Seattle Ends Police Hiring Bonuses Up to $50,000 as Department Remains 300 Officers Short
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Sep 3
Seattle Ends Police Hiring Bonuses Up to $50,000 as Department Remains 300 Officers Short
1 articles · Updated · Fox News · Sep 3
Summary
Seattle has halted police hiring incentives — including $7,500 for recruits and up to $50,000 for lateral hires — even as the department remains hundreds of officers below staffing goals.
The city said the move reflects budget uncertainty and a need for long-term compensation sustainability, with the police department saying incentives are paused until its forecast becomes clearer.
The Seattle Police Officers Guild warned cutting bonuses will weaken recruiting against nearby departments such as Bellevue, which advertised a $30,000 signing bonus for lateral officers last week.
City officials countered that attrition has eased for the first time since 2019, nearly 100 officers were hired over the past eight months, and 3,500 applications are still under review.
The dispute underscores Seattle's broader struggle to rebuild staffing after the 2020 defund-the-police era, with SPD reported to have only 927 deployable officers.