Internal SPD memo raises questions about public safety priorities
An internal memo sent to the Seattle Police Department's interim police chief, Adrian Diaz, raises new questions about the agency's priorities.
The memo, which was written in April by SPD Sgt. Pamela St. John, stated that the department's sexual assault and child abuse unit have stopped assigning detectives to new adult sexual assault cases.
Investigative reporter Sydney Brownstone with The Seattle Times and KUOW reporter Ashley Hiruko broke the news of the memo.
Read the story: Seattle police stopped investigating adult sexual assaults this year, memo shows
They talked to Soundside host Libby Denkmann about their investigation, and what this peek into SPD's staffing tells us about the law enforcement agency's public safety priorities in Seattle.
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Libby Denkmann
Host, Soundside
Libby Denkmann joined KUOW in December 2021 as the host of the midday show Soundside. She’s a native Pacific Northwesterner who grew up in Redmond, graduated from the University of Washington, and covered local news as a producer and reporter with KIRO Radio.
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Noel Gasca
Producer, Soundside
Noel is a producer for KUOW’s midday show Soundside. Prior to joining Soundside, Noel worked as an online editor/producer with KUOW’s web team. She’s also a proud graduate of KUOW’s RadioActive program.
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