Residents clash over two jail sites

Fireworks arrived a week early as residents from Highland Park, South Park - and other communities - clashed with city representatives over two city jail sites being considered nearby.

The city sponsored a forum at the Aerospace Machinists Union Hall in South Park last Thursday night to give concerned residents the chance to speak - but some shouted.

Seattle, as many cities in the county do, pays the county for space for misdemeanor prisoners at the two King County Jail sites, downtown and in Kent.

But Seattle's nonrenewable contract is up in December 2012.

The city must either build a jail for misdemeanor prisoners or find a new lease, Seattle now leases space from the Yakima County Jail, but the lease expired in 2010 and the city says it could negotiated an extension to 2012. The city's Web site says, "We've been satisfied with our use of the Yakima jail to handle some of our inmates, but it is clearly not a long-term solution to our jail needs. It is too early to say what will happen beyond 2010."

A jail decision must come by next April in order to have facilities ready by the deadline to stop using King County's jails.

The city has narrowed 35 potential sites to four. One is in Interbay, another on North Aurora Avenue where a Puetz Golf discount store is located.

Two sites are where South Park, Highland Park, White Center, and Georgetown intersect.

Vocal critics said a jail in their backyard would lower property values, endanger their children with newly released prisoners drifting around their homes, and further stigmatize their communities which they consider more vulnerable to crime than other areas.

Some characterized their neighborhoods as "already fragile" like Laura Drake, a Highland Park elementary school teacher and homeowner. She made an impassioned speech accompanied by loud cheers.

"If a jail comes to our fragile neighborhood, it might fall down," she said. "I take care of my house, my neighborhood.... I report crime whenever I see it."

The question lingering over the meeting was when crimes are reported, and criminals get caught, then where should the community put them?

"Not here," said Dorsal Plants, Highland Park Action Committee chairman, an outspoken critic of the two sites.

"They are each located at the gateway to Highland Park. To enter our community from the east you will have to drive past the two sites," he said. He was concerned that felons from overcrowded King County jails would be shipped to the new misdemeanor jail, which would add danger to Highland Park residents.

"The city has not announced whether overflow of felons will be kept in the extra beds at the new misdemeanor jail," he said. On the contrary, the city's Municipal Jail Planning section of its Web site answers that question.

"By state law, the county remains responsible for housing felony suspects and offenders," the site says. "The city would not have any responsibility for housing felons in its municipal jail. We anticipate that a 445-bed jail built on a seven- to 10-acre site will be adequate to meet the city's misdemeanant needs at least through 2025."

Another vocal critic who did not want his name used said, "We'll be collecting (offenders) from all over Seattle. These are not the type of people you want to have in your neighborhood. Some, like prostitutes, and drunks will get released after 24 hours at the doorstep of our community. Drug dealers and wife-beaters will be very dangerous. A lot of misdemeanants are mentally ill. Better to take prisoners to downtown Seattle and consolidate these facilities for better security."

"The city has worked really hard to divert nearly 40 percent of the potential jail population to city services, including those with psychological problems," said Katherine Schubert-Knapp, of the city finance office, She noted the city wants to work with the community on finding a viable solution to the problem of where best to release prisoners.

"I don't want to diminish the legitimate concerns of the community here, but we have a vested interest in keeping our neighborhoods safe," she said.

Steve Shay may be contacted at steves@robinsonnews.com