As I often say to my oldest child, now a young adult: “I wish you could have seen Seattle in the 90’s.”

The city that I grew up in, went to college in, and which I now observe at a reasonable distance from a different county, has absolutely degraded into a dangerous joke. The city of 30 years ago is no more, and what remains is a shell that painted rainbow flags and equality symbols on itself. City government has been solidly Democrat-run for decades (the last Republican mayor was elected in 1964, for those of you keeping score at home). The current city council boasts the socialist radical Kshama Sawant, who has decided that she is bored with Seattle city politics and will not run for re-election (she’s going to move into “community organizing,” where she can raise some REAL money), along with several other weak-kneed progressive sycophants who blindly follow the leftist mood of the moment (with rare exceptions, like councilmember Sara Nelson). In fact, four members of the current council are not seeking re-election this fall, after having thouroughly trashed the city during their tenures.

Most of the current city council was in power during the so-called “Summer of Love” of CHOP/CHAZ, presided over by then-Mayor Jenny Durkan and then-police chief Carmen Best. Now both of them are gone, replaced by current mayor (and former city councilmember) Bruce Harrell, and internally promoted police chief Adrian Diaz. Has anything changed in Seattle since the infamous days of CHOP/CHAZ? Well, Seattle now has a Republican (in Seattle, that means a former Democrat who has their eyes opened by reality) city prosecutor, but there is a general malaise around the city that most people have given up on trying to make anything better. In fact, the MLB All-Star Game, which was hosted in Seattle this July, necessitated a clean-up around the stadiums that had activists threatening to “disrupt” the entire weekend – which would have been a huge embarrassment for the city.

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— Jason Rantz on KTTH Radio (@jasonrantz) July 6, 2023

Well, the game is over, and Seattle is back to its state of neglect and ignorance when it comes to homelessness, drug use, and crime. But local leaders have their heads in the sand. They might pop up and promise to recruit more police – like Mayor Harrell – and then not follow through.

One local voice that has consistently spoke out about the problems plaguing the city and the Puget Sound area is local radio host Jason Rantz (who has a book coming out about these issues in September). Did you know that the Seattle police force has been without a contract since 2020? And the activists are still complaining about everything? And that police numbers continue to drop, and recruitment efforts are a joke? The bottom line? Very few police officers would voluntarily take a job in the city of Seattle.

Enter Lieutenant Jessica Taylor. She was leaving the Seattle police force, and declined an exit interview (even as the city pushed to know if she was taking a police job elsewhere). Instead, she sent Police Chief Diaz a 15 page letter detailing why she was leaving and moving across the state, and gave that letter to Jason Rantz for publication. Taylor pulls no punches in her letter, and this is probably the most honest and public “exit interview” that you will ever read.

“Chief Diaz, let me tell you, the state of the Seattle Police Department and this city is a disgrace,” she wrote in the letter she shared with the Jason Rantz Show on KTTH. “The toxic mix of the Seattle City Council’s absurdity, the spinelessness of the Mayor, the leniency of the prosecutor’s office, and your failed leadership has accelerated this city’s downhill slide straight to rock bottom. The problems were already brewing before you came on the scene, but since your arrival, it’s been a free fall into anarchy & chaos.”

Taylor called out the Seattle city councilmembers because they “lost touch with reality, making decisions that defy common sense and basic logic.”

“Their priority is playing politics and pandering to radical ideologies rather than genuinely serving the city’s and its residents best interests,” Taylor said. “Their absurd policies have turned Seattle into a playground for anarchists and criminals, and they seem utterly unconcerned with the devastating consequences of their actions. If you haven’t noticed, the criminals are running this city.”

Taylor then took on Mayor Bruce Harrell. She said he “lacks the courage” to take on the council and enforce the law.”

“Instead of taking decisive action to protect the city and its citizens, the Mayor ignores the rampant lawlessness on our streets,” Taylor said. “It’s a disgrace to see a city leader prioritize political correctness over the safety and well-being of its people.”

Taylor was not shy about letting Diaz feel the full force of her wrath as well at his failures. Remember, he was promoted internally to interim chief, and then formally hired as police chief, after the departure of Carmen Best. He saw the CHAZ/CHOP debacle up close – and nothing has changed.

Chief Diaz, as you continue to play your political games and manipulate the truth, know that this city’s officers and citizens are suffering under your failed leadership and the incompetence of those in power. The people of this city deserve leaders who will stand up for what’s right, enforce law and order, prosecute those who break it, and prioritize the safety and well-being of its residents above all else. It’s time for a reckoning, and the citizens of Seattle deserve competent leadership.”

After dedicating over 23 long, soul-draining years of my life to this city, it pains me to leave behind a career that was once synonymous with hard work and meritocracy and one that I truly
loved. But the organization I once respected has completely lost its way. When I first joined this department in 1998, my sole purpose was to make a meaningful difference and serve the
community. I poured my heart and soul into my work, tirelessly raising substantial funds for nonprofit organizations, spent my personal time doing my best to help people experiencing
homelessness get back on their feet, and strived daily to ensure the safety of our residents and visitors. I took immense pride in my contributions and earned an Outstanding Public Service
award.”

However, none of that matters. I refuse to ignore the demoralization and blatant disregard for our officers’ well-being under your leadership. SPD is dangerously understaffed, and the officers and their families are suffering. The hours are ruthlessly long, and due to the staffing crisis (created by you, the mayor, and the council), these unsafe conditions are entirely unacceptable. Completely. They have also been working for years without a contract—Also unacceptable.”

If your goal, Chief Diaz, was to beat us down and strip away our motivation, congratulations because you’ve succeeded with flying colors. It’s truly disheartening to witness your complete lack of concern for the welfare of those who faithfully serve alongside you. Instead of taking care of your people, you consistently have your nose crammed up someone else’s ass, more interested in playing political games than leading with integrity. But hey, that’s been your modus operandi throughout your entire career, right? Conveniently, more deserving candidates were bypassed for you to reach your current position. It’s truly remarkable. In a flash, you ascended from Lieutenant straight to Assistant Chief, spending a week or two in that position before becoming Deputy Chief. It’s quite the spectacle. Disgusting, I must say. The good ol’ boy system keeps on tickin’. I could go on and on about all the shady incidents that happened under your watch, but there isn’t enough time. This is about the officers, the heart and soul of this once exemplary department.”

It sickens me to witness your complete lack of concern for the well-being of those who put their lives on the line daily. Your self-centeredness closes your eyes to the sacrifices and dedication of these officers. While you revel in your self-importance, they face the dangers of the streets, valiantly fighting to keep this city safe, all with increasingly limited staffing.”

I hope that you can feel the burning fury in this letter, because what Taylor writes is the unvarnished truth, and all of us watching Seattle know it. She then lets Diaz have it on a more personal level.

I retire today because I refuse to grant you the satisfaction of adding my hard-earned Lieutenant badge to your pathetic trophy box, a collection of badges from the officers you’ve terminated, which I suspect sits prominently on your desk. Yup, your office has numerous leaks. I earned my Lieutenant badge through sheer dedication and integrity; you will not get your grubby hands on it. (Hurry, hide it before the press gets wind of it.) By the way, who else collects trophy items? That’s not normal or okay.”

So, as I walk away from the Seattle Police Department, I do so with my head held high, knowing that I stood up for what’s right and refused to be silenced. My conscience is clear, and I have no regrets about speaking out against the failed leadership that has brought this department and this city to its knees.”

BTW – Did you seriously badge your way into the Taylor Swift concert and go to the front where people paid $1000s to be there? And don’t you dare say it was work-related because you haven’t done police work in years….. if ever. If so, please review SPD Manual Section 5.001 (12) & 5.020 and report yourself to OPA immediately.

LISTEN: Jessica Taylor served in the Seattle Police Dept for the last 23 years. But on August 1st, she called it quits. And she made sure she didn't leave quietly, calling out the culture of lawlessness courtesy of our City Council and mayor.https://t.co/CogkGipPLb

— Jason Rantz on KTTH Radio (@jasonrantz) August 10, 2023

The smackdown contained in this letter is being felt nationwide and even worldwide. Locally? Oh, well, it was reported by a “right wing talk show host,” so clearly, it isn’t REAL news. If you search “Jessica Taylor” on the Seattle Times website, you get no exact match, and the story you do get is from 2015 about soccer players. You see, not only does the city council, the mayor, and the police chief have their heads buried in the sand, the local media does, too. After all, to cover this letter would be an admission that Seattle is fundamentally screwed, on the wrong path to complete unliveability, and the devoted leftist media couldn’t bear to think about that.

So, while I give retired Lieutenant Jessica Taylor a standing ovation and wish her well, I kind of wish she was sticking around. Her letter and her testimony have a chance to make an impact on the “normies” of Seattle who just want to live safely within the city limits. And right now, there is a general air of unease and tension among the population who just want to live in safety. That’s why I don’t live near Seattle myself, and have arranged my life so that I rarely need to go there.

Yes, the city council and the mayor are to blame – but so is the media. A handful of voices trying to point out the catastrophic issues and the real damage being done to real people are being constantly ignored by the local mainstream media. If they were speaking up, there would be more pressure on Seattle government to make a change. Once again, we are looking at a progressive government who is convinced that their own farts don’t stink, and a complicit media who gladly agrees with them.

Featured image via LioPhotography on Pixabay, cropped, Pixabay license