The Seattle City Council has recently proposed the idea of subsidized housing for police officers as part of their efforts to retain and recruit members of the Seattle Police Department (SPD). However, this proposal has sparked controversy and raised concerns about the city’s budget priorities amidst a homelessness crisis, a significant budget deficit, and various other pressing issues.
During a council meeting on Tuesday, several ideas were discussed to address the challenges faced by the SPD, including higher raises, childcare support, and allowing officers to take home their patrol cars. City Council President Sara Nelson, who has previously expressed concerns about the city’s spending, suggested the idea of housing subsidies for police officers.
Critics argue that this proposal raises questions about budget priorities, particularly at a time when the city is facing a major budget shortfall, a housing crisis, and numerous other pressing issues. The city council’s readiness to allocate funds to potentially marginally increase police recruitment rates at the expense of other essential services has drawn criticism from those concerned about the city’s overall financial stability.
During the meeting, Deputy Mayor Tim Burgess, SPD Chief Adrian Diaz, and representatives from the city’s human resources and recruitment teams presented an overview of the department’s staffing, recruitment, and retention situation. Chief Diaz highlighted that the number of deployable officers in the SPD has decreased by 375 over the past five years, reaching its lowest number since 1991. However, critics argue that this benchmark fails to consider the significant decrease in major crimes reported in Seattle since 1991.
While it is true that entry-level officers in Seattle earn around $83,000 per year, this figure does not account for the substantial overtime earnings many officers receive. In 2022, the majority of SPD patrol officers made over $100,000, with some earning more than $200,000, including significant overtime payments. These figures suggest that officers’ salaries are sufficient to afford housing in Seattle, at least for now.
Critics of the proposal argue that instead of subsidizing police housing, the city council should consider funding or seeking private business support for subsidized housing for those living without shelter, a group that often faces significant interaction with law enforcement. Another suggestion is to allocate funds to develop robust police alternatives, reducing the need for every call to be responded to by an armed officer. Surveys have shown that while many people desire more police presence, there is also a demand for effective police alternatives.