Seattle lost 170 police officers in 2021; more to leave amid vaccine mandate: report

The Seattle Police Department lost 170 officers in 2021 and dozens more are expected to leave in the coming weeks because of a COVID-19 vaccine mandate.

The separations include retirements, resignations, terminations and deaths, the department told Fox News. The staffing issue follows more than a year of activism against police brutality and calls for slashing police budgets and police reform. Upwards of 100 officers have been sidelined, the “The Jason Rantz Show” reported.

A police spokesperson told the news outlet that around 950 officers were deployable. The department has lost 350 officers since 2020, with most leaving after protests erupted following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

The office of Mayor Bruce Harrell told the news outlet he doesn’t plan on reversing the vaccine mandate but acknowledged that there was a staffing problem in the police department.

“The mayor has been very clear that he believes SPD needs additional officers to meet national best practices, reduce response times, and ensure thorough and comprehensive investigations. He’s committed to working not only to retain current SPD officers, but also to recruit the next generation,” a spokesperson for the mayor said in an email to the show. – READ MORE