Strong Student Support Advances Police Alternatives in U District

Last week, the University of Washington Graduate and Professional Student Senate voted in favor of creating an unarmed community response system for non-violent calls...
Tear gas rises near the East Precinct building on E. Pine St. on Monday, May 1, as police disperse a crowd of protestors. (Photo by Ethan Campbell)

Harrell Proposes Rollback of Restrictions on Police Weapons for Crowd Control

The Seattle City Council is preparing to pass new crowd control legislation in January that would largely defer to police over use of "less lethal" weapons. These weapons are still very dangerous and should be tightly regulated, critics contend.

Holiday Video: Ghent Is Making Streets Safer For Kids To Bike and Walk

Streetfilms highlights how Ghent (Gent), a city in the Flemish north of Belgium, is making streets safe so that kids can walk and bike...
The view of Fifth Avenue with a cordon of police officers brandishing billy clubs protecting the block in front of city hall and a stream of protests headed down James Street.

Seattle City Council Passes 2021 Budget with 18% Cut to Police Department

The war of spin is well under way to frame the outcome of a 8-1 vote setting next year's City budget. After weeks of debate,...
In a night time image, dark police officer silhouettes emerge from an armored truck amidst a backdrop of a cloud of tear gas.

Chaos and Banned Weapons: SPD’s Use of ‘Mutual Aid’ Police Departments in 2020

Newly unearthed records show SPD exploited a policy loophole, deploying dangerous and toxic weapons during the 2020 protests via partner agencies with little to...

King County Launches ‘100 Days of Action’ Against Gun Violence

Facing an uptick in gun violence, County officials are rolling out a 100-day campaign aimed at raising awareness, boosting gun violence prevention programs, and piloting new interventions.
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...
Wilson wears a black blazer and stands on the balcony outside her seventh floor office, with the downtown skyline in the background

One Week In, Katie Wilson Charts the Path Ahead

The Urbanist recently sat down with Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson to get the latest on initiatives she has cooking now that her team is in office. We touched on emergency housing, bus lanes, World Cup preparations, Sound Transit, culture change at the police department, and more.