HomeTragedy & HopeSeattle Mayor Bruce Harrell Announces Agreement Aimed At Boosting Police Force
Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell Announces Agreement Aimed At Boosting Police Force
May 1, 2024
On Monday, Seattle Mayor Bruce announced today a new tentative agreement with Seattle police officers, aimed at addressing recruitment and retention challenges, enhancing accountability, and expanding civilian roles within the department. The agreement, which has been ratified by the Seattle Police Officers Guild, is now before the City Council for approval. Read More
“Our highest priority is a safe and healthy Seattle – and this tentative agreement is a shared commitment with our police officers to continue strengthening public safety,” said Harrell. The agreement aims to address three critical areas: police staffing and fair wages, accountability, and the expansion of civilian roles to diversify the safety response system.
Key elements of the agreement include:
• Wage increases of 1.3% retroactive to 2021, 6.4% retroactive to 2022, and 15.3% retroactive to 2023, which will place Seattle police officers among the top earners in the state, reflecting the complexity and demands of policing in Seattle.
• A requirement for arbitrators in disciplinary appeals to defer to the Police Chief’s imposed discipline in cases of misconduct.
• Streamlined timelines for misconduct investigations, including tolling the 180-day timeline for criminal proceedings and extending investigation deadlines for severe use of force cases.
• Elimination of the five-day notice previously required before officers could be informed of misconduct allegations, aimed at reducing administrative delays.
• Revisions to grievance procedures to enhance the selection and qualifications of arbitrators, following recent changes in state law.
• An increase in civilian investigators in the Office of Police Accountability from five to seven, enhancing oversight capabilities.
• Significant expansion in civilian responsibilities, including responding to non-emergency incidents and managing administrative tasks, which will free up officers for more critical duties.
“This is a crucial step in addressing the permissive public safety environment that our city has endured for years,” said Councilmember Bob Kettle, chair of the Council’s Public Safety Committee. He emphasized that recruiting a sufficient number of officers is crucial and hinges on offering competitive wages.
Councilmember Dan Strauss noted the challenge of competing with higher salaries offered across Lake Washington and stressed that the agreement would help make Seattle a more attractive option for top law enforcement talent.
“Our Seattle Police Department is ahead of other local departments regarding policy, oversight by accountability agencies, and reform, yet there is still more work to do to increase accountability and civilianization of duties,” Strauss said.
The agreement, which covers the first three years of a potential four-year contract, lays the groundwork for continued enhancements in Seattle’s police accountability and community safety strategies. Negotiations for the 2024 terms are ongoing, with mediation support from the Public Employment Relations Commission, as part of broader efforts to respond to community input and federal oversight requirements.
