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Seattle police work to 'maintain the results' of International District crime reduction

What was once described as an open-air drug market is now an empty sidewalk -- and that’s a big deal.

SEATTLE — While the Seattle Police Department shifts courses to address crime on Third Avenue and Pine, Seattle Police Chief Adrien Diaz says they’ll work to continue the progress made in the Chinatown-International District (CID).

Late Thursday afternoon and two Seattle Police officers were working the block near 12th Avenue and Jackson Street, making it clear things are changing. What was once described as an open-air drug market is now an empty sidewalk -- and that’s a big deal.

“We’re just seeing if, when the police leave, is this activity going to come back?” said Tanya Woo.

Woo is part of the CID Community Watch, a group of volunteers that during the start of the pandemic started walking the streets as an extra set of eyes and ears.

“We just kind of developed to fill a gap and just to let people know that we are here and that we’re friendly and want to help,” Woo said.

Last month the Seattle Police Department parked a mobile precinct in the area, cleared out the sidewalks and have maintained a visible police presence. It's a strategy Seattle’s Interim Police Chief Adrian Diaz described as “transformative police work.”

“I feel like it’s too early to tell. We are afraid that this activity is going to come back. We’re not entirely sure if this is going to be a short-term fix, quick fix. We’re hoping to work with the city on long-term sustainable solutions,” Woo said.

However, progress isn't always linear.

Wednesday Seattle police warned of a man who pushed a woman down a flight of stairs at a light rail station and is believed to have stabbed a second person. Police advised Woo and her community watch to take the night off. They walked anyway.

“I feel like the city doesn’t know what to do with us because we are a mostly minority community there has been a lot of trauma here,” said Woo

Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell is expected to address the crime on 12th Avenue and Jackson Street and will likely touch on what’s happened on 3rd and Pine during a press conference Friday morning.

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