Wake-up call: Rampant crime on South Hosmer reveals challenge for Tacoma and its police
For Tacoma Police Chief Avery Moore, the honeymoon is over.
Appointed in December, Moore — who previously worked as an assistant chief in Dallas — has had plenty of time to familiarize himself with his new home. He’s met all the right people, shaken all the right hands and made the rounds in the community. He’s also unveiled and started to implement his much-anticipated plan for reducing crime, leaning heavily on his experience in the Lone Star State.
But as important investigative reporting this week from The News Tribune’s Shea Johnson and Peter Talbot illustrates, there is no time to waste. Not for Moore, and not for any of us, because the task of making our streets safe and healthy extends far beyond law enforcement.
Still, the situation on South Hosmer – a 1.5-mile stretch that’s “the deadliest street in Tacoma,” according to crime data analyzed by The News Tribune — is the latest stark reminder of the challenges ahead for policing and public safety.
It’s not going to be easy. Moore probably knows this better than anyone.
It’s also why he’s here. There’s no shying away from that.
The data and the stories
As a result of a News Tribune investigation that spanned months, Johnson and Talbot were able to tell the tale of Hosmer through data and human experience. The stats are jarring: there have already been five homicides in the Hosmer area this year, while the number of crimes reported on a 24-block section of the corridor increased nearly 72 percent from 2014 to 2021. Violent crimes and property crimes have spiked citywide, but Hosmer stands out here, too. It ranks among the highest-crime areas in Tacoma.
Then there are the real-life stories, illuminating what’s at stake. Just like the numbers, they also reveal the work that lies ahead for an understaffed agency that has faced no shortage of criticism in recent years, whether it’s for the unnecessary death of Manuel Ellis in police custody or for its inability (or failure) to respond when people call 911 for help.
Most striking, perhaps, is the perspective of Janelle Wright, a former housekeeper at HomeTowne Studios, one of Hosmer’s many struggling motels. For months Wright felt the need to arm herself with two hatchets while on the job, just in case. She was also on the constant lookout for would-be attackers and dangerous drugs or paraphernalia left behind. She now works at a hotel in downtown Seattle.
For good reason, many area business owners also feel like they’ve been left to fend for themselves in an area not infrequently described as a war zone. At a June meeting of the Hosmer Business Association, Julie Duncan, a one-time prison guard and then the general manager at HomeTowne Studios, addressed the elephant in the room: the overwhelming sentiment that police simply won’t respond when they’re summoned, at least in most cases.
“When we called for action because we’re being assaulted, basically what I was told when I called was, if I’m actively being shot at, you’ll come out,” Duncan said.
“Otherwise you’re not going to come.”
So how do Moore, TPD and the city make inroads, rebuild trust and make legitimate progress in an area of the city that’s clearly been neglected?
That’s the million-dollar question, and it’s one Moore was hired, at least in part, to answer.
Cops and nuisance codes
When discussing crime and public safety (and more importantly crafting policies to respond) it’s important not to paint with a broad brush or oversimplify. The factors that contribute to unsafe communities are complex, and can’t be boiled down to soundbites, no matter how much some politicians might try. Likewise, the societal failures that have come to a head on South Hosmer and other places in Tacoma — like the homelessness epidemic, economic despair and untreated substance abuse and behavioral health issues — are far beyond the scope and reach of simple law enforcement.
Still, two things stand out as immediate steps that must be taken by Tacoma police and city officials before Hosmer begins to heal.
The first, and most obvious, comes down to response. When someone calls 911, they must have faith police will show up. When that trust is lost, a death spiral is unleashed, eventually causing citizens and business owners to take matters into their own hands or give up (and neither option is good). While Moore is correct that some serious crimes take precedence over others, Hosmer has blossomed as a criminal hotspot because it feels like a forgotten place. That’s a perception that can only be changed through increased attention and urgency, which requires cops on the street. An increased police presence in the Hosmer area over the last six months is encouraging, but it’s only the start.
In February, Tacoma’s police department was short roughly 50 officers. Six months later, despite the promise of bonuses and other financial incentives, not enough has changed. During a recent meeting with The News Tribune Editorial Board Moore said he believes Tacoma is a place cops want to work. It’s his job to find them and the city’s job to give him the tools he needs to bolster the ranks, while at the same time changing the culture of TPD.
Second, scrutiny should be applied to Tacoma’s use of its existing chronic nuisance code. While the reporting makes clear that Hosmer business owners aren’t entirely to blame for some of the area’s struggles — and, in fact, have more often than not been the victims — the chronic nuisance code exists for a reason, and it’s baffling it hasn’t been utilized more.
As The News Tribune found during the course of its investigation, the city has considered corrective action on certain South Hosmer properties known for things like illegal drug activity, prostitution and disorderly conduct. But as of late August, no actions had been taken. It’s fair to ask why.
Speaking to The News Tribune, Moore argued that “it’s literally everybody’s responsibility” to help make Tacoma and places like South Hosmer Street safe.
“If we don’t accept that responsibility, we will always have a crime problem,” he told The News Tribune.
That’s true, but law enforcement plays a large role, and it starts at the top.