>>> GOOD MORNING, THE PUBLIC
SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING WILL
COME TO ORDER, 9:32 A.M., APRIL
28, 2026. I AM ROBERT KETTLE,
CHAIR OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY
COMMITTEE. WILL THE CLERK PLEASE
CALL THE ROLL?
>> COUNCIL MEMBER JUAREZ IS
EXCUSED. COUNCIL MEMBER LIN.
>> HERE.
>> COUNCIL MEMBER RIVERA.
>> COUNCIL MEMBER SAKA.
>> HERE.
>> CHAIR KETTLE.
>> HERE.
>> CHAIR, THERE ARE THREE
MEMBERS PRESENT.
>> THANK YOU, AND WELCOME,
EVERYBODY, FOR CHAIR COMMENT
THIS MORNING, I AM NOT GOING TO
REALLY DO AN EXCEPTION TO
REITERATE COMMENTS FROM CHAIR
COMMENT FRIDAY, I SPOKE TO AN
ARTICLE FROM DANNY WESTON THAT
CAME OUT TALKING ABOUT LITTLE
SAIGON, IT WAS TITLED "AMID
SEATTLE'S NEGLECT." VERY
IMPORTANT ARTICLE. THAT CHAIR
COMMENT IS ON AND I WAS THERE AT
LITTLE SAIGON YESTERDAY, YOU
KNOW, THE CHALLENGES THAT LITTLE
SAIGON IS FACING REMAINS AS OF
YESTERDAY MORNING, WHEN I WAS IN
THE COMMUNITY. THAT ARTICLE,
THERE IS A LOT OF DIFFERENT
PIECES, REALLY IMPORTANT TO HEAR
THOSE VOICES FROM THE COMMUNITY
AND THE POINTS THEY WERE MAKING.
HE WAS TALKING ABOUT THE EFFORTS
THUS FAR, THE KEY IS WHEN HE
SAYS BUT ALARMING, BUT IT IS
ALARMING HOW LITTLE EFFECT IT
SEEMS TO HAVE. OUR EFFORTS THUS
FAR ARE BASICALLY AKIN TO
RUNNING THE STAND STILL. WE
CANNOT CONTINUE IN THIS VEIN.
ALSO, IN THE CHAIR COMMENT ON
FRIDAY I SPOKE OF THE ISSUE OF
SEATTLE BEING OF TWO MINDS. THIS
IS SOMETHING THAT IS A CHALLENGE
FOR US AS A CITY, IT GETS US
INTO A SITUATION WHERE IT LEADS
TO SOME PARALYSIS OR ELEMENTS
WORKING IN CROSS PURPOSES. I
THINK WE NEED TO LOOK TOGETHER,
LOOK FOR THOSE COMMON AREAS AND
LOOK AT FACTS ON THE GROUND,
LIKE IN LITTLE SAIGON, IN TERMS
OF TRYING TO DEVELOP MOVING
FORWARD. I ALSO HIGHLIGHTED IN
THE CHAIR COMMENT LAST FRIDAY
ABOUT OUR STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK
FOR SAFER SEATTLE. WE UPDATED IT
THIS YEAR FROM WHAT WE HAD FROM
THE PREVIOUS TERM OF THE
COUNCIL, TWO YEARS OF THE
COUNCIL, AND TWO CHANGES I WANT
TO HIGHLIGHT, ONE WAS A BULLET
PILLAR UPDATED, AND IT SPEAKS TO
FURTHERING A FUNCTIONAL CRIMINAL
JUSTICE SYSTEM THERE ARE SO MANY
LITTLE PIECES WITHIN OUR
CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM THAT ARE
NOT QUITE WORKING, THAT WE NEED
SOME TWEAKS IN. THE NEW ONE
TITLED "ADDRESSING THE SCENE
BETWEEN PUBLIC SAFETY AND PUBLIC
HEALTH, HOUSING, AND HUMAN
SERVICES." THIS IS VERY
IMPORTANT. SO, ADDRESSING THE
SEAM MEANS, LOT OF TIMES,
ADDRESSING ALTERNATIVE RESPONSE.
THIS IS PRIMARILY FOCUSED, BUT
NOT SOLELY, ON THE CARE
ORDINANCE AND THE WORK THAT GOES
THERE. WE NEED TO IMPROVE
ALTERNATIVE RESPONSE TO GET
BETTER OUTCOMES. ALSO, I SAW
THIS YESTERDAY MORNING, AGAIN, A
LITTLE SAIGON, BUT I SEE IT IN
BELL TOWN EVERY DAY. I SEE IT IN
DOWNTOWN. IT HAS BEEN AN ISSUE
IN LAKE CITY, OTHER PARTS, NORTH
BEACON HILL, NOT JUST SAIGONS
AND PARTS. PARK SQUARE,
THROUGHOUT OUR CITY. THIS IS
ADDRESSING THE DRUG MARKETS AND
THIS MEANS ACTIONS THAT NEED TO
BE TAKEN AS IT RELATES TO THE
PUBLIC DRUG USE AND POSSESSION
ORDINANCE. THE ORDINANCE IN MY
VIEW HAS BEEN A FAILURE IN
ITSELF, BUT ALSO IMPLEMENTATION.
WE MUST BRING CLARITY AND WE
MUST ADDRESS THE ISSUE, WE NEED
TO SIMPLIFY IT. BUT GOING BACK
TO ALTERNATIVE RESPONSE, WE ALSO
NEED TO BRING IN THE ALTERNATIVE
RESPONSE ASPECT THROUGH THE
ISSUE AS WELL. SEPARATELY, AS I
MENTIONED FRIDAY, WE ARE
ENGAGING WITH POTENTIAL STAFF,
LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT HAS
EFFORT CALLED NEIGHBORHOOD
ENGAGEMENT AND MITIGATION. THINK
OF THIS AS THE NEW VERSION OF
THE GOOD MASH, WE NEED TO
FURTHER RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN OUR
SERVICE PROVIDERS AND THE CITY,
BUT ALSO, MORE IMPORTANTLY, WITH
THE NEIGHBORHOODS IN WHICH THEY
SERVE. SO AT THE END OF THE DAY,
WE MUST TAKE ACTION, WORKING
WITH STAKEHOLDERS WHICH I SEE
MANY HERE TODAY, THANK YOU FOR
COMING OUT TO ADDRESS THE POINT,
AGAIN, IN THE ARTICLE, IT IS
ALARMING HOW LITTLE AFFECT IT
SEEMS TO HAVE. THAT MEANS OUR
EFFORTS, THUS FAR, IN TERMS OF
ADDRESSING PROBLEM AREASISM I
LOOK TO WORK WITH EVERYBODY IN
HERE, I KNOW MOST OF YOU,
GENERALLY, OR SPECIFICALLY, AND
I LOOK FORWARD TO THIS, ALONG
WITH MY COLLEAGUES IN THE
COMMITTEE, AND OVERALL.
>>> THE AGENDA WILL BE ADOPTED,
SEEING NO OBJECTION, THE AGENDA
SUDOPTED. OKAY. PUBLIC COMMENTS
WE WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC COMMENT,
IT SHOULD RELATE TO ITEMS ON
TODAY'S AGENDA OR WITHIN
PURVIEW OF THE COMMITTEE. HOW
MANY SPEAKERS DO WE HAVE SIGNED
UP FOR TODAY?
>> CURRENTLY 14 IN PERSON AND
FOUR REMOTE.
>> SO THAT MEANS TWO EACH, TWO
MINUTES EACH, UNDER NEW COUNCIL
RULESISM LETS GO WITH IN PERSON.
>> PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD WILL BE
MONITORED, UP TO 60 MINUTES,
SPEAKERS WILL HAVE 10 SECONDS
LEFT IN TIME, SPEAKERS MIC WILL
BE MUTED IF THEY DO NOT END
WITHIN ALAUPTED TIME TO CALL THE
NEXT SPEAKER. THE PUBLIC PERIOD
IS OPEN AND WE BEGIN WITH THE
FIRST SPEAKER. FORMER COUNCIL
MEMBER.
>> AS FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER
SPEAKS, COUNCIL MEMBER RIVERA IS
HERE AND JOINED US JUST AFTER
THE ROLL CALL. THANK YOU.
WELCOME.
>> GOOD MORNING, COUNCIL. MY
NAME IS TONYA, I WEAR MANY HATS
IN THE CHINATOWN DISTRICT BUT
TODAY I REPRESENT THE PRESIDENT
ELECT FOR THE INTERNATIONAL
DISTRICT. SO LETS BE HONEST
ABOUT WHAT IS HAPPENING AT 12th
AND JACKSON, THE PAST WEEK WE
HAVE SEEN THIS POPULATION
EXPLODE BECAUSE OF NICE WEATHER.
WHAT WE ARE SEEING ON THE GROUND
IS A SYSTEM THAT IS NOT MEETING
THE SCALE OF THE NEED. THE
REALTY IS THE SCALE FAR EXCEEDS
RESOURCES AND TOOLS WE ARE
CURRENTLY DEPLOYING. WE NEED TO
BE CLEAR ABOUT WHAT WE ARE
DEALING WITH, THIS IS NOT JUST
ONE PROBLEM, THIS IS A ABOUT
TWO. IT IS A DRUG CRISIS FUELED
BY STOLEN GOODS MARKETS, AND IT
IS ALSO A HOUSING CRISIS. WE
CAN'T ADDRESS ONE WITHOUT
ADDRESSING THE OTHER. WE NEED TO
CONTINUE TO ADDRESS BOTH. THE
CONDITION THIS AREA CONTINUE TO
BE SERIOUS. IT IS PUSHING OUT TO
NORTH BEACON HILL T IS SPREADING
TO OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY, WE
ARE SEEING LAKE CITY, AURORA,
BELL TOWN, DOWNTOWN,ER AND SO WE
REALLY NEED TO PRIORITIZE WHAT
WE ARE DOING ON THE GROUND, AND
WE NEED TO LISTEN TO COMMUNITY.
THESE CONDITIONS OPEN AIR DRUG
USE, ONGOING SAFETY ISSUES AND
BUSINESSES AND RESIDENTS ARE NOT
IMPROVING AT THE PACE OUR
COMMUNITY NEEDS, AND WE SEE THE
DATA. WE NEED MORE TO BE DONE.
SO, WE NEED TO SUPPORT AND
CONTINUE SUPPORTING MODELS LIKE
LEAD, BUILDING MORE TINY HOME
VILLAGES BECAUSE IN LESS THAN 40
DAYS WE ARE GOING TO SEE A MAJOR
WORLD EVENT COME TO THE SEATTLE
AREA AND THAT IS THE 2026 FIFA
SOCCER WORLD CUP, SO THERE IS
ADDED URGENCY, WE NEED TO A PLAN
AND IT IS NOT VERY MUCH TIME.
THESE FOLKS WHO LIVE IN THE
NEIGHBORHOODS AND HAVE TO SEE
THIS EVERY SINGLE DAY DESERVE TO
FEEL SAFE AND SUPPORTED IN THEIR
COMMUNITIES, NOT ONLY DURING
WORLD CUP. PLEASE CONTINUE TO DO
WHAT YOU ARE DOING. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, NEXT UP WE HAVE
CARA WILLIAMS FOLLOWED BY SHARON
LEE.
>> GOOD MORNING, COUNCIL MEMBER,
I AM CARA WILLIAMS WITH THE
HOUSING INSTITUTE. I HERE TO
JOIN THE CALL TO PROMOTE PUBLIC
SAFETY THROUGHOUT THE SITHY AND
ESPECIALLY IN THE CID BY LITING
WHAT WAS PLACED ON THE 11
MILLION FOR NEW SHELTER BEDS
LAST FALL. FOR THIS YEAR THESE
PHONEERIZE ARE NOT UDED, CUTS
CONTINUE, PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE
HOUSING. BY KEEPING THEM, THEY
ARE BEING UNDER UTILIZED. WHEN
THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A BETTER
TIME TO USE THEM, TO SUPPORT THE
SHELTER EXPENSION PLANS. IN A
TIME OF SO MUCH UNCERTAINTY AND
SO MUCH NEED, I ASK THAT YOU
MAKE THE MOMENT AND NOT KEEP
THEM ON HOLD FOR FUTURE BUDGET
WHEN EVERYTHING IS IN PLACE
RIGHT NOW TO GET MORE SHELTER
LIFE FAST, BRING PEOPLE OFFERS,
ADDRESS PUBLIC USE, CONNECT
PEOPLE TO SERVICES, TREATMENT
FOR SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER AND
DEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND PROMOTE
THE SAFETY OF THE PUBLIC. THE
ISSUES ARE CONCENTRATED.
PARTICULARLY LITTLE SAIGON,
WHERE I WORK AND WE NEED SUPPORT
NOW. EVERYONE IS AFFECTED WHEN
NOT EVERYBODY HAS ACCESS TO
HUMAN RIGHTERS. PLEASE
PRIORITIZE THE SAFETY,
ESPECIALLY VULNERNER ABLE.
>> THANK YOU.
>> GOOD MORNING. I AM SHARON
LEE, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF
LEE HIGH, AND WE ARE ONE OF THE
LARGER EMPLOYERS IN LITTLE
SAIGON, CID, AS WELL AS WE HAVE
LOTS OF RESIDENTS, OVER 80 WHO
LIVE IN LITTLE SAIGON. I WANT TO
SPEAK TO THE COMMITTEE TODAY TO
HAVE YOU STOP THE SALE OF STOLEN
GOODS IN LITTLE SAIGON. PEOPLE
ARE SHOPLIFT ING AND SELL FOR
CASH TO BUY DRUGS. STREET
VENDORS ARE SUPPOSED TO HAVE A
BUSINESS LICENSE AND A PERMIT TO
VEND ON PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY.
NOW,ER SEATTLE DEPARTMENT OF
TRANSPORTATION IS SUPPOSED TO
ADDRESS THIS ISSUE, BUT WE DO
NOT SEE ENFORCEMENT. WE ARE
CONTINUALLY FACED WITH PEOPLE
OFFERING TO SELL GOODS. IT IS
CREATING A PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE.
IT IS NOT JUST INCIDENTALLY,
LOTS OF PEOPLE SELLING STOLEN
GOODS ARE HOUSED. THEY ARE NOT
NECESSARILY UNHOUSED. SO WE
THINK THE COUNCIL SHOULD DO
SOMETHING TO PUT IN PLACE TO
STOP THE SALE OF STOLEN GOODS.
ALSO, WE ASK THAT YOU SET UP
MORE TINY HOUSE VILLAGES,
BECAUSE WHEN WE ARE ABLE TO MOVE
HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS OUT OF
LITTLE SAIGON, INTO TINY HOUSE
VILLAGES, WE BELIEVE THAT THIS
IS A WAY TO PREVENT THEM FROM
RETURNING, BECAUSE THEY WILL GET
SERVICES ELSEWHERE. SO, FOR
INSTANCE, WHEN WE OPEN UP THE
VILLAGE, WE INSURED THERE WAS A
COMMITMENT TO HANDLE THE
RESIDENTS WHO ARE-- PEOPLE ARE
WHO ARE HOMELESS SO WE BELIEVE
THAT WE SHOULD HAVE A TARGETED
STRATEGY TO HAVE MORE TINY HOUSE
VILLAGES. SO WE THANK YOU FOR
YOUR SUPPORT FOR THIS.
>> THANK YOU.
>> NEXT WE HAVE THAN, FOLLOWED
BY MADGON.
>> GOOD MORNING, COUNCIL, I LIVE
IN DISTRICT THREE, WORK EVERYER
DAY IN DISTRICT TWO LITTLE
SAIGON. WHEN I FIRST CAME, I HAD
NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE WHAT IS
HAPPENING IN LITTLE SAIGON, DRUG
DEALING, BLOCKING PEOPLE TRYING
TO GROCERY STORE OR GET ON A
BUS, SEEING IT HEN WAS SHOCKING.
SEEING IT DAY IN AND DAY OUT
ALMOST THREE YEARS WITH NO
SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IS ENRAGING.
YOU WILL NOT FIND THIS KIND OF
ACTIVITY ANYWHERE ELSE IN
SEATTLE. THIS CID AND LITTLE
SAIGON IS ONLY PLACE THAT THIS
KIND OF CRIME AND DRUG ACTIVITY
IS ALLOWED TO EXIST. THE CITY'S
ACTIONS HAVE PUSHED THESE
ACTIVITIES INTO THIS ASIAN
MINORITY NEIGHBORHOOD,
CONTINUING THE HISTORICAL RACISM
THIS COMMUNITY HAS FACED FROM
THE CITY IT CALLS HOME. THE
PEOPLE OF CID IS LITTLE SAIGON
DESERVE BETTER. THERE ARE
ORGANIZATIONS WHO ARE TIRELESSLY
WORKING TO UPLIFT THIS
NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE FACE OF
APATHY AND INACTION. IT IS YOUR
TURN TO HELP UPLIFT THE
NEIGHBORHOOD. THE SOLUTION
ISN'T TO KEEP DISPLACING PEOPLE
FROM OTHER PLACES, IT IS TO
BRING SERVICES AND SHELTER TO
THEM. WE NEED LESS ARRESTS, MORE
DIVERSION, WE NEED MORE
OUTREACH, MORE SOCIAL WORKERS,
MORE SHELTERS, MORE RECOVERY
RESOURCES, MORE HOUSING, MORE
SERVICE OPTIONS FOR THESE FOLKS.
THIS CHALLENGE NEEDS A SOLUTION.
EVERYBODY LIVES AND WORKS IN
LITTLE SAIGON DESERVES TO BE
SAFE AND IT IS A ROLE OF THIS
COUNCIL AND CITY TO INSURE THAT.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>> GOOD MORNING, COUNCIL MEMBER,
I AM MADDEN AND WORK IN
DISTRICTTWOMENT TWO. I AM HERE
TO ASK YOU TO PROMOTE SAFETY IN
THE CHINATOWN DISTRICT BY
LIFTING PROVISA 11 MILLION
INCREASING SERVICES FOR UNHOUSED
NEIGHBORS. THE COMMUNITY HAS
BEEN DISCRIMINATED AGAINST AND
IGNORED, CREATING AN UNSAFE
ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL THOSE WHO
LIVE AND WORK IN THE AREA. THE
CONDITIONS RESULT IN PEOPLE
AVOIDING THE AREA, PERPETUATING
STIGMA TO THE LITTLE SAIGON
COMMUNITY. I HAVE AVOIDED GOING
INTO CERTAIN RESTAURANTS OR
WALKING PAST CERTAIN STREETS
WHEN BY MYSELF, OUT OF FEAR FOR
MY SAFETY. HOWEVER, DISPLACING
PEOPLE OR PUTTING THEM IN JAIL
DOES NOTHING TO ADDRESS THE ROOT
CAUSE OF THE ISSUES. I HAVE ALSO
SEEN FROM WORKING DIRECTLY WITH
PEOPLE IN SUBSTANCE ABUSE
RECOVERY THAT SHELTER WITHOUT
SERVICES DOES NOT CREATE THE
OPPORTUNITIES AND SUPPORT NEEDED
FOR CHANGE. YOU CAN IMPROVE THE
PUBLIC SAFETY BY INCREASING
SHELTER, PROVIDING THE BASIC
HUMAN RIGHT OF HOUSING,
ALONGSIDE ESSENTIAL SERVICES.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. NEXT UP WE HAVE
AMANDA BENSON FOLLOWED BY
NATHAN.
>> HELLO, GOOD MORNING, MY NAME
IS AMANDA BENSON AND RESIDENT OF
DISTRICT FOUR, AND I WORK EVERY
DAY IN DISTRICT TWO,
SPECIFICALLY LITTLE SAIGON NEAR
THE INTERSECTION OF 12th AND
JACKSON, THE EPICENTER OF THIS
PUBLIC SAFETY CRISIS. SINCE
SEATTLE'S DRUG POSSESSION TOOK
AFFECT IN 2023, ARRESTS
INCREASED. OPEN AIR DRUG USE,
STOLEN GOODS I SEE EVERY DAY IN
LITTLE SAIGON ON MY WAY TO WORK
HAS ONLY GOTTEN WORSE. THERE IS
NO EVIDENCE ARRESTING PEOPLE ARE
DRUG USE REDUCES USE, OR
ADDRESSES THE ROOT CAUSES THAT
BRING PEOPLE TO THAT POINT.
STABLE HOUSING DOES I AM HERE TO
ADVOCATE FOR TINY HOUSE
VILLAGES, THEY ARE NOT JUST A
PLACE TO SLEEP, THEY ARE
COMMUNITIES THAT PROVIDE CASE
MANAGEMENT, SUPPORT, STABILITY,
AND DIGNITY. THEY PROVIDE A
FOUNDATION THAT MAKES EVERY
OTHER INTERVENTION POSSIBLE.
ADDICTION TREATMENT, EMPLOYMENT,
RECONNECTION WITH FAMILY, ARE
ONLY POSSIBLE WITH STABLE
HOUSING. I URGE THIS COMMITTEE
TO FUND MORE TINY HOUSE VILLAGES
AND THE WRAP AROUND SERVICES
THAT MAKE THEM SO EFFECTIVE. IT
IS THE MOST COST EFFECTIVE
EVIDENCE-BASED INVESTMENT THE
CITY CAN MAKE IN PUBLIC SAFETY.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>> HELLO, GOOD MORNING, MY NAME
IS NATHAN, I AM A RESIDENT OF
SEATTLE DISTRICT THREE, I WORK
IN LITTLE SAIGON. WE HAVE AN
OFFICE WITH OVER 40 STAFF
MEMBERS IN AN APARTMENT BUILDING
WITH OVER 80 RESIDENTS AND MANY
BUILDINGS NEARBY. WE ARE
PRESENTED WITH DRUG USE, CRIME,
VIOLENCE ON THE STREET IN FRONT
OF OUR WORK PLACE. I BELIEVE WE
NEED TO STOP THE SALE OF STOLEN
GOODS AND OPEN AIR MARKET. THESE
ARE NOT SMALL ONE-OFF OFFENDERS
BUT LARGE ORGANIZED
ORGANIZATIONS. IT IS A MASSIVE
MARKET AND THE FUNDS ARE USED TO
HELP FUND DRUGS SOLD TO
VOLNERABLE POPULATIONS. I GET
OFF THE STREET AT 12th AND
JACKSON AND SEE THIS EVERY DAY,
IT IS HEART BREAKING TO SEE WHAT
PEOPLE ARE GOING THROUGH. IF WE
CAN GET PEOPLE OFF THE STREETS
AND INTO SHELTERS LIKE TINY
HOUSE VILLAGES, WE CAN HELP STOP
THIS PHENOMENON, AND IT IS VERY
IMPORTANT FOR THE COUNCIL TO
RECOGNIZE WHAT IS GOING ON AND
TRY TO FIND HUMANE SOLUTIONS
THAT CAN HELP SUPPORT PEOPLE
RATHER THAN PUNISH THEM FOR
BEING PRAYED ON. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. NEXT UP, ANDREA,
FOLLOWED BY CORY.
>> HI, GOOD MORNING, COUNCIL. MY
NAME IS ANDREA SUAREZ, FOUNDER
OF WE HEART SEATTLE, I AM HERE
TO TALK ABOUT THE HARM OF
POSSESSION IN OUR COMMUNITY. WE
HAVE PICKED UP HUNDREDS OF
THOUSANDS OF NEEDLES AND
HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PIECES
OF FOIL THAT OUR COUNTY HAND OUT
TO DRUGADICS, I THINK THAT
SPEAKS TO THE DRUG FRIENDLY AND
ENABLING CULTURE. THERE ARE
MAJOR CITIES STARTING TO BAN
HANDING THAT OUT, ESPECIALLY
TENT SIDE, WITHOUT ENROLLING IN
PROGRAMS SO THERE IS A LITTLE
ADJUSTMENTS TO SHIFT FROM A
DRUG-FRIENDLY CITY TO ONE WHERE
WE ARE A RECOVERY FIRST CITY. IN
TERMS OF HARM TO WOMEN,
ESPECIALLY, THEY ARE PRAYED ON.
I HAVE SEEN WOMEN TRAFFICKED. IT
IS A VERY PREDATORY ELEMENT IN
TERMS OF THE CULTURE, WHEN WE
TALK WHY IT NEVER GETS BETTER,
COUNCIL KETTLE, COUNCIL MEMBER
KETTLE, IT IS BECAUSE WE HAVE
INFLOW CRISIS, WE DON'T HAVE
ANYTHING LIKE PROPOSITION F
WHICH SAN FRANCISCO HAS, IF YOU
COME TO SEATTLE, YOU NEED TO
PASS A DRUG TEST BEFORE YOU GET
FOOD STAMP CARD, LITTLE THINGS
LIKE THAT IS WHAT CITIES ARE
DOING TO CREATE THE NOT
DRUG-FRIENDLY CULTURE. MY MANTRA
IS HERE WE HAVE CHEAP DRUGS AND
FREE CRIME. THAT IS WHAT IS
CREATING THE HAVOC WE SEE IN OUR
COMMUNITY. I HEARD A COUPLE
PEOPLE TALK ABOUT TINY HOUSES
AND WRAP AROUND SERVICES. LAST
TIME I WENT INTO A TINY HOUSE I
SAW DESIGNATED TINY HOUSE TO USE
FENTANYL. SO HELP ME UNDERSTAND
HOW WE ARE STABILIZING SOMEBODY
INSIDE A TINY HOUSE VILLAGE WHEN
THERE IS A TINY HOUSE DESIGNATED
TO SMOKE FENTANYL. WRAP AROUND
SERVICES AREN'T REQUIRED. THE
WHOLE CITY IS A WRAP AROUND
SERVICE. YOU CAN WALK OUT THE
DOOR AND GET SERVICES. THEY
DON'T HAVE TO BE AT THE
VILLAGE. DON'T GET SUCKED INTO
THAT, THAT THINGS GET BETTER
THERE. I DON'T KNOW ONE PERSON
THAT GRADUATED FROM THE LEAD
PROGRAM, WHERE YOU CAN SMOKE
FENTANYL. WHEN PEOPLE GET
ARRESTED, CLEAR MIND, AND
TREATMENT, THEY GET BETTER.
>> THANK YOU.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, MY NAME IS
CORY RATLIF. I AM A DRUG ADDICT
AND HOMELESS. I JUST WANT TO
SPEAK ON THE FACT THAT IT TOOK
ME 45 DAYS IN JAIL TO FINALLY
GET MY MIND RIGHT. YOU KNOW, AND
HOLD MYSELF ACCOUNTABLE. BEFORE
THAT, I WAS IN THE STREETS FROM
AURORA TO TACOMA, AND I WAS
BEING ENABLED FROM THE CITY WITH
FREE PIPES, FREE FOIL, FREE
HOUSING, PLACES THAT POLICE
CAN'T REALLY COME IN AND DO
ANYTHING ABOUT. SO NOW WE ARE
ENCOURAGING AND ENABLING DRUG
ADDICT AND HOMELESS TO BE
COMPABILITY. THAT DOES NOT HELP
THE SITUATION. WHAT HELPS IS
HOLD US ACCOUNTABLE. IF WE ARE
SELLING DOPE OR PIMPING OR DOING
ANYTHING AGAINST THE LAW, HOLD
ME ACCOUNTABLE, ARREST ME,
DON'T GIVE ME A SLAP ON THE
WRIST. DON'T LET ME GO. THAT
TIME IN JAIL IS ENOUGH TIME TO
THINK, TAKE ACCOUNTABILITY FOR
WHAT I DID. UNDERSTAND I NEED TO
GET INTO HOPE AND CHANCE OR
BATTLEFIELD FOR ADDICTION, START
GOING TO WORK. SOBER LIVING
PROGRAMS, THEY ANSWER. IT WAS
FOR FOR ME. I STILL HAVE AN
OLDER BROTHER STILL ACTIVELY IN
ADDICTION WHO HAS NO THOUGHT
WHATSOEVER OF GETTING OUT OF
THAT SITUATION BECAUSE TINY HOME
VILLAGES, HOUSING PROJECTS,
EVERYTHING THERE IS COMFORTABLE
TO BE HOMELESS AND A DRUG
ADDICT. 10 YEARS AGO I COULDN'T
DO THAT. THESE DAYS IT IS SO
EASY TO BE A DRUG ADDICT AND IT
IS OKAY, WE ARE PUTTING THEM IN
A BUILDING OFF THE STREET. THE
CITY IS THINKING IT IS NOT
PROBLEM ANYMORE. NO, IT IS AN
ISSUE, NOT BEING HANDLED
CORRECTLY. I THINK THE BEST WAY
IS HOLD ME ACCOUNTABLE. THANK
YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>> NEXT UP IS MARTA CUDAN.
>> MY NAME IS MARTA AND I AM THE
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT MANAGER AT
THE LOW INCOME HOUSING
INSTITUTE. THANK YOU FOR
ALLOWING COMMUNITY THE TIME TO
BE HEARD FOR TODAY. IN THE FALL
OF 2025 THE LOW INCOME HOUSING
INSTITUTE DEVELOPED A 15-POINT
PLAN FOCUSED ON THE CID IN
LITTLE SAIGON TO LIFT UP THE
DEEP NEEDS AND RESOURCES. PUBLIC
SAFETY REQUIRES A WRAP AROUND
APPROACH AND WE BELIEVE TINY
HOUSE ENHANCED SHELTERS BEING
INCLUDED IN THE PLAN WILL HELP
ALLEVIATE SOME OF THE STRAIN
BEING EXPERIENCED BY ALL THAT
LIVE AND WORK IN THE AREA. ONE
OF THE ITEMS WE ASK THE CITY OF
SEATTLE TO PRIORITIZE IS THE
TINY HOUSE SHELTER FUNDING,
WHICH WAS ALLOCATED AT $11
MILLION LAST YEAR. PRIOR TO
CLOSING THE BUDGETING PROCESS,
PROVISO WAS PLACED TO INSURE THE
CONTINUING CARE FUNDING WAS
FULLY FUNDED AT THE FEDERAL
LEVEL AND INSURE THE SHELTER
FUNDING WOULD BACK THAT, IF
THERE WAS ANY SHORTFALL. NOW
THAT THE DOLLARS HAVE BEEN
SECURED, WE ASK THAT WE LIFT THE
PROVISO AND MAKE MORE SHELTER
POSSIBLE AND HONOR THE ADVOCACY
THAT WE, ALONGSIDE OUR PARTNERS,
HAVE DONE IN THE REGION. OUR
OFFICES ARE LOCATED DIRECTLY IN
LITTLE SAIGON FOR THOSE OF YOU
THAT DON'T KNOW, WE ARE RIGHT
ON JACKSON AND RAINIER. AND WE
OFTEN EXPERIENCE THE COMMON
PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUES YOU HEARD
ABOUT TODAY. BOTH OUR SELVES AND
THE RESIDENTS IN THE UNLOCKED
PROPERTY ABOVE US. THERE IS A
NEED FOR SAFETY PRACTICES TO BE
ACTIVATED AND MANY OUTREACH AND
DIVERSION PROGRAMS THAT WE WANT
TO MAKE SURE THAT ARE BEING
PROTECTEDER AND ALLOCATED FOR.
WE ALSO ASK THAT THE HIGHEST OF
THESE BE THE SHELTERING AND
HOUSING OF OUR UNHOUSED
NEIGHBORS. PLEASE HELP US INSURE
HOUSING IS A HUMAN RIGHT BY
RELEASING THE SHELTER DOLLARS SO
SHELTER PROVIDERS CAN DO THE
GOOD WORK OF CREATING SAFE
SPACES WITHOUT JUDGMENT OR HARM.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>> NEXT UP, THERESA BLOOMBERG
FOLLOWED BY STEVE REPSTYLE.
>> GOOD MORNING, I AM THERESA
BLOOMBERG HERE ON BEHALF OF THE
SEATTLE CENTER, A NON-PROFIT
SERVING THE DISTRICT SINCE 1958.
WE HAVE WITNESSED MANY NEGATIVE
CHANGES IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD,
ESPECIALLY INCREASED OPEN DRUG
USE AND GROWING SAFETY CONCERNS
FOR ALL THE BUSINESSES,
RESIDENTS, AND FAMILIES. AS A
HOUSING COORDINATOR FOR THE
SEATTLE INDIAN CENTER, I SEE
EVERY DAY ENFORCEMENT THAT HAS
BEEN HAPPENING NOW IS NOT
ENOUGH. WE NEED REAL SOLUTIONS,
MORE SHELTERS, ACCESS, MORE TINY
HOMES, STRONGER PATHWAYS FOR
SUPPORTING RECOVERY, AND STABLE
HOUSING FOR THOSE LIVING ON THE
STREETS AND IN NEED OF SUPPORT.
OUR COMMUNITY DESERVES TO FEEL
SAFE. UNHOUSED NEIGHBORS DESERVE
DIGNITY, OPPORTUNITY, AND I
CANNOT EMPHASIZE, SUPPORT,
ENOUGH. WE ASK YOU ACT WITH
URGENCY AND BALANCE. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>> MY OPINION HAS BEEN CLOUDED
BY THE FACT THAT I WORK
PRIMARILY IN PIONEER SQUARE,
BELLTOWN, WORKED IN THE ID, AND
HAVE WORKED ON CAPITOL HILL. SO,
MY EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN CLOUDED
BECAUSE THERE ARE TOO MANY
CARROTS, NOT ENOUGH STICKS. YOU
HAVE A PERFECT RECORD, IN THE
TIMES I HAVE BEEN ASSAULTED, NO
ONE HAS GONE TO JAIL, TAKEN THE
RIDE, NO ONE RECEIVED WHAT
AMOUNTS TO A TICKET. VERY
PERFECT RECORD. NOW I HAVE BEEN
WARNED THAT WHEN ASSAULTED, IF
YOU DO TOO MUCH IN RESPONSE, YOU
CAN GO TO JAIL, BECAUSE
RETALIATION IS SOMETHING YOU CAN
GO TO JAIL FOR. BUT IT APPEARS
ASSAULT IN SEATTLE, UNLESS YOU
USE A GUN, KNIFE, OR HATCHET, IS
NOT JAILABLE. IT IS NOT WORTH
YOUR TIME AND EFFORT. I DON'T
KNOW WHETHER THE COURTS OR THE
PROSECUTOR WOULD DO ANYTHING
BECAUSE WE HAVE NEVER GOTTEN
THAT FAR ON THAT. AND I SEE A
LOT MORE, I SEE THAT MOVING
PEOPLE OUT FOR TRESPASS IS
SOMETHING POLICE CAN'T DO
BECAUSE NO ID. WHO ARE THEY? I
RECENTLY HAD A SITUATION THE
INDIVIDUAL ALLEGED THEY OWNED
THE GARAGE, THE POLICE HADN'T
COME WITHIN AN HOUR AND A HALF,
ALMOST TWO HOURS. I WAS LUCKY. I
FLAGGED DOWN A POLICE CAR. TWO
OFFICERS WERE IN IT. THEY
CHECKED. NOBODY HAD BEEN
ASSIGNED. AND THEY DID GO IN AND
AFTER SEVERAL HOURS, TRYING TO
HELP THE INDIVIDUAL, THEY DID
GET THEM OUT. NOW, LATER ON, THE
SAME INDIVIDUAL THREATENED
SOMEONE ELSE AND THEY DID END UP
GOING TO JAIL. I HAVEN'T SEEN
THEM SINCE. THANK GOODNESS.
>> THANK YOU.
>> NEXT UP WE HAVE JESSICA
NORTON FOLLOWED BY ALLISON
BLEVINS.
>> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS
JESSICA NORTON AND FOR 22 YEARS
I HAVE OWNED A SMALL BUSINESS IN
BELLTOWN. BELLTOWN IS EXACTLY
WHAT THE CITY SAYS IT WANTS IN A
NEIGHBORHOOD. WE ARE THE MOST
DENSELY POPULATED RESIDENTIAL
COMMUNITY IN KING COUNTY. WE ARE
SOCIOECONOMICALLY DIVERSE WITH
MILLION DOLLAR CONDOS ALONGSIDE
PUBLIC SUBSIDIZED AFFORDABLE,
TRANSITIONAL HOUSING. WE ARE
WALKABLE, TRANSIT CONNECTED, AND
FILLED WITH INDEPENDENTLY-OWNED
SMALL BUSINESSES. WE ALSO CARRY
SIGNIFICANT SHARE OF THE CITY'S
SOCIAL SERVICES. SERVING SOME OF
THE MOST VOLNERABLE PEOPLE IN
OUR COMMUNITIES. YET WE ARE
BEING OVER RUN BY FLAGRANT,
VIOLENT, VERY VIOLENT OPEN AIR
DRUG MARKET. MUCH OF IT
OPERATING DIRECTLY OUTSIDE THE
HOUSING AND SERVICE CENTERS,
PEOPLE RELY ON FOR SAFETY AND
STABILITY. AFFORDABLE HOUSING
PROVIDERS IN BELLTOWN REPORTING
VACANCIES AS HIGH AS 30%. AND
THAT IS NOT BECAUSE WE DON'T
NEED HOUSING. IT IS BECAUSE
PEOPLE DO NOT FEEL SAFE HERE,
EVEN POOR PEOPLE DO NOT WANT TO
LIVE IN AN UNSAFE COMMUNITY. OUR
BUS STOPS HAVE BECOME CENTERS OF
DRUG ACTIVITY, RESIDENTS ARE
WALKING BLOCKS PAST THE STOPS
CLOSEST TO THEIR HOMES JUST TO
FIND A SAFER OPTION. SMALL
BUSINESSES, THEIR EMPLOYEES AND
CLIENTS, ARE NAVIGATING UNSAFE
CONDITIONS EVERY DAY. IT IS THE
BIGGEST THREAT TO MY OWN
BUSINESS. MANY OF US HAVE
STOPPED CALLING 911, BECAUSE
THERE ARE NEVER ANY RESPONSES.
THIS IS NOT COMPASSIONATE,
ALLOWING VOLNERABLE PEOPLE TO BE
EXPLOITED IN PLAY SIGHT BY THE
SERVICES MEANT TO HELP THEM IS
NEGLECT. IT IS NOT EQUITABLE TO
EXPECT NEIGHBORHOODS LIKE
BELLTOWN, DENSE, DIVERSE,
ALREADY CARRYING SO MUCH, TO
ABSORB THIS ALONE. WE ARE DOING
EVERYTHING RIGHT AS A COMMUNITY,
BUT THE CITY IS NOT MEETING US
WITH THE ACTION THE SITUATION
DEMANDS. WE NEED CONSISTENT
PUBLIC SAFETY PRESENCE.
>> THANK YOU.
>> WE NEED REAL ENFORCEMENT OF
OPEN AIR DRUG MARKETS AND SAFE,
DIGNIFIED CONDITIONS AROUND OUR
SOCIAL SERVICES.
>> THANK YOU.
>> HI, MY NAME IS ALLISON
BLEVINS. ON BEHALF OF THE SANDAL
PARK NEIGHBORHOOD IN GREENWOOD,
I AM ASKING THE CITY TO PROVIDE
A DEDICATED POLICE UNIT TO THIS
PARK AREA, J1. OUR COMMUNITY IS
STRUGGLING AT THE DRUG USE, IT
IS RAMPANT AND DISTURBING. OFTEN
WE CALL 911 AND THE POLICE NEVER
COME. WHEN THEY DO COME, THEY
RARELY DO ANYTHING ABOUT OPEN
DRUG USE AND DRUG DEALING. WE
ARE ASKING THE CITY TO ENFORCE
THE 80-INCH WIDTH WITH
RESTRICTION, MUNICIPAL CODE
11.71.0770. AND THE 72-HOUR
PARKING LIMIT, MUNICIPAL CODE
1172440. AT AND AROUND SANDAL
PARK, WE ARE ASKING ALL CURRENT
DRUG LAWS BE UPHELD AND
ENFORCED. PLEASE RESTORE OUR
WELL-LOVED, WELL-USED COMMUNITY
PARK BACK TO THE COMMUNITY AND
FOR THE SAFETY OUR CHILDREN, OUR
COMMUNITY CANNOT CARRY THE
BURDEN Y. HAVE A PETITION SIGNED
BY 151 OF MY NEIGHBORS. CAN I
GIVE THIS?
>> THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> OUR LAST IN-PERSON SPEAKER IS
FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER SARAH
NELSON.
>> WELCOME, FORMER COUNCIL
PRESIDENT NELSON. FRIENDS, WE
HAD A BOOK END. WE STARTED WITH
COUNCIL MEMBER WU AND NOW END
WITH FORMER COUNCIL PRESIDENT
NELSON. FOR IN PERSON. WE ALSO
HAVE SOME REMOTE.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. HELLO,
EVERYBODY. THANK YOU, CHAIR
KETTLE, FOR HAVING THIS TOPIC ON
THE AGENDA TODAY BECAUSE, AS YOU
AND OTHER FOLKS KNOW ON THE
COMMITTEE AND ELSEWHERE THAT
THIS TOPIC, CITY POLICY ON
ADDICTION AND THE DRUG EPIDEMIC
IS VERY NEAR AND DEAR TO MY
HEART, NOT ONLY BECAUSE I AM IN
RECOVERY MYSELF, BUT ALSO
BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT
ADDICTION, SUBSTANCE USE
DISORDER FUELS PUBLIC SAFETY
CHALLENGES AND CHRONIC
HOMELESSNESS. THIS IS A KEY ROOT
CAUSE OF TWO MAJOR ISSUES YOU
HAVE TO DEAL WITH. TWO THINGS.
FIRST OF ALL, I HAVE READ THE
PRESENTATION MATERIALS AND KUDOS
TO LEAD FOR ITS HARD WORK IN
DIVERSION SERVICES AND I WILL
REMIND FOLKS UP HERE THAT
$202.85 MILLION IN THE BUDGET
ONGOING FOR RECOVERY SERVICES.
JUST LETTING YOU KNOW THERE IS
MONEY, $500,000 FOR ACCESS TO ON
BEMAND RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT, ON
TOP OF WHATEVER WAS LEFT OVER O
$300,000 IN THE 2024 BUDGET.
$250,000 FOR SOBER HOUSING
VOUCHERS, $500,000 TO
NON-PROFITS PROVIDING HOUSING
AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER
TREATMENT AND OTHER BEHAVIORAL
HEALTH SUPPORT. SO THAT MONEY IS
THERE AND SO WHEN IT COMES TO
WHAT SERVICES LEAD CASE MANAGERS
ARE ENCOURAGING THEIR CLIENTS TO
GO TO, IN THE TREATMENT, IS ONE
OPTION AMONG OTHER THINGS. SO
JUST WANTED TO SAY MONEY IS
THERE. FINALLY, I WANT TO
RECOGNIZE THAT AS YOU GO-- THINK
ABOUT-- I WILL BE LISTENING TO
HOW THE DRUG ORDINANCE HAS BEEN
WORKING OUT SO FAR SINCE ITS
PASSAGE. ANYWAY, THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>> NOW WE ARE TRANSITIONING
REMOTE SPEAKERS. THE FIRST
REMOTE SPEAKER IS JULIA, PLEASE
PRESS STAR 6 WHEN YOU HEAR THE
PROMPTER YOU HAVE BEEN UNMUTED.
>> MY NAME IS JULIA. I AM
COMMENTING TODAY ON SEATTLE'S
PUBLIC DRUG USE POLICY, AND WHEN
PEOPLE ASK ME WHERE I LIVE, I
ALSO REPLY THAT I LIVE DOWNTOWN,
IT DOESN'T GET MORE DOWN. LIKE
ALL JOKES, IT IS FUNNY BECAUSE
IT IS TRUE. IT IS A DRUG USER
REACHED PIPE LINE, THEY HAVE
TRULY REACHED THE NEIGHBOR OF
SEATTLE'S DRUG SCENE. LIKE
LITTLE SAIGON, BELLTOWN, WE
DALEY HAVE CROWDS OF 25 TO 100
PEOPLE USING AND DEALING DRUGS,
TRAFFICKING HUMAN BEINGS, AND
SELLING STOLEN GOODS ON OUR
SIDEWALKS. THEY BLOCK RESIDENTS
FROM REACHING HOMES, ASSAULTED
OUR NEIGHBORS, AND ARE CAUSING
MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF DAMAGE IN
SECURITY COSTS. AS SOMEONE WHO
HAD A FRONT-ROW SEAT TO THE
FENTANYL AND METHCRISIS SINCE
2020, I AND MANY OF MY NEIGHBORS
BELIEVE IT IS FIRST AND FOREMOST
A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS, BUT WITH
PUBLIC SAFETY SYMPTOMS THAT HAVE
BECOME, REACHED AN UNTOLERABLE
LEVEL FOR OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. I
AM HERE TO ADVOCATE FOR ADDITION
OF A MISSING LINK IN OUR CURRENT
APPROACH, TO RECLASSIFICATION OF
SIDEWALK VENDING WITHOUT A
PERMIT AS A MISDEMEANOR.
CURRENTLY VENDING WITHOUT A
PERMIT IS A FINABLE OFFENSE
ENFORCED BY S-DOT, CAPABLE OF
ENFORCING IT. CLASSIFYING THE
DEFENSE AS A MISDEMEANOR WOULD
ALLOW SPD TO TAKE ON
ENFORCEMENT. STOLEN GOODS PLAYS
A BIG ROLE IN THE CURRENT
FENTANYL AND METHCRISIS,
ALLOWING SPD TO CONFISCATE THE
STOLEN GOODS WOULD HELP DISRUPT
THE SYSTEM THAT ENABLES AND
FUNDS THE CURRENT CRISIS. LET ME
BE CLEAR, I AM NOT NECESSARILY
ADVOCATING ARRESTING THE
INDIVIDUALS BUT I AM ADVOCATE
FOR SPD'S ABILITY TO CONFISCATE
THE GOODS AND DISRUPT THE
ECOSYSTEM.
>> THANK YOU.
>> NEXT UP WE HAVE HOWARD GALE.
>> GOOD MORNING, SEPTEMBER 2023
DRUG ORDINANCE HAD A STUNNING
FIVE AND A HALF PAGES OF
WHEREAS, ALL CREATED TO WAIVE OF
THE CONCERNS OF THE HUNDREDS OF
TESTIFIED IN OPPOSITION TO THAT
ORDINANCE. CENTERED AROUND THE
CONCERNS THAT POLICE CANNOT BE
TRUSTED TO USE DISCRETION IN
ASSESSING WHEN DRUG USE POSSESS
AS SERIOUS THREAT. CONCERNS THE
CITY WOULD FAIL TO PROVIDE
PROPER RESOURCES FOR DIVERSION
AND TREATMENT AND CONCERNS THAT
RACIAL DESPAIRTY AND ARRESTS
WOULD INCREASE. ALL OF THESE
FEARS CAME TRUE. ONE OF THE
USELESS WHEREAS STATES SPD SHALL
"CREATE POLICY ESTABLISH
DIVERSION AND TREATMENT AS THE
STANDARD APPROACH FOR MOST
INSTANCES." THE 2023 ORDINANCE
ALSO STATES "LACK OF DEVERSION
OPPORTUNITIES SHALL NOT BE A
REASON FOR ARREST ." YET THE
DATA PRESENTED TODAY
DEMONSTRATES WHEREAS 2024,
40.44% OF PEOPLE ARRESTED TR
WERE IN POST ADDRESS DIVERSION,
DROPPED TO 19.11% LAST YEAR,
LESS THAN HALF. A STUNNING,
DISMAL, PREDICTABLE OUTCOME FROM
SIMPLY TRUSTING THE POLICE.
FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER THERESA
SAID IN VOTING AGAINST THE 2023
ORDINANCE THAT "THIS LOW WILL
EXACERBATE RACIAL DESPAIRTIES
AND WHO GETS ARRESTED." A REPORT
FROM THE KING COUNTY PUBLIC
DEFENSE FOUND EXACTLY THAT
RESULT, AFRICAN AMERICANS ARE
4.1 TIMES MORE LIKELY TO BE
ARRESTED WHEN COMPARED TO WHITE
PEOPLE. THIS REPORT ALSO FOUND
ARRESTINGS RESULTED IN LESS THAN
3%, COMPLETING DRUG TREATMENT OR
GETTING COURT ORDER TO DO SO,
ANOTHER FAILURE IN A PROMISED
OUTCOME OF THE ORDINANCE. THE
DATA PRESENTED TODAY LACKS THE
INFORMATION, MOST NOTABLY ON
RACE, TO DETERMINE MOST ALL OF
WHAT THE 2023 ORDINANCE REQUIRED
FOR ACCOUNTABILITY. THIS IS PART
OF A LONG-STANDING PATTERN WHERE
THE COUNCIL PRIORITIZES
PUNISHMENT OVER PROTECTION AND
IGNORES ACCOUNTABILITY FOR
UNJUST CRIMINALIZATION WHILE
DEMANDING ACCOUNTABILITY FOR ANY
PROGRAM THAT MIGHT OFFER JUST
AMELIORATION OF SYSTEM
DESPAIRTIES AND HARMS.
>> THANK YOU.
>> NEXT UP, LARS ERICKSON.
>> GOOD MORNING, CHAIR
KETTLEMAN, MY NAME IS LARS
ERICKSON. REPRESENTING MORE THAN
2600 EMPLOYERS AND 750,000
WORKERS ACROSS THE PUGET SOUND
REGION, THANK YOU FOR YOUR
REMARKS AT THE BEGINNING OF LAST
FRIDAY'S MEETING, ELEVATING THE
IMPORTANT CONVERSATION ABOUT
PUBLIC USE AND POSSESSION
ENFORCEMENT AND ACCOUNTABILITY,
PARTICULARLY DOWNTOWN AND
INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT. I WANT
TO EXPRESS SUPPORT FOR CHAIR
KETTLE'S CALL FOR CLARITY,
CONSISTENCY, AND MEASURABLE
ACCOUNTABILITY IN HOW THIS
ORDINANCE IS APPLIED.
ENFORCEMENT WITHOUT TRANSPARENCY
ERODES TRUST AND POLICY WITHOUT
FOLLOW THROUGH LEADS COMMUNITIES
CARRYING THE CONSEQUENCES. I
ALSO APPRECIATE COUNCIL MEMBER
LIN'S REMARKS OF UNDERSCORING
THE LIVED REALITIES OF THE
INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT. THIS IS
A NEIGHBORHOOD FILLED WITH MANY
SMALL FAMILY-RUN BUSINESSES,
SENIORS, AND TRANSIT RESIDENTS.
THE CHALLENGES HAVE ACCESS TO
SIDEWALKS, STORE FRONT, AND
WHETHER ELDERS FIELD COMFORTABLE
LEAVING THEIR HOMES. THE PUBLIC
USE AND POSSESSION ORDINANCE WAS
DESIGNED TO BALANCE COMPASSION
WITH PUBLIC SAFETY. THAT BALANCE
ONLY WORKS WHEN EXPECTATIONS ARE
CLEAR FOR OUTREACH TEAMS, LAW
ENFORCEMENT, SERVICE PROVIDERS,
AND THE PUBLIC. AND WHEN THE
CITY HOLDS CITY HOLDS CANSELF
ACCOUNTABLE. IT IS HOW WE INSURE
ORDINANCE DELIVERS SAFER, MORE
ACCESSIBLE PUBLIC SAFETY OUR
COMMUNITY IS PROMISED. THANK YOU
FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND
IMPLEMENTING THE INTENT TO THE
ORDINANCE. THANK YOU.
>> OUR LAST PUBLIC COMMENTER IS
DAVID HANES.
>> HI, DAVID HANES, THE EVIL
BILLIONAIRE USES SEATTLE AS
PILOT PROGRAM, FINANCED DURKIN
AND OBAMA WHO POLITICALLY
APPOINTED HER THE U.S. ATTORNEY,
WHO SUED THE POLICE DEPARTMENT
AND SHE, DURING NEGOTIATION
SPLIT THE SENTENCING THAT SAYS
LOW-LEVEL-- WHEN THE POLICE
NEGOTIATOR SIGNED OFF, A JUDGE
AGREED, IT BECAME THE LAW OF THE
LAND, ANY JURISDICTION IN
AMERICA THAT WANTED IT, AND
BRUCE HARRELL LED THE EFFORT TO
EXEMPT DRUG PUSHERS UNDER 3.5
GRAMS AND CITY ATTORNEY
PURPOSELY INFORMING THE CHIEF
THAT SHE IS NOT GOING TO
PROSECUTE DRUG CRIMES THAT ARE
LISTED AS MISDEMEANOR, EVEN
THOUGH SOME OF THE MISDEMEANOR
IS BASED ON THE WEIGHT OF THE
DRUGS, IT IS DESTROYING ALL OF
THESE PEOPLES' LIVES AND ALL OF
THESE UNQUALIFIED WRAP AROUND
SERVICES WITH ALTERNATIVE DROOL
DRUG FROM BIG PHARMA ARE
DESTROYING THE BRAINS AND NOT
MAKING THEM BREAK ADDICTION, IT
IS LIKE, YOU CAN PUT ALL OF
THESE PEOPLE IN THE STREETS INTO
A JAIL FOR UP TO 21 DAYS, AND
THEN BEFORE THEY GET RELEASED,
YOU HAVE THEM SUPERVISED TO
AUTHORIZED ENCAMPMENT YOU CAN
PROP UP WITHIN THREE DAYS TO USE
RESOURCES AVAILABLE AND MAKE
THEM FOCUS ON THEIR DRUG
ADDICTION, WHEN, INSTEAD, WE GOT
NON-PROFITS, ALL THESE VIRTUAL
SIGNALING WOMEN WHO THANK YOU
RIARE SO ADVANCED BY GIVING
ALTERNATIVE DROOL DRUGS AND
KEEPING THEM QUELLED AND SCREWED
UP BEHIND A DOOR. THEY NEED TO
FOCUS ON BREAKING ADDICTION WITH
HEALTH AND EXERCISE AND MAKE
THEM DO SUPERVISED COMMUNITY
SERVICE, GO OUT AND PICK UP
TRASH TO PRACTICE BEING AN
HONEST DILIGENT PERSON INSTEAD
OF SLOTHING OUT IN SOME
UNTRUSTWORTHY NON-PROFIT THAT
NEEDS TO BE AGUESTED AS WELL AS
THE CHIEF NEEDS TO BE REPLACED.
HE IS ON RECORD SAYING HE IS--
>> THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. I REAL DO WANT TO
THANK FOR COMING. THIS HAS BEEN
INTERESTING WITH THE WIDE RANGE
OF INDIVIDUALS, ORGANIZATIONS. I
CAN TELL WE HAVE LITTLE SAIGON
REPRESENTED. WE HAVE CHINATOWN
AND THE ID. WE HAVE HAD
BELLTOWN, THANK YOU FOR COMING.
NORTH BEACON HILL? GOT THAT. SAW
THE HAND RAISED. GREENWOOD,
FREMONT, DOWNTOWN, GREAT MIX. WE
HAVE HAD INDIVIDUALS BUT ALSO
ORGANIZATIONS. I LIKE TO THANK
LEHIGH TEAM, WE HEART SEATTLE,
WE HAVE ACCOUNTABILITY PARTNERS.
WE HAVE A MIX, AM SOMEFOLKS FROM
THE GOVERNMENT SIDE. WE HAVE A
NICE MIX OF PEOPLE TO INCLUDE
TWO FORMER LOCAL ELECTED, THANK
YOU COUNCIL MEMBER WU AND NELSON
FOR JOINING US TODAY. AND, YOU
KNOW, HIGHLIGHTS THAT WE HAVE
NEIGHBORS IN CRISIS, BUT WE ALSO
HAVE NEIGHBORHOODS IN CRISIS. BY
THE WAY, SORRY, BUT IT IS NOT
JUST LITTLE SAIGON AND CID, AS
YOU ARE HEARING . TRUST ME, I
HAVE BEEN THERE. DOWNTOWN, THIRD
PIKE AND PINE, BELLTOWN, THIRD
AND BLANCHARD, WE HAVE SOME
PLACES IN PIONEER SQUARE, LAKE
CITY, BUT LITTLE SAIGON IS A
MAIN PIECE, I WANT TO
ACKNOWLEDGE THAT. UNDERSTANDING
ONCE YOU A DRUG MARKET, YOU HAVE
STOLEN GOODS MARKET AND HOW THAT
GOES IN. I APPRECIATE THE POINTS
RELATED TO VENDING BECAUSE THAT
CAME UP FROM DIFFERENT ANGLES.
THERE IS ALSO THE USE, KIND OF,
ABOUT A MONTH AGO, I WAS IN
BELLTOWN, PROBABLY AS FAR AS I
AM FROM FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER
NELSON FROM A PERSON THAT ODED
AND DIED AT A BUS STOP. I TALKED
TO KING COUNTY METRO, THE KING
COUNTY SHERIFFS WERE THERE, I
TALKED TO AN OFFICER FROM THE
WEST PRECINCT AND HE WAS TALKING
ABOUT THE SITUATION THAT LED TO
THAT PERSON ODING AND DYING AND
BEING ON THE SIDEWALK, AS I
COULD SEE HIM, AS FAR AS THAT
DISTANCE. IT REALLY BRINGS IT
HOME, THE CHALLENGES THAT WE
FACE. BUT IT IS ALSO ABOUT
UNDERSTANDING, AND SPEAKING TO
THE ISSUES AS THEY ARE ON THE
GROUND. I THINK THAT IS REALLY
IMPORTANT. THE SEEM, THANK YOU
FOR MENTIONING THE SEAM, I NOTE
THE PART ABOUT PROVISO, NOT JUST
FROM WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT
BUT GOES TO THE COMMUNITY
SOLUTIONS PROJECT FOR PIONEER
SQUARE, WHICH IS SO IMPORTANT.
THANK YOU FOR THAT. I UNDERSTAND
AND APPRECIATE THE POINT ABOUT
ENABLING, BECAUSE WE DO HAVE AN
ENABLING KIND OF SITUATION IN
OUR CITY. SO THAT IS REALLY
IMPORTANT TO NOTE. I WOULD HAVE
TO AGREE WITH MR. GALE, WHICH
IS, YOU KNOW, JUST WANT TO NOTE
THIS, WHEN HE TALKS ABOUT THE
ISSUE RELATED TO THE BILL, AS I
SAID IN MY NOTES, IT HAS BEEN A
FAILURE IN ITSELF BUT ALSO IN
ITS IMPLEMENTATION. I WANTED TO
CLOSE, TOO, THAT SOME PEOPLE
SAID YES, MORE DIVERSION. BUT WE
DO NEED ARRESTS, MAYBE MORE,
MAYBE LESS. BUT WHAT WE HAVE TO
HAVE IS LESS OF DO NOTHING. THIS
KIND OF GOES TO DANNY
WESTNEED'S QUESTION. YOU KNOW,
IN TERMS OF WHAT HAS BEEN THE
AFFECT OF OUR EFFORTS THUS FAR.
SADLY, IN OUR CITY, I WILL QUOTE
CHIEF BARDEN FROM CARE,
SOMETIMES IN OUR CITY WE DO
NOTHING AND CALL IT COMPASSION.
I THINK WE KNOW FROM THE
NEIGHBORS IN CRISIS, OUR
NEIGHBORHOODS IN CRISIS, THAT IS
NOT REALLY SOMETHING WE WANT TO
FOLLOW THROUGH. SO, WITH THAT
SAID, WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO OUR
FIRST ITEM OF BUSINESS. YOU CAN
E MAIL US AT COUNCIL@SEATTLE.GOV
. WE WILL MOVE TO FIRST ITEM OF
BUSINESS, WILL THE CLERK PLEASE
READ AGENDA ITEM 1 INTO THE
RECORD?
>> SEATTLE'S DRUG POSSESSION
AND PUBLIC USE ORDINANCE POLICY
AND DATA REVIEW.
>> THANK YOU. WE HAVE MR. DOS
FROM CENTRAL STAFF WILL DO THE
FIRST PRESENTATION. SEPARATELY,
WE HAVE SPD AND PDA LEAD
REPRESENTED. CHIEF BARNS LEADING
THE SPD DELEGATION, AND MS.
DAUGAARD LEADING THE PDA TEAM.
I DO BELIEVE WE HAVE A NEW
COMPUTER HERE AT THE TABLE,
WHICH SHOULD FACILITATE OUR
PRESENTATIONS. BEFORE STARTING,
CAN YOU INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND
WHERE YOU ARE FROM, AND CAN WE
GO DOWN THE THTABLE AND DO
INTRODUCTIONS BEFORE HE STARTS
HIS PRESENTATION?
>> YES, THANK YOU, MEMBERS OF
THE COMMITTEE, DREG DOS, YOUR
CENTRAL STAFF.
>> BERNIE MCNEIL, DEPUTY
DIRECTOR AT PURPOSE DIGNITY
AUCTION OR PDA.
>> LISA DAUGAARD WITH THE LEAD
PROJECT MANAGEMENT TEAM.
>> SHAUN BARNS, CHIEF OF POLICE.
>> MORNING, EVERYBODY, SARAH
SMITH, SEATTLE POLICE
DEPARTMENT, COO.
>> GOOD MORNING, SAM WOLF WITH
FIRST DIGNITY ACTION POLICY
DIRECTOR.
>> THANK YOU, I THINK WE HAVE A
GREAT MIX OF INDIVIDUALS HERE.
SO, WITH THAT SAID, AND MR.
DOSS, I BELIEVE IF WE GO THROUGH
YOUR BRIEFING IN ITS ENTIRETY,
THAT IS PROBABLY THE BEST AND
HOLD QUESTIONS UNTIL THE END?
>> YEAH. FOR SURE. IF MEMBERS
WOULD LIKE, WHEN I GET TO THE
LAST COUPLE OF SLIDES, THEY ARE
GOING TO BE ON DATA, IT MAY BE
HELPFUL IFIOCAN TAKE QUESTIONS
DURING THAT SECTION, BUT MAYBE
BEFORE I GET TO THE DATA SLIDES,
IF I COULD PRESS THROUGH, THAT
WOULD BE HELPFUL. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, MR. DOSS. PLEASE
PROCEED.
>> AT THE CHAIR'S REQUEST, I
PUT TOGETHER A PRESENTATION THAT
PROVIDES AN OVERVIEW OF
SEATTLE'S DRUG ORDINANCE, I
WILL GIVE BACKGROUND ABOUT THE
ORDINANCE, HOW IT CAME TO BE,
AND WHAT IT REQUIRED OF SPD IN
TERMS OF DRAFTING POLICIES TO
ENFORCE SIMPLE, OR PERSONAL
POSSESSION AND USE AND OTHER
DRUG CHARGES. SO GOING TO START
TODAY BY GIVING YOU SOME
BACKGROUND. ONE SECOND. SO, IN
MAY OF 2023, THE LEGISLATURE
CHANGED WASHINGTON STATE LAW
SAID INDIVIDUALS COULD BE AREED
WITHOUT DIVERSION FOR VIOLATIONS
OF MISDEMEANOR DRUG POSSESSION
AND USE. HOWEVER, THE NEW STATE
LAW STILL PLACED A HEAVY
EMPHASIS ON DIVERSION WHEN
POSSIBLE FOR DRUG-RELATED
CRIMES. SHORTLY THEREAFTER THE
SEATTLE CITY ATRPY TRANSMITTED
PROPOSED ORDINANCE 120586, WHICH
WOULD HAVE CODIFIED IN SEATTLE
MUNICIPAL CODE, THE STATE'S
DRUG LAW, AND THAT BILL DID NOT
DO ANYTHING MORE THAN JUST
CODIFY THE STATE'S DRUG LAW. IT
DID NOT INCLUDE ANY
SEATTLE-SPECIFIC LAWS ON
DIVERSION OR ARREST, OR GUIDANCE
TO SPD. LATER, AND THAT BILL DID
NOT PASS A VOTE OF THE FULL
COUNCIL, IN AUGUST OF 2023,
MAYOR HARRELL AUTHORED AND
TRANSMITTED A REVAMPED OR
RE-WRITTEN COUNCIL BILL, THAT
BEING 120645, THAT ADOPTED THE
NEW STATE LAW, BUT THAT ONE ALSO
REQUIRED A DIVERSION EMPHASIS
FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE
POTENTIALLY ARRESTED, BEING
ARRESTED, OR UNDER INVESTIGATION
OF ARREST FOR DRUG USE AND
POSSESSION. THAT BILL ALSO
REQUIRED A THREAT OF HARM
ASSESSMENT TO GUIDE OFFICER'S
DECISIONS. I WILL REFER TO THAT
BILL AS THE CITY'S DRUG
ORDINANCE. EARLIER THIS YEAR,
THE COMMITTEE HEARD THE FIRST
ANNUAL EVALUATION OF THE DRUG
ORDINANCE, PRESENTED BY THE
OFFICER OF INSPECTOR GENERAL FOR
PUBLIC SAFETY AND CONDUCTED BY
UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON
ADDICTION AND DRUG AND ALCOHOL
INSTITUTE. THAT EVALUATION WAS A
STUDY THAT WAS DESIGNED TO
DETERMINE HOW THE THREAT OF HARM
ASSESSM WAS WORKING. IT FOCUSED
ON A INDIVIDUAL AND THEIR PATH
THROUGH THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE
SYSTEM FROM THE MOMENT THEY WERE
ARRESTED, THEN WHETHER OR NOT
THE THREAT OF HARM ASSESSMENT
WAS DONE, CONSIDERED BY AN
OFFICER, AND WHETHER IT WENT
INTO THE OFFICER'S DECISION TO
ARREST OR DIVERT, AND THEN ON
THE DIVERSIONS THAT RESULTED. I
WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT WHAT WHERE
AM DOING HERE TODAY IS NOT THAT
EVALUATION, I WILL BE SHOWING
YOU DATA AT THE END, THE DATA IS
STRICTLY ARREST NUMBER OF
DIVERSION, IT SHOULDN'T BE
INTERPRETED IN ANY WAY AS TO BE
AN EVALUATION OF WHETHER OR NOT
THE THREAT OF HARM ASSESSMENT IS
WORKING. WE GROWING TO TALK
ABOUT THAT THREAT OF HARM HERE,
ASSESSMENT, IN A MINUTE. DIGGING
RIGHT IN, I DON'T PLAN TO READ
ALL OF THE SLIDES, ALL THE NEXT
ON THE SLIDES THAT YOU ARE GOING
TO SEE TODAY. IT IS VERY
NARRATIVE HEAVY. I WILL
SUMMARIZE WHAT IS GOING ON HERE.
I WROTE THIS PRESENTATION
NARRATIVE HEAVY SO THAT YOU HAD
A RESOURCE, THERE IS NO CENTRAL
STAFF MEMO WITH THIS BUT YOU
WILL SEE THE EXERTS FROM THE
ORDINANCE AND SPD POLICY. SO YOU
HAVE THE EXACT LANGUAGE IN FRONT
OF YOU. IN OPENING SECTION THE
ORDINANCE ESTABLISHES SPD MUST
ADOPT POLICIES THAT WILL GOVERN
ARREST AND THE DIVERSION ISTHER
PREFERRED APPROACH WHEN
ENFORCING DRUG POSSESSION AND
USE LAWS. FINALLY, A LACK OF
DIVERSION OPPORTUNITY SHALL NOT
BE A REASON FOR ARREST. SO, I AM
GOING TO GO ON. SO, SPD THEN
PURSUANT TO THE ORD DEVELOPED
POLICIES THAT PLACED EMPHASIS ON
DIVERSION. THIS SLIDE SHOWS SPD
POLICIES THAT SAYS THE VERY LAST
SERVICE, WHEN AN ARREST IS
WARRANTED EMPLOYEE SHOULD
PRIORITIZE DIVERSION IN LIEU-- I
AM ON THE WRONG SLIDE. SHOULD
PRIORITIZE, SORRY, GOT AHEAD OF
MYSELF. AS PART OF THE POLICY,
SPD DEVELOPED A SECTION ON LEAD,
THIS SLIDE SHOWS OFFICERS ARE
REQUIRED TO CONTACT LEAD WHEN A
SUBJECT IS ARRESTED AND PRIOR TO
BOOKING AT A 24/7 STAFF MEMBER
THAT ARE ANSWERED BY LEAD
PERSONNEL. AGAIN, THAT IS SPD
POLICY 15.150.7. I AM GOING TO
JUMP INTO THE THREAT OF HARM
ASSESSMENT, AS I SAID EARLIER,
THE ORDINANCE REQUIRES A THREAT
OF HARM ASSESSMENT FOR OFFICERS
TO GUIDE THEIR DECISION MAKING
IN WHETHER TO ARREST AND WHETHER
TO COMPLETE A JAIL BOOKING. I
WANT TO BE CLEAR RIGHT AT THE
OUTSET, THAT THE THREAT OF HARM
ASSESSMENT, WHETHER THE OFFICER
DETERMINES THERE IS A THREAT OF
HARM TO COMMUNITY OR WHETHER
THERE IS A THREAT OF HARM TO
SELF, GET INTO THAT IN A MINUTE,
IN EITHER CASE, THE SPD POLICY
MANUAL DOES NOT MANDATE ARRESTS
OCCUR, IT DOES NOT MANDATE THAT
ARRESTS NOT OCCUR. THOSE THINGS
ARE COVERED UNDER STATE LAW AND
SPD POLICY ELSEWHERE, THE RIGHT
TO ARREST, OR NOT ARREST LAYS
WITH THE OFFICER, UNDER STATE
LAW OFFICERS ARE PROVIDED
DISCRETION TO ARREST OR NOT
ARREST. THAT IS TRUE OF SEATTLE
POLICE DEPARTMENT OFFICERS AS
WELL. SO, AS WE MOVE THROUGH THE
SECTIONS, I WANT TO BE CLEAR
THAT WHEN WE ARE TALKING THREAT
OF HARM TO OTHERS OR TOSELF, THE
ULTIMATE DECISION FOR AN OFFICER
TO ARREST IS THEIR OWN. YOU WILL
NOT FIND IN THE POLICY THAT SAYS
SOMETHING YOU HAVE TO ARREST
HERE OR YOU DON'T HAVE TO
ARREST THERE. SO, WITH THAT,
JUMPING TO THE THREAT OF HARM
ASSESSMENT, WHAT YOU SEE HERE IS
THAT OFFICERS, ONCE THEY HAVE
ESTABLISHED PROBABLE CAUSE, MAY
DO THE THREAT HARM ASSESSMENT OR
SHALL DO THE THREAT OF HARM
ASSESSMENT. TO BE CLEAR, THIS IS
ONLY DONE AFTER AN OFFICER HAS
PROBABLE CAUSE TO ARREST. SO,
THE OFFICER HAS EITHER SEEN
SOMEONE USING DRUGS, OR SOMEONE
HAS ADMITTED TO USING DRUGS, AND
THEY HAVE PROBABLE CAUSE TO
ARREST. SO NONE OF THIS OCCURS
UNTIL AFTER THEY HAVE PROBABLE
CAUSE. WANT TO BE CLEAR. THE
ORDINANCE AT THE TOP REQUIRES
SPD TO SPECIFY CONDITIONS UNDER
WHICH THE PUBLIC MIGHT BE HARMED
WHEN SOMEONE IS USING OR
POSSESSING DRUGS. SO IN RESPONSE
TO THAT, I AM GOING TO SORT OF
GO BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN SPD
POLICY AND ORDINANCE TO SHOW HOW
THEY COMPLIMENT EACH OTHER AND
RELATE. IN RESPONSE TO THAT, SPD
DEVELOPED POLICY 15.150.4,
K&ESTABLISHED NUMBER OF
DIFFERENT CONDITIONS BY WHICH
SOMEONE WHO IS USING OR
POSSESSING DRUGS MAY BE
CONSIDERED A HARM TUTHERS. I AM
NOT GOING THROUGH THIS ENTIRE
LIST, BUT WHAT I WILL SAY IS
THAT THE LAST BULLET, PUBLIC
HARM IS PRESENTED IF THE
POSSESSION OCCURS NEAR A SCHOOL,
PARK, BUS STOP, STATION, OR
OTHER TRANSPORTATION
INFRASTRUCTURE, ALSO POINT OUT
THAT PRESENCE OF COMMUNITY
MEMBERS OR BUSINESSES NEARBY
ALSO WOULD GUIDE THE OTHER TO
THREAT OF HARM FOR OTHERS
ASSESSMENT OR SITUATION. IF YOU
LOOK AT THIS LIST ALL TOGETHER,
ONE TAKEAWAY IS THAT MOST PEOPLE
USING DRUGS DOWNTOWN WILL BE
NEAR A BUSINESS, NEAR
TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE.
THIS ASSESSMENT AND THESE
CONDITIONS WOULD APPLY TO QUITE
A BIT OF OPEN DRUG USE DOWNTOWN,
ANYWHERE YOU ARE. SO THAT IS
NOTICEABLE. ALSO, NOTABLE, THE
ORDINANCE'S FRAMEWORK STILL
PLACES AN EMPHASIS ON DIVERSION.
SO, EVEN THOUGH AN OFFICER
DETERMINES THERE MAY BE A THREAT
OF HARM TO OTHERS, UNDER THIS
ORDINANCE THERE IS EMPHASIS ON
DIVERSION, VERSES ARREST. I AM
GOING TO MOVE INTO THE THREAT OF
HARM TO SELF. BOTH THE ORDINANCE
AND THE SPD POLICIES STATE THAT
IF THE ASSESSMENT, IF THE
OFFICER DOING THE ASSESSMENT
DETERMINES THAT THERE IS NOT A
THREAT OF HARM TO OTHERS, THEN
BY DEFAULT THE NEXT CONDITION IS
THAT THERE IS ONLY A THREAT OF
HARM TO SELF. BOTH THE ORDINANCE
AND SPD POLICIES, AGAIN,
PRIORITIZE DEVERSION IN THIS
CATEGORY AS WELL, AS YOU WILL
SEE UNDER NUMBER THREE ON THE
ORDINANCE, THE ORDINANCE SAYS
THAT AN OFFICER WILL NOT ARREST
WHEN THE INDIVIDUAL POSES ONLY A
THREAT OF HARM TOSELF ABSENT,
ARTICIABLE THREATS WARRANTING
SUCH AN ACTION. AGAIN,
DISCRETION LIES WITH THE OFFICER
AS TO WHETHER OR NOT TO ARREST.
WHEN AN OFFICER DOES ARREST,
THEY HAVE TO SHOW PROBABLE
CAUSE, PROBABLE CAUSE IS,
INDEED, ARCTICIABLE FACTS.
SPD'S POLICIES DO NOT SAY AN
OFFICER HAS TO ARREST OR NOT.
THERE IS A LITTLE BIT OF
DIFFERENCE IN WHAT YOU ARE
SEEING BETWEEN THE ORDINANCE AND
POLICY HERE. ALL RIGHT. MOVING
ALONG TO THE NEXT SLIDE, WHICH
IS A CONTINUATION OF THREAT OF
HARM TO SELF, SPD POLICY
ENCOURAGES OFFICERS TO CONTACT
LEAD CASE MANAGERS IF THOSE CASE
MANAGERS ARE KNOWN, AND THAT IS
WHAT THE FIRST PARAGRAPH IS ALL
ABOUT. THE SECOND PARAGRAPH IS
THAT SPD HAS IDENTIFIED CERTAIN
CONDITIONS THAT WHEN THEY ARE
MET MAY WARRANT, I SAID MAY
WARRANT, A JAIL BOOKINGMENT HERE
WE SEE THREE BULLETS, POSSESSION
OF SEVEN GRAMS OR MORE SUSPECTED
NARCOTICS, TRANSPORTATION TO
COMMUNITY-BASED CARE, OR TO
PREVENT THE SUBJECT FROM CAUSING
ADDITIONAL HARM TOSELF. WITH
THOSE THREE CONDITIONS SPD MAY
CONSIDER A JAIL BOOKING.
ALTHOUGH, AGAIN, KEEP COMING
BACK TO MY THEME, SPD ULTIMATELY
HAS THE DISCRETION TO DO
WHATEVER THEY WANT. NOW I AM
GETTING INTO THE DATA. JUST GO
OVER THIS SLIDE AND THEN,
BECAUSE IT MAY-- THERE IS A LOT
OF STUFF UP HERE, THERE THEY BE
QUESTIONS SO I WILL PAUSE. WHAT
YOU ARE GOING TO SEE ON THIS
SLIDE IS ARRESTS AND DIVERSION
DATA. THE FIRST CATEGORY AT THE
TOP OF THE SLIDE IS PREARREST
DIVERSION WHICH LEAD CALLS
SOCIAL CONTACT DIVERSION. SO,
WHEN AN OFFICER BELIEVES THAT
SOMEBODY, A SUBJECT, MAY BE IN
NEED OF LEAD SERVICES, AND MAYBE
NOT IN THAT PROBABLE CAUSE
ARREST SITUATION I TALKED ABOUT,
THEY MAY REFER THROUGH A SOCIAL
CONTACT THAT PERSON TO LEAD.
THAT HAPPENS. AS YOU CAN SEE,
THERE WERE 164 INCIDENCES OF
THAT IN 2024. THERE WERE 96 IN
2025. THAT IS SHOWING OFFICERS
ARE DOING THAT FEWER TIMES. THE
NEXT BOX IS SPD ARRESTS, VERSES
THE POST ARREST FROM DIVERSION.
SO THE FIRST ROW SHOWS ACCOUNT
OF PEOPLE ARRESTED AND THIS IS
SPD DATA PULLED OUT OF CAT RMS
SYSTEM. IN 2024 THERE WERE 633
INDIVIDUALS THAT WERE ARRESTED
FOR DRUG USE AND POSSESSION. IN
2025, 942 INDIVIDUALS ARRESTED
FOR DRUG USE AND POSSESSION.
WITHIN THAT CATEGORY, WITHIN
THAT ROW, 633 AND 942, YOU CAN
ALMOST DIVIDE THOSE NUMBERS IN
HALF AND HALF THE FOLKS ARRESTED
ARE ARRESTED FOR DRUG USE AND
POSSESSION AND INTENT TO SELL OR
INTENT TO DISTRIBUTE. THE OTHER
HALF ARE FOLKS WHO ARE-- NOT
GOING TO SAY SIMPLE POSSESSION
AND USE, BUT USING THEMSELVES
AND POSSESSING THEMSELVES
WITHOUT THOSE COMPLICATING
FACTORS, MORE PERSONAL USE, IF
YOU WILL. THE SECOND ROW IS LEAD
DIVERSION DATA, DATA COMING FROM
THE LEAD ORGANIZATION ON HOW
MANY FOLKS WERE DIVERTED POST
ARREST. THERE WERE 256 IN 2024,
180 IN 2025. THE BIG PICTURE
HERE IS THAT ARRESTS ARE
INCREASING 47%, AND DIVERSIONS
ARE DECREASING 30%. SO, WITH
THAT, I WILL STOP AND ASK IF
THERE ARE QUESTIONS AND THEN WE
WILL GO ON TO ADDITIONAL DETAIL.
>> COLLEAGUES? NO QUESTIONS?
>> THIS IS THE ADDITIONAL
DETAIL. WHAT THIS SLIDE ATTEMPTS
TO DO IS TO TAKE THAT GROUP OF
FOLKS THAT WERE ARRESTED IN THE
PRIOR SLIDE, SO, IF YOU SEE THE
ROW OF SPD ARRESTS, 633 AND 942,
I SAID THAT ABOUT HALF OF THOSE
FOLKS WERE SIMPLE POSSESSION AND
USE, OR WERE JUST PERSONAL
POSSESSION USE, THIS FOCUSES ON
JUST THAT HALF, JUST THE HALF OF
LOW LEVEL OFFENDERS. SO, ABOUT
456 FOLKS IN TOTAL. AND THE
DISPOSITION OF THOSE FOLKS USING
SPD DATA IN 2024 AND 2025. SO,
YOU SEE A ROW, OR COLUMN FOR
2024, COLUMN FOR 2025, THEN
VARIOUS CATEGORIES SPD RECORDED.
YOU HAVE IDENTIFIED AND RELEASE,
MARK 43 RECORDED DIVERSION,
CHARGED BY OFFICER, DECLINED TO
JAIL, NEW OFFENSE, BOOKED,
WARRANT, BOOKED. SO, I WILL GO
THROUGH EACH OF THOSE CATEGORIES
QUICKLY IN ONE MOMENT. BUT WHAT
I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT HERE ON THE
DATA IS THESE ARE ACCOUNT OF
ARRESTS MADE BY SPD, BUT THERE
ARE ABOUT 10% OF THESE NUMBERS
ARE FOLKS REOFFENDING. SO, LETS
LOOK AT THE 2025 CATEGORY, AND
THE 2025 CATEGORY YOU HAVE 456
COUNT OF ARRESTS. THERE WERE
ABOUT 33 INDIVIDUALS, OR ROUGHLY
7-10% BETWEEN THE YEARS, THAT
REOFFENDED OR WERE ARRESTED
TWICE. SO YOU MAY HAVE A PERSON
PART OF THE 69 GROUP ON IDENTIFY
AND RELEASE, AND THEN REARRESTED
AND MAYBE THEY WERE BROUGHT TO
JAIL AT THAT POINT AND IN
DECLINE TO JAIL CATEGORY. SO, IT
IS A SMALL GROUP OF PEOPLE, ONLY
10% OR SO, MOST OF THESE ARE
STAND ALONE, BUT THERE ARE SOME
DUPLICATIONS WITHIN THESE
CATEGORIES. SO, A COUPLE THINGS
TO NOTE, MARK 43 RECORDED
DIVERSION, THAT HAPPENS EVERY
TIME AN SPD OFFICER ARRESTS
SOMEBODY AND THEY REFER THAT
PERSON TO LEAD AND THEY FILL OUT
A DOCUMENT, A TEMPLATE, THAT
THEY ARE REQUIRED TO FILL OUT
PERSPD POLICY, THAT SHOWS THERE
IS A LEAD REFERRAL HAPPENING.
SO, YOU CAN SEE THAT THAT
HAPPENED 173 TIMES IN 2024, AND
109 TIMES IN 2025. I WANT TO BE
CLEAR HERE, LEAD REFERRALS CAN
HAPPEN AND ENROLLMENT CAN HAPPEN
IN, REALLY, ALMOST ANY OF THE
CATEGORIES, AND DO,TER IS NOT
CORRECT TO SAY THAT 173 OR 109
ARE THE ONLY LEAD BEFERRALS,
THOSE ARE ONLY AT THE SCENE,
FILLED OUT A TEMPLATE, DID IT
THE RIGHT WAY, COMPLETED
DIVERSION BY SPD POLICY. THERE
ARE ALSO GOING TO BE LEAD
HAPPENING WHEN THERE IS A
IDENTIFY AND RELEASE. IT WILL BE
HAPPENING IN ANY OF THESE
CATEGORIES, BUT, AGAIN, AS WE
SAW IN THE PRIOR SLIDE,
REGARDLESS OF HOW YOU LOOK AT
IT, DIVERSIONS ARE DOWN BY ABOUT
30%. THE LAST THING I WILL
HIGHLIGHT HERE IS THAT THERE IS
A SHIFT TOWARDS THE CHARGE BY
OFFICER CATEGORY AND TOWARDS THE
SUBJECTS THAT WERE EITHER BOOKED
OR DECLINED AT JAIL. THAT LATTER
GROUP, BOOKED OR DECLINED AT
JAIL, GREW ABOUT 191% BETWEEN
2024 AND 2025. AS YOU CAN SEE,
THE GROUP CHARGED BY OFFICERS
GREW FROM 80 TO 180. I THINK WE
ALL UNDERSTAND THE DECLINE TO
JAIL NEW OFFENSE BOOKED AND
WARRANT BOOKED, MANY FOLKS MAY
NOT UNDERSTAND CHARGED BY
OFFICER, THAT IS AN OPTION THAT
OFFICERS HAVE AT THE POINT OF
ARREST, WHERE THEY MAY RELEASE
SOMEONE AND ESSENTIALLY FILL OUT
A FORM IN THEIR CAD SYSTEM THAT
FORWARDS CHARGES AND SPD CAN
CORRECT ME ON THE TECHNICAL PART
Y AM COVERING THIS AT A HIGH
LEVEL. FORWARD CHARGES TO THE
CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE WHERE
THE CITY WOULD RELEASE THE
INDIVIDUAL AND THE CITY
ATTORNEY'S OFFICE WILL FIGURE
HOW TO PRESS FORWARD OR NOT WITH
THAT CHARGE BY OFFICER. IN THE
LAST COUPLE OF YEARS THERE HAVE
NOT BEEN ANY LEAD DIVERSIONS
COMING AT THE REQUEST OF THE
PROSECUTOR. THE FORMER CITY
ATTORNEY WAS, INSTEAD, USING A
DRUG ASSESSMENT PROGRAM THAT THE
COURT HAD ON THE GROUND, AND
THAT WAS THE PRIMARY OPTION FOR
DRUG USE AND POSSESSION
SUBJECTS. HOWEVER, THAT HAS NOW
CHANGEED AND WHEN THE CITY
ATTORNEY RECEIVES A CHARGE BY
OFFICER, THE CITY ATTORNEY WILL
BE ABLE TO DIVERT THOSE FOLKS TO
THE LEAD PROGRAM AND OUT OF THE
43 FOLKS THAT THEY HAVE RECEIVED
SO FAR THIS YEAR, THEY HAVE
REFERRED 33 TO LEAD. THAT IS NOT
EXCLUSIVELY CHARGED BY OFFICER,
BUT THE CHARGES THAT ARE COMING
TO THE CITY ATTORNEY. SO YOU CAN
SEE THAT ON THE GROUND THERE IS
A BIT OF A SHIFT WHERE OFFICERS
ARE MORE OFTEN EITHER TAKING
FOLKS TO JAIL OR REFERRING THEM
TO THE CITY ATTORNEY AND THE
CITY ATTORNEY WOULD MAKE THE
DIVERSION DECISION. STOP AND ASK
ANY QUESTIONS.
>> GO AHEAD.
>> THE TAKEAWAY S, I THINK WE
HAVE PRETTY MUCH COVERED HERE. S
PSHG D POLICY REQUIRE OR
STRONGLY SUGGEST FOLKS ARE
DIVERTED THROUGH THE LEAD
PROGRAM, ARRESTS ARE INCREASING,
THE PORTION OF SIMPLE POSSESSION
OR USE REMAINS CONSTANT, ABOUT
50%. EVEN THOUGH ARRESTS ARE
INCREASING. LEAD DIVERSIONS ARE
DECREASING, BOTH AT THE
PREARREST LEVEL AND POST ARREST
LEVEL. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT LEAD
CAPACITY AND SPD OPERATIONAL
ISSUES ARE AFFECTING SPD'S
ABILITY TO USE POST ARREST
DIVERSION, THAT IS SOMETHING ALL
THE FOLKS AT THE TABLE WILL BE
ABLE TO TALK ABOUT TODAY. WITH
THAT, I WILL END MY PRESENTATION
AND ASK IF THERE ARE ANY
QUESTIONS.
>> THANK YOU, MR. DOSS. I
APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION AND
THE WALK THROUGH VARIOUS PIECES
TO INCLUDE STATE LAW, LOCAL
ORDINANCE, AND SPD POLICY. I
UNDERSTAND YOUR POINTS REGARDING
DIVERSION PREFERRED, DISCRETION,
VERY IMPORTANT POINT, THANK YOU
FOR MAKING THAT REGARDING
ARRESTS OR NOT ARRESTS,
FOLLOWING PROBABLE CAUSE. THANK
YOU FOR NOTING TRANSPORTATION
PIECES, AND THAT Y WAS GOING TO
MAKE A SIDE NOTE, WE HAD ONE OF
THE PUBLIC COMMENTERS WHO, EACH
DAY WITH HER BUSINESS HER
EMPLOYEES ARE DEALING WITH
PEOPLE IN THE ALLEY. ALLEYS ARE
PART OF THE TRANSPORTATION
INFRASTRUCTURE, AND THAT
BUSINESS WOMAN WHO WAS HERE HAS
NO LEFT, AND ONE ACROSS THE
STREET IN BELLTOWN, ALSO WITH
THE ALLEYS, MANY ISSUES. I HAD A
QUESTION REGARDING CITY
ATTORNEY, I HAD CONVERSATIONWISE
COMMUNITY CITY ATTORNEY LIKE ON
COMMUNITY COURT, WE NEED A NEW
IMPROVED DRUG COURT, WE NEED AN
IMPROVED SYSTEM AND THESE POINTS
AND YOUR BRIEFING, THANK YOU,
REALLY HIGHLIGHTS THE NEED TO
FURTHER OUR CRIMINAL JUSTICE,
THE FUNCTIONING OF OUR CRIMINAL
JUSTICE SYSTEM. BEFORE I GO INTO
QUESTIONS, CHIEF BARNS OR
ASSISTANT CHIEF BROWN OR MS.
SMITH, TO GET ALL THE NAMES IN,
CHIEF BARNS, IF YOU HAD ANY
COMMENTS, GENERAL BEFORE
QUESTIONS, PLEASE GO AHEAD.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU,
COUNCIL MEMBER, ALWAYS A
PLEASURE. THANK YOU FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TODAY ABOUT
THE OPERATIONAL REALITIES FACING
THE SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT AS
WE WORK TO MEET COMMUNITY
EXPECTATIONS. LEAD IS A
PREARREST DIVERSION PROGRAM
DESIGNED TO CONNECT INDIVIDUALS
IN LOW-LEVEL CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES
WITH SERVICES RATHER THAN THE
TRADITIONAL CRIMINAL JUSTICE
PROCESS. AS YOU KNOW, THE CITY
ATTORNEY HAS DIRECTED THE DRUG
POSSESSION AND DRUG USE CASES BE
DIVERTED TO LEAD UNLESS
AGGRAVATED FACTORS ARE PRESENT.
SPD WILL CONTINUE TO FOLLOW THIS
DIRECTIVE. MY GOAL TODAY IS NOT
TO DISMISS THE PROGRAM, BUT TO
SUPPORT IT. DIVERSION HAS VALUE
AND CAN BE AN IMPORTANT TOOL. IN
MANY CASES, IT IS BETTER THAN
HAVING WHAT WE HAVE ALWAYS DONE,
WHICH IS NO INTERVENTION AT ALL,
BUT ALSO IMPORTANT TO BE CLEAR
ABOUT WHAT THE PROGRAM CAN AND
CANNOT ACCOMPLISH AND WHETHER IT
IS MEETING THE EXPECTATIONS OF
THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE, WORK, AND
VISIT THE CITY. ONE OF THE
CENTRAL CHALLENGES THAT OFFICERS
ARE BEING ASKED TO DO IS TO
EVALUATE HARM. IN SITUATIONS
WHERE INDIVIDUALS ARE OPENLY
USING OR SMOKING ILLEGAL DRUGS
IN PUBLIC SPACES, IN SEATTLE,
THIS BEHAVIOR IS VISIBLE IN
PARKS, SIDEWALKS, NEAR TRANSIT
HUBS, SCHOOLS, AND OUR LOCAL
BUSINESSES. WHILE THE POLICY
FRAMEWORK MAY SEEM TO ALLOW IT,
THE COMMUNITY DOES NOT APPROVE
OF IT, AND THIS LEVEL OF THIS
ORDER. VISITORS ALSO DO NOT
EXPECT TO SEE IT. OUR OFFICERS
ARE PLACED IN THE DIFFICULT
POSITION OF RESPONDING TO
BEHAFBIER THAT IS CLEARLY
HARMFUL TO THE PUBLIC
ENVIRONMENT WHILE BEING LIMITED
IN THE TOOLS AVAILABLE TO
ADDRESS IT. WE SHOULD ALSO
ACKNOWLEDGE THE EMPIRICAL
EVIDENCE RESEARCH FROM CITIES
ACROSS THE COUNTRY SHOWS OPEN
AIR DRUG USE CORRELATES WITH
INCREASED POLICE CALLS FOR
SERVICE, REDUCED FOOT TRAFFIC,
DECREASED COMMERCIAL ACTIVITY,
AND HEIGHTENED PERCEPTIONS OF
CAREER AND DISORDER. THESE
IMPACTS ARE NOT THEORETICAL,
THEY ARE MEASURABLE, AND THEY
AFFECT THE EXNOMIC AND SOCIAL
HEALTH OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
LAST YEAR KING COUNTY WELCOMED
39.9 MILLION VISITORS. MANY OF
THEM CAME FROM CITIES WHERE OPEN
AIR DRUG USE IS NOT TOLERATED,
NOT LEGAL, AND NOT PART OF A
LOCAL CULTURE. THEIR EXPERIENCES
OF OUR CITY AND THEIR
WILLINGNESS TO RETURN TO OUR
CITY IS SHAPED BY WHAT THEY SEE
ON OUR STREETS. THAT MATTERS FOR
PUBLIC SAFETY, AND IT MATTERS
FOR OUR ECONOMY. AT THE END OF
THE DAY WE HAVE TO ASK OURSELVES
A SIMPLE, BUT ESSENTIAL
QUESTION, ARE WE GIVING THE
COMMUNITY WHAT THEY EXPECT FROM
OUR PUBLIC SAFETY SYSTEM? ARE WE
WILLING TO DELIVER THE LEVEL OF
ORDER, SAFETY, AND VISIBLE
PRESENCE THAT RESIDENTS,
BUSINESSES, AND VISITORS BELIEVE
SHOULD BE INDICATIVE OF A MAJOR
U.S. AMERICAN CITY? DIVERSION IS
PART OF THE SOLUTION. BUT IT
CANNOT BE THE ONLY SOLUTION.
THIS PROGRAM SHOULD BE A
SUPPLEMENT TO THE FUNDAMENTAL
NEED FOR CLEAR STANDARDS OF
BEHAVIOR, CLEAR STANDARDS OF
BEHAVIOR IN PUBLIC SPACES,
CONSISTENT WITH ENFORCEMENT, AS
PREVIOUSLY STATED SINCE MY
ARRIVAL ARREST FOR DRUG USE AND
POSSESSION HAS INCREASED BY 47%,
AND A POLICE DEPARTMENT WITH THE
STAFFING NECESSARY TO MEET THE
DEMAND OF COMMUNITY-BASED
POLICING. I LOOK FORWARD TO
DISCUSSING HOW WE CAN ALIGN OUR
POLICIES OR REALIGN OUR
POLICIES, OUR PROGRAM, AND OUR
RESOURCES, TO INSURE THAT
SEATTLE REMAINS A SAFE AND
WELCOMING, THRIVING COMMUNITY
FOR EVERYBODY. THANK YOU, SIR.
>> THANK YOU, CHIEF. I
APPRECIATE THAT. TO YOUR POINT,
WE HAVE NEIGHBORS IN CRISIS, WE
HAVE NEIGHBORHOODS IN CRISIS. I
THINK THE QUESTION OF HARM IS
BEING ANSWERED TWO ASK A HALF
YEARS IN. WITH THAT, I WOULD
LIKE TO GO TO VICE CHAIR SAKA,
PLEASE GO AHEAD.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR, THANK YOU
WERE MR. DOSS, CHIEF, FOR BEING
HERE, REALLY APPRECIATE YOU ALL
SHARING YOUR INSIGHTS WITH US.
COUPLE QUESTIONS, COMMENTS,
FIRST OFF, MR. DOSS, IF YOU CAN
GO TO SLIDE NINE, SPD DATA
DISPOSITION OF SIMPLE DRUG USE.
THAT HEADING.
>> ONE SECOND. SHARING IT.
>> WHAT WOULD BE--
>> ALL RIGHT, SORRY. YOU SAID
SLIDE NINE.
>> YEP. THAT IS THE ONE. SO,
WHAT WOULD BE SUPER HELPFUL,
FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, FIRST OFF,
LET ME SAY THIS,THER BRIGHT
LIGHT OF TRANSPARENCY IS THE
SINGLE MOST POWERFUL
DISINFECTANT IN PUBLIC POLICY.
TRANSPARENCY IS THE SINGLE MOST
POWERFUL DISINFECTANT IN PUBLIC
POLICY, THAT IS, IN PART, WHY WE
ARE HERE TODAY. IF IT WASN'T
ABUNDANTLY CLEAR. THIS IS GREAT
INITIAL DATA, CURIOUS TO HEAR
THROUGH THE CASE STUDY AND OTHER
REPORTING FROM PARTNERS AT LEAD,
CO-LEAD, SPD, THEIR TAKE ON
THIS, BUT WHAT I WOULD
SPECIFICALLY LOVE TO SEE HERE IS
THIS DATA BROKEN OUT BY SPECIFIC
GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION,. DATA
BROKEN OUT BY SPECIFIC
GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION. 84 SQUARE
MILES OF TERRITORY, OF COVERAGE
ACROSS THE CITY. HUGE, WIDE
SWATH. WHAT? 1100 DEPLOYABLE
OFFICERS CURRENTLY ON PACE TO
HIRE MORE OVER TIME? BUT CAN'T
SINGLE HANDEDLY STORM TRACKER
EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD. THAT IS NOT
PRACTICAL, NOR FEASIBLE. THAT
SAID, THERE ARE SOME OF THE MOST
NOTORIOUS, INFAMOUS SITES,
LOCATIONS, CROSS STREETS ACROSS
OUR CITY SH THAT COULD USE AND
BENEFIT FROM THIS KIND OF
ENHANCED DATA DISCLOSURE. 12th
AND JACKSON COMES TOP OF MIND.
PIKE PINE CORRIDOR, MAYBE SOME
AREAS IN MY DISTRICT, PIONEER
SQUARE, THE TOP THREE TO FIVE OR
THE BOTTOM THREE TO FIVE, CROSS
STREETS, THAT WE KNOW, ATTRACT
THE KIND OF COMMUNITY AND PUBLIC
HARM AND BEHAVIOR WE ARE TRYING
TO BETTER ADDRESS. I WOULD LOVE
TO SEE BROKEN OUT THIS KIND OF
DATA BROKEN OUT BY SOME OF THESE
KNOWN PROBLEM AREAS. NUMBER ONE,
MR. DOSS, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND
BACK TRACKING TO I THINK SLIDE
NUMBER FIVE, THROAT OF HARM
ASSESSMENT, WHERE IT TALKS ABOUT
THAT SUB BULLET, SPD POLICY, THE
LAST SUB BULLET SAYS PUBLIC HARM
IS PRESUMED IF USE OR POSSESSION
OCCURS NEAR A SCHOOL, PARK, BUS
STOP, RAIL STATION, OR OTHER
TRANSPORTATION STRUCTURE. SO, MY
READ OF THAT IN LAYMANS TERMS IS
ANY TRANSIT STOP OR CONNECTION
POINT, AND I APPRECIATE THE
CHIEF'S COMMENTS A MOMENT AGO,
WE ARE ASKING OUR OFFICERS TO DO
TOO MUCH IN MANY MATERIAL
RESPECTS, WE ARE ASKING THEM TO
ASSESS, HAVE COMPLEX ASSESSMENTS
OF PUBLIC HARM AND OFTEN CASES
THEY ARE NEITHER EQUIPPED NOR
TRAINED OR RESOURCES TO MAKE THE
COMPLEX DETERMINATIONS. THAT
SAID, THE DEPARTMENT'S POLICY,
I WOULD SUPPORT THIS, IS PRETTY
CLEAR ON WHAT CONSTITUTES A
PRESUMED PUBLIC HARM, AND I
CAN'T THINK OF A BETTER
CUNIICAL EXAMPLE THAN 12th AND
JACKSON, CHECKING ALL THE BOXES,
AT LEAST THE TRANSIT ACCESS, IN
FACT, I WAS AT A LATE EIGHT
PRESS CONFERENCE UNVEILING THE
PLAN WITH THE MAYOR LAST WEEK,
AND PRESIDENT GREG WOODFILL FROM
ATU LOCAL 587 WAS THERE, AND HE
WAS CELEBRATING THE GREAT
ACHIEVEMENT AND THEN HE
CAUTIONED US, HE CHALLENGED US,
12th AND JACKSON TRANSIT STOP,
OUT OF HAND, WE NEED TO DO
BETTER. ALL THIS TO SAY IS ON
THE ONE HAND, IT SEEMS LIKE,
YES, WE ARE ABSOLUTELY CALLING
ON OUR FRONT LINE OFFICERS TO
MAKE THESE COMPLEX JUDGMENT
CALLS AND THAT THEY ARE NOT
EMPOWERED TO MAKE, THEY ARE NOT
BEST POSITIONED TO MAKE,
PROBABLY A BETTER WAY OF STATING
THAT. ON THE OTHER HAND, THERE
ARE PRESUMED CASES, IN THE CASE
OF 12th AND JACKSON, WOULD LIKE
TO SEE STRONGER ACTION. THAT IS
WHAT WHERE WILL SAY THERE. THANK
YOU.
>> THANK YOU, VICE CHAIR.
COUNCIL MEMBER RIVERA OR LIN.
COUNCIL MEMBER RIVERA?
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR KETTLE, AND
THANK YOU FOR CONVENING THIS,
THESE PRESENTATIONS TODAY, AND
BRINGING UP THE DRUG POSSESSION
LAWS. THE POINT OF CONVERSATION,
IT IS VERY NECESSARY AND I AM
GLAD ALL THE PARTNERS ARE AT THE
TABLE AND THE ROOM AND COMMUNITY
MEMBERS SHOWED UP. I AM GOING TO
SAY THE U DISTRICT IS ALSO ON
THE LIST OF HIGH AREAS OF THIS
PARTICULAR ACTIVITY AND IT MEANS
THAT AS I BELIEVE IT IS MOST
DENSE NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE CITY
OF SEATTLE, WE ARE SEEING A LOT
OF IMPACTS TO RESIDENTS AND
SMALL BUSINESSES AND THE SMALL
BUSINESSES BEING LOCAL,
FAMILY-OWNED MOSTLY IN THAT
AREA, HAVING HUGE IMPACTS BY
DRUG ACTIVITY UP IN THE U
DISTRICT. WANTED TO SAY THAT. SO
ANYONE LISTENING COULD KNOW, I
KNOW OUR DISTRICT IS ALSO
SUFFERING FROM THESE ISSUES.
CHIEF, YOU SAID SOMETHING, I
WOULD LOVE TO HEAR. IT ALMOST
SOUNDED LIKE YOU WERE SAYING
WHEN YOU TALKED ABOUT REALIGNING
OUR POLICIES. YOU BROUGHT UP
THREAT OF HARM ASSESSMENT PRIOR
TO THAT. CAN YOU TELL ME A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT ARE YOUR
THOUGHTS, OR DO YOU HAVE
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR MEETING,
THREAT OF HARM ASSESSMENT, AS
PART OF THIS WORK, OR HOW WOULD
WE MAKE CHANGES, IF IT IS, YOU
KNOW, I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR MORE
ABOUT WHAT YOU THINK NEEDS TO
HAPPEN. I GUESS IS WHAT I AM
TRYING TO GET IT.
>> THANK YOU. I THINK THERE IS A
SIGNIFICANT POLICY DECISION THAT
WILL HAVE TO BE MADE ABOUT WHEN
IS THE BEST TIME TO INCLUDE LEAD
IN THE DIVERSION OF PEOPLE WHO
WE BELIEVE NEED HELP. THE LIST,
WHICH WAS WRITTEN BEFORE MY
ARRIVAL, IS EXPANSIVE. IT WOULD
HAVE BEEN BETTER TO SAY WHERE
NOT TO, THAN TO LIST ALL OF
THIS, BECAUSE THEN YOU HAVE TO
GO THROUGH AND LIKE SEE WHAT THE
LOCATIONS, ALMOST EVERYWHERE
WHERE I AM HEARING COMPLAINTS
FROM BUSINESSES, FROM COMMUNITY
MEMBERS, AND PROM VISITORS,
APPLY TO THIS LIST. SO I AM
TRYING-- I DON'T KNOW WHY THIS
LIST WAS CREATED THIS WAY,
INSTEAD OF JUST SAYING IN THE
INVERSE, UNLESS YOU ARE, BUT I
DO BELIEVE THAT VERY IMPORTANT
POLICY DECISION WILL HAVE TO BE
MADE, WHETHER OR NOT OFFICERS
CAN ENVOY PEOPLE USING DRUGS AND
WHETHER OR NOT WE CAN MAKE THE
ARREST WITHOUT HAVING TO GO
THROUGH THE CHECK LIST AND
WHETHER OR NOT WE SEND THEM TO
LEAD, THEN OR WOULD SEND THEM TO
THE COURT. AS YOU KNOW, THE CITY
ATTORNEY HAS STATED IF IT COMES
BEFORE HER, SHE WILL MAKE THE
DIVERSION TO LEAD. SO THAT IS A
POLICY DECISION THAT THEY PEOPLE
WILL HAVE TO MAKE. I AM ALSO
CONCERNED THAT WHEN WE ARE
ENCOUNTERING SOMEONE WHO IS IN
POSSESSION OF IS USING ILLEGAL
DRUGS, UNDER THE INCLUNS, WE ARE
ASKING THEM TO MAKE A VERY
IMPORTANT DECISION, OR ENGAGE IN
THEM TO MAKE A VERY IMPORTANT
DECISION UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF
WHAT WOULD BE A NARCOTIC. IN MY
EXPERIENCE, PEOPLE MAKE CLEARER
DECISIONS WHEN NOT UNDER THE
INFLUENCE OF A SUBSTANCE. AGAIN,
THAT IS A POLICY DECISION AND I
THINK WE WILL HAVE TO BE MADE BY
THE POLICY MAKERS.
>> THANK YOU, CHIEF. I KNOW THAT
WE HAVE A SECOND PRESENTATION
FROM THE LEAD PROGRAM BECAUSE I
DO HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS THAT
GREG RAISED, AS PART OF THE
FIRST PRESENTATION THAT I THINK
LEAD WILL HAVE TO FILL IN SOME
BLANKS. I WILL SAY THAT I
UNDERSTAND WHAT I HAVE SEEN IN
THE AMOUNT OF TIME I HAVE BEEN
ON THE COUNCIL, JUST THERE ARE
SOME CONCERNS WITH BEING ABLE TO
CONSENT TO SERVICES AND THE NEED
FOR-- I KEPT CALLING IT A
SOBERING CENTER, SO PEOPLE GET
PICKED UP, THEY ARE UNDER THE
INCLUNS, THEY GET SOMEWHERE TO
SOBER UP, SO THEY CAN SAY, YES,
I WILL ACCEPT SERVICES BECAUSE I
BELIEVE WHAT WHERE HAVE HEARD IS
THAT IF PEOPLE CAN'T CONSENT,
THEY ARE JUST BACK OUT ON THE
STREET AND THEY ARE GOING TO GET
REARRESTED AND GREG TALKED ABOUT
A LOT OF THE FOLKS GETTING
REARRESTED, SOME OF THOSE FOLKS
IN THE DATA SETS WERE REARRESTS.
SO, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE
NEED TO GRAPPLE WITH AND FIGURE
OUT HOW TO BEST ADDRESS, BUT I
WILL WAIT.
>> COUNCIL, I WOULD LIKE TO ADD
ON TO THE CHIEF'S COMMENTS WITH
HOW THE SEATTLE POLICE
DEPARTMENT IS USING THE LAW NOW.
COUNCIL MEMBER SAKA, YOU ARE
RIGHT, I THINK IF YOU GOT THE
DATA ABOUT WHERE IT IS BEING
USED, YOU ARE GOING TO SEE THE
LAW IS BEING ENFORCED IN THE
AREAS YOU REFERRED TO, 12th AND
JACKSON, BELLTOWN, THIRD AND
PIKE PINE, THOSE ARE THE AREAS
WE GET THE MOST COMPLAINTS ABOUT
WIDESPREAD PUBLIC DISORDER, THAT
INCLUDES THE OPEN CONSUMPTION,
AND SOMETHING I WANT TO TALK
ABOUT WHERE THE LAW IS BEING
APPLIED BY OUR OFFICERS IS WHEN,
WHAT I WOULD CALL-- THIS IS A
PHENOMENON IN RECENT YEARS,
DEFIANT OPEN CONSUMPTION,
SOMEBODY IS TRYING TO TRY TO
COME IN AND OUT OF THEIR CONDO
OR BUSINESSESESTS COMING THROUGH
AND FOLKS ARE OPENLY CONSUMING,
NOT IN THE BACK ALLEYWAY, THEY
DO THAT TOO, BUT IN THE ENTRY
WAY OF VARIOUS BUSINESSES AND
RESIDENTS. THEY WON'T EVEN STEP
ASIDE WHEN THOSE FOLKS ARE
TRYING TO COME IN AND OUT,
MAKING THE RESIDENTS AND THE,
YOU KNOW, THE FOLKS TRAVELING
THROUGH FEEL VERY UNCOMFORTABLE,
UNDERSTANDABLY SO. THIS DEFIANCE
IS EVEN WHEN AN OFFICER WALKS
RIGHT UP AND THEY FEEL LIKE THEY
ARE ENTITLED TO CONTINUE TO
CONSUME. SO, I UNDERSTAND THAT
SOMEBODY WHO IS AN ADDICT, THAT
JAIL, ALONE, BY ITSELF, IS NOT
NECESSARILY GOING TO HELP THEM
GET TO MOVING BEYOND THEIR
ADDICTION. BUT WHAT I DO WANT TO
SEE IS BEHAVIOR CHANGE FOR THIS
TYPE OF DEFIANT OPEN
CONSUMPTION. SO THIS IS
SOMETHING I HAVE ENCOURAGED WHEN
I WAS THE WEST PRECINCT CAPTAIN
IN 2025, OFFICERS TO ENGAGE IN
THAT AND USE THE TOOL, WHEN
APPROPRIATE, PER THEIR
DISCRETION, AS GREG DOSS
COVERED, THE-- LETS SEE IF THERE
CAN IS ANYTHING ELSE I WANT TO
ADD TO THAT. FOR COUNCIL MEMBER
RIVERA, THE THRESHOLD IS FAIRLY
LOW WHEN WE ARE APPLYING IT IN
THESE AREAS, BECAUSE, LIKE
COUNCIL MEMBER SAKA POINTED OUT,
THESE ARE TRANSIT CORRIDORS, IT
IS EASY TO DEMONSTRATE WHEN
SOMEBODY IS ALONG THE SIDEWALK,
UNDER AN UMBRELLA BUT YOU HAVE
FENTANYL FUMES IN THE AIR, THAT
IS A HARM PRESENTED TO THE
COMMUNITY. WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO
APPLY THIS, IT IS A FAIRLY LOW
BAR FOR THE OFFICERS TO BE ABLE
TO ILLUSTRATE HARM TO OTHERS. I
AM NOT AWARE OF ANY, IF AT ALL,
HARM TO SELF ARRESTS THAT
INVOLVED INCARCERATION, SO I
THINK THAT-- JUST WANT TO GIVE
YOU AN ASSESSMENT HOW WE ARE
APPLYING THE LAW NOW. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, ASSISTANT CHIEF
BARNS. MS. SMITH, DID YOU HAVE
ANYTHING TO ADD? CAN WE COME
BACK? WE HAVE TO GET THE OTHER
BRIEFING IN TOO. COUNCIL MEMBER
LIN?
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR. THANK YOU.
THIS IS SUCH A MEATY TOPIC. I
FEEL WE COULD SPEND ALL DAY
DISCUSSING THIS AND I KNOW WE
HAVE LIMITED TIME. YOU KNOW, AS
MENTIONED LAST WEEK, WE HAD A
LENGTHY TOWN HALL WITH OUR NORTH
BEACON HALL RESIDENTS AND JUST A
NUMBER OF, NOT ONLY DRUG, OPEN
AIR DRUG USE, DRUG SALES, BUT
RELATED CONCERNS AROUND
CONSULTS, DETERIORATING, CLOSELY
TIED TO THE ISSUES THAT WE SEE
IN LITTLE SAIGON, AND I THINK
THE ONE THING WE CAN ALL AGREE
UPON IS THAT WE ARE NOT MAKING
PROGRESS NEARLY AS QUICKLY AS WE
WOULD LIKE TO SEE BOTH IN TERMS
OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS, BUT AS
WELL AS THE OVERDOSES, THE
DEATHS WE CONTINUE TO SEE, THE
CONTINUING FAILURE TO ADDRESS
SOME OF THE MENTAL HEALTH AND
DRUG ABUSE CONCERNS AND WE ARE
MAKING SOME, I AM GLAD TO SEE
OVERDOSE DEATHS ON THE DECLINE.
WE HAVE GREAT PROGRAMS LIKE
OVERDOSE RECOVERY CENTER, BUT
CLEARLY NOT SEEING THE RAPID
SUCKSIS THAT CESS THAT WE WOULD
LIKE TO SEE. I HAVE A FEW
QUESTIONS, I THINK IT IS
IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE THIS
DIFFICULT PUBLIC DEBATE THAT WE,
AT LEAST, ARE BEING HAVE AN OPEN
DISCUSSION. THAT, YOU KNOW, WE
DO SEE A WIDE DIFFERENCES OF
OPINION BUT I THINK IT IS
IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE CLARITY
ON WHAT IS HAPPENING, SO FOR
EXAMPLE, I DO THINK THERE IS
SORT OF A NARRATIVE THAT NO DRUG
POSSESSION ARRESTED, THAT
OFFICERS ECONOMY ARREST FOR DRUG
POSSESSION AND I WANT TO CLARIFY
THAT IS NOT THE CASE, THERE ARE
ARRESTS HAPPENING FOR DRUG
POSSESSION. ANOTHER THING I WANT
TO CLARIFY, THERE WAS SOME
MISCONCEPTIONS THAT OUR PUBLIC
SAFETY COUN HALL, THAT ARRESTS
CAN HAPPEN FOR DRUG DEALING AS
WELL. I WANT TO MAKE CLEAR DRUG
DEALING, THAT WE ARE MAKING
ARRESTS FOR DRUG DEALING. THERE
WAS CONFUSION AT OUR PUBLIC
SAFETY TOWN HALL. I SEE HEADS
NODDING. ALSO WANT TO CLARIFY IN
TERMS OF-- I SEE INCREASE IN
ARRESTS TR DRUG POSSESSION, JUST
WONDERING IF YOU COULD PROVIDE A
LITTLE CONTEXT FOR THESE
NUMBERS, CHIEF, IT LOOKS LIKE IT
WAS AROUND-- CAN WE PULL UP THE
SLIDE THAT HAS THE TOTAL NUMBER
OF DRUG ARRESTS? LOOKS LIKE IT
WENT UP AROUND 40%.
>> YEAH, THIS SLIDE IS THE ONE
THAT SHOWS THE TOTAL ARRESTS,
633, IN 2024. 942 IN 2025, AND,
AGAIN, ABOUT HALF OF THOSE ARE
GOING TO BE FOR MORE SERIOUS
DRUG CHARGES THAT INCLUDE
MANUFACTURING OR DEALING, AND
THE OTHER HALF ROUGHLY 48% ARE
GOING TO BE FOR LESS SERIOUS,
MORE PERSONAL CONSUMPTION AND
USE.
>> OKAY. JUST WONDERING, IN
TERMS OF THESE NUMBERS, JUST
WONDERING IF YOU COULD GIVE US A
COMPARISON HOW THESE, TO THE
EXTENT YOU KNOW, MIGHT COMPARE
TO OTHER CITIES OF OUR SIZE.
>> I WOULD HAVE TO GET BACK TO
YOU ON THAT. WE HAVEN'T DONE
ANY COMPARATIVES OF-- HARD TO
FIND TOO MANY CITIES THAT
COMPARE TO SEATTLE, SIR. IT IS
GOING TO TAKE SOME TIME BUT I
THINK WE CAN DO THAT. YOU KNOW,
WHAT I WILL TELL YOU IS WE MADE
SIGNIFICANT CHANGES LAST YEAR,
MY FIRST YEAR HERE, WITH HOW WE
APPROACH SOME OF THESE, THE
FIRST THING THAT I DID WAS I DID
AN INSTRUCTIONAL VIDEO
INTRODUCING MY PHILOSOPHY AROUND
WHETHER OR NOT WE WOULD OR WOULD
NOT BE ARRESTING PEOPLE FOR DRUG
USE AND DRUG SALES, CLARIFYING,
AS YOU STATED BEFORE, WE DO HAVE
AUTHORITY AND POWER TO DO THAT.
AND THEN OUR CEO AT THE TIME
HELPED TO AUTHOR A TRAINING
PROGRAM BASED ON THE LAW SO
OFFICERS KNEW WHAT THEY COULD
AND COULD NOT DO. SOME OFFICERS
WERE CONFUSED ABOUT IT, LIKE YOU
STATED. YOU HEARD IN YOUR TOWN
HALL, I CLARIFIED THAT WHEN I
GOT HERE, THE OTHER THING WE DID
WAS STARTED TO MOVE SOME
RESOURCES TO SOME OF THE AREAS
THAT WERE MENTIONED THAT WE WERE
SEEING A LOT OF COMPLAINTS AND
LOT OF ACIVETIES IN 2025 AND
THEN IN THIS YEAR, ONE OF OUR
GROUPS, OUR COMMUNITY RESPONSE
GROUP, KIND OF LIKE OUR SWISS
ARMY KNIFE, IF YOU WILL, THEY
HANDLE A LOT OF COMMUNITY
COMPLAINTS FOR US, RIGHTFULLY
SO, I HAVE MOVED THEM FROM
SPECIAL OPERATIONS TO
INVESTIGATIONS. WE ARE GOING TO
GO A LITTLE HEAVY ON THE PEOPLE
WHO ARE SUPPLYING PEOPLE IN THE
STREETS, WHO ARE QUITE FRANKLY
PRAYING ON PEOPLE WHO ARE
VOLNERABLE IN OUR COMMUNITY. I
LOOK FORWARD TO THIS TIME NEXT
YEAR BEING ABLE TO EXPLAIN THE
NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO WERE
ARRESTED FOR DRUG DEAL ING, YOU
WILL SEE SOME SIGNIFICANT CASES
THIS YEAR ONCE THEY ARE UP AND
RUNNING, WE HAVE ESTABLISHED
SOME TOOLS FOR THEM TO DO THIS
WORK. THEY JUST COMPLETED A
TRAINING AND UNDERCOVER
OPERATIONS AND OPERATIONS AROUND
STREET LEVEL DRUG ENFORCEMENTS.
I LOOK FORWARD TO NEXT YEAR
BEING ABLE TO GIVE YOU SOME OF
THOSE STATISTICS ABOUT WHAT WE
HAVE DONE IN THIS AREA.
>> THANK YOU. THANK YOU, CHAIR.
>> OKAY.
>> COUNCIL MEMBER, CAN I ADD ONE
ADDITIONAL THING? FOR SOME OF
THE CHANGES THAT HAPPENED YEAR
OVER YEAR, A FEW OTHER ITEMS I
THINK ARE REALLY IMPORTANT TO
NOTE THAT ARE EXCITING TO NOTE
IS THAT WE HAD AN INCREASE IN
OUR OFFICERS. SO WE HAVE BEEN,
IN THE LAST FEW YEARS, FINALLY
MAKING HEADWAY IN GETTING OUR
OFFICERS, GETTING MORE OFFICERS
WHO ARE QUALIFIED ON THE
STREETS, AND WHILE IT IS NOT
ENOUGH, WE ARE SEEING A CHANGE
IN ACTIVITY, SO SOME OF THE
NUMBERS ARE GOING TO BE PART OF
THE STAFFING AND HOPEFULLY WE
WILL CONTINUE TO DO MORE AS WE
ACTUALLY GET TO OUR FULL
STAFFING THAT WE ARE LOOKING
FOR. THAT IS ONE NOTE I WANT TO
MENTION. ADDITIONALLY, THINKING
ABOUT THE CHIEF'S COMMENTS
AROUND ACTUALLY MOVING OUR STAFF
TO DIFFERENT AREAS THAT ARE HOT
SPOTS, SPACES THAT NEED MORE
ATTENTION, WE LAUNCHED DOWNTOWN
ACTIVATION TEAM THAT HAS
EMPHASIS ZONES , WHERE FOLKS ARE
DOING OPERATION AND MAKING
ARRESTS. WHILE THOSE ARE NOT
CONSISTENT, I DO THINK THAT IT
LEAD TO SOME INCREASE. CAPACITY,
I THINK CAPACITY IS GOING TO BE
CHANGING IN THE NEXT YEAR, BOTH
FOR OUR STAFF, BUT ALSO FOR CASE
MANAGEMENT, SO THAT IS ALSO
AFFECTED SOME OF THE NUMBERS.
THAT WILL COME UP IN THE LATER
PRESENTATION. THAT IS ONE OF THE
REASONS WHY YOU ARE HERE. I DO
WANT TO TURN IT OVER TO
ASSISTANT CHIEF ROB BROWN TO
TALK ABOUT WHAT THE
ON-THE-GROUND EXPERIENCE IS LIKE
FOR AN OFFICER. I THINK IT HELPS
TO GET TO YOUR QUESTIONS.
>> ABSOLUTELY. I AM GOING TO
START BRIEFLY, HISTORICALLY, I
BECAME INVOLVED WITH LEAD BACK
IN 2015, I BECAME THE SERGEANT
OF DOWNTOWN BIKE TEAM. AT THAT
TIME THERE WERE TWO WAYS PEOPLE
WERE ENTERING THE LEAD PROGRAM,
FAIRLY STANDARDIZED. THIS IS
BEFORE THE BLAKE DECISION,
POSSESSION WAS STILL A FELONY,
FOR MANY OF THE SUBSTANCES. AN
ARREST WAS MADE ON THE STREET.
THE ARRESTEE WAS TRANSPORTED TO
THE PRECINCT AND IF IT WAS
DEEMED THAT IT WOULD BE A GOOD
LEAD REFERRAL, THEN THE CALL WAS
MADE OUT TO THE GREEN LIGHT
PROGRAM, THEY WOULD RESPOND TO
THE PRECINCT, THERE WAS A
HAND-OFF MADE AND THE PERSON DID
NOT GO TO JAIL. THEY, RATHER,
WERE RELEASED AFTER SPEAKING TO
THE INTAKE FROM, EITHER REACH OR
THE LEAD FOLK. SO THAT IS ONE
STANDARD WAYISM THE OTHER THING
I WANT TO TALK ABOUT IS SOCIAL
REFERRAL, BRIEFLY. SOCIAL
REFERRAL IS MADE BY AN OFFICER
WHEN THEY KNOW SOMEONE WOULD BE
A GOOD FIT. LET ME EXPLAIN THIS.
LEAD IS A VOLUNTARY PROGRAM. YOU
HAVE TO HAVE SOMEBODY WILLING TO
ENGAGE IN IT. SO IT IS NOT
TYPICALLY THE FIRST TIME THAT AN
OFFICER AND ENCOUNTERS SOMEBODY
ON THE STREET THAT YOU MAKE THE
GREAT REFERRAL THAT THEY WOULD
BE OPEN TO CONSIDERING IT. IT IS
THE RELATIONSHIP AN OFFICER
BUILDS AT THE TIME WITH THE
PEOPLE ON THE STREETS DUE TO THE
THEIR DUTIES, ENFORCING THE LAW
AND COMING ACROSS FOLKS
STRUGGLING WITH ADDICTION. THEY
CAN HAVE AN ONGOING CONVERSATION
AND REACH A POINT WHERE THE
PERSON IS LIKE, YEAH, YOU KNOW,
I AM DONE WITH THIS. I NEED HELP
AND THEY CAN CONNECT THEM UP
WITH LEAD AND THAT IS USUALLY
WHERE-- THAT IS GOING TO GET A
MORE SUCCESSFUL REFERRAL. LEM
LETOURNEAU ME FAST FORWARD TO
WHAT IS HAPPENING NOW, BECAUSE
SOME OF THIS HAS CHANGED OVER
TIME. I AM NOT GOING INTO ALL
THE CHANGES, BUT OBVIOUSLY THE
BLAKE DECISION HAPPENED, YOU
HAVE THIS MISDEMEANOR THAT WAS
ON THE BOOKS. QUITE FRANKLY,
WHEN YOU HAVE SOMEBODY WHO IS
ARRESTED FOR OPEN POSSESSION
CONSUMPTION, ONE OF THE
QUESTIONS THEY WILL BE ASKED
WHEN THEY GET TO JAIL IS HAVE
YOU CONSUMED DRUGS RECENTLY?
QUITE OFTEN THE ANSWER WILL BE
YES. THAT TRIGGERS AB S SIX-HOUR
HAPT GUARD. IN OUR
RESOURCE-STRAINED DEPARTMENT
RIGHT NOW, THAT IS A LOT OF
RESOURCES COMMITTED TO GETTING
THIS MISDEMEANOR BOOKED. SO, I
AM JUST GIVING YOU THE REALTY
THAT OFFICERS GET CREATIVE, YOU
HAVE MORE CHARGE BY OFFICER, YOU
HAVE OTHER AVENUES TO ADDRESS
THE VIOLATIONS ON THE STREET.
YOU ALSO HAVE CONTINUED LEAD
REFERRALS, BUT I WANT TO ADDRESS
SOMETHING HERE ABOUT WHAT YOU
ARE WITNESSING IN THIS DATA,
BECAUSE I KNOW IT HAS BEEN
POINTED OUT MULTIPLE TIMES BUT
NOT YET ADDRESSED. I PROVIDED A
TRAINING WHEN I WAS AT THE WEST
PRECINCT BACK IN 2022 TO THE
FIRST, SECOND, AND THIRD WATCH,
ALL OFFICERS IN THE PRECINCT,
ALONG WITH OUR PARTNERS WITH
LEAD, AND WE SAW A TREMENDOUS
SPIKE IN LEAD REFERRALS, WHICH
CHALLENGED THEIR CAPACITY TO
DEAL WITH THAT. AND IN 2025,
FAST FORWARDING TO THEN, LEAD, I
WON'T SPEAK AT LENGTH TO THIS,
BUT I KNOW YOU WILL TALK ABOUT
THE CAPACITY CHALLENGES OF 2025,
AND SO WE WERE COMMUNICATING,
LIKE OKAY, WE CAN'T DO MORE
TRAININGS. LETS MAKE SURE THAT
THE REFERRALS WE ARE MAKING ARE
QUALITY REFERRALS, BECAUSE WE
WANT TO GET THE MOST BANG FOR
OUR BUCK WITH THIS VERY GOOD
PROGRAMMENT I BELIEVE-- IS THERE
ANYTHING MORE YOU WANTED ME TO
ADDRESS ON THAT? THAT IS KIND OF
THE STATUS UPDATE OF WHERE WE
ARE AT, LEAD REFERRALS ARE STILL
OCCURRING BUT WE DID START SLOW
ROLLING IT A BIT IN 2025.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. CHIEF BROWN,
APPRECIATE IT. WE ARE GOING TO
KEEP MOVING AND I AM NOT GOING
TO ASK QUESTIONS BUT I WANT TO
MAKE A FEW STATEMENTS BEFORE WE
PUSH TO THE PDA SIDE. ONE IS
THIS IS OUR SECOND MEETING, WE
HAD OIG EARLIER, WE HAVE TO HAVE
THE DATA FOR THE OIG FOR THAT
PIECE TO WORK, AND SO WE NEED TO
LOOK AT THAT. THIS GOES TO
FURTHERING A FUNCTIONAL CRIMINAL
JUSTICE SYSTEM. THEN IN THE
INTERVIEWS THAT THE END, ONE OF
THE ISSUES WAS BASICALLY WE NEED
DIVERSION OR JAIL, BUT WHAT CAME
OUT OF THAT, THERE IS THE KIND
OF MOVE ALONG, OR DO NOTHING
PIECE. THAT IS SOMETHING WE NEED
TO SHRINK AND WORK ON. THAT CAME
OUT OF THE OIG REPORT. THANK
YOU, CHIEF BROWN, RECORDING
MEDICAL DECLINE. I WAS GOING TO
ASK. I WAS LITTLE SURPRISED ON
THE NUMBERS BECAUSE THAT IS A
MAJOR ISSUEISM THAT ALSO GOES TO
FURTHERING FUNCTIONAL CRIMINAL
JUSTICE SYSTEM AND WE HAD KING
COUNTY JAIL HEALTH HERE LAST
YEAR. SO THE DATA PIECES ARE
IMPORTANT. BY THE WAY, WE ALSO
NEED TO LOOK, KING COUNTY JAIL
HEALTH IS A KING COUNTY
FUNCTION. HARBOR VIEW IS A KING
COUNTY FUNCTION TOO. WHY CAN'T
WE HAVE TELEMEDICINE? WE
HAVEN'T HAVE THE SYSTEM BEING
PLAYED AND HAVE TO GET TO THE
ROOT PIECES IN ORDER TO BE ABLE
TO DO IT RIGHT. SO, YOU KIND OF
ANSWERED THE QUESTION, BY THE
WAY, IN TERMS OF THE PIECES. THE
LAST PIECE I WAS GOING TO ASK,
ACTUALLY, SPEAK TO, I WILL USE
AS TRANSITION TO OUR NEXT PIECE
IS WHAT IS INTERESTING, CHIEF,
BY THE WAY, THIS WAS DONE BEFORE
MY ARRIVAL ON THE COUNCIL, WE
ARE NOT ALONE. EVERYBODY ON THIS
CAME AFTER THE BILL CAME INTO
BEING. WHAT IS DIFFERENT, ALSO,
WE DIDN'T HAVE A TON OF
RESPONSE BACK IN 2023, WE
DIDN'T HAVE THE CARE DEPARTMENT
LIKE WE HAD TODAY. SO THIS
PRESENTS AN OPPORTUNITY TO
UPDATE, TO BRING IN THE
ALTERNATIVE RESPONSE PIECE.
ALSO, TO BRING CLARITY AND
SIMPLIFY AND MAKE CLEAR FOR OUR
OFFICERS, BECAUSE WE PUT THEM IN
A BAD POSITION, AS I SAID ON
FRIDAY, FOR SHERIFFS DEPUTIES,
THAT IS NOT GOOD FOR OUR SEATTLE
POLICE DEPARTMENT, FOR THE KING
COUNTY SHERIFF. PREARREST, THAT
KIND OF SPACE, ON VIEW WITH THE
CRISIS CARE RESPONDERS, CCR FROM
THE CARE DEPARTMENT, LOOK FOR
THESE OPPORTUNITIES. BY THE WAY,
IT IS NOT JUST THAT, WE HAVE
THE, YOU KNOW, STAR CENTER, ORCA
CENTER, SO WE NEED TO UPDATE, WE
HAVE BUILT SO MUCH CAPACITY ON
THE ALTERNATIVE RESPONSE SIDE
THAT WE NEED TO UPDATE THE
SYSTEM, THE CARE ORDINANCE
ITSELF, BUT ALSO PUBLIC DRUG USE
AND POSSESSION. WE CAN HAVE A
BETTER FUNCTIONAL SYSTEM THAT
SERVES THE POLICE OFFICERS
RIGHT, BECAUSE I THINK THEY ARE
BEING PUT IN A VERY BAD
POSITION, BUT LEVERAGE, NOT ONLY
CARE DEPARTMENT, BUT ALSO THE
NON-PROFITS. TO CLOSE THAT
PIECE, IT IS NOT BY ACCIDENT,
PDA REPORTS TO CARE. SO WITH
THAT, IF YOU CAN, AGAIN, YOU
ALREADY PRESENTED YOURSELF, BUT
IF YOU CAN PRESENT YOUR
BRIEFING, COLLEAGUES, NO
QUESTIONS UNTIL THE END. SO WE
CAN INSURE THIS MOVES ALONG.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR KETTLE. WE
HAVE TWO DECKS, DEPUTY DIRECTOR
MCNEIL WILL START US OFF, I WILL
FINISH THE FIRST DECK, AND THEN
TURN TO SAM WOLFF FOR A SHORT
EXPLORATION OF THE COHORT THAT
WAS DIVERTED TO LEAD SINCE THE
DRUG ORDINANCE WAS ADOPTED, AND
WHAT THE METHODOLOGY OF CHANGE
HAS BEEN AND WHAT RESULTS WE
HAVE SEEN.
>> BY WAY OF INTRODUCTION, LEAD
RECOVERY SERVICES MODEL OF CARE
ALIGNS WITH RECOVERY FRAMEWORK
PILLAR. A SAFE PLACE TO LIVE,
ACCESS TO MEDICAL AND BEHAVIORAL
HEALTHCARE, RELATIONSHIP AND
CONNECTION, AND A WELL-FOUNDED
HOOK FOR A MEANINGFUL LIFE. LEAD
IS COMBINATION OF A FEW THINGS,
LONG-TERM CASE MANAGEMENT, LEGAL
SERVICES, AND LEGAL SYSTEM
COORDINATION. SO FOCUSING ON THE
FIRST OF THOSE THREE THINGS THAT
I LISTED, LONG-TERM CASE
MANAGEMENT ITSELF IS A CORE
RECOVERY SERVICES INTERVENTION
UNDER WASHINGTON LAW. OUR CASE
MANAGERS ARE SKILLED IN
SUPPORTING BEHAVIOR CHANGE
THROUGH MOTIVATIONAL
INTERVIEWING, BROKERING
AVAILABLE BENEFITS AND SERVICES,
PROVIDING HOUSING NAVIGATION AND
LEGAL SYSTEM COORDINATION, AND
CONNECTING TO CLINICALLY
APPROPRIATE TREATMENT SERVICES.
SO, SOME RESOURCES CASE MANAGERS
HAVE ACCESS TO ARE LEGAL
SERVICES, WHICH IS A SMALL BUT
MIGHTY TEAM OF LAWYER WHOSE CAN
ADDRESS BARRIERS THAT LAY
ADVOCACY CAN'T RESOLVE.
SOMETIMES APPEAR TO BE A MONEY
PROBLEM, ACTUALLY HAVE A LEGAL
SOLUTION. LEAD LEGAL
SUPPORTSPERTICIPANTS AND
MANAGERS INS REMOVING THOSE
BARRIERS. CORE TO THE PROGRAM,
AND INVOLVEMENT IN THE FRAMEWORK
IS ALL PARTICIPANTS SIGN A
RELEASE OF INFORMATION
AUTHORIZING CASE MANAGERS TO
COORDINATE CARE PLAN S WITH LAW
ENFORCEMENT PROSECUTORS AND
OTHERS. THESE CARE PLANS, AND
THE RELATED INFORMATION THAT
CHAIRED BY CASE MANAGERS IS
SHARED PURSUANT TO LEAD'S
PRINCIPLE, NO ONE CAN BE WORSE
OFF BECAUSE THEY SHARED
INFORMATION WITH THEIR CASE
MANAGER. BUT ANOTHER REALLY KEY
AND IMPORTANT CHARACTERISTIC OF
LEAD IS THAT THIS IS NOT
IMMUNITY FROM ENFORCEMENT. AS
YOU HEARD ASSISTANT CHIEF BROWN
REFERENCE, OFFICERS RETAIN THEIR
ABILITY TO EXERCISE THEIR
EXPERTISE, PERHAPS ON THE FIRST
ENCOUNTER THEY DON'T YET
BELIEVE A PERSON IS OPEN OR
INTERESTED IN RECEIVING
SERVICES, BUT AFTER MULTIPLE
ENCOUNTERS, AND GETTING TO KNOW
THAT PERSON, THEY DECIDE THEY
ARE DAGS-- THE OFFICER DECIDES
TO USE THE DISCRETION, USE
EXPERTISE AND DECIDE TO MAKE A
DIVERSION. IT DOESN'T PREVENT,
AGAIN, CONTINUING TO ENFORCE THE
LAW IN THE FUTURE, SO JUST
BECAUSE AN OFFICER HAS MADE A
REFERRAL TO LEAD, DOESN'T
PREVENT THEM FROM DECIDING ON
THE NEXT ENCOUNTER AT THIS POINT
AN ARREST IS APPROPRIATE AND
BOOKING IS APPROPRIATE. JUST
BRIEFLY, LEAD HAS BEEN
RIGOROUSLY EVALUATED. THERE WAS
AN INDEPENDENT UNIVERSITY OF
WASHINGTON RESEARCHERS FUNDED BY
THE LAURA AND JOHN ARNOLD
FOUNDATION, FOUND LEAD REDUCES
RECIDIVISM BY ALL CRIMES 58%,
REDUCED FELONY CHARGES BY 39%,
RESULTED IN FO41 FEWER DAYS IN
JAIL PER PERSON ANNUALLY AND
LOWERERED THE ODDS OF ENTERING
PRISON BY 88%. A PARTICIPANT'S
ODDS OF BEING HOUSED INCREASED
89% AND ODDS OF BEING ON THE
EMPLOYMENT CONTINUUM INCREASED
46% OVER THE STATUS AT ENTRY. IN
2022, KING COUNTY AUDITOR FOUND
LEAD SEATTLE KING COUNTY WAS
UNIQUE AMONG LOCAL DIVERSION
PROGRAMS IN ITS COMMITMENT TO
RIGOROUS EVALUATION AND USING
DATA TO MAKE PROGRAM
ADJUSTMENTSISM I WON'T
BELABETHER SLIDE BECAUSE I THINK
ASSISTANT CHIEF BROWN COVERED
THE FIRST TWO PATHWAYS VERY WELL
BUT THERE ARE THREE PATHINIZE TO
LEAD, THE FIRST IS AN ARREST
DIVERSION, POST ARREST REFERRAL
BY LAW ENFORCEMENT. SECOND IS
SOCIAL CONTACT REFERRAL. THAT IS
A PROACTIVE REFERRAL BY A FIRST
RESPONDER OUTSIDE OF THE CONTEXT
OF ARREST. MAYBE AN OFFICER
DOZEN HAVE PROBABLE CAUSE BUT
CAN IDENTIFY SOMEONE THEY THINK
IS A GOOD FIT AND CAN STILL MAKE
A REFERRAL. AND GOING TO A POINT
COUNCIL MEMBER KETTLE MADE IS
THAT NOW THERE IS ALSO CARE
RESPONDERS THAT CAN, AND OTHER
FIRST RESPONDERS THAT ARE ABLE
TO MAKE REFERRALS AS WELL. SO
THEY SEE INDIVIDUALS THAT MIGHT
BE A GOOD FIT, THEY CAN MAKE
THAT REFERRAL. THEN, LAST, OUR
COMMUNITY REFERRALS, THESE ARE
REFERRALS MADE BY COMMUNITY
MEMBERS WITHOUT THE NEED TO PASS
THROUGH THE EMERGENCY RESPONSE
SYSTEM. SO WITHOUT THE NEED TO
CALL 911, COMMUNITY CAN MAKE
REFERRALS AS WELL. THIS IS--
THIS THIRD PATHWAY INCLUDES THE
PREFILING REFERRALS WE HAVE
RECEIVED FROM THE SEATTLE CITY
ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, A NEW
INNOVATION AS OF THIS YEAR THAT
WE ARE GETTING STARTED AS WELL.
WITH THAT, I WILL PASS IT OVER
TO LISA.
>> SO, HERE IS DATA ILLUMINATING
ABOUT THE LANDSCAPE THAT WE HAVE
BEEN COLLECTIVELY PASSING
THROUGH OVER THE LAST FIVE
YEARS, SIX YEARS. I DO WANT TO
UNDERSCORE SOMETHING THAT SARAH
SMITH THEORIZED, WHICH IS THAT
THE DATA THAT YOU SEE, THE
NUMBERS GOING UP AND DOWN, ARE
REALLY A SIMPLE STORY OF CHANGES
IN CAPACITY, BOTH FOR SPD, WHICH
WAS RGS YOU COMBOESHGS AT A SORT
OF ALL-TIME LOW COMPARED TO
DEMAND FROM 2020 TO 2024. AND
GRADUALLY NOW STARTING TO
RECOVER DUE TO THE EFFORTS OF
MANY OF YOU. AND THEN A PARALLEL
STORY OF LEAD CAPACITY, WHICH,
DESPITE IN 2023, LEAD IS AN OLD
PROGRAM, GOES BACK TO 2011, AND
WE HAVE SEEN SLOW BUT STEADY
INCREASES IN FUNDING AND
RESOURCES AS THE PROGRAM
EXPANDED AND EXPECTATION OF
TAKING REFERRALS FROM ONE
PRECINCT AND ANOTHER AND CITY
WIDE IT EXPANDED. BUT FROM A
SORT OF HIGH-WATER MARK IN 2022,
LEAD TOOK A DRAMATIC REDUCTION
IN CITY FUNDING AND I WON'T
DRAG YOU DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE OF
HOW THAT HAPPENED. I DON'T
THINK IT WAS FULLY UNDERSTOOD IN
THE BUDGET PROCESS, WHILE IT WAS
HAPPENING. IT WAS LONG STORY
BEHIND IT, BUT THAT HAPPENED AT
THE VERY SAME TIME, THAT THE
ORDINANCE PUT LEAD IN A CENTRAL
ROLE TO TAKE A SIGNIFICANT
VOLUME OF THE NEWLY PRIORITIZED
ACTIVITY AROUND DRUG ENFORCEMENT
AND POSSESSION. WHAT CHIEF BROWN
SAID AND SARAH ALLUDE TO ARE
ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. JUST AS THE
POLICY LANDSCAPE EXPECTED US TO
TAKE MORE WORK, OUR CAPACITY WAS
DIMINISHED BY A FALL OFF IN CITY
FUNDING. THIS COUNCIL AND 2026
BUDGIE REMEDIED THAT WITH
STABILIZATION FUNDING. WE ARE
JUST NOW IN A POSITION WHERE IF
AND WHEN, BECAUSE IT IS PLANNED,
WE WILL GET TO THAT AT THE END,
SPD DOES ROLL CALL TRAININGS ON
THE METHODOLOGY, HOW DO MAKE
REFERRALS, WHAT REFERRALS ARE
APPROPRIATE, PUSHES OUT A
DEPARTMENT-WIDE E-LEARNING,
WHICH CHIEF BROWN HAS HELPED
RECORD WITH CHIEF BARNS'
PERMISSION, THAT IS ABOUT TO GO
OUT TO THE ENTIRE DEPARTMENT, WE
WILL BE ABLE TO TAKE THOSE
REFERRALS AND NOT HAVE THE
SYSTEM SORT OF COLLAPSE UNDER
THE WEIGHT OF DEMAND. ON THIS
SLIDE YOU SEE REFERRALS, WE WENT
BACK TO 2019 SO YOU CAN SEE HOW
THIS WHOLE ECOSYSTEM RESPONDS TO
LARGER POLICY AND POLITICAL EBBS
AND FLOWS. SO, LEAD FROM THE
INCEPTION TOOK ARREST REFERRAL,
IT IS NOT ALTERNATIVE TO ARREST,
IT IS AN ALTERNATIVE REZ LOSE TO
ARREST. IF OFFICERS MAKE ARREST,
THAT INCIDENT CAN STILL RESOLVE
WITHIN A WARM HAND-OFF TRANSFER
TO LEAD. THAT HAPPENED
THROUGHOUT THE HISTORY OF LEAD.
OVER TIME OFFICERS RELIED ON
SOCIAL CACK REFERRAL BECAUSE AS
THEY WOULD SAY, IF THEY KNEW
SOMEBODY NEEDED HELP AND THE
PERSON KNEW THEY HAD THAT, WHY
SHOULD THEY HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL
THEY HAD PROBABLE CAUSE THAT A
NEW CRIME OCCURRED? WHY
COULDN'T THEY BE PROACTIVE AND
INITIATE? OVER TIME THE SPD
REFERRAL, ARRESTS WERE LESS
NECESSARY IN ORDER TO INITIATE
THAT CONNECTION. IN 2020 YOU
SEE, AND 2021, YOU SEE THAT
ARREST REFERRALS VANISHED,
ESSENTIALLY, AND THERE ARE TWO
REASONS FOR THIS, ONE, SPD
CAPACITY AND TWO, IN 2021 AFTER
THE BLAKE DECISION, THE STATE
LEGISLATURE REMOVED LEGAL
AUTHORITY TO MAKE AN ARREST
WITHOUT MAKING PRIOR DIVERSION
EFFORTS. SORT OF UNFORTUNATELY
WORDED LAW THAT WAS REVISED IN
2023 TO MAKE CLEAR THAT REFERRAL
WAS DISCRETIONARY, THOUGH
ENCOURAGED. SO, IN 2023 YOU SEE
A REBOUND BECAUSE THE LEGAL
ENVIRONMENT FOR ARREST WAS
RESTORED BY THE STATE
LEGISLATURE. ALSO, AT THE END OF
2023, THE SEATTLE DRUG ORDINANCE
WAS PASSED SO WITH THE FOCUS,
SORT OF INTENTIONAL POLICY FOCUS
HERE LOCALLY, THE BULK OF THE
HUNDRED REFERRALS CAME AT THE
END OF 2023 AFTER THE ORDINANCE
WAS PASSED IN 2024 YOU SEE A
VERY ROBUST UTILIZATION OF
ARRESTS REFERRALS, IN 2025 THE
FALLOFF LARGELY, BECAUSE WE WERE
NOT TRAINING, WHOLE BUNCH OF NEW
OFFICERS JOINED THE DEPARTMENT,
BUT HAVE NOT BEEN TRAINED IN
LEAD UTILIZATION BECAUSE WE WERE
WELL OVER CASE LOAD LIMITS. WE
ARE ON PACE FOR 288 FOR THE
YEAR, WHICH WOULD EVEN EXCEED
THE 2024 LEVEL. SO, THIS IS, IN
SHORT, AN OPTION THAT SPD HAS
SHOWN IT WILL UTILIZE, AS LONG
AS WE CAN TAKE THE REFERRALS
THAT THEY ARE GOING TO SEND US.
NEXT SLIDE. SO THIS BREAKS THE
DATA DOWN QUARTER BY QUARTER
SINCE THE INTRODUCTION, I GUESS
WE USED THE QUARTER BEFORE THE
INTRODUCTION IN OCTOBER 2023 AS
BASELINE AND THERE IS NO ARREST
REFERRAL ACTIVITY HAPPENING. YOU
SEE QUARTER FOUR OF 2023
ENORMOUS CHACHL AS A RESULT OF
THE NEW ENVIRONMENT, AND THIS IS
JUST REALLY THE DEPARTMENT USING
THE ORDINANCE TOOLS THAT IT WAS
GIVEN, AND DIFFERENTIATING SOME
POST ARREST AND SOME PRE-ARREST
REFERRALS BUT BOTH IN
SIGNIFICANTLY LARGER NUMBERS.
AGAIN, YOU SEE THE DROP-OFF JUST
AS THE LEAD CAPACITY TO RECEIVE
WAS SQUEEZED IN LATER 2024 AND
THROUGHOUT 2025 WITH REBOUND IN
2026, BECAUSE THAT SENSE OF A
CEILING HAS BEEN REMOVED BECAUSE
OF THE LEAD STABILIZATION
FUNDING THAT YOU PROVIDED IN THE
2026 BUDGET. NEXT SLIDE. THIS IS
IF WE DREW A STRAIGHT LINE FROM
OUR QUARTER ONE EXPERIENCE,
WHICH MR. DOSS WILL EMPHASIZE,
THAT IS NEVER HOW IT WORKS BUT
IF YOU EXTRAPOLATED FROM Q1 YOU
WOULD EXPECT 380SPD REFERRALS,
THAT IS BEFORE WE DO ROLL CALL
TRAINING S AND THE
DEPARTMENT-WIDE E-LEARNING, SO
YOU CAN EXPECT THAT TO GO UP.
WITH THE LARGE BALANCE
CONCENTRATED ON POST ARREST
REFERRALS, AND THEN 460
COMMUNITY REFERRALS AS BRANDY
SAID, THAT INCLUDES THE
PREFILING REFERRAL PROJECT WITH
THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. I
WANT TO STOP AND SAY THE
ORDINANCE FOLKISHES ON THE ROLE
OF POLICE, THIS IS A CRIME,
POLICE HAVE AUTHORITY TO ENFORCE
IT. THEY CAN MAKE ARRESTS AND
ALSO PROACTIVELY REFERISM WE CAN
ENGAGE THE PROBLEMS WITHOUT
POLICE BEING THE EXCLUSIVE FRONT
DOOR, AND LEAD IS A PART OF THAT
AS WELL. THAT IS NOT WHAT THIS
PRESENTATION FOCUSES ON.
COMMUNITY GROUPS, NEIGHBORS,
BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS, BUSINESS
IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATIONS, IN THE
U-DISTRICT, COUNCIL MEMBER
RIVERA, UNIVERSITY DISTRICT
PARTNERSHIP, THESE ORGANIZATIONS
HAVE PROVEN SKILLFUL IDENTIFYING
AND ARE ABLE TO MAKE REFERRALS
THAT ARE VERY APPROPRIATE TO
LEAD SERVICES WITHOUT HAVING TO
BURDEN THE EMERGENCY RESPONSE
SYSTEM. HOWEVER, THE THIRD ROUTE
INTO LEAD WAS ADDED IN 2020
BECAUSE SPD COULDN'T MAKE
REFERRALS AND THEY NEEDED TO GET
TO PEOPLE SOMEHOW SO OUR
PARTNERS COULD FIND THEM. I WANT
TO STRESS, THIS THIRD ROUTE INTO
LEAD HAS BEEN CONSTRAINED
HISTORICALLY BY THE FACT THAT WE
PRIORITIZE POLICE REFERRALS. WE
DON'T WANT LAW ENFORCEMENT TO
BE HOLDING SOMEBODY WHO, THE
RIGHT RESPONSE IS CONNECTING
THEM TO LONG-TERM CASE
MANAGEMENT IN A WARM HAND-OFF,
AND US SAYING WE CAN'T TAKE
THEM BECAUSE WE ARE TAKING
COMMUNITY REFERRALS. THIS IS
ALWAYS THE LAST UBSERVEDISM WE
NEVER DO COMMUNITY AWARENESS
PROMOTION CAMPAIGNS ABOUT THIS.
IF WE DID, WE WOULD BE SWAMPED
BY MUCH, MUCH MORE DEMAND THAN
WE CAN TAKE. I THINK THIS IS
JUST A REMINDER THAT THIS
ORDINANCE PROVIDES FOR THE ROLE
OF LAW ENFORCEMENT, APPROPRIATE,
LEGITIMATE ROLE OF LAW
ENFORCEMENT, AND IT IS NOT THE
ONLY WAY THAT WE CAN FIND AND
SOLVE THESE PROBLEMS, IF WE
WANTED TO BULK UP THESE
STRATEGIES TO MATCH THE ABILITY
OF COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO
IDENTIFY THEM. NEXT SLIDE.
SOMEONE, COUNCIL MEMBER SAKA,
ASKED FOR GEOGRAPHIC DATA AND WE
ALL KIND OF LAUGHED, WE WEREN'T
SURE WHETHER TO INCLUDE THE
SLIDE, BUT NOW I AM GLAD THAT WE
DID. YOU CAN SEE THE PRECINCT
BREAKDOWN, AND, INDEED, THE
PRECINCT CONCENTRATION HAS
BETWEEN SWUNG BETWEEN EAST AND
WEST, BECAUSE OF PRECINCT LEAD
LEVEL LEADERSHIP, THOSE WHO
UNDERSTAND HOW TO USE THE
PROGRAM AND ARE WELL, SORT OF
ADAPTED TO PROVIDING THAT
GUIDANCE, GOING FORWARD WITH
PRECINCT LEVEL ROLL CALLS AND
THE DEPARTMENT WIDE E-LEARNING,
I THINK WE WILL SEE GREATER
UTILIZATION FROM OTHER
PRECINCTS, NOT JUST CONCENTRATED
IN EAST AND WEST, BUT MOST OF
THE HOT SPOTS YOU HAVE DISCUSSED
ARE NOW IN THE WEST PRECINCT NOW
THAT ALL OF THE CID IS INCLUDED
IN WEST, AND SO YOU SEE A SORT
OF, THE PROFILE THAT YOU MIGHT
EXPECT HERE.
>> FOR THE QUICK NOTICE, FOR THE
PUB PUBLIC, WEST PRECINCT
INCLUDES DISTRICT SEVEN, BUT
ALSO PARTS OF DISTRICT ONE AND
TWO.
>> YEAH.
>> SO THIS IS NOT-- THE PRECINCT
BREAKDOWN DOESN'T NECESSARILY
MATCH OUR DISTRICT BREAKDOWN.
JUST TO MAKE THAT POINT. THANK
YOU. CONTINUE ON.
>> I JUST WANT TO STRESS, LEAD
IS NOT PDA. WE ARE A PROJECT
MANAGERS, AND, FRANKLY YOU COULD
FIRE US. THAT IS A FUNCTION THAT
NEEDS TO BE PLAYED BUT WE ARE
JUST A CONTRACTOR THAT PROVIDES
THAT FUNCTION. WE REPORT TO A
POLICY COORDINATING GROUP THAT
IS COMPOSED OF THE MAYOR, THIS
COUNCIL, THE CHAIR OF THE PUBLIC
SAFETY COMMITTEE, TRADITIONALLY
REPRESENTS THE COUNCIL, THAT IS
COUNCIL MEMBER KETTLE. CHIEF
BARNS, CITY ATTORNEY, AND COUNTY
COUNTERPARTS, THE EXECUTIVE, THE
SHERIFF, THE KING COUNTY
PROSECUTOR, AND KING COUNTY
COUNCIL LAW AND JUSTICE CHAIR.
SO, WE REPORT TO THAT BODY, THAT
BODY SETS POLICY, I WANT TO
STRESS, ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT AT
THIS MOMENT, THE CITY OF SEATTLE
HAS AGGRESSIVELY AUDITED THE
CONTRACT FOR LEAD EVERY YEAR FOR
YEARS NOW, IT IS ONE OF THE
LARGER CONTRACTS THAT WAS IN HSD
UNTIL THIS YEAR, WE MOVED TO
CARE. THAT PAUDITING INCLUDES
RIGOROUS FINANCIAL PRACTICES
AUDITING, RIGOROUS CONTRACT
COMPLIANCE SITE VISIT, AND
LOOKING AT CLIENT FILES. IF YOU
ARE WONDERING, ARE YOUR AGENCIES
CONFIRMING THAT WORK IS BEING
DONE? THAT IS IT IS THE WORK
THAT YOU CONTRACTED FOR, AND
THAT STRONG FINANCIAL PRACTICES
ARE BEING USED? THE ANSWER IS
YES. NOT NECESSARILY A FUN
PROCESS, BUT IT ONE THAT WE NEED
TO BE GOING THROUGH AND THAT HAS
BEEN ONGOING FOR MANY YEARS NOW.
FINALLY, THE KING COUNTY
AUDITOR, AS YOU KNOW, IDENTIFIED
MANY COUNTY SIDE CONTRACTING
CHALLENGES. LEAD, THOUGH, WAS
INCLUDED IN 2022 KING COUNTY
AUDITOR REPORT ON THE DIVERSION
PROGRAMS AND CALLED OUT AS
UNIQUE AMONG THE COMMUNITY BASED
DIVERSION IN THE REGION FOR
RIGOROUSLY EVALUATED AND FOR ITS
ONGOING COMMITMENT TO RIGOROUS
USE OF DATA FOR ONGOING PROGRAM
EVOLUTION AND IMPROVEMENT. THAT,
I MEAN, WE, AS PROJECT
MANAGEMENT TEAM, WE EMBRACE
THAT, BUT THAT IS BECAUSE WE ARE
ACCOUNTABLE TO PUBLIC FUNDERS
THROUGH A FORMAL STRUCTURE OF
ACCOUNTABILITY, NEXT SLIDE. WE
HAVE ALLUDED TO ALL OF THESE, I
THINK YOU WILL SEE GREATER
DUE TO BE CAPACITY, FUNDING WAS
RECEIVED , WE SHOULD SEE AN
UPTICK IN REFERRALS. YOU KNOW,
YOU HAVE HEARD FROM SPD, THEIR
INTENT TO PROVIDE STRONG
GUIDANCE WHERE ,
OFFICERS HAVE HAD TO RELY ON
MEMORY OR ANALOG KNOWLEDGE, WHEN
THEY ARE DRIVING DOWN THE STREET
AND THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO LEAVE
TWO YEARS AGO, THEY CAN FIND
THAT OUT BUT THEY DID NOT HAVE
THAT INFORMATION AT THEIR
FINGERTIPS. THAT HAS NOW CHANGED
, INTEGRATED INTO SPD'S OWN
BUSINESS SYSTEMS AND INFORMATION
SYSTEMS , THEIR CURRENT LEAD
STATUS POPS UP THAT THAT A
PERSON , THEY ARE STILL ACTIVE,
IF NOT, THAT INFORMATION WILL BE
AVAILABLE TO OFFICERS. THERE IS
RECOGNITION OF THE STATUS OF THE
PERSON. THE FRONT DOOR IS JUST
THE FRONT DOOR, IT IS A
LONG-TERM CASE MANAGEMENT
FRAMEWORK. RECOVERY FROM SEVERE
SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER IS
PROTRACTED AND IT IS NONLINEAR,
IT ALLOWS THOSE WHO ARE HAVING
ONGOING WITH THOSE INDIVIDUALS
TO HAVE MORE THAN THEY WOULD,
UNDER THE , TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS
THAT IN REAL TIME PHASE TWO,
THERE WILL BE TWO WAY
INTEGRATION AND PHASE THREE IS
EXPECTED IN 2027. WE ARE ALREADY
IN A VERY DIFFERENT AND MUCH
-BETTER PLACED IN THE PAST
YEARS. I WILL QUICKLY TURN IT
OVER TO SAM WHO HAS A STUDY OF
HOW THE COHORT THAT CAME IN
SINCE OCTOBER, 2023 , HAS BEEN
DOING IN THE KIND OF PROGRESS
YOU HAVE EXPERIENCED.
>> YES, IF YOU COULD STEP
THROUGH THAT VERY QUICKLY AND BY
THE WAY, I WANT TO NOTE, THE
ISSUES WITH BUDGETING ARE ALSO
RELATED TO STATE FUNDING WHICH
IS ANOTHER SUBJECT, BUT I
BELIEVE WE ARE NOW RIGHT SIZED
AND SO FORTH, REALLY QUICK , SO
THAT WE CAN GET TO QUESTIONS. IT
IS IMPORTANT TO GET IT INTO THE
RECORD THAT WE HAVE THE NUMBERS
AND WE CAN ASK ALL THREE OF YOU
QUESTIONS. OKAY, GO.
>> THANK YOU , COUNCILOR. WE
HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THE
IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS ORDINANCE
BUT WE DID WANT TO TOUCH ON
OUTCOMES OF THE INDIVIDUALS
REFERRED. BRANDY SPOKE ABOUT IT
, I WANT TO PAUSE VERY BRIEFLY
TO CONTEXTUALIZE SOME OF THE
OUTCOMES, LEAD CLIENTS HAVE
COMPLEX SITUATIONS , AND THE
CRIMINAL SITUATION, HOSPITALS,
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND OF COURSE
SOCIAL SERVICES, LONG-TERM CASE
MANAGEMENT IS THE CRITICAL PIECE
OF HOW WE TEND TO THOSE COMPLEX
SITUATIONS, SUBSTANCE USE
DISORDER DOES NOT HAPPEN IN A
VACUUM, SO THE IDEA IS TO WEAVE
TOGETHER RESOURCES TO ADDRESS
UNMET NEEDS AND WORK TOWARD
BEHAVIOR CHANGE , IMPLEMENTING
PLANS VIA LONG-TERM CASE
MANAGEMENT AND SUPPORT
SUSTAINABLE RECOVERY THAT ALIGNS
WITH THE FOUR PILLARS OF
RECOVERY. HEALTH, HOME, PURPOSE,
AND COMMUNITY. AND L.E.A.D.
MANAGEMENT HAS EMBEDDED FOR MANY
CLIENTS, FOR THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN
YEARS WITHOUT FORMAL SUPPORT IS
ITSELF A KEY PIECE OF THAT
COMMUNITY PILLAR. ON THE NEXT
SLIDE, GOING INTO THE DATA, WE
ARE GOING TO TALK ABOUT, THERE
ARE TWO UNITS OF PROGRESS THAT
WE TRACK IN THE L.E.A.D.
PROGRAM. ON THE LEFT,
SUBSTANTIVE MEETINGS BETWEEN
LEAD CLIENTS AND CASE MANAGERS
WHERE THOSE INDIVIDUALIZED PLANS
ARE IDENTIFIED, ESSENTIALLY
THESE ARE WORK MEETINGS , NOT
JUST PASSING BY CONTACTS ON THE
STREET . IT IS NOT CLASHING ON
PAPER, THIS IS WHERE THE
EMOTIONAL INTERVIEWING HAPPENS,
SMALLER SUPPORTS AND CONNECTIONS
ARE MADE AND THIS IS REALLY
WHERE SOME OF THE CHANGE OCCURS,
GOING TO THE RIGHT, WE CALL THEM
ACCOMPLISHMENTS, WE ALSO CALL
SUBSTANTIVE MEETINGS THE
BUILDING BLOCKS OF
ACCOMPLISHMENTS . FORMAL
CONNECTIONS TO EXTERNAL
RESOURCES AND WE CALL THESE
OUTCOMES UNDER A NUMBER OF
DIFFERENT CATEGORIES. FOR
EXAMPLE, IF SOMEONE HAS AN
OUTCOME UNDER THE SUBSTANCE USE
CATEGORY, WHAT THAT MEANS IS,
SOMEBODY ENROLLED IN OR FOLLOWED
UP ON ASSISTED TREATMENT , THEY
MAY HAVE THAT COMPLETED
OUTPATIENT TREATMENT. ANY NUMBER
OF THINGS. THEY ARE NOT
REFERRALS, THIS IS A FORMAL
CONNECTION WERE SOMEBODY
ENROLLED IN OR ENGAGED IN FORMAL
SERVICE, THE BUILDING BLOCK
RELATIONSHIP IS LITERAL, WE HAVE
EVALUATED IN A NUMBER OF TIMES
AND ONE OF OUR OUTCOME STUDIES,
OUR RESEARCHERS FOUND A 2%
INCREASE IN THE LIKELIHOOD OF
OBTAINING SHELTER AND A 5%
INCREASE IN THE LIKELIHOOD PER
CONTACT BETWEEN LEAD MANAGER AND
CLIENTS, ON THE NEXT SLIDE,
GETTING INTO OUR COHORTS, BUT WE
DID TO SHOW OUTCOMES, WE LOOKED
AT REFERRALS RECEIVED SINCE THE
ORDINANCE. OVER 1600 REFERRALS ,
REFERRALS SINCE OCTOBER 20th,
2023 THROUGH THE END OF A VERY
2026. THIS IS ABOUT 60% LAW
ENFORCEMENT REFERRAL, OVER 1300
UNIQUE INDIVIDUALS FROM 1600
REFERRALS, ABOUT 60% OF THESE
ARE FROM LAW ENFORCEMENT. OF
THOSE, 667 INDIVIDUALS ENROLLED
IN L.E.A.D., 606 WERE ASSIGNED
TO REACH, THE SUBCONTRACTED
SERVICE PROVIDER, THE LARGEST
THAT WE HAVE IN OUR UMBRELLA.
AND THE COHORT IS ABOUT 75%
ORIGINATING FROM LAW
ENFORCEMENT. FOR THOSE 606
INDIVIDUALS, THIS TABLE PROVIDES
A BREAKDOWN OF PEOPLE WHO ENGAGE
BOTH WITH THE CASE MANAGERS TO
WORK TOWARDS GOALS AND THOSE WHO
HAD FORMAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS. ON
THE SUBSTANTIVE MEETINGS COLUMN,
THE RATE OF WORK IS VERY HIGH,
MOST ARE WORKING TOWARD MULTIPLE
GOALS, JUST WANTING TO
ACKNOWLEDGE AND NOTE THE SHEER
VOLUME OF WORK, WE HAD OVER
33,000 SUBSTANTIAL MEETINGS
ACROSS OUR SEATTLE PROGRAM IN
2025. ON THE RIGHT SIDE
ACCOMPLISHMENTS. QUICKLY NOTING
UP AT THE TOP, NEARLY EVERYBODY
THAT ENROLLED IN THIS COHORT HAD
A FORMAL ACCOMPLISHMENT
CONNECTION AND EXTERNAL
RESOURCES OF SOME SORT. WHAT
THIS TABLE DOES NOT DO VERY WELL
IS PARSE THROUGH THE INDIVIDUAL
CLIENTS, THIS IS A COHORT
REFERRED ACROSS ALMOST IN 2.5
-YEAR PERIOD OVER, 2023 THROUGH
THE BETTER PART OF Q1, 2026.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. WHAT WE
WANTED TO DO, WE WORKED WITH DR.
THOMAS WHO IS IN THE AUDIENCE
NOW TO RUN THE SAME DATA SET.
SORRY, I THOUGHT THAT WAS A
QUESTION.
>> I JUST WANTED TO KNOW WHERE
HE WAS IN THE AUDIENCE. THANK
YOU.
>> DR. THOMAS HELPED US TO RUN
THE SAME DATA SET, THAT COHORT
OF 606 INDIVIDUALS, THROUGH A
SERIES OF PROGRESSIONS. WHAT WE
SAW WAS THAT THE NUMBER OF DAYS
WAS THE SINGLE STRONGEST
PREDICTOR OF ACHIEVING OUTCOMES.
FOR EXAMPLE , THESE THREE BAR
GRAPHS, EACH REPRESENT DIFFERENT
CATEGORIES OF OUTCOMES. IF YOU
LOOK AT RECOVERY OR SUBSTANCE
USE DISORDER SUPPORTS , THIS IS
SAYING , CLIENTS THAT ENROLLED
IN L.E.A.D., WITH MORE TIME, THE
RATE OF ACHIEVEMENT RISES. AFTER
ONE YEAR, THE RATE RISES TO
ABOUT 44% AND AFTER TWO YEARS OF
EXPOSURE TO COUNCIL@SEATTLE.GOV
CASE MANAGEMENT, NEARLY 20% OF
CLIENTS HAVE ACHIEVED THESE
FORMAL TYPES , AND ROLLING, AND
ENGAGING WITH THESE EXTERNAL
RESOURCES. IN SHORT, ACROSS
DIFFERENT OUTCOME TYPE THE
PERCENTAGE OF L.E.A.D. CLIENTS
THAT CAN BE ACHIEVING OUTCOME
RISES THE LONGER THEY ARE
EXPOSED TO CASE MANAGEMENT, WE
CAN ALSO SEE CHANGE WITH ACCESS
TO DIFFERENT RESOURCES. MANY OF
THE PUBLIC COMMENTERS WERE
TALKING ABOUT LITTLE SAIGON. WE
HAVE BEEN DOING SOME POST WORK
WITH THE AMBASSADOR TEAM, FOR
THE COMMITTEE WORKERS, AND IN
THE SUMMER OF 2025, WE HAD SORT
OF A SPECIAL ASSIGNMENT TO
UTILIZE CO-LEAD, TO WORK WITH A
COHORT FROM LITTLE SAIGON,
CO-LEAD IS ESSENTIALLY LOHSE
BARRIER -- LOW BARRIER THAT
UTILIZES CASE MANAGEMENT ON-SITE
AS OPPOSED TO THIS COHORT WHICH
IS RECEIVING COHORT LEAD
MANAGEMENT. WE BROUGHT 41
INDIVIDUALS INTO LITTLE SAIGON,
PRIORITIZING PEOPLE BASED ON
HAVING VERY FREQUENT ENCOUNTERS
WITH AMBASSADOR TEAMS IN THE
AREAS. AS WELL AS PEOPLE
IDENTIFIED BY THE COMMUNITY OR
LAW ENFORCEMENT AS HAVING PUBLIC
SAFETY IMPACTS . FOR THIS 41
INDIVIDUALS , WHO ARE RECEIVING
NOT JUST CASE MANAGEMENT, BUT
HAVE SUPPORT SHELTER, WE SAW 95%
OF THEM ACHIEVING THESE FORMAL
OUTCOMES AND WE ALSO SAW OVER A
50% REDUCTION IN ENCOUNTERS WITH
AMBASSADORS, ALL OF THAT IS JUST
TO SAY ADDING MORE RESOURCES
ONTO THIS CAN VERY MUCH SPEED UP
THE RATE AT WHICH PEOPLE ARE
ABLE TO RECOVER FROM STRATEGIES.
ALL OF THE OUTCOMES SHARED HERE
TODAY REALLY DO MIRROR THE
EVALUATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN DONE
OVER THE YEARS, 46% WERE MORE
LIKELY TO BE ON THE , 89% MORE
LIKELY TO BE IN PERMANENT
HOUSING, 58% LESS LIKELY TO
RECIDIVATE. THE KEY FOR ALL OF
THESE AND VALUATIONS, THAT HE
ARE TRACKED OVER THE PERIOD OF
MONTHS OR YEARS, THE CONSISTENT
AFFECT IS LONG-TERM CASE
MANAGEMENT, PLUS TIME, EQUALS
PROGRESS, I WILL END IT THERE,
THIS IS THE TYPE OF TAKE AWAY
THAT MAKES ME REALLY EXCITED
ABOUT ALL OF THE THINGS THAT MY
COLLEAGUES SHARED TODAY,
DATABASE INTEGRATION, THE
ABILITY TO TAKE MORE REFERRALS,
AND, OF COURSE, SITUATING CASE
MANAGERS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT SO
THEY CAN BETTER WRAP AROUND AND
COORDINATE AS THAT REDUCTION
HAPPENS, GETTING US CLOSER TO A
SYSTEM OF RESPONSE THAT MATCHES
THE COMPLEXITY OF THE BEHAVIORS
BEING RESPONDED TO.
>> I APPRECIATE THE AUDIT POINTS
BY THE WAY. WE ENCOUNTERED THIS
AGAIN OVER THE WEEKEND, IT IS SO
IMPORTANT, SO IMPORTANT. OKAY.
QUICKLY, THERE IS A QUESTION, WE
ARE TRYING TO WRAP UP BEFORE
NOON, JUST SLIGHTLY BEFORE.
>> I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE
AGAIN FOR SHARING INSIGHTS WITH
US TODAY, VERY, VERY HELPFUL,
AND VALUABLE, AND WE WANT TO
BRIEFLY COMMENT ON SOME SPECIFIC
PUBLIC COMMENT THAT WE RECEIVED
EARLIER, IT HAS BEEN ON MY MIND
AND IN MY HEART AS WELL, WHAT WE
LEARNED FROM THAT IS THAT, ALL
OF THESE INTERRELATED CHALLENGES
, THEY ARE, SORT OF, THEY WORK
TOGETHER. AND THE SOLUTION LIES
IN ADDRESSING THE PROBLEM FROM A
MULTIFACETED, COMPREHENSIVE
APPROACH. FOR EXAMPLE, WE KNOW
THAT TO YOUR POINT EARLIER,
CHAIR, ONCE WE HAVE OPEN,
FLAGRANT DRUG USAGE, WE HAVE
PREDATORS WHO, AND TARGET PEOPLE
SUFFERING FROM THESE CRISES AND
CHALLENGES. SELL TO THEM, THEN
THERE IS A MARKET TO EARN MONEY
TO PURCHASE THESE ILLICIT
SUBSTANCES, AND THERE IS THE
ILLICIT GOODS MARKET RIGHT IN
THE SAME ECOSYSTEM SO I WANT TO
ADDRESS THE ILLICIT GOODS MARKET
AND WHY ISN'T THE CITY
ADDRESSING THAT, IN THE PUBLIC
RIGHTS OF WAY, I THINK THE
COMMENT WAS FIRST MADE BY SHARON
LEE FROM LEHIGH BUT THE SAME
UNDERLYING CONCEPT WAS REFLECTED
IN MULTIPLE COMMENTS I HEARD
TODAY, ABOUT THE UNPERMITTED
STREET BENDING, AND MERCHANDISE
BENDING. AND, OFTEN CASES,
STOLEN GOODS, KNOWN ,
DOCUMENTED, STOLEN GOODS , I
WILL SHARE WHAT WE HAVE BEEN
DOING AND REMIND OF WHAT WE HAVE
BEEN DOING ON THIS COUNCIL TO
ADDRESS TODAY, LAST YEAR, IN THE
FALL BUDGET, THE FORMER
ADMINISTRATION PROPOSED $2.7
MILLION TO HIRE SIX NEW
INSPECTOR POSITIONS TO THE
STREET-USE INSPECTION TEAM
INCLUDING AN EXPANSION OF WHAT
IS KNOWN AS THE JOINT
ENFORCEMENT TEAM JET , ALMOST $3
MILLION WE FUNDED FOR ADDITIONAL
, TO BETTER CLAMPDOWN ON THIS
KIND OF BEHAVIOR, BY THE WAY,
LESS SO , WITH THE SALE OF
STOLEN GOODS BUT THE SALE OF
OTHER GOODS AND FOOD, IT IS
GETTING TO THE POINT WHERE IT IS
COMING TO A HEAD WITH THESE
VENDORS, LOCAL BUSINESSES, ET
CETERA, BUT WE FUNDED IT, IT WAS
INCLUDED IN THE FINAL ADOPTED
BUDGET, ALMOST $3 MILLION TO
HIRE PEOPLE TO BETTER ENFORCE
IT, THE SECOND THING THAT WE
DID, WAS WEAK, WE, WE, I
SPONSORED, SPONSORED BOTH OF
THESE THINGS, THE STATEMENT OF
LEGISLATIVE INTENT, CALLING FOR
THE MAYOR'S OFFICE TO LEAD AN
INTER-DEPARTMENT REVIEW AND
DEVISE AN ACTION PLAN TO BETTER
ADDRESS UNPERMITTED FOOD AND
MERCHANDISE BENDING IN OUR CITY,
WE INTENTIONALLY SET A DUE DATE
OF APRIL 30th, JUST AHEAD OF
FIFA AND WE REFERENCED THE
COORDINATION AND IMPORTANCE OF
FIFA , THAT REPORT IS COMING
SOON . WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING
WHAT PLAN AND RECOMMENDATIONS
MIGHT BE IN THE EXECUTIVE REPORT
ON THAT. I WILL ALSO BE
PERSONALLY INVITING SDOT TO COME
PRESENT MORE ON THE STREET
PERMITTING AND ENFORCEMENT
ISSUES, INCLUDING PRESENTING ON
THE SLY , IN ONE OF MY FUTURE
COMMITTEES I SHARE, I HAVE READ
THE CODE, I THINK THE CODE IS
PERMISSIBLE CLEAR -- CLEAR ON
WHAT IS PERMISSIBLE, NOT
PERMISSIBLE, AUTHORIZE, NOT
AUTHORIZE, ONE OF THE KEY
CHALLENGES LIES WITH
IMPLEMENTATION, LIES WITH
EXECUTION AND WITH THESE LEGAL
REQUIREMENTS AND INVESTMENTS, WE
WILL BE TAKING THAT UP IN
COMMITTEE, VERY IMPORTANT
FEEDBACK. APPRECIATE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN MORE AND
CONTRIBUTE TO THE CONVERSATION.
SPIRIT THANK YOU , VICE CHAIR.
>> WE ARE PUSHING ON THE
EXECUTIVE SIDE, ALL OF THE
DIFFERENT PIECES, TO INCLUDE
SDOT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SPD,
THE ALTERNATIVE RESPONSE TEASE
-- PIECE. COUNCILMEMBER? GO
AHEAD.
>> THANK YOU , THANK YOU FOR
BEING HERE FOR THIS PRESENTATION
, I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR MORE AT A
LATER TIME ABOUT THE L.E.A.D.
RECOVERY SERVICE, WHAT KIND OF
PEOPLE ARE GETTING IT THROUGH
L.E.A.D. ? I APPRECIATE, IT CAN
TAKE UP TO TWO YEARS TO GET
SOMEONE TO ACCEPT SERVICES AND
GET TO A PATH OF RECOVERY AND OF
COURSE, RECOVERY IS A LIFELONG
JOURNEY. AND I THINK WE ALL KNOW
AND APPRECIATE AND UNDERSTAND
IT. AND , AT THE SAME TIME , YOU
KNOW? THEY ARE A SMALL BUSINESS
, TAKING SOMEONE, TAKING TWO
YEARS TO HELP SOMEONE, NOT
HELPING THAT SMALL BUSINESS BE
ABLE TO STAY IN BUSINESS AND
STAY OPEN. BOTH THOSE THINGS
COEXIST AND THEY ARE TRUE, OUR
RESPONSIBILITY IS TO FIGURE OUT,
WHERE ARE THE LEVERS THAT WE CAN
TWEAK LEGISLATIVELY? TO BOTH
CONTINUE TO DO THE WORK OF
HELPING PEOPLE GET TREATMENT, I
DON'T THINK THAT IS OPEN TO ONE
PERSON IN THE CITY OF SEATTLE,
FENTANYL IS A DRUG UNLIKE WE
HAVE EVER SEEN AND WE ARE NOT
GETTING OUT OF IT BY TELLING
PEOPLE TO STOP. AT THE SAME
TIME, WE NEED TO ADDRESS THE
REALITY ON THE GROUND WITH OUR
BUSINESSES, NOT JUST BUSINESSES
NEAR THE SCHOOL , IN OUR PARKS
AND IN THE RIGHT OF WAYS , WE
NEED TO BE ABLE TO ENSURE THAT
OUR KIDS, OUR FAMILIES, OUR
INDIVIDUALS, OUR RESIDENTS, ARE
LIVING IN A CITY THAT IS TAKING
SAFETY AND PUBLIC SAFETY
SERIOUSLY AND THAT THEY ARE
ACTUALLY TAKING ACTIONS TO
ENSURE THAT OUR CITY STREETS ARE
SAFE FOR FOLKS . SO, TO ME, YES,
THIS IS A CHALLENGE AND OVER THE
YEARS WE HAVE TAKEN DIFFERENT
APPROACHES AND LEGISLATIVELY
MADE TWEAKS TO GET SOMEWHERE,
CHAIR, AS YOU HAVE STATED
EARLIER , WE NEED TO LOOK AT
THIS PUBLIC POSSESSION LAW, DRUG
USE LAW, THAT IS WHY I WAS
ASKING YOU, CHIEF, OF WHAT WORK
CAN BE TWEAKED TO MAKE THAT
BETTER, I APPRECIATE YOU COMING
TO TALK ABOUT L.E.A.D. . AND THE
PROGRESS THAT YOU ARE MAKING
WITH L.E.A.D.. I APPRECIATE THAT
YOU STAYED. I DO NOT MEAN ANY
DISRESPECT . EVERYONE COMES TO
US AND SAYS, IF WE HAVE MORE
MONEY, IT WOULD BE DIFFERENT.
BUT I DO NOT THINK MORE MONEY IN
AND OF ITSELF, YOU KNOW, PDA
GETS $20 MILLION FROM THE CITY
AND THAT, THAT , NOT THAT YOU
SHOULDN'T , BUT WE HAVE A LOT
OF MONEY AND THAT IS JUST ONE
AREA WHERE WE PUT MONEY TO
ADDRESS THIS ISSUE . WE ARE IN A
BUDGET DEFICIT . ARE THERE OTHER
THINGS WE CAN DO TO ADDRESS THE
PROBLEM? THAT IS WHERE I AM AT,
WHAT CAN WE DO? NOTWITHSTANDING
PUTTING MORE MONEY INTO IT TO
ADDRESS THESE ISSUES, BECAUSE I
DON'T KNOW THAT WE HAVE MORE
MONEY THAT WE CAN PUT INTO IT
AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE
MONEY THAT WE HAVE INVESTED INTO
IT IS WORKING FOR US, AS
ROBUSTLY AS POSSIBLE AND THAT
THE LAWS ARE WORKING IN A ROBUST
WAY. CHAIR, THERE IS SO MUCH TO
SAY BUT I WILL LEAVE IT HERE.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER SPR.
-- RIVERA. I WILL INVITE YOU TO
MAKE A STATEMENT. COUNCIL
MEMBER?
>> SO MUCH MORE TO DISCUSS. I
APPRECIATE, AGAIN, AS WE HEARD
IN THE QUESTION, THE COMMENTS,
THE DISCUSSION TODAY, I DO NOT
THINK THERE IS A ONE SIZE FITS
ALL APPROACH TO OUR SUBSTANCE
USE DISORDERS, I THINK , OFTEN
TIMES AND, CHAIR , YOU TALKED
ABOUT THIS MINDSET. LET US JUST
ARREST OUR WAY OUT OF IT, I
DON'T THINK THAT WILL SOLVE IT,
I DON'T THINK WE CAN SAY
DIVERSION WITHOUT ANY POLICE
ACTIVITY AND I THINK THERE IS A
ROLE AND WE CAN TALK ABOUT THE
BALANCE AND WHETHER WE ARE DOING
THE RIGHT APPROACH, I THINK
THERE IS ALWAYS IMPROVEMENT.
THERE IS A BIG QUESTION ABOUT
RESOURCES, IN MY MIND I TAKE A
DIFFERENT APPROACH. I DO BELIEVE
THAT ADDITIONAL RESEARCH IS VERY
MUCH NEEDED. I THINK IT IS BEING
WELL SPENT ON L.E.A.D. AND I AM
CONCERNED ABOUT THE MANY MANY
MILLIONS OUR BUSINESSES AND
NEIGHBORHOODS ARE SPENDING ON
THINGS LIKE PRIVATE SECURITY. I
THINK WE HAVE AN EMERGENCY ROOM
, A REACTIVE APPROACH, INSTEAD
OF A PROACTIVE APPROACH, ALL THE
MONEY WE ARE SPENDING ON
SECURITY , BROKEN WINDOWS, AND
INSURANCE IS MONEY THAT COULD BE
BETTER SPENT BEING PROACTIVE. I
SAW THE SOUTH PRECINCT, NO LEAD
DIVERGENCE , IT INCLUDES
GEORGETOWN , AND JUST ANYTHING
WE CAN DO TO HAVE SOME DIVERSION
FROM THE SOUTH PRECINCT, NORTH
BEACON HILL , I WOULD APPRECIATE
IMPROVING SOME OF THOSE, THANK
YOU.
>> I SUSPECT THERE WILL BE MORE
IN THE FUTURE. I WANT TO THANK
EVERYONE AT THE TABLE, CENTRAL
STAFF, FROM SPD, FROM PDA, FROM
L.E.A.D.. I WANT TO THANK
EVERYONE IN CHAMBERS, FROM ALL
THE DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS, IT
IS SO IMPORTANT TO HAVE YOUR
VOICE HEARD, BUT INCLUDING THE
PEOPLE WHO RUN THE SYSTEM , THE
AUDIBLE PIECES OF IT IS REALLY
IMPORTANT. BUT TO YOUR POINT, WE
NEED TO BE PROACTIVE AND NOT
REACTIVE. THAT IS WHY WE HAVE
THE PLAN AND THE PILLARS. THERE
ARE SO MANY PIECES. I WILL BE
WORKING, HAVE BEEN AND WILL BE
WORKING, WITH ALL THE
STAKEHOLDERS, TO WORK THOSE
PIECES. AND AT THE END OF THE
DAY, WE HAVE TO HAVE A MINDSET
WHERE WE ARE SETTING UP THE
PEOPLE WHO ARE ON THE GROUND FOR
SUCCESS. AND WE HAVE TO HAVE
THAT MINDSET, WHETHER IT IS IN
SPD, OR OTHER ELEMENTS, PARTNERS
CONTRACTING IN , WE HAVE TO HAVE
A MINDSET OF SETTING UP FOR
SUCCESS. AT THE END OF THE DAY,
WE HAVE TO DO THAT, OTHERWISE,
THEY CAN ASK THE SAME QUESTION
WITH THE SAME RESULT . THAT IS
NOT AN OPTION. LET'S WORK
TOGETHER, PRESS FORWARD, I LOOK
FORWARD TO DOING SO. WITH THAT,
AT NOON, FURTHER BUSINESS BEFORE
WE ADJOURN? NO, NO BUSI