New Downtown Seattle Association website will act as forum for public to cite nuisance crimes

SEATTLE -- Despite police efforts, many people say they don't feel safe in downtown Seattle. Now, a new website could become a forum to voice frustrations about repetitive crimes.

Brianna Bray doesn't come to Capital Hill much because aggressive panhandlers can be intimidating. She's not alone. The Downtown Seattle Association says people who go downtown often complain of harassment, drug dealing and vandalism.

This week, the association launched a new website for people to report those ongoing safety concerns.

Downtown Seattle Association spokesman James Sido said, "The hope is to make downtown a more inviting place to be, an inviting place to live and to work."

The website is called the Downtown Safety Connection. It is not for emergencies and shouldn't be used in replace of 911. People can use the site to report nuisances such as graffiti, panhandlers and other concerns.

The association said it will follow up on every report and make sure someone is doing something about it.

For more information visit http://www.downtownseattle.com/safety/