Mayor Ed Murray on Friday released an action plan to combat crime and improve safety in the Chinatown-International District.

The action plan comes after the recommendations of a Public Safety Task Force, which was formed last year in reaction to the murder of long-time ID community activist Donnie Chin. The Task Force emphasized a focus on targeting criminal activities as well as fostering public safety. Murray’s action plan seeks to appoint a Community Engagement and Outreach Specialist as well as a Neighborhood-Based Public Safety Coordinator for a trial period of one year. The plan also outlines the need for the formation of a Public Safety Steering Committee as well as the need for improved police communication and responsiveness.

Directly following Chin’s murder, the city struggled to articulate its plan for making the neighborhood more safe. Murray initially announced a plan to shut down hookah bars in the area, which were seen as magnets for crime. However, that plan came under fire as being culturally insensitive to African immigrant communities that frequent the bars, and Murray backtracked. Murray announced the task force in November.

“We have recently seen the benefits of better coordinated police efforts in South Seattle and in our downtown core. We are committed to a similar multidisciplinary strategy to address the important concerns of Chinatown-International District stakeholders,” said Police Chief Kathleen O’Toole in response to the plan.

Murray has also instructed the Office of Planning & Community Development and the Department of Neighborhoods to work closely with the new Public Safety Steering Committee in order to assist with the efforts outlined in the action plan.