King County has released a report by its “Re-imagining Public Safety” interdepartmental task force with recommendations on structural racism and other issues can be addressed in unincorporated King County.
The report notes that many residents support establishing alternatives to armed police response to individuals in the midst of a behavioral crisis, but some do not support doing so at the cost of downsizing the King County Sheriff’s Office.
The report makes three recommendations for pilot projects in unincorporated King County:
- A “community responder model” set up to assist residents in unincorporated King County or in KCSO contract cities who need help accessing social services and or are directly impacted by gun activity or violence.
- Expanding the Regional Peacekeepers Initiative to address gun violence.
- Establishing a Community Service Officers program within the King County Sheriff’s Office.
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