VIDEO: ‘We need your ideas,’ SPD tells community members at West Seattle’s first ‘Our City, Our Safety’ meeting

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes made a special guest appearance tonight toward the end of a West Seattle community meeting he originally was expected to lead.

Reminding everyone that he was a teacher before he went into police work, Chief Barnes gave the attendees “homework” – everybody bring at least one neighbor when the “Our City, Our Safety” series returns to West Seattle in August.

Gathered at Southwest Teen Life Center, members of both the large city delegation on hand and the sparse community turnout expressed disappointment that it wasn’t better attended, though it should be pointed out that attending meant going out into gusty wind and sideways rain.

Nonetheless, the meeting went on, emceed by SPD’s director of crime and community-harm reduction, Dr. Lee Hunt, with an introductory presentation featuring local crime stats given by Southwest Precinct commander Capt. Krista Bair and a few words from District 1 City Councilmember Rob Saka:

Capt. Bair showed violent-crime and property-crime “hotspots” (The Junction and South Delridge were on both lists) and said both types of crime are down by a third so far this year. She also noted that West Seattle is considered to have “the highest social cohesion in the city.” And she told attendees, “We need your ideas … Public safety isn’t just about enforcement, it’s about your well-being.” One stat she said she was particularly proud of, “community calls for service” had held about steady. “You all are trusting the department and calling for service … thank you.” And she listed the top concerns from the annual Public Safety Survey (administered by the Seattle U criminal-justice program, amply represented by interns at some of the attendee tables). Top of the list: Traffic safety.

Then the room moved into a half-hour of table discussions that SPD reps said they hoped would help shape an “actionable plan.” We listened in at the table closest to ours; the person who did most of the talking voiced concerns about Alki Beach disorder and unsanctioned encampments. His audience included a Seattle U intern and an SPD Community Service Officer.

At half-hour’s end, Dr. Hunt circulated the microphone so a representative of each table could “report out.”

The first table rep voiced concerns about crime at Westwood Village and nearby Roxhill Park, including several gunfire incidents. Their suggestion: More police presence.

Another said they were worried about “issues people might have, interacting with police,” from behavioral health to language interpretation to knowing when to call 911.

From another table, campfires damaging Fauntleroy Park, and high-school safety were concerns. The table spokesperson said “two young men from Chief Sealth” (International High School) were concerned about guns and would feel more comfortable with police presence at school.

The presence of homeless people on the street was a source of uneasiness for people at another table, while the proposed Glassyard Commons RV/tiny-house shelter site left another table feeling the same way, worrying that it could perpetuate drug use as its operators have said drugs will be prohibited in public areas but not in individual units.

Traffic safety came up shortly thereafter; Deputy Chief Andre Sayles said driver education can make a difference, in his experience in other cities, even more than enforcement. Also mentioned: Alternative responders, keeping businesses safe from “disruptive people” and smash-grab burglars, making more use of Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design.

Chief Barnes promised to get at least some of the suggestions done. “Our job is to create a plan.” Even for longstanding issues; he joked that Alki’s “racing and loud sounds” problems probably date back to “when there were horses and buggies at Alki Beach.”

Turning serious, he gave his homework assignment – get your neighbors involved too – “we need more people and more input.” With that, the meeting wrapped up 15 minutes short of the originally announced hour and a half.

WHAT’S NEXT: “Our City, Our Safety” will return to West Seattle at 6 pm August 12 at Delridge Community Center.

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