The police officers in Seattle finally have a contract, and it seems to be a financially generous one. The new agreement will raise wages for the officers going all the way back to 2021. According to King5 News Seattle, this will make the agency the highest paid in the region. It’s a big win for the officers there, but it’s not necessarily happening because the local politicians want to reward their officers. There’s a matter of necessity to it. Furthermore, not everyone is happy about it.

In the wake of the George Floyd incident in 2020, cities across America found themselves dealing with various levels of civil unrest. These episodes ranged from mere demonstrations to protests to outright riots. In Seattle, activists took over part of the city and declared it the “Capitol Hill Occupied Protest.” The movement
was markedly anti-police in nature, with officers being subjected to rocks, bottles and fireworks. In an attempt to appease the participants in the illegal movement, the City of Seattle abandoned a police precinct in the area. The building’s sign was famously vandalized to read “Seattle People’s Department East Precinct” (instead of “police”). Members of the city government signaled their own position in the fray when they voted to cut the police department’s budget that
same year.

Across the country, ire against the policing profession took various forms. In many places, it took the shape of anti-police protests. It manifested in society at large as well, when television networks responded by cutting shows such as Cops and Live PD. Many people openly called for the complete abolition of the policing profession.

Unsurprisingly, the policing profession has suffered recruiting problems ever since. An AP news article published the year after the riots and unrest discussed the “wave of retirements and departures” that had followed the anti-cop rhetoric. The same article discussed a Police Executive Research Forum study that found law enforcement hiring had slowed.

Now, in 2024, some cities, like Seattle, are feeling the consequences of the clear message that was sent to police officers in 2020. The police department is at its lowest staffing level since the 1990s, down 375 officers. Contrary to what the defund activists might like to think, having fewer cops around hasn’t been a positive thing for the city. Seattle had more homicides than ever in 2023.

The incredible amount of money being offered in Seattle’s new police contract makes it clear that the city recognizes the need to bring its police department back to full strength. The base starting salary for officers will increase to $102,000 from the $83,000 they were previously making. The retroactive portion of the increase (going back to 2021) will be paid in a lump sum.

Not all City Council members were on board with the new contract, though. Councilmember Tammy Morales tried to stall the vote by removing it from the council’s agenda. She cited concerns that the new contract doesn’t include enough additional “accountability” measures.

Clearly, there are still elements in Seattle that aren’t crazy about the cops. Whether the massive pay raise will be enough to address Seattle’s policing shortage remains to be seen.