(The Center Square) – The Seattle Police Department had a net gain of one officer in 2024, breaking a four-year streak of a net loss of officers.
City leaders have identified the need to boost staffing within the Seattle Police Department after a mass exodus of officers leaving the force since 2020. The staffing levels reached the department’s lowest levels in some 30 years in March of last year.
According to the latest statistics, SPD hired 84 entry-level and lateral officers, as 83 separated. The city had 933 deployable officers as of Aug. 31, 2024, which is 20 more than the 913 in 2023.
From 2020 through 2023, the department suffered from separations outnumbering hires. The worst year was in 2020 when there was a net loss of 135 officers. This was the same year, in which the Capitol Hill Occupied Protest occurred. The protest strained relations between residents and SPD.
Last year SPD received over 4,300 officer applications, the most since 2013 and more than double the applications received in 2023.
“We continue making strides towards creating the best police department to work for period,” Interim Seattle Police Chief Sue Rahr said in a statement. “With those improvements, we are just starting to see the results, with more than 20 new officers waiting to go to the academy and hundreds more just beginning the process.”
Seattle has dedicated millions to police recruitment efforts. The city’s advertising and marketing budget for police recruitment was $2.3 million in 2024 and is $2.5 million in 2025.
Last year, SPD officers also saw their first wage increase since January 2024, after Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell signed a new contract.
The Seattle City Council also approved an increase in the maximum incentive amount for lateral hires from $30,000 to $50,0000 as part of a recent permanent hiring incentive program.
The city also simplified the hiring process and reduced the hiring wait time from five to nine months to three to five months.
The Center Square recently reported on Seattle City Chair Sara Nelson calling for the city to continue prioritizing public safety. Nelson has been an outspoken leader in efforts to boost SPD staffing.
“This is excellent news! Nothing is more important to improving public safety in Seattle than bringing SPD staffing levels back up and that’s been my focus from day one,” Nelson said.
