Image from the Darewski security video

An image of Capitol Hill murder victim Darek Darewski has appeared on news sites around the world this week in media coverage of Mayor Mike McGinn’s declaration of a “public-safety emergency” in Seattle following a deadly start to 2012. Darewski is one of nine people murdered in the city so far this year — an unusual wave of homicide in a city that saw 21 killings in each of the past two years. CHS coverage on his January shooting death is here. City Hall has asked for the community’s help and police are beefing up patrols to try to stem the violence across the city.

“We have extra officers out where people gather,” East Precinct operations lead Lt. Joel Guay tells CHS. “It’s not tied to any particular club. It’s about where people are.”

Guay said the increased patrols are, in many ways, business as usual for the East Precinct with no overall increase in the numbers of officers on the streets of Capitol Hill, First Hill and the Central District. Instead, the precinct is being more directed with officers in the field by assigning them to specific areas in their beats between calls instead of leaving more discretionary time in an officer’s schedule. The intent, Guay said, is that police presence in busier areas will help tamp down the increased incidents of violence seen in the city so far in 2012.

In conjunction with the increased safety emphasis, SPD has released “police activity metrics for each of the city’s precincts for the first six weeks of 2012. They show East Precinct totals in line with performance across the city. We’re notable for sporting the lowest percentage of traffic-related stops in the city, however.

The emphasis patrols shouldn’t slow 911 response time, Guay said. Nor should you see slower SPD response to “paper” issues like an overnight car prowl — at least, not any slower than usual.

“Our overall goal is to maintain a safe and vibrant environment,” Guay said. “Staffing levels are set — our goal is to maintain 911 response time.”

There are some changes, however, to make that happen. Guay said many officers are working extra hours and there is more overtime right now in the precinct. But even the overtime component of the “safety emphasis” has been planned for ahead of time. “These things come up from time to time,” Guay said. “And we know they do. It’s something we plan for.”