Seattle Considers ‘Catching And Releasing’ From Des Moines Facility After King County Jail Runs Out Of Space

Talk about eating your own tail…

Seattle is infested with so much crime, its jails are running out of space. And, because King County Jail is running out of space, the city is now considering a program that “would pay for jail beds at the SCORE jail facility in Des Moines,” according to KIRO 7. 

Its a move that the report says “would cost Seattle millions”. And, unsurprisingly, it isn’t winning any fans in Des Moines, as the SCORE facility would be used for offenders who are locked up only for 24-48 hours, before being released. 

The report says that the Seattle City Council Public Safety Committee met Wednesday to discuss a pilot plan, with public comments varying from full support to calling it “theatre.” The proposal would fund at least 20 beds, costing $1.5 to $3 million annually, depending on usage.

“It’s scary. It’s scary. Currently things are quiet, but if they start releasing them into our neighborhood, things could change,” said Joan Longnecker, who lives near the SCORE facility in Des Moines.

Another neighbor says he doesn’t mind the program “as long as they are not released directly from that facility.”

Under the proposal, Seattle officers would escort offenders to the facility and court dates, but the handoff process post-release is still being finalized. The City Council may vote on the pilot on August 6. A similar program with King County jails and SCORE was tried last year but ended after a few months due to cost and sustainability issues.

Seattle does know they can use these very same tax dollars to pay the salaries of tough-on-crime DAs whose policies on crimes aren’t ‘let them back on the streets no matter what they do’, right?