Pubdate: Tue, 30 May 2006
Source: Seattle Post-Intelligencer (WA)
Copyright: 2006 Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Contact:  http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/408

DRUG DEALING - KEEP THE HEAT ON

The city of Seattle is assembling new data tracking drug crimes. Some 
Seattle neighborhoods don't have to see the city's numbers to know 
about problems on their streets and sidewalks.

As Pioneer Square residents have discovered, 911 comes up short as a 
magic set of digits to call for solutions. Neighbors are 
understandably unhappy with the city's failure to stop drug crime in 
Fortson Square, at Second Avenue and Yesler Way.

Gutsy Pioneer Square neighbors are after the dealers and the city. 
The fun part of the residents' in-your-face approach is an ad in The 
Stranger with a map and a photo of the mayor and the city's top cop. 
The almost official-looking ad proclaimed: "Mayor Nickels & Chief 
Kerlikowske welcome you to Fortson Square's Open-Air Drug Market." In 
the harder part of the neighbors' campaign, they shot video of drug 
deals in the square for several days. Some dealers became angry, but 
the citizens stuck with their filming.

While the public shouldn't have to be quite this much on the front 
lines, citizen involvement is a part of controlling drug problems. 
For its part, the city is out sharing newly developed data tracking 
drug arrests, which has led to a map of hot spots. The Narcstat data 
program can show where 911 calls about drugs are heavy, letting 
officials target areas for enforcement even if they can't make 
arrests after each call.

Some Belltown residents, for instance, reportedly have noticed 
improvements from combined local and federal efforts to halt open 
dealing. But we suspect there are a lot of areas that share Pioneer 
Square's frustrations. The heat needs to remain on not just dealers 
but also public officials.
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman