Police and Public Safety

Sunday Video: How Do You Punish Bad Drivers?

Dave Amos of City Beautiful dives into the thorny issue of punishing bad drivers and the many challenges that stem from lawlessness and impunity on roadways.
People look on a cordoned off Pine Street just before protesters add "Black Lives Matter Way" in big block letters. (Photo by author)

SPD Hopes to Reclaim East Precinct from CHAZ, but Protesters Say Finders Keepers

Like a phoenix rising from an ashy war zone, Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone ("CHAZ") emerged after the Seattle Police Department (SPD) abandoned the East...

Harrell Swipes Affordable Housing Dollars to Backfill Budget, Reduce Service Cuts

Under the budget for the next two years proposed by Mayor Bruce Harrell, around half of the JumpStart funding originally earmarked for affordable housing and other investments would instead fund Harrell Administration priorities.

Sunday Video: Autonomous Vehicles Deserve Heavy Skepticism

Urbanist circles differ in how they see autonomous vehicles, particularly as they move toward wider adoption. Some see them being a tool that builds...
Protestors gather behind a police barricade at the East Precinct building, chanting “Hands up, don’t shoot,” on Sunday, May 31.

Seattle Pays Out $10 Million Settlement to Protesters in Excessive Force Case

The historic case of 50 Black Lives Matter protesters came to a close on Wednesday with the announcement of a $10 million settlement. The...
Harrell grips a lectern and wears a somber look during his speech at Benaroya Hall.

Op-Ed: Bruce Harrell Is a Failed Mayor on Public Safety

Ron Davis dives into Mayor Bruce Harrell's record on public safety and ultimately deems his approach a failure. On his third police chief, Harrell has not delivered on campaign promises and the Seattle Police Department is still reeling and lacking accountability.
A photo of people standing in a circle in a parking lot

Invest in Mental Health First Responders, Not New Police Hires

While the editorial staff at the Seattle Times wring their hands about yet another Seattle Police Department (SPD) Crime Report, I ask: will the...

Seattle Council Seeks to Ban People Charged with Drug Crimes from Swaths of City

Hoping to disrupt the drug trade and prostitution, centrist councilmembers are resurrecting regressive exclusion zone policies that have failed repeatedly in the past.