Inslee’s legacy on crime: Will WA’s next governor chart a new course?

Gov. Jay Inslee’s third term in office comes to an end on January 13, 2025, at which point he will have served in the position of Washington’s highest executive for twelve years.

Earlier, Future 42 has covered Inslee’s legacy on growing state government bureaucracy, raising cost-of-living for working class families, and perhaps most ironically, his subversion of democracy, all the while claiming to be its most noble defender.

But perhaps the saddest of all is his legacy on crime and the steady, purposeful erosion of any legitimate sense of law, order and safety.

The story perhaps cannot be told any better than taking a look at the headlines. Any single one of these would be tragic, and all of these have been pulled from only the last 12 months:

• Dec. 21, 2023, KOMO: 72nd Seattle homicide of 2023 marks highest record since 1994

• April 26 2024, The News Tribune: Washington ranked among the most dangerous states in the country, according to new study

• May 8, 2024, Lynnwood Times: FBI crime data shows Washington second-most dangerous state

• May 13, 2024, News Nation: Oregon, Washington among top 10 most dangerous states: Report

• June 26, 2024 560 KPQ: Lock Your Doors & Windows; Washington Has 4th Highest Home Burglary Rate in U.S.

• Aug. 15, 2024, Washington Times: Washington state is the nation’s most dangerous, according to new study

• Oct. 3, 2024, KOMO: Washington business leaders push for partnerships against organized retail theft 

• Oct. 7, 2024, KOMO: Washington ranks 2nd in country for most vehicle thefts, study says

• Oct. 10, 2024, Washington Retail: Nordstrom CEO singles out King County as retailer’s ‘worst area’ for theft nationwide

• Oct. 11, 2024, Fox 13: Seattle Police arrest 4 teens for nearly 80 armed robberies

This is the culmination of 12 years of Jay Inslee serving as our state’s top executive.

In the last several years, Washington has seen increases in rates for violent crime, homicide, aggravated assault, property crime, theft, and motor vehicle theft that all dramatically exceed national averages.

Source

These headlines represent a lot of studies and statistics, and while important, they do not adequately tell the story of millions of Washingtonians who are drowning in the wake of Gov. Inslee and his legislative allies. Stories like those of Immaculee Goldade and Eina Kwon cannot and will not be forgotten.

These tragedies highlight the personal tragedies enable by the “soft on crime” regime of Governor Inslee and his enablers. In addition, these policies have a very real economic impact on small businesses and families across the state. Property losses due to repeat break-ins have had a significant impact on small businesses in loss of product, disrupted operations, and increased insurance rate. These increased insurance rates are a significant driver in the increased cost of living across the state in homeowner and auto policies as well.

These outcomes are the product of years of policy decisions that deprioritized public safety. Inslee’s 2021 police pursuit ban, for example, gave criminals greater freedom to operate unchecked. While the legislature finally repealed the ban earlier this year, the measure (I-2113) was driven by citizens, not the governor. After collecting several hundred thousand signatures for an initiative, the legislature voted to restore police pursuit this spring which did not require the Governor’s signature and he never commented on it

When Attorney General Bob Ferguson is sworn into office as Governor in January, it’s expected that he will, for the most part, continue the policy trajectory of his predecessor. Let’s hope that on the issue of crime and safety, he has the courage to chart a new course. Washingtonians deserve better than what they’re getting.