• Home
  • About
    • Authors
  • Advertise
  • Articles
    • Archives
    • Chaplain
    • Crime & Controversy
    • Community
    • Cop Humor
    • Editorial
    • Op-ed
    • Gear & Technology
    • Investigations
    • Laws & Legal
    • Leadership
    • News
    • Officer Down
    • On Duty
    • Tactics
  • Network
    • Learn more
  • Training
  • Officer Privacy
  • Jobs
  • Contact
No Result
View All Result
Law Officer
Law Officer
No Result
View All Result

Seattle councilwoman who cut police budget called 911 to protect her from crime she wants to decriminalize

A new proposal could see most misdemeanor crimes dismissed

Lisa Herbold

Seattle Councilwoman Lisa Herbold reportedly called for police assistance at her home last week for a crime that could be effectively legal under a new proposal. (seattle.gov) (Seattle.gov)

December 16, 2020
Law OfficerbyLaw Officer
Share and speak up for justice, law & order...

SEATTLE — A Seattle City Councilwoman called the police to her home Friday to report a crime she is effectively trying to decriminalize, according to media reports.

Lisa Herbold phoned authorities on Friday after a man reportedly threw a rock through her living room window, My Northwest reported. The councilwoman said “she was on the west side of the living room near the kitchen when she heard a loud noise that sounded like a gunshot and dove into the kitchen for cover,” according to a redacted police report obtained by the publication.

A neighbor told police that a person who is “unathletic and a bad runner” was seen leaving the area.

Moreover, the witness told officers that he would recognize the suspect if he saw him again, but declined an officer’s business card to contact him for follow up, according to the report.

The irony is that under a proposal introduced by Herbold, the suspect could avoid criminal charges if caught. Under the legislation, charges against most misdemeanor suspects could be dismissed if they can show symptoms of mental illness or addiction or if they can prove the crime provided for a need to survive, a so-called “poverty defense,” the news organization reported.

  • SEATTLE POLITICIANS LOOKING TO “DE-CRIMINALIZE” THEFT IF SOMEONE IS POOR

Herbold said she would like a jury to hear a defendant’s reason for committing the crime.

“It’s giving people an opportunity to tell their stories and giving judges and juries the opportunity to hear those stories and make a decision based on the values of our city,” Herbold told the City Council’s Public Safety Committee Committee on Tuesday.

In a statement to Fox News, Herbold said local news reports of her trying to legalize crimes are incorrect.

“There are no crimes that I am ‘effectively pushing to make legal,'” she said.

The proposal has its supporters.

“In a situation where you took that sandwich because you were hungry and you were trying to meet your basic need of satisfying your hunger; we as the community will know that we should not punish that. That conduct is excused,” Anita Khandelwal, the King County’s director of the Department of Public Defense said, according to KOMO-TV.

Detractors say it will only embolden criminals.

Seattle has approved an 18% cut to the Seattle Police Dept. Less funding in a city where murders are the highest they’ve been in more than a decade. Now Council is mulling a measure that would forgive criminal activity under the so-called “poverty defense.” @standamericanow

— Nikki Haley (@NikkiHaley) December 15, 2020

“It’s a green light for crime,” said Scott Lindsay, a former mayoral Public Safety Advisor, the news station reported. “If you are engaged in 100 different misdemeanors that are in our criminal justice system code, you are not going to be held liable. You are not going to be held accountable.”

  • SEATTLE MAYOR CUTS POLICE BUDGET AS HOMICIDES HIT RECORD HIGHS

Crime in Seattle has steadily increased since this summer’s Capitol Hill Occupied Zone protests, which saw a 525% spike, according to Democratic Mayor Jenny Durkan.

The spike comes as the Seattle Police Department is seeing an exodus of officers and a shortage of funding. The cops leaving — many for other departments — are also leaving scathing comments as the exit.

“I refuse to work for this socialist city council and their political agenda,” a retiring sergeant said, Law Officer reported. “This agenda sacrifices the health and well-being of the officers and ultimately will destroy the fabric of this once fine city.”

 


Share and speak up for justice, law & order...
Tags: Anita KhandelwalDecriminalizationLisa HerboldScott LindseySeattle City Councilwoman
Law Officer

Law Officer

Law Officer is the only major law enforcement publication and website owned and operated by law enforcement—for law enforcement and supporters of justice, law, and order. This unique facet makes Law Officer much more than just a publishing company, but a true advocate for the law enforcement profession.

Related Posts

Seattle begins hiring

Seattle begins hiring unarmed ‘alternate response teams’ to handle certain 911 calls related to mental health

August 24, 2023
Seattle City Council

Seattle City Council aims to layoff white police officers

May 14, 2021

Seattle is looking to legalize most misdemeanor crimes

November 16, 2020
Lisa Herbold

Seattle councilwoman proposes firing white officers

July 17, 2020
Chicago FOP

Progressive Social Justice

February 6, 2020
Load More

Latest Articles

The Problem with Promotions

June 20, 2025
Melissa Hortman

Former Minnesota House Speaker Assassinated in Attack on Multiple Lawmakers

June 14, 2025

Sheriff: If You Throw a Brick At Our Deputy, ‘We Will Kill You, Graveyard Dead’

June 13, 2025

Former USAID Officer and Executives Plead Guilty in $550 Million Bribery Scheme

June 13, 2025

A Case Study in Federal Corruption and Media Silence

June 12, 2025

‘Completely blew it’: Former union president calls out Minneapolis Police Department leadership missteps

June 12, 2025
Load More

Weekly E-Newsletter

Subscribe—and get the latest news and editorials direct from Law Officer each week!

[newsletter_form type="minimal"]

Protect Your Privacy

JOIN THE FIGHT

BE COURAGEOUS

POPULAR GEAR

Tactical Pants

Tactical Boots

 

FIND MORE…

Law Officer

© 2024 LawOfficer.com

LawOfficer.com

  • Home
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Privacy Policy
  • Corrections
  • Contact

Speak up for justice, law & order

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • About
    • Authors
  • Advertise
  • Articles
    • Archives
    • Chaplain
    • Crime & Controversy
    • Community
    • Cop Humor
    • Editorial
    • Op-ed
    • Gear & Technology
    • Investigations
    • Laws & Legal
    • Leadership
    • News
    • Officer Down
    • On Duty
    • Tactics
  • Network
    • Learn more
  • Training
  • Officer Privacy
  • Jobs
  • Contact

© 2024 LawOfficer.com