Includes one professional staff to coordinate the ‘30×30’ Initiative

Today, as part of the Council’s balancing package, Councilmember Rob Saka (District 1) adds one additional Seattle Police Department staff to advance a department-wide effort to meet the goal of having 30% women on the police force by 2030. The program, known as the 30×30, is designed to bolster the participation of women in law enforcement. Councilmember Sakas’s budget proposal would come from salary savings from civilian positions, not sworn office positions.

“Thirty by thirty is an important initiative to transform the culture of the Seattle Police Department and create more accountability by ensuring that women’s voices can be heard as part of the department,” said Councilmember Saka. “That’s why I’m proud to support the creation of a dedicated staff member to advance the 30×30 program. I look forward to working with colleagues to get this done, within the current resources available.”

Statement by Councilmember Cathy Moore (District 5): 

“We must address barriers to recruiting and retaining women sworn officers to make desperately needed progress on our public safety crisis. Women officers use force less often, and less excessive force; see better outcomes for crime victims, especially of sexual assault, and are named less often in complaints and lawsuits; these are all qualities we need in our police force. The 30×30 initiative is doing incredible work to transform the atmosphere at SPD and thus maintaining women officers. Now is the time to build on the momentum that the volunteer group has started and create a paid position to coordinate this vital work to demonstrate Seattle’s investment in our women officers.”

Statement by Council Budget Chair Dan Strauss (District 6):

“I am thankful to Councilmember Saka and Councilmember Moore for championing this work, because supporting the 30×30 Initiative is one of the most important things we can do for our police department. I am proud to include this in our balancing package.”

Background

The Seattle Police Women’s Alliance, a nonprofit affinity group comprised of women officers and command staff, have expressed support for an additional staff as well as additional discrete investments in new programming that further strengthens work within this initiative.

Councilmember Saka’s budget proposal is in line with and in support of other internal department efforts underway led by Chief Sue Rahr. The full Council has, since January, adopted a sweeping series of legislation to support public safety, including supporting competitive pay for sworn officers and streamlining the recruitment and retention process. This includes a police hiring bill passed by the Council in May. 

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