Last Friday Seattle and King County announced a deal that allows Seattle police officers to book suspects arrested for misdemeanor crimes into the king county jail. The city has been afforded 135 jail beds. Officers haven’t been able to book folks into jail for non-DV, non-violent and/ or non-DUI related misdemeanor crimes for the past four years. So, for instance, folks who allegedly committed theft were not booked into jail because of the county’s restriction; the City of Seattle, thus, only had access to approximately 70 to 80 beds during this four-year period, and those were for those people who were arrested for domestic violence, dui or other violent related offenses. It is hoped this move to increase jail bookings will enhance public safety and – perhaps more importantly – revitalize downtown, which is, admittedly, in a bad shape, especially on 3rd Avenue. It will be interesting to see how the allowance of jail beds for low level crimes ultimately impacts safety and the revitalization of downtown.
If you or a loved one is in a bind as a result of a criminal charge, immediately contact a Seattle Criminal Attorney. A Criminal lawyer is not going to judge you and understands that everyone makes mistakes. Hiring a Seattle Criminal Lawyer to help can – at a minimum – reduce penalties and can help direct people on how to best deal with their criminal charge, and many times even get them dismissed. So, it should go without saying that someone cited for a misdemeanor or felony should hire a qualified Seattle Criminal Lawyer as soon as possible. Criminal charges can cause havoc on a person’s personal and professional life. Anyone charged with a crime in Washington State should immediately seek the assistance of a seasoned Seattle Criminal Lawyer. SQ Attorneys can be reached at (425) 359-3791 and/or (206) 441-0900.
