City of Seattle, WA
11/15/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 11/15/2024 14:01
Mayor Harrell Issues Executive Order Advancing Compassionate and Coordinated Approach to Public Safety and Public Health Challenges in Public Spaces
Executive Order establishes the Downtown Activation Team to bring together City departments, service providers, and community partners for focused on place-based activations, cleanings, and safety operations, building on early results of decreases in violent crime and emergency calls.
The One Seattle Restoration Framework outlines holistic strategies connecting emergency responses, community investments, and support services to create a safer and more welcoming city.
Seattle - Today, Mayor Bruce Harrell issued an Executive Order to share new actions, announce legislation, and detail his comprehensive vision to address persistent public safety and public health challenges in public spaces. The Executive Order establishes a Downtown Activation Team (DAT) pilot to provide place-based activations, cleanings, and safety operations, with a goal of expanding the model to other neighborhoods in the future if successful.
Initial DAT operations, which began in early September in the Downtown core along 3rd Avenue, have shown positive early results. The cumulative projected impact in the Pike/Pine DAT treatment area includes a 27% decrease in violent crime and an overall 14% decrease in emergency service calls, as well as a 30% decrease in emergency medical responses compared to last year.
The pilot is guided by the One Seattle Restoration Framework, which details six ongoing strategies to help keep people safe through improved emergency response, increased response options, and addressing root causes of crime and violence, providing specific actions and metrics of progress.
"Public safety is our highest priority - the One Seattle Restoration Framework defines the outcomes we aim to achieve and the vision to get us there. This approach is grounded in the work we've been doing, best practices, our shared values of compassion and collaboration, and community input," said Mayor Harrell. "We are already seeing very positive results from our Downtown Activation Team pilot working to restore and activate spaces while connecting people with services, and we are excited to continue expanding this work to more neighborhoods. By working together, we can achieve the goal of everyone in every neighborhood being safe and feeling secure."
View the Restoration Framework site and see the data informing the City's approach and track progress on key metrics including gun violence, police recruitment, overdoses, downtown foot traffic, and connecting people with services.
The DAT brings together nearly 15 City departments with partners and service providers like the Downtown Seattle Association (DSA), Metropolitan Improvement District (MID) Ambassadors, and We Deliver Care. It will improve coordination for place-based activations, cleanings, and safety operations in Downtown, the Chinatown-International District, and Little Saigon. This includes conducting targeted enforcement to stop dangerous and disruptive behavior, cleaning actions to address longstanding nuisances, and support to invest in proven and community-led solutions. The City is implementing Scheduled Restoration Actions at least twice a day, during which City departments and the Downtown Activation Team will conduct cleaning and restoration activities in specific areas of concern.
"The Downtown Activation Team is an important and welcomed tool to help revitalize Downtown Seattle as we work to create a safe base in our City and address the permissive environment, all while leveraging Seattle's full potential as a world class destination," said Councilmember Bob Kettle (District 7) who also serves as chair of the Public Safety Committee. "I want to thank the Mayor's Office for all their efforts in bringing together this interdepartmental team. Only by working as a team can we realize our strategic vision of a safer, thriving Seattle."
Since September, DAT has completed nearly 200 restoration actions and over 100 graffiti abatements downtown, as well as 43 actions including graffiti abatement and cleanings in Little Saigon where they started work earlier this month. DSA MID partners supported this work with over 800 graffiti abatements, 1,000 welfare checks, and 2,000 cleanings this fall.
"We commend Mayor Harrell and our city partners for the collaboration and coordination we've seen over the last two months in the Downtown Activation Team project and look forward to continued progress moving forward," said DSA President and CEO Jon Scholes. "This place-based approach to public safety is taking advantage of the strengths of all of our partners to effect change and deliver results. This program is making a clear difference in the core of downtown, making the heart of the city more welcoming for all. Maintaining these results is critical for our continued revitalization."
The One Seattle Restoration Framework is a comprehensive approach for a safer city, recognizing the work of improving safety is not confined to one department and must be embedded in everything the City does. Grounded in feedback from the community and research-based best practices, the framework lays out six key strategies guiding the ongoing tactics and actions of the City. These include:
- Reduce Gun Violence citywide, starting with a focus on neighborhoods with the highest rates of shooting deaths and shots fired, community programs, trafficking investigations, and advocacy for common-sense regulations.
- Prevent and Reduce High-Impact Crime by ensuring our police and fire departments have the tools, deterrents, and authority needed to respond to today's challenges.
- Respond to 9-1-1 Calls Effectively and Efficiently by building sufficient public safety responder staffing, expanding civilian support and diversified response options to dispatch the proper resources to address the specific needs of the incident.
- Confront the Opioid Crisis with a Public Health and Safety Approach by reducing fatal and non-fatal overdoses and improving overdose data and information to better track numbers, locations, types, and trends to better inform our approach.
- Activate and Enhance Neighborhoods by fostering welcoming communities with restorations and cleanings, helping people travel with safer roads and transit, and activating Downtown as the heart of Seattle.
- Tackle the Root Causes and Impacts of Violence through investments in community to build safety, youth mental health, coordination and expansion of outreach services, improved affordable housing options, and increased access to healthy food.
The Restoration Framework site provides an overview of strategies, tactics, and currently available metrics. The full report gives details on tactics and specific related actions the City has taken.
"Seattle is a leader in its commitment to improve public order and universal accessibility of public spaces, while relying heavily on use of recovery services, shelter, housing and case management to address human needs," said Lisa Daugaard, Co-Executive Director, Purpose Dignity Action (PDA). "We know these approaches work well together. We will continue working, with City leaders, to improve support for the people on Seattle streets who urgently need help, including physical and behavioral health care, shelter, housing, and intensive case management."
After the DAT pilot demonstrated strong early results and improvements in the Downtown core, the City began restoration and activation operations in the CID and Little Saigon starting in November. The City has been partnering with community on the Phố Đẹp place-based crime prevention initiative as part of the work to activate and enhance neighborhoods. Over the last 6 months the Friends of Little Saigon recruited a Community Task Force to meet with the City to review crime stats, share local insights, and build solutions for implementation. In the coming months, the group will help develop evidence-based crime prevention and intervention strategies specific to their challenges and priorities.
Mayor Harrell will submit two ordinances to City Council to help support the DAT pilot, focused on disrupting retail theft and the illegal vending of stolen goods in public spaces, facilitating ongoing maintenance operations, and providing additional support and protections for City employees helping to restore Seattle. This legislation addresses ongoing challenges in the City's work to ensure that public spaces are welcoming and accessible to all and gives increased authority to intervene and resolve potentially unsafe situations.
What People Are Saying
Council President Sara Nelson (Position 9, Citywide)
"I fully support this new vision and cross-departmental work to restore downtown Seattle to the vibrant, dynamic center of culture and economic development it's been known for. I hope these initial steps send a clear message to the community of our dedication to the safety and success of all people who live, work or visit in our downtown core."
Interim Police Chief Sue Rahr
"The Seattle Police Department is excited with the early results of this very successful collaborative strategy to make the streets of Seattle safer for everyone. We look forward to continuing this work and demonstrating the power of the One Seattle framework!"
Fire Chief Harold Scoggins
"Seattle firefighter/EMTs and paramedics respond around the clock to medical and fire emergencies in the downtown core, and witness firsthand areas that need further attention and people who need follow-up care. The Mayor's plan for implementing a Downtown Activation Team will help to directly address some of the City's current public safety issues."
CARE Chief Amy Barden
"The One Seattle Restoration Framework represents a crucial step forward in a coordinated approach to public safety and public health. Too many of our neighbors have been struggling on our streets for too long, and both basic compassion and evidence-based best practices demand we act on these persistent challenges rather than pretend they don't exist. We need a system of care that recognizes the interconnected nature of this work, and I applaud Mayor Harrell's commitment to proven person-centered and place-based strategies."
Tanya Kim, Director, Human Services Department
"The launch of the One Seattle Restoration Framework and the establishment of the Downtown Activation Team mark significant steps in our commitment to enhancing the wellbeing of our community and improving public health across our city. This comprehensive strategy not only addresses the immediate challenges faced in downtown Seattle but also advances our collective vision for creating vibrant, safe public spaces for all residents and visitors. I look forward to collaborating with our community partners as we work together to activate and revitalize our downtown areas, ensuring that everyone has access to the resources and support they need to thrive.
Markham McIntyre, Director, Office of Economic Development
"As we continue our work to bring more people back Downtown through the Downtown Activation Plan, the importance of feeling safe and being safe tops the list for everyone we talk to. The One Seattle Restoration framework and pilot approach of the Downtown Activation Team, focused on some of our most challenging corridors Downtown, is an important complement to the other elements of revitalizing our city center."
Jamila Conley, Business Owner, WeRise Wines
"I love the intention the mayor is putting into helping small businesses be a thoughtful part of Seattle's revitalization."
Jaclyne Manalastas, CID Public Safety Council Member and Resident
"Serving on the public safety council has deepened my commitment to ensuring our community remains a safe, vibrant place for everyone."