MUKILTEO, Wash. — A first-of-its-kind approach to policing in Washington can be found in the holding cells at the Mukilteo Police Department.
"Tomorrow's another day; no matter how bad today is, the sun is still going to rise tomorrow, and it's a new start," said Mukilteo Police Chief Andy Illyn.
The department's goal is to take care of people in the community, even if they've made a mistake.
"For someone in custody, rather than just staring at the window, staring at this dull, non-inspiring white wall, they have something at least to look at, to think about and to kind of hopefully relax them," said Illyn.
Two of the three holding cells at the station now have murals to deescalate tense moments.
"How could we possibly reduce the stress and the emotions of a person in a holding cell to gain compliance,” said Illyn. “One of the easy ideas is let's make the holding cell a little bit softer with the mural."
Illyn said beautifying these 12-by-7-foot rooms was sparked by a Ted Talk he saw with a designer a couple of years ago.
"She talks about how interior design can spark joy and how lots of ways by using colors and lights we can invoke emotions," said Illyn.
Two local artists were commissioned to paint the murals, costing $800. The first one has been up since December, and the second one was painted a couple of weeks ago. Since the installation, MPD has had 10 people in custody. But Illyn believes the murals are well worth it and will make a lasting impact.
"Hopefully, these murals can help decompress and allow some self-reflection on individuals that makes the whole process safer for them, safer for us," said Chief Illyn.