Strong rebuke from major Seattle employers to Mayor Wilson over public safety measures

SEATTLE - Dozens of corporations and regional organizations issued a sharp rebuke to Mayor Katie Wilson and members of the Seattle City Council on Thursday, demanding the city immediately scale up public safety measures and revise its current policing strategy.

What we know:

The letter, signed by 35 prominent employers and advocacy groups, cited widespread dissatisfaction and called for specific changes to police staffing, surveillance, 911 response times to how the city attorney should prosecute crimes. 

Among the signatories are major regional brands and organizations, including the Seattle Mariners, Nordstrom, Alaska Air Group, T-Mobile, Microsoft, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Costco, PEMCO, Puget Sound Energy, Kaiser Permanente, Starbucks, Virginia Mason, Zillow, Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, Washington Roundtable and Challenge Seattle. A notable figure on the list is former Governor Chris Gregoire who is the CEO of Challenge Seattle.

Highlighting a recent August poll in which only 34% of voters expressed confidence in the city’s ability to execute an effective public safety plan, the letter stated that there is "real skepticism that City Hall has an adequate plan in place."

To address the issue, the groups are requesting these steps:

• Surveillance cameras: The reactivation of CCTV cameras previously turned off by Mayor Wilson to "help identify and hold offenders accountable."
• Response times: A firm recommitment to a seven-minute standard for 911 response times. The letter cited retailer Nordstrom as a prime example, stating that only 29% of 911 calls from its downtown store receive an officer response.
• Open-air drug markets: A request for City Attorney Erika Evans and Seattle Police Department to shut down open-air drug markets.
• Foot and bike patrols: Regular foot and bicycle police presence in areas experiencing elevated crime rates, such as Little Saigon.
• Staffing deficits: A significant increase in police hiring, noting that Seattle currently maintains 40% fewer officers per capita than Denver and 58% fewer than Boston.
• Camping bans: Clear encampments within 250 feet of a park, playground or school.
• Diversion: Direct specialist with the CARE team to offer illegal drug users treatment and shelter first. For those who refuse the letter stated the steps should be arrests and prosecution.

The letter formally requested that city leaders present a comprehensive public safety action plan within 100 days featuring "measurable goals and monthly progress reports."

During an interview with Seattle City Councilmember Alexis Mercedes Rinck on Thursday we asked her about the letter.   

What they're saying:

At the time Rinck had not read the newly released letter but FOX 13 shared some of the details with Rinck to gauge whether the letter changed her stance on CCTV cameras, something she did not support expanding in the past. 

"Without seeing the letter in this moment, I take the perspective of our key players in the region very seriously. We all have a shared interest in addressing public safety. I look forward to seeing the letter and engaging in those conversations on how we can improve public safety for all of our residents," Rinck said.

The council member also pointed to ongoing city initiatives aimed at optimizing emergency services.

"We know it is important to respond to given public safety scenarios with a quick response and the right response as well, which is why we have also been scaling up our alternative responder programs to really ensure that frontline emergency responders are really tailored and dialed into those really serious public safety scenarios going on."

Rinck added that upcoming council meetings and negotiations in the coming weeks would be critical to addressing these concerns. "We're about to head into budget season, which will be a really important time where we're talking about how our city is investing and in what ways," she said, noting that the council expects to receive a proposed budget from the mayor later this month.

When asked if she had confidence in Mayor Wilson’s leadership for the remainder of her term, Rinck did not directly answer the question except to say the voters chose Wilson.

"Mayor Katie Wilson is the mayor," Rinck said. "She was elected by the people of Seattle, and so that was the voters' decision. I look forward to working with the mayor on a number of issues."

Mayor's Response:

Mayor Wilson issued this statement in response to our inquiry about the letter:

"I appreciate hearing from the business community on our shared priority of increasing safety outcomes for people in Seattle. As they know, many of the specifics requests they made are well underway.

In the last nine months we increased police presence, including foot and bicycle patrols, in several neighborhoods with persistent public safety issues: Rainier Beach, the Chinatown International District, Little Saigon, North Aurora, and Belltown. We are working with residents and business owners to implement changes to the built environment that improve safety and reduce gun violence. Earlier this year, we made significant street-level investments at 8th and Lane in the Chinatown International District, and we’ve committed resources to Little Saigon as well.  On Aurora, SDOT installed street barriers on residential streets at high gun violence locations. We are now working on modifying on-street parking in Belltown.

We’ve more than doubled crisis care responders’ hours, have 3,500 police officer applications in the queue, and are actively recruiting a new police chief. Next week we’ll be sharing an update on our shelter acceleration work and rolling out a comprehensive gun violence plan. The work to reduce violence and increase safety in Seattle never stops in my office.

Seattle is making progress, step by step. While any violence is too much violence, it is important to understand that SPD data show shootings and homicides at their lowest in a decade. And yet, we have far too much crime and public disorder and people have a right to be frustrated. I, like everyone in Seattle, want to see that progress happen faster and steadier.

When we work in collaborative, transparent partnership on these goals, we make real progress on what matters most – creating a Seattle that is comfortable, safe, and prosperous."

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