Mariner High School neighbors discuss Everett crime with officials
Published 11:04 pm Wednesday, February 20, 2008
EVERETT — Gangs and graffiti were hot topics at a town hall meeting Wednesday in the heart of a high-crime area south of Everett.
Snohomish County Executive Aaron Reardon and Sheriff John Lovick met with about 50 neighbors at Mariner High School to talk about crime and the county’s response to ongoing problems.
Wednesday’s gathering was the second in a series of town hall meetings Reardon and Lovick scheduled. They spoke in Edmonds last week and plan to meet with people in Sultan next week.
County Councilman Brian Sullivan, the area’s representative, and Snohomish County Prosecutor Janice Ellis also joined the meeting at Mariner.
“I want to know what advances are being made to address the crime around here,” Jaclyn Cogdill said.
Cogdill, who has lived in the neighborhood since 1994, has seen a steady rise in crime over the years. Her car has been broken into twice. Thieves have stolen from her porch and someone even set fire to decorations outside her house.
“I came here believing I was moving into a safe neighborhood where my children could grow up,” Cogdill said.
Deputies have seen a rise in violent crimes and gang activity in recent years in the unincorporated south Everett neighborhood. A teenager was shot to death during a gang-related drive-by shooting in 2006. Police also noticed a rise in graffiti and gangs recruiting new members at the schools.
In response, the sheriff’s office in 2006 launched a yearlong crackdown in the area. A deputy also was assigned to work inside Mariner High School. The targeted section, just one square mile, was considered one of the highest crime areas that deputies patrolled.
The sheriff’s office set out to saturate the neighborhood to reduce crime, drive out gang members and get to know the neighbors.
They saw a slight reduction in the number of crimes reported.
More importantly, deputies said, were the partnerships they built with business owners and the people who live and work in the area.
Lovick and Reardon emphasized maintaining those partnerships Wednesday.
Part of the challenge is the area has a large concentration of apartment complexes with many people moving in and out of the neighborhood, county leaders said. The density has created some urban problems, such as graffiti, that the county is trying to tackle.
“We’re here tonight to listen to your ideas,” Lovick said. “People have made it clear they want to be safe in their homes, safe on the streets and their children safe at school.”
Reporter Diana Hefley: 425-339-3463 or hefley@heraldnet.com.
Sultan’s up next
A town hall meeting with Snohomish County Executive Aaron Reardon and Sheriff John Lovick is planned for 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at Sultan High School, 13715 310th Ave. SE, Sultan. County Councilman Dave Somers also is expected to be there to talk about crime.
