Everett reports 3 fentanyl overdoses in young children in 1 week The Everett Fire Department said in a statement Thursday that this week the city’s firefighters have responded to three suspected fentanyl overdoses in very young children, one of them fatal. Amy Radil
Crime Auburn police officer’s murder trial tests new state law for police misconduct The first police officer charged with murder in Washington under a new legal standard for police misconduct is heading to trial. Jury selection is scheduled to begin April 22 in the trial of Auburn police officer Jeffrey Nelson. Amy Radil
Government Deaths at rural Washington jails highlight perilous conditions: 'Failures at almost every level,' critics say There’s turmoil in Klickitat County over a proposal to close the local jail and send inmates elsewhere. The move comes after one person's death and a second inmate was found in a life-threatening condition last year. Amy Radil
To ease Seattle police shortage, city looks to speed up hiring process The Seattle City Council is drafting legislation to move all the city’s police recruiting efforts into the police department itself. It’s part of an effort to ease acute staffing shortages at SPD by speeding up the testing and hiring process. Amy Radil
Sneak peek of proposed Seattle police contract shows big raises, but little increase in accountability A long-awaited agreement between the city of Seattle and its largest police union would significantly boost officer salaries. But according to a copy of the agreement posted briefly on the website of the Seattle Police Officers Guild Friday, it lacks some of the city’s professed goals around accountability. Amy Radil
National Many 911 call centers are understaffed, and the job has gotten harder More cities are adopting alternative response models, where mental health clinicians respond instead of police. The question of who to send usually rests with 911 workers, who are often overworked and overstressed. Meg Anderson
Crime Week in Review: SPD, drug decriminalization, and Pike Place Market Bill Radke discusses the week’s news with South Seattle Emerald’s Lauryn Bray, founder and president of Gamoran Legal Consulting, Saul Gamoran, and founder of Earth Finance, and former member of the Washington state House and Senate, Reuven Carlyle. Bill Radke Kevin Kniestedt
Politics Off the Charts: Did Seattle defund the police? In 2020, protests following the police murder of George Floyd started a movement to defund police departments across the U.S. – including Seattle. Four years later, what, if anything, has changed? Teo Popescu
Law & Courts Burien sues King County Sheriff for refusing to enforce camping ban The legal wrangling is intensifying between the King County Sheriff’s Office and the city of Burien. At issue is the sheriff’s refusal to enforce Burien’s latest restrictions on homeless encampments. Amy Radil
