Photo: GEOFFROY VAN DER HASSELT / AFP / Getty Images
Seattle police officers are being asked to repay $13 million to the city due to a payroll error made in 2024. The city mistakenly calculated a retroactive pay increase of six percent using 2020 base rates instead of 2024 rates, leading to overpayments for more than 900 officers. Some officers may need to repay up to $20,000 each.
The error was identified in mid-July, and officers were notified in September. The city plans to negotiate with the Seattle Police Officers Guild (SPOG) to determine repayment methods, as required by state law. The guild has already filed a grievance on behalf of affected employees.
The Seattle Mayor's Office confirmed that the overpayment was due to a manual data oversight, not a system glitch. The city is implementing new oversight standards to prevent future errors. Despite the repayment requirement, the police department's budget will not be affected, and the issue is considered a one-time expense impacting only the current 2026 budget.
City officials are unsure how long the repayment process will take, as it involves formal bargaining and grievance procedures. The Seattle Police Officers Guild is preparing a statement regarding the situation.
For more details, visit the Fox 13 Seattle and KOMO News reports.