Seattle police, city leaders push back on Mayor Wilson's proposed budget

SEATTLE - The Seattle Mayor’s Office is facing more criticism after the Seattle Police Department presented its proposed budget to the City Council.

The meeting follows Mayor Katie Wilson’s $9.1 billion budget proposal announcement on Tuesday. While the mayor’s proposal caps funded officer positions, several council members warn the city is falling short on staffing and critical safety technology.

The Seattle Police Department takes up $557 million dollars of the proposed $9.1 billion city budget. Roughly 95% of those SPD dollars would cover personnel and mandated central costs. To help fill a 175 million dollar citywide deficit, the proposed plan cuts nearly $6 million in vacant positions and cuts nine parking enforcement officers.

Two filled staff positions will also be laid off.

Police, city leaders push back on Seattle budget

What they're saying:

Interim Police Chief Andre Sayles told council members those limited resources force officers to make tough choices on the streets daily.

"In a time where we have limited resources right now, we have to go through and triage these cases. We have to look at the severity of crime, alleged crime that happened, solvability rate and then put our resources where we believe that we can solve this," said interim Police Chief Andre Sayles. "And then, unfortunately, put some of these cases and calls on the backburner, and then we have to get back to them."

Much of Friday’s debate centered on staffing goals. Council member Bob Kettle questioned why the mayor’s plan caps funded officer positions at 1,250 — well below the previous target of over 1,400 officers.

By the numbers:

The mayor’s office defended the number.

"While that was a goal, it was not grounded in financial reality," said Aly Pennucci, Director of the Seattle Budget Office. "So, if that is the goal, there needs to be a strategy for how to pay for those officers. And what this budget does is reflect the resources available now to fund 1250 officers."

Financial reality of Seattle public safety woes

The other side:

Council member Debora Juarez argued the proposal deficit cuts safety at a time when residents want more officers on patrol.

"This isn’t about a political ideology of defund or increase. This is about on Earth, in the real world, that we are seeing more crime because we have less officers to go out and keep our community safe," said Juarez.

Technology also became a hot button issue. Council members expressed frustration that proposed cuts eliminate three positions at the Real-Time Crime Center. Council member Rob Saka did not hide his disappointment about the proposal excluding CCTV cameras in high-traffic areas, like the Seattle Center, following July’s deadly shooting at the Bite of Seattle festival.

"After the tragedy at the Bite, I expected this proposed budget to include funding for CCTV cameras at the Seattle Center," said Saka. "As currently proposed, it does not. I find that omission extraordinarily difficult to understand."

The City Council will continue public safety budget deliberations over the next several weeks. A final vote on the full budget is expected by December.

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