SEATTLE — A new “Community Ambassador” program launches Monday in Seattle’s Chinatown International District (CID). The goal is to crack down on crime and connect people with resources they may need.
Business owners there told KIRO 7 they have had enough of the constant crime, hoping this program will fix the issues.
Seattle police said since November, there have been four shootings and five stabbings in this portion of the city.
They told us crime is on the downward trend, but still higher than it should be.
We spoke with Gina Kim, the co-owner of Tous les Jours, a coffee and baked goods shop, in the CID. While we were there, a man, she says, is known for coming to steal pastries and cause issues, came inside the shop.
Kim immediately asked the man to leave. The interaction between the man and Kim lasted about four minutes before our KIRO 7 photojournalist stepped in and asked the man to leave as well.
Kim tells us this happens 2-3 times a day, every day. She said people come in to steal pastries, making the customers and employees uncomfortable.
“Sometimes I stop them and they push me, but the police have said don’t touch them,” Kim said.
This is the kind of situation the city of Seattle is trying to crack down on with the new “Community Ambassador” program. Kim said this will hopefully make the area safer for everyone.
Deputy Mayor Greg Wong said he believes these Ambassadors will be the first wave of de-escalation measures with groups or issues in the CID.
“They’re going to engage people on the street, make sure problems are solved, and really getting more eyes and feet on the street to make that community a safe, vibrant place for all,” Wong said.
He told us three ambassadors will be walking the CID streets every afternoon, looking for people who need help. This could be lost tourists, unhoused people looking for community help, or local businesses searching for more ways to succeed.
“Both the businesses in the community and the people on the street are facing challenges to connect them with services they need,” Wong said.
Kim said this is needed because these situations cost her business thousands of dollars monthly and scare her employees.
Deputy Mayor Wong says if a situation escalates, the ambassadors will call nearby officers to help.
The deputy mayor said he hopes the program grows over the next months and years.
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