Mayor delivers first budget, proposes to hire 100 new cops

SEATTLE -- Mayor Ed Murray is promising to add 100 new officers to the Seattle Police Department over the next few years.

His pledge came Monday afternoon as he presented his first budget as mayor.

Murray told City Council members and the community that public safety will be his highest priority going forward.

“Seattle has more people than at any point in history, but the number of fully trained officers has actually decreased in recent years,” Murray said.  “By the end of 2016 we will have the highest number of fully trained officers in the Seattle Police Department’s history.”

Murray also announced a new Office of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, a response to the recent high-profile incidents in the NFL that have triggered a nationwide conversation.

Despite a record $1 billion spending plan, Murray warned that city services won’t keep up with the fast pace of growth that Seattle has experienced.