King County Councilman Reagan Dunn, as part of his ongoing battle against methamphetamine and other drugs, unveiled an ordinance last Thursday that would provide another tool for law enforcement and homeowners to work together to combat crime in neighborhoods.

Dunn’s proposed Safer Neighborhoods ordinance, which has the support of Sheriff Sue Rahr and the Rental Housing Association of Puget Sound, would provide a new way to help stop drugs and violent crime in unincorporated areas.

He announced the legislation at a press conference where he introduced Tom and Florence Pruitt, a couple who live in unincorporated King County near Renton, who spent 13 months accumulating evidence and documenting issues with neighbors who were running a meth lab out of the rental home.

“There were times when I was on the sofa with binoculars shaking so hard I could hardly take down the license plate numbers,” Florence Pruitt said. “But they moved across the street from the wrong family.”

Deputies responded to numerous incidents at that rental property over a 13-month period, but neighbors were unable to convince the landlord to evict tenants suspected of using and dealing meth.

Officers visited the property 37 times while neighbors like the Pruitts were taking down license plate numbers for more than 240 cars that would come and go. This kind of activity is typically a neon sign for drug activity, according to authorities.

With the help of the information gathered by neighbors, detectives later made drug arrests and confiscated guns from the property.

In an effort to prevent similar situations happening elsewhere, Dunn has proposed legislation that would allow deputies to identify problem houses in unincorporated King County, then notify the landlord when a crime is committed on the property, ranging from class A and B felonies, as well as drug and sex offenses and providing alcohol to minors.

Landlords would be expected to take action to deal with what’s going on at their rental properties after being issued letters warning them of crimes committed there, as well as providing steps they can take to remedy the problem.

“In a perfect world, owners would always know about crime taking place on their property, but that isn’t always the case,” said Dunn. “This legislation will go a long way towards strengthening cooperation between property owners, tenants, and the county to ensure safer neighborhoods for law-abiding citizens.”

Following three notices of crime on rental properties, owners would be required to take reasonable action or face civil penalties, with options such as taking landlord training courses, guidance from deputies or assistance in the eviction process.

“Community policing emphasizes partnerships between the police and anyone who has a stake in quality of life issues and safe neighborhoods,” Rahr said, adding that Dunn’s proposal “is a perfect way for the owners of rental property and the sheriff’s office to work together for the betterment of tenants and owners.”

Last week’s announcement comes on the heels of a call for cuts by County Executive Ron Sims to cope with a $68 million budget shortfall in 2009, including significant cuts to the Sheriff Department.