Crime in Whittier Heights has become so bad that neighbors have formed a neighborhood crime watch group to curb criminal activity. In addition to watching the streets, they are asking Seattle City Council members to reassess the North Seattle Precinct funding in order to have more patrols and faster response times.
According to a Whittier Heights resident, crime has reached a tipping point in the community, and has caused neighbors to form a neighborhood crime watch group called Whittier Heights Involved Neighbors (WHIN).
“We perceive that there is a general increase in car theft and petty crimes but our most concerning issue is property crimes,” stated a WHIN spokesperson.
WHIN says that many neighbors have taken it upon themselves to patrol the neighborhood, getting up at odd hours of the night to drive the streets and alleys. Security cameras are being used by residents and some footage has captured young adults and leisure criminals casually walking the streets and breaking into cars. Whole streets have had cars systematically burglarized.
The increase puts pressure on the North Precinct, especially after a leaked SPD memo last September that addressed the understaffing, long wait times for victims and the inability to thoroughly cover such a large area.
The North Seattle officers patrol from the University District to Ballard’s Golden Gardens, as afar south as Magnolia and as far north as North 145th Street.
KOMO 4 reported that the memo revealed that recently 14 detectives worked burglary, theft and juvenile cases for the North Precinct, but that it's down to two detectives and an on-loan patrol officer. The memo reported cases have climbed to 1,500 a month. It also stated "misdemeanor and even many felony crimes can no longer be investigated except on a very rare, case by case basis."
This report is especially troubling for WHIN, who have been observing an increase in crime for the last year.
Based on statistics found on data.seattle.gov, WHIN says that by their calculations there has been a 26 percent increase in property crime in the North Precinct area in the past 2 years. In addition, neighbors report wait times after calling 911 are as long as 80 minutes. One WHIN member reported having to wait eight minutes in a locked room with her children while her house was being burglarized.
“Eight minutes is a long time to wait while you’re being victimized. …The longer wait times due to short staffing is becoming a public safety issue,” stated the victim.
She also reported that since moving to Whittier Heights two years ago, she has been the victim of property damage or theft at least four times.
“It makes me feel frustrated and scared. There’s nothing like feeling like you have to fight for your life. I’m frustrated that it's taking so long to make a difference. But recently I had a shift to feel empowered -- feel determined and to not be pushed over in our own neighborhood. We are in action mode rather than reaction.”
The WHIN spokesperson said that the City isn't doing enough to stop the crime in North Seattle. The City reports a one percent decrease in residential property crime citywide. WHIN believes funds that led to the apparent decrease in crime have been appropriated downtown and to other locations other than North Seattle, where it is obviously needed.
Last September Mayor Ed Murray said that the City plans to add 100 new officers in the coming years, however that has little affect on the influx of crime happening now in Whittier Heights and most North Seattle neighborhoods.
"Adding more officers is not the sole solution to addressing our public safety needs, but it clearly needs to be part of the solution,” said Mayor Murray.
To spur the City Council into action, WHIN has called a meeting and has invited Councilmember Tim Burgess and Officer Elizabeth Scott (Crime Prevention Coordinator) from the SPD North Precinct to address the issues. The meeting will be November 18, 2014 at 1:30 p.m. at Loyal Heights Community Center (2101 NW 77th St.), Room 2.
“We are calling the meeting to address property crime and ask what we can do as a community to prevent crime… We are really trying to figure this out to see what we as a community can do about it.”
For more information email whittierheights@gmail.com
