It seems that all cities are dealing with violence. This past Friday at a news conference, Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell said officers have made 23 felony arrests in the area already in the first three weeks of 2022. As part of his public safety plan, Harrell said police will target high crime areas. Harrell was the first candidate to pledge cabinet level position to coordinate gun violence response and prevention, earning backing of community and faith leaders committed to violence reduction.
But the challenge for this new administration is getting more police officers. Mayor Harrell went on to say the staffing levels are just unacceptable something Nate Foy, who manages La Cocina Oaxaquena in Capitol Hill, says is a major problem. “I’ve been here for three years and there have been countless incidents where police don’t show up or they show up a little too late,” said Foy. Foy says he’s had eight break-ins since the start of the pandemic and now he’s left with fixing these windows with bullet holes. After police say 40 shots were fired Sunday morning during what they’re calling a gun battle near Pine and Melrose.
King County’s gun statistics show:
Nearly 1/4 of King County households have at least one gun; Risk of completed firearm suicide among King County youth is nine times higher when firearms are stored unlocked; 39,000 children in King County are living in homes with unlocked firearms; Homicide rate by firearms is 20 times higher in some areas of the County than others; Statewide, guns were involved in 84 incidents in a school setting during the 2011-2012 school year.
King County states: “King County has star ted to understand this problem locally, but there’s more work to be done. We need even more comprehensive data and better evaluation of prevention programs. We will continue to provide leadership and convene partners from across sectors to end these avoidable tragedies.”
Harell pledges: “As Mayor, I’ll do what is needed not just to prevent headline grabbing tragedies like we saw this weekend, but the quieter epidemic of suicide and heartbreaking rise in firearm domestic violence cases.”
“Let’s be clear: none of these are ‘random’ acts of gun violence. In every case, an individual with malice, fear or hatred in their heart had access to a deadly weapon. To address the root causes of gun violence, we need to also address the ease and overabundance of guns in our city and society.
“Here is what we know works, and what I pledge to do as Mayor:
“Establish a cabinet level position to coordinate action and intervention, from community outreach to law enforcement engagement, making sure we share data across jurisdictions, tracking guns and violent individuals, and leveraging state and federal resources.
Redouble effective community-led programs that have street-level knowledge and relationships to defuse potentially violent situations, identify potential trouble in advance, and isolate those who would bring guns and violence to our communities.
Improve police response and staffing, including patrol officers, specialists in de-escalation and crisis intervention, and community liaisons to create seamless – and trusted – law enforcement engagement.
Invest in proven technology to track gunshots and hold offenders accountable, including proven systems like Automatic Gunfire Locator Systems that I advocated for on City Council, and will implement as Mayor through a pilot project to measure effectiveness and ensure protection of rights.
Expand awareness and enforcement of Extreme Risk Protection Orders and other tools to remove guns from the homes of potentially violent people, including those in crisis or who pose a threat to their loved ones.
Fight at the state and federal levels for stronger gun laws, limiting both the number and types of weapons that can enter our city, how they are stored, and where they can be carried. We have to do what is needed to protect our families and peace of mind.”
