The city of Seattle is now recruiting DACA recipients (illegal immigrants) to become police officers.
City leaders previously defunded and demoralized the police force. Once people realized the impact and found it difficult to locate an officer when needed, the city tried to recruit new officers but faced a shortage of applicants.
This is their latest effort to address the problem they created.
WOW. Seattle Police is now accepting applications from DACA recipients. What could go wrong??
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) June 19, 2024
The city lost 725 officers over the last five years. The department was looking to hire 34 new officers in the first quarter of 2024 but was only able to get 11, falling way short of… pic.twitter.com/ESL2HHX1kn
Jason Rantz reported at KTTH Radio:
Faced with an unprecedented shortage of officers, the Seattle Police Department (SPD) is actively recruiting recipients of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival Status (DACA) to become cops. It’s possible thanks to bipartisan legislation that went into effect on June 6.
Senate Bill 6157 allows DACA recipients to apply for civil service jobs across Washington State. These include police officer, firefighter and sheriff’s deputies. Prior to the legislation, they were prohibited from holding these positions.
The bill is getting renewed scrutiny after a LinkedIn job application post from the SPD for DACA recipients started receiving attention. The ad explains the SPD “is now accepting applications from DACA recipients! Apply Now!”
Seattle is not alone in hiring DACA recipients for police positions. Earlier in the year, the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) made the same move. They even altered its written firearms policy to allow DACA cops to carry a firearm while off-duty.
With new guidance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), DACA recipients are allowed to carry firearms and ammunition if it’s part of official law enforcement officer duties. But any local agency hiring DACA recipients must reform their gun policies to make it clear that their DACA employees can carry firearms.
SPD and LAPD recruiting undocumented immigrants as police officers. Unbelievable. Maybe they should think about why they have so few officers before making such a radical move. https://t.co/taLtgXWGLv
— Yishai Levin (@YishaiLevin) June 18, 2024
What could go wrong? https://t.co/9abqoMdagx
— StopWokeCulture 🇺🇸 (@MkayUokay) June 17, 2024
Are you an unemployed illegal alien who likes guns?
— YoGringo 🇺🇲 (@TiStick) June 17, 2024
Move to Seattle and become a police officer! https://t.co/4F3iAtUqAb
