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Police and Public Safety

Protesters marching on Ballard Avenue with signs

Dear Seattle City Council: Override Mayor Durkan’s Veto and Divest from Racist Policing

Dear Seattle City Councilmembers, The Urbanist implores you to do the right thing, hold the line, and take an important step toward racial justice. The...
Protestors gather behind a police barricade at the East Precinct building, chanting “Hands up, don’t shoot,” on Sunday, May 31.

Court Monitor Bobb Helped Create Seattle’s Police Reform Mess

Former Mayor Mike McGinn contends Monitor Merrick Bobb's top-down approach doomed Seattle's police reform efforts from the start--long before SPD's recent fall from grace...

The Urbanist Meetup Tonight with Kirsten Harris-Talley, State House Candidate and Former Councilmember

Please join us tonight (September 8th) from 6:15 to 7:30pm for our monthly online meetup featuring Kirsten Harris-Talley, who is running for to represent...
A large contingent of police barricaded 4th Avenue with their bicycles, blocking a route out of Westlake Park. (Photo by Robert Cruikshank)

Seattle Police Fleecing City with Overtime, Report Shows

As Seattle pored over its police department budget this year, one thing that stuck out like a sore thumb was $30 million in planned...

Three Upcoming Urbanist Events You Should Not Miss

We may be trapped in our houses still due a failing federal government, but that doesn't mean we can't connect with our fellow urbanists...
Mayor Jenny Durkan gave soon-to-retire Police Chief Carmen Best some flowers to express her gratitude during a press conference about blocking police budget cuts in the Norm Rice room at City Hall. (Seattle Channel)

Mayor Durkan Vetoes Rebalancing Package Decrying Police Cuts, ‘Irresponsible’ Investments

Mayor Jenny Durkan again reached for her veto pen today, nixing the entire rebalancing package passed on August 10th. The Seattle City Council was...
Several sheriff vehicles park on Pine Street in Downtown Seattle next to the light rail station.

The Proliferation of Cars Has Driven Overpolicing and Crimes Waves

As the Seattle City Council voted to trim its 1400-strong sworn police force by 100 officers, critics suggested crime would increase. Some armchair criminologists...
Chief Best with a Downtown Seattle buildings and street behind her. Video is here: https://www.seattle.gov/police/together

Chief Best Resigns After Seattle Council Trims 100 Police Officer Positions

Chief Carmen Best announced yesterday she would be resigning effective September 2nd in a message to Seattle Police Department (SPD) employees after conservative radio...