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News & ArtsThursday, May 21, 2009
Crime A Really Fucking Amazing Admission By Seattle Police
Posted by Jonah Spangenthal-Lee on Thu, May 21, 2009 at 2:39 PM
Dominic and I have been calling around about today's big prostitution raid in Eastlake and I just spoke with a neighbor who told me the most dumbfounding thing:
According to the neighbor, who lives in a condo behind the Sacred Temple healing center—where SPD crime scene investigators are now digging through records and boxing up evidence—she approached an officer and asked what was happening.
His response: "It isn’t dangerous and it doesn’t affect the neighborhood.”
Holy. Fucking. Shit.
Your tax dollars at work.
1
It clearly sounds like the officer is referring to the operation, and not the prostitution that caused the operation
You're ignorant, and your desperately grasping at straws to frame this.
A second hand quote from a citizen?
PLEASE!
You're ignorant, and your desperately grasping at straws to frame this.
A second hand quote from a citizen?
PLEASE!
3
Jonah, put the conversation in step to render topic:
Concerned citizen: "what [is] happening?"
Officer: "It isn’t dangerous and it doesn’t affect the neighborhood.”
you can read and project as much into that as you want, but any grounded/non-sensationalist individual would conclude that he or she was reassuring the condo owner that there is no immediate danger to him or her or the neighborhood -- and understandable question and concern upon seeing a dozen squad cars.
Jonah Lee is an embellishing, sensationalistic, dishonest, and dangerous reporter
Concerned citizen: "what [is] happening?"
Officer: "It isn’t dangerous and it doesn’t affect the neighborhood.”
you can read and project as much into that as you want, but any grounded/non-sensationalist individual would conclude that he or she was reassuring the condo owner that there is no immediate danger to him or her or the neighborhood -- and understandable question and concern upon seeing a dozen squad cars.
Jonah Lee is an embellishing, sensationalistic, dishonest, and dangerous reporter
4
Let me get this straight.
So .. they have time to bust people for MJ possession and Medical MJ clinics which we voters and taxpayers said WAS THE LOWEST PRIORITY PERIOD for the cops but they can't DO THEIR HIGHER PRIORITY JOB and crack down on this?
Even if up to HALF of all such prostitutes are being held in partial slavery to "pay off" debts to illegal immigrant gangs that get them thru the border and then imprison them?
SOMEBODY NEEDS TO BE FIRED AND HAVE THEIR BUDGET CUT IN HALF!
So .. they have time to bust people for MJ possession and Medical MJ clinics which we voters and taxpayers said WAS THE LOWEST PRIORITY PERIOD for the cops but they can't DO THEIR HIGHER PRIORITY JOB and crack down on this?
Even if up to HALF of all such prostitutes are being held in partial slavery to "pay off" debts to illegal immigrant gangs that get them thru the border and then imprison them?
SOMEBODY NEEDS TO BE FIRED AND HAVE THEIR BUDGET CUT IN HALF!
5
uh, I hate to say it, but I agree with StillNon...it sounds like the officer was referring to the police presence and was reassuring the resident that they weren't in any current danger, ie, guns blazing in pursuit of druglords/serial killers.
6
3 is correct. this silliness is GW Bush league reporting.
Plus, I am pretty sure that prostitution is still a crime, even if it is at a Sacred Temple, a plain ol yankee crankee shop, or in your own home. I don't know the actual KC/Wa State criminal code, but I am sure it is pretty clear on the definition.
And if I remember correctly, we, as a society, have given the police the right to enforce laws.
Plus, I am pretty sure that prostitution is still a crime, even if it is at a Sacred Temple, a plain ol yankee crankee shop, or in your own home. I don't know the actual KC/Wa State criminal code, but I am sure it is pretty clear on the definition.
And if I remember correctly, we, as a society, have given the police the right to enforce laws.
7
@1 and @5 I can totally see what you guys are saying, and on the one hand I kind of agree ... but on the other hand it still really pisses me off that it is necessary for them to break out the SWAT team for something that "isn't dangerous and doesn't affect the neighborhood" ... yeah he probably was referring to the lack of police bullets flying ... but I would kinda rather be paying the SWAT to come in when it is an actually dangerous situation that immediately impacting my neighborhood. That is what SWAT is for ... not to overpowering non-violent offenders and rifle through paperwork.
8
@7 crap I meant to hit "edit" not "post"
That last line should have said "not to overpower non-violent offenders and rifle through paperwork"
In fact I probably could said the whole thing more eloquently, but whatever, you get my point, maybe.
That last line should have said "not to overpower non-violent offenders and rifle through paperwork"
In fact I probably could said the whole thing more eloquently, but whatever, you get my point, maybe.
9
I think they're actually worried about the "customers" carrying concealed weapons in their pants.
Hence the SWAT.
Hence the SWAT.
11
I am the citizen. I asked the officer what was going on, and his reply was that they were serving a warrant to a business. I pressed him further and he said that he couldn't give me any details, but that "it wasn't dangerous and didn't affect the neighborhood." I expressed incredulity that something that wasn't dangerous and didn't affect the neighborhood required the presence of so many police officers, and he repeated that he couldn't give me any details about why they were there, but that it wasn't dangerous and didn't affect the neighborhood, then added that I would probably see it on the news tonight. I left with the distinct impression that when he said it wasn't dangerous, he was referring to the reason that they were there and not their presence in and of itself. Granted, I can't speak for the officer, but my take-away was that it was something like tax evasion and not a meth lab or arms dealers.
13
You are still putting meaning into it that may or may not have been there. You pressed him, he didn't give. He was giving you the most relevant and pertinent information: that it was not dangerous to you or the neighborhood.
I am so consistently embarrassed for Jonah and his employment at the Stranger.
I used to revere Savage until he hired a thief (Erica Barnett), a waiter (Dominic Holden), an often wrong and sensationalist "journalist (Jonah S. Lee), amateurs like Eric Grandy, etc..
Dan how can you row your boat with so many broken oars? It's only a matter of time before one of them completely humiliates your life's work.......
There's a plethora of talent willing to write for nothing right now, yet you're collaborating with these clowns?
You and Keck are 100x's smarter than that -- what the fuck.
I am so consistently embarrassed for Jonah and his employment at the Stranger.
I used to revere Savage until he hired a thief (Erica Barnett), a waiter (Dominic Holden), an often wrong and sensationalist "journalist (Jonah S. Lee), amateurs like Eric Grandy, etc..
Dan how can you row your boat with so many broken oars? It's only a matter of time before one of them completely humiliates your life's work.......
There's a plethora of talent willing to write for nothing right now, yet you're collaborating with these clowns?
You and Keck are 100x's smarter than that -- what the fuck.
14
I hate trolls as much as the next guy. But I agree this is the kind of not-quite-right quoting that makes it tough for all reporters to talk to police officers. I know this is just a blog, but this is a pretty lame post.
18
Wow. I don't like most of Jonah's posts (football, fake boobs, superman, wrestling, blah blah), but I'd rather read everything he's ever written than another comment by stillnon.
Thanks Jonah. Thanks Emily. It's ridiculous we're still enforcing these dumbass laws. Hey SPD, go catch speeders instead - save lives and make money.
Thanks Jonah. Thanks Emily. It's ridiculous we're still enforcing these dumbass laws. Hey SPD, go catch speeders instead - save lives and make money.
19
An employee cynical about his job? No big deal. We all are. A cop cynical about his job? "Holy. Fucking. Shit."
Someday, I hope to work in the criminal justice system (although not as a cop, and perhaps not even on the same side as a cop). I certainly don't expect to feel good about what I do every moment of everyday. But that is a reasonable compromise for an adult to make.
Someday, I hope to work in the criminal justice system (although not as a cop, and perhaps not even on the same side as a cop). I certainly don't expect to feel good about what I do every moment of everyday. But that is a reasonable compromise for an adult to make.
20
StillNon: Do you not think that it was bit overkill to bring in the big guns for non-violent offenders?
Putting meaning into what he said or not (as you are doing the same thing by arguing the other side of the coin, so it is sort of a lame accusation really) it is still pretty fucking ridiculous that they threw that much man power at women who give HANDJOBS (or whatever they do). I mean come on, I can agree with you that whether we like it or not prostitution is illegal blah blah blah ... whatever, but I mean, come on. This is just excessive dick showing games for fuck's sake.
What eminent harm was this place really showing that warranted that kind of a reaction?
Putting meaning into what he said or not (as you are doing the same thing by arguing the other side of the coin, so it is sort of a lame accusation really) it is still pretty fucking ridiculous that they threw that much man power at women who give HANDJOBS (or whatever they do). I mean come on, I can agree with you that whether we like it or not prostitution is illegal blah blah blah ... whatever, but I mean, come on. This is just excessive dick showing games for fuck's sake.
What eminent harm was this place really showing that warranted that kind of a reaction?
21
StillNon, you're an idiot, get over yourself.
The arguments already been made elsewhere (if not on this same blog earlier) that prostitution might as well be legalized, as this kind of shit makes no sense.
I guess Jonah assumed that people who read this blog are informed enough to get the allusion.
Guess not.
The arguments already been made elsewhere (if not on this same blog earlier) that prostitution might as well be legalized, as this kind of shit makes no sense.
I guess Jonah assumed that people who read this blog are informed enough to get the allusion.
Guess not.
22
Update: I bothered to read a few posts down the same page:
http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archive…
Guess I'm right. And that's after a few glasses of wine.
http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archive…
Guess I'm right. And that's after a few glasses of wine.
23
I live in Fremont, a block from the Thunderbird Motel on Aurora. I get to see it all; I wish I could honestly say that it isn't dangerous and didn't effect my neighborhood, but it does. I've had to call the cops three times in the past year because of violent situations between pimps and prostitutes. In case you are out of the loop, these guys aren't choir boys.
So, if you know of a room or apt. that's available in your neighborhood, I can introduce you to a few contacts and you might be able supplement your income--just be open minded.
So, if you know of a room or apt. that's available in your neighborhood, I can introduce you to a few contacts and you might be able supplement your income--just be open minded.
24
uh, what's wrong with being a waiter? Probably half the country at some point has been paid to serve food to other people.
25
There's nothing wrong with being a water. There is something wrong with going from bussing tables to being a "gatekeeper". I've heard that Dominic never even finished high school.
There is something wrong with our gatekeepers being uneducated waiters. Straight up.
There is something wrong with our gatekeepers being uneducated waiters. Straight up.
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