More than 900 Seattle police officers are going to have to pay back a combined $ 13 million after city officials say a payroll error sent extra money to them.VO
More than 900 Seattle police officers are going to have to pay back a combined $ 13 million after city officials say a payroll error sent extra money to them.
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The issue stems from a labor contract with the Seattle Police Officers Guild (SPOG) that went into effect earlier this year.
That contract included a retroactive pay increase of 6% for the year 2024.
When the city calculated the raise, it used the officer base salary from 2020 instead of 2024, which resulted in a larger retroactive pay increase, according to a statement from the office of Mayor Katie Wilson.
Officers who worked for the department in 2024 received the retroactive pay increase as a one-time payment in their paychecks on June 12.
In July, Seattle Police contact the City Budget Office (CBO) to report a discrepancy in the 2026 budget related to the retroactive payments. Officers were notified in September of the amount they will be expected to pay back to the city.
Several officers have told KOMO News they have been asked to pay back between $10,000 and $20,000.
"As required by law, the City will engage in bargaining with SPOG over the method by which SPOG members will repay the overpayments," Wilson's office said in a statement. "Seattle Police Department, City Budget Office, and Office of City Finance are coordinating efforts to enhance internal controls to prevent recurrence."
The statement adds that the issue is a one-time expense and will not affect the police budget moving forward.
