KIRO NEWSRADIO OPINION

‘Bad news for Seattle’: Curley worried San Francisco drug crackdown will push addicts north

Feb 22, 2026, 6:47 AM | Updated: 7:11 am

After reports of the new mayor of San Francisco’s desire to allow officers to arrest people engaged in public drug use at a “speed and volume” never seen before, John Curley, host of “The John Curley Show” on KIRO Newsradio, explained how the trickle-down effects would negatively impact Seattle.

Curley noted San Francisco’s Reset Center would provide people with an addiction three options: go to a shelter, get treatment, or go to jail. Rather than pick from the three solutions in San Francisco, Curley believed they’d choose to leave for Seattle, where the city is much more lax.

“This is good news for San Francisco, bad news for Seattle,” Curley said. “The people in San Francisco who don’t want to go to jail and don’t want to get hassled by the cops will get to Seattle. They’ve heard from other people about Seattle. Seattle is a great place. The drugs are really cheap. There are lots of different charities and nonprofits that will feed you. You can sleep on the streets, you can do whatever you want, and the cops won’t bother you. Go to where it’s good.”

Seattle’s ‘crappy’ drug treatment not built for recovery

Curley laid out how San Francisco plans to enforce its new policy and why Seattle would fail in attempting to do the same thing due to the city’s poor treatment programs.

“Cops come in. You’re smoking, shooting, whatever you’re doing. If I see you do it, bang, grab you. We go ahead and give you treatment. If you don’t want to do that, you go to jail. That’s it. The problem with Seattle is we’re very caring with everybody’s money, and we’re willing to spend everybody’s money on a bunch of crappy programs that really don’t do anything; we’re not asking anything of them.

“You’ve basically given up on that person. That’s the kind of love you get from Seattle,” Curley continued. “They’ll take the money from you, and they’ll apply it to their crappy programs, and you will see more people on the streets dying.”

Watch the full discussion in the video above.

Listen to John Curley weekday afternoons from 3 – 7 p.m. on KIRO Newsradio, 97.3 FM. Subscribe to the podcast here.

Please follow our Community Guidelines
John Curley on KIRO Newsradio 97.3 FM
  • listen to tom and curleyTune in to KIRO Newsradio weekdays at 3pm for The John Curley Show.

John Curley

KIRO Newsradio Opinion

Follow @https://twitter.com/jcurleyshow...

John Curley Show

‘Washington has run out of cash’: Curley analyzes the state’s $614 million misconduct payout crisis

Washington’s payouts and legal costs for government misconduct have grown to an all-time high, notching $614 million in the past fiscal year.

11 hours ago

income tax wa millionaires...

Jake Skorheim and Spike O'Neill Show

‘He should just go back to Europe’: Jake responds to Rick Steves’ support for Washington’s millionaires’ tax

Jake urges Rick Steves to reconsider as WA income tax heads for the November ballot. Discover their perspectives on this key issue.

11 hours ago

leavenworth tourism wa...

Gee Scott and Ursula Reutin Show

‘Be careful what you wish for’: Ursula warns Leavenworth residents as they complain of sky-high tourism

Leavenworth faces challenges as tourism surges, prompting residents to voice concerns over its impact on their community.

11 hours ago

katie wilson presser...

Jake Skorheim and Spike O'Neill Show

‘Did she say anything at all?’ Jake gives Wilson’s delivery a B+ as KIRO reporter warns her messaging is ‘eroding trust’

KIRO host Jake Skorheim gave Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson a B+ for her delivery at Friday's news conference.

22 hours ago

SPD Chief Shon Barnes...

Gee Scott and Ursula Reutin Show

‘I’m the one who told him’: Gee reveals he broke the news to former SPD chief that Katie Wilson was pushing him out

KIRO host Gee Scott revealed he was the one who broke the news to now-former Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes that he was going to be asked to resign.

1 day ago

blue angels the seattle times...

Charlie Harger

Harger: The Seattle Times wants to ban the Blue Angels. I’ve changed my mind. They’re right

Thanks to The Seattle Times' editorial board, I've changed my mind. The Blue Angels don't belong in modern Seattle. Not because they're loud. Not because they're military. Because they're just too exciting.

1 day ago

‘Bad news for Seattle’: Curley worried San Francisco drug crackdown will push addicts north