Has there been a spike or decline in crime since the governor of Washington issued his ‘stay home, stay healthy’ order in March of this year? It seems the answer depends on location and/or type. Both the Seattle Police Department and King County Sheriff’s Office say that crimes like shoplifting, car prowling and general theft are down around the city and the county, generally.
As a whole, property crimes in-and-around King County went down 26% in March compared to the same time last year, according to the King County Sheriff’s Office. Chinatown, however, has seen a spike in burglaries compared to the same 2019 time period.
Of course, the real question is – are crime rates really going down, or are the police simply not enforcing our laws? Certainly anyone in their position must be concerned that investigating a crime and/or having contact with a person (persons) could expose them to the virus that warranted the stay-at-home order in the first place. At what level is law enforcement willing to expose themselves in order to stop a person from trespassing on another’s property for example? Are they only enforcing those laws which are significant and life threatening, or are they going about things in a ‘business as usual’ manner? One can suspect that there is a little bit of both going on – truly less crime because there are simply less people out-and-about and officers are cherry picking what cases truly warrant their attention.
At some point things are surely going to get back to normal, but until then our crime numbers may be less – and at least for statistical purposes that is a good thing.
If you or a loved one is facing a criminal charge, or have been arrested in Seattle, don’t hesitate to hire a qualified Seattle Criminal Defense Lawyer. The Seattle Criminal Defense Attorneys that make up the criminal defense team of SQ Attorneys are highly qualified and reputable Seattle Criminal Defense Attorneys that are dedicated to providing top notch, aggressive representation for those arrested or charged for crime all across Western Washington and the Greater Puget Sound region. The team creates success by working with law enforcement and the prosecuting attorney’s office to ensure that all facts and circumstances related to the allegations are considered in creating the fairest, most equitable and just resolution possible in light of all the surrounding circumstances of the given case. So, whether you are cited with an infraction or arrested and/or charged with misdemeanor, gross misdemeanor or a felony, protect yourself … call SQ Attorneys at (206) 441-0900.
