Police and Public Safety

Former City Councilmember Bruce Harrell announced his bid for Mayor of Seattle today. While light on policy specifics, the themes Harrell stressed included decreasing...

Earlier this month, the King County Department of Public Defense issued a report showing that the City of Seattle has fallen short on offering diversion and treatment to people criminalized by its new 2023 drug ordinance. During the reviewed period, only six prosecutions out of 215, resulted in someone either completing treatment or receiving a court order to that effect, less than 3%.

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.

SPD’s refusal to offload low-priority calls is undermining its ability to solve serious crimes. Over recent decades, the Seattle Police Department (SPD) has increasingly handled...

Rory O'Sullivan is a long-time Democratic party leader and legal aid attorney. He's challenging Republican Seattle City Attorney Ann Davison, who he sees as ineffective and out of step with Seattle values.

Streetfilms highlights how Ghent (Gent), a city in the Flemish north of Belgium, is making streets safe so that kids can walk and bike...

This Transpo Notes roundup touches on a mix of transit stories, including: New digital advertising screens appearing at Link stations;Security incident trends on Sound Transit;Sound...

Critics have raised concerns about a lack of privacy, data security, or demonstrated effectiveness in reducing crime. Mercer Island has a new initiative under consideration:...