SEATTLE, WA - The newly minted mayor of Seattle is facing criticism over her approach to public safety after an internal police memo outlined how most drug possession and public use cases are being directed toward diversion rather than prosecution.
Critics say this approach sends the wrong message, noting there is visible open drug use across the city, Fox News reported. The controversy began after Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes circulated an internal message detailing how low-level drug cases would be handled in 2026.
Critics believe the city is effectively softening enforcement just weeks into Mayor Katie Wilson's administration. City officials claim that is not true and that there has been no policy change, but critics argue the practical impact says otherwise.
In an internal email reviewed by Fox News Digital, Barnes reportedly wrote that "all charges related to drug possession and/or drug use will be diverted from prosecution to the Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) program," citing guidance from the City Attorney's Office.
The directive is said to apply to user-quantity cases, while those dealing drugs and those ineligible for LEAD remain subject to prosecution. Barnes emphasized that officers are still expected to arrest individuals when probable cause exists, particularly when drug use occurs in public view.
The department said prosecutors, not police, determine whether cases move forward, adding that officers can coordinate with prosecutors to pursue traditional prosecution in cases where diversion is deemed ineffective.
The Seattle Police Department (SPD) also pointed to staffing gains and declining crime rates, noting that the department added 165 new officers in 2025 and saw reductions in both violent and property crime.
Mayor Wilson rejected claims that her administration has shifted drug enforcement policy. "There has been no policy change," she said in a statement to Fox News Digital. "You'll know when I announce a policy change, because I'll announce a policy change."
Wilson said she remains committed to enforcing the city's public use and possession ordinance in "priority situations" while expanding diversion programs like LEAD in neighborhood hot spots, stressing urgency, resources and measurable results.
Despite those assurances, critics remain unconvinced. In an opinion piece published by Seattle Red, conservative radio host and Seattle commentator Jason Rantz argued that diverting most drug use and possession cases away from prosecution undermines accountability, regardless of how city officials describe the policy.
Criticism has also come from within law enforcement. Speaking to Rantz on his radio show, Seattle Police Officers Guild President Mike Solan criticized the approach outlined in the internal memo, warning it puts public safety at risk and sends the wrong message about open drug use.
Solan told Rantz that diverting most drug cases away from prosecution is dangerous and reflects what he described as a naive political approach to addition. He warned that the strategy could lead to increased crime and overdose deaths. Solan also said many officers are skeptical of the LEAD program, adding that some avoid making LEAD referrals altogether because they believe the program is ineffective.
"The recent naive, ignorant political decision to not arrest offenders for open drug use in the City of Seattle is horrifically dangerous and will create more death and societal decay," Solan said. "It embodies an enormous flaw in those in our community who think that meeting people where they are who are in the throes of addiction, is the correct path to lift them up."
Andrea Suarez, executive director of the nonprofit We Heart Seattle, said that allowing open drug use in public spaces enables addiction and accelerates harm. She argued that enforcement plays a critical role in pushing people toward treatment and said diversion-based approaches without consequences fail to meaningfully disrupt drug use.
Critics say this approach sends the wrong message, noting there is visible open drug use across the city, Fox News reported. The controversy began after Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes circulated an internal message detailing how low-level drug cases would be handled in 2026.
Critics believe the city is effectively softening enforcement just weeks into Mayor Katie Wilson's administration. City officials claim that is not true and that there has been no policy change, but critics argue the practical impact says otherwise.
In an internal email reviewed by Fox News Digital, Barnes reportedly wrote that "all charges related to drug possession and/or drug use will be diverted from prosecution to the Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) program," citing guidance from the City Attorney's Office.
The directive is said to apply to user-quantity cases, while those dealing drugs and those ineligible for LEAD remain subject to prosecution. Barnes emphasized that officers are still expected to arrest individuals when probable cause exists, particularly when drug use occurs in public view.
The department said prosecutors, not police, determine whether cases move forward, adding that officers can coordinate with prosecutors to pursue traditional prosecution in cases where diversion is deemed ineffective.
The Seattle Police Department (SPD) also pointed to staffing gains and declining crime rates, noting that the department added 165 new officers in 2025 and saw reductions in both violent and property crime.
Mayor Wilson rejected claims that her administration has shifted drug enforcement policy. "There has been no policy change," she said in a statement to Fox News Digital. "You'll know when I announce a policy change, because I'll announce a policy change."
Wilson said she remains committed to enforcing the city's public use and possession ordinance in "priority situations" while expanding diversion programs like LEAD in neighborhood hot spots, stressing urgency, resources and measurable results.
Despite those assurances, critics remain unconvinced. In an opinion piece published by Seattle Red, conservative radio host and Seattle commentator Jason Rantz argued that diverting most drug use and possession cases away from prosecution undermines accountability, regardless of how city officials describe the policy.
Criticism has also come from within law enforcement. Speaking to Rantz on his radio show, Seattle Police Officers Guild President Mike Solan criticized the approach outlined in the internal memo, warning it puts public safety at risk and sends the wrong message about open drug use.
Solan told Rantz that diverting most drug cases away from prosecution is dangerous and reflects what he described as a naive political approach to addition. He warned that the strategy could lead to increased crime and overdose deaths. Solan also said many officers are skeptical of the LEAD program, adding that some avoid making LEAD referrals altogether because they believe the program is ineffective.
"The recent naive, ignorant political decision to not arrest offenders for open drug use in the City of Seattle is horrifically dangerous and will create more death and societal decay," Solan said. "It embodies an enormous flaw in those in our community who think that meeting people where they are who are in the throes of addiction, is the correct path to lift them up."
Andrea Suarez, executive director of the nonprofit We Heart Seattle, said that allowing open drug use in public spaces enables addiction and accelerates harm. She argued that enforcement plays a critical role in pushing people toward treatment and said diversion-based approaches without consequences fail to meaningfully disrupt drug use.
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