Tim Burgess' City View

Human Trafficking: The Evidence is Clear

I'm going to Olympia this afternoon to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee on a package of bills related to the growing problem of human trafficking.

Nicholas Kristof wrote an illuminating article yesterday in The New York Times that described how the Internet has become the primary marketing tool of those who "sell" young women for profit.  It's not a topic we will likely raise at dinner tonight, that's for sure.  But, the commercial sexual exploitation of our children demands moral clarity and a keen focus.

So what are the facts of sex trafficking in our region?

Yesterday, my office completed a compilation and review of criminal prosecutions in Seattle-King County over a 42-month period ending in August 2011.  We found that 67 offenders had been charged and prosecuted over the 42 months.  These 67 individuals had victimized more than 78 girls and women in King County.

We have gathered together key documents from these cases in one place so the public can gain a sense of the psychological abuse and violence committed against these women. As a warning, the documents contain graphic and disturbing information. Details on the cases and links to the case stories are available in this table.

The remarks I will be sharing with our legislators this afternoon follow the jump. 

Potpourri: Seattle Police Doing Good, New York's Almost Crime Free Central Park

Two important factoids this morning.

First, Judy Lightfoot, writing over at Crosscut.com, makes the case for SPD's Crisis Intervention Team and the hundreds of officers with advanced training for dealing with people with mental health challenges.  It's a good piece that showcases the exemplary work done every day by Seattle police officers.

Second, when you think of Central Park in New York City do you shudder and think of runaway crime and disorder?  Would you walk your dog or jog in Central Park after dark?

You may be surprised by what's happened in Central Park in recent years.  A couple of weeks ago, The New York Times reported on a nearly crime-free Central Park.  Smart policing can produce amazing results; it proves that urban crime is not something we must shrug our shoulders over and accept.

And here's another believe it or not factoid out of New York City.  The High Line, an elevated park extending over a mile and designed by James Corner—the same urban designer working on our central waterfront—has been crime free since it opened two-and-a-half years ago.  Crime free!  There hasn't been one reported major crime on the High Line. (Seattle will begin work later this year on our ground-level version of the High Line on Bell Street between Fifth Avenue and First Avenue in Belltown.)

Criminologist Franklin Zimring argues in his new book, The City That Became Safe, that the long-held belief that large urban cities will always have a minimum threshold level of crime is false. He says New York City's experience since 1991—they have eliminated 80% of major crime—proves that smart policing can produce amazing results, even in areas where crime has flourished for years. It will be difficult and require intense focus, but we can do the same here in Seattle.

Traffic and Snow Watchers

Check out road clearing/deicing in your neighborhood or citywide. Watch live traffic cameras.

A New Philosophy of Policing for Seattle

My tenure as chair of the Council's public safety committee will end this afternoon when the Council reorganizes, something we do every two years. 

I've learned a lot over the last four years.  We've accomplished a lot, too.  But one important area where I don't believe we've made as much progress as we should have is in reforming the culture of our Police Department.  I've written about this before here and here.  We also have not effectively wrestled with and abated the persistent and extremely corrosive street crime and disorder that plagues some of our neighborhood business districts. 

As a summation of my work on the public safety committee, I've compiled my thoughts on these two major challenges in a policy essay.  My hope is this paper will spark needed discussions among and between policymakers, law enforcement officers and concerned citizens about the best way we can work together to make our city safer. Please take some time to read it and let me know how you react to these ideas.

Justice Department Findings on Seattle Police

The Department of Justice findings confirm what many, including myself, have believed for some time—our police department can do better.

Chief Diaz, the police command staff, every officer and civilian employee of the Seattle Police Department and the elected leaders of our city should embrace this informed, constructive criticism and work quickly to implement fundamental and sustainable reforms. Rebuilding the public’s trust and confidence in the Police Department is an essential and urgent obligation.

I have great respect and admiration for the good work the officers and civilian employees of the Police Department do every day. The vast majority of our officers do their jobs in a fair and professional manner that meets the high expectations we set.  More on this below.

At the same time, today’s findings raise concerns about management and oversight inside the Police Department, from the command staff down to first-line supervisors. Over the past 20 years or so, we have gone through repeated evaluations of police accountability. Multiple changes to procedures and rules have been implemented. Civilian oversight of the department has been strengthened. Yet, every few years, the same issues resurface. That’s why I believe so strongly that fundamental and sustainable change must be introduced that will change the culture of the Police Department. The Department of Justice findings can serve as a catalyst for transformation. I expect Chief Diaz and his leadership team will work diligently for this type of sustainable change.

Earlier this week, my office and the Mayor’s staff began discussions about completing an independent management, organization and operations assessment of the Police Department. In a time of continued and significant fiscal challenges, such an assessment would provide the Mayor and Council with objective and expert recommendations that would allow us to reduce costs without harming critical public safety services. This assessment will also provide insight and recommendations that would help us respond to the Justice Department’s findings and introduce the sustainable reforms we need to see in the Police Department.

A final comment about those who serve our city as police officers from a blog post from early last February . . .

The police department is staffed with many good people who do their jobs extremely well. I hope we soon begin to hear the proud voices of wisdom and professionalism inside the department.  These are the voices Seattle needs to hear.  These voices belong to the hundreds of officers, detectives and civilians who do it right every hour of their workday, week after week, month after month, year after year.  When these voices are loosed, cultural change will happen very quickly indeed.

Sorting Through Roosevelt Station Area Rezone Conflicts

The City Council's committee handling the Roosevelt neighborhood rezone meets again tomorrow morning at 10:30 a.m. to consider and possibly vote on this package. The Council's decision will be important for the Roosevelt neighborhood but also carries implications for the entire city. It involves balancing different policy priorities, including respecting the needs and values of neighborhoods and managing the City’s strategy to concentrate density around transit centers in order to protect single family homes and reduce suburban sprawl. 

The Council’s decision is complicated by a few very important factors.

Let's Try Something New: Less Punishment and Less Crime

Think that's possible?  I mean, really? 

Can we have less crime and less punishment? The answer is a resounding "Yes!" 

A pilot program launched last February with state prison inmates released to community supervision in Seattle has reduced drug use, crime and days in jail for violations of release conditions, according to a preliminary evaluation presented this morning to the City Council.  The Seattle Times has a story about the program in this morning's paper.

Thank Goodness for Government

At exactly this minute—17 minutes and 43 seconds past eight o'clock in the morning—one week ago today, the alarm sounded at Fire Station 18 in Ballard and Seattle firefighters jumped into action and headed for their rigs.

They were on their way to bring my friend, Dave Carlstrom, back from the dead.

Boeing & Machinists Win!

The Council issued the following statement this afternoon about the tentative agreement reached by Boeing and the Machinists that will keep production of the 737MAX in Renton.  All nine Council members signed the statement.

"We applaud the Boeing Company and the Machinists for working together to reach this tentative agreement. If approved, this contract will invigorate our regional economy and support thousands of jobs for the region. This agreement is an important example of what can be accomplished when business and labor work together to reach mutual understanding. It is a big win for Seattle, the greater Puget Sound region and the state of Washington."

Today's announcement is a huge win for Seattle, for Renton, for all of Washington state. 

The Police, Occupy Protesters and Civil Order

Twelve years ago this week Seattle was rocked by the World Trade Organization (WTO) conference civil disorder.  It was ugly.

Legitimate WTO demonstrators saw their protests disrupted—and their message overshadowed—by individuals who wanted to wage violence against the police, WTO delegates and local businesses.  And because police commanders were not adequately prepared they responded with rapidly escalating interventions, including chemical irritants and rubber bullets.  Chaos reigned in our streets.

In early 2000, the City Council appointed three citizen review panels to determine what happened at the WTO meetings.  I chaired the panel that examined the police response.  Our report to the Council in September of that year included 11 major findings and recommendations, including very specific recommendations on police tactics to maintain order and the use of chemical irritants (see “Finding 3: Large-scale arrests rather than chemical irritants or other less-lethal force should be the tactic of choice in dealing with unlawful assemblies”).

After re-reading that 2000 report, I'm reminded of the vital importance of consistent clarity and boundary setting by the Mayor, the City Council and the Chief of Police. In