City Plan to Curb Violence Includes Some Seattle Schools

Big news - Mayor Katie Wilson has signed "a New Approach to Reducing Gun Violence." This from the Office of the Mayor. I'm highlighting the efforts that will help students. 

I don't see in either the press release or plan any formal interaction with SPS but I would assume that to be the case. 

Here are key points for SPS and its students:

- The big item that is something of a surprise to me, given it's just one school. 

New afterschool support: Invests over $600,000 in Rainier Beach High School to pilot a new afterschool program for students and expand peer mentorships for teens at Rainier Beach Community Center. 

The 2027—2028 budget will fund two staff to support the afterschool

program, increase funding for contracts with community-based organizations that offer services to teens, and provide staffing and training to Seattle Parks and Recreation staff who work with our teens.

Maybe since it's a pilot, if it works, the City will expand it to other schools. 

- Free Teen Late Night Programs: The 2027—2028 budget will sustain a Teen Late Night pilot at High Point Community Center, which brings the total number of locations with Teen Late Night programming to nine citywide. 

Teen Late Night is a supportive environment on Friday and Saturday nights from 7:00 PM to midnight for teens ages 13—19. This popular program provides safe, enriching spaces for young people to receive educational support, cultural activities, athletics, career-readiness, and the Teen Late Night Internship staffed by caring, professional City staff, Teen Late Night provides a safe, enriching space for youth to enjoy

themselves and build healthy community.

There are 13, 14, 15 year olds out and about after 10 pm on Friday and Saturday nights? And hanging out with 18 and 19 year olds? I guess parenting has changed since I raised my kids. 

- Expand Seattle’s Community-led Safety Network: Increase the capacity of community-based organizations contracted by HSD to work in schools and with people at greatest risk of gun violence. Service providers, schools, emergency responders, and community organizations will now operate together in one system under HSD’s Community Safety Network. 

- Increased mental health resources: All youth ages 13—24 in Seattle now have access to mental health resources at no cost through virtual providers. Additionally, five new school-based health centers will open this year in Seattle Public Schools, adding to the 21 that previously existed, with more mental health resources at each. 

My comment here is that I want to find out how this will work considering SPS already has its own mental health plan. 

I did ask DEEL about those new health centers and they said they are still assessing which schools will have them.

- More union, family-wage job opportunities for youth: Young people across our city are asking for opportunities to great jobs that help them thrive and stay in Seattle. By expanding our investments in union apprentice programs, we create opportunities for young people to find economic opportunities that provide a positive path forward into adulthood

- Under Legislation: 

• Regulating firearms in sensitive spaces: Advance policies that limit firearm possession in parks, select public buildings, and major public events where children are highly likely to be present.

- Juvenile Unlawful Possession of a Firearm Sentencing Reform: Continue working with legislators as they evaluate options to update juvenile firearm possession and sentencing laws.

Other parts to the Plan

The mayor’s Gun Violence Plan brings together community violence intervention, emergency response, social services, law enforcement resources, and regional partnerships under unified leadership for the first time. It is a comprehensive plan designed to reduce the types of gun violence Seattle is experiencing and organized to deliver results.

This plan reflects effective governance. It uses existing City resources by reorganizing how services are delivered and directing funding proposed in the 2027—2028 budget where it will make the biggest impact to address one of Seattle’s top priorities.

Important items in the plan (partial):

• Moves community violence intervention into the CARE Department for faster action when shootings occur
• Increases bicycle patrols for visibility and faster response time while the Seattle Police Department continues to expand
• Establishes dedicated leadership to leverage and coordinate work across City departments and community organizations across the region, because gun violence does not stop at city borders
• Invests in youth after school programs and Teen Nights at community centers, while increasing free in-person and virtual mental health services for 13—24 years old to keep youth from reaching a crisis point

Included in the mayor’s proposed budget for 2027 are positions for a new Director and Coordinator of Gun Violence Reduction who will oversee and support the Gun Violence Plan at CARE. 

Also included in the proposed budget is the reassignment of violence intervention programs, representing more than $5 million annually in contracts across nine community organizations, from the Human Services Department (HSD) to CARE so these providers can respond more quickly alongside Seattle Police Department (SPD) and Seattle Fire Department when someone calls about a shooting.

These violence intervention programs include:

• On-the-ground teams that help calm conflicts, support neighborhoods where shootings happen including along school routes, and assist with recovery after violent incidents
• Support for gunshot victims and their families in partnership with Harborview Medical Center
• Intensive support for the small group of people most involved in the majority of gun violence

That last item interests me and I'm going to ask the City some questions about it. 

SPD is taking immediate steps to further reduce gun violence. Bike patrols are increasing in Belltown, North Aurora, Little Saigon, and Rainier Beach to improve visibility and response time. 

Then there is this big statement:

SPD also stands ready to partner with community and CARE on a “focused deterrence” approach that concentrates attention on the small number of people responsible for most of the shootings. 

Community partnership is central to this effort. Backed by CARE and SPD, trusted local organizations and neighborhood leaders will deliver a clear message: we stand with our neighbors, and we’re here to offer options other than violence. Those who choose violence will face swift and decisive legal consequences for the harm they cause.

It will be interesting to see if action follows it. I will say that it is very important for police to be part of the community so that communities gain trust and want to share information with law enforcement.

Here's some of what will/might affect SPS and its students:

HSD will continue investing over $8 million in programs that help prevent violence by supporting kids, teens, and families. The goal is to make sure young people have the stability, care, and resources they need so challenges don’t turn into violence. 

Community partners help families get immediate support, including case managers, housing assistance, job and training resources, food access, and mental health services. The department also funds safety programs in select middle and high schools that help students resolve conflicts, ensure safe routes to and from school, offer case management, and provide access to a small fund for basic needs.

The City is expanding positive opportunities for teens, especially in neighborhoods facing high levels of stress because of gun violence. This includes a $600,000 investment in Settle Parks and Recreation to provide a new after school program at Rainier Beach High School, peer-mentorship opportunities, and increased support for community organizations that support teens. 

For example, free counseling services for those 13 to 24 years old, after school activities like continuing Seattle Parks and Recreation’s Teen Late Night pilot at High Point and the other 8 locations citywide on Friday and Saturday nights, conflict mediation, and life-skills development. The City is also continuing funding for the Seattle Youth Employment Program, which offers paid internships to stay connected to positive opportunities that keep youth on track for success, and expanding union apprenticeships. These efforts give teens safe places to go, trusted mentors to talk to, and structured activities during times when risks are highest.

To make services easier to access, HSD is strengthening its network of providers who serve young people with clearer ways to be referred to help, improved information sharing, and more staff training so families get consistent support sooner and young people receive stronger help during tough times. This Safety Network will be supported by two new roles within HSD funded in the mayor’s 2027-2028 budget: a Network Coordinator and a Senior Data Analyst to give schools a direct line to community safety teams, coordinate support, and train service providers.

HSD also directly supports victims and survivors of violence through its Crime Survivor Services Unit, where trained advocates ensure survivors feel safe, heard, and supported, helping families heal and reducing the chance of future harm.

In addition, the City is hiring a new attorney in Seattle City Attorney Erika Evans’ office dedicated to filing civil Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO) petitions for court orders to take firearms from people who pose a significant risk to others. ERPOs are an evidence-based, outcome-driven public safety tool that can be used with both adults and juveniles. 

This dedicated attorney will work directly with SPD, reviewing violent crime intelligence, retaliation threats, witness intimidation, and other risk indicators for ERPO eligibility to prevent violence before it happens. The focus will be areas experiencing high levels of gun violence, including Rainier Beach, Aurora, and Belltown.