KIRO Exclusive: Seattle sees first net increase in police officers in four years

For the first time in four years, the Seattle Police Department has reported a net increase in officers, marking a significant milestone as the city grapples with public safety concerns and budgetary challenges. The latest quarter saw a modest gain of five to seven officers, reversing a trend of net losses that has persisted since 2020.

Seattle City Council President Sarah Nelson highlighted this development on KIRO Newsradio Friday, attributing the previous decline to a combination of factors, including a pledge by seven of nine council members to defund the police by 50% in 2020. This pledge, Nelson noted, led to a mass exodus of officers, reducing the force to about 900 from a goal of 1,400.

“Morale was significantly impacted when officers felt their jobs were at risk,” Nelson said on “The John Curley Show.” “However, this recent net positive is a step in the right direction.”

The increase comes as the city council scrutinizes its budget, aiming to address underspending and ensure that funds are effectively allocated. Nelson emphasized the importance of transparency and accountability in budgetary decisions, particularly in public safety and social services.

“We need to see the big picture by knowing exactly what we’re spending right now,” Nelson told fill-in hosts Tom Gaydos and Greg Tomlin. “Transparency is absolutely key.”

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The 2025-2026 budget includes significant allocations for public safety and social services, such as $3.2 million to maintain 300 shelter beds, $3.5 million to add 23 new positions in the Community Assisted Response and Engagement (CARE) department, and $14.5 million for health-focused initiatives. Despite these investments, Nelson stressed the need for clear performance metrics to measure the effectiveness of these expenditures.

“Our contracts with service providers include voluntary performance metrics, but we need to ensure that our top priorities are being accomplished,” she said.

Nelson also addressed the ongoing challenges faced by small businesses, which continue to suffer from repeat break-ins and other crimes. The budget maintains the Storefront Repair Fund, which reimburses small businesses up to $2,000 for damages, though Nelson acknowledged that this amount often falls short of covering the full cost of repairs.

“We need more officers on the beat to build trust with the community and respond to priority calls more effectively,” Nelson said. “This also includes getting investigators back to focusing on major crimes, such as drug trafficking and sexual assault.”

The council’s efforts to improve police hiring processes and offer competitive wages have been crucial in attracting new recruits. Seattle police officers are now among the highest-paid in the country, reflecting the city’s recognition of the challenges they face.

“Improving the hiring process and ensuring competitive wages are essential steps,” Nelson said. “We need to continue building on this progress to meet our public safety goals.”

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As Seattle navigates its budgetary and public safety challenges, the recent increase in police hires offers a glimmer of hope. However, Nelson and her colleagues acknowledge that much work remains to be done to achieve long-term stability and safety for the city’s residents.

In addition to public safety, the council is also focusing on how city departments are spending their allocated funds. Nelson pointed out that underspending has been a recurring issue, with departments either requesting more money than needed or failing to execute their work plans effectively. This has resulted in significant amounts of unspent funds at the end of the fiscal year.

“Underspending is a problem because it either means that departments are asking for more money than they need, or they’re not getting the work that the council thinks there is in the work plans,” Nelson explained. “We need to look at how our departments are spending their money and ensure that it aligns with our policy goals.”

To address this, Nelson has called for a searchable database of departmental spending, particularly focusing on grants for nonprofits. This initiative aims to make it easier for the public and council members to understand how funds are being used and to ensure that they are advancing the city’s policy objectives.

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“We want to make sure that all spending is advancing our policy goals, and we need to see the big picture by knowing exactly what we’re spending right now,” Nelson said.

The council is also placing a strong emphasis on accountability and reviews. Nelson mentioned that the new council has tripled the number of positions in the CARE department, but it is crucial to understand what calls these new hires are responding to and whether police officers are needed for all of them.

“We need to lower the response time for priority one imminent danger calls,” Nelson said. “Transparency is absolutely key in measuring the effectiveness of our investments.”

As part of the council’s efforts to address homelessness and the drug crisis, the budget includes a new $1 million allocation for addiction treatment, which Nelson sponsored. She emphasized that addressing the fentanyl crisis and addiction is fundamental to both public safety and the homelessness crisis.

“We need to do something different if what we’re doing isn’t working,” Nelson said. “This budget includes new funding for addiction treatment because it’s crucial for our public safety and homelessness efforts.”

The council is also scrutinizing the performance of affordable housing partners, ensuring that they follow good neighbor policies to minimize negative impacts on surrounding neighborhoods while providing necessary care to residents.

“We need to make sure that people are getting the care they need within these units and that the impact on neighborhoods is minimized,” Nelson said.

As the council receives reports from departments throughout the year, they will use this information to make better decisions in the future. Nelson remains optimistic that these efforts will lead to more effective use of city funds and improved public safety outcomes.

Bill Kaczaraba is a content editor at MyNorthwest. You can read his stories here. Follow Bill on X and email him here.