Seattle’s Mayor, Police Chief announce extra patrols for holidays
Nov 22, 2019, 2:38 PM | Updated: 3:32 pm
(KTTH, Jason Rantz)
(KTTH, Jason Rantz)
Just in time for the holiday shopping season, Seattle Police are increasing their presence across the city.
“The Seattle Police Department will be doing extra holiday patrols,” Mayor Jenny Durkan said at a Thursday news conference. The extra foot and bicycle patrols will be deployed in nine city areas starting November 30th.
“We want all of our merchants and our families to feel safe, and to be able to enjoy the season without worrying about whether there is an uptick on crime or problems with shopping,” Durkan said.
“Our Winter Holiday patrols contribute to the vitality of our neighborhoods, and the safety of our residents and visitors,” said Chief Carmen Best. “We are increasing these extra patrols by more than 20 percent compared to last year. Every precinct will benefit.”
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Neighborhoods that will see high volume of holiday shoppers and holiday events with emphasis patrols will include: Ballard, Downtown retail core between 3rd and 6th Avenues between Olive and Union, Capitol Hill, Fremont, Columbia City, University Village, University District, Westwood Village/Roxhill Park, and West Seattle Junction/California Ave SW.
“We have a duty to make our neighborhoods and communities safer – and we will do all we can to make sure residents and visitors feel safe as they enjoy all that Seattle has to offer during the holiday season. We will continue to advance livability and public safety through data-driven, proactive strategies and listening to community,” said Mayor Durkan.
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“I will continue to work closely with Chief Best and other members of my Cabinet to monitor the impact of these extra patrols. I am grateful to our SPD officers who are helping ensure that people feel safe during the holidays in Seattle.”
The city says SPD will have specific safety plans for Black Friday and New Year’s Eve.
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