Acting Seattle police Chief Adrian Diaz said Monday that calls to defund the department are the primary reasons why a record number of officers left the department last month.
“I refuse to work for this socialist city council and their political agenda. This agenda sacrifices the health and well-being of the officers and ultimately will destroy the fabric of this once fine city,” says a retiring sergeant who had been on the force for more than 20 years said.
39 officers have left the department, just in September, double that of any previous month in Seattle PD’s history.
Exit interviews were recently released, answering the question of what did you enjoy least about working at the Seattle Police Department, one officer wrote, “The lack of respect and support from the City Council and the Mayor.”
Another patrol officer, who was resigning after 6-10 years of public service, offered this explanation for leaving the SPD: “Current hostile work environment. In a precinct that is under civil unrest by a small group that is constantly committing multiple felonies and attempting to murder peace officers.”
Seven of the nine council members have pledged a 50 percent cut to the police budget. Specifically, Kshama Sawant, the one council member who has never wavered from that demand, says there would be no need to cut other city departments if that cut to the police department is made.
“Defunding the police by 50 percent and a small increase in the Amazon tax could prevent all budget cuts to all departments,” she said.
One canine officer, who’s resigning after more than 11 years, was asked if he would return to the Seattle PD in the future and went on to say, “I highly doubt it. You could pay me twice what you’re paying me now and I would not work for Seattle under this current political mayhem, Marxist collaborations and lack of government and police leadership.”
According to the exit interviews, the some of the SPD officers are leaving for departments like Everett, Des Moines, Kennewick and the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department — places they said the feel like they will get more support.
