Seattle police hiring incentives to end as union raises staffing concerns
Seattle police face officer shortage as department cuts hiring incentives
Seattle police are facing a staffing challenge as the department works to recruit and retain officers, despite city now pulling the plug on hiring incentives.
SEATTLE - Seattle police will stop offering hiring incentives to new applicants beginning Sept. 1, a decision the department says is aimed at managing its budget while continuing to recruit officers.
The move comes as the Seattle Police Department reports 927 deployable officers and 63 separations so far this year.
The Seattle Police Officers Guild says eliminating the incentives could make it more difficult for the department to grow its ranks.
SPD says it has 927 deployable officers
SPD told FOX 13 it currently has 927 deployable officers. The department defines that number as fully trained sworn employees, excluding those on disability or extended leave.
Kent Loux, president of the Seattle Police Officers Guild, says the number should be viewed more broadly.
"That is not accurate to say its officers. That is all sworn members of the Seattle Police Department, to include officers, sergeants, and detectives," Loux said.
Loux said the department needs to continue growing its ranks.
Seattle Police Department. (GENNA MARTIN/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)
Separations are up from last year
SPD says 63 people have separated from the department as of July 31, 2026, compared with 52 separations during the same period in 2025.
The department also says it has hired 108 people so far this year, compared with 116 during the same period last year.
Loux said the department has to hire enough people to account for retirements and other departures while also increasing the number of officers available to work.
He said the training process also means it takes time for new hires to reach the streets.
Hiring incentives ending Sept. 1
However, anyone who submits an application in August or is already in the hiring process will still receive the incentive.
The department has offered incentives of up to $50,000 for lateral officers — experienced law enforcement officers coming from other agencies.
Loux said the incentives are important because Seattle is competing with other law enforcement agencies for recruits and experienced officers.
"This is not the time to remove these incentives. I think this is a backwards approach, backwards step for us," Loux said.
He also argued hiring experienced officers can help the department get people onto the streets faster because lateral officers do not go through the same academy process as new recruits.
(File / FOX 13)
Union says Seattle could lose its competitive edge
Loux said other agencies are maintaining or increasing their hiring incentives while Seattle is eliminating them.
"No one else is bringing these to zero, except us. That does not give us a competitive advantage," Loux said.
Loux said the department needs to remain competitive with other cities and municipalities that are recruiting from the same pool of applicants.
He also said he is concerned about the department simply maintaining its current staffing level instead of growing.
"My fear right now is that we would just be barely keeping up with attrition," Loux said.
Loux said Seattle needs more officers, detectives and investigators.
"We need more officers. We need hundreds of more officers," Loux said.
SPD says decision is about the budget
SPD says the decision to end the incentives was made because of uncertainty surrounding the department's budget forecast.
In a statement, SPD said:
"A decision has been made to stop the hiring incentives until a time when the budget forecast for the Seattle Police Department is clear. We have a responsibility to the people of Seattle to provide the best police service while also being fiscally responsible. We will continue to hire some of the highest quality candidates in the country and are dedicated helping keep Seattle a safe and welcoming city."
The Mayor's Office said Mayor Katie Wilson's administration supports Interim Chief Andre Sayles' decision to end the incentives.
The Mayor's Office said in a statement:
"SPD officer hiring remains strong, while separations have been lower than projected in 2026. In light of those trends, Interim Chief Sayles determined that ending hiring incentives effective September 1 was an appropriate step to help manage the department’s budget."
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The Source: Information in this story came from the Seattle Police Officers Guild, the Seattle Police Department, the Seattle Mayor's Office and FOX 13 Seattle reporting.