrol is active in The Junction, Capt. Davis said. But the precinct only has a budget to deploy them in the daytime, so requests for nighttime bicycle patrolling might take a while to work on. Capt. Davis also said they’ve made some arrests and written some tickets, so they’re making progress. (Side note – Officer John O’Neil is now the Community Police Team officer assigned to the West Seattle sector that includes The Junction.)

Capt. Davis also talked about the Westwood Village-emphasis area that’s been mentioned at previous community meetings, and said they’re making progress in cleaning up Roxhill Park – via patrols as well as via steps such as locking the restrooms overnight and getting Parks to clear some of the overgrowth. They’ve had a sharp decline in the number of 911 calls about the park.

The West Seattle Block Watch Captains Network meets fourth Thursdays most months – but not November and December – 6:30 pm at the precinct (2300 SW Webster).

Minutes from now – at 9:30 am – the City Council‘s second day of the second round of budget-change reviews will start with a variety of proposals related to homelessness and other human-services issues.

You can see the list on the agenda – each item has a link to the “green sheet” briefly discussing what’s being proposed. The council’s just discussing at this point, not voting, so you have time to let them know what you think.

Last night, homelessness-related issues were a big topic as West Seattle/South Park City Councilmember Lisa Herbold, who is chairing the council’s Budget Committee this year, spoke with the WS Block Watch Captains Network at the Southwest Precinct.

Many wondered about proposals that would in effect allow camping in parts of city parks – the areas that are not “activated.”

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(Red-breasted sapsucker, photographed by Mark Wangerin)

One week until Halloween and the fun gets into high gear starting tonight. First, from the WSB Halloween (Etc.) Guide:

OCTOBER 24: Halloween Story Time and Costume Swap, 7 pm at Delridge Library: “Families are invited to join children’s librarian Miss Bea for Halloween stories and fun plus a costume swap! Bring Halloween costumes and accessories your children have outgrown and swap them for others that are new to you. Please bring only items that are in good condition and are appropriate for children. For families and children ages 6 and under.” (5423 Delridge Way SW)

And from the year-round WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:

LOUISA BOREN STEM K-8 SITE UPDATE: As previewed here Monday, the long-promised followup to last June’s meeting about whether Seattle Public Schools wants to move the school to a new site. 6 pm at the school. (5950 Delridge Way SW)

KINDERGARTEN INFORMATION NIGHT: 6:30 pm at Hope Lutheran School (WSB sponsor):

Is my child ready for kindergarten? We will provide information regarding kindergarten readiness and what to look for in kindergarten from our Preschool Director Mrs. Figgins, as well as hear more about our kindergarten program from our highly experienced teacher, Mrs. Neafcy.

(4456 42nd SW)

COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD @ BLOCK WATCH CAPTAINS NETWORK: West Seattle/South Park City Councilmember Lisa Herbold is the special guest at tonight’s West Seattle Block Watch Captains Network meeting, 6:30 pm at the Southwest Precinct. Got a question for her, especially about safety/crime issues? This is the place to be. All welcome – you don’t have to be involved with a Block Watch to attend. You’ll also hear a crime-trend briefing from precinct leadership. (2300 SW Webster)

Wondering what your West Seattle/South Park City Councilmember Lisa Herbold is doing about crime, safety, policing concerns? Here’s your chance to ask her: She’s the guest at Tuesday night’s West Seattle Block Watch Captains Network meeting, 6:30 pm at the Southwest Precinct (2300 SW Webster). Right now, in addition to representing our area on the council, Herbold is also chairing its budget committee, which is making spending decisions for the next year; she ascended to that role after the shakeup that started with former Mayor Murray’s resignation. You don’t have to be part of a Block Watch to attend the meeting, which will also include updates from local police leadership – just come to the precinct meeting room, which is right off the parking lot, entrance off Webster west of Delridge [map], east of the south side of Home Depot.