Public safety is one of the top issues Chamber members share with us, and voters agree: in our most recent poll of 700 Seattle voters, 46 percent cited public safety as one of the top two issues they’re most frustrated about, a 17 percent increase from this past summer.
When it comes to solutions, voters overwhelmingly favored an “all-of-the-above” approach that includes reforms AND alternatives to police AND making sure that we have the right number of officers on staff.
Seattle City Councilmember Sara Nelson has put forward Resolution 32050 to address an important piece of this approach – bringing more officers online, following two years of record-breaking attrition. Her proposal would allow the Seattle Police Department to use part of the $1.4 million in unspent funds in its existing budget to offer staffing incentives so that SPD can better compete in a tight labor market.
The resolution also:
- States Council’s support of the development of a staffing incentives program to accelerate the hiring of new officers.
- States Council’s intent to approve by separate ordinance the staffing incentive program developed by the Executive.
Voters are ready for action – and we appreciate Councilmember Nelson’s leadership on this issue. Please fill out the form to send your Seattle City Councilmembers an email in support of this resolution and other public safety investments, like emergency response alternatives.