Angela Poe Russell: Politicians’ public safety promises falling flat in Seattle
Dec 18, 2024, 1:50 PM
Crime scene in Seattle's Chinatown-International District, forcing a nearby bus stop located at the 12th Avenue South and South Jackson Street intersection to close. (Photo courtesy of KIRO 7)
(Photo courtesy of KIRO 7)
Call me naïve, but I still believe the government should work for everyone, whether you’re rich or poor, young or old. Your color or your class shouldn’t mean different treatment by government agencies.
So when I saw that Metro Transit had to suspend a route due to safety concerns, it made me angry and sad. The suspended stop is located at 12th Avenue S. and Jackson Street in Seattle’s Chinatown-International District. While it’s not known as the wealthy neighborhood, there are a lot of hard working people there, small businesses and senior citizens.
The fact that the city couldn’t protect their ability to safely catch a bus at their preferred stop is embarrassing and unacceptable.
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The problems in the area are no secret. The Seattle Police Department’s (SPD) own numbers showed an increase in certain crimes this year compared to last. In 2024, 164 aggravated assaults and 74 robberies occurred in that one small neighborhood.
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That’s more than one robbery a week and more than a dozen assaults a month. That isn’t normal and even though you may not live there, the policies and practices that allow this to happen are something we all should call out.
This time last year many Seattle residents were feeling optimistic. The mayor had a new council in place that leaned more to the center and they talked a good game about public safety.
Seattle Police now have a well-respected interim police chief in Sue Rahr. Yet, here we are.
I can’t make assumptions about why; but here’s what I do know for sure: Where there is a will there’s a way. And when the Major League Baseball All-Star Game came to Seattle, the city cleaned up the area fast. The city glistened and shined.
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Going back further to the pandemic, necessity forced us to adapt and pivot and do things we never imagined.
So make no mistake, the city can solve this and I’m personally asking them to do so. Do for them what you would do for tourists and with the care you would want for your own neighborhood.
The government should work harder on this issue, so that vulnerable people impacted, don’t have to.
Angela Poe Russell is a Seattle-based media personality and a fill-in host on KIRO Newsradio. You can read more of her commentaries and stories here
