Thank you for everything you have done and are doing for the safety of our city. Even though we did not reach the number of police we originally hoped for, this effort has been hugely successful. Never in my seven budget cycles has public safety been front and center and it clearly has been this year, thanks to your efforts. This has also spurred a much-needed public debate on safety and most importantly, has provided a powerful organizing opportunity for communities from all corners of the city to get together with the same message. Huge.
So, let's continue the fight and keep in touch over the next
few days and please let me know if you have questions. I
can be reached at (206) 684-8572.
Stephanie Pure
Legislative Aide
Councilmember Peter Steinbrueck
stephanie.pure@seattle.gov
I only wish more people understood that Nick's crime forum
in 2005 was
designed to nudge geographically organized public safety groups
to shift
the paradigm towards a citywide discussion about public safety. On
that
note, you and others may wish to consider recommending a permanent
citywide structure to affect citywide policy-making and budgeting
decisions relating to public safety - just like the Seattle Human
Services Coalition uses for human services.
Lisa Herbold (Licata Aide)
Hello,
At the beginning of October, there were no new officers in the
Mayor's budget and that fact was not even going to be discussed
by the City Council. Thanks to your e-mails to the Council
we have 30 more officers joining the police force in 2007
and 2008 then we otherwise would have had. It is time to declare
victory, THANK THE COUNCIL, and gear up for next year.
You are also invited to the Press Conference below.
Please take a few minutes to thank the Council. While the additional
officers are not all that we hoped for, the Council does deserve
credit for taking the heat from the Mayor and the supporters of
the programs that got cut to add these officers. It is OK to
say something like, "While the officers approved by the
Council are not all that we had hoped for, or as many as the city
will ultimately need, we deeply appreciate your listening to my
neighborhood's concerns and the budget sacrifices made to make
30 officers happen in 2007 and 2008." Or just say, "Thanks
for responding to the urgent need for more cops in my neighborhood."
Its time to take the hard earned victory and momentum we have
one and get ready for next time. The SE Seattle Crime Prevention
Council will be working with its allies around the city between
now and the next budget cycle to:
1) Expand the community coalition for more cops by recruiting
other community organizations from around the city.
2) Document poor response times and the needs for more officers.
Again, thanks for all your help. Give yourselves and the
Council a round of applause.
Please also take the time to thank Pete Rogerson of the North
Precinct Advisory Council. He testified at every public hearing
and met with every City Council Member during October at great
sacrifice to his appraisal business. He not only spoke well for
the citizens of North Seattle, but for us all. He was also a
great advocate on KUOW Radio and in other media appearances.
His e-mail is p.rogerson@comcast.net.
Neale Frothingham
Vice-President
SE Seattle CPC
From: Kay Godefroy [mailto:kay@sngi.org]
It's time to celebrate!
Because of you - community volunteers making the case
for increased police staffing, city council has approved 10 new
sworn officers in 2007 and 20 new in 2008 over and above
the Mayor's proposed budget.
If you can, plan to attend the press conference so that we can
demonstrate our support once again for increased police staffing.
Feel free to forward to your lists. I will send along the location
as soon as I get it.
Kay
--
Kay Godefroy
Executive Director
Seattle Neighborhood Group
http://www.sngi.org/
206-323-9583