Seattle Police scraps hiring bonuses despite extreme staffing shortage | The Post Millennial– thepostmillennial.com

The Seattle Police Department will eliminate its officer hiring incentives beginning Sept. 1, citing an uncertain budget outlook even as the department remains hundreds of deployable officers short of its staffing goal, hiring is running behind 2025 levels, and officer departures are on pace for their worst year since 2023.

The decision comes after Seattle spent years and millions of dollars attempting to rebuild a police force decimated during the city’s defund era. It also comes under Mayor Katie Wilson, who before taking office advocated cutting SPD’s budget in half, argued there was a case for disbanding police departments and once said activists wanted to move toward a future “entirely without SPD.”

SPD confirmed Wednesday that it will stop offering incentives to both entry-level recruits and experienced officers transferring from other agencies. Applicants already moving through the hiring process, along with those who apply before the end of August, will remain eligible for the bonuses.

“A decision has been made to stop the hiring incentives until a time when the budget forecast for the Seattle Police Department is clear,” SPD told KOMO News. “We have a responsibility to the people of Seattle to provide the best police service while also being fiscally responsible. We will continue to hire some of the highest quality candidates in the country and are dedicated to helping keep Seattle a safe and welcoming city.”