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The Seattle Police Officers Guild wasted no time responding. Union President Mike Solan blasted the move as reckless and dangerous.
“The recent naive, ignorant political decision to not arrest offenders for open drug use in the City of Seattle is horrifically dangerous and will create more death and societal decay,” Solan told conservative radio host Jason Rantz.
Solan gave the policy a name that quickly spread among rank-and-file officers.
“Suicidal Empathy.”
According to Solan, many officers already view LEAD as ineffective. When arrests lead nowhere, morale collapses. He warned that officers will simply stop engaging in enforcement that carries personal and professional risk without meaningful consequences.
Mayor Wilson has insisted nothing fundamental has changed. Police and prosecutors disagree. The written directive speaks louder than any press statement.
Community activists who work directly with addicts on the streets are also sounding alarms. Andrea Suarez, founder of We Heart Seattle, says she has seen this movie before.
Her organization has removed nearly two million pounds of trash from drug encampments across the city. She says policies like this turn Seattle into a destination for open drug use.
“It will trap people longer in the cycle of addiction, creating havoc in our communities as they survive off theft, by and large,” Suarez told Fox News Digital.
Suarez argues the city keeps repeating the same mistake. By removing consequences, Seattle attracts more people seeking consequence-free drug use. The result is what she bluntly calls “Freeattle.”
“Seattle has been and seems to forever be a safe place for drug addicts and criminals to come to easily score and use drugs and avoid accountability,” Suarez explained.
She recently posted that parts of the city now resemble Gotham City more than the Emerald City. She described drug use spreading into Beacon Hill, Mount Baker, public parks, and residential sidewalks.
Conservative radio host Jason Rantz broke the story after obtaining the internal police email. He says city leaders are playing semantic games while the real-world impact is obvious.
“That’s de facto decriminalization,” Rantz told Fox News Digital.
Rantz explained that when prosecutors signal they will only pursue “egregious” cases, enforcement collapses. Officers know which arrests will stick and which ones will be tossed.
“Officers aren’t going to risk injury or their careers for arrests they know won’t stick,” Rantz warned.
Seattle has tried this approach before. The result was widespread public drug use, open-air dealing, and soaring overdose deaths.
“This isn’t speculation,” Rantz said. “We’ve already lived this.”
He says daily life in Seattle reflects that reality. Open fentanyl and meth use is now a routine sight. Small business owners and downtown workers live with fear that city leadership refuses to acknowledge.
One recent case involved a 75-year-old woman attacked with a nail-studded board, leaving her blind. The suspect had a lengthy criminal history but remained on the streets.
Seattle is already hundreds of officers short. Rantz warned the situation will worsen.
“If cops can’t police, they won’t stay.”
Pierce County Sheriff Keith Swank underscored that point by publicly recruiting Seattle officers on social media after the policy became public.
Supporters of LEAD often cite early studies showing reduced recidivism among participants who actively engaged with case managers. Critics respond that participation is voluntary and accountability is nonexistent.
Suarez put it plainly.
“Not prosecuting for possession and public consumption and instead diverting to Community Court or the LEAD program simply removes rock bottom for an addict,” Suarez told Fox News Digital.
She says even years later, no one can clearly explain what happens after diversion.
“It is 2026, and we still do not have answers on how this proclaimed, award-winning, evidence-based program is better than sweating it out in jail,” Suarez said.
Both Suarez and Rantz argue the first victims of these policies are the addicts themselves.
“The first victims are the homeless and drug-addicted individuals themselves,” Rantz explained.
Instead of help, they are being enabled. Meanwhile, the rest of Seattle pays the price in crime, disorder, and fear.
For a mayor who promised change, Seattle residents are now asking a hard question. If this is week one, what comes next?
