Seattle police officers would receive retroactive wage increases going back to 2021 under a tentative agreement between the city and Seattle Police Officers' Guild.
The agreement, which has been submitted by Mayor Bruce Harrell for final approval by the city council, does not include 2024 as negotiations continue. Officers have been operating under an old contract for three years, KING5 reports.
Under the proposal, wages would increase 1.3% to 2021, 6.4% to 2022 and 15.3% to 2023. It would make Seattle police officers among the most competitively paid in the state, according to Harrell's office.
Seattle is currently 15th on the list for pay. Entry-level officers are paid an annual salary of $83,000. In western Washington, Redmond, Kent, and Bellevue pay officers the highest entry pay.
The Seattle Police Department is at its lowest staffing level in about 30 years. The Department has lost more than 700 officers in the past five years and is at its lowest staffing level since the 1990s. In March, the department had 913 actively working police officers.
