‘Care teams, all they have is hugs’: Jake says stolen CARE vehicle shows police should respond first

The theft of a Seattle crisis response vehicle by the person its team had been sent to help gave KIRO host Jake Skorheim more reason to argue that police, not unarmed CARE responders, should handle volatile calls first.

“Care teams, all they have is hugs,” Jake said on “The Jake and Spike Show” on KIRO Newsradio.

A Community Assisted Response and Engagement (CARE) vehicle was stolen Wednesday around 10 p.m. while two responders were doing a welfare check in Seattle’s Greenwood neighborhood.

One responder left the keys in the ignition, believing that was necessary to keep the amber lights on. Seattle Police Department Detective Shane Weatherford confirmed that the person who took the vehicle was the same person the responders were helping. The responder radioed police right away, and several units arrived and secured the vehicle.

A CARE Department spokesperson told KIRO Newsradio it was the first time a CARE vehicle had been stolen.

‘Probably not more Care Bears’

Jake, who regularly calls the responders “Care Bears,” mocked how the night unfolded.

“Now, who are you going to call? Probably not more Care Bears. So they call the real police,” Jake said.

He noted that the person was arrested and booked into jail.

“The person was then arrested and booked into King County Jail, which is probably what should have happened to begin with,” Jake said.

KIRO host Spike O’Neill explained that CARE was created on the idea that armed officers aren’t always the right fit for calls where someone needs mental health help or de-escalation. However, Spike was surprised to learn how much control the department has over that decision.

“What I didn’t know before this story was that when you call 911, it’s the care team that takes the call,” Spike said.

He told Jake the incident supported his position.

“I think this story helps your argument,” Spike said.

Jake wants CARE to follow police, not lead

Jake argued that CARE responders should arrive only after officers have made a scene safe.

“But why not let them come in after the police have already dealt with the scary situation? Again, CARE doesn’t know what they’re showing up to. They’re not armed,” Jake said.

Spike contrasted the two. Officers can escalate their response with tools such as less-lethal options until a situation is under control, he explained. CARE responders can’t.

“CARE teams don’t have that,” Spike said.

Hosts compare police and CARE budgets

Jake pointed to Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson’s proposed 2027 budget, which he said would increase the Seattle Police Department’s (SPD) budget to $556 million from $488 million. That spending still needs Seattle City Council approval.

He noted that SPD is short-staffed, with roughly 900 deployable officers compared with the 1,250 the department wants.

He then compared CARE’s budget, which he put at about $80 million, with what he described as about 40 deployable responders.

“That’s some money wasting right there in my book,” Jake said. “I could be wrong, but I would not be spending all that money on care. I’d be sending that money to the SPD.”

Spike agreed.

“I think it would serve the city better to have more police officers on the streets,” he said.

Spike still sees value in CARE responders, but Jake would limit them to follow-up work.

“As an after-the-fact, I agree with you there,” Jake said.

Jake calls the approach ideological

Jake believes Wilson favors CARE because of her past support for defunding the police and her strained relationship with SPD. He pointed to the departure of former Police Chief Shon Barnes and to the dispute over who delayed public updates after the Bite of Seattle shooting.

“So I do think it’s an ideological thing,” Jake said.

Spike described the theft as a chance for the department to change its procedures so it doesn’t happen again. Jake had his own idea.

“They should probably get some new cars with their $80 million budget. Ones that you can carry the key fob with you, so you can’t drive off in the car,” Jake said.

Watch the full discussion in the video above.

Listen to “The Jake and Spike Show” weekdays from noon to 3 p.m. on KIRO Newsradio 97.3