The push for a concrete public safety plan is exposing the divisions among Seattle city leaders, spurred by ongoing debate over the response to the deadly Bite
The push for a concrete public safety plan is exposing the divisions among Seattle city leaders, spurred by ongoing debate over the response to the deadly Bite of Seattle shootings.
Some councilmembers are denouncing a recent comment by Mayor Katie Wilson that one proposal to address gun violence amounts to little more than grandstanding.
Councilmember Maritza Rivera has been working to bring in the National Network for Safe Communities, based at John Jay College, to help Seattle implement an approach known as focused deterrence to reduce gun violence citywide.
A resolution to partner with the organization is up for a vote before the Seattle City Council on Tuesday.
“It's a proven, evidence-based approach and has had success in other cities,” Rivera said. “I’m trying to find real solutions to our gun violence problem."
Concerns around gun violence are why Rivera originally sought public office. She has been working on the focused deterrence strategy for nearly a year but has made no headway with the mayor’s office.
“They have not wanted to partner on bringing the National Network for Safe Communities here. This mayor is about ideology. She's not interested in the hard work to make things better in Seattle,” Rivera said.
Councilmember Robert Kettle, chair of the Public Safety Committee, took issue with the way Wilson described the effort by some councilmembers to initiate a comprehensive gun violence reduction plan
“The mayor said the council is grandstanding and politicking. We don't do that. I do not do that,” Kettle said.
Kettle is especially concerned about the pace of hiring at the Seattle Police Department, and the plan to eliminate financial incentives to attract additional police recruits and lateral transfers.
Any momentum the city had toward reaching a final goal of 1,400 officers could be undone depending on the policies pursued moving forward, according to Kettle. He said the legislative and executive branches don’t appear to be in synch and he is now looking ahead to the upcoming release of Wilson’s city budget proposals. Kettle said they could reveal a lot about the mayor’s public safety priorities.
“I'm concerned about what we're seeing and what we're hearing related to the budget,” Kettle said. “I have great concern related to the Seattle Police Department's budget and where they are looking to take hits, and also potentially the fire department."
A spokesperson for the mayor’s office said the proposed 2027/28 budget will ensure that the values voters selected Wilson for are included while also managing the $175 million deficit the city is facing.
In terms of public safety, the mayor’s office said more police are being sent into neighborhoods with persistent public safety issues, which include Rainier Beach, the Chinatown International District, Little Saigon, North Aurora, and Belltown.
“We made significant street-level investments at 8th and Lane in the Chinatown International District, and we’ve committed resources to Little Saigon as well. On Aurora, SDOT installed street barriers on residential streets at high gun violence locations. We are now working on modifying on-street parking in Belltown,” a statement from the mayor’s office said.
Additionally, crisis care responders are working more hours and thousands of police officer applications are being reviewed while the search for a new police chief continues.
“This week we’ll be sharing an update on our shelter acceleration work and rolling out a comprehensive gun violence reduction strategy. The work to reduce violence and increase safety in Seattle never stops in my office,” the statement said.
Councilmember Eddie Lin said there is nothing more important than public safety for the residents he represents, but he may not be ready to narrow down the options when it comes to adopting a gun violence reduction plan.
“I have a little bit of concern about choosing a specific provider through a resolution rather than our more typical process,” Lin said, citing a lack of sufficient community engagement and analysis on existing contracts with service providers in the public safety realm. “Hiring the consultant doesn't get the work done. The work has to live with the community."
Council President Joy Hollingsworth said she is still reviewing the gun violence reduction plan ahead of Tuesday’s vote. Hollingworth also wants to keep building up communication and trust between the city council and the mayor’s office, and said the real measure will be the work that gets done.
“I think what the most important thing is is people see the results in the city,” Hollingworth said. “How are we doing legislatively? Do people have confidence in City Hall? If that means we have to have more communication with our mayor's office, and better, then we need to do that."
