East Ballard Crime Prevention Resources

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Many thanks to Mary Amberg (SPD Crime Prevention Coordinator), Colleen Hackett (Seattle Parks Division Crew Chief) and Thomas Whittemore (Dept of Neighborhoods Community Engagement Coordinator) for spending the evening with us at St. Alphonsus Family Center to inform us on how we can keep Gemenskap park and our surrounding neighborhood safe and vibrant. if you missed the meeting, or just want a reference for all the great info we learned, here you go!

SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT SAFETY TIPS
Call 911 every time you see anything suspicious (e.g. potential lurkers outside your neighbor’s house, car prowling, strange people or behavior), even if you aren’t sure what to make of it!
  • According to Crime Prevention Coordinator Mary Amberg, the lines are staffed for this purpose. It is up to the operator, not the caller to determine whether a situation is an emergency or not. Your role as a citizen is simply to help SPD know what’s going on in our neighborhood. SPD’s strategy for our neighborhood is data-driven, and data points such as our reports and phone calls are required in order for more comprehensive action to be taken.
  • If you’d like an officer to contact you, just tell the operator and they will.
  • Don’t call the non-emergency line unless the crime is well in the past.

If you’re aware of chronic problems (e.g. long-term unauthorized parking, vacant houses attracting unwanted activity, camping in the park, etc.), alert Community Police Team Officer Mike Cruzan (206-233-3733) if west of 14th Ave NW, Joseph Bender  (206-233-3984) if east of 14th. Contact both if on 14th.

Call the Ballard High School security officer at 206-252-1000 to address concerns specific to BHS student activity.

Leverage the Find It, Fix It app on your smartphone for the fastest action on the following issues and more (many of our neighbors can attest to this service working well!): 
  • Abandoned Vehicle: report vehicles parked in a public right of way more than three days.
  • Graffiti Report: report graffiti so it gets automatically routed to the appropriate department for response.
  • Needles
  • Illegal Dumping: report illegal dumping — junk, garbage or debris — on public property, including roadsides, open streets and paved alleys.
  • Parking Enforcement: make an inquiry regarding a parking concern.
  • Homeless Encampments: (select ‘Other’ inquiry and title it ‘encampment’
  • Tall shrubs/weeds in street medians: Select ‘Other’ inquiry and title it ‘street landscaping impeding sight lines’.
HELPFUL LINKS FROM SPD
Online Crime Reporting (only crimes that have no suspects, are not in progress, and do not involve injury can be reported this way, e.g. car prowls, signs of narcotic activity and other small crimes)
Property or Building Complaint
Narcotics Activity
Tweet By Beat
Police Blotter
Police Reports

Crime statistics and reports by neighborhood. East Ballard is in the north precinct and our micro policing neighborhood is Ballard South.

HOME BREAK-INS
  • Most burglaries occur between 8AM and 5PM. Always answer a door when you’re home, but don’t open the door. Most burglars enter empty homes. If you don’t answer, then they think no one is home and will attempt to break in. If person is aggressive after you respond, call 911 and report facial features and shoes (clothes change, but people usually wear the same shoes every day).
  • Invest in strong doors with minimal glass (or apply security film), strong deadbolt and 3-4 inch kick plate screws.
  • Lock up propane tanks (can be used to break windows) and ladders (can be used to climb in through upstairs windows)
  • dowels on sliding windows/doors
  • Inventory your possessions

Contact Mary Amberg to schedule a free security assessment of your home, business or church

North Precinct Advisory Council (NPAC) meets the first Wednesday of every month. 7-8:30 p.m. The meeting is at Lakeside School, 14050 1st Ave NE, in the Kent Evans Auditorium in a building on upper school campus.

GEMENSKAP PARK MAINTENANCE AND REGULATIONS

  • Seattle Parks crews will mow, pick up litter and be eyes on the park when they are there. The EBCA will sponsor twice yearly community clean ups.
  • Parks staff cannot remove people from the park if they are not doing anything illegal (note that camping during daylight hours is legal)
  • There are no plans at this time for a porta potty in the park (like Ballard Commons).
  • According to the park drawings, there are no trash cans planned. This is part of a growing trend in “pack it out” parks in Seattle.
  • For chronic intersection crossing concerns, contact Mary Amberg to schedule someone from the city to come out and monitor.
  • For noise complaints, particularly in the park, check out the SPD Noise Complaints page for details on what’s illegal and how to report.
  • Rules and Regulations for Seattle Parks – you probably knew alcohol is banned, but did you know smoking is banned is too?

BUILDING COMMUNITY