Seattle Reconsiders ‘Defunding the Police’ Due to Rising Crime
The city of Seattle is rethinking the idea of defunding the police, as serious crimes like murder and car theft have risen in the progressive enclave.
The new mayor is trying to respond to concerns about public safety but it’s difficult to put this genie back in the bottle.
FOX News reports:
Seattle reverses course on defunding police as crime ravages locals: ‘A huge crisis’Seattle residents Victoria Beach, Eli Hoshor and Jonathan Choe said police shortages have left their city in dire straits in the aftermath of officials’ anti-law enforcement rhetoric.Homicides skyrocketed by 24% while motor vehicle thefts climbed by 30% in the city last year. Overall crime ticked up by 4%.Mayor Bruce Harrell pushed for increased police presence to curb the issue Tuesday, saying, “We need immediate action and innovation to respond to our public safety issues… Seattle saw a 4% rise in reported crime last year… We need more officers to address our staffing crisis.”Still, some residents’ outlook is less than optimistic.”Right now, I don’t have a lot of hope,” Beach told Todd Piro Wednesday on “Fox & Friends First.””I think the mayor is on the right track, but Seattle is in a huge crisis. Our city has been destroyed, and we’re not going to get it back anytime soon,” she added.Beach said she agrees that the city needs more police to help cut back on crime, saying the situation is currently a “free for all.””If you want to commit a crime, move to Seattle,” she said.
The Seattle Times has more on the mayor’s recent address:
Harrell said he would use “unabashed boldness” to revamp the center city, which, like downtowns of most major cities, has been slow to rebound from coronavirus-related closures and an uptick in crime.The mayor said he will introduce a Downtown Activation Plan in the coming months to spell out immediate and long-term changes to lure people back downtown, noting that a rebuilt downtown will be different from what has been seen before.“It’s the time for bold action. That’s why our long-term plans center downtown as a laboratory for the future,” Harrell said, suggesting zoning changes to allow housing in vacant office buildings and potentially establishing a “24/7 street” for late-night businesses — where “you can find a restaurant, bar, grocery, or your favorite clothing boutique at any hours of the day” — as ways to propel downtown forward.Harrell offered few details of the actual plan, noting it will take time.“Some cynics may demand the exact blueprint for our entire new downtown immediately,” Harrell said. “We need to do this right. It has to be sustainable. And we’re working seven days a week to deliver.”
According to talk host Jason Rantz, who lives in Seattle, the city is having trouble retaining police officers:
Why wouldn’t people want to serve as police officers in Seattle?
It’s a real mystery.
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