BELLINGHAM, Wash. – A new safety patrol to help both citizens and businesses is now in place in downtown Bellingham.
The clearly identified, unarmed and fully vaccinated personnel are trained in de-escalation and will serve as “eyes and ears” to help deter crime and help citizens.
Jenny Hageman with the Downtown Bellingham Partnership says they’re not a replacement for law enforcement.
“This is a way to bridge the resource gap that has been known for a while, as well as provide unarmed ways to navigate scenarios that really don’t need that,” said Hageman. “They really just need to be routed to the right resources.”
They’ll be on patrol around the clock with the goal of building relationships between everyone downtown.
The program is a partnership between the city and the Downtown Bellingham Partnership and is funded in part by the federal American Recovery Plan.