My neighborhood has been a great place to raise kids, but even my little pocket of suburban Edmonds has felt the impact of an uptick in crime. For a long time I tried to brush it off, or explain it away like it wasn’t an issue. “We’re more connected now,” I told myself. “Social media has made it so that everyone knows when there was a robbery. There’s not more crime, there’s just more awareness.”
But as much as I wanted to believe that was true, I finally had to face facts. Things are less safe than they used to be.
Here are some examples of what’s been happening where I live: home robberies, home invasions, mail theft, car prowling, catalytic converter theft, vehicle theft, open drug use, trespassing, exposure, weapons theft, porch pirates, tire slashing, gunfire and more. There is also an abandoned house in the neighborhood that’s been the site of illicit activity for several years, which the city has not addressed despite a multitude of complaints.
Luckily, my family has not been robbed, but the growing crime level has impacted us in small ways. In late 2019 I was on a walk through our local park at around 10 a.m. when I saw a car moving up and down in a peculiar motion in the parking lot. It took me a second to realize what I was seeing: prostitution. Our beloved neighborhood park, home to countless soccer games, was now a place to have sex in the middle of the day. I just kept walking. Now I realize that I should have at least reported the incident to the police.
Last summer my husband was on an evening run and came to the assistance of a woman down the street who was being harassed by a confused man with a knife. My husband calmed the man down, with compassion, and kept him company until the police arrived. This too is an example of a situation that never used to happen in our neighborhood.
Around that same time last summer our neighbors organized an event with the Edmonds Police Department so that we could figure out the situation together. The officers explained how the changing laws have impacted what they are legally allowed to do to for many of the situations happening in our neighborhood, but encouraged us to call them immediately whenever we needed help. The Edmonds Police Department is a diverse organization and passes the highest levels of accreditation for law enforcement in our state. But like law enforcement agencies everywhere, they have many open positions to fill. Right now there are eight and soon to be 10 job vacancies. Sometimes only the minimum number of officers are on patrol.
My part of Edmonds is definitely not a hotbed of crime, but we are facing a growing impact from issues that Seattle and Everett have dealt with for a long time, issues that are incredibly challenging to solve.
I still encourage my daughter to go on walks and bike rides by herself. But I’ve also driven her around and pointed out houses that she could run to quickly if she needed assistance; friends and acquaintances. Locked mailboxes, extra lighting and cameras help, but our best protection is our fellow neighbor.
Jennifer Bardsley publishes books under her own name and the pseudonym Louise Cypress. Find her online on Instagram @jenniferbardsleyauthor, on Twitter @jennbardsley or on Facebook as Jennifer Bardsley Author. Email her at teachingmybabytoread@gmail.com.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
