In 2020, nearly ¼ of the city’s general fund went to SPD, who have a bigger budget than the bottom 25 city departments combined, including the departments for housing, arts, labor standards, economic development, the environment and sustainability, and civil rights.
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Last month there were 1222 cops on the street. There were 30 in the training pipeline, and 1295 fully trained cops (the difference between fully trained and cops on the street reflects the cops who are on leave).
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At the height of the summer protests, 7 out of 9 Council Members committed to defunding SPD by 50%. They followed this with a vote to lay off 30 cops, and to defund 70 more positions for cops who quit/retired.
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Fast-forward to the 2021 budget fight. The proposals on the table so far would result in 35 cops laid off. Not 35 more cops than the 30 cuts this summer. Those layoffs haven’t happened because the Mayor did not initiate them in time.
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The current proposals would also result in the elimination of ~70 SPD positions that are currently empty, and a cut in funding for 43 positions that SPD has said they won’t be able to fill in 2021.
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There is also a proposal to absorb $5 million in SPD funding towards community priorities if more cops resign/retire than is expected, or if SPD doesn’t meet hiring goals. If hiring goals are met, or cops don’t leave, SPD keeps the money.
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So, even though there are 1222 cops on the street, SPD’s 2021 budget would fund 1322 cops (it would actually fund 1357, but presumably, 35 of those jobs would get cut through layoffs).
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In terms of cops on the streets, the current proposals are a continuation of the status quo. To be clear: we are on track for a 2021 SPD budget that funds 135 more cops than are currently on the street in Seattle.
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Worse still, the budget leaves in place $$$ for SPD to hire 114 NEW cops in 2021. The Mayor can and should continue the 2020 hiring freeze. But the budget she sent to Council indicates that’s not her plan.
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To force a hiring freeze, the Council could cut $10 million more from SPD’s budget, the equivalent of those 114 new positions. Think of this as SPD’s hiring budget.
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Right now, that’s not Council’s plan. That’s where YOU come in. Let Council members know TODAY that the 2021 budget must, at a minimum, reflect a hiring freeze. bit.ly/sb-action. #NoNewCops #SolidarityBudget