TUKWILA, Wash. — A Level 3 ‘High Risk’ sex offender with a lengthy criminal history was arrested on a warrant near a Tukwila elementary school while police were conducting “community cleanup.”
The community cleanup started Aug. 31 and is done in school zones and near bus stops in Tukwila. It’s meant to deter speeders in school zones and deter people who ignore the school bus stop signs.
Police said the cleanup was also to cut down on criminal activity in that area.
On Sept. 9, police took a Level 3 sex offender into custody. Police say the offender had active warrants, and a lengthy criminal history which included child molestation, rape and unlawful imprisonment.
He was taken into custody 20 minutes before the buses arrived to drop kids off back at home.
Separately, on Sept. 10, two people were spotted in a car with switched plates outside the elementary school. Both had warrants and one was in possession of “narcotic paraphernalia,” police said.
“These proactive efforts in addition to community engagement and outreach have made a noticeable difference...There are countless instances that I’ve witnessed firsthand where those looking to commit a crime immediately chose not to after noticing the presence of officers and left the area. The patrols and visible presence is a key factor in deterring crime and being able to rapidly respond when a crime has been committed,” Tukwila PD’s public information officer wrote on Facebook.
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