(The Center Square) – The head of the Seattle Police Officers Guild and a local community advocate say they are not surprised that two Seattle residents have filed a recall petition against Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson.
“I don’t know that I’m surprised. Quite honestly, I think that this was probably coming. I think it’s more of a statement than anything else,” said SPOG President Kent Loux in a Thursday interview with The Center Square, noting that getting a recall effort to actually reach voters is a challenge.
“I think this is more of a wake-up call for the mayor’s office to take public safety very, very seriously,” he said.
The North Seattle couple who filed the recall charge earlier this week against Wilson say the mayor is failing in her duty to protect the people of the city.
“Personally, I, my husband, and many other people in Seattle, do not believe she has done a good job with public safety,” Melinda Jacobson said in a Friday interview with The Center Square.
Jacobson and her husband, Dale Osterud, say that Wilson needs to be recalled for her handling of public safety issues in the city.
She said the fact that it took five hours for the city to have a press conference after the Bite of Seattle food festival shooting on July 26 to assure the public that there wasn’t an ongoing threat points to Wilson’s lack of experience.
“It’s unacceptable,” she said.
Wilson has apologized to the public for the long delay in holding the press conferences and blamed communications failure between her and the police department.
She also ordered an investigation by the city’s Office of Inspector General, though City Council members say Wilson is using it to deflect attention from her response.
The recall charges will be reviewed by prosecutors and then would need to be approved by a judge before any potential signature gathering effort could begin.
Wilson’s office sent a statement to The Center Square after the recall effort was first announced, saying it “does not appear to have merit” and listing several of Wilson’s accomplishments since taking office.
“Our focus remains where it belongs: on making life safer and more affordable for the people of Seattle,” the statement said.
As reported by The Center Square, the filing cites ongoing human sex trafficking and “frequent gun battles by pimps,” which resulted in bullets flying through local residences in the Aurora neighborhood.
Jacobson said the problems on Aurora Avenue precede Wilson, so the blame is not entirely on her administration.
But the problem has deteriorated under the Wilson administration, she said.
“It’s gotten a lot worse, and I know I can say that because I have lived in the North End for 28 years,” Jacobson said.
“She’s definitely over her head,” Jacobson said of Wilson. “She’s certainly not qualified.”
Additionally, the recall charges state that Wilson failed in her duty by turning off and removing closed-circuit television cameras in the Stadium District and Little Saigon following the World Cup.
“She should really reconsider cameras,” said Loux. “Also, involving SPOG and the police department in some of these decisions. Again, I think that this really serves as kind of a wake-up call.”
Andrea Suarez, founder of We Heart Seattle, has also been a critic of the mayor when it comes to open air drug markets and related crime.
We Heart Seattle is a boots-on-the-ground movement that organizes trash cleanups in public spaces and offers resources to those in need.
“I’m not surprised,” said Suarez about the recall being filed. “There’s been a lot of rumors that this was going to happen and with the gaffes and the lack of leadership and lack of transparency and a motivated couple, here we go.”
Suarez said when Wilson announced the new interim police chief and there were no council members present, she suspected the mayor was losing support.
“I had an opportunity to be on the seventh floor, for one of the press conferences, and none of the council members were flanked behind her when she appointed Sayles.”
On July 30, Wilson appointed deputy Chief Andre Sayles to replace former Chief Shon Barnes, who was asked to resign after the shooting and public pressure over Barnes’ frequent trips to conferences and trips back to Illinois, where his family remained.
“It was very obvious that they’re sending a message that they’re not supporting her decision to have Barnes resign,” said Suarez. “I guess that is probably the crux of it all, and just a lack of leadership, and use of good judgment.”
Several council members questioned Wilson’s leadership following her decision to seek Barnes’ resignation.
“Her lack of experience and her incompetence have led to poor decision-making and put the safety of our communities at risk,” said Councilmember Maritza Rivera last month.
Seattle City Council Public Safety Committee Chairman Bob Kettle has also expressed concern.
At a press conference on July 30, Kettle expressed misgivings about the mayor’s record on public safety.
“I do not have confidence in the city’s ability to tackle these public safety challenges,” he said “And that again starts with the executive, that starts with the mayor.”
Loux said SPOG is not taking a position on the recall, but hoping the mayor will engage with them.
“SPOG stands ready and willing to assist the mayor’s office as it relates to public safety. And if she wants to sit down and involve us in more conversations, I welcome that.”
Should the court allow the petition to move forward, the signature-gathering phase would begin. Proponents would have 180 days to collect nearly 70,000 verified signatures from registered Seattle voters, which is equal to 25 percent of the total votes cast in the city’s previous mayoral election.
Jacobson said Wilson’s record as a community organizer, advocating for better public transit and more affordable housing, does not qualify her to be mayor.
“Wilson never had a consistent work history, and why in the world, with her lack of experience, could someone think that she could be the mayor of Seattle?” she said.