On New Year’s Day, two Pioneer Square residents were brutally attacked after confronting drug dealers blocking the entrance to their apartment building adjacent to Fortson Square (2nd Ave + Yesler). Multiple calls to police regarding the drug activity were unanswered, which, unfortunately, is understandable, given that it was New Year’s Eve and — what’s new? There’s always drug deals happening in Fortson Square.

Regardless, what happened in the square that morning, and what basically what happens every single day, is not acceptable. I live next door to where the attack happened, in an apartment building above the Chief Seattle Club (CSC) and the Lazarus Day Center. Although we have never had problems with the CSC, we routinely have problems with the men who utilize the services of the Lazarus Day Center, and the drug dealers who prey on them.

There is a Seattle PI article from three years ago that talked about the very problems caused by the Lazarus Day Center and the men who loiter on the corner of 2nd & Yesler. The sad part is that everything in that article is still true today:

He thought the brand new studio apartment a couple of floors up was a bargain for $900 a month, but it’s no longer worth dodging the drug sellers and buyers outside the front door each time he goes to walk his dog.

“It’s the same people on the same corner every day,” he said, standing inside the building’s glass entry watching drug deals made and crack pipes passed around right outside the window.

And don’t forget about the article in 2006 where Harbor Loft residents put up a banner facing Fortson Square, welcoming people to the local open-air drug market:

A group of residents is meeting with the mayor’s office this week to talk about the issues faced in Fortson Square in particular. They have also set up an internal website to share information and resources with one another and are determined to make a difference. In a letter to the Mayor by one of the residents who was attacked, he stated:

This is not how anyone should have to live and I am sick of being told it is our fault for living in a bad neighborhood! Pioneer Square could be a great neighborhood with vision, leadership and support. There are lots of great people working really hard down here to make this place a wonderful place to live and work, but I don’t think we are getting the support we need from the city. I fear for Pioneer Square as rising unemployment brings more people of need at higher risk into the missions, in a neighborhood already ripe with increasing storefront closures. We could see a larger pool of poor and underemployed people becoming victimized by the drug dealers whom act with impunity on our streets.

We know that the police get it — they’re constantly watching that corner, and even made 27 significant arrests of the most problematic drug dealers. But what more can they do? You take one off the street, and two more pop up in their place.

And now, after years and years of drug dealers on this corner, two residents were actually attacked. Is this what it takes for change to happen? What will it take for other residents to get involved? Or for the Mayor’s office to finally listen?

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According to SPD Blotter:

On October 31st at approximately 5:08 p.m. the Seattle Police Communications Center received 911 calls reporting shots fired in the area of 3rd Avenue and Yesler Way. Officers on patrol were already in the area and heard the shots but were unable to determine where they came from. Officers then located a female victim in the 500 block of 3rd Avenue who had sustained a gunshot wound to the leg.

The victim, a woman in her 50′s, was transported to an area hospital for treatment of her non-life-threatening injuries.

While responding officers gathered information and searched for suspect(s) the SWAT team was called to the scene. Initial information indicated that the shots may have come from an apartment complex in the 200 block of Yesler Way. Officers surrounded the building and the SWAT team made entry.

While SWAT officers conducted their search of the building they interviewed several residents who heard the shots. The residents told officers that they believed the shots came from outside the building. One possible person of interest, a 56-year-old male, was interviewed and released. Upon completion of the building search, no suspects and no firearms were located.

The suspect(s) remain at large.

Approximately 30 minutes prior to this incident officers responded to the same area for reports of shots fired. Responding officers were unable to locate any suspects or victims and did not hear any shots while patrolling the area.

While investigating the second incident it was discovered that a bullet had been shot through a window on a building in the 400 block of 5th Avenue. Nobody was injured in that incident, nor has it been determined from where the shot was fired.

Anyone with information about any of these incidents or who may know the identities or whereabouts of the suspect(s) is asked to call 911 or Seattle Police immediately and refer to these incidents. Anonymous tips are welcome.

This remains an active and on-going investigation.

Sign posted by Fenix Tattoo owner in Pioneer Square

From the SDOT Parking Group:

Parking. Whether it’s on the street or in a garage, it’s something that many people do on a regular basis. While people certainly don’t drive for the sole purpose of parking, the act of finding a spot is inevitable. The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) wants to hear about your experiences.

SDOT manages the on-street parking network – all those pay stations, meters, and related signs. Right now, they’re working on a project that outlines different strategies to make paid street parking in downtown and neighborhood business districts more available. The technical term is performance-based parking pricing. Other cities like San
Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, and Washington D.C. are testing out new strategies too.

SDOT would like to get a better sense for business owner needs, understand the customer parking experience, and look for ways to make it better. Take a survey! You can find the survey here – it should take about 10-15 minutes to complete.

Thanks!

But seriously — take the time to voice your opinions on this one. With the help of a few city council members, we were able to stop the hours from going to 8pm — let’s see if we can be heard on other issues.

On July 12th, at approximately 8:15 PM, a physical fight occurred between two men at a mission in the 300 Block of 2nd Avenue Extension South. (Union Gospel Mission)

One of the men grabbed a knife and chased the other man out into the street.  The suspect then stabbed the victim once.  Officers arrived and arrested the suspect after witnesses pointed him out.  The 31 year old suspect still had the knife in his possession.  He was later booked into the King County Jail for Investigation of Assault.  The victim was treated at the scene by Seattle Fire and then transported to Harborview Medical Center for his non life-threatening injury.

The “crime types” that are broken out on the map include the following;

• Crimes Against Persons
• Drugs + Vice
• Property Crime/Theft
• Transportation
• Miscellaneous (false alarm, disorderly conduct, treaspassing/loitering, etc)

By clicking on a symbol, you can get information on the date and time of the incident, as well as view the police report.

To read the FAQ’s on the site, such as “why are certain types of crimes not shown,” and the ever important “If a report about me is online, can it be removed,” click here.

This is due to several factors:

1. Occidental Mall and 1^st Avenue are generally very safe public areas
2. The firehouse and its associated vehicles and activity is a strong deterrent (seen as analogous to a police station)
3. Higher crime sub-area begins on east side of 2^nd Ave Extension (again, my side of the street) and extends into International district area at Jackson St. (from Lazarus then east up Jackson beyond 5^th)
4. Width of 2^nd Avenue Extension — 2^nd Ave is one of the widest 1-way streets in downtown Seattle- keeps people congregating on one side, and focused on east side.

But let’s take a look at how the crime stats have changed from 2008 – 2009.

Pioneer Square’s Urban Village:

Keep in mind as you check out the stats that we want to see the Dispatch numbers (calls from 911) decrease and the OnView numbers (crimes caught directly by police) to increase. Or best case scenario, all of the numbers decrease (meaning not as much crime is even being committed).

I also wish that more people would be arrested and/or harassed for loitering — I believe it’s what leads to a lot of the other crime on 2nd Ave Ext S. Because when there are people standing in groups, it’s easy to target them to sell them drugs, and it’s also easy to stand there to sell drugs and not look as conspicuous.

Or maybe Utilikilts could offer them a killer deal — even if they continue loitering in a group, there’s no way people can be as intimidated when they’ve all got skirts on (sorry guys, but I really haven’t picked on you in a while).

*A key for what is included in different crime categories is listed at the end of this post

Urban Village 5am – 8pm

	Dispatched	OnView
	% Change 2008 - 2009	% Change 2008 - 2009
Violent Crimes	-11%	-52%
Property Crimes	-14%	-62%
Civility Crimes	-10.5%	-47%
Domestic Violence	-14%	-48%
Traffic + Parking	+18%	-14%
Narcotics	-5%	-27%
Total	-8.8%	-43%

Urban Village 8pm – 5am

	Dispatched	OnView
	% Change 2008 - 2009	% Change 2008 - 2009
Violent Crimes	-17.5%	-49%
Property Crimes	-21.5%	-17%
Civility Crimes	-2%	+146%
Domestic Violence	+7%	+177%
Traffic + Parking	+110.5%	+93%
Narcotics	+57.5%	+93%
Total	+0.5%	+117.5%

Pioneer Square’s Stadium Area:

Stadium Area 5am – 8pm

	Dispatched	OnView
	% Change 2008 - 2009	% Change 2008 - 2009
Violent Crimes	+69%	-82%
Property Crimes	-37%	-74%
Civility Crimes	+7%	-41%
Domestic Violence	+150%	-100%
Traffic + Parking	-2%	+30%
Narcotics	-57%	0%
Total	-7%	-28%

Stadium Area 8pm – 5am

	Dispatched	OnView
	% Change 2008 - 2009	% Change 2008 - 2009
Violent Crimes	+41%	-50%
Property Crimes	-10.5%	-69%
Civility Crimes	+66.5%	-48%
Domestic Violence	-17%	-100%
Traffic + Parking	-20.5%	+1.5%
Narcotics	0%	0%
Total	+30.5%	-32.5%

Violent crimes includes – Homicide, Robbery, Rape,Sex Offense, Arson, Weapons and Assault
Property crimes includes – Burglary, Theft, Shoplift, Carprowl, Auto Theft, Fraud, Alarm and Property Damage
Civility includes – Trespass, Liquor, Detox, Prostitution, Mental, Assist Public, Premise, Park Exclusion, Warrant and Suspicous Circumstances

2008 – 28 homicides, 9 gang related
2009 – 21 homicides, 1 “possibly” gang related

Through November, Seattle violent crimes were up 12 percent compared with the same period one year ago; and property crimes are up 6 percent.

Of the 21 homicides, here’s the breakdown of what neighborhoods they happened in:

So I hope this adds a little reality to the misconception that Pioneer Square is the shadiest, most violent area of Seattle. It seems to me like the violence is spread around just fine (well, at least for the major crimes…I’m waiting to hear back from the Police Dept on the other ones).

In the meantime, here is a snapshot from the West Precinct in response to First Quarter 2009 crimes in Pioneer Square:

Drug trafficking…still needs a lot of work. But at least they’re not shooting people, right? Just harmlessly spreading drugs to the homeless and the gangs.

Anyways, although I’m definitely not saying that it was her fault (it was obviously the fault of the people who decided to rob her), sometimes you really need to think about not providing temptation to potential wrongdoers.

Here is the actual SPD report:

On November 28th at approximately 12:15 a.m. the female victim contacted officers on foot patrol near Occidental Avenue South and South Washington Street. She stated that a few minutes prior, five to six male suspects approached her and her friend and greeted them (the victim was holding cash in her hand).

The suspect who had greeted them suddenly pushed the victim back, grabbed her upper chest area and knocked the money out of her hand. The suspect then picked up the money and fled the scene on foot. The victim sustained minor abrasions. Officers conducted an extensive area search however, the suspect remains at large.

If you have any information about this robbery, please contact the police.

Bar shootings was one of the reasons that the idea was tossed around that closing the streets surrounding Occidental Park might help with local violence. The notion was supposed to be that if people didn’t have access to their cars (where they may store their guns or have a quick getaway), there would be less chance of violence. When a P2 volunteer worked to close the streets on the weekends, however, she didn’t get much support from the local bar owners. On an article posted on Seattle Times online, someone made the following comment:

First of all, I’d like to ask TSeattle when it is that P2 was one of the “most safe” places for entertainment. But I’d also like to point out that where there are people drinking into the wee hours of the morning, there are bound to be problems. Pioneer Square isn’t the only neighborhood that has this affliction – there are shootings and violence in Belltown, Capital Hill, Downtown Seattle, etc. I’ve decided to discount TSeattle’s comment, however, solely based on the pun used in the comment.

Ben Adler, a Next American City writer, looks at Berlin and Copenhagen and finds the crime trends don’t match the idea behind Broken Windows.

“Increasingly, criminologists are challenging Broken Windows’ hegemonic grasp on urban public policy. My travels in Europe have convinced me, once a Broken Windows believer, that it is largely a lot of hokum. Let the pot dealers return to Washington Square Park, the graffiti sit indefinitely on the mailboxes, the hookers wander Times Square, and I’m not at all sure you’d see an increase in violent crime as a result.

Berlin, Germany, a city of 3.4 million, is rife with symbols of social disorder. Sitting at a bar’s outdoor table you’re liable to smell hash wafting over from the table next to you, and to be offered it while walking through some of the city’s parks. Prostitution is legal. If there are any open container laws, they are completely unenforced. Beer is drunk openly on the streets and the metro.

And yet there is very little crime.” [article link]

Disregarding whether or not the theory is proven or “unproven,” do you think this applies to P²?

It begs the question: if the small crimes don’t lead to bigger ones (that usually get more attention), should we worry about the small ones? Are the drug deals and drug use that happen throughout P² better left alone? They’re not harming anyone, right?

What do you think?

p.s. the main picture’s blurry because I had a few of the other guys sitting up there gave me a good swear fest for taking pictures of them without asking. I was warned that I was going to get f-ing sued for taking pictures without permission. Man.. I’m getting so tough!