As with any downtown area, the Chinatown-International District faces many public safety issues. One of the CIDBIA's goal to make the district a safer place; both out on the streets and in the minds of visitors and residents. Traditionally, ethnic neighborhoods throughout the country have been stigmatized as havens for gangsters, drug dealers and prostitutes. Although, many of these problems exist to a certain extent, they are far less dramatic.

"Our public safety program works in conjunction with other key organizations to promote awareness among neighborhood businesses, property owners, residents, employees and patrons. Lighting projects, CCTV security cameras, daily security patrols, and consistent communication with the Seattle Police Department are key elements to the success of the program."

Public Safety Patrols - To provide a presence on the streets of our neighborhood at night, the CIDBIA has a contract with off-duty Seattle Police officers to patrol the area in the evening and early morning hours. The primary function of the patrol officer are to be the eyes and ears on the streets. Officers submit weekly logs and reports for review, documenting public safety-related areas of concern. If the officer runs into criminal activity while patrolling, backup from the Seattle Police Department (SPD) is immediately notified. According to SPD statistics, our neighborhood has a low volume of 911 calls compared to other downtown neighborhoods. This leads to believe that less crime happens here, while in reality illegal activities are simply not being reported. This can partly be explained by the fact that a significant number of residents in our neighborhood are elderly and first-generation immigrants who do not speak English as their first language.

Lighting Projects - While the patrol officers represent a broad-based approach to security, the CIDBIA has also implemented measures that are more akin to "spot-treatments." For example, a number of wall pack lights have been installed to brighten alleyways during the night time hours. In addition, metal halyde lights were recently installed on the Hing Hay Park pavilion to discourage the presence of illegal drug trafficking and transient activity. The CIDBIA also typically provides decorative lighting installed on trees along South Jackson Street during the holiday season.

Community Action Partnership / International District Emergency Center: The Chinatown-International District houses the first neighborhood Seattle Police Department storefront in South Downtown. Run by Community Action Partnership (CAP), a partnership between the community and the Seattle Police Department, the storefront allows for a meeting grounds for local community members and on-duty police officers. In addition, the store front is located right next door to the CIDBIA office, allowing for frequent communication between the patrol officers and BIA staff. Community leaders, business owners and residents meet monthly with police officials to focus on problem-solving efforts within our community.

Another organization in which the CIDBIA works closely with is the International District Emergency Center (IDEC). The IDEC's goal is to assist businesses and visitors in emergency situations. It is often likely that you will see IDEC officials on-site at the emergency scene before the police or fire patrol arrive. This is because they have their radios tuned in 24-hours a day, 7 days a week monitoring the activity in the district. The IDEC staff also serves as liaisions to police and fire officials when handling procedures for emergency situations.