Safe Auburn: Community Conversations

We heard you and we're back with answers, strategies, and resources. If you missed the first series of meetings, be sure to check out the latest post on this site. It's not too late to share your thoughts. Take a look at the above dates; invite your friends, neighbors, and colleagues to continue these important conversations. See you there!

Some of the issues discussed include:

• Gang activity
• Teen violence
• Traffic, running red lights, dangerous driving (Auburn Way North, 15th, Harvey Road)
• Homelessness
• Lack of community
• Speeding
• Non-licensed and/or insured drivers
• Courts and prosecution of crimes

Some of the solutions discussed include:

• Hold parents accountable
• Community service
• More police presence
• Referrals to services
• Funding opportunities for community youth service organizations
• Block watch
• Photo enforcement
• More community events like NNO

Issues:

• Safety of children walking to and from school
• Children feel unsafe walking home due to homelessness and lack of supervision
• Children witnessing or hearing about crimes they shouldn’t
• Increase in gang activity and violence near schools, leading to school lockdowns and trauma
• Unhoused individuals using drugs and lacking support, especially around schools and parks
• Youth lack supervision, and parents aren't held accountable
• People living in vehicles off B St.
• Gun violence, hearing gunshots at night
• Car prowling, property crimes, stolen cars, bike theft, and retail crime
• Increase in low-grade violations (loud car mufflers, expired tabs)
• Speeding on major streets like A St., M St., and near crosswalks
• Safeway and other areas (like parks) feel unsafe due to loitering, drug activity, and lack of lighting
• People knocking on doors late at night, causing unease
• Lack of accountability and follow-up for crime
• School fights, lack of discipline for fighting, vaping in bathrooms
• Bullying towards LGBTQ+ residents
• Youth afraid to report incidents due to fear of retaliation
• Suspicious activity and fighting at parks, especially at night
• Issues with pedestrian safety in crosswalks
• Lack of police presence and community connection
• Homelessness contributing to public safety issues

Solutions:

• Share positive safety measures and success stories through city websites and news
• Increase "clean sweep" events to improve public spaces
• Positive messaging and more gratitude around the city
• More involvement with youth—listening to their safety concerns
• Host more community meetings and create YouTube content that highlights good in the community
• More accurate and accessible communication about issues, including school lockdowns
• Enhance police presence, especially in schools, with better relationships with the community
• Hold parents accountable for juvenile crimes and enforce consequences for all violators
• Establish neighborhood watch programs and community response sessions
• Increase crosswalks, lighted paths, and emergency stations in parks
• Add speed bumps, roundabouts, and speed cameras to manage traffic and improve safety
• Ensure security measures in schools, including ID checks and security cameras
• Improve lighting in neighborhoods, parks, and pedestrian areas
• Develop prevention strategies, education resources, and deterrent programs
• Increase police and security presence where needed, especially at schools and events

District 4 most pressing issues:

• Youth, gang, & gun violence
• Late-night gunfire
• Lack of accountability and prosecution
• Lack of communication and transparency from the police after a crime has been committed
• Vandalism and tagging
• Fear of walking around at night
• Speeding
• Homeless activities – theft and drug use
• Dumping of trash

Some potential solutions that were brainstormed include:

• Block watch support
• Promoting city programs that are already in place
• Continue Safe Auburn: Community Conversations
• Emailing councilmembers and the Mayor
• Police driving around more to make their presence known
• Enforcing the law and holding people accountable
• Increase street lighting
• Community building between students and the police
• Ease of access on city website (removing barriers such as several links to get to information)

District 3 most pressing issues:

• Shootings
• Traffic safety
• Refugee communities -- What resources are they being given? How do we communicate that?
• Car prowlers
• Lack of staffing and police activity at Lea Hill precinct
• Theft at Dollar Tree store General safety at public places, parks, stores
• Police response

Community Solutions:

• More community-based events like community conversations
• Community Patrol (volunteers)
• Community boards, committees, working groups
• Teach youth anti-bullying situational awareness in schools
• Neighborhood block watches
• More transportation options for after-school activities
• Youth and family involvement and activities for families
• Anti-bullying, special awareness
• Volunteer to help paint over graffiti and provide a space where people can be creative
• More speed bumps to reduce speeding

On October 12, community members from all districts gathered at Auburn High School to talk about youth, driving, and community-related issues. Community members also brainstormed solutions to combat some of these issues.

Top concerns:

• Youth discipline issues
• Road rage and reckless driving
• Open drug use
• Littering
• Holding parents accountable
• Theft
• Peer pressure and self-esteem issues among teens
• Feuds within the community

Solutions suggested include:

• Programs to keep kids busy
• More volunteering
• Partnering with the YMCA
• More support for parents
• Increasing block watch
• Resources to meet your neighbors
• Gang prevention partnerships with King County organizations
• Police building relations

Neighbors near Dick Scobee Elementary came ready Thursday, Oct. 10 to chat about youth violence, access to resources for families new to the area, and community-based solutions.

The most pressing public safety issues in their community were:

• Gun violence
• Burglary and assault
• Homelessness around highways, freeways and off ramps
• Youth access to guns and alcohol
• Gang activity
• Car break ins and theft
• Lack of community and place
• Speeding on highways and residential streets
• General feeling of being unsafe, especially at night

For solutions, the group talked about:

• More police – in numbers and in presence
• Home security solutions
• Connecting families with resources for safety at home
• More opportunities for youth to connect with other youth after school
• Coordinated resources across the city with better funding
• More resources for outreach, shelter and food for the homeless
• Coordinated access to block watches and community service

On Tuesday, October 8, 2024, community members gathered at Evergreen Heights Elementary to discuss public safety issues and community-based solutions. The model of Safe Auburn: Community Conversations is breakout groups, meaning there are small group discussions centered on two main questions:

1. What are the most pressing public safety issues in our community today?
2. What do community-based solutions look like in partnership with the City?

The City of Auburn and Auburn School District leadership, including Mayor Nancy Backus, Police Chief Mark Caillier, and School Superintendent Alan Spicciati, were there.

In breakout groups for question 1, the following were general themes of concern among the West Hill/District 1 group:

• Mental health
• Social Media
• Youth, gang, & gun violence
• Spillage: people from other communities coming to Auburn
• Younger students having behavioral issues
• Male students of color not receiving enough support
• Several families in crisis (e.g., students not being picked up after school)
• Students resorting to violence as a first response
• Students having a lack of respect for authority across the board
• Lock downs in school; sometimes multiple in the same week
• Graffiti Street racing
• Mailbox break-ins and theft
• Gun laws for youth being too lax, not enough consequences
• Juvenile theft, from homes, vehicles and in schools
• Random acts of violence – shootings & drive by shootings
• Homeless camping in public and public drug use

For question 2, which is more solutions-focused, the diverse crowd talked about:

• Building dorms for students at West Auburn High School
• More general things for kids to do with adults that they trust
• Programs and resources for getting to know your neighbors
• Parent accountability – laws or programs that hold adults accountable for their children’s actions
• More collaboration on area check requests
• More after-school activities for kids and teens
• Being a good witness – calling 911 when a crime is being committed and offering full descriptions of what’s being seen
• More resident ownership and pride in t heir city
• Metal detectors for HS backpacks
• Program officers to speak to students, educate/ panelist
• Parent education resources that share more about local gang culture and how to spot the signs
• More groundswell for political action across the county and state
• Counseling facility for youth
• Schools looking into suing vaping companies adding vape detectors w/ settlement money
• More parks, more spaces for families and youth, summer events and areas to convene
• Affordable recreation i.e. skating, bowling, park programs More emphasis on “village making” – getting to know your neighbor and build trust

Several questions were also asked of city and school leadership during the Q&A portion, centered around juvenile prosecution in King County and a perceived lack of accountability. Some in the community had questions about the South Correctional Entity or SCORE, and how the jail system works in our region.

In contrast, others had deeper questions about how laws are created in our area and where the onus of public safety lies in the region. What are the roles of the different levels of government where law enforcement in concerned.

Thank you, everyone, for coming out to Evergreen!