Ruth's Public Safety Plan

1) Fully Funding Bellevue’s Police and Fire Departments

Bellevue’s public safety challenges have increased as our population has soared. There is now more package and mail theft, car prowl and catalytic converter theft, and illegal prescription drugs. In recent years, the city of Bellevue has increased the public safety budget to match inflation; we need to make sure we don’t fall behind as our rapid growth continues.

 

2) Adding Mental Health Response Teams on 911 Calls

Many other cities on the Eastside are ramping up mental health first responder teams to handle some 911 calls. Bellevue has lagged on these efforts even as mental health crisis calls have increased across our region during the pandemic. These teams of skilled professionals would offer aid to our neighbors while helping our police department prioritize resources towards reducing criminal activity.

 

3) Creating a Community Court

When perpetrators of low-level offenses are allowed to participate in a community court, the underlying issues that led them to criminal activity can be addressed. They are less likely to reoffend, leading to a safer community.

 

4) Prioritizing Criminal Investigations

We need to make sure our police department is prioritizing investigations to tackle drug, theft, and trafficking rings, to get to the root of troubling trends. We can’t rely solely on routine patrols to keep neighborhoods free of crime.

 

5) Increasing Transparency

Every resident should trust our police department and each of its officers. I will work to increase community oversight so that discipline decisions are made with resident input, and the department is constantly improving its policies and procedures to meet the city’s changing needs.

 

6) Listening to your feedback

In every campaign, there is a lot of talk about where candidates stand. I am always open to your feedback, your thoughts, and your ideas about how we can make Bellevue one of the safest places to live. You can email me at [email protected].