The results of the 2025 Seattle Public Safety Survey are in, revealing that Traffic Safety has emerged as the number one concern for residents across the city. Conducted independently by researchers at Seattle University, the survey is a core component of the Seattle Police Department’s (SPD) Micro-Community Policing Plans (MCPP), designed to capture neighborhood-level perceptions of crime and safety to better align police services with community needs.

Citywide Findings: Capacity and Crime

Beyond traffic issues, the survey identified a clear set of citywide priorities. Following traffic safety, the top concerns for Seattleites are Community Capacity (access to resources like mental health services and 9-1-1 dispatch), Police Capacity (staffing levels and response times), Property Crime, and Homelessness.

Narrative comments from the nearly 9,000 respondents reinforced these findings, with themes of Public Order Crime, Fear of Crime, and Laws/Policy/Accountability frequently mentioned alongside property and traffic concerns.

Focus on West Seattle (Southwest Precinct)

In West Seattle, residents in the Southwest Precinct reported higher-than-average levels of Police Legitimacy (47.7 compared to a citywide 38.7) and Social Cohesion (62.8 compared to a citywide 59.2). Despite these more positive perceptions of police and community bonds, significant safety concerns remain:

• Precinct-Wide: The top three concerns are Traffic Safety, Police Capacity, and Property Crime.
• Neighborhood Nuances: While Traffic Safety was the primary worry in Alki and Alaska Junction, residents in North Admiral identified Drugs & Alcohol as their top public safety concern.
• Rising Themes: Narrative comments from West Seattle residents frequently highlighted concerns regarding Gun Violence and the need for greater Police Capacity.

Focus on Ballard (North Precinct)

The North Precinct, which includes Ballard, mirrors many of the citywide trends but shows a heightened concern regarding the impact of the unhoused population on safety.

• Precinct-Wide: Residents ranked Traffic Safety first, followed by Community/Public Safety Capacity, Police Capacity, Homelessness, and Property Crime.
• Ballard North & South: In both Ballard micro-communities, Homelessness was elevated to the second-highest concern, trailing only Traffic Safety.
• Public Safety Scales: Ballard and the North Precinct maintain a high degree of Social Cohesion (60.6), but Police Legitimacy scores (38.6) saw a notable decrease from the previous year.

Share Your Voice: MCPP Community-Police Dialogues

The Seattle Police Department will present these results in detail during a series of upcoming MCPP Community-Police Dialogues. Ten dialogues will be held across the city—two per precinct—offering a unique opportunity for community members to engage directly with SPD personnel.

Participants can learn more about the 2025 survey data for their specific micro-community and engage in discussions regarding real-time safety concerns at the neighborhood level.

Sign up for a dialogue in your precinct here: https://publicsafetysurvey.org/mcpp-community-police-dialogues.html