The Seattle Police Department (SPD) has lost 69 officers this year, added only six sworn personnel over the last month, and currently has just 929 officers available to answer 911 calls, according to Seattle Red 770 AM. At the current rate, SPD is projecting 113 separations for 2026, which would make it the department’s worst year for officer losses since 2023.
For Spike O’Neill, co-host of “The Jake and Spike Show” on KIRO Newsradio, the numbers tell a story that goes beyond any single police chief.
“It’s the culture of the department itself,” Spike said. “We’ve had so many stories of members of the command chain who have had issues with lawsuits against the department for sexual harassment or discrimination. You’ve had impropriety alleged against leadership. You’ve had the community itself being very anti-law enforcement, it felt, for a long time.”…