The Seattle City Council has given the green light to a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Seattle Police Officers Guild (SPOG) to alleviate event staffing issues and to offer voluntary overtime pay in the police department.
The decision has proved to be controversial, sparking concerns among some community members over police accountability and budget allocation.
The MOU, approved on November 14, outlines a deal that allows civilian parking enforcement employees to direct traffic at large public events, a duty previously carried out by highly-paid police officers.
Under the terms of the agreement, taxpayers are set to bear the brunt of an additional $8 million in police overtime over the next two years, with officers receiving a substantial $225 per shift bonus for volunteering at events like fairs, concerts and football games.
Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell was optimistic about the proposed agreement, touting its public safety benefits.
“Safety is our highest responsibility, and we are committed to advancing needed new and commonsense solutions to support people in need, improve emergency response times, and ensure public spaces and special events are welcoming and secure,” Harrell said in a press release. “This proposal recognizes the labor implications at hand and meets the collective bargaining requirements needed to put into action these improvements. As we continue to work toward a safer Seattle, robust diversified responses, and a fair contract for police officers, this agreement is a step in the right direction and a win-win for the people of Seattle and our officers.”
The move, intended to supplement and diversify public safety resources, has ignited a debate about the City’s willingness to increase police funding without demanding corresponding accountability measures.
Critics argue that the MOU sheds light on the ongoing SPOG contract negotiations, with the City seemingly ceding control to the police union without ensuring adequate oversight.
The agreement allows the Seattle Police Department (SPD) to dictate special event staffing plans, allotting positions for both officers and civilians, such as parking enforcement officers (PEOs).
Notably, the $225 shift premium for officers comes without conditions, essentially paying them almost double time during special events.
The MOU also grants SPOG significant control over the Dual Dispatch pilot program, initially proposed as a police alternative but falling short of expectations. The program, designed to respond to nonviolent 9-1-1 calls, involves both community crisis responders and police officers, raising questions about the level of police involvement in what was envisioned as a nonpolice response.
However, the SPD believes the move will improve officer morale, while facilitating department planning and citywide staffing.
In a press release by the City, officials argued that the previous mandatory overtime scheme was leaving officers exhausted and unable to focus on police work.
Councilmember Alex Pederson echoed this opinion.
“This proposal will improve officer availability, advancing the goal of relieving the stress on police officers who have had to respond to an increasing number of behavioral health calls. I am supportive of this agreement and applaud Mayor Harrell and several colleagues for prioritizing the urgent safety needs of our city,” Pederson said.
Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda criticized the timing of the MOU, arguing that the City missed an opportunity to leverage certain aspects of the agreement during collective bargaining with SPOG.
According to Mosqueda, the $8 million allocated to the police could have been used as leverage for negotiations on police accountability requirements.
SPOG justified the $225 bonus by claiming it was necessary to encourage older officers to volunteer for events, thereby preventing newer officers from shouldering the burden of receiving double pay for such assignments.
Critics, however, argue that the union successfully persuaded the City to use more expensive police officers for these roles, rather than the lower-cost PEOs.
Meanwhile, the MOU also addresses the expansion of the City’s downtown Park Ranger Program to all city parks, aimed at enhancing public park safety.
Under the program, the City hired 26 park rangers this year.
The lack of conditions on the police bonus and the overall allocation of funds have raised concerns about the City’s priorities, particularly in light of anticipated cuts to services for tiny-house villages and non-congregate shelters.
The City Council is set to vote on the full agreement in December, and the outcome will likely determine the trajectory of the City’s approach to police funding, accountability and the role of civilian alternatives in public safety.
