SEATTLE – Mayor Bruce Harrell and Police Chief Shon Barnes today celebrated a major police recruitment milestone – the Seattle Police Department (SPD) is on track to hire its 150th officer in 2025 in the coming weeks. This means that SPD will hire more officers in 2025 than in 2024 (84) and 2023 (61) combined. More than 3,300 people applied for entry-level or lateral officer positions with SPD in the first three quarters of 2025, compared with 2,700 in the same period in 2024 and 1,300 in 2023.
“Our comprehensive plan to rebuild the police department is showing real results, and we will be thrilled to welcome the 150th officer to our ranks this year. Our administration inherited the lowest police staffing in decades, and since Day One, we have been committed to restoring staffing to decrease response times, improve neighborhood police presence, and ensure swift and thorough investigations,” said Mayor Harrell. “To our current officers, thank you for your dedicated service and for showing our new hires what it means to protect and serve this great city. For anyone who shares our commitment to building a safe and vibrant community for all, now is an excellent time to join the Seattle Police Department.”
SPD has seen a major turnaround in police recruitment in the last few years, turning around what was a staffing crisis with 2024 as the first year since 2019 where hirings surpassed separations. In addition to record-setting recruitment numbers, the department has also been making significant progress on retaining current officers. Separations are on track to be lower in 2025 than in 2024, and in fact have been going down every year since 2022.
“It’s a great time to join the Seattle Police Department, either as someone who’s new to policing or who’s working in a different community,” said Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes. “After speaking with dozens of recruits, it’s clear we’re not only getting top talent but we’re attracting people who are dedicated to keeping the peace, excited to engage with community members to work on complex societal issues, and eager to enjoy all that our beautiful region has to offer.”
As of August 31, the department employed 1,123 sworn officers ranging from Command Staff to recruits currently attending the academy. By hiring more officers, the department can continue to advance the department’s key goals, such as reducing response times and building improved neighborhood police presence to deepen trust.
This summer, SPD launched a new “As You Are” campaign highlighting real employees discussing what they love about being a Seattle police officer and sharing their backgrounds and personal passions. By curating a mix of feature stories that can resonate with diverse audiences, the department aims to lure individuals who uphold Seattle’s values. The new campaign is being produced by Epic Recruiting, a marketing agency focused on law enforcement recruitment strategies.
The campaign includes a new user-friendly website at SeattlePoliceJobs.com, where prospects can watch videos to hear directly from current officers, learn what to expect during their application journey, understand salary structures, and get in touch with recruiters for more info. Ads from the campaign are focused on social media and streaming platforms, where they’re likelier to reach young people just starting their career, and includes placements on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Hulu, and more.
The department has also expanded efforts to recruit highly trained individuals from the U.S. Military through the SkillBridge Program. This federal program, which SPD joined in January 2025, helps service members who are preparing to leave the military to gain valuable civilian work experience through internships, apprenticeships, or training programs during their last 180 days of active duty. It connects service members with industry partners, providing them with opportunities to explore career options and develop job skills relevant to the civilian workforce. SPD has hired 22 entry-level officers through this program so far this year.
When the department hires a recruit, that person begins a learning journey that includes both soft skills and hard skills. The time it takes for an entry-level officer to go from submitting her or his application to graduating from the academy takes about 18 months.
Before they enter the academy, recruits undergo unique training developed in 2022 called Before the Badge. During this five-week course, they learn how to build relationships with the community, emotional intelligence and empathy, de-escalation techniques, wellness tools, and other foundational knowledge and leadership qualities necessary to succeed as community partners and department leaders. Recruits also get the chance to immerse themselves in and learn about Seattle’s diverse communities and neighborhoods.
For anyone looking for a new career, visit SeattlePoliceJobs.com and see how the Seattle Police Department is redefining exceptional policing in the 21st century.,