The Seattle PD has lost another 34 Officers to retirement or resignation. That brings the total to 144 for the year. That is a record high. There are rumors swirling internally that separations could hit 200 by the year’s end.
The news comes as the Seattle City Council shrank police department funding by 18% in the just approved budget. The cuts are expected to affect overtime pay and training while leaving dozens of vacant jobs unfilled and moving 911 dispatchers and parking enforcement out of the department’s jurisdiction.
The number of deployable officers now sits at approximately 1,200, which is lower than it was in the 1990s despite the population increasing by 44% since then.