Seattle Mayor Denies Police Directive on Drug Arrests

Seattle’s Democratic Mayor Katie Wilson denied allegations on Monday that she had instructed police to stop arresting drug users, following claims from the police union about an internal directive.

Wilson, alongside Seattle City Attorney Erica Evans, who was elected in November through mail-in ballots, emphasized a need for “progressive” solutions to crime, as reported by the Seattle Times. In response to the Seattle Police Officers Guild’s (SPOG) complaint, Wilson commented in a Fox 13 interview that the situation highlighted how rumors can spread. “It’s interesting how these things unfold,” she said with a chuckle. “There’s no policy change; we’ve been discussing this, and then I wake up to news of a supposed change.”

In a memo issued on January 1, Seattle Police Chief Shon Burns indicated that many drug cases would be redirected to a pretrial diversion program. Evans also sent a similar memo, according to the Seattle Times.

“Effective immediately, all drug possession and use charges will be transferred from prosecution to the LEAD program,” read an email detailing the policy. The Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) program aims to steer misdemeanor offenders in King County away from the justice system and towards social services.

SPOG Chairman Mike Solan criticized this approach, labeling it as “suicidal sympathy,” according to Seattle Red. He stated, “The recent political decisions not to arrest individuals openly using drugs in Seattle are dangerously flawed and will result in increased deaths and societal decline.” Solan expressed concerns about thinking that assisting those in active addiction is the right path.

When interviewed about Solan’s remarks, Wilson appeared to downplay the criticism, suggesting they might need to have a conversation. Solan had announced on December 31 that he would not seek reelection as president of the police union.