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Seattle to pay $220K in last-minute police, dispatcher hiring bonuses authorized by former mayor

Councilmembers criticized the former mayor’s actions on Tuesday, saying she illegally authorized the payments to continue into the new year

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In this Sept. 2, 2020, file photo Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan addresses a news conference about changes being made in the police department in Seattle.

AP Photo/Elaine Thompson

By Sarah Grace Taylor
The Seattle Times

SEATTLE — The Seattle City Council voted Tuesday to retroactively authorize $220,000 in hiring bonuses sanctioned by former Mayor Jenny Durkan on her way out of office, condemning Durkan’s actions and calling for reform.

Last month, council members became aware of a last-minute maneuver by Durkan to extend her order offering the bonuses beyond a sunset period set by council, after 5 police officers and 14 9-1-1 dispatchers had been offered the incentives after Jan. 1, when they believed the program had ended.

Now, they’ve voted to pay the amounts pledged to employees.

“I don’t think it’s fair to the employees who have been offered employment or a hiring bonus and it’s not fair to this council who was very clear about our intent, both related to policy and the specific provisos with the Seattle Police Department,” Councilmember and budget chair Teresa Mosqueda said Tuesday.

In October, Durkan issued an emergency order authorizing hiring bonuses of up to $25,000 for laterally hired and $10,000 for newly hired officers and dispatchers to the Seattle Police Department and the Community Safety and Communications Center.

Council members voted in November to limit the order to $500,000 and end the bonuses at the end of the year, when Durkan’s term ended, making room for an alternative incentive plan for understaffed departments.

“I’m thankful to those who have accepted employment offers and want to serve as public servants to the city of Seattle, but want it to be clear that” the city was trying to have policy conversations around “hiring bonuses for this year,” Mosqueda said, citing an effort by Councilmember Lisa Herbold who introduced Tuesday’s ordinance.

At the end of her last business day in office, Durkan sent memos to the CSCC and SPD department heads, instructing them to continue with the bonuses in the new year.

“Based on consultations with legal counsel, it has been concluded that the City Council’s actions to limit the emergency order were not effective,” Durkan wrote in the memos dated Dec. 30. “Thus, you should continue to hire and implement the terms of the order, until incoming Mayor Harrell or the City Council effectively act extend or alter the terms of the order.”

Durkan’s memo claimed that council had failed to “endeavor to act” to amend her emergency order within 48 hours of the order’s passage, and was nullified.

In a separate memo the same day, Durkan noitified incoming Mayor Bruce Harrell of the decision.

Representatives of the administration said they did not see the memo, sent at 6 p.m. on Dec. 30, and were not made aware of the ongoing bonuses until Herbold raised the issue in late January.

Harrell then immediately ordered both departments to stop offering the incentive.

According to council central staff Deputy Director Aly Pennucci, Durkan’s actions were in violation of the council’s changes to the emergency order and a 2022 budget proviso that prohibits SPD from spending 2022 salary savings without approval from the council.

With Tuesday’s vote, the January bonuses are all retroactively approved and SPD is authorized to spend $50,000 in salary savings to pay their bonuses.

Councilmembers criticized Durkan’s actions on Tuesday, but commended Harrell for working more closely with the council.

“I’m very grateful the Harrell administration is taking a collaborative approach to governing,” Herbold said. “It is a relief to have a mayor and an administration that recognizes council’s authority.”

Councilmember Tammy Morales later added, “I look forward to working with a mayor who understands and respects the separation of powers and brings some management experience to the executive branch.”

Mosqueda condemned Durkan’s actions, calling them “unacceptable.” Mosqueda also said she had hoped to amend Tuesday’s ordinance to hold Durkan financially responsible for the $50,000 spent on SPD bonuses, but was advised by central staff that there is no precedent to do so under the current title.

Mosqueda said she would “look for other ways to recoup the expenses, specific to SPD.”

A spokesperson for Durkan did not answer specific questions about the memos on Tuesday, but issued a statement defending Durkan’s actions.

“Former Mayor Durkan issued the emergency order because last year Seattle City Council failed to take any steps to retain and hire more qualified police officers and Seattle was in the middle of a public safety emergency that has unfortunately continued,” the statement reads.

Durkan’s spokesperson said legal counsel “confirmed” that council acted outside of the timeframe, later noting that the former mayor consulted the “City Attorney’s Office, outside counsel and her own legal counsel” about the matter.

“Former Mayor Durkan believes hiring and recruitment bonuses are a critical tool to ensure the city can provide basic public safety for 911 calls as SPD works to increase the number of officers,” she wrote. “We continue to lose good officers and a chance at getting the best recruits. Former Mayor Durkan is glad the City Council acted and will follow this short term fix by working with Mayor Harrell on his long term vision for public safety in Seattle.”

A report on a potential citywide incentive program is expected to be presented to council in mid-March, according to Herbold.

(c)2022 The Seattle Times

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