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Safe Place - Seattle Police Department Program

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Safe Place - Seattle Police Department Program

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The Seattle Police Department's Safe Place Program is designed for ALL HATE CRIMES.

In the City of Seattle that includes: Race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender expression, gender identity, mental, physical, or sensory disabilities, homelessness, marital status, political ideology, age, or parental status.

The members of the Seattle Police Department strive to serve all members of our community. We work collaboratively with our communities to have an understanding of what challenges minority communities may face. The Safe Place program is a partnership between the Police Department and businesses. It gives victims of bias or hate crimes a Safe Place to go after their incident, where the business will give them shelter while they call for help.

This program does two things. First, it lets your patrons know where you stand on bias and hate crimes because hate has no place in our communities. But more importantly, it says to any victim: That no matter your background or status you will be heard, you will be treated with care, dignity, and respect from the business you enter, as well as from the Police Officers who respond out to investigate. It starts the long process of empowering the victim to report their incident to the Police so we can properly investigate the crime. Suspects depend on putting and keeping the victims and the community in fear, allowing them to further victimize others. Standing up to these suspects gets them off the street and strengthens your community!

Becoming a Safe Place business is FREE! You will be sent a Safe Place sticker, training materials, and flyers all at no cost to you or your business/school. To become a new Safe Place Business, you need to train your employees to do two things of a victim if a crime comes in:
1) 2) Call 911 as soon as possible to report their incident. Let the victim stay in a safe (public) area of your business.
The Safe Place Program was created to start bridging that gap between victims of hate crimes and the police. We acknowledge a very tumultuous past, and we are the ones that need to take that first step in letting the world know where The Seattle Police Department stands on hate and bias crimes.
POLICY:
The Seattle Police Department is dedicated to supporting quality public safety and being a full partner with other parts of the criminal justice system and assisting witnesses and crime victims throughout the process and delivering respectful police services by treating people the way you want to be treated.

If you have been a victim of a bias or hate crime and time have passed, it is not too late we still want to know about it!
Please call our non-emergency line at (206) 625-5011 and have an Officer come out and take your report. We cannot address what we do not know about.

The Seattle Police Department has been a recognized national leader in policies and procedures and enacting some of the first transgender policies in the nation with assistance with our partnerships with community groups. SPD has continued to update with best patterns and practices from across the nation. SPD Policy 16.200. This policy helps protect the rights and dignity of our LGBTQ+ community members.

The Seattle Police Department has focused on the accurate reporting of any bias or hate crime reporting so that any incident reported to an Officer or 911 call taker is properly documented, with near real-time notifications to Detectives and Command staff that a bias or hate crime incident occurred. SPD Policy 15.120

The Seattle Police Department also has a robust bias-free policing policy SPD Policy 5.140. Prohibiting Officers from engaging in biased based policing, discriminating against any person based on " discernible personal characteristics" include, but are not limited to, the following: Age, Disability Status, Economic status, Familial status, Gender, Gender Identity, Homelessness, Mental illness, National origin, Political ideology, Race, ethnicity, or color, Religion, Sexual orientation, motorcycle-related paraphernalia, or Veteran status.

It is the Seattle Police Department's intent to foster trust and cooperation with all people served by the Department, including immigrant and refugee residents. The Department encourages any person who wishes to communicate with Seattle Police officers to do so without fear of inquiry regarding their immigration status. Seattle Police Officers will ask about immigration status and reporting an incident to us will be reported or shared with immigration services. SPD Policy 6.020 Seattle is continuing to be a national leader by having Detective Wearing, a dedicated Detective to investigate Bias and Hate Crimes that works out of our Homicide unit. Learn more about our Bias Crimes unit. We also publish our Bias/Hate Crime information and have a Bias/Hate Crime Dashboard.

OTHER LANGUAGES:

The Seattle Police Department Safe Place Stickers and documentation is now available in 6 languages! Chinese, English, Korean, Somali, Spanish, and Vietnamese. Order your sticker HERE. When ordering please be sure to select the language you would like to display, if you would like multiple languages please email the Safe Place Administrator.

Information on how to report a crime has been translated and is available in Amharic, Arabic, Farsi, Korean, Oromo, Somali, Spanish, Tigrnya, Traditional Chinese, and Vietnamese.
SAFE PLACE IN SCHOOLS I STUDENT BULLING Enacting this Program in other cities.
Both 9-1-1 and the non-emergency line ((206) 625-5011) take phone calls and Officers can take reports in over 140 different languages.

When you call 911 our call takers will utilize a language line so you can speak the language you are most comfortable utilizing. When Officers arrive with you, they will utilize their department cellphone to utilize the language line again so you can continue to use the language you feel most comfortable in to report your incident. This also includes the use of in-person ASL interpreters. SPD Policy 15.250

Safe Place is authorized for both schools, businesses in proximity to schools, and now individual teachers/rooms within the school. Teachers may utilize the Safe Place program for their individual classrooms to denote that your classroom is a Safe Place to go for Student Bullying within the school. Schools and Individual Teachers may sign up for their classrooms HERE.

The Safe Place initiative has been licensed and enacted by nearly 300 Law Enforcement Agencies large and small across the United States, Canada, and Europe giving hundreds of thousands of Safe Places for victims of bias or hate crimes to get help.

This program brings training and policy requirements for each law enforcement agency, making our communities a more understanding inclusive, safer place to visit, live, work and thrive!

For law enforcement agencies interested in enacting the Safe Place initiative in your jurisdictions please follow the directions in the Law Enforcement link.

Thank you for taking the time to learn about the Seattle Police Departments Safe Place initiative a copy-written and trademarked program for more information see the links below. For new businesses, you can sign your location up for free HERE.

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Safe Space is close to Safe Place. Also, safe space or safe place has become one of those trigger words that is an "insult" among certain groups. So like with equity, did we want to consider a rebranding so that a "safe space" sticker or sign doesn't attract the people who want to do harm to those who support inclusivity and want to provide a safe place for people to go.

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Requirement to pass a certain amount of training as an agency in order to label themselves as a "Safe Place."

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Requirement to pass a certain amount of training as an agency in order to label themselves as a "Safe Place."

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I bet if we asked SPD, there is probably a list of 20 or more municipalities in this state that have adopted the SPD program. We can't and shouldn't compete with that. We should be focused on our agencies and the public doors that people could come in to ask for help

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QR code that provides people with resources

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Decals and RFPs for logos and stickers should be a final phase

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Decals and RFPs for logos and stickers should be a final phase

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First we need to determine our what and our why to frame what the program is.

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Consider non-carceral approaches to mental health responses.

Cities that have implemented non-police response for mental health issues.

What non-carceral, human-centered response efforts exist in Washington state that we should be putting the phone number on.

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Reach out to this program to discuss opportunities to promote their efforts

Thoughts:

I wonder how the 988 team would respond to a hate crime call

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The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Partner Toolkit (PDF) is now available. This toolkit contains resources, messaging, and social media creatives that you can use to share 988 Lifeline information with your audiences. This toolkit has social media post and images in English and Spanish.

For questions about the 988 program at the Washington State Department of Health, please email 988ProgramInfo@doh.wa.gov. Do not use this inbox if you or someone you know needs crisis support. Instead, call, text, or chat the 988 Lifeline.

988 Lifeline services are available in Spanish, along with interpretation services in over 240 languages and dialects. If you're deaf, hard of hearing, or use TTY, you can use your preferred relay service. You can also dial 711 and then 988.

If you use American Sign Language, you can get crisis support in ASL by visiting 988lifeline.org, selecting the "For Deaf & Hard of Hearing" link and selecting "ASL Now" on the next page.

988 does not replace any crisis call centers in Washington state. It's an addition to the state's network of crisis center providers. There are no changes to dispatch for Designated Crisis Responders and mobile crisis response teams or the functions of any other regional crisis service. The 988 Lifeline crisis centers continue to operate according to national standards and will connect with 911 services and regional crisis services as they have always done.

Community and Tribal Listening Sessions on the 911-988 connection

We want to gather thoughts on the connection between 911 and the mental health and substance use crisis care system, including the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

For example, what are the current challenges, strengths, and opportunities for improvement? How should 911 callers experiencing mental health or substance use crises be transferred to the 988 Lifeline?

To get community insight, we will host three community listening sessions and three listening sessions for Washington tribal leaders and their representatives.

We welcome all input, but we'd especially like to hear about lived experience with:

Mental health or substance use crises

Suicide attempt(s)

Outreach to 911 or 988

Interactions with criminal justice or law enforcement

Community listening sessions are scheduled for:

We invite all interested community members to attend. Participants will receive a $25 gift card for their time.

Tribal listening sessions are scheduled for:

Thursday, July 25, 2024 from 12 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Monday, July 29, 2024 from 5 p.m. - 6 p.m.

Thursday, August 1, 2024 from 2 p.m. - 3 p.m.

We invite all tribal leaders and their representatives to attend. Participants will receive a $25 gift card for their time.

If you have questions about registering for the tribal listening sessions, please email the 988 Program inbox for more information.

We will have American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation services at all the community and tribal listening sessions.

Please note these meetings are open to the public and are being recorded for notetaking and transcription purposes. Information provided during these meetings will be part of a summary report that includes key themes and illustrative quotes highlighted during the listening sessions. However, we will not attribute this information to specific people.

We will request your name and contact information if you are interested in being financially compensated for your participation in a listening session with a gift card. Your name and contact information will be confidential and not attributed to information shared during the meeting.

About the 988 Lifeline

You can call, text, or chat the 988 Lifeline from a cell phone, land line, or voice-over internet device.

When you contact the 988 Lifeline, you'll be connected to a trained counselor at a 988 Lifeline crisis center.

The Lifeline is confidential, free, and available 24/7/365. It connects anyone experiencing thoughts of suicide or a mental health crisis with a trained crisis counselor. If you're worried about a loved one who may need crisis support, you can also contact the 988 Lifeline.

You don't need to provide any personal data to receive services when you contact 988. Calls, texts, and chats may be monitored or recorded for quality assurance or training purposes. The network system has several safeguards to address concerns about privacy.

988 Lifeline Services for Certain Groups

Veterans Crisis Line

If you are a Veteran in crisis or concerned about one, dial 988 and press 1 to be connected to the Veterans Crisis Line. You can also chat online or text 838255. The Veterans Crisis Line serves Veterans, service members, National Guard and Reserve members, and those who support them. You don't have to be enrolled in VA benefits or health care to call.

Spanish Language Line

To get crisis support in Spanish, you can call, text, or chat the 988 Lifeline and choose option 2.

You can get support in languages other than English or Spanish by calling the 988 Lifeline and saying the name of the language you need. The Lifeline offers interpretation services in more than 240 languages and dialects. These services are available 24/7/365.

LGBTQI+ Youth Subnetwork Line

The 988 Lifeline has a specialized line for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, intersex, asexual, and two-spirit (LGBTQIA2S+) teens and young adults between the ages of 13 and 24.

To connect with a crisis counselor who can provide LGBTQIA2s+ affirming support, you can call, text, or chat 988 and choose option 3.

American Indian and Alaska Native people

The Native and Strong Lifeline is the first program of its kind in the nation dedicated to serving American Indian and Alaska Native people. Operated by Volunteers of America Western Washington, this line is available for people who call the 988 Lifeline and choose option 4. It is specifically for Washington's American Indian and Alaska Native communities.

Calls are answered by Native crisis counselors who are tribal members and descendants closely tied to their communities. Native and Strong Lifeline counselors are fully trained in crisis intervention and support, with special emphasis on cultural and traditional practices related to healing.

People who use American Sign Language (ASL)

The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline offers ASL services for people in crisis. To get help now in ASL, you can follow these steps:

Visit 988lifeline.org

Select the "For Deaf & Hard of Hearing" link

Select "ASL Now" on the next page

You can also call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) from your videophone to get crisis support for yourself or a loved one.

House Bill 1477 and the Creation of 988

In 2020, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) adopted the National Suicide Hotline Designation Act. This act made 988 the new, nationwide number for anyone experiencing a mental health crisis, including thoughts of suicide. You can use this easy-to-remember 3-digit dialing code to call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. You can also chat online.

The Washington Legislature passed House Bill 1477 (E2SHB 1477) (PDF) to support the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline plus enhance and expand behavioral health crisis response and suicide prevention services for everyone in Washington state. E2SHB 1477 is also known as the Crisis Call Center Hubs and Crisis Services Act. E2SHB 1477 was signed into law by Governor Jay Inslee on May 13, 2021.

E2SHB 1477 also established the Crisis Response Improvement Strategy (CRIS) Committee and Steering Committee. These committees will develop recommendations to the Governor and Legislature to help implement the national 988 number and parts of E2SHB 1477. If you would like to participate as a member of the public, you can register to attend a meeting and submit public comments.

For full details, please see the Crisis Response Improvement Strategy (CRIS) Committees webpage.

Read the 2023 988 Legislative Report.

In 2023, the Washington Legislature passed House Bill (HB) 1134 to help implement the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

This bill expands crisis services in Washington by creating an endorsement for rapid response crisis teams and funding these mobile units and training for responders.

According to the bill, the University of Washington will also make recommendations for crisis workforce and resilience training for behavioral health care workers in Washington. The Department of Health will create a social media campaign promoting the 988 Lifeline in addition to informational materials explaining 988, how it works, and how to use it. The aim is to help increase awareness and exposure of the 988 Lifeline.

Other key parts of the bill include working toward co-location to improve the transfer of mental health crisis calls made to 911. This means that 988 crisis counselors located at the same site as 911 dispatchers can answer these calls and provide support.

Mental Health Crisis Call Diversion Initiative

The 988 Lifeline is still new. Many people in Washington continue to reach out to 911 for mental health and substance use concerns, though trained 988 crisis counselors may better provide support in these cases.

The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) is collaborating with Washington's 988 Lifeline crisis centers and 3 Public Safety Answering Points, or PSAPs (911 centers), on a small-scale pilot called the Mental Health Crisis Call Diversion Initiative. The initiative has two main purposes:

1. To help people in crisis connect quickly and easily to trained crisis counselors

2. To divert crisis calls made to 911 to help improve the caller's experience and reduce the strain on emergency services

The pilot program began in September 2023. The goal is to have crisis counselors begin working with 3 of the state's 65 PSAPs in January 2024. In some cases, crisis counselors will embed in the PSAPs (take calls at that location). In others, they will work closely with the PSAPs from a different location.

The pilot will run from January to December 2024. It seeks to improve access to mental health support with less delay by having 988 Lifeline crisis counselors assist with 911 calls that are better suited for 988. This will also allow first responders to focus on emergencies that require 911 dispatch.

The data from the pilot program will help DOH and partners decide whether to expand Washington 988 Lifeline services in this way.

Please reach out to the 988 program inbox with any questions.

Crisis Centers

Washington has three 988 Lifeline crisis centers that answer calls, texts, and chats from around the state:

Volunteers of America Western Washington

Frontier Behavioral Health

Crisis Connections

Your call, text, or chat will be directed to one of these crisis centers based on the map to the right. Calls and texts are routed by your area code.

Crisis centers are hiring caring people right now! If you are interested in a career helping people in crisis, apply for a job with an NSPL crisis center.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (NSPL) and does the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline replace it?

NSPL is a national network of local, independent, and state-funded crisis centers. They are equipped to respond and help people in emotional distress or experiencing thoughts of suicide.

The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline does not replace the ten-digit NSPL phone number but provides another, easier way for people to reach more crisis centers. You can contact either the 988 Lifeline or call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) to be connected.

What happens when I call 988?

When you call 988, you'll hear an automated greeting message that features additional options (option 1 for the Veterans Crisis Line, option 2 for the Spanish Line, option 3 for the LGBTQI+ Youth Subnetwork Line, and option 4 for the Native and Strong Lifeline).

If you remain on the line without choosing any of these options, your call will be routed to a local 988 Lifeline crisis center (based on your area code). If the local crisis center can't take the call, you'll be automatically routed to another center in Washington state or a national backup crisis center. This infographic has more information about how 988 Lifeline calls are routed.

A trained crisis counselor will answer your call, text, or chat. This person will listen to you, work to understand what you're experiencing, provide support, and collaborate with you on ways to feel better. They can also connect you with additional help or resources.

Live 988 Lifeline services are available in English and Spanish. The Lifeline also offers interpretation services in over 240 additional languages and dialects for people who call 988. Interpretation services are provided by Language Line Solutions.

When did the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline go live nationally?

July 16, 2022. The 988 dialing code is now available nationwide.

How is 988 different than 911?

The 988 Lifeline was established to improve access to crisis services in a way that meets our country's growing suicide and mental health-related crisis care needs. The 988 number provides easier access to crisis centers and crisis resources. These crisis centers and resources are distinct from the public safety purposes of 911. 911 focuses on dispatching Emergency Medical Services (EMS), fire, and police as needed.

If I call 988, will first responders, like the police or EMS, be automatically dispatched?

The primary goal of the 988 Lifeline is to provide support for people experiencing thoughts of suicide, a mental health crisis, or emotional distress in the moments they most need it, and in a way that centers on the needs of the person in crisis.

The vast majority of those seeking help from the 988 Lifeline do not require any additional interventions at that moment. Nationally, fewer than 2% of 988 calls, texts, and chats require emergency services, like 911. While some safety and health issues may need a response from law enforcement or EMS (like when a suicide attempt is in progress), the 988 Lifeline coordinated response aims to promote stabilization and care in the least restrictive manner.

Will 988 Lifeline calls be referred to 911?

A small percentage of 988 Lifeline calls require activation of the 911 system when there is an immediate risk to someone's life that can't be reduced during the call, text, or chat. In these cases, the crisis counselor shares information with 911 to help save the life of the person in crisis.

Will my call to 988 be recorded?

The 988 Lifeline greeting states that calls may be monitored or recorded for quality assurance purposes. Additionally, crisis centers in the 988 Lifeline network may independently use call recordings for training purposes. This depends on the best practices of the center.

People contacting the 988 Lifeline are not required to provide any personal data to receive services. The network system has several safeguards to address concerns about privacy.

Is the 988 Lifeline available for substance use concerns?

Yes, you can dial 988 for substance use concerns, however, in case of an overdose emergency, call 911 and administer naloxone.

How is the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline funded?

Congress provided the Department of Health and Human Services workforce funding through the American Rescue Plan, some of which supports the 988 Lifeline workforce.

The President's Fiscal Year 2022 budget request provides additional funding for the 988 Lifeline and for other federal crisis funding sources.

At the state level, in addition to existing public/private sector funding streams, the National Suicide Hotline Designation Act of 2020 allows states to enact new state telecommunications fees to support 988 Lifeline operations.

E2SHBs 1477 and 1134 are further funded by a tax on Washington's phone and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) lines.

In which languages are 988 Lifeline services available?

Live 988 Lifeline services are available in English, Spanish, and American Sign Language (ASL). The 988 Lifeline uses Language Line Solutions to provide translation services in over 240 additional languages and dialects. Text and chat are currently available in English and Spanish only.

Does the 988 Lifeline accommodate those who are hard of hearing or blind?

The 988 Lifeline currently serves TTY users either through their preferred relay service or by dialing 711 then 988. The 988 Lifeline also offers services through chat and text. You can also get support in American Sign Language (ASL) by visiting the 988 Lifeline website, selecting the "For Deaf & Hard of Hearing" link, and selecting "ASL Now" on the next page.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is the lead federal agency, in partnership with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the Department of Veterans Affairs. Vibrant Emotional Health is the National Administrator of the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

Resources

Trained telecommunicators answer calls and texts and send out police, fire, or ambulance services to people experiencing emergencies that threaten life or property. 911 is available 24/7, 365 days a year.

Call or text 911 for:

Traffic accidents

Home invasions or burglaries

Physical violence or injuries

Fire

Drug overdose or serious self-injury

Unconsciousness

Suicide attempt in progress

Trained crisis counselors answer calls, texts, and chats and provide confidential support to people experiencing a mental health crisis, substance use concerns, or thoughts of suicide. 988 crisis counselors can also share community resources for ongoing support. 988 is available 24/7, 365 days a year.

Contact 988 for:

Thoughts of suicide

Feelings of anxiety, depression, or panic

Substance use concerns

Any emotional distress or feelings of crisis

Call or text: 988

Chat: 988lifeline.org/chat

TTY: Dial 711, then 988

Videophone for ASL: https://988lifeline.org/help-yourself/for-deaf-hard-of-hearing/

Trained information and referral specialists provide support with health and social service needs by connecting people to local services and community resources. 211 hours vary depending on your location. Some call centers are open Monday through Friday, while others are open seven days a week.

Contact 211 for support with finding local services and resources for:

Food, shelter, or transportation needs

Help with rent, housing, and utility costs

Hygiene and health care needs for yourself or someone else

Unpaid caregiver support

Educational or employment assistance

Supporting older adults and people living with disabilities

Call: 211

Text: zip code to 898211

Chat: 211kingcounty.org

TTY: Dial 711, then 211

Community Care Hubs

Care coordinators help people and their families with complex or multiple needs for shelter, transportation, health care, and more. Regional community care hubs connect and coordinate with local organizations to provide ongoing community-based care and support people through the process of getting their needs met.

Contact Community Care Hubs for support with housing, food, shelter, transportation, health care, financial assistance, and more.

The call center that submits referrals to the Community Care Hubs is available Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Call: 1-833-453-0336

Washington Poison Center

The Washington Poison Center (WAPC) provides immediate, free treatment advice and assistance from trained nurses, pharmacists, and poison information providers.

If you or a loved one has swallowed or been otherwise exposed to any toxic, poisonous, or potentially hazardous substance, you can get confidential support over the phone, 24/7/365. WAPC provides information and support in 140 languages.

The expert who answers your call can give you more information about treatment and offer guidance on when to go to the emergency room or seek other medical treatment.

Call: 1-800-222-1222

TTY: Dial 711 for the Washington Relay service

Crisis Numbers

988 Resources

Some of these resources are available in other languages. Use the orange language selector button at the top of this page to find resources in your language.

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The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Partner Toolkit (PDF) is now available. This toolkit contains resources, messaging, and social media creatives that you can use to share 988 Lifeline information with your audiences. This toolkit has social media post and images in English and Spanish.

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WA DOH might already have a crisis response team we can cross-promote

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WA DOH might already have a crisis response team we can cross-promote

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We have employees who go through Critical Agency

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We have employees who go through Critical Agency

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Can we create a Conflict Management De-escalation Strategies framework for Washington as an employer. DOH, DSHS, etc, create a structure to get the responses we're looking for our community.

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This could be a cross-BRG initiative, since it impacts the public broadly

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This could be a cross-BRG initiative, since it impacts the public broadly

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It's bigger than us, and the success hinges on doing a lot of both education of public-facing staff and outreach to shift the public's perspective on what state offices are there for.

I highly recommend getting your "why we're doing this, and what we are trying to do" before taking it to the other BRGs. That's something that held up the professionalism in the workplace project up for months

i wonder how many agencies work directly with crime victims. L&I has a unit that will pay medical bills related to a crime

I am wondering if they would want to partner with us/BRGs on this. that unit and the civil rights unit may be great resources

The office of equity should also be working with us on this. they have both an internal agency focus and an external Washingtonian focus....that's what this is