Seattle neighborhoods start petition for more police

Seattle residents are speaking up about their frustration with local police.

It’s not that they are too hands on, or aggressive, rather they aren’t around.

According to the Make Seattle Safe Again online petition, citizens of Queen Anne, Magnolia, Fremont and Ballard are urging the City of Seattle to increase numbers of police in their neighborhoods. The petition states that criminal activity has become an epidemic in the area, but police presence remains lacking, and response to 911 calls continues to be slow.

Magnolia neighbors have recently put private security on its roads to make up for a lack of police coverage. They are now among a handful of Seattle communities that are pulling money out of their pockets to supplement the police force they feel are often absent. Whittier Heights in Ballard is also a community paying for additional security coverage.

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The online petition expresses a similar sentiment:

It is apparent that these neighborhoods have experienced a significant and dramatic increase in criminal activity in recent months. Many of our neighbors and businesses report being victims of or witnessing crimes including home break-ins (some while occupied), stolen vehicles, stolen bicycles and other property, various property crimes, illegal narcotic distribution, known narcotic distribution sites, burglary, trespassing, and an overall concerning increase in suspicious activity.

Many residents in these neighborhoods are no longer feeling protected and safe, and are concerned for their children and their own safety. Slow or no response to citizens’ calls regarding criminal activity and a expressed de-prioritization of property and drug crimes by the Mayor’s office have appeared to increase criminal activity in these neighborhoods as “safe to commit crime zones” instead of “safe from crime zones” which the tax payers in these neighborhoods deserve.

The petition’s goal is 1,000 signatures. At the time of this publication, it had gathered more than 400. Comments on the petition echo each other claiming that the areas have become riddled with homeless encampments, open drug use, and property crimes.

One anonymous commenter said:

Please help us! It has become frightening to walk up and down Leary at night, and the Burke Gilman trail is covered in trash, needles, and threatening characters at every turn. Seattle is an amazing city – if we come together, we can make our neighborhoods safe again.

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Other reports of crime in Seattle neighborhoods have also recently gone viral such as this video a Magnolia business took of a broken down RV allegedly selling drugs in front of its building.

The argument is not just being made by residents. The Seattle Police Officer’s Guild has also said that police presence is lacking in Seattle. Guild President Ron Smith recently told KIRO Radio’s Jason Rantz that Seattle’s police force is underfunded and understaffed compared to similar cities. He said that patrols are lacking in many neighborhoods.