WGME, by Tammy Mutasa: Seattle Police officers who are leaving the department gave scathing responses during their exit interviews.
KOMO obtained the exit interviews — which blamed city leadership, to riots and low morale for leaving the department.
Brutal and blunt — in their own words, SPD officers did not hold back their reasons for leaving the force.
One retiring patrol sergeant who had been on the force for more than 20 years said, “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.”
When asked: “What factors had a negative effect on morale in the department?”
One officer whose job is up in the air said, “The council wanting to defund us and gaining ground doing it. Rioters not being charged even when they assault officers.”
Another patrol officer from the East Precinct who was resigning after 6-10 years of service offered this explanation for leaving the department, “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.”
When followed up with the question: “What did you enjoy least about working at SPD?”
The officer said, “I enjoyed almost every aspect of working with Seattle PD itself. The one thing that I enjoyed the least was the handling of the last three months of riots.”
Jim Fuda is the Crimestoppers Director of Law Enforcement Services which works with SPD. He said the responses point to a hostile and non-supportive work environment for officers.
“It’s ridiculous,” Fuda said. “Just when you think it can’t get more, inane, it does.”
In response to the question: “Would you like to work for SPD again in the future?”
Some said they’re open to the opportunity if things change “drastically.”
One K-9 officer who’s resigning after more than 11 years said, “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.”
“It’s an absolute joke and a travesty for the rest of the citizens here in this city, this once beautiful city,” said Fuda. “Our police department is there to protect all of us and because of the cutbacks and the retirements, who’s going to protect our public safety.”
According to the exit interviews, some of the SPD officers are leaving for departments like Everett, Des Moines, Kennewick and the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office—places they said they feel like they will get more support.
Prophetic Link:
“At the same time anarchy is seeking to sweep away all law, not only divine, but human. The centralizing of wealth and power; the vast combinations for the enriching of the few at the expense of the many; the combinations of the poorer classes for the defense of their interests and claims; the spirit of unrest, of riot and bloodshed; the world-wide dissemination of the same teachings that led to the French Revolution—all are tending to involve the whole world in a struggle similar to that which convulsed France.” Education, page 228.2.