Posted on 01/05/2026 6:27:44 AM PST by DFG
Following the inauguration of Socialist Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson, it was revealed that the Seattle Police Department issued an internal email announcing officers “are not going to enforce drug use,” instead, they will refer all open consumption cases to failed diversion programs.
According to the message originally obtained by Homeless outreach group We Heart Seattle, “effective immediately,” officers are being instructed to refer all open drug consumption incidents to the diversion program LEA-PDA (Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion–Purpose. Dignity. Action, a diversion initiative connected to community-based behavioral health and outreach services. Critics warn the move will likely accelerate the city’s ongoing drug and overdose crisis. The failed lead program was the model for the disastrous New York bail reform, which continues to release violent, prolific offenders.
Andrea Suarez, founder of We Heart Seattle, posted on social media, “Dealers can still be arrested, but they are smart enough to carry just the right amount of dope to get released, and if you are an addict (likely) the courts will be lenient.”
She added, “Seattle will continue to be a sanctuary city for open air use of illicit and lethal drug inviting people in droves where they won’t be arrested.”
Mike Solan, President of the Seattle Police Officers Guild, condemned the decision in a statement given to The Ari Hoffman Show on Talk Radio 570 KVI, calling the move a dangerous political miscalculation. “The recent naive, ignorant political decision to not arrest offenders for open drug use in the City of Seattle is horrifically dangerous and will create more death and societal decay,” Solan said.
He continued that the decision “embodies an enormous flaw in those in our community who think that meeting people where they are, who are in the throes of addiction, is the correct path to lift them up. This is wrong and is commonly referred to as ‘Suicidal Empathy.’” Solan added, “Most cops know that the LEAD program supports this ideology, and they don’t want to refer cases. It is a waste of time. We’ve all seen how our streets can be filled with death, decay, blight, and crime when ideology like this infects our city. Now with this resurrected insane direction, death, destruction, and more human suffering will be supercharged.”
The policy shift is especially controversial because Seattle and Washington State have already tried this failed policy with disastrous results. In 2023, following Washington’s Supreme Court’s controversial Blake Decision, drug possession enforcement across the state was disrupted, and many communities, including Seattle, moved toward non-arrest approaches in favor of diversion. The results were massive spikes in overdose deaths and increases in crime.
The situation became so dire that the Washington State Legislature ultimately intervened with new legislation aimed at restoring a workable legal framework and preventing the policy from becoming permanent. The new policy follows the inauguration of Socialist Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson, who previously advocated to abolish the Seattle Police Department.
Aren’ t the cops supposed to enforce laws, rather than crimes?
I wonder how fast productive members of the city bail out and how fast they are replaced by unproductive members of society? One thing’s for sure: The city won’t be anything like it used to be. The residents will decide if that change is good or bad.
Ask the people in Amsterdam how that worked out.
And I’m sure crime will go down due to this (/s) ... as I’ve said before ... crime in the US will increase until it starts affecting government employees or their family and then they will start screaming for reform ... unless the criminals start voting for the “D” ticket.
This will not end well............again............
If I were a Somali, I’d quick open a drug rehab storefront. Millions to be had for the taking.
How much federal money goes to “diversion programs” and who gets rich from the scams and how much gets “ diverted’ back to political candidates?
Every death be on their heads
Damn, now that police departments all over America are being run by black lesbians with Police Chief online academy diplomas, the fuzz aren’t doing anything but sitting in Dunkin’s drinking coffee and chokin’ down boxes of donuts.
Reap what you sow morons.
If even the simpletons of Oregon came to understand this, one would think that Seattle wouldn’t then try the same thing. But that’s the essence of leftist governance. Their ideas are never bad; it’s always just that their predecessor didn’t do it right
Seattle turned sh*thole years ago.
"The residents will decide if that change is good or bad."
It's worse, take a look at the newly elected mayor.
You pay me to keep the peace. This ain’t it.
R. D. Call, Waterworld.
My thoughts exactly.
In a perfect universe, the police would be enforcing the laws and not mollycoddling crime.
It has failed everywhere it has been tried. NYC, SF, Detroit, Portland, now Seattle..........probably others.........
“”””announcing officers “are not going to enforce drug use,” instead, they will refer all open consumption cases to failed diversion programs.””””
Next order from the Mayor is to tell police to not enforce shoplifting and other theft crimes.
How else are the druggies going to be able to pay for their open consumption?
The very successful Portland plan.
Seattle, a once beautiful city, filled with hard working men and women, now reduced to a trash filled city with homeless drug users and bleeding heart radical liberals who cannot wait to completely destroy what remains.
Lazy. The mayor would rather they eat more donuts.
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