Press Release Roundup

Really? It takes 5 years to add 105 cops?

Really? It takes 5 years to add 105 cops?

yes it does. SPD has made the determination that they have to hire about 50 people a year just to replace officers retiring and that hiring another 20 or so to fill newly created position in the plan each year (for a total of 70) is about the most they can hire.

Here’s a typical year:

SPD recruiters make offers to about 3% to 5% of those who take the written and physical agility tests (not those who apply – a larger number). A couple years ago (when the 105/5 years plan was created) we looked at the recruitment numbers for that year. 877 applicants actually tested and, of these, SPD hired 36 recruits – approximately 4% of those tested. In other words, they need to test about 1,750 candidates to hire 70 officers. A much greater number than that has to apply for the position just to get 1,750 people to go to the testing stage.

yes it does. SPD has made the determination that they have to hire about 50 people a year just to replace officers retiring and that hiring another 20 or so to fill newly created position in the plan each year (for a total of 70) is about the most they can hire.

Here’s a typical year:

SPD recruiters make offers to about 3% to 5% of those who take the written and physical agility tests (not those who apply – a larger number). A couple years ago (when the 105/5 years plan was created) we looked at the recruitment numbers for that year. 877 applicants actually tested and, of these, SPD hired 36 recruits – approximately 4% of those tested. In other words, they need to test about 1,750 candidates to hire 70 officers. A much greater number than that has to apply for the position just to get 1,750 people to go to the testing stage.

Loki fish is delicious.

Loki fish is delicious.

Allen and Israel are not “out-of-touch”, (“or pour-and-stir”), they’re simply banking on a rightward, business compliant, xenophobic shift in Seattle politics. Given the depressed economy, Boeing trying to bug-out, and the Glenn-Beckization of some of our populace, they just might be placing their cynical bets sensibly. A Mallahan, Hutchinson, Israel, and Burgess (already in place – but is probably in contention for president of the council), slate would be just what’s needed to start the ball rolling to the right.

Allen and Israel are not “out-of-touch”, (“or pour-and-stir”), they’re simply banking on a rightward, business compliant, xenophobic shift in Seattle politics. Given the depressed economy, Boeing trying to bug-out, and the Glenn-Beckization of some of our populace, they just might be placing their cynical bets sensibly. A Mallahan, Hutchinson, Israel, and Burgess (already in place – but is probably in contention for president of the council), slate would be just what’s needed to start the ball rolling to the right.

@4, what a mishmash of soundbite-ish. Have you fallen and hit your head?
“Glenn-Beckization”? How is not getting hassled at an ATM “Glenn-Beckization”? And what the F-does that even mean?

What Mr. Baker said.

So wanting the numbers of police to keep pace with a growing city is part of a xenophobic trend?

From my personal experience, the foreigners are not generally the dangerous ones…it’s the locals you have to watch out for. I love it when I see those tourists from Europe and Asia tromping around our fine city. I also grimace when some belligerent, anti-social creep makes a mockery of civility in their presence.

What Mr. Baker said.

So wanting the numbers of police to keep pace with a growing city is part of a xenophobic trend?

From my personal experience, the foreigners are not generally the dangerous ones…it’s the locals you have to watch out for. I love it when I see those tourists from Europe and Asia tromping around our fine city. I also grimace when some belligerent, anti-social creep makes a mockery of civility in their presence.

Shouldn’t the top grade go first?

I stopped by the Port Reform event and I counted almost 40 people. Albro’s people kept poking their heads out of the fundraiser to see why dozens of people were waving signs from across the canal.

Shouldn’t the top grade go first?

I stopped by the Port Reform event and I counted almost 40 people. Albro’s people kept poking their heads out of the fundraiser to see why dozens of people were waving signs from across the canal.

I’m not an inside baseball type. For whom is Cathy Allen working this year? According to reports, she worked for Larry Phillips, who must feel disappointed, to say the least, given his ambition.

I’m not watching all the time, but I do have some observations.

Cathy Allen seems to be the ambulance chasing type; in other words, she picks the candidates; the candidates don’t pick her.

Didn’t she recruit Jim Compton to benefit The Connections Group? You bet your ass she did.

Didnt’t she recruit Jean Godden, who originates from the Hadean age, to benefit The Connections Group. You bet your ass she did.

Like I say, for whom is she working? Of whom do we need to be afraid.

I’m not an inside baseball type. For whom is Cathy Allen working this year? According to reports, she worked for Larry Phillips, who must feel disappointed, to say the least, given his ambition.

I’m not watching all the time, but I do have some observations.

Cathy Allen seems to be the ambulance chasing type; in other words, she picks the candidates; the candidates don’t pick her.

Didn’t she recruit Jim Compton to benefit The Connections Group? You bet your ass she did.

Didnt’t she recruit Jean Godden, who originates from the Hadean age, to benefit The Connections Group. You bet your ass she did.

Like I say, for whom is she working? Of whom do we need to be afraid.

Oh Joshie – you feckless fuck. Please no more videos! Get a wig you whore! What, is Sandeep the consultant for Nick now?????

Oh Joshie – you feckless fuck. Please no more videos! Get a wig you whore! What, is Sandeep the consultant for Nick now?????

There is a sense I have found, in talking to quite a few different people, that Nick Licata often focuses issues that might be good but are not of the highest importance. Twelve years on the council is certainly plenty of time to rack up some examples of this phenomenon.

I think that the panhandling legislation is a winning move from a political standpoint. Some vocal opposition notwithstanding, the majority of Seattle residents are concerned about safety, particularly with the increase in crime, panhandling, and homelessness. What I have found in talking with people is that the majority do not want to “criminalize homelessness”, but they do want reasonable restrictions on how people can behave. At last night’s human services forum, Nick Licata seemed to ridicule these concerns, and this bothered me quite a bit.

On broader public safety questions, Jessie Israel has been doing well in touting her police and fire endorsements, something a twelve year incumbent should have gotten easily if his public safety record was as good as claimed. Both Nick and Jessie have been talking about expanding the size of the SPD, but Jessie’s plan in that regard is more aggressive; such a distinction may strike some as subtle but is worth pointing out.

Anyway, are the grades determined by the quality of the release itself, or whether you agree with the candidate/issues presented therein?

There is a sense I have found, in talking to quite a few different people, that Nick Licata often focuses issues that might be good but are not of the highest importance. Twelve years on the council is certainly plenty of time to rack up some examples of this phenomenon.

I think that the panhandling legislation is a winning move from a political standpoint. Some vocal opposition notwithstanding, the majority of Seattle residents are concerned about safety, particularly with the increase in crime, panhandling, and homelessness. What I have found in talking with people is that the majority do not want to “criminalize homelessness”, but they do want reasonable restrictions on how people can behave. At last night’s human services forum, Nick Licata seemed to ridicule these concerns, and this bothered me quite a bit.

On broader public safety questions, Jessie Israel has been doing well in touting her police and fire endorsements, something a twelve year incumbent should have gotten easily if his public safety record was as good as claimed. Both Nick and Jessie have been talking about expanding the size of the SPD, but Jessie’s plan in that regard is more aggressive; such a distinction may strike some as subtle but is worth pointing out.

Anyway, are the grades determined by the quality of the release itself, or whether you agree with the candidate/issues presented therein?

Israel wants to hire 200 cops *now.* The reason why it’s worth giving a C grade is that SPD has vocally opposed a plan that would have required them to recruit, test, send to the academy for training a plan that added more than 21 new positions every year. As I said above, SPD has to, as a matter of course, hire 50 officers just to fill the vacancies created every year.

They’d have to test something like 5,200 candidates from an application pool several times that size to get 200 new positions filled. Plus another 1300 or so to fill the 50 vacancies created each year.

It’s notable, because it just doesn’t make sense, and that shows either 1) a lack of understanding of the complexity of police recruitment or 2) it’s a cynical political ploy that hopes that the voter isn’t well-informed enough to know that it doesn’t make sense.

If Nick seemed to be dismissive on the issue of new panhndling laws, it’s only because there are today already laws on the books (not being enforced) to deal with much of the behavior people complain about. There’s a law against aggressive panhandling. There’s a law against panhandling that creates a pedestrian interference.

Israel wants to hire 200 cops *now.* The reason why it’s worth giving a C grade is that SPD has vocally opposed a plan that would have required them to recruit, test, send to the academy for training a plan that added more than 21 new positions every year. As I said above, SPD has to, as a matter of course, hire 50 officers just to fill the vacancies created every year.

They’d have to test something like 5,200 candidates from an application pool several times that size to get 200 new positions filled. Plus another 1300 or so to fill the 50 vacancies created each year.

It’s notable, because it just doesn’t make sense, and that shows either 1) a lack of understanding of the complexity of police recruitment or 2) it’s a cynical political ploy that hopes that the voter isn’t well-informed enough to know that it doesn’t make sense.

If Nick seemed to be dismissive on the issue of new panhndling laws, it’s only because there are today already laws on the books (not being enforced) to deal with much of the behavior people complain about. There’s a law against aggressive panhandling. There’s a law against panhandling that creates a pedestrian interference.

It’s not just Jessie Israel who revels in the mud. It’s not just Cathy Allen. It’s also her supporters. Jessie Israel’s race is the only one I can think of this election cycle that is built entirely upon character assassination. The fact that it’s hard to tell the difference between her supporters and sock puppets/ trolls is just another reflection of that. All they got is hate. And look how far that got Jan Drago in the Mayor’s race.

It’s not just Jessie Israel who revels in the mud. It’s not just Cathy Allen. It’s also her supporters. Jessie Israel’s race is the only one I can think of this election cycle that is built entirely upon character assassination. The fact that it’s hard to tell the difference between her supporters and sock puppets/ trolls is just another reflection of that. All they got is hate. And look how far that got Jan Drago in the Mayor’s race.

Trevor @ 12:

Comment of the week! In fact, comment of the campaign cycle!

The reason Jessie is more dangerous than Jan is that she is actually alive and behaves like it. Watching Drago walk into a Democratic LD meeting was like watching a zombie: no facial expression, no verbal activity, barely missed walking into tables.

Trevor @ 12:

Comment of the week! In fact, comment of the campaign cycle!

The reason Jessie is more dangerous than Jan is that she is actually alive and behaves like it. Watching Drago walk into a Democratic LD meeting was like watching a zombie: no facial expression, no verbal activity, barely missed walking into tables.

If people were honest about ‘doing something’ about panhandling, they would demand the police enforce the aggressive panhandling law on the books.

Passing another unconstitutional law will only end with the city losing at the Supreme Court and racking up another big judgment like the wonderful impound law – wasn’t that a 1.3 million dollar loss for the city.

I hear the panhandles all have leprosy so we should really send them to camps and burn their clothes.

If people were honest about ‘doing something’ about panhandling, they would demand the police enforce the aggressive panhandling law on the books.

Passing another unconstitutional law will only end with the city losing at the Supreme Court and racking up another big judgment like the wonderful impound law – wasn’t that a 1.3 million dollar loss for the city.

I hear the panhandles all have leprosy so we should really send them to camps and burn their clothes.

Oh and maybe a better suggestion would be to replace all the armed cops directing traffic around SDOT projects with parking enforcement officers and have the cops out enforcing laws against all sorts of aggressive behavior.

Oh and maybe a better suggestion would be to replace all the armed cops directing traffic around SDOT projects with parking enforcement officers and have the cops out enforcing laws against all sorts of aggressive behavior.

Lsrael=Godden protoge. Yawn.

Lsrael=Godden protoge. Yawn.

It isn’t that Licata spends time on unimportant issues. His accomplishsments on Police Accountability are notable. But such things go unnoticed, because issues like that are not hand picked by Seattle’s media as “important”, like, pet goats or passing more spare changing laws.

It isn’t that Licata spends time on unimportant issues. His accomplishsments on Police Accountability are notable. But such things go unnoticed, because issues like that are not hand picked by Seattle’s media as “important”, like, pet goats or passing more spare changing laws.

Israel seriously thinks that “After a decade of the city council passively waiting for the problem to just go away, our public spaces are now overrun with hostile panhandlers and resident drug dealers.”?

Overrun with hostile panhandlers and resident drug dealers? Seriously? WTF — has she been watching The Wire and thinking she’s looking out the window?

Israel seriously thinks that “After a decade of the city council passively waiting for the problem to just go away, our public spaces are now overrun with hostile panhandlers and resident drug dealers.”?

Overrun with hostile panhandlers and resident drug dealers? Seriously? WTF — has she been watching The Wire and thinking she’s looking out the window?

I’ve had a chance to talk with Israel at length on a couple of occasions and she impressed me quite a bit. This isn’t to say I agreed with her about everything, but her energy and enthusiasm combined with her thoughtfulness and knowledge of the issues was rather impressive.

However I do think she has made two big mistakes in her first run for office, one was using Cathy Allen as her consultant, the other was running against Nick Licata. She would have been much better off in one of the open seat races or waiting two years to pick off one of the weaker incumbents.

I’ve had a chance to talk with Israel at length on a couple of occasions and she impressed me quite a bit. This isn’t to say I agreed with her about everything, but her energy and enthusiasm combined with her thoughtfulness and knowledge of the issues was rather impressive.

However I do think she has made two big mistakes in her first run for office, one was using Cathy Allen as her consultant, the other was running against Nick Licata. She would have been much better off in one of the open seat races or waiting two years to pick off one of the weaker incumbents.

As always, if you want to solve the panhandling problem, you’ve got to seriously address the homeless problem. Even if many panhandlers aren’t actually homeless and are posing as such to earn extra crack and crunk change, if you bolster resources enough for the homeless that panhandling becomes an unreasonable option, THEN you address panhandling with legislation without being a rug-sweeping dick towards the homeless.

Fighting panhandling first and ignoring the homeless situation isn’t going to gain you any tractionEither way, the panhandlers will find workarounds or the cops won’t bother to enforce the law most of the time.

As for the drug dealers… well, there’s a point there, but the homeless situation is mostly irrelevant to whether or not loitering thugs are peddling narcotics Downtown. So going after panhandling like it’s going to solve that problem is a bit dense. Some homeless do partake, sure, but ultimately they’re separate issues.

As always, if you want to solve the panhandling problem, you’ve got to seriously address the homeless problem. Even if many panhandlers aren’t actually homeless and are posing as such to earn extra crack and crunk change, if you bolster resources enough for the homeless that panhandling becomes an unreasonable option, THEN you address panhandling with legislation without being a rug-sweeping dick towards the homeless.

Fighting panhandling first and ignoring the homeless situation isn’t going to gain you any tractionEither way, the panhandlers will find workarounds or the cops won’t bother to enforce the law most of the time.

As for the drug dealers… well, there’s a point there, but the homeless situation is mostly irrelevant to whether or not loitering thugs are peddling narcotics Downtown. So going after panhandling like it’s going to solve that problem is a bit dense. Some homeless do partake, sure, but ultimately they’re separate issues.

I just cannot wrap my head around this panhandling legislation. I don’t know what it’s supposed to accomplish. As abc notes @15, there are already laws on the books that could be, you know, enforced, without having to enact a new law that has a whiff about it of the prisons and the workhouses (if we are all up on our Dickens).

Basically, this isn’t going to do what people want it to. If we want to stop drug dealing downtown, then we need to enforce drug laws. If we want fewer mentally ill people wandering the streets, we need to invest in treatment and support for the mentally ill. If we want people to stop sleeping in our doorways, we need to support things like the Seattle Housing Levy and the state Department of Corrections’ efforts to house ex-offenders. If we want people to work for a living, we need to invest in education and job training.

But if we want to arrest people for holding out cups and asking questions, I guess we could do that too.

I just cannot wrap my head around this panhandling legislation. I don’t know what it’s supposed to accomplish. As abc notes @15, there are already laws on the books that could be, you know, enforced, without having to enact a new law that has a whiff about it of the prisons and the workhouses (if we are all up on our Dickens).

Basically, this isn’t going to do what people want it to. If we want to stop drug dealing downtown, then we need to enforce drug laws. If we want fewer mentally ill people wandering the streets, we need to invest in treatment and support for the mentally ill. If we want people to stop sleeping in our doorways, we need to support things like the Seattle Housing Levy and the state Department of Corrections’ efforts to house ex-offenders. If we want people to work for a living, we need to invest in education and job training.

But if we want to arrest people for holding out cups and asking questions, I guess we could do that too.

Cathy Allen is ruining Jessie Israel. Period. At the beginning of the campaign, Jessie was fun, bright, articulate, and a candidate that I really wished hadn’t run against Nick Licata – not because I’m super fond of him, but because so many others are.

I saw Jessie recently, and she seemed to only be able to speak in politico-talk. It was quite sad. Cathy has had such a successful year, though…David Doud, Jan Drago, Rusty Williams…hopefully Jessie doesn’t make the same mistake next time she runs for office.

Cathy Allen is ruining Jessie Israel. Period. At the beginning of the campaign, Jessie was fun, bright, articulate, and a candidate that I really wished hadn’t run against Nick Licata – not because I’m super fond of him, but because so many others are.

I saw Jessie recently, and she seemed to only be able to speak in politico-talk. It was quite sad. Cathy has had such a successful year, though…David Doud, Jan Drago, Rusty Williams…hopefully Jessie doesn’t make the same mistake next time she runs for office.

Jesse’s campaign strategy can be summed up in two lines:

1. “I’m just a girl”
2. “I’m having what you’re having”

In early campaign stops she actually exhorted people to vote for her because she’s female. The non-thinkers in the crowd cheered, but many professional women I spoke with were offended and disgusted — and rightfully so. You don’t get to have their vote because you share the same equipment. You get to have their vote because you have brains and can do the job.

2. Jesse’s has no original ideas. When she meets a group with money or endorsements, she’s in favor of whatever they’re advocating. In front of environmental groups? “I love trees, let’s protect them.” In front of realtors and developers? “We don’t need stronger tree laws.” In front of liberal groups? “We need better ways to help homeless and unemployed people. In front of downtown groups? “Throw them homeless bums in jail.”

It is pandering politics at the worst. I strongly hope some principled, experienced woman decides to run for Jean Godden’s seat in two years otherwise we’re sure to be stuck with Jesse on Council.

And while I’m venting… Why hasn’t anyone slammed Jesse for the utter failure of her only claim to experience — protecting King County parks from closure through public/private partnerships? I know journalists laughed at this only thing she’s ever done at the start, but c’mon – she’s in the final two now so you should call her out on something and this issue is a great place to start.

King County parks were saved because of a recovering economy, not anything Jesse did. There are significant questions whether her efforts were as important to that process as she claims. Proof she was ineffective comes from the fact the parks are in the same situation again when the economy pulled back. If she would have “fixed” the problem as she claims, KC parks would be in fine shape despite the county budgtary problems.

Apparently “I’m just a girl” means she gets a free pass on her lame record, too?

Jesse’s campaign strategy can be summed up in two lines:

1. “I’m just a girl”
2. “I’m having what you’re having”

In early campaign stops she actually exhorted people to vote for her because she’s female. The non-thinkers in the crowd cheered, but many professional women I spoke with were offended and disgusted — and rightfully so. You don’t get to have their vote because you share the same equipment. You get to have their vote because you have brains and can do the job.

2. Jesse’s has no original ideas. When she meets a group with money or endorsements, she’s in favor of whatever they’re advocating. In front of environmental groups? “I love trees, let’s protect them.” In front of realtors and developers? “We don’t need stronger tree laws.” In front of liberal groups? “We need better ways to help homeless and unemployed people. In front of downtown groups? “Throw them homeless bums in jail.”

It is pandering politics at the worst. I strongly hope some principled, experienced woman decides to run for Jean Godden’s seat in two years otherwise we’re sure to be stuck with Jesse on Council.

And while I’m venting… Why hasn’t anyone slammed Jesse for the utter failure of her only claim to experience — protecting King County parks from closure through public/private partnerships? I know journalists laughed at this only thing she’s ever done at the start, but c’mon – she’s in the final two now so you should call her out on something and this issue is a great place to start.

King County parks were saved because of a recovering economy, not anything Jesse did. There are significant questions whether her efforts were as important to that process as she claims. Proof she was ineffective comes from the fact the parks are in the same situation again when the economy pulled back. If she would have “fixed” the problem as she claims, KC parks would be in fine shape despite the county budgtary problems.

Apparently “I’m just a girl” means she gets a free pass on her lame record, too?

Wow, Josh is not nearly as well-spoken as, say, a real journalist would be.

And what’s the deal with calling a press release “trite” and then giving it an “A”? Last time I checked, I never got an “A” for anything that could be described as trite. Where are the standards?

Wow, Josh is not nearly as well-spoken as, say, a real journalist would be.

And what’s the deal with calling a press release “trite” and then giving it an “A”? Last time I checked, I never got an “A” for anything that could be described as trite. Where are the standards?

@4, what a mishmash of soundbite-ish. Have you fallen and hit your head?
“Glenn-Beckization”? How is not getting hassled at an ATM “Glenn-Beckization”? And what the F-does that even mean?