Police and Public Safety

Holiday Video: A Brief History of Police Impunity in Black Deaths

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RYdItBIuOU America is supposed to be the land of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, but for so many Americans, particularly Black Americans, this...
The memorials along the East Precinct police station--now christened the Capitol Hill Community Center--keep growing. (Photo by Doug Trumm)

Op-Ed: Walking Away from the Empty Promise of Seattle’s Consent Decree

Seattle is still struggling for justice and constitutional policing 12 years into federal monitoring via the consent decree. More than 12 years ago, 34 Seattle...
Police were out in force to barricade onlookers from a sweep of Weller Street in the CID. (Photo by Enrico Doan)

Op-Ed: Policing Will Never Solve Homelessness, Housing Will

Even headed into a recession, the Unified Care Team budget for police-assisted homeless sweeps keeps growing. By the end of 2022, the City of Seattle...
A five story building with yellow insulation before siding is added.

Chamber Poll Finds Strong Support for Housing, Zoning Reform among Seattle Voters

The Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce released its twice annual "Index" poll of Seattle voters today and found even stronger support for new housing...
A white man in glasses and suit poses in from of the Seattle skyline

Op-Ed: End Cash Bail for Nonviolent Misdemeanors

Too many people are sitting in a jail cell simply because they cannot afford bail while they await trial. Seattle City Attorney candidate Nathan Rouse lays out the case to end cash ball for nonviolent misdemeanors.
A photo shows a row of plate reader cameras over a highway with a truck going by.

Harrell Drops ShotSpotter from Surveillance Expansion, but Privacy Concerns Remain

Mayor Bruce Harrell has dropped acoustic gunshot locator technology from his proposal to beef up surveillance of Seattle residents. The expansion of automated license plate readers, cameras, and real-time crime center software has continued to draw criticism from groups focused on privacy and racial equity.

Sound Transit Deploys Light Rail Safety Barriers

At light rail stations across the Central Link network, Sound Transit has installed safety barriers to meet a mandate by the Federal Transit Administration...
Two SPD squad cars at a response scene

What to Look For in a New Seattle Police Contract

The Seattle Police Officers Guild (SPOG) collective bargaining agreement has languished for three full years since its expiration at the end of 2020. That...