Police and Public Safety

The Seattle Police Officers Guild has continually sabotaged reform after reform. We can no longer allow SPOG leadership to remain an obstacle to accountable, constitutional policing. Seattle City Attorney candidate Nathan Rouse lays out what the office can do to help.

On Monday, interim Seattle Police Chief Sue Rahr fired SPD Officer Kevin Dave. Dave was driving 74 miles per hour in response to an overdose call almost two years ago when he killed graduate student Jaahnavi Kandula while she was in a crosswalk.

On Wednesday, Seattle Council’s public safety committee advanced Mayor Bruce Harrell’s proposal to contract with the South Correctional Facility (SCORE) jail to house a limited number of people accused of simple misdemeanors, such as criminal trespass and shoplifting. The proposal comes with logistical challenge and its share of critics.

The Sara Nelson-led Seattle City Council passed their first city budget in an 8-1 vote. It greenlit the mayor’s plan to slash investments in affordable housing and social services and trim 48 staff positions in order to boost police spending by 16% and close a large deficit without raising new taxes.

Mayor Bruce Harrell has pledged to complete labor negotiations with the Seattle Police Officers Guild before the end of the year. But facing a tough reelection fight, he might not be around to sign the deal, which challenger Katie Wilson may want to renegotiate anyway.

Vacant building fires have become increasingly common in Seattle in recent years. In response to the threat that these fires can pose, Mayor Bruce...

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.

The City of Seattle and King County released their final Covid vaccination rates this week as Governor Jay Inslee's October 18th mandate deadline went...