SOAP Zones, Drunk Driving, the Community Police Commission, and More
Monday, August 19
Moore Says SOAP Zones Won’t Apply to Sex Workers; Former Chief Diaz Still Making $28,000 a Month
Seattle City Councilmember Cathy Moore—who has proposed reinstating “prostitution loitering” laws that allow police to search and arrest suspected sex workers, along with Stay Out of Area of Prostitution (SOAP) trespassing zones—announced that in response to feedback, her legislation will only banish sex buyers, not sellers, from SOAP areas. And: Former police chief Adrian Diaz remains on SPD’s payroll four months after he lost his title, at his current pay rate of more than $28,000 a month.
Tuesday, August 20
Seattle Nice: Will Anti-Sex Work Laws Help Sex Workers?
On this week’s Seattle Nice, we discussed Moore’s legislation, which also includes a new gross misdemeanor for promoting prostitution loitering, aimed at pimps. (Prostitution, and promoting prostitution, are already felonies.) Sandeep thinks this will help crack down on pimps, while I’m skeptical, since the new law also provides a disincentive for women to talk to police.
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Thursday, August 22
For the third year in a row, state Senator—and former state trooper—John Lovick plans to introduce a bill that would lower the maximum blood alcohol content for drivers to 0.05, putting Washington state in line with Utah and most of the world. The restaurant and booze industries argue this will harm their businesses, as people choose to go out less rather than risk getting pulled over, and say it wouldn’t do much to save lives. The state’s traffic safety commission begs to differ, arguing that the current level, 0.08, allows people to drive impaired or drunk.
Friday, August 23
Community Police Commission Hires Acting Director, Burien Plans Closed-Door Police Chief Selection
The embattled Community Police Commission has hired a former interim director, Bessie Scott, as its acting director, and pulled back from holding its usual biweekly meetings until it can sort out its internal issues—among them, a commission with high turnover and many vacancies and a staff shortage. And: After driving out popular police chief Ted Boe, the city of Burien plans to hold a closed-door process for selecting a new chief; the city manager, Adolfo Bailon, justified his decision by saying “politically-extreme activists” would hijack the process.