SEATTLE — Seattle police officers would receive retroactive wage increases going back to 2021 under a tentative agreement between the city and Seattle Police Officers' Guild.
The agreement, which has been submitted by Mayor Bruce Harrell for final approval by the city council, does not include 2024 as negotiations continue. Officers have been operating under an old contract for three years.
Under the proposal, wages would increase 1.3% to 2021, 6.4% to 2022 and 15.3% to 2023. It would make Seattle police officers among the most competitively paid in the state, according to Harrell's office.
In Washington state, employees receive a lump sum payment for increased wages earned during an earlier period.
“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,” Harrell said.
The agreement, according to Harrell's office, focuses on improving police staffing and wages, enhancing accountability measures and expanding civilian response options to "build a diversified safety system and create new efficiencies."
Seattle is 15th on the list for pay. Entry-level officers are paid an annual salary of $83,000. In western Washington, Redmond, Kent, and Bellevue pay officers the highest entry pay.
The Seattle Police Department is at its lowest staffing level in about 30 years. The Department has lost more than 700 officers in the past five years and is at its lowest staffing level since the 1990s. In March, the department had 913 actively working police officers.
Over the past two years, the city implemented hiring bonuses of $7,500 for new recruits and $30,000 lateral transfers. The city also implemented changes to recruitment messaging and advertising. In order to help retention, the department changed to a four-day patrol schedule with 10 hour shifts.
Seattle Police Chief Adrian Diaz previously said the shortage is impacting how police can serve the city. Diaz said his goal is to hire 125 police officers this year.
Additional agreement details
In addition to wage increases, according to Harrell's office, the agreement would do the following:
- Require an arbitrator in discipline appeals when misconduct is found to give deference to the discipline imposed by the Police Chief.
- Improve timelines applicable to investigations of alleged officer misconduct, including for allegations of criminal conduct, by tolling the 180-day timeline for criminal proceedings in Seattle and extending (up to 60 days) the 180-day timeline following a Force Review Board referral for Type 3 (most serious) use of force.
- Eliminates the currently required 5-day notice to officers of specific allegation(s) of misconduct, reducing an administrative burden that slows the investigation process.
- Revises grievance procedures to complete implementation of state law changes that regulate and improve the appointment of arbitrators, which eliminates “shopping” for arbitrators and establishes requirements for arbitrator qualifications.
- Increases the number of civilian investigators in the Office of Police Accountability by two, bringing the total number of civilians overseeing and investigating allegations of police misconduct to seven.
- Expands the City’s ability to use civilian resources to assist with public safety services, including but not limited to: responding to lost or missing property and found property events; requests for transportation; emergency food and shelter requests; property damage; noise complaints; delivering messages and performing mail runs; addressing landlord/tenant problems; support missing juveniles, runaways, and missing adult persons; wellness checks; and acting as hospital guards for low-level offenders.
- Allows for civilian review of automated traffic safety camera violations, including those related to traffic signals, rail crossings, speeding, traffic obstructions, blocking intersections or crosswalks, transit only lanes, and stopping or traveling in restricted lanes.
- Allows for expanded civilian assistance to detective units with administrative tasks, case file preparation, and crime analysis.
The Seattle Community Police Commission put out a release stating that they want to see further changes to accountability measures in the tentative agreement.
"We look forward to any future police contract adjustments to address accountability issues in a way that satisfies and increases public and community trust and ensures a safer Seattle for all," the Community Police Commission, stated in part.
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