Drafter
Clerk 08/12/2021
Title
A MOTION requesting that the King County executive proclaim an emergency relating to the security situation at the King County Courthouse and respond to that emergency.
Body
WHEREAS, people coming to the King County Courthouse located at 516 3rd Avenue in downtown Seattle no longer feel safe entering the courthouse to work, serve on juries, or conduct other legal business, and
WHEREAS, the county has a long history of requesting the city of Seattle to properly maintain and patrol the activities of City Hall park located next to the King County Courthouse, and
WHEREAS, over the years, the county has requested that the city of Seattle add cameras to the park, remove vegetation for better visibility and safety and increase patrols by Seattle police officers to improve response times to calls for assistance. Similarly, the county has encouraged positive activities in the park with games, recreational activities and food trucks to promote a more positive environment, and
WHEREAS, the council has appropriated $1.34 million to provide security emphasis patrols around the perimeter of the courthouse and maintain a courthouse entrance on 4th Avenue, and
WHEREAS, the presiding judges of both the King County superior court and the King County district court have each called for greater security for at least two years, and
WHEREAS, the King County superior court conducted a survey of its employees, which memorialized the experiences of many employees being harassed, followed, grabbed and assaulted, and in one instance an employee being chased by a person brandishing a machete, and
WHEREAS, in November of 2019, an attorney was repeatedly punched in the head and a Metro bus driver was assaulted in an unprovoked attack, prompting the closure of the 3rd Avenue courthouse entrance, and
WHEREAS, in April 2021, a man was assaulted while taking pictures of tents in City Hall park to document the plight of unsheltered residents, and
WHEREAS,...
Click here for full text