Seattle’s Police Chief and mayor are suggesting they’re on track to rebuild staffing in the department and are optimistic the gap can be filled by next year.

Seattle police have hired six times more officers this year compared with the same period in 2024, putting the department on pace to restore its depleted ranks, city officials said. Why it matters: Seattle has struggled to recruit and retain police officers over the last few years despite signing bonuses of $7,

The Seattle Police Department has added 60 new police officers this year but it still has 260 openings after many officer retired or left since 2020.