Harrell and police Chief Shon Barnes said at a police training facility Monday that SPD has hired 60 officers as of mid-April, compared to 10 hired by April 2024. According to a release, this is the highest number of new hires through April in the last three years combined. The city said this represents a 500% improvement from 2024.

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,