By Gary Shigenaka // I was writing a long, meandering diatribe about property crime in our neighborhood. Short version: lots of small businesses are getting trashed, and suffering the consequences of covering repairs while trying to stay in the black in an increasingly difficult business climate here in Seattle. We can talk more about that later.
But what I really wanted to tell you is that Mayor Katie Wilson has taken a lot of flak for the way she handled the aftermath of the tragic Bite of Seattle shootings at Seattle Center, and the subsequent firing of Police Chief Shon Barnes. She is currently searching for a new chief. The Mayor’s Office is offering the public a rare chance to provide input into that process. This past week, the Seattle Times reported on the first of these meetings in South Seattle. For us in North Seattle, that opportunity will occur this Wednesday evening, September 30, at North Seattle Community College.
I had written an email to the Mayor expressing my concern about the way that incident communication was handled, the optics of firing Barnes after the city received heavy criticism about the events, and their implications for public safety in Seattle. I received the following response from the city:
I am writing on behalf of Mayor Wilson’s office. You recently contacted our office regarding concerning public safety or criminal justice. Due to the volume of messages received, we may not be able to individually respond, or there may be a delay. Thank you for your patience and understanding.
We would like to hear from you. I wanted to make sure you received an invitation to our upcoming listening sessions. We are hosting three sessions, one in each of north, central, and south Seattle to hear your input as we look for our new permanent Chief of Police. This is an opportunity to share your concerns and insights in your neighborhood, as well as qualities you believe are important as we recruit our police chief.
Please see the attached flyer for details, or if you would like to RSVP directly to one of the upcoming listening sessions, please find the location closest to you below:
South Seattle – 12:00 PM, September 26: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/g/2cHK5Zarxb
Central Seattle – 6:00 PM, September 28: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/g/i8qKDgh0u9
North Seattle – 6:00 PM, September 30: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/g/6mptR2wmi7
More information about Mayor Katie B. Wilson’s Police Chief Search process can be found here.
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