Ed’s note: Yesterday we reported on the recent wave of violent crime in the South Rainier Valley – particularly Othello through Rainier Beach. What follows is South Seattle Cop’s response to the upsurge just four months after SPD initiated a major crackdown on the area.
By South Seattle Cop
Of course we saw an improvement. There were cops everywhere, and plenty more were available when something happened so response to potential problems was swift and overwhelming. Many instances which could have ended in violence and bloody street mayhem were squashed while they were still just noise complaints, minor disturbances, etc.
And of course when these extra resources from other precincts and other agencies were pulled out and sent back to their normal assignments, the thugs noticed that too.
There is nothing mysterious or complicated about this. This is something that sociologists and criminologists have studied for decades, and the outcome was predictable; even for a mayor and city council without PhD’s.
Underlying this is an old oft repeated (and oft ignored) lesson about police resources vs. the population overall, and about resources vs. areas having difficulties. This is day-1 Community Policing stuff at the academy.
Despite these long understood truths, every politician thinks they are the chosen one, the new enlightened mind who has figured out some secret truth that the last 100 years of scholars missed… or they think you are too dumb to remember this come next election time. Usually its a combination of both.
Photo/Will Austin Photography
Related:
- Four Months After SPD Crackdown, South Rainier Valley Still Plagued by Violent Crime (2/2/11)
- SPD: Crime Down in Every Precinct Except South Seattle (1/31/11)
- SPD’s South Precinct Gets Fourth Commander in Four Years (12/17/10)
Who to know, where to eat & what to do in one of America’s most diverse zip codes!
{ 4 comments }
South Seattle Cop said: “Despite these long understood truths, every politician thinks they are the chosen one, the new enlightened mind who has figured out some secret truth that the last 100 years of scholars missed… or they think you are too dumb to remember this come next election time. Usually its a combination of both.”
I couldn’t agree more. But, what South Seattle Cop avoids is the truth that decades of Seattle politicians have steered the low-income and minority populations to one zip code. The Seattle Housing Authority has concentrated their housing units here. So has SEED, Mt. Baker Housing, Union Gospel Mission, and others. If there is nothing wrong with being poor, then why don’t we embrace low-income people and low-income housing in every Seattle neighborhood? Because Seattle is racist and classist, that’s why. Red-lining was outlawed in the 60′s and banks were punished for steering minorities to one neighborhood. Seattle has perfected ‘steering’ of minorities but nobody calls it what it is; red-lining.
Until SE achieves balance, and our middle-class is retored, we will continue to experience higher crime. Your chances of being a victim of crime are about 600% greater because you live in 98118. The data doesn’t lie, poverty and crime go hand in hand. Poverty is the core problem, much more so than the number of cops on the streets.
Focus the blame where it belongs; at the doorstep of city leaders that have been elected to serve. They’re serving their OWN best interests first, taking the easy way out, and forcing SE Seattle to accept resposibilty for the social burdens of an entire city. Dumping all social ills in SE helps our Mayor and City Council win support for re-election in other neighborhoods. Our higher crime is no accident, its by design.
You hit the nail on the head.
@1 Can’t argue with that logic.
Thank you Stakeholder – the information available supports your commentary. At times the facts are not easy to obtain or get a read of what is happening, but comparing life in the valley to other areas in Seattle is much different.
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