U-District wants more help from the city of Seattle to combat crime

An explosion drug trafficking is making the University District (District U) a more dangerous place, according to premises and companies. Now, residents and business owners want the city of Seattle to get more involved.

“With a drug market like this, violence tends to spill,” he told Don Blakeney, executive director of the U -district association Komo News.

According Vibes area, The crime rate in district U is an amazing 188% above the national average.

With the city’s assistance, the U -district association has expanded its ambassadors program. The members patrol the neighborhood, help visitors and support the population of homeless people. They also work with companies to address crime. Blakeney wants the city to assign even more resources to the neighborhood to address the crisis.

Drug traffickers and addicts often meet in district U to buy, sell or use fentanyl and other drugs openly. This led to an area of ​​two blocks designated as a Stay out of the drug area (soft drinks), allowing the police to transach to the people involved in narcotics activities.

People are avoiding the district in U due to crime

Blakeney said the situation around N 47th ST and University Way has quickly deteriorated. He told Komo that people are avoiding the area due to crime.

“We are trying to help with our dissemination team, but there is a significant market for drug traffickers who take advantage of this population,” Blakeney said. He stressed that the city needs to invest more time and resources to address drugs and crime.

Blakeney said the soft drinks has had little impact.

“We can do a lot of human services work, but does not solve the drug market, which is fundamentally a problem of application of the law,” Blakeney said. “We need the central command to focus community resources on reducing drug trafficking in this neighborhood.”

According your website, The Association “assumed the role previously made by the Chamber of Commerce of the district of U, which operated since 1914-2014”. It also collaborates with the University of Washington and the care team to make the transition of the streets and the treatment and housing. In the last four years, these efforts have housed 60 people and have protected more than 140 others 140.

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