This month the guest speaker was Lt. Stephen Hirjak from SPD’s Force Investigation Team. That’s the team that investigates instances where SPD uses significant force during encounters with the public. It was created as part of the 2011 Dept of Justice settlement agreement reforms.
The Captain’s report included crime stats for this year-to-date compared to last year-to-date. Crime is down 12%, with burglary down 4%, car prowls down 20% and auto theft down 43%. But Robbery is up 49% and assault is up 37%. Some of the assault is due to shop lifters being accosted by security. SPD is helping businesses learn to deal with shoplifting more safely.
To see all the news, read the minutes here.
Shoplifters accosted by security or the other way around?
i live on 19th NE and NE 113th. We have numerous sex offenders in our one mile radius. We are home owners.
Our two daughters are now in HS and like to be independent/walk to and from favorite venues such as the SBucks on LCW and NGate Way. As well as riding their bikes and jogging around the neighborhood.
WHAT DO I TELL THEM TO STAY SAFE AND AWAY FROM THESE CREEPS? we already know NOT to walk along NE 113th and 14th (There is a HOUSEHOLD of Sex Offenders for Christ Sake!) and now a registered sex offender has been identified living on NE120th and 17th NE…
first of all my two girls dont believe it is dangerous to jog/bike/walk these streets because we are a ‘neighborhood’ but these guys (and they truly are all over our neighborhood)….these guys dont just sit in their dining rooms all day. they are out and looking (perhaps) for ‘something/someone’ to do.
looking forward to your answer.
Michele
I believe it is shoplifters accosted by security.
Regarding sex offenders – your kids are a bit older than the target audience, but you might get some ideas from our recent series on personal safety for children here: http://www.pinehurstseattle.org/category/crime/what-you-can-do-crime-prevention-series/
You can also invite a police officer to speak to you and your neighbors about a particular issue, like sex offenders in the community, via the Living Room Conversations program. The officer can give you tips, or even talk to your teens about personal safety: http://www.seattle.gov/police/community/livingroom.htm
Also, SPD has a web page with safety tips here: http://www.seattle.gov/police/prevention/personal/default.htm
After their prison terms are finished, the goal with sex offenders is to integrate them back into the community. Data shows that they are much less likely to re-offend if they have good connections with family, work and community. I doubt if most of them are an immanent menace to society, though of course there are exceptions. We can educate our children about how to sense something is wrong with an interaction, how to avoid unsafe situations, and how to extricate themselves from situations. Then we just have to trust that we taught them well.
Our neighborhood is pretty safe. With proper vigilance and following the safety tips I think teens and adults can be pretty safe jogging/biking and walking our streets. What we do not want to do is make our children so afraid that they miss out on a lot of the joys of being part of a vibrant community.