The people who work directly with our neighborhood in preventing crime could soon be out of a job. The six civilian crime prevention coordinators for the Seattle Police Department, including North Precinct coordinators Diane Horswill and Neil Hansen, have been told they’ll lose their jobs next spring when grant money runs out.
Diane Horswill and Neil Hansen.
The crime prevention coordinators work directly with residents doing everything from setting up block watches to going door to door to warn about recent crimes. They’ve been part of the police budget up until last October, when the positions then became paid for with federal grant money. That ends on March 31 of next year.
“We are the link between the community and the police department,” said west precinct crime prevention coordinator and View Ridge resident Terrie Johnston (pictured right). “Patrol officers are often promoted or transfer out. We’re the ones in people’s living rooms and churches.”
Johnston, who is a block watch captain in View Ridge outside of work, and her fellow coordinators have logged hundreds of community meetings over the past year. She worries that officers and precinct bosses won’t be able to give residents one on one attention if the crime prevention coordinators are let go.
“When we’re gone, who will take the time?”
Councilmember Tim Burgess, who chairs the Public Safety and Education committee, tells us his office is closely tracking the issue as it heads toward the mayor and council. If you’d like to voice your opinions, here’s a link to the mayor and City Council.
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2 reader comments so far ↓
1 Eric in Hawthorne Hills // Jul 1, 2010 at 8:35 am
The city is paying for peoplt to go “door to door” to warn about crimes? Good gravy, that’s inefficient. Might as well have a town crier on the city payroll while we’re at it.
Smart move to cut funding, given that we have all sorts of options for up-to-the-moment neighborhood crime info: http://www.seattle.gov now shows extensive details on all reported criminal activity. And let’s not forget http://www.wedgwoodview.com (e.g. robbery at the Fresh store)!!
We all appreciate a responsive government, but we’ve goota tighten our belts, people!
2 Andrea // Jul 1, 2010 at 1:28 pm
Somehow Eric doesn’t get it! No the move to remove this team … is not a smart move. When we are already under staffed … in terms of police, crime is likely to go up… and you are likely to be a victim of that crime.
Crime Prevention Coordinators are likely be the only person(s) to help you when the criminal has cleaned out your home, stolen your car or vandalized your property. Had you known what to do ahead of time, many of these ‘crimes of opportunity’ would not have taken place.
This team will assess your property (for inadequate locks, ‘windows of opportunity’ to get into your home) and will educate you to keep you and your family safe.
The police department does not have the time or resources to come to you following one of these “events”.
So perhaps before you judge whether they are needed or not, talk with residents of Seattle who have benefited by their skills.