The City of Seattle has elected to offer hiring bonuses to prospective employees of the Seattle Police Department and 911 dispatch in order to address staffing shortage created by those employees choosing to not get vaccinated. How will the shortage and interim coverage period impact citizen safety in Seattle? That is a good question. There will no doubt be a ‘ramp up’ period to actual ‘boots on ground’ due to training and indoctrination requirements. Will the personnel shortage further reduce the number of traffic stops and response times to domestic violence and other 911 related calls? Time will tell, of course. As Mayor Jenny Durkan said, ‘hiring, recruiting and training takes months …’
Staffing in the city, of course, has been strained by the pandemic. However, things became direr a few weeks back when several hundred medically and/or religiously exempted employees were put on leave to await potential accommodations after the citywide COVID-19 vaccine mandate went into effect. Among those on leave were more than 170 first responders from SPD and the Seattle Fire Department. Over the last two years more than 250 officers have left the SPD, presumably to the defund police movement. That alone has caused slower response times in and around Seattle.
It is hoped that these new hiring bonuses will allow the SPD to attract the highest caliber employees to protect and serve the people of Seattle. Again, time will tell … but until then, will crime of all nature and type increase? Will folks feel emboldened to be a bit more ‘risky’ on our roads and in our community at large? We shall see …
If you or a loved one is facing probation don’t hesitate to hire a qualified Seattle Criminal Defense Lawyer. The Seattle Criminal Defense Attorneys that make up the criminal defense team of SQ Attorneys are highly qualified and reputable Seattle criminal attorneys that are dedicated to providing top notch, aggressive representation for those arrested or criminally charged all across Western Washington and the Greater Puget Sound region. The team creates success by working with law enforcement and the prosecuting attorney’s office to ensure that all facts and circumstances related to the allegations are considered in creating the fairest, most equitable and just resolution possible in light of all the surrounding circumstances of the given case. So, whether you are cited with an infraction or arrested and/or charged with misdemeanor, gross misdemeanor or a felony, protect yourself … call SQ Attorneys at (206) 441-0900.
