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 Ensuring Safe and Healthy Communities Across King County
Dear Friend,
Healthy and safe communities are a priority for me, which is why I’m pleased to share an important piece of news that will impact our entire county.
As many of you know, King County’s Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention (DAJD) has been dealing with acute staffing shortages since the pandemic. King County is not alone; correctional departments across the nation have faced similar issues. To comply with requirements around staff-inmate ratios, King County began restricting bookings for non-violent misdemeanors.
Fortunately, DAJD successfully amped up their recruitment efforts, including retention and hiring bonuses. As a result, we’re excited to say that—effective February 1st—DAJD has now lifted the remaining booking restrictions for misdemeanor crimes after successful recruitment helped increase staffing, adding 77 new corrections officers in 2023 and 102 in 2024.
Thank you to King County Executive Dow Constantine for his leadership on this critical issue. I will continue partnering with our King County Sheriff's Office, police chiefs, mayors, and city and community leaders across District 3 to ensure our communities are safe and sound.
All the best,
 Sarah Perry
King County Councilmember
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