Seattle Passes Resolution To 'Acknowledge Failures'

In a stunning about-face that marks a seismic shift in city governance, Seattle has taken a decisive step to sever ties with the once-heralded “Defund the Police” movement. Councilmember Rob Saka, a Democrat, introduced Resolution 32167, a formal repudiation of previous pledges to strip funding and resources from law enforcement—a move that signals a dramatic recalibration of Seattle’s public safety priorities.

The resolution, adopted without opposition by the council, does more than walk back political promises—it represents a public reckoning with the consequences of a movement that, while launched with impassioned fervor, has left in its wake a deeply diminished police force and rising public concern.

“This resolution reverses any prior commitment or pledge by past councils to defund or abolish the police,” Saka stated bluntly, citing the divisive nature of the previous policy and its undeniable role in the exodus of police officers from the department.

Seattle’s once robust police force, which counted 1,400 sworn officers in 2017, had fallen to just 913 by 2024. The dramatic decline coincided with policy decisions and public rhetoric that many officers cited as the reason for their departures. At the same time, crime rates surged and open-air drug use became rampant. Interim Police Chief Sue Rahr didn’t mince words: “We’re in a staffing crisis,” she declared last summer, noting the city was down 400 officers.

Resolution 32167 directly acknowledges these failures. It affirms the necessity of rebuilding morale, supporting public servants, and diversifying public safety responses—while recommitting to high standards of accountability and reform.

It’s also a message to Seattle’s remaining officers: you are valued. The resolution calls for gratitude toward SPD officers, firefighters, and CARE workers, recognizing the quiet heroism they display daily in the face of shrinking ranks and rising demands.

Importantly, the resolution doesn’t reject the need for reform—it embraces it. The measure applauds the significant changes implemented within SPD, including advancements in use-of-force policies, crisis intervention protocols, and data transparency.

Mayor Bruce Harrell, also a Democrat, praised the police force’s “heroic work” and confirmed that recruitment is now outpacing attrition for the first time in years. SPD hired 84 new officers in 2023, and projections suggest the force could climb back to 1,000 officers by 2026.

Interim Chief Shon Barnes, who has prioritized recruitment, is leading the charge to rebuild. The department is not only replenishing its ranks but reshaping them—emphasizing professionalism, community engagement, and reform without compromise on safety.

Saka’s resolution arrives nearly four years after the summer of 2020, when Seattle’s council voted to cut $3 million from the police budget and joined the chorus of cities nationwide that embraced the “Defund” ethos following George Floyd’s death. But today, that once-popular rallying cry is being re-evaluated—even in one of America’s most progressive cities.

“This is finally the time to acknowledge the lessons of the past and pivot decisively toward a better, future-focused public safety model,” Saka said in his remarks.