Eastside Hippie

I figured this may be useful for someone.  Names are not all spelled correctly and I apologize.

East Precinct:  John Hayes, Operations, Stephanie Chida co-facilitator.

Peter Morgan from Group Health, 20 seconds of silence to honor Shannon Hayes.

Mayor Nickels:  express concerns, grief, to learn about the investigation, to share tools to keep our neighborhood and ourselves safe.  181 Boston, 105 Milwakie, 66 Boston, Seattle 24, cities are comparable to ours in size.

Counsel members:  Locatta:  new chair of counsel’s public safety.

Burges:  lives here for 25 years, “good police force” safe neighborhood

Captain Paul McDenim:   started April 07, recap:  7:15pm witnesses heard screams from a female voice, leave her alone, witnesses saw suspect leave, Shannon left stairwell and collapsed, 7:15 911 call, Police responded in less than one minute, first aid, Seattle Fire responded right after.  Investigation started right away, attempted to locate suspect, unsuccessful, witness helped with sketch.  Please respond if you know anyone.  206 233 5000, 100’s of tips so far, continue to pass info on, each piece helps to solve the crime.  If you see the suspect, please call 911 or the tip line.  Actively investigating all tips.  Patrol:  Increased on duty patrol in the area of Capitol Hill, emphasis patrol, uniform and plainclothes patrolling the neighborhood on foot.  Crime Prevention Officer working on it.  Will be addressed.

Chief Nick Mets, assistant chief?  Overseeing the investigation.  Thanks to the neighborhood, community, witnesses.  Hundreds of tips, many are being worked on aggressively, each one is being “triaged”.  We don’t know whether this person committed this crime targeting Shannon or if it were random.  Need to get this guy.  Can’t share all the information, have multiple persons of interest and are working on eliminating them (have yet to eliminate anyone).  Careful to not focus community attention on one individual.  Do not want to vilify any one who may be innocent.  Taking case very seriously.  Working on this case day in and day out, scouring the city.  Please call the tip line and give any information you have.

Stephanie Chida:  here as the community representative.  Community concerns, questions, crisis intervention people here:  Chris Lealin mental health with Group Health:   group health members can call behavioral health access line for getting an appointment with a psychotherapist for treatment of symptoms that are interfering with your life.  Carry Todd:  Harborview traumatic stress counselor:  handouts, can talk to her after the meeting.  Sense of safety may not be there any more, please come talk to us.  Diane Priest, victim assistance with police dept.  Home alive:  Becca Tilson:  self defense on a sliding scale:  handouts and sign up sheet.  Jan 16th monthly social hour please come to talk about violence.  Susie Pardon:  SPD crisis counselor.  These are the resources that are available to us.

Community questions and concerns:
are there composite drawings of the suspect?  Yes.  Says the police dept investigation is stalled.  It is probably a 3rd level sex offenders, not handled well…urging wife to get a gun (NOT THE ANSWER)

No lighting at stairwell, concerned with the building’s safety.  One of the reasons we are here is to pass on information to make house, apt, work safer.

Just moved here, lighting on street is inadequate, does not feel safe walking to school.

Lives at 19th and Howell, what can we personally do to help, volunteer, etc.  Be safe:  Be involved at local level (block watch, neighbor discussion), Crime Prevention works with Seattle City Light to provide more lighting, other community groups (Miller Community Group), SPD website find community groups.  Block Watch info later in the meeting.  Crime Prevention through environmental design.

4 years on the hill, called police 7 or 8 times regarding neighbors, scared that they will turn hostile, reporting them for noise violation, destructive to property, disrespectful to property, continues to happen, scared for own safety scared of retaliation.  Using community police resources.  206-684-4370 at East Precinct, Jay Shin.

Lives next door.  Can’t finish statement

Lived here 25 years, always rather dark at that area of 15th, if you find a power pole w/out a light, rent one for a few bucks a night.  Devoid of neighborhood organization.  Used to have one but it’s gone now.  Wants to form a new community organization.  Not 1980 anymore, a lot of electronics, lots of blogs including CHS!

Lives next door, feels that we are not getting the right information, one of the people in her building is missing, was with Shannon.

This happened in a minute, a walking neighborhood, can happen to anyone at any time.  How many people are murdered outside their front door.

Lighting issue again…N/S avenues have no telephone poles, so less lights, wants to get more lights in the community.

Lived here 27 years, concerned with SPD being understaffed.  Lots of crime here, break ins, car prowls, people banging on doors, densest neighborhood in city, doesn’t think we’re making progress.  Worried about lack of police officers, wants resources allocated to the SPD, SPD buys own uniforms individually.  Nickels:  Good observations, in agreement, in the process of hiring 25% increase in patrol officers…154 new officers, to allocate more resources to addressing this problem.  This is the time to take the next step, hire more officers, better ways to police the community, build confidence and communication.  311:  one number, trained call takers to answer questions or find where the answer is.  Customer service is not what it should be.

Inordinate amount of homeless and mentally ill people here.  Nickels:  trying to find permanent housing for people, addicts, mentally ill, housing and treatment makes for a safer community.  Hopes to see more facilities like these.

Addressing lighting:  Seattle City Lights:  critical.  Survey apartment buildings to work with owners to work with lighting in the stairwells.

3 young men, worked with SPD, mugged neighbor at knifepoint in this area and it’s frustrating.  Fault of people who don’t let us allocate the money and resources to keep us safe.

2 doors down from the location:  did not know what happened and walked to Madison Market, was not informed by a policeman she walked by.  Wants more communication in the neighborhood.

Frightened that we would arm ourselves, discount the work done in this community. responding to the first man who talked about getting his wife a gun.

Long term involvement by the large businesses here:  Group Health, SU, SCCC, Harborview…will make a difference.  New webpage on January 15th for East Precinct.

Here 35 years:  thanks to the police for responding in 1 minute, thanks to the neighbors for helping Shannon, wants everyone to commit to doing the same.

Resident for 7 years, insensitivity from officers in regards to harassment, one rumor was that it was a co-worker or a volunteer…was in a similar situation and called the non-emergency number, the officer was dismissive, sarcastic, and almost backed down but chose to speak to someone else who was more sensitive, wanted it logged at the police department, was Shannon in a situation where the police dismissed her concerns.  Wants police to take people seriously and with sensitivity.  Response:  No excuse for the girl to get that response, those conversations are recorded so please let someone know on the website or over the phone or in person, will review the tapes and take action.

Community advocate with homeless:  continued to be harassed, doesn’t bother to call the police, doesn’t write a report, has been harassed, had her possessions stabbed and has been targeted, the police do not do anything.  Definitely need more cooperation and community support.

Plug-in for community block-watch

Resources:
Sally Clark
Sida Daas
Tiany Milner:  community liason through City Attorney
Tyrone Davis:  officer…resources and can discuss local projects

Stephanie:  next meeting:  January 24th at Seattle Vocational Institute:  20th and Jackson, 4th Thursday of every month.

Crime Prevention Coordinator.  Thanks, etc.  A couple of programs:  personal safety talks in schools and retirement homes, issues about lighting noted, ask for a lighting study through Seattle City Light, can go through condo associations to get more lighting or safety, met with the people in the condo building where Shannon was killed, came to the conclusion that there are issues that can be corrected. Cut back shrubs, more lights, discourage deviant people, neighbors communicate with neighbors…

Andrew Taylor is a good resource, very active in the community.  Issue of being safe lies with all of us, have to protect ourselves and be a good witness that can report a crime.

How to be an effective witness:  organized in thoughts, top to bottom, outside inside.  Scan each individual, scan face, clothing, clothing under coat…this organizes thoughts.  Use the resources on the back tables, please use those.

Sally Clark:   what happens doesn’t change capitol hill, it spurs us to take action.  Talk to neighbors, walk the street, check out CHS!  It’s fantastic!  (yes it is)

Crime Prevention Coordinator:  Trust your gut.  Number is 206 684 7717, does return calls (Crime Prevention Coordinator)