What are the comparison facts among the four police precincts? The North Precinct is 32.5 square miles in size, second only to the South Precinct (33.2 square miles), followed by the West Precinct (9.9 square miles) and the East Precinct (8.5 square miles). According to the 1997 Annual Report of the Seattle Police Department, the North Precinct has 32 percent of Part 1 Crimes (murder, rape, assault, theft and burglary) for the city, ranking at the top of the four precincts. At the same time, we have the fewest available number of patrol officers per thousand population.

Compared to the other three precincts, the North Precinct also ranks at the top or second to the top in number of 911 calls per officer per shift. The North Precinct has the highest or second to the highest response time for the three patrol shifts! This also means that backup support for the officer is longer, putting that officer and citizens in greater jeopardy.

Finally, when it comes to extra resources such as HUD and Weed and Seed Grants, the North Precinct gets no help. The other three precincts receive $190,000 to $446,000 in grant resources each year.

We all know that the Seattle Police Department is currently suffering a shortage of 110 patrol officers. In order to fill vacancies in other units, officers are taken from the North Precinct.

Precinct captains also depend on overtime funds in order to compensate officers for extra duty. The overtime allotment for emphasis patrols for the North Precinct was recently cut in half!

These shortages put an undue amount of stress on North Precinct patrol officers. This reduces their ability to create a positive police presence in our neighborhoods. It also increases their response time to 911 calls.

The population in the North Precinct is growing rapidly. We have policing concerns in and around the Aurora corridor, the University District, the industrial areas of Ballard, and at our public parks. Car prowling and drug use are on the rise. We have seen an acceleration in reckless driving. The North End is part of a big urban city with the problems of an urban environment.

Yes, our North Precinct police are doing a good job. We like it when we see police cruisers patrolling our neighborhoods. We feel comfortable knowing that if there is any criminal behavior in the neighborhood, our police will be there in a timely manner. How long will this sense of safety last?

Finally, we think it is preposterous that the residents of the North Precinct pay over 60 percent of our city's taxes, yet, we have the least police staffing! We want and expect equity. If you agree, please e-mail or write our police chief at norman.stamper@ci.seattle.wa.us or Chief Norm Stamper, Seattle Police Department, 610 3rd Ave., Seattle, WA 98104.

-DAVID QUIRING,
President, North Precinct Advisory Council
and PAUL HOVSEPIAN,
Chair, Staffing Committee North Precinct Advisory Council