Police and Public Safety

Activating public spaces is a worthy goal, but it takes welcoming people in with placemaking and guardianship, not banishing those deemed undesirable.

Emboldened by the Supreme Court's sweep-friendly Grants Pass decision, the Seattle City Council is advancing stay out zones in hopes of criminalizing drug abuse, sex work, and homelessness out of existence. History suggests this will not work.

Last year, Uytae Lee of About Here discussed why point access block (single-stair) residential buildings are so good. But a common reaction to the...

Fire departments rightly get high praise for fighting fires, rescuing people, and saving lives. But North American fire departments have been resistant to change...

City and school officials promise a tangible change in safety and student supports when the new school year begins. But they're delivering fewer mental health investments than student groups requested.

Hoping to disrupt the drug trade and prostitution, centrist councilmembers are resurrecting regressive exclusion zone policies that have failed repeatedly in the past.

On Wednesday, Seattle Council’s public safety committee advanced Mayor Bruce Harrell’s proposal to contract with the South Correctional Facility (SCORE) jail to house a limited number of people accused of simple misdemeanors, such as criminal trespass and shoplifting. The proposal comes with logistical challenge and its share of critics.

Seattle Councilmember Bob Kettle has asserted that projects intended to improve traffic safety can negatively impact emergency response. The data to back it up is not there.