MYNORTHWEST NEWS

Senator’s bill aims to prevent a second CHOP in Seattle, other cities

Jul 3, 2020, 5:11 AM | Updated: Jul 6, 2020, 8:33 am

CHOP...

The former entrance to the Capitol Hill Occupied Protest in early June. (Nicole Jennings/KIRO Radio)

(Nicole Jennings/KIRO Radio)

New legislation from a state senator would try to deter any other Washington city from allowing its own version of a CHOP-like protest to go forward.

Sen. Steve O’Ban’s (R-University Place) bill, set to be introduced when the next legislative session starts in January, would set financial penalties for cities or counties that withdraw law enforcement from any neighborhood.

He wrote the bill in direct response to the CHOP situation, which ended Wednesday when Seattle police retook the East Precinct after more than three weeks of being away from the area. The city made the decision to send police in to occupy the precinct once more after four shootings took place in or near the CHOP within 10 days, killing two teenagers.

“It was deplorable, and I don’t want that to ever happen again,” O’Ban said. “The Legislature needs to make sure that city leadership — whether it’s Seattle or any other city — never gives up on a community or neighborhood, withdraws essential services like fire and police, again.”

Seattle protesters face off with police overnight on Capitol Hill

O’Ban’s bill would withhold some state funding for law enforcement from any law enforcement jurisdictions that allow a cop-free zone to be created, and would fine them up to $10,000 each day that it went on.

“We shouldn’t be spending taxpayers’ money on services that cities are not providing to some of their citizens,” he said.

However, he emphasized that he does not want to have to get to the point of punishing cities — he would much rather this policy deter a future CHOP from ever forming again.

O’Ban said he supports the spirit of public activism that created the CHOP, but never wants to see police called out of a neighborhood by city leadership. He feels that in the three weeks police were out of the six-block zone, the movement deteriorated as crime ran rampant.

“I believe in the right to peacefully assemble, and exercise free speech, and to call for necessary law enforcement reforms, but that’s not what [CHOP] became,” he said. “It was initially maybe peaceful, but it devolved into something far worse … a kind of lawless environment, particularly when the message was sent that law enforcement was not welcome.”

Seattle Police and Seattle Fire had said they couldn’t send first responders in after recent shootings because it was not safe. O’Ban doesn’t fault them, but instead feels city leadership should have prevented the situation from getting to that point in the first place. He blames Mayor Jenny Durkan, members of the Seattle City Council, and others for not just allowing the CHOP to go on, but for, as he sees it, embracing the removal of police from a precinct.

“I think references to ‘summers of love’ [a reference to a quote by Mayor Durkan earlier this month] and certain city council members who were certainly championing it and even, after the fact, say they think CHOP should have continued to exist, tells you that you’ve got Seattle city leadership that has missed its priorities. … I hope the city has learned its lesson, but I’m not entirely confident that it has.”

KIRO Radio has reached out to Seattle Police Chief Carmen Best for comment.

MyNorthwest News

Photo: On Monday, Mayor Bruce Harrell announced there will be 16 new preschool classrooms across Se...

Julia Dallas

Harrell’s office announces Seattle preschool slots for thousands of kids

Thousands more families will have the chance to start their children's Seattle preschool education earlier, thanks to a program launching.

3 hours ago

Digital...

Micki Gamez

How parents can help prevent children from falling victim to online sex crimes

Chances are, if your teen has a cell phone or tablet, they either know someone or they have been the victim of an online sex crime because kids as young as seven are online more than ever. My interest in this story began almost the same time last year when my daughter came home and […]

7 hours ago

Pierce County Jail...

Bill Kaczaraba

Pierce County Corrections chief at odds with the employee guild

The Corrections Bureau's Guild has issued Patti Jackson a vote of 'no confidence,' as reported by The Tacoma News Tribune.

8 hours ago

Image: A Seattle Police Department vehicle seen during the day...

Sam Campbell

Security guard stabbed, suspect barricades inside Beacon Hill apartment

SWAT officers surrounded a complex in Seattle's Beacon Hill neighborhood after police said a man stabbed a guard barricaded himself inside.

10 hours ago

seattle indecent exposure...

Frank Sumrall

Seattle man arrested for 14 counts of indecent exposure, most near schools

A 34-year-old man was arrested by Seattle police (SPD) in connection to 14 counts of indecent exposure near Lake Forest Park.

10 hours ago

Federal Way shootings...

Bill Kaczaraba

Federal Way Police say two shootings are related

Police believe two shootings in Federal Way are related.

12 hours ago

Senator’s bill aims to prevent a second CHOP in Seattle, other cities