Seattle Times reporters David Gutman and Mike Carter wrote about the mounting backlash the City Council is facing over its actions to defund the police, with no plan in place to maintain public safety.

According to Gutman and Carter’s report, former SPD Chief Kathleen O’Toole says the city is headed for trouble and urged council members to stop and think about what they are doing. “There’s no plan,” she said. “This council is making irresponsible decisions based on knee-jerk reactions…I don’t blame Carmen [Police Chief Best] for leaving.”

O’Toole also raised concerns about what other unintended consequences might be in store for Seattle residents, given the council’s short-sided decision-making process. She pointed to the dismantling of the SPD navigation teams that offer services to the homeless as an example. ““I’ve tried not to meddle, but when I came here, we had a council that had thoughtful people and we had healthy and considerate relationships, even when we didn’t agree,” she said. “I just think this council sadly has resorted to sound bites and knee-jerk reactions and lost a police chief as a result.”

Rev. Harriett Walden, co-chair of the Citizens Police Commission (CPC), echoed the outrage over the council’s treatment of Chief Best while saying they have no plan to ensure public safety. “Defund the police sounds like a good promise, but there’s no plan,” she told The Times.

As frustrations with the council grow by the day, residents now worry that their calls for change are falling on deaf ears. The Times reported that a majority of council members refused to even comment or answer questions for the article.

That lack of transparency, accountability and respect for the residents of Seattle that they work for says it all. It is time to demand change.