Council committee hearing spotlights Little Saigon drug market, urges interagency task force

Chair Bob Kettle opened the Seattle City Council Public Safety Committee on April 24 by citing a Seattle Times article about Little Saigon and saying neighborhoods including 12th & Jackson, Third & Pine and Second & Lenora have been hit by concentrated drug'market activity. "Once you have the drug market you have a stolen goods market and more," Kettle said, and he cited "518 drug'related incidents across the city over the past month" as a data point prompting action.

Councilmember Alex Lin and several public commenters said current tactics 'including twice'daily power washing 'have relocated problems rather than solved them. Genevieve Courtney, identifying herself as from North Beacon Hill, said the power washing moved narcotics use into her neighborhood and onto the doorsteps of a publicly funded child care center and senior housing, and asked the council to "please stop power washing Little Saigon" because it only disperses the problem.

Multiple speakers, including Craig Thompson, called for an interagency task force that combines city, county and state resources and pairs law enforcement with outreach, public health and housing services. Thompson urged a single program manager "responsible not only to the issues that I have, and that my community has, but also the issues that we've just heard described by other people who are so concerned with police accountability." Julie Rolls, M.D., told the committee she believes county systems and public health also need to be part of solutions, not only SPD enforcement.

Kettle and Lin emphasized the need to pair accountability with compassion and to close gaps between public safety, public health, housing and human services. Kettle told the committee staff have been directed to work with stakeholders on alternative response and neighborhood engagement. The chair flagged the public drug use and possession ordinance for review, saying the ordinance has "been a failure in itself and in its implementation" and "we must bring clarity."

The committee did not vote on new legislation. Kettle noted the committee will hold follow up items, including an accountability partners briefing on May 12. He also encouraged written public comment to the council.

The committee moved next to a technical briefing on community violence intervention later in the meeting.