The Ballard Alliance is joining other Seattle business leaders in asking the city for a public safety plan with a timeline and measurable goals.
Ballard Alliance Executive Director Mike Stewart signed a Sept. 10 open letter addressed to Mayor Katie Wilson, City Council President Joy Hollingsworth, Public Safety Committee Chair Robert Kettle and the rest of the City Council. The signers ask the city to produce a plan within 100 days and report on its progress each month.
The letter calls for regular foot and bicycle police patrols in areas with persistent safety problems, reporting on priority 911 response times, a policy for addressing public drug sales, and restrictions on camping near parks, playgrounds and schools. It also asks the city to activate surveillance cameras in Pioneer Square, the Stadium District, and other areas that host major events.
“The letter requests a public safety action plan rooted in common sense safety strategies that have all garnered strong support from Seattle voters in a recent public opinion poll,” the Ballard Alliance said in its announcement. The letter cites an August poll in which, according to the signers, 34% of respondents said they were confident the city had an effective public safety plan.
The Alliance said its work includes both neighborhood efforts and advocacy on citywide issues.
“Public safety continues as a top priority for our organization,” its announcement said. “We seek actionable results whether it is with strategies we deploy within the Ballard Improvement Area or addressing citywide or regional issues that impact the neighborhood.”
The Alliance’s call for citywide action comes as some Ballard businesses have dealt with break-ins. My Ballard reported earlier this year on incidents at several local businesses and the Alliance’s work with them on security and reporting crimes.
The Alliance also said it sent a separate letter supporting a City Council resolution to fund a gun violence reduction strategy in partnership with the National Network for Safe Communities.
Photo: SPD