The King County Council today unanimously voted to reauthorize drug and prostitution emphasis areas within the unincorporated King County neighborhoods of White Center and Boulevard Park.

“People have the right to feel safe in their neighborhoods, and the right to expect that criminals can be stopped from returning to victimize vulnerable communities time and time again,” said Councilmember Dow Constantine, whose Eighth Council District contains both neighborhoods. “Two years ago, Deputy Steve Cox led a group of White Center and Boulevard Park residents in requesting the creation of these emphasis areas. Their judgment has proven correct—this legislation has been a significant tool for fighting street crime.”

“These ordinances renew an important tool for law enforcement to fight crime in White Center and Boulevard Park,” said Councilmember Bob Ferguson, chair of the Council’s Law, Justice and Human Services Committee. “This is another step toward improving the communities to which Deputy Cox devoted, and gave, his life.”

Known as SOAP (Stay Out of Areas of Prostitution) and SODA (Stay Out of Drug Areas) areas, these emphasis zones are authorized by state law and allow for the establishment of a new crime when a convicted offender violates a court-ordered condition by entering these designated areas.

The SOAP and SODA ordinances were approved by the Council in November 2004 with a two-year sunset clause that would have allowed them to expire without reauthorization. Today’s action keeps the ordinances in effect until the end of 2010.

Cox, the White Center storefront deputy who was killed in a Dec. 1 shooting, was also a vocal supporter of this year’s reauthorization effort.

“Our original plan was to have just two speakers testify on reauthorization—one representing the sheriff’s office and one representing the community,” said Constantine. “It probably doesn’t surprise anyone to learn that Officer Cox—as current president of the North Highline Unincorporated Area Council—would have been invited to speak for the community.”

Major Greg Dymerski, of the King County Sheriff’s Office, and Russ Kay, past president of the North Highline Unincorporated Area Council, both addressed the Council in support of reauthorizing the emphasis areas.

Read more about this legislation on the King County Council’s LEGISEARCH system.
Type in “2006-0433 and “2006-0434”