Councilmember Bob Kettle Speaks On Seattle's Public Safety and Permissive Environments

Seattle City Councilmember Bob Kettle, representing District 7, recently sat down with host Omari Salisbury for an interview on the "Big O Show.” Kettle, a retired 20-year veteran of the U.S. Navy and the chair of Seattle’s Public Safety Committee, spoke on Seattle’s public safety priorities and the balance between compassion and wisdom.

Kettle said he decided to run for office in 2023 because public safety challenges "weren't being addressed" in the city. He cited his desire to create a safe base for his 10-year-old daughter, his family, and other children across the city as a driving factor in his campaign.

The councilmember introduced the concept of a "permissive environment" that he views the city had developed around crime and public safety. 

"We were basically looking away from those challenges that our neighborhoods were facing,” Kettle said. “We're…excusing or we're allowing certain behaviors and certain actions to happen which were detrimental to our...neighborhoods and our communities,” Kettle said. 

This permissiveness, he noted, becomes a habit, widens, and occurs when accountability is lacking.

Kettle pointed to recently passed legislation targeting after-hours establishments and chronic nuisance properties as examples of the city moving in a positive direction. 

"We really sent a message that hey we cannot allow this permissiveness to happen,” he said, noting a dramatic reduction in nightlife shootings between the first and second halves of the year.

In discussing the future of public safety, Kettle emphasized that the concept is much broader than just the Seattle Police Department (SPD). It encompasses fire and rescue services, the CARE Department, alternative response methods for people in crisis, and emergency preparedness.

Kettle also touched on the need to address the public's perception of safety, beyond just declining crime statistics. 

"It's not just reality, but the perception of reality, and to acknowledge that we still have these challenges that we face,” he said, stressing that when new measures are passed, there is a need for "expectation management" to avoid the sentiment that a problem is completely solved.

Kettle agreed with Salisbury’s assertion that there is often too much focus on the perpetrator of a crime and not enough on the victims and their communities. He acknowledged the need for compassion for perpetrators, but stated that the city must also have the “wisdom to look out for…neighborhoods and communities.”

He concluded by stressing the importance of decentralizing public safety from the SPD and continuing to build on alternative response programs and community engagement. 

"We need a Director of Public Safety... We need somebody who keeps the bigger picture and then brings in the different elements of public safety,” he said. 

Reach Councilmember Kettle's office at robert.kettle@seattle.gov.