Kent passes three ordinances addressing graffiti, drug use in order to combat rising crime rates

With three new ordinances passed to reduce rising crime rates, Kent will crack down on public drug use and panhandling, while also outlawing selling spray paint to minors.

“You can’t drink alcohol and walk down the sidewalk. You can’t use marijuana while you’re out in public. But until this ordinance passed, it wasn’t illegal to use heroin in public,” Kent Mayor Dana Ralph said during a press conference.

While illicit drug use is declining in King County overall, according to Northpoint Substance Abuse Treatment Centers, Kent is facing an all-time high in heroin use, abuse, and trafficking. The use of cocaine and methamphetamine in Kent has declined over the last few years.

“I’m 100% for that,” said Ursula Reutin, co-host of the Gee and Ursula Show, on Friday’s show. “I don’t know how many times I’ve gone to downtown Seattle, anytime I have guests who come to see me, and they’re like, ‘oh my gosh, I saw someone shooting up,’ and it’s sad. It affects everyone around you.”

Deaths in Kent caused by illegal drugs account for 10.5 per 100,000 residents compared to 8.7 deaths attributed to alcohol alone.

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For Kent’s second ordinance preventing public panhandling on roads, Gee Scott, co-host of the Gee and Ursula Show, found himself in agreement due to the pandemic.

“In 2019, pre-pandemic, I would be up in arms about a law preventing you from going up to cars,” Gee said. “After the pandemic and where we are today, I’m not going to encourage you to sit there when somebody comes up to your car. So I don’t disagree with this one either. I really don’t.”

Making spray paint illegal for minors to purchase is a response to increased graffiti, according to the Kent Police Chief. Retailers will have to lock up spray paint for purchase by April 2023.

“I get so frustrated when I see graffiti. And I was thrilled when we heard that the state was going to be painting and erasing some of the graffiti along the freeways,” Ursula said. “While they were doing that Revive I-5 work, no sooner does it get erased, there’s more graffiti again. And it’s just so irritating to me. I love the idea of ‘you know what, why are you buying spray paint?’ ”

“I agree, Ursula. Lock up the spray paint,” responded Gee. “Why? Because usually most people going in to buy spray paint, they up to no good.”

Research data on graffiti from WA Police indicates the main offending age is between 12 to 25 years old from all socioeconomic environments. The largest percentage of offenders are from mid to high-level income families with a median age of 15, according to WA State Graffiti Task Force.

All three ordinances will go into effect Oct. 6.

Listen to Gee Scott and Ursula Reutin weekday mornings from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. on KIRO Newsradio, 97.3 FM. Subscribe to the podcast here.