Washington’s crime crisis: Now featuring a $100M band-aid

When "Defund the Police" Meets "Where Did All the Cops Go?"

Ah, Washington State—the land of breathtaking landscapes, billionaire tech CEOs, and a crime problem so out of control that even Bob Ferguson is scrambling to re-fund the police before the next election.

After years of pushing “defund the police” policies, Washington now has the fewest law enforcement officers per capita in the nation—and it’s not even close. To fix this self-inflicted disaster, Ferguson is proposing a $100 millionpolice hiring package—because apparently, you need to burn the house down before realizing you should’ve kept the fire department funded.

The Great Washington Cop Shortage: Help Wanted (Seriously, We’re Desperate)

For the 13th year in a row, Washington has the lowest number of police officers per capita in the nation—because who needs public safety when you can have progressive Twitter likes instead? Despite years of “recruitment efforts,” we’re still sitting at only 10,666 officers statewide.

Even better? Ferguson’s $100 million spending plan is coming at the same time Washington faces a $6 billion budget shortfall left by former Gov. Jay Inslee—but don’t worry, Olympia will probably just hike your taxes again to cover the difference.

Crime Rates: Less “Law & Order,” More “Grand Theft Auto”

While some cities like Federal Way are reporting a 50% drop in murder rates and a 52% decline in car thefts, don’t let that fool you.

Here’s what’s actually happening across the state:

🚔 Vehicle thefts are up 112% since 2019.

🚔 Washington’s murder rate has skyrocketed 87% since 2019—five times the national average.

But sure, tell us again how “crime is going down.”

Seattle’s Never-Ending Staffing Crisis

Seattle’s police force is in free fall, and no amount of performative “re-funding” will fix it overnight. As of December 2024, the city had 848 deployable officers—about 600 officers short of what’s needed for a city its size.

For context, back in 1958, Seattle had 918 officers—when the population was 550,000. Today, Seattle’s pushing 750,000 residents but has fewer officers. If that sounds like a bad idea, it’s because it is.

Even with signing bonuses up to $50,000, SPD is still projected to lose more officers than it hires in 2024.

It’s almost as if years of anti-police rhetoric, restrictive laws, and demoralization made cops not want to work here.Who knew?

The Blame Game: Who’s Holding the Hot Potato Now?

Of course, Ferguson’s proposal is already facing resistance from his own party. Some progressive lawmakers argue that increasing police funding without major “reforms” isn’t enough. Meanwhile, crime victims and regular Washingtonians just want to know if their 911 calls will be answered by an actual officer or just an automated “good luck” message.

The Pursuit of Inaction: Washington’s Police Chase Problem

In 2021, Washington lawmakers, in their infinite wisdom, decided to restrict police pursuits, making it nearly impossible for officers to chase suspects unless they had probable cause for violent crimes or sex offenses. Because, apparently, letting criminals drive away is the new strategy for public safety.

Fast forward to today, and surprise! Crime has surged, and even some Democrats are scratching their heads, wondering if maybe, just maybe, neutering police pursuits wasn’t the best idea. Now, there’s talk of loosening these restrictions to allow chases based on reasonable suspicion for crimes like DUI and domestic violence.

But don’t hold your breath. The same lawmakers who tied the hands of police are now debating just how much slack to give back, all while Washingtonians are left playing a real-life game of Grand Theft Auto.

The Bottom Line: Washington’s Crime Crisis Is Self-Inflicted

For years, Washington Democrats demonized police, slashed budgets, and passed laws that made it harder to arrest criminals. Now, crime is out of control, and they’re pretending to be shocked that no one wants to be a cop anymore.

Their solution? Throw $100 million at the problem while still refusing to fix the disastrous policies that got us here in the first place.

If you’re tired of the catch-and-release crime wave, officer shortages, and politicians acting like they just realized crime is bad, it’s time to push back:

✅ Call Your Legislators – Demand they not just fund police, but restore law and order.
✅ Hold Elected Officials Accountable – Inslee, Ferguson & Co. created this mess—don’t let them rewrite history.
✅ Stay Informed – Subscribe to The Steelhead Alliance and help expose the insanity.

Washington Democrats spent years wrecking public safety. Now they want you to believe they’ve suddenly seen the light. Are you buying it?