Seattle City Council District No. 3

Armed officers are not the appropriate response for the majority of public safety incidents in this city. We will stand up a community safety agency that addresses low-level, nonviolent crime, freeing up the police to respond rapidly to violent crime.

We utilize and deploy inappropriate personal, equipment, and resources for public safety. I propose a new public safety department will consist of unarmed crisis responders, social workers, and mental health care providers. There will be a heavy emphasis on getting out in the community and getting to know the people they are serving, as opposed to sitting inside cars. To develop staff for this agency, as well as to support SPD in officer retention, we will stand up Seattle’s own public safety academy, rather than relying on the state one.

We need to create substantive community oversite, stand up a third leg to public safety, and negotiate a SPOG contract that actually works for our communities.

Please see above answers.

Homelessness solutions, public safety reform, and housing affordability.

Our idea of public safety revolves around creating a safe and inclusive community where all residents feel protected and have access to essential services.

One of our proposals is to ensure law enforcement is properly trained and held accountable to the anti-racist work of dismantling systems of white supremacy and oppressive power dynamics. Evaluating the completion of training programs, monitoring disciplinary actions, and conducting community feedback surveys can provide insight into the progress made in this area.

Another proposal is to create two new independent departments as alternatives to the current 911 traditional police; including 311 for non-emergent needs, renter’s rights and sustainability protocols, and 611 for mental health needs, case work for our houseless neighbors, community mediation, and medical services to help those fighting addiction. The establishment of the 311 and 611 departments can be assessed based on evaluation of response times, and continual community feedback.

There are many gaps and shortfalls in the current public safety system. First off, the current system often lacks dedicated resources for non-emergency needs, resulting in a strain on emergency services and potentially inadequate response to non-urgent situations. To address this, we propose the establishment and enhancement of the 311 department, which would specifically handle non-emergent needs, renter's rights, sustainability protocols, and community mediation. By adequately staffing and equipping this department, we can ensure that non-emergency issues receive prompt and appropriate attention, freeing up emergency services for true emergencies.

Furthermore, the existing system does not effectively address the mental health needs of the community. To bridge this gap, we propose the creation of the 611 department, which would focus on mental health needs, case work for houseless individuals, community mediation, and addiction-related medical services. By properly funding and staffing this department with trained professionals, we can provide specialized support and resources to individuals in need, reducing the reliance on traditional law enforcement for mental health crises. These departments would then in turn hold each other accountable through checks and balances of three equal departments.

The statistics you mentioned highlight persistent issues of racial bias and excessive use of force within the Seattle Police Department. To address these concerns, further changes need to be made to ensure accountability, transparency, and community trust. Here are some changes we would propose to address these issues: ongoing anti-racist training for law enforcement to dismantle systems of white supremacy and oppressive power dynamics. Additionally, establishing clear policies and guidelines for the use of force, with a focus on de-escalation techniques and alternatives to force, is essential. We would also want to create space for healing in the community for people to speak to both the trauma and the harm committed by SPD in the past as an attempt to make room for a pathway forward for victims or those harmed in our community.

Additionally, engaging the community in decision-making processes and actively seeking their input is essential to address concerns and build trust. Town hall meetings, community forums, and advisory boards can provide platforms for residents to voice their experiences, concerns, and suggestions for improving policing practices. Collaborative efforts between law enforcement and community organizations can help shape policies and strategies that reflect community needs and values.

To realize our vision of public safety in Seattle, we are committed to exploring alternative responses and prevention measures that prioritize proactive and community-centered approaches. For instance, we believe in investing in alternative crisis response models that prioritize mental health professionals, social workers, and community mediators. By partnering with local organizations and healthcare providers, we can develop specialized teams equipped to handle crisis situations involving mental health issues, addiction, and homelessness. These teams would be dispatched alongside or as an alternative to traditional law enforcement, ensuring that individuals receive the appropriate care and support they need.

When it comes to public safety, budget priorities would be directed towards implementing the proposed alternative departments of 311 and 611, which focus on non-emergency needs, mental health services, community mediation, and addiction-related medical services. These departments would require funding for staffing, training, and resources. Additionally, investing in anti-racist training for law enforcement and supporting community policing initiatives would be essential budgetary considerations.

I believe in enhancing public safety by hiring local Seattleites for our police and fire departments while ensuring equal opportunity for all historically excluded communities.

What percentage of police and fire force lives in Seattle- I want to see that percentage rise?

What percentage of these forces are women, LGBTQIA, racial minorities?

Has the # deaths in police custody gone to 0?

Has the #detahs due to police firearms gone to 0?

Have we reduced unhomed deaths to 0?

Have we reduced drug deaths to 0?

Most police force comes from Snohomish and Pierce counties. I want to change the police force by hiring local Seattleites, especially those belonging to historically excluded minorities. If they join the police force en masse, they will change the union and the culture of the police, The police force will then look more like the people and act in empathy to them. I want to change the police from the inside and keep the money in the local community with the local businesses.

Most police force comes from Snohomish and Pierce counties. I want to change the police force by hiring local Seattleites, especially those belonging to historically excluded minorities. If they join the police force en masse, they will change the union and the culture of the police, The police force will then look more like the people and act in empathy to them. I want to change the police from the inside and keep the money in the local community with the local businesses.

Have local community representatives who can guide people to non 911 numbers for mental health and similar issues. We fund mental health facilities, drug rehabilitation facilities, safe drug use facilities.

We should track unhomed population to track effectiveness of our programs. Provide them free homes. Provide them with needed services and make sure we pay the people providing the services a living wage.

(1) Development, especially green energy and infrastructure, that leads to more economic growth and thus more tax revenue to help us fund the above areas.

(2) Housing for everyone

(3) Address constituent concerns in a timely manner.

My idea of public safety is one where the community takes care of itself and is given the resources and tools to find the best solutions. Often external solutions such as policing can have negative effects as it is too focused on reacting to and punishing crime instead of preventing it in the first place. Public safety is taking care of mental health crises, addressing homelessness, and decriminalizing poverty. The most vulnerable members of our society need the most help and Seattle does not provide a strong enough safety net for when they stumble. A tangible and measurable solution is reappropriating funds from the police department and putting them towards a mental health crisis response team, building affordable housing, guaranteeing services for the unhoused, and unionizing renters and laborers.

The shortfall of our public safety system is the lack of funds and resources allocated for rehabilitation. The criminal justice and private prison system thrive off of criminalizing poverty. To address these issues we need to come together as a community to provide for the most marginalized and the most vulnerable. I see gaps in our approach to policing as we focus heavily on antagonizing people instead of helping them. I propose we focus on community-led solutions and providing funding for public services as I explained in the previous answer.

Police in this city are largely held unaccountable for their actions. Their close relationship with officials in city government and the judicial system prevents them from being subpoenaed, fired, or even investigated for their malicious actions. Police officers should be held to the same standards as the average citizen because, at the end of the day, they are people living in Seattle just like us. I wholeheartedly support the various reforms put forward by People Power Washington as police oversight is underwhelming in this city. As a person sitting at the intersection of two marginalized communities, I know what it feels like to see the police as an antagonist rather than a supporting force. The police need more accountability and training on social justice issues, they cannot be an unaccountable violent force.

I am interested in pursuing the creation of and properly funding mental health crisis response teams, addiction specialists, affordable housing, and community-led safety organizations. We need to rehabilitate this city, not further criminalize it.

My budget priorities are creating a progressive tax system that works for the working class and not for special interests. Corporations need to help fund the city they profit from and the regressive tax system of the state and the city needs refurbishing. My priorities are securing funding for public safety through the use of mental health response teams, subsidizing low-income housing, and increasing expenditures for public transportation expansion and repair.

Public safety is more than a response to crime; we must get ahead of crime by undermining the conditions in which it thrives. As a former Prosecutor, I can say that most of the crimes that were a part of my case load, were crimes poverty and desperation, and would have never happened if people had reliable access to housing, health care, and opportunity. In my opinion, if we want to get ahead of crime, we need to double down on our commitments to affordable housing, reliable public transportation, and access to services for those in need.

Our Criminal Justice system is not a social safety net for individuals experiencing mental illness and/ or in the throws of substance use disorder. Nevertheless, we are using the Criminal justice system as leverage to coerce people to seek treatment. Diversion programs can be successful and certainly have a place, however, it does not replace the very real need for access to treatment and resources which are trauma informed, no cost, and no barrier. To this end, the diversion model we see the diversion model break down when Criminal Competency becomes a concern.

Criminal Competency is the notion that in order for there to be due process in criminal courts, the accused must both understand that they’re charged with, and be able to assist in their own defense. I think this is the right standard, the problem is what happens when charges get dropped. In my experience as a former prosecutor in mental health court, the most vulnerable people caught up in all of this are simply not fit to stand trial, and the case simply goes away with no follow up. In my opinion, when charges are dropped for competency reasons, there should ALWAYS be a warm hand off to services and other resources including a review for whether involuntary treatment of some kind and/or legal conservatorship is warranted.

To be clear, when I say involuntary treatment, I mean simply the ability of the government to require a person to be treated, whether in their community, or in a more structured setting. Involuntary treatment as it currently is configured mostly centers around forced hospitalization which is not needed for most people. That said, the old asylum system is a good example of what not to do; simply dump people into insitutiitions instead of jail. What I would like to see is fully funded public health programs with social workers and medically trained professionals who can deliver care in the community, followed by more structured supportive living communities, and if need be secure institutions for only the most severely ill patients. What I am proposing goes beyond the scope of what a single city council can do, and would take partnering with the state and federal governments, but it work that I’m ready to do.

I honestly am not sure if we can fix the systemic racism in policing as we know it. It is a painful thing to say as someone who participated in the system with reform on his mind, and it should be painful. However, I think reducing police responses to a core set of instances that actually require a badge and gun response will be a large part of reducing the harm felt by communities of color.

As a said above, redoubling our commitments to housing, access to resources, and transportation WILL increase public safety as people with met needs are less likely to engage in “criminal activity.” That said, I think automation of speed/traffic enforcement is the future. Moving away from a commissioned officers and “speed traps” makes sense for so many reasons, but perhaps most critically, it’ll change the expectations of drivers in our city.

Gun violence is also on the rise in not just our city but the whole country. As a veteran who has been around more weapons than most anyone, I can say that this is an issue with there simply being too many guns in this country. If we want to curb gun violence we must get them out of our communities. While it is true that we cannot make them illegal as a matter of law, I am interested in gun buyback programs and potential civil causes of action concerning guns. Specifically, the creation of a civil action when a person feels apprehension by the presence of a gun, or what would reasonably be perceived as a gun, by another person, as well as a civil action for victims and survivors of gun violence against the manufacturer for negligent marketing.

Housing, transportation, and healthcare are my top budget priorities for the reasons mentioned above.