MFPA & Rev. Harriet Walden are NOT currently working on East Precinct as indicated by Mayor Durkan
Media Advisory
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 7th, 2020
Contact: Rev. Harriett Walden
Telephone: 206.380.1710
E-mail: revharriettwalden@gmail.com
MFPA & REV. HARRIETT WALDEN ARE “NOT” CURRENTLY WORKING ON EAST PRECINCT AS INDICATED BY MAYOR DURKAN.
Last week Mayor Jenny Durkan in her July 1st press conference (7:00 Minute mark) thanked Rev. Harriett Walden for her leadership in reminding city leaders about the history and importance of the Seattle Police Department East Precinct. The Mayor also indicated that Rev. Walden would be leading community outreach about the long-term future of the East Precinct and would be provided a budget to do so.
Rev. Walden has indeed been raising the alarm and giving historical context to the origins East Precinct and the work of Sam Smith to bring resources to the African American Community. It is her position that the African American Community, via Sam Smith, was the catalyst for the creation of the East Precinct. There was a time when the Black Community, redlined to the Central Area, had to call the Fire Department for emergencies because the Police Department would not come or came too late. The legacy of Sam Smith must be maintained and under the City Charter, the East Precinct could not be simply “Given Away”.
Rev. Walden, nor Mother’s for Police Accountability has taken any position on the East Precinct other than that above. Also, even though the Mayor made an announcement that Rev. Walden would be leading efforts, no one from the Mayor’s office has been in contact with her to ask if she 1) Would even be interested in leading community outreach around the future of the precinct and 2) what “Budget Considerations” would look like, and/or 3) to invite her to the press conference in which the announcement was made.
This has caused much confusion in the community and is counter intuitive to the inclusive, transparent type of process that the Mayor claims to want.
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