We had an engaging discussion with Assistant Chief Tyrone Davis of the Seattle Police Department about public safety and how the SHA and SPD can work together to make Seattle safer.
Here are a few resources and highlights from the discussion:
- The SPD is working with Mayor Bruce Harrell and other city officials to dissuade crime as the city continues to revitalize after the pandemic.
- SPD is looking toward new ways to track crime through the use of shot spotters and unmanned arial vehicles, however the city council puts limits on proposed surveillance techniques.
- SPD will continue to work with businesses to make their staff and customers safe despite fewer resources in the last few years. The department relies on public reporting through 911 calls to track criminal activity in Seattle.
- For any questions, contact Davis at davis@seattle.gov.
We had a great presentation from Michael Johnson from the Downtown Seattle Association about revitalization efforts that the DSA and the city are taking to renew the neighborhood through the Metropolitan Improvement District (MID).
Here are a few resources and highlights from the presentation:
- The MID offers many resources to downtown including cleaning services, public realm relations and community safety and hospitality.
- The DSA’s 138 ambassadors are working hard to activate downtown by offering services to visitors and Seattle residents. These include public events and art, community safety and customer service visits, and welfare checks for unhoused residents.
- Visit the link here to watch a video by the DSA that showcases downtown.
We also had an informative presentation from Kirsten Foot and Violeta Vega of Businesses Ending Slavery and Trafficking (BEST). The two described the services they offer to help executives, managers and staff counter human trafficking safely and effectively.
Here are a few resources and highlights from the presentation:
- BEST’s mission is to educate employers to prevent human trafficking and create pathways to employment for survivors.
- Online training services offered by BEST increase knowledge of trafficking issues and safety for hotel staff, guests and the community as a whole.
- For questions about BEST and to learn more about the services they offer, contact Violeta Vega at violeta@bestalliance.org.
A special thanks to Pan Pacific Seattle and General Manager Rob Brandenberg, for hosting this event!
We will see you all at the next SHA membership meeting in spring 2024.