Seattle Officials Adopted Cliques Terminology
City leaders have pivoted to using cliques to describe criminal groups during public safety briefings.
Updated on Sept. 30, 2026 in Violence
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Seattle city officials and prosecutors have begun referring to criminal gangs as cliques during SeaStat meetings. The language shift aims to avoid potentially stigmatizing terminology when discussing local crime.
Why it matters
The change in terminology follows public scrutiny regarding the city's communication strategy after a mass shooting at the Bite of Seattle food festival. Mayor Katie Wilson has requested an independent review of how the city responded to the July 26 event.
Official crime reporting in the city currently utilizes the term cliques during SeaStat meetings. The King County Prosecuting Attorney's office has stated that its staff has not received instructions to substitute the word gangs in legal filings.
The players
Katie Wilson
She serves as the Mayor of Seattle and ordered an independent review of the city's communication response following the July shooting.
Shon Barnes
He is the former Seattle police chief who referred to gangs as small groups during a press conference.
Seattle Police Department
The local agency responsible for law enforcement in Seattle that dissolved its specialized gang unit four years ago.
King County Prosecuting Attorney's office
This legal entity manages prosecutions in the jurisdiction and clarified that it has not been directed to change its terminology.
The details
Former police chief Shon Barnes previously used the phrase small groups during press conferences to describe these entities after the summer mass shooting. This follows the 2020 decision by the Seattle Police Department to disband its specialized gang unit.
Timeline
The Seattle Police Department disbanded its dedicated gang unit in 2020.
A mass shooting occurred at the Bite of Seattle food festival on July 26, 2026.
Legal Context
This pivot reflects a broader trend among some municipal governments to move away from labeling criminal organizations to mitigate stigmatizing language in public discourse. The strategy follows the 2020 disbandment of the city's dedicated gang unit, marking a departure from traditional law enforcement communication models.
Residents may notice changes in how city leaders discuss crime during public briefings and SeaStat meetings. The shift in terminology does not currently alter the legal or operational status of criminal cases handled by the King County Prosecuting Attorney.
The takeaway
The change reflects an attempt to balance transparent reporting with a desire to reduce the use of potentially stigmatizing labels for criminal groups. Officials continue to evaluate how language impacts the public perception of safety after violent incidents.
Further reading
For more on local public safety, visit Violence.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Mail Online.
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