Ross: Have Seattleites gone soft on crime?

The Seattle Police Department recently came out with some advice on what to do if a burglar breaks in while you’re at home. The advice… is to get out, ASAP:

“We don’t know if they’re under the influence – we don’t know a lot of things,” Jennifer Danner said.

Jennifer Danner is a crime prevention coordinator, and she says you should have an escape plan for a burglary just as you would for a fire:

“What if someone tries to come in the front door? What is my safety plan? My safety plan is getting the heck out the back door. But what if the back door is not the option. Now I might need to consider a window,” Danner continued.

So, her advice is to retreat. But isn’t her advice just adding to the wussification of Seattle:

“Seattle was built by lumberjacks, fisherman, and people who believed in fighting for what was theirs. And now it’s run and hide as quick as you can.”

That’s our own Dori Monson – who pointed out that Washington is a stand your ground state. And yes – the founders of Seattle were tougher. Although to be fair, those lumberjacks and fishermen kind of took over land that was already being used by other people, so there might be a little pushback about who had the right to self-defense in those days.

But when it comes to our current crime wave, you could certainly argue that the advice to run and hide is like surrendering to the bad guys.

So, here’s what I think.

I think your number one duty – if you walk in on a burglar – is to keep yourself alive – period. Because your stuff can be replaced. You cannot.

Nobody’s last words should be “well at least I defended the Rolex.”

But at the same time – I would like the burglars to think that everybody is a Dori Monson listener:

“Washington is a stand your ground state.”

Therefore – you have your escape plan ready, like the cops recommend – but you also put NRA stickers in your windows and a big old American flag on the garage.

And whenever you’re outside doing yard work where passers-by can see you …have your radio on KIRO between 12-3 turned up just a little louder than necessary…

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