Money to burn (a 150% cost overrun) on a fire station that is eight years behind schedule? Check.
Time to evaluate the effectiveness of requiring stickers on gas pumps telling drivers that burning fuel contributes to climate change? Check.
Money to use Wi-Fi readers to track your mobile devices across the city? Check.
Free birth control from the schools without parental notification? Check.
Money for rainbow sidewalks to fight crime? Check.
$20 rebate cards for car tabs that cost the city $37 apiece? Check.
A ban on throwing food and food waste in trash? Check.
Time to evaluate changing the name of Columbus Day? Check.
Money and time to devote to the local police department and evaluating its effectiveness and the force? Uh, sorry about that!
Seattle Mayor Ed Murray (l) standing on a rainbow sidewalk that will fight crime.
A frustration with slow police response times have a Seattle neighborhood joining a trend of communities buying additional security. A Magnolia resident tells MyNorthwest.com, “It’s not a hot area, it is really a safe neighborhood. But we always get hit with property crimes, which is a low priority call for the Seattle Police Department. Like burglaries, car prowls, break-ins — those things that are not as serious as a shooting or an assault.”
The residents certainly care about these crimes so they found their own solution – they joined other Seattle neighborhoods that hire their own security force to supplement police presence. The first patrols began December 4 after nearly a year of planning.
The resident had a passing conversation about Magnolia crime at his local Starbucks which inspired him to organize a community gathering at a local church to discuss the issue and gauge interest. “Word got out pretty quickly,” he said. “By that time I got over 300 people in the room, which I didn’t anticipate.”
Ultimately, the Magnolia Community Patrol was born. Residents voluntarily pay $250 per year, which goes into a pool to pay for a mix of off-duty police officers or private security. Central Protection is the local company that provides that private security.
Even if a neighbor doesn’t pay into the patrol, the entire neighborhood is covered. But those who do pay the $250 get perks. Security — either off-duty police officers or private security personnel — will check on their homes if they are gone for vacation. “We know that police officers are more reactive and private security is more proactive,” Villarino said. “Just getting people out there will decrease the property crimes. We see that in the other models of neighborhood patrols.”
Other Seattle neighborhoods have local, private security as well. The Magnolia neighborhood modeled its patrol from other Seattle neighborhoods, such as Laurelhurst, Windermere, and Whittier Heights, all of which have residents that pay for additional security. “We like to call it, ‘the Seattle way.’ You are investing in your neighborhood. You’re investing in the whole neighborhood,” said Brad Renton, President of the Whittier Heights Patrol Association.
The security doesn’t replace Seattle police who apparently only respond if the crime is serious enough. The off-duty police officers, or private security, will monitor and respond to 911 calls, but they also engage the community. If they see something suspicious, they’ll investigate it. Patrols don’t cover neighborhoods 24 hours a day, seven days a week. They are random — occurring anytime of day or night.
Crime in Magnolia and Whittier Heights is sparsely reported by Seattle police, compared to other parts of the city. Reports from early December in Magnolia, so far, are primarily of auto thefts and car prowls. There are also some reports of assaults, threats, and property damage. The Seattle crime map doesn’t distinguish between north Seattle neighborhoods, but recent crime in Whittier Heights include bike thefts, assault, robbery, and a dog bite.
A resident of Whittier Heights said that, like Magnolia, property crimes are of chief concern in his neighborhood, aside from a few trouble spots. It’s been worth the $250. “Anybody here would say it’s like a double taxation. We are paying for security, we are paying for police. We just were not getting any coverage at all,” Renton said. “I don’t like paying it. My taxes are high like everybody else in this neighborhood. So $250, for most people that is not a small piece of change.”
My solution to lack of police patrols.
It may hit Whittier Heights pockets a bit harder than their counterparts. The median household income in Whittier Heights is $84,771. In Magnolia, it’s $106,103. The Magnolia resident said, “Even though we pay taxes, a lot of us just felt that we as a whole should look out for each other, because it’s the right thing to do.”
Maybe Seattle residents should look at the list at the top of this page to see how their representatives are looking out for their tax dollars?
I don’t feel bad for the people of Seattle one bit. Elections have consequences.
DCG