Tacoma City Council will soon consider a new safety plan developed through community input, with emphasis on “alternative responses” designed to connect people with community resources rather than relying exclusively on traditional law enforcement interventions.
The proposal was presented to council members by the city’s Center for Strategic Services prior to Tuesday’s council meeting, outlining a comprehensive approach to public safety that balances effective crime response with addressing underlying social factors contributing to criminal behaviour and community trauma.
“I think just reaffirming that we believe in this and we’re going to follow it is really helpful for the community to see this isn’t just a pile of good work put together by staff, but something we truly believe in,” stated Position 8 Council Member Kristina Walker.
The plan forms part of the city’s 10-year outlook known as Tacoma 2035, establishing long-term strategic priorities for community safety and wellbeing.
“I’ve seen a little of everything. Crime is going to repeat itself if the root doesn’t get solved,” stated Reginald Jacob Howell, co-owner of Grann Restaurant.
Howell and his business partner were amongst a handful of entrepreneurs honoured at Tuesday’s meeting ahead of Small Business Saturday later this month.
As a lifelong Tacoma resident turned successful business owner, Howell has witnessed firsthand the issues affecting the city.
“With everything going on in the world, people are crying for help,” he stated. “I see those people come in every day. Old, young, rich, poor. We take care of everyone. That’s what we need to do, look out for one another.”
According to FBI crime data, Tacoma had one of the highest violent crime rates in the state in 2024, creating both actual safety concerns and perception challenges that the new strategy aims to address.
“For me, it’s a safe place. I’ve navigated through it. To outsiders it might look a little different. There’s crime everywhere, there are issues everywhere,” stated Howell.
Addressing both the reality and perception of safety represents a major component of the city’s proposal.
The strategy focuses on four key goals with short and long-term objectives: safe places, supporting people, effective response and community repair.
Immediate actions include improving safety through transportation projects, new lighting and keeping the city clean. Long-term, the city will prioritise safety and connection when planning neighbourhoods.
The plan also calls for emphasis on helping individuals with specific needs, including facilitating access to behavioural health support, connecting people with shelter and services, and providing youth with resources to reduce violence.
Whilst the proposal aims to “effectively” address violent and property crime, it strongly emphasises alternative responses to connect people to appropriate services. The proposal also prioritises police transparency and accountability through continued use of body and dash cameras and implementation of other recommendations.
The final goal focuses on helping individuals, families and neighbourhoods overcome trauma and rebuild relationships. Key actions include enhancing police and community relations through positive, non-enforcement events.
City council is expected to adopt the legislation in December.
The comprehensive safety strategy Tacoma City Council will consider in December represents an evolution in how municipalities conceptualise public safety, moving beyond exclusive reliance on law enforcement response toward integrated approaches addressing social determinants of crime whilst maintaining robust response capabilities for violent and property offences requiring immediate intervention.
The emphasis on “alternative responses” reflects growing recognition amongst policymakers that many situations currently handled by police, including mental health crises, homelessness-related issues, substance abuse emergencies, and quality-of-life complaints, might be better addressed by professionals specifically trained in social services, mental health intervention, or community mediation rather than armed law enforcement officers whose training focuses primarily on crime investigation and public safety threats.
Tacoma City Council will soon consider a new safety plan developed through community input, with emphasis on “alternative responses” designed to connect people with community resources rather than relying exclusively on traditional law enforcement interventions.
The proposal was presented to council members by the city’s Center for Strategic Services prior to Tuesday’s council meeting, outlining a comprehensive approach to public safety that balances effective crime response with addressing underlying social factors contributing to criminal behaviour and community trauma.
“I think just reaffirming that we believe in this and we’re going to follow it is really helpful for the community to see this isn’t just a pile of good work put together by staff, but something we truly believe in,” stated Position 8 Council Member Kristina Walker.
The plan forms part of the city’s 10-year outlook known as Tacoma 2035, establishing long-term strategic priorities for community safety and wellbeing.
“I’ve seen a little of everything. Crime is going to repeat itself if the root doesn’t get solved,” stated Reginald Jacob Howell, co-owner of Grann Restaurant.
Howell and his business partner were amongst a handful of entrepreneurs honoured at Tuesday’s meeting ahead of Small Business Saturday later this month.
As a lifelong Tacoma resident turned successful business owner, Howell has witnessed firsthand the issues affecting the city.
“With everything going on in the world, people are crying for help,” he stated. “I see those people come in every day. Old, young, rich, poor. We take care of everyone. That’s what we need to do, look out for one another.”
According to FBI crime data, Tacoma had one of the highest violent crime rates in the state in 2024, creating both actual safety concerns and perception challenges that the new strategy aims to address.
“For me, it’s a safe place. I’ve navigated through it. To outsiders it might look a little different. There’s crime everywhere, there are issues everywhere,” stated Howell.
Addressing both the reality and perception of safety represents a major component of the city’s proposal.
The strategy focuses on four key goals with short and long-term objectives: safe places, supporting people, effective response and community repair.
Immediate actions include improving safety through transportation projects, new lighting and keeping the city clean. Long-term, the city will prioritise safety and connection when planning neighbourhoods.
The plan also calls for emphasis on helping individuals with specific needs, including facilitating access to behavioural health support, connecting people with shelter and services, and providing youth with resources to reduce violence.
Whilst the proposal aims to “effectively” address violent and property crime, it strongly emphasises alternative responses to connect people to appropriate services. The proposal also prioritises police transparency and accountability through continued use of body and dash cameras and implementation of other recommendations.
The final goal focuses on helping individuals, families and neighbourhoods overcome trauma and rebuild relationships. Key actions include enhancing police and community relations through positive, non-enforcement events.
City council is expected to adopt the legislation in December.
The comprehensive safety strategy Tacoma City Council will consider in December represents an evolution in how municipalities conceptualise public safety, moving beyond exclusive reliance on law enforcement response toward integrated approaches addressing social determinants of crime whilst maintaining robust response capabilities for violent and property offences requiring immediate intervention.
The emphasis on “alternative responses” reflects growing recognition amongst policymakers that many situations currently handled by police, including mental health crises, homelessness-related issues, substance abuse emergencies, and quality-of-life complaints, might be better addressed by professionals specifically trained in social services, mental health intervention, or community mediation rather than armed law enforcement officers whose training focuses primarily on crime investigation and public safety threats.
