SEATTLE — Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell said he is committed to sorting out how the city will approach illegal drug possession and public use, but the process won’t be complete for several more weeks.
The mayor is determined to clarify the issue after the Seattle City Council rejected a plan to authorize City Attorney Ann Davison to prosecute these drug crimes as gross misdemeanors and bring the municipal code in line with a newly passed state law.
King County Prosecuting Attorney Leesa Manion said she does not have the authority to criminally charge drug crime arrests if they occur within Seattle’s city limits.
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“In the next couple of weeks, I will meet with the King County prosecutor and our city attorney and the judges, and advocates on both sides of this issue,” Harrell said. “There is a need for legal and constitutional arrests, particularly when people are posing a threat to others.”
However, Harrell said that’s just part of the equation, and enforcement has to be seen in context with the other efforts the city is undertaking to address the drug abuse crisis.
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“We’ll make a distinction between a person who is a threat or harm to themselves,” Harrell said. “They need treatment.”
Harrell said he hopes to have legislation to address the issue in front of the council in July.
This is a developing story.
