Before the COVID vaccine mandate, Seattle Police Department staffing was a crisis. With only 1,048 deployable officers, the city is short between 400 and 500 officers for a city of this size. Now, thanks to Mayor Jenny Durkan sidelining over 100 officers for not complying with her mandate, staffing is a catastrophe in the making.
The SPD does not have enough officers to meet daily minimum staffing needs in any precinct. The department has been augmenting patrols thanks to officers volunteering from non-patrol units to respond to 911 calls. But in the weeks moving forward, there are dozens of unfilled patrols. Third Watch West Precinct alone is currently understaffed for the entire month of November.
What’s the response from the city leadership? They’ve been silent on the staffing emergency, pretending it doesn’t exist while downplaying the number of officers terminated over the mandate. And local media has barely taken notice.
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https://mynorthwest.com/3201565/rantz-seattle-police-staff-patrol-city-media-silent/
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