SEPTEMBER 1998 RECAP

Patrols continued on a regular basis. Some call the night of September 10th, the "battle of the 10th." In early September certain individuals associated with the 'street' population began to challange QAP members presence, verbally and on one occassion, physically. The night of the 10th saw a renewed focus and effort by QAP. Units of the Seattle Police Department responded to assistance requests by the patrol, including members of the SPD Bicycle Patrol normally stationed in the down town core. In September, the UpTown area was visted by members of the Public Inebriate Program (PIP) who contaced businesses in regard to the sale of fortified Spirits and noted the local street population. During the Month QAP was on occasion accompanied on Patrol by a Watch Commander and Sergant from the Seattle Police Department. This "out of the car" - "on-foot-in-the neighborhood" experiance really seems to be opening some eyes, both at the Police Department, and in the neighborhood

Merchants of the UpTown core have enthusiastically joined the efforts to restore safety and quality of life in the area. A (literally) shining example is new lighting installed around the UpTown Theatre, accompanyed with fresh paint. Because the UpTown core is residential as well as commercial in nature, care is being taken by individual businesses to avoid light spillage from newly installed security fixtures into residence windows. The Manhatton Express has also installed new lighting and renewed efforts to keep the public access and parking areas cleaned up. Graffitti in allys and on particular public stairways is a clean-up target of members, several of whom actually stop the Patrol to clear away pockets of refuse and remove paint and stickers used to deface public property. Members often carry tools and materials for clean up, including rubber gloves for handling certain items. A mystery item that several merchants have tried to get rid of, but which migrates in and out of the area is a soiled and decrepit matteress that appears in and around dumpsters in a targeted alley. this ghastley looking item just refuses to die!

The close of September saw the end of our summer drought, the 3rd worst on record. The effect the sudden drop in tempertures and increased rain has on certain activities in the Patrol areas remains to be seen. Also to be monitored is the impact of the displaced Mission from 1st Avenue moving into the area. The Peniele Mission is one of Seattle's oldest and serves unhoused families and children as well as single men. It was always a very good neighbor at its long term location in Belltown and reached a population that dearly needed its services.

Wonder why you aren't reading a lot of QAP members names in this log? Because the QAP people aren't out there to get 15 minutes of fame. They are there to build a better community. Also, for security reasons, as in blockwatch programs across the nation, First Names only are used on patrol. That's one thing we have in common with the "bad" guys, we know who we are and so do the Police.