Seattle Police pushed back on claims that enforcement is changing, telling Fox News Digital that officers will continue to make drug-related arrests and that SPD policy remains unchanged.
The department said prosecutors, not police, determine whether cases move forward, adding that officers can coordinate with prosecutors to pursue traditional prosecution in cases where diversion is deemed ineffective.
SPD also pointed to staffing gains and declining crime rates, noting the department added 165 officers in 2025 and saw reductions in both violent and property crime.
Mayor Wilson rejected claims that her administration has shifted drug enforcement policy.
"There has been no policy change," Wilson said in a statement to Fox News Digital. "You’ll know when I announce a policy change, because I’ll announce a policy change."
Wilson said she remains committed to enforcing the city’s public use and possession ordinance in "priority situations" while expanding diversion programs like LEAD in neighborhood hot spots, stressing urgency, resources and measurable results.
Despite those assurances, critics remain unconvinced.
In an opinion piece political approach to addiction. He warned the strategy could lead to increased crime and overdose deaths, referring to the philosophy behind it as "suicidal empathy."
Solan also said many officers are skeptical of the LEAD program, telling Rantz that some avoid making LEAD referrals altogether because they believe the program is ineffective and driven more by ideology than accountability.
"The recent naive, ignorant political decision to not arrest offenders for open drug use in the City of Seattle is horrifically dangerous and will create more death and societal decay," Solan told Rantz. "It embodies an enormous flaw in those in our community who think that meeting people where they are who are in the throes of addiction, is the correct path to lift them up."
Similar concerns were raised by outreach groups.
enforcement remains in place. Seattle Police say officers will continue to make arrests when probable cause exists, while Wilson insists there has been no policy change and that the city is focused on enforcing drug laws in "priority situations" while expanding diversion efforts in high-impact areas.