First Public Safety Summit Held on Wednesday

One of the priorities that King County Prosecutor Leesa Manion has long talked about was organizing a Public Safety Summit — a meeting of law enforcement, King County Prosecutors, community members, Harborview staff, municipal city attorneys, treatment providers and leaders from across King County. The idea was as simple as it sounds: to promote public safety.

The first was held last Wednesday, and focused on how King County Prosecutors can improve our response to sexual assault cases involving adult victims.

“The Prosecuting Attorney’s Office walked away with lots of ideas about how to improve our practice in this important area and how to stand up and serve victims in a better way,” said King County Prosecuting Attorney Leesa Manion.

Originally prosecutor Manion planned to have one summit on multiple topics, but in planning the event she realized it would be better to plan smaller, more focused conversations on specific topics with the same leaders. Multiple smaller public safety summits are now planned over time, held at least every quarter and organized by the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.

The first Public Safety Summit on Wednesday was an especially productive discussion that brought together police investigators, the King County Sexual Assault Resources Center, staff from Harborview, the University of Washington, prosecutors, and victim advocates. It was held at the Clark Children and Family Justice Center in Seattle.

The upcoming Public Safety Summit topics include:

• Fentanyl and the overdose crisis
• Gun violence and prevention
• Competency and the involuntary treatment act process
• Victim services
• Wage theft