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City of Seattle
Gregory J. Nickels, Mayor
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NEWS ADVISORY
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| SUBJECT: Major improvements for policing unveiled in 2007 State of the City address
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
3/7/2007 1:30:00 PM |
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Alex Fryer (206) 684-8358
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Mayor Nickels announces major improvements for policing
Seattle's neighborhoods
Unveiled in Nickels' 2007 State of the City address,
plan adds 154 new officers
SEATTLE – Calling it the most significant improvement in more than
30 years in how Seattle polices its neighborhoods, Mayor Greg Nickels today
rolled out his Neighborhood Policing plan, which adds 154 new patrol officers
to Seattle's ranks. Nickels outlined the initiative in his 2007 State
of the City address, delivered before a crowd of 500 people as a free presentation
of the Rotary Club of Seattle.
The state of the city is “strong and growing stronger,” Nickels
declared in his annual address, which focused on making Seattle a leader in
the effort to combat climate change. The mayor said addressing challenges such
as education, housing and public safety are critical elements of creating the
kind of vibrant city that will absorb growth and reduce emissions-producing
sprawl.
“Neighborhood policing is a faster, stronger and smarter approach to
protecting our neighborhoods,” Nickels said. “Under this plan,
we will expand our patrol force to the tune of 154 officers over eight years.
But it's not just about adding more officers; it's about putting
police officers where they're needed, when they're needed. The
result is faster and stronger responses, and smarter use of our resources.”
The plan fixes three problems:
- While the Seattle Police Department meets the commonly accepted response
time goal for larger cities, averaging seven minutes for high-priority emergency
calls, the average is just that – an average. Response times are faster
when the workload is low but exceed seven minutes during the busiest times
of the week when 9-1-1 call volume is high.
- There is an imbalance between where patrol officers are deployed and workload,
which means officers are not always available when and where they are needed.
- Because of the need to respond to emergency 9-1-1 calls during peak workload
periods, patrol officers do not have enough time to work on proactive and
specific problem-solving activities.
The plan will:
- Add 154 new patrol officers – 49 have already been added since mid-2005
and another 105 will be added between 2008 and 2012.
- Revise work shifts for patrol officers to match the workload, making officers
available at the times and on the days when they are most needed. Since 1997
police officers have worked nine-hour days with rotating schedules of four
days on and two days off. The shift start and end times have been basically
unchanged for more than 30 years. The city and the Seattle Police Officers
Guild are currently discussing alternatives.
- Redraw patrol “beats” throughout the city. The last time beats
were redrawn was in the 1970s. The new plan will allow for more balanced,
flexible and effective deployment of patrol officers, and will enhance officers' sense
of ownership of the neighborhoods they serve.
Calling on the “Seattle Spirit” – a sense of what is possible
and a determination to achieve it – Nickels also talked about accomplishments
and the challenges facing Seattle.
Global warming pollution
With 418 mayors from across the nation signed on to the U.S. Mayors Climate
Protection Agreement to date, Seattle does not stand alone in its goal of
reducing emissions by 680,000 tons by 2012. Citing Bridging the Gap and Metro's
Transit Now for making it easier to get around the city, and the prevalence
of efficient green buildings in Seattle, Nickels said more efforts are on
the way, with a public education campaign set to kick off this fall to show
people how to reduce their global warming pollution at home, at work and
on the road.
“To truly turn the tides on climate change, we will need to commit
to reducing our greenhouse gas emissions even more – 80 percent by 2050,” Nickels
said.
Education
In 2004, Seattle voters approved the $117 million Families and Education
Levy. After one full school year of levy programs, 1,500 children started school
ready to learn, stayed in school or improved their grades. Another 4,900 were
helped by school-based health centers, and nearly 5,000 children were immunized.
Almost all of the levy programs met or exceeded the goals set for the first
year. Nickels noted, while it is something to be proud of, it also means that
goals must be adjusted for the years ahead.
“Our schools have reached a state of disarray that goes beyond finances – it
has become a crisis of confidence. What we need most right now is a new direction – one
that provides a vision for how to move forward to create the best education
system in the country,” Nickels said.
Housing
New homes and new investments are sprouting up in neighborhoods throughout
Seattle – in Ballard, Northgate, Southeast Seattle, and the Center City,
where more than 2,000 units are already under construction. The multi-family
tax credit has created 800 affordable homes throughout the city. And, Nickels
said, the city's housing levy is helping in the fight to end homelessness
and to create home-owning opportunities for teachers and other working people.
“People should be able to afford decent housing near where they work.
The vision is clear: if you work in Seattle, you should be able to afford
to live in Seattle. We have the determination to get there,” Nickels
said.
For a full copy of the speech, go to: http://www.seattle.gov/mayor/speeches/stateofcity2007.htm
Visit the mayor's Web site at www.seattle.gov/mayor.
Get the mayor's inside view on initiatives to promote transportation,
public safety, economic opportunity and healthy communities by signing up for
The Nickels Newsletter at www.seattle.gov/mayor/newsletter_signup.htm
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Office of the Mayor
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