Skip to main content

You make this possible. Support our independent, nonprofit newsroom today.

Give Now

Why not report crime? Cops won't follow through, Seattle Chinatown residents say

Untitled
Enlarge Icon
Seattle City Council

Most people in Seattle's Chinatown-International District say they do not report violent crime when they witness it.

That's according to a survey of more than 300 neighborhood residents.

One of the biggest reasons?

People believed police wouldn't follow through.

And 8 percent said it's because police don't speak their language.

Valerie Tran from the Community Development Association presented the results to the city council on Wednesday.

"We're recommending that the city invest in a safe place style program in the I-D to serve as both a physical space, but also a space that provides education to community members about personal safety and the importance of reporting crime."

Tran says community members would be in charge of running the safe places, with the city's support.

The study was prompted by last year's murder of Donnie Chin, a public safety leader and icon in the International District.

Why you can trust KUOW