SEATTLE, Wash. — Seattle police officer Michael Severance said he doesn't understand why the city approved memorials honoring homeless people who died, and cannot approve memorials that will honor Seattle police officers and firefighters that have died in the line of duty.
"Why aren't they willing to give the same support to our fallen police officers in Seattle? They didn't just die in Seattle, they died fulfilling their oath protecting and serving the people in the city," said officer Severance.
Severance is working with families to put street signs up where officers and firefighters died in the line of duty going back to 1881.
The current plan is to put at least 81 18 x12-inch memorial signs on street signs across the city. Each sign costs about $500, which would be paid for by private donations.
In 2011 the city approved the Leaves of Remembrance project to allow bronze leaves with the names of homeless citizens who died engraved on the plaques.
One hundred sixty-five leaves have been installed on city sidewalks.
Anitra Freeman said she worked for almost 10 years to get the project approved by city departments.
"When you deal with bureaucracy, you've got to deal with bureaucracy power protects itself by being boring," said Freeman.
The Leaves of Remembrance project includes a sculpture at Victor Steinbrueck Park. The project cost about $280,000. It's estimated about $75,000 of the cost was covered by taxpayer money.
"It's not like as soon as we asked for homeless people, we got it," said Freeman.
Severence said he's submitted the proper plans but is getting the runaround by city officials and city leaders.
"So what's the problem? I don't know the problem is, other than to lump it in to one thing and say Seattle politics," said Severance.
Council member Sally Clark said she supports the Historical Sign Project, but she said Severence still needs to get more documented support from community groups and still needs to clear the hurdle of getting approval from the Design Review Commission.
KIRO
