Crime & Safety

[un]Divided: Praise for bipartisan public safety bills

[un]Divided: Praise for bipartisan public safety bills

After passing a bill in 2021 to dramatically limit police pursuits, some Democrats have had a change of heart – joining Republican lawmakers in proposing fixes. Brandi Kruse discusses how the bipartisan bills would improve public safety.

By Brandi Kruse

Urge lawmakers to act on bipartisan pursuit bills

Urge lawmakers to act on bipartisan pursuit bills

A bipartisan group of lawmakers in Olympia are proposing common sense changes to the disastrous police pursuit policy passed in 2021. If you value public safety and the rule of law, take a few minutes today to urge legislative leaders to get onboard. This week, a handful of legislators dropped matching bills in the House...

By Brandi Kruse

[un]Divided: Inslee pledges action on homelessness ten years too late

[un]Divided: Inslee pledges action on homelessness ten years too late

In a series of proposals ahead of the 2023 legislative session, Governor Jay Inslee outlined his vision to address homelessness. As Brandi Kruse explains on the [un]Divided Podcast, Inslee fails to identify the true cause of a crisis he helped to create.

By Brandi Kruse

Lawmakers cannot allow Washington’s drug crisis to continue

Lawmakers cannot allow Washington’s drug crisis to continue

Washington needs a serious drug policy. In 2016, Shannon Blake was arrested in Spokane, Washington. At the jail, officers found a small bag of methamphetamine in the pocket of her jeans. At trial, she testified that a friend had given the jeans to her two days before Blake’s arrest, that she had never used methamphetamines,...

Inslee’s failed leadership at Western State Hospital

Inslee’s failed leadership at Western State Hospital

A recent expose by The News (Tacoma) Tribune regarding Western State Hospital, the state’s largest mental hospital that is located in Lakewood, is not only perhaps one of the closest examples of the inmates literally running the asylum as you’ll ever get, but it’s also a vivid example of Governor Jay Inslee’s failed leadership on...

[un]Divided: State hospital employed 27-time felon

[un]Divided: State hospital employed 27-time felon

Brandi interviews Tacoma News Tribune journalist Sean Robinson in this segment of [un]Divided to discuss further the breaking news that Washington state knowingly hired a career criminal to work with vulnerable patients. As the criminal justice reform movement in Washington state continues to grow, this story is an extreme example of giving a convicted felon...

By Brandi Kruse

When in doubt – vote for balance on November 8

When in doubt – vote for balance on November 8

In Tuesday’s Midterm election, undecided voters have the power to usher in a period of much-needed sanity. They can do it by prioritizing balance above political party. At a time when extremes on both sides are pushing bad ideas – balance is the only thing that can truly protect us. Balance requires compromise, consensus, and...

By Brandi Kruse

[un]Divided: King County Prosecutor election race

[un]Divided: King County Prosecutor election race

In the latest segment of [un]Divided, Jim Ferrell – the Mayor of Federal Way – discusses his campaign for King County Prosecutor with Brandi. She explains how this is the most important race because the Prosecutor elect will have the opportunity to set the tone for the criminal justice system. Accountability and justice are crucial...

By Brandi Kruse

[un]Divided: Spokane’s Camp Hope Predicament

[un]Divided: Spokane’s Camp Hope Predicament

In this week’s segment of [un]Divided, Brandi unpacks the debate over who is at fault for the Camp Hope situation in the city of Spokane. With approximately 500 homeless people camping out on the state’s Department of Transportation land, city and county officials are at a standstill about how to resolve the encampment. The inability of...

By Brandi Kruse

Victory! County nixes plans for Chinatown homeless megaplex (for now)

Victory! County nixes plans for Chinatown homeless megaplex (for now)

This article is republished here courtesy of Change Washington.   When tasked with a long, difficult undertaking it’s important to celebrate the victories when they happen. King County’s decision to nix a planned homeless megaplex in Seattle’s Chinatown-International District (CID) represents an unexpected and important success for sound homelessness policy, public safety, and common-sense governance. As we’ve written on...