After my recent neighborhood E-mailing, mentioning the Madison Street shootings, I received a couple of E-mails:
"What's the problem on E Madison---is it Oscar's and if
so, what are city councilmembers saying about it---especially
the ones who were all
screaming about police entrapment, etc, of the owners just a year
or so ago?"
and:
"I thought we were given some assurances that this would not happen if Oscar's was re-opened. What are the police and liquor board doing now?!?!?!?!?"
I asked the Police And Liquor Control Board to comment:
Date: Wed, 26 Dec 2001 14:41:15 -0800
From: Mark Evenson <Mark.Evenson@ci.seattle.wa.us>
Thank you for giving me a chance to let you and all the other
concerned citizens know what we, the police, are doing.
As you already know, we have had a rash of shooting in and around the 2000 block of Madison. This has been in addition to the chronic issues with drug dealing and assaults in the area.
The East precinct has been working with each of the liquor
establishments in the area for quite awhile now. We meet with
the owners on a regular basis about the issues and what they can
do as business owners. The Liquor Control Board is also working
with us to ensure all the establishments are in compliance with
State law.
Even though I have only been here two months, it is clear that the area around the 2000 block of Madison is my number 1 priority. I know from speaking with Assistant Chief Nick Metz and Officer Kim Bogucki, that the East precinct has been focusing a lot of resources in that area to include our Anti-Crime Team and Bicycle squad. I have continued that focus.
In light of the recent shooting, the following actions have been initiated to assist with the area and to reduce the amount of violence that is occurring:
1. We have requested our SWAT, Gang, Traffic and Narcotics
units assist with enforcement efforts and high visibility patrols
especially on Friday and
Saturday nights.
2. I have ordered my Anti-Crime Team to change their schedule and spend most of their time in the area conducting narcotic buy busts and high visibility patrols. Beginning January 2nd, our Anti-Crime Team will change their hours to be in line with our 3rd Watch. This will enable us to have them available until 4am instead of Midnight.
3. We are conducting a foot beat emphasis on Friday and Saturday
nights with officers on overtime. This will continue until things
calm down.
4. Each Watch Commander is preparing an on-duty enforcement
plan which will spell out exactly how their officers will deal
with the issues around the 2000 blk of Madison. These plans will
include built-in accountability measures.
5. I have given clear direction to my staff about what I want to see in the area of the 2000 blk of Madison. I expect to see good results in the very near future.
6. Finally, I just want to let you know that our officers are
working very hard to improve your neighborhood, and I am very
proud of them. I know that you and your neighbors feel alone sometimes,
but I can assure you that we are working on this everyday on a
24 hour basis. We are in it together, and please keep me posted
on the progress. Thanks. Capt. Evenson.
Date: Fri, 21 Dec 2001 20:38:26 -0800
From: "Fish, Bud F" <HFF@LIQ.WA.GOV>
To: 'Andrew Taylor' <ataylor@fhcrc.org>
Subject: RE: Madison Street shootings
Andrew:
I will be on annual leave next week and will return about January
2. I will meet with my supervisor and also contact you. Could
you let me know a schedule of meetings at the Miller Center?
I have been working that area for about a year. I have read
about contacts with the licensees in the 2000 block of Madison.
I read those that our agency had on file with various agreements
with owners of Oscars and Deano's. I decided the best way to approach
this area was not to re-invent the wheel. I think if those licensees
have been made aware of laws and regulations regarding their operations,
I think that would suffice. I did contact them all and made notes
on a community policing effort in that area. There have been on-going
meetings, but as you are aware, meetings don't
solve the problem, they just lend a hand.
Enforcement, through Seattle PD (Kim Bogucki and officers from
the East Precinct) and other divisions of SPD. As I requested
from the start, what do the crimes in that area directly have
to do with, or how do they relate to licensees in that area? Information
about a shooting, for example...
1. Were they in a licensed premises?
2. Were targets in that licensed premises?
3. and perhaps most importantly What did the licensed premises
do when a crime as obvious as a shooting take
place?
I am working on those and have been for some time now, getting
reports from SPD regarding those issues. I have also conducted
training for
the officers at the East precinct.
Things are moving ahead, some of which I think I am not at
real liberty to discuss, but be assured, I have a full understanding
of what goes on in that
block and have addressed those issues with those licensees. When
I first began, I watched the folks hanging around on the sidewalk
and those issues are really tough, when SPD has to deal with a
person's liberty to stand around. Bogucki has an understanding
of those issues.
That block is heading downhill, in light of shootings in that
area. I believe as strongly as you folks that is not a tolerable
situation. I would be much more specific if I could, but those
issues are being handled.
After a lengthy career at WSP and with my time at the Liquor Board,
I am not going away. When you have a meeting, and if they are
not going on on a regular basis, just let me know when I could
talk with you. I would also like to contact, at the same time,
if possible, partners at the Church there and with those doing
business in that area, as Planned Parenthood, etc. I realize that
some of those folks are not there at night, but I think this stuff
could go
on during the daytime, too.
I have been able to make a walk or two, but it seems like that
is a tough time to really exchange information. Maybe, in light
of the last week or two, now would be a good time to talk.
Thanks for your caring, Andrew.