Crimefighting in Seattle: Not Everyone is On Board

Last month RF noted a refreshing change in the approach to gun crime that’s been adopted in the Emerald City. The new strategy: punitive over prohibitive. As in locking up those who commit gun crimes rather than preventing law abiding citizens from arming themselves. Even former blame-the-guns-firster Deputy Chief Nick Metz got into the act, standing on the podium with the US attorney and other city leaders pledging an assholes and elbows approach to attacking the problem by putting the bad guys behind bars. But one person at last month’s press conference was conspicuous by his absence: Chief John Diaz. Maybe he had a long-standing appointment with his dentist that day. Or not. Whatever the case, it’s apparent that he’s still quite comfortable blaming the guns for his city’s crime problems . . .

We’ll let the Chief speak for himself (via mynorthwest.com):

“What has to change in our our society is this belief that when you’re out and carrying a gun it’s a good thing, is an OK thing. That’s the thing that we’re trying to change,” Chief John Diaz told the Seattle City Council at a meeting to update leaders on efforts to curb the onslaught of gun violence.

The Chief’s apparently frustrated by his force’s inability to reduce gun crime in Seattle. It’s possible he was talking about illegal guns in his statement to the city council. It’s also possible to win the lottery, but the smart money avoids it.

And Sheriff Steve Strachen’s certainly not doing much to make local anti-gunners feel any better.

While city officials continue pushing for new gun control laws, gun control advocates are taking aim at King County Sheriff Steve Strachan for planning an upcoming campaign event at Wade’s Gunshop to “Shoot with the Sheriff.”

“I’m trying to figure out, why now? The timing doesn’t seem quite right,” questioned Dan Byrne with Washington Ceasefire.

Dan’s upset because a local restaurant that was the scene of a quadruple murder is set to reopen today and he naturally sees the sheriff’s event this weekend as insensitively timed. Of course he’d see buying a box of ammo this weekend as insensitively timed. As far as Dan’s concerned, no time is the right time to shoot an icky gun.

But Sheriff Steve sees “Shoot with the Sheriff” as positive community outreach rather than a gun promotion.

“Timing can be difficult no matter when you hold any event,” said Strachan. “But the fact is this is not about firearms. It’s about an event where people are handling firearms safely. They’re doing something that is not illegal.”

The fact that the Sheriff happens to be campaigning for reelection is probably just a happy coincidence.

[h/t Andy]