The SPD said comparatively low wages have hurt recruiting efforts, and worked against a program to offer $30,000 bonuses to attract officers.
by Chris Daniels, Joel Moreno | KOMO News StaffFILE - A look at a Seattle Police Department officer's uniform. The Seattle Police Department said comparatively low wages have hurt recruiting efforts, and worked against a program to offer $30,000 bonuses to attract officers., the department notes that staffing is at its lowest level since the 1990s even though the city has grown.
After a Seattle City Council briefing on Monday, both Public Safety Chair Bob Kettle and Councilmember Tanya Woo suggested the available money was a good use of tax money. As of January, Seattle had only 913 fully trained and deployable officers. For context, that is about the size of the police force the city had two and a half decades ago.
“We want to make sure that our officers are the highest paid in the state,” Diaz said. “They deserve it." Streamlining the recruitment process by making it easier to apply, and keeping job candidates in the loop, is seen as another way to attract talent.
United Kingdom Latest News, United Kingdom Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
2024 Seattle Seahawks free agency: Seattle re-signing tight end Noah FantThe Seahawks aren’t letting every tight end go in free agency.
Read more »
Man 'seriously injured' in north Seattle shootingPolice are investigating a shooting in north Seattle Thursday night that left a man 'seriously injured.'
Read more »
Downtown Seattle leaders rally for a transformative 2024 amid drug crisis challengesSeattle business and civic leaders are reacting to the State of Downtown as they work to get visitors to return to the city's core.
Read more »
Prolific Seattle mail thief apologizes before federal judge's sentencingHe entered a deal, pleading guilty to four counts. The other five against him — dismissed.
Read more »
Budget vs. Belonging: Seattle considers cutting summer camps for disabled youthFaced with a staggering budget deficit of a quarter-billion dollars, the city of Seattle is desperately trying to save money. But could a cost-cutting measure come at the price of canceling valuable summer camps for kids with disabilities?
Read more »
3 men accused of sexual assault on flights to SeattleThree men accused of sexually assaulting women, including two teenage girls, on separate flights to Seattle are now facing charges in their cases.
Read more »