NPAC is still not meeting in person. Instead, it is sending out the Captain’s report each month. Read it here. Please note that he gives us new guidelines on how to contact SPD and the North Precinct for various issues, given the staff changes Chief Diaz announced last month. Please let your friends, neighbors and colleagues know.
Seattle’s 2021 Budget —–
District 5 Council Member Debora Juarez had a couple budget notes in her recent email newsletter. Here is a graphic about the cycle:
And here is information from Debora about SPD’s 2021 budget:
“Over several months, the Council has heard consistently from community members to defund the police. In the Mayor’s proposed budget, she has offered a $22.4 million reduction compared to the 2020 adopted budget. This includes cutting 47 sworn-officers currently on the force, cutting 40 civilian positions and cutting funding for overtime and emphasis patrols. I’ve asked for the budget office to explain how this will affect patrol operations in the North End. There will be an ongoing conversation to determine the right number of police officers for our city.
Additionally, the Mayor is planning on moving units out of the Seattle Police Department. The 911 Call Center and Emergency Operations Management will combine to create the Seattle Emergency Communications Center. Parking enforcement will be moved into SDOT’s operations. SPD victim advocates will be moved to the Human Services Department. These reforms make logical sense as we attempt to narrow the scope of SPD’s work.”
Seattle Municipal Court —-
Seattle Times reported recently that Seattle Municipal Court relaunched Seattle Community Court in August to keep people who commit the lowest level crimes out of jail, after an earlier Seattle community court program fell apart in 2016. Instead of jail, this court offers a pretrial diversion program to connect people charged with certain offenses to services, drug treatment and housing services. What it involves is a minimum of six hours of community service, an assessment of someone’s needs, and, depending on the crime, 14 to 60 days of engagement with the court and with services. The program wouldn’t require a participant to waive their right to a future trial, unlike many community court programs, and works under a “release first” model so participants avoid incarceration.
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