King County Councilmember Says Help is on the Way for Burien Homeless Encampment
View at XWhat Took So Long?
After months of fights, thefts, drug dealing, overdoses, sex-trafficking, and kids found living in Dow Constantine’s Burien crime encampment, King County Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda now says help is on the way for her district. What took so long?
Confrontation with King County Executive
I recently confronted King County Executive Dow Constantine about the drug encampment he set up in Burien that’s now a revolving door for criminals. But Dow is denying he’s responsible for creating this blight on the city. Do you believe him?
Two Kids Rescued
In August, two kids were rescued from this dangerous encampment. But Dow claims he had no idea this incident happened and also says he was unaware of all the crime coming from this drug den.
King County Leaving Treatment Beds Empty
Burien CM Linda Akey says there are detox and treatment beds open right now for the campers. But Akey says King County is refusing to move them and won’t tell her why. I wanted to ask Dow about this but his handler shut me down.
Hotbed of Crime
Aside from open air drug use, alleged sex trafficking, and fights, this camp is being blamed for harboring dangerous criminals. I was assaulted by two of them just a few days ago. Still no arrests.
“Harm Reduction”
Then you have King County Public Health workers giving drug addicts at the camp an unending supply of needles and meth pipes, instead of consistently offering detox or treatment. They call this “harm reduction.”
City Leaders Blocked by County
Meanwhile, Burien city leaders are desperately trying to shut it down but are being blocked by Constantine at every turn because this is ultimately county property. Sheriff Patti-Cole Tindall is also refusing to enforce the city’s camping ordinance, in turn defying a recent Supreme Court ruling on encampment sweeps.
