A new analysis concludes that Seattle’s current police guild contract preserves law enforcement as the default response to mental and behavioral crisis calls, and prevents the city’s civilian crisis responders from serving “a significant portion” of their intended population.
Seattle’s Office of Inspector General published an examination of the city’s crisis response teams Thursday. It found that the city’s 2025 collective bargaining agreement with the Seattle Police Officers Guild constrains the workers with the new Community Assisted Response & Engagement (CARE) department, while it appears to expand their role.
The report finds that “even as the SPOG contract adds a new response type, expands call types, and removes the cap on new staffing, it also further limits the CARE Team,” which took shape three years ago as a third public safety agency alongside the Seattle police and fire departments…