‘It’s just a false narrative’: Seattle City Attorney denies claims of city’s lenient crime reputation

It has been more than three months since the new Seattle City Attorney, Erika Evans, was sworn into office after beating incumbent candidate Ann Davison with roughly 67% of the vote.

Approximately 100 days removed from Evans’ swearing in, she joined “The Gee and Ursula Show” on KIRO Newsradio to provide an inside look at what has changed across Seattle in relation to crime, and where the administration is headed.

“When you were campaigning, you said what Seattle had been doing was not working,” KIRO host Ursula Reutin said. “So, in simple terms, what is different about your approach, and how quickly should we be seeing results?”

“I think the biggest thing I brought to this role was my experience,” Evans responded. “I started my career as a prosecutor for the city, and I have worked for almost a decade now, specifically in public safety. When I’ve looked at what’s been happening in our city and being someone that’s been actually boots on the ground going after high-level traffickers, cartels, and getting fentanyl off our streets and firearms, I knew we could be doing more here locally to make sure that our city is safer for all people.”

The Seattle City Attorney’s Office has faced several questions about how it plans to prosecute crime, including open-air drug use.

“It’s imperative for new leaders not to double down on failed policies,” Evans said. “And what I’ve said to you, and what I’ve been very clear on, is that we are trying to break the cycle.”

‘False narrative’ claim of lenient crime enforcement meets skeptical response from Gee

In response to Evans’ wish to make Seattle a safer city for the public overall, Ursula asked which specific sectors are being targeted to make those wishes visible in real time.

“What specifically changed under your administration so far, and we’re early into it, but what specifically did you bring into this office?” Ursula asked.

“I think the big difference for me and anyone else that was running was someone that’s actually worked in public safety before,” Evans said. “I think that really matters when you’re leading an office that is, in part, a prosecutor’s office that has to deal with public safety.”

In 2024, an FBI report ranked Seattle as one of the five worst cities for crime across total crime, violent crime, and property crime. Although these statistics predate Evans’ time as Seattle City Attorney, KIRO host Gee Scott cited a well-known narrative that Seattle has been notoriously lenient on crime.

“There’s this narrative that in Seattle, they just let everybody get away with crime. You go to Seattle; you get to get off the hook. What is your response to that?” Gee asked.

“It’s incorrect,” Evans said. “We are charging people in our office, and I think it’s just a false narrative.”

Evans offered few specifics, but claimed her office has made progress in making people “feel safe” in and around downtown Seattle.

“… OK,” Gee replied.

Evans looks to ‘break the cycle’ of poor public drug use prosecution

Ursula highlighted many frustrations among Seattle residents about crime and their fear for their own safety in the city. She questioned Evans about the administration’s policies for public drug use cases following reports that more than 660,000 needles were strewn across the city and recently cleaned up.

“There are many people who are feeling fearful for their own safety and about even going downtown because of the open drug use,” Ursula said. “What is your office’s policy in terms of those kinds of cases? Is the messaging to the police department, ‘Hey, just let them continue to do what they’re doing, because they’re not committing felonies?'”

“No, absolutely not. That’s not anything close to what I’ve said. The approach that we have is very clear that we are trying to break the cycle,” Evans said. “Again, Ursula, earlier mentioned all the needles that were found in the prior administration, and how what was being done before is not working. I’ve seen how this is different than how Seattle used to look, and it’s imperative for new leaders not to double down on failed policies. What I’ve said to you, and what I’ve been very clear on, is that we are trying to break the cycle.”

How can Seattle measure the success of reduced crime under Evan’s

As for an early report card on what the Evans administration has done well within its first 100 days, Ursula wondered how the successes can be measured, and how the public will know that the new policies are making a real positive impact.

“What are your metrics for success? What do you look at to say, ‘OK, what I’m doing, and my different approach is going to work, or is working?” Ursula asked.

“I think what I want to see and what I want for all of us to feel is safe as we walk in areas of downtown,” Evans said. “I think of the waterfront and how that’s been a great project, and you can feel safe walking in those areas, and I want all areas of downtown to feel that way.”

KIRO listeners respond to Evans’ interview

“That’s it?!? ‘It’s a false narrative?!?'” one listener texted in during the interview on “The Gee and Ursula Show.”

“Sorry, I think this person is talking in circles,” a resident from Whidbey Island wrote in. “Maybe she has not had time to make a difference. We’ll see.”

“I don’t know why, but I hear her, but I don’t hear her,” Christine from Wallingford texted. “What is she actually going to do? And how do you know it works?”

“Erika Evans has managed to completely avoid answering any of your questions,” another KIRO listener wrote.

Watch the full discussion in the video above.

Listen to Gee and Ursula on “The Gee and Ursula Show” weekday mornings from 9 am to 12 pm on KIRO Newsradio.