Crime, News

Convicted Rapist Arrested Tying Up 6 Female UW Students in Their Home Was Allegedly “Low Risk”

On The Stranger’s Slog, Cienna Madrid skipped understatement and titled the incident “Every Woman’s Nightmare” (packaging it with a story about a convicted stalker who’s still stalking women downtown). When you read the description of how events progressed, it sounds like a horrific crime was barely averted, thanks to one of the young women calling 911 successfully (two others dialed but couldn’t get through in time). Continue reading Convicted Rapist Arrested Tying Up 6 Female UW Students in Their Home Was Allegedly “Low Risk”

Crime, News, Weather

Op-Ed: Be Careful (of Each Other) Out There

Winter is not yet over: “A strong Pacific front is approaching us now, behind which there is some cold air,” reports meteorologist Cliff Mass, calling for strong winds and the possibility of lowland snow. It’s not our habit, in health and good spirits, to remark too feelingly on our own life’s contingency. When it comes to mortality, we all procrastinate as much as possible. Continue reading Op-Ed: Be Careful (of Each Other) Out There

Crime, News

Google Mapping Seattle Gangs, or “Surf & Turf”

What a lifesaver! It’s one thing to Google map things like Seattle gas stations, but how much more useful to know that you’re venturing into the territory of the Deuce 8, 74 Hoover Criminals, or South Side Locos 13! The updated map of Seattle gang territory does come with a disclaimer, though. Continue reading Google Mapping Seattle Gangs, or “Surf & Turf”

Crime, News, Politics

Can Tim Burgess Help Seattle Police Take the Fight Out of Crime?

In Burgess’s view, the primary goal is crime prevention–that is what gives people trust in their police. A crime, once it’s occurred, has already damaged that trust. The citizen feels let down by police before they’ve even started investigating. Dante once called for a “new sweet style” that rigorously demonstrated the power of divine love; Burgess has in mind a new law enforcement philosophy that just as rigorously demonstrates the power of the idea of order. Continue reading Can Tim Burgess Help Seattle Police Take the Fight Out of Crime?

Crime, News

A Belltown New Year’s Eve Shooting Passes Without Much Notice

If you went downtown and unloaded a clip on a crowded New Year’s Eve sidewalk, you’d think people would take notice. People in the vicinity did. One @DoubleAyeee tweeted: “I’m in belltown and was standing right by a shooting never ran so fast.” As it happened, the superhero-costumed Phoenix Jones and a film crew were standing across the street, so you can try to count the shots. I hear 13 or 14. Continue reading A Belltown New Year’s Eve Shooting Passes Without Much Notice

Crime, News

Talking Crime Rates and Seattle Police Deportment

Columnist Danny Westneat had a much-maligned piece in the Seattle Times this week, where he “investigated” claims of depolicing–the idea is that, much like a 7-year-old who has been called onto the carpet, the Seattle Police Department is “showing you” by refusing to do anything but the necessary required to their jobs.

It’s an impression actually fostered by the head of the police union, who can’t tell the difference between proactive policework and shooting a well-known public nuisance/wood carver to death in the street. Continue reading Talking Crime Rates and Seattle Police Deportment

Crime, News, Politics

Looking for a Fix on Third Avenue

Ironically, it is fairly easy to get a fix on Third Avenue in Seattle (or get stabbed or beaten nearly to death) because it has become the entrenched home of a large open-air drug market. But the City of Seattle has so far struggled to fix that problem. Better crowd control late-night, when bars are letting out, has helped reduce aggressive brawling, and despite bullets flying less frequently, overall confidence in personal safety is still low. Continue reading Looking for a Fix on Third Avenue