My Public Safety Plan for King County
As a King County Councilmember, the top issue I hear about from communities across the region is public safety. Whether it’s students fearing gun violence at their schools, business owners burdened by constant break-ins, bus drivers and transit riders facing assaults, or families worried about crime in their neighborhoods, people across King County are feeling less safe.
The data confirms what residents already know: since the pandemic, violent crime, property crime, and gun violence have increased in King County. While there has been some progress in recent months, public safety remains the most pressing issue of our daily lives. The next King County Executive must tackle this problem with urgency — because everyone deserves to be and feel safe.
Last week, I released my Homelessness Action Plan, this week I am releasing my Public Safety Now Plan:
Girmay’s Public Safety Now Plan
Appoint a Cabinet-Level Public Safety Director
Public safety is broader than policing — it requires a whole-government approach. I will appoint a Cabinet-level Public Safety Director to coordinate safety efforts across all departments — from Metro to Public Health to Parks. Within 60 days, every department head will be required to submit a public safety plan outlining how they will contribute to making King County safer.
The Public Safety Director will also be responsible for establishing and coordinating Neighborhood Safety Workgroups to implement targeted safety strategies in key neighborhoods across King County.
Strengthen First Responder Systems & Outreach Professionals
We need fast, effective emergency responders across all crisis types and more outreach professionals. My plan will ensure:
- Police officers receive implicit bias training and the resources necessary to respond to serious crimes. Police will also be subject to strong oversight and independent investigations from a well-resourced Office of Law Enforcement Oversight.
- Crisis responders have the resources to respond to mental health and addiction-related emergencies.
- Outreach specialists like JustCARE and REACH have consistent funding to make connections, build trust, and address behavioral health crises, homelessness and public safety challenges.
- Code enforcement officers, transit security, community-based violence prevention specialists and service providers are in as many of our public spaces as possible, maintaining a presence, building trust, and preventing crime.
Fix & Reform the Criminal Justice System Without Sacrificing Accountability
King County’s courts, prosecution, and public defense systems have been stretched thin by staffing shortages and rising caseloads, creating backlogs that delay justice for victims and defendants alike. At the same time, the state’s broken tax code has led to a looming budget crisis that threatens to gut critical public safety and justice services. Without immediate action, these cuts will weaken our ability to keep communities safe. My administration will:
- Fully staff and modernize these systems to ensure swift and fair case resolutions.
- Integrate community-based services, job-training, and behavioral health interventions into the justice system, creating pathways for rehabilitation and economic opportunity.
- Prioritize holding accountable violent offenders, ensuring those who threaten public safety face consequences while investing in diversion programs for nonviolent offenders especially when they have overlapping medical issues.
- Require strict accountability and performance metrics for all public safety efforts — whether through the traditional legal system or community-based diversion programs — to ensure they are achieving their intended outcomes of safety, crime reduction, and lower recidivism.
- Fight aggressively in Olympia for new revenue tools to stabilize the criminal justice system while also leveraging the County’s existing revenue authority to prevent devastating short-term cuts and ensure public safety is fully funded.
Invest in Robust Mental Health and Addiction Recovery System
Building on my work on the Crisis Care Centers initiative, I will expand our mental health and addiction recovery infrastructure by establishing a comprehensive crisis response system that includes:
- A dedicated crisis line for people in distress.
- Mobile crisis responders to provide immediate, on-the-ground intervention.
- Fully integrated recovery centers that connect individuals to long-term behavioral health support and permanent supportive housing.
Improve Lives Before They Commit Crime
Public safety isn’t just about enforcement — it’s about preventing crime before it happens. My plan will:
- Invest in stable, safe, affordable housing and childcare options.
- Create economic opportunities so people can build wealth and a sense of security.
- Expand community-based support systems and after-school programs to give youth and families positive alternatives to crime.
Eliminate Gun Violence from Our Neighborhoods
Gun violence is one of the most urgent public safety threats in King County. My five-pronged strategy — which has already been adopted by the Council — focuses on prevention, intervention, and accountability to make our communities safer. You can read the full details of my plan to end gun violence here.
Invest in Youth Outreach and Intervention
Keeping young people on a path toward success and away from crime is essential to long-term safety. My plan will:
- Expand youth mentorship and job programs to provide career pathways.
- Invest in effective, accountable diversion programs that offer young people alternatives to the traditional criminal justice system where appropriate.
- Support community-based intervention teams to help at-risk youth before they enter the criminal justice system.
A Safer King County Starts Now
Public safety is my top priority. I will use the platform of King County Executive to build a safe, thriving, connected community. But I can’t do this alone — I need your support to get there.
Together, we can build a King County where every person feels and is safe.
