Great news: I asked readers to contribute to a new fund to help me pay for a part-time reporter covering the police accountability and community safety beat, and you delivered! Since that first post on Monday, readers have given more than $5,200 to fund this position, beating my initial goal of $5,000 in five days flat. (This tally doesn’t include physical checks.)

Your contributions, along with a generous grant I’ve received to fund this position, will allow me to hire an entry-level reporter to cover the ongoing discussions about police defunding and community reinvestment, the Seattle Police Officers Guild contract, protests against police brutality, the future of Seattle’s police accountability  bodies, and the Seattle Police Department budget, among many other current and emerging topics

Any additional contributions to this fund will also be set aside to fund this position and will help make this coverage sustainable for a longer period; just make sure you include a note with your Paypal or Venmo contribution indicating what it’s for. (If you have trouble, email me at erica@thecisforcrank.com and I’ll make sure your donation ends up in the right account).

And I’m still taking applications! This is an entry-level position—you don’t need any specific prior experience, but critical thinking, fearlessness, and a willingness to push past official talking points are important. BIPOC candidates are especially encouraged to apply; email a resumé along with any published clips or a writing sample, along with a brief email telling me why you’re seeking the position, to erica@thecisforcrank.com.