Public Safety Committee Discusses FIFA World Cup Preparedness and Aurora Gun Violence - May 26, 2026
Public Safety Committee Discusses FIFA World Cup Preparedness and Aurora Gun Violence - May 26, 2026
The Seattle City Council Public Safety Committee, chaired by Robert Kettle, met on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, at 9:38 AM in Council Chamber. The meeting focused on FIFA World Cup 2026 emergency preparedness, an update from the Office of Emergency Management (OEM), and extensive public testimony about escalating gun violence and sex trafficking along the North Aurora corridor. No formal votes were taken; the agenda item (Inf 2897) was a briefing and discussion only.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Jeff Silverman (in-person): Reported obtaining his ham radio license and FEMA certifications to assist as an OEM volunteer during the World Cup. Stated he will "be part of the solution."
- Jake Wallack (in-person, Aurora resident): Described a shooting that hit two feet above his newborn's window. Said 60% of shootings on his block are directly related to prostitution, according to SPD data. Declared, "Our city leadership is broken."
- Kendall Gregory (in-person, North Aurora resident): Argued for decriminalizing sex work and establishing a red light district to reduce conflict-driven violence, noting pimps resolve disputes with bullets because they lack access to courts.
- DJ Hoskins (in-person, longtime resident): Reported nightly gunfire escalating over the last 3–4 years, with one incident of 20 shots in rapid succession. Expressed fear for safety in a once-peaceful neighborhood.
- Aaron Gardner (in-person): Asked the council to direct more FIFA funding to police and anti-trafficking efforts along the North Aurora corridor, citing expected increases in sex trafficking during the World Cup.
- Steve Ribsello (in-person): Criticized the lack of a functioning police force and investigative capacity, stating crimes like rape and assault go unsolved.
- Mario Katona (in-person, Little Saigon area): Recounted being shot in the leg with a .38 special after intervening in an assault near 5th and Jackson; credited a Seattle police officer with saving his life. Emphasized the need for CCTV and police presence.
- Peter Orr (in-person, Greenwood resident): Urged enforcement of the Stay Out of Areas of Prostitution (SOAP) law and creation of barriers to disrupt pimp movement, warning of risks to World Cup visitors.
- Lacey Tigerson (in-person, neighbor of previous speakers): Described condoms and needles now appearing in residential areas, saying the neighborhood has "drastically changed" and asking for solutions to be implemented.
- Maddie Porter (remote, Aurora resident): Recounted grabbing her children and lying on the floor during shooting incidents. Pleaded for SOAP enforcement and expressed frustration with cycles of inaction across administrations.
- Howard Gale (remote): Raised concerns about ICE threats to immigrant communities during the World Cup, criticizing the council for not passing protective legislation like Boston did.
- Tad Neeser (remote, Greenwood resident): Described living at the nexus of turf wars near 101st and Aurora; credited street closures with bringing immediate relief. Called for permanent barriers between Aurora and residential streets.
- Tina Varelli (remote, Greenwood resident): Urged the city to enforce the SOAP law and make temporary street barriers permanent to protect residents and World Cup visitors.
- David Haynes (remote): Argued for a new police chief, alleging mismanagement of crime-fighting tools and interference from the executive command.
- Donna Hill Walcott: Did not speak when called.
Discussion Items
- FIFA World Cup Emergency Preparedness Update: Director Curry Mayer of OEM presented a two-and-a-half-year planning effort. The city's Event Operations Plan covers roles and responsibilities for all city departments, coordination with 45+ regional, state, and federal agencies (including FBI, FEMA, DHS, Coast Guard), and a Unified Command Post located in the Emergency Operations Center (EOC). The EOC will activate 9–12 hours on each of the six game days (June 15, 19, 24, 26, July 1, 6) and for Pride Parade on June 28. Plans include contingencies for heat, smoke, earthquake, and cyber events. OEM will host twice-daily conference calls on non-game days.
- Office of Emergency Management Improvements Post-BERC Assessment: The BERC report found Seattle OEM had the smallest budget and fewest personnel among comparable cities (Portland, San Francisco, Denver, Vancouver). A budget increase (though OEM remains only 0.4% of the city's public safety budget) funded expanded community engagement, a citywide preparedness seminar, additional training/exercises, an internal strategic plan, and outreach for Alert Seattle. Specific programs highlighted include a youth summer camp on go-bags, tsunami preparedness, National Night Out, the rebranded "Ready Together" neighborhood program, and partnerships with Seattle Housing Authority, Clear Path Management, Cambodian American Community Council, and Pike Place Market.
- Chair Kettle's Opening Remarks: Read a 17-page packet from the Aurora community documenting six shootings in 30 days. Stated the city must be "not of two minds" and emphasized need for SPD staffing (goal of 1,258 sworn officers by year-end), real-time crime center expansion, CCTV on Aurora, and partnership with King County and state. Noted failure of state bill targeting men in the sex trade.
- Vice Chair Saka's Statement: Urged Mayor Wilson to activate the SoDo stadium district security cameras immediately, sharing personal experience surviving the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing. Called the "credible threat" standard flawed, noting perpetrators only need to get it right once. Stated the council has already authorized and funded the cameras with privacy protections.
- Councilmember Rivera: Clarified the council's role is fiscal and authorizing; turning on cameras is a mayoral function. Expressed support for camera activation, citing successful use in investigations. Requested more detail from the mayor's office on Aurora-specific plans and anti-sex trafficking efforts during FIFA.
Key Outcomes
- No votes or formal decisions were taken. The information item was heard in committee only.
- Chair Kettle and multiple councilmembers urged the Mayor to activate the stadium district security cameras before the World Cup begins on June 15.
- The council will continue oversight of OEM improvements and await further details from the mayor's office on Aurora Avenue violence and sex trafficking prevention during FIFA.
- One member noted that a follow-up from Councilmember Juarez (excused) was expected, similar to a prior visit to Aurora with Chief Barnes.
Meeting Transcript
And good morning. The public safety committee will come to order. It's 9 38, May 26, 2026. I'm Robert Kettle, Chair of the Public Safety Committee. Will the committee clerk please call the roll? Councilmember Ruarez. Councilmember Linden. Here. Councilmember Rivera. Present. Councilmember Saka. Chair Kettle. Here. Chair, there are four members present. If there's no objection, the agenda will be adopted. Hearing seeing no objection, the agenda is adopted. Sorry for the slight delay. I was waiting for the mayor's office to be here, but they're not here. For chair comment this morning, I'm gonna start with a 17-page packet that I've received. And this is from community, the Aurora community. And the subject line is six shootings in 30 days, two on my block in the last 24 hours. A bullet is in the wall above my newborn. This uh email string was sent to Mayor Wilson, to Chief Barnes, to the council, and others. I responded back to Jake, who is the father of that newborn, and I wrote to him thank you for sounding the alarm on what is happening in your neighborhood. It's not right, it's not acceptable. Since becoming the chair of the public safety committee, we've been working hard to create a safe base in our city and identify and address the permissive environment that is developed in our city with our strategic framework plan for a safer Seattle. But not enough since there's more work to be done. We've updated our plan to further a functional criminal justice system, addressing gun violence and addressing the scene between public safety, public health, housing, and human services. What is happening on Aurora is different, but really the same to what we've been seeing in other areas in our city, such as Little Saigon. On Little Saigon, I spoke to that in my chair comment on April 24th, which was added to by Councilmember Lynn. In the middle of that remarks, I noted that there's seven several reasons why we are still here we are regarding public safety and its challenges like Aurora. I spoke to the following. I said to the fact that we are a city of two minds. We're paralyzed a lot of times, or we're working cross-purposes. We lack balance with a singular focus on our neighbors in crisis, which we should start with, but not with a focus, but focus needed too on the neighborhoods in crisis. So yes, start with compassion, but then have the wisdom to look out for our neighborhoods and communities in crisis. And by the way, it's not just geographic neighborhoods, it's communities too, like LGBTQ plus. We lack leadership that is sustained with an element of follow-through and follow-up. We lack the implementation of the by the executive branch over time. Not just in this administration, previous administration, and sometimes that of judicial branch of public safety bills put into law. Do we have a scored contract? South King County Regional Corrections Facility. That would be helpful for a lot of things that we're dealing with. And there's other bills that have not been followed through. And we lack integration with one hand, public safety, but with the other hand, public health, housing, and human services. And it's showing up on Aurora. The showing up on Aurora with a sex trade. And the ability inability of us to take action. We will continue our efforts here in committee for communities like Aurora and others with our strategic framework plan. We will work, for example, to achieve the goal of 1,258 sworn officers by SPD by the end of this year.
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