The city of Seattle has a new city attorney, and it seems the Seattle police union has job security. As one of her first moves in her new position, city attorney Erika Evans ordered her criminal division prosecutors to divert drug possession cases to the “Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) program. Mike Solan, the president of the Seattle Police Officers Guild, released a statement claiming that city officials had made the “ignorant political decision to not arrest offenders for open drug use.”

Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes shot back, stating that Solan’s claim was “absolutely not true.” While officers will technically be allowed to continue arresting drug users, the city attorney’s directive means that they likely won’t be prosecuted.

According to its website, the LEAD program offers “… long-term, community-based care and coordination … for people who commit, or are at high risk of committing, law violations due to their behavioral health challenges and income instability — rather than jail and prosecution.” While their website doesn’t directly articulate what happens to individuals in the program, they appear to be referred to various social service agencies.

City attorney Evans and Mayor Katie Wilson both campaigned on implementing progressive public safety policies. During the campaign, Evans also promised not to enforce violations of the Stay Out of Drug Areas and Stay Out of Areas of Prostitution Ordinances. These are laws that let judges ban people convicted of certain crimes from specific areas of town. This refusal to prosecute lawfully implemented legislation illustrates the often contentious relationship between the various agencies and politicians that make up the criminal justice system.

Despite the new mayor and city attorney’s avowed goals, they face a roadblock in the form of the Seattle Police Officers’ Guild. Solan called the LEAD diversion program a “waste of time,” and said that officers won’t bother arresting drug users when they know the case will simply be sent to diversion.