Pinehurst Seattle

Hello to North Seattle! My name is Brian Stampfl and I am the new Seattle Police Department North Precinct Captain. I’d like to offer a quick introduction of myself. But before I do, I have to thank Captain Eric Sano who has done an amazing job supporting the North Precinct and the communities it serves. Captain Sano is well, but he was asked to take command of SPD’s East Precinct. As you may know, the East Precinct was, and still is, the focal point of numerous protests over the last few months. It was just outside the doors of the East Precinct that the makeshift community called CHAZ, which was later renamed CHOP, was formed. The East Precinct has undergone a few changes and was searching for a strong leader who could reconnect with the Capitol Hill community and reestablish those relationships that may have been strained during those difficult times. Captain Sano is an amazing person and will be missed here at the North Precinct. I am grateful to him for his service and allowing me to take command of an amazing precinct.

About Me: I have been with the Seattle Police Department for twenty-five years. Prior to my arrival here at the North Precinct, I was assigned to the West Precinct. As a Lieutenant, I worked as a watch commander where I supervised the second watch patrol officers and their sergeants. I was then appointed to the Operations Lieutenant position where I served as second in command to the Captain of the precinct and supervised our Anti-Crime Team (ACT), Community Police Team (CPT), Burglary Unit, and our staff assigned to the Seattle Center. I spent many years in the Investigations Bureau, where I worked as a detective and supervisor, to include the Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Unit, Domestic Violence Unit, and our Crime Scene Investigations Unit.

Prior to having been promoted to Captain, I made it well known to anyone who would listen that I wanted to become a precinct commander. There is no other position in SPD that offers the opportunity to engage so closely with the community and provide leadership to so many excellent officers as we work to meet the community’s needs. I am honored to have been chosen to take command of the North Precinct and will do my best to provide excellent service on behalf of the Seattle Police Department.

While I realize that the COVID situation prevents large gatherings, I look forward to opportunity to meet the members of NPAC, other community members and business leaders. Together I hope to make a positive difference, one that we will both be proud of.

Addressing Homeless Issues:

It didn’t take but a few minutes in my new position to realize that homeless encampments, along with the associated crimes, socially unacceptable behavior, and general filth are North Seattle’s most pressing issue (or at least most frequently reported issue). I think it’s fair to say that most, if not all, of North Seattle’s neighborhoods have been affected by this problem.

While I’m sure the challenges the Seattle Police Department faces regarding homeless encampments have been shared many times, I believe I can generally summarize it in two points.

First, since the COVID pandemic began, the Mayor’s Office has mandated that encampments may not be cleared out and the persons removed from the area. The purpose of this mandate was meant to align with the CDC and state guidelines in preventing the spread of COVID. There have been a few exceptions, which were approved by the Mayor’s Office, but these are far and few between.

Secondly, SPD has been eliminated from the encampment removal process. SPD was an integral part of the Navigation Team, which worked to clean-up encampments while offering assistance and resources to those who were living there. This leaves SPD in a difficult position since we have historically been the ones to contact to address this problem.

However, all is not lost.

I am currently working with my Community Police Team (CPT) to come up with some criteria for addressing encampments. We won’t necessarily be able to move them, but we can address some of the criminal and incivility issues arising from them. More on this later as we develop a plan and learn more from the city as to how best to address homelessness issues.

I would also like for everyone to turn to the City’s website regarding homelessness. There is fair amount of information about the City’s approach to homelessness, and under the “Resources” link, there is information on the City’s “Find it, Fix it” phone app. This app allows you to report various problems within the city, many of which may be associated with homeless encampments.  https://www.seattle.gov/homelessness/resources

Closing

I appreciate the opportunity to share some information from the North Precinct. In future newsletters, I will focus more on crime related matters and how SPD and our community partners are working to address them. As I said before, I am grateful to have been appointed as the North Precinct’s new Captain, and I look forward to serving you.

NPAC July Report by Captain Eric Sano, North Precinct Commander
To all North Precinct residents, business owners and workers, I hope this report finds you all well during these still crazy and unprecedented times. Between our COVID response and what has been occurring elsewhere in the City with all of the impromptu protests and marches, we’ve had to adjust our response protocols. This makes crime analysis very difficult because, we are limited to responding to priority calls only. We did, however, continue to take a lot of calls over the phone through our North Precinct in-house Telephone Reporting personnel.

I am continuing to encourage our citizens to utilize our online reporting, CopLogic (https://www.seattle.gov/police/need-help/online-reporting ), to report crimes and/or our telephone reporting to minimize face-to-face contact. However, call 9-1-1 if you believe a crime is occurring, about to occur or has just occurred. We are still responding to priority calls or other calls for service all over the North Precinct.

Now, for a little bit of unexpected news…I am being transferred to take over the East Precinct effective August 5th. A lot has happened to that Precinct during the CHOP takeover of the streets just outside the Precinct and they need a veteran Captain to go there and restore morale and to mend fences with the community. I guess Chief Best thinks I’m the person who can do that…let’s hope she’s right. You will be getting newly promoted Captain Brain Stampfl. He is currently the Operations Lieutenant for the West Precinct.

So, let’s talk about the important stuff!

The City continues to amend their response to encampments due to the COVID protocols. Our Community Police Team (CPT) is monitoring existing encampments and is working closely with the City’s Navigation Team to determine how best to proceed with problem encampments. All encampment removals, however, must be approved through the Mayor’s Office.

In regards to crime: after seven months, we’re currently down 4% in crime and my only plus categories are auto thefts, which are up 11% (+89); burglaries, which are up 19% (+295) and arsons, which are up 47% (+7). Violent crime is down 10%, with nothing in the plus category.

However, in the last 28 days, while we’re down 21% in overall crime, arsons are up and leading the way with a 400% increase (from 2 to 8), robberies are up 40% (+12) and burglaries are up 23% (+46). Auto thefts, though, are down 8% (-12). Our aggravated assaults are also down 8% (-4) and our rapes are down 82% (-9). I have no explanation for the increase in arsons; they are up Citywide. I am having the Arson/Bomb Squad do a deeper dive to see if some of these are reckless burning cases from homeless encampments.

Of the 194 shots fired calls in the City, year-to-date, only 27 are in the North Precinct, which is roughly 14% of all the shootings in the City. Not bad for the largest Precinct in the City and we’re actually down 10 from this time last year. And, of the 13 deaths Citywide from shots fired, only 3 are in the North Precinct. Two of those three are from the Everspring Inn.

Speaking of the Everspring Inn, the City did serve them with a Chronic Nuisance Property letter on July 20th. It is now up to the property owner to meet with SPD to explain why the property shouldn’t be abated.

So, regarding the “Defund the Police” issue…I would suggest that ALL North Precinct residents and business owners contact their appropriate City Council Member and the two at-large Council members and voice their opinion. I will repeat what Chief Best has said publicly in that it is reckless to defund the Police Department by 50%, especially when you don’t have a plan in place to explain how police services would be handled with a 50% cut and/or what they would do with the money cut from the police budget. I’m not interested in buzz words like “more money for housing” or “more money for social services.” What does that really look like? How are they really planning to invest those funds? Next, can you think of any other business or government entity that could be effective with an immediate 50% cut across the board? What would happen if they cut the Fire Department’s budget by 50%; how would that affect responses to fires or aid calls? What about a 50% cut to hospitals? Schools? The City Council will vote on the 50% defunding on August 3rd. Irrespective of which way members of NPAC feel, they need to get their voices heard. The Councilmembers represent YOU. If the majority of Seattle wants to defund the police by 50%, then so be it.

There will be no new Precinct given the current budget crisis. Substations may be possible. We have an existing space at the Ballard library and the UWPD.

We are having numerous protests and demonstrations at the homes of Councilmembers Alex Pedersen and Deborah Juarez, who are voting NOT to defund the Police Department by 50%. We have had several protests near the Mayor’s house. We have had several protests at the Precinct. We have had a number of BLM marches around the North Precinct from Magnuson Park to the U-District to the Maple Leaf Reservoir. Thankfully, thus far, the protests have only resulted in minor property damage in the North Precinct. But, it’s just a matter of time, as they become more emboldened, before we see the kinds of things occurring downtown and on Capitol Hill happen here.

Lastly, this is a reminder to you: as the weather starts getting nicer, the inclination is to keep doors and windows open. Unless you can monitor those points of entry, don’t do that! Also, for those of you that live in secure apartment buildings, be cognizant of people following you in. Unless you know, for a fact, that they live there…keep them out. We are having a number of package thefts from supposedly secure buildings, where the mailboxes are in the lobby area. Lastly, for those of you that have secure parking garages, be cognizant of people following you in there. We’ve had an uptick in car prowls in supposed secure parking garages. Stay vigilant, be smart but stay safe. If you see something suspicious, call 9-1-1 right away. We’ll determine if someone belongs in a secure location or not.

It has been a pleasure and a true honor to have served as your North Precinct Captain the last year and a half. I have the fullest confidence in Captain Stampfl as he takes over next month. Be well and I hope our paths will cross again someday.