Seattle Police Department outlines new plan to improve property crime response

In the wake of widespread complaints about the way the Seattle Police Department handles property crimes, the department announced new steps Wednesday that include additional training for officers and potentially changing the way it handles 911 calls.

SPD Chief Operating Officer Mike Wagers detailed the plan to the Seattle City Council’s public safety committee.

SPD leaders will be issuing a department-wide directive to officers outlining the importance of focusing on property crimes. It emphasizes car prowls, burglaries and other similar crimes are “important to the citizens and it’s putting us in touch with offenders we need to engage,” Wagers said.

The plan follows widespread criticism of the department after a series of incidents, including one by Seattle Times columnist Danny Westneat, who chronicled his frustrations with police response after his car was broken into and he tracked his cell phone with the Find My iPhone app only to be told to stand down by 911.

Seattle Police Chief Kathleen O’Toole ordered a review of how the department handles property crime last month following the outcry.

Along with dedicating a technical expert to help officers quickly track stolen electronic devices, SPD is also providing comprehensive instructions and training, Wagers said.

The department will also create a new team to examine how SPD handles digital technologies including GPS signals and digital images of suspected criminals taken by citizens. It will report back to the chief in January.

SPD is also looking to partner with private companies to create a way to better track and manage crime reports from a variety of sources, ranging from a traditional filing at a police station to information that comes in through social media, to better respond.

Among the biggest changes is the way SPD handles 911 calls, according to Wagers.

In response to complaints about how long it can take to get through to police for some non-emergency calls, the department will look at a number of steps including dedicating staff to non-emergency calls to reduce wait times, and using new automated software that would give callers other options such as having 911 call back when a dispatcher is free, or even schedule a time for a return call.

SPD’s recent emphasis on “low-level” crimes has led to a noticeable drop in some property crimes in recent months, Wagers said. SPD reported a 34 percent drop in auto thefts and a 25 percent decrease in car prowls from October to November of this year.

“Are we claiming victory? Absolutely not,” Wagers said. “It just shows that by focusing attention on the right places and the right people, we can have an impact.”

Along with the SPD plan, Councilmember Bruce Harrell told The Seattle Times he’s working on a new law that would require pawn shops and other businesses that buy and sell used goods to take digital photos of valuables, like jewelry, and post them to a database used by law enforcement and businesses to help track stolen property. The database is now voluntary.