SPOKANE, Wash. – As beloved businesses continue to announce they are closing due to exhaustion from dealing with crime in downtown Spokane, the Spokane Police Department’s (SPD) new leader, Chief Kevin Hall, plans to prioritize the safety of businesses in his new administration.
It’s been roughly two weeks into Chief Hall’s administration, but he told NonStop Local that he is already working with Mayor Lisa Brown and other agencies to try to find solutions to deal with crime downtown.
“One of our precincts is really focusing on one area. Particularly, with unsheltered folks who are suffering from substance abuse disorders. Because our toolbox is so limited on what we can do, it basically just forces these folks to other areas. So, then those precincts do the same thing. And it’s this sort of ping-pong table with human beings where we’re pushing them back and forth across boundaries. I’d rather find something more sustainable where they are able to go some place and get the care they need. And, they are not camped out, conducting criminal activity in front of small businesses,” Chief Hall said.
Zona Blanca Ceviche Bar announced they would be closing their doors Friday due to exhaustion from dealing with crime daily.
Similarly, after police shot and killed a man who was armed with a knife in front of the business, the owner of Soulful Soups & Spirits announced in February that she would be selling her popular restaurant in 2025, because she was tired with what being a business owner in downtown Spokane entails.
On Monday, Spokane City Councilman Jonathan Bingle hosted a press conference at Zona Blanca where he, business owners and other elected officials voiced their frustrations with City leadership and SPD. They argued that not enough is being done to help businesses.
“I think the frustration is warranted. They are operating with very slim profit margins. And if they can’t attract customers to their businesses, those profit margins are going to be impacted adversely,” Chief Hall said.
Statistically, reported crime is down in downtown Spokane.
Chef Chad White, the owner of Zona Blanca told NonStop Local that he, and other business owners, are at a point where they rarely report crimes due to, they claim, long response times and the feeling that nothing gets resolved.
“If they don’t report it, then effect doesn’t happen. It never occurred. When we do ‘heat maps’ and we’re looking at where a crime is occurring, in small locations, micro locations, throughout the City, if it’s blank, it’s because nobody reported a crime there. We’re not going to pay attention to it. We’re looking for where the crime is with our very limited resources,” Chief Hall said.
