Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson has introduced a strategy to tackle local gun violence by combining expanded social services, youth initiatives, and mental health support. The initiative follows recent shootings across Seattle, including incidents in Belltown and at the Bite of Seattle.
The plan relies heavily on a focused deterrence framework that links the Seattle Police Department with the Seattle Community Assisted Response and Engagement (CARE) Department.
The third safety branch of the CARE Department, alongside Seattle Police, will direct overall gun violence reduction strategies.
To reduce response times, community voice interrupters will connect directly to the 911 dispatch network. A proposed 2027 budget transfer will shift $5 million in Community Violence Intervention contracts across nine organizations from the Human Services Department (HSD) to CARE under Chief Amy Barden.
The SPD Narcotics Unit is to coordinate with the Community Response Group and Gun Violence Reduction Unit to target illegal gun sellers and drug traffickers, and additionally increase bike patrols in neighborhoods that have been impacted the most by gun violence, including Belltown, North Aurora Avenue, Little Saigon, and Rainer Beach.
Dedicated funding will preserve a position in Seattle City Attorney Erika Evan’s office to file civil Extreme Risk Protection Orders (ERPOs) stripping firearms from individuals who pose a significant safety risk.
The 2027-2028 budget extends Community Crisis Response operating hours by 85% from 6: 30 a.m. to 1.00 a.m. daily. CARE will also add a Director of Gun Violence Reduction in 2026 and a Coordinator in 2027.
The city is also investing in youth programs and prevention services. Over $600,000 is earmarked for an afterschool pilot at Rainer Beach High School and expanded peer mentorship at the Rainer Beach Community Center.
The Teen Late Night Pilot at High Point Community Center will also be funded, thereby bringing the total number of citywide sites to nine.
Free virtual mental health care will be available to residents ages 13 to 24. Five new school-based health centers will join the 21 existing locations in Seattle Public Schools.
The plan also expands paid internships through the Seattle Youth Employment Program, expands union apprenticeships, and highlights two years of tuition-free college through the Seattle Promise Program.
Community Safety Network will add a Network Coordinator and Senior Data Analyst in 2027-2028 to unify communication between schools, service providers, and first responders.
To ensure long-term effectiveness and refine policies over time, Seattle is establishing academic research partnerships with both Johns Hopkins University and the University of Washington. Working alongside the John Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions, the city plans to launch a multidisciplinary Violence Reduction Council that will conduct formal reviews of every local homicide to identify systemic shortcomings.
Meanwhile, the partnership with the University of Washington’s Center for Firearm Injury Prevention will help map out current programs, establish baseline data, and target service gaps in heavily impacted communities. Finally, through the Office of Intergovernmental Relations, Seattle will advocate for state-level legislative changes, including local authority to restrict firearms in sensitive spaces like public parks and major youth events, updates to juvenile firearm sentencing laws, and comprehensive safety interventions along Aurora Avenue North.
Seattle Today
Every Thursday, get the stories shaping Seattle, what’s changing, and what you need to know next.
By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge that your information will be used as described in our Privacy Policy.
Enter your email to continue reading.
By continuing, you'll receive Seattle Today's newsletter with local news, business and stories shaping Seattle. You can unsubscribe anytime.
