The Seattle Police Department has announced it is instituting “micro community policing plans” to help it focus on the types of crimes most prevalent in each neighborhood. You can see the Micro Community Policing Summary for Phinney Ridge here, which lists the community’s priorities as burglaries, car prowls, graffiti, speeding vehicles and poor lighting. The Micro Community Policing Summary for Greenwood lists priorities as burglaries, car prowls, drugs in parks, car camping and prostitution.
No two neighborhoods are alike, nor are their safety priorities and concerns about crime. Recognizing this, the Micro Community Policing Plans are designed to put the department’s energy and resources into addressing the public safety issues that concern each community in Seattle.
As crime trends and patterns are identified, police precincts will continue to engage Seattle residents to develop solutions and refine enforcement strategies. Enhanced collaboration between the community and police will foster both trust and partnership to manage crime and quality of life issues together.
“These Micro Community Policing Plans recognize the uniqueness of Seattle’s neighborhoods and that our communities need more than a one-size-fits-all approach to public safety,” said Mayor Ed Murray.
“The Micro Community Policing Plans were created from the bottom up, with input from cops on the beat and people living and working in Seattle neighborhoods,” said Seattle Police Chief Kathleen O’Toole. “We’re always going to focus on serious crimes citywide. These plans address low level crime and quality of life issues unique to each neighborhood, giving the community a voice in the development of our policing strategy.”
Seattle University will conduct a process evaluation of the Micro Community Policing Plans. The plans will be evaluated on their impact on the nature and extent of crime, resident perceptions of crime, police-community interactions, and the overall implementation of the Micro Community Policing Initiative.
You can read the full announcement on the SPD Blotter.
