Residents raise police-response and public-safety concerns; deputy chief says trespass notice issued and open‑air enforcement ongoing

Multiple residents used the July 15 Federal Way City Council public‑comment period to describe personal encounters they said showed shortcomings in police response; Deputy Chief Casey Jones responded at the meeting with operational clarifications, a trespass notice update and enforcement statistics.

Those exchanges matter to public trust and to how city and police resources are applied to homelessness, open‑air drug use and repeat nuisance behavior that affects businesses and vulnerable residents.

Kieran Hughes told the council they had experienced poor treatment while reporting threats and later said officers who responded to rescue a pair of ducklings were more interested in enforcement of parking and lecturing than assisting. “The officer who took my report went out of his way to misgender me,” Hughes said. “I needed help, yet what I received instead was more cruelty.” Hughes also described being left on the roadside after officers declined to assist with the animals because of a parking instruction.

Restaurant owner Jim Ross told the council his business repeatedly suffers disruption from a person who had been arrested previously. Ross said police declined to arrest the person when he called earlier that day because the individual had not entered the leased restaurant space; Ross said officers told him the landlord must now serve trespass notice before an arrest is made. Ross asked the council to review whether law or policy should change for businesses in leased centers. Deputy Chief Jones said he had already addressed the situation with Ross earlier in the day and that officers had issued a trespass letter covering the center that, once properly served, allows arrest if the individual returns to the property. Jones summarized: “The trespass notice that exists is for his business... He was issued a trespass letter today to if he comes onto the property at all ... we'll be able to arrest him now.”

Sherry Cox, joining by Zoom, described daily open drug use and graffiti near a commercial corridor and asked what the city was doing. Jones said the department was seeing continued enforcement gains and cited June statistics: “Just this month, June, we had 34, open air drug use, citations or or or or in at rest,” he said, and added that the condition had improved in some corridors but work continues. Council and staff invited residents who submit photos and reports to provide contact information so follow-up can occur, and staff offered to connect residents with officers who oversee targeted enforcement.

Other public commenters raised housing and tenant issues, including a resident who said the Washington attorney general's office contacted them in a probe of rent increases at several properties; that matter is an attorney‑general investigation rather than a city action and the resident said the state had opened an inquiry. School board director Joan Murphy and other commenters praised city services and community events while urging continued collaboration on public‑safety and school issues.

The council requested follow-up where appropriate. Mayor Jim Ferrell and the chief asked staff to ensure victims and business owners receive timely contact and closure on investigations; Jones and staff said they would follow up with Mr. Ross and with residents reporting open‑air drug use and graffiti.