For immediate release: September 15th, 2025
Contact: Marta Johnson

Katie Wilson Denies Past Comments on Abolishing SPD

Seattle – In the Seattle Channel’s 2025 Mayoral Debate, Katie Wilson denied direct quotes she made to the press about abolishing SPD. Mayor Bruce Harrell raised Wilson’s comments on wanting “to move towards a future entirely without SPD,” in the context of her record advocating for defunding the police and approach to addressing Seattle’s public safety needs.

Wilson replied, “I never said that.”

But reporting from the time says the opposite. In a 2020 Publicola blog post about the so-called Solidarity Budget, which Wilson continued to support in subsequent years, Wilson stated, “we want to move towards a future entirely without SPD; we want to focus energy elsewhere.”

Publicola.com, November 2, 2020

Despite trying to ignore or deflect from her past positions, Wilson was one of Seattle’s most outspoken advocates for defunding, writing multiple op-eds in support of the concept, urging and influencing the City Council to pass the “Solidarity Budget” and adopt a resolution pledging to defund SPD by 50%, and stating, as crime was skyrocketing, “there’s never been a better time to try.”

Wilson celebrated when the Seattle City Council cut police funding by 20%,  quoted as being “hopeful” that “this attrition strategy will actually reduce SPD numbers as the next year goes on.” These cuts led to a mass exodus of officers, low morale, and the city’s lowest staffing since at least 1991.

By contradicting past statements, Wilson is now trying to mislead voters who are becoming aware of her positions for the first time.

In complete contrast, Mayor Harrell is running on his consistent record of results– and vision for a safer, more just Seattle. Harrell has stabilized SPD staffing and created a new CARE Department– a national model for compassionate unarmed response.

“We both have records. While Wilson’s is mired in contradiction and a dangerous return to the past, I am proud to focus on shared values and priorities, ” said Harrell. “I am going to expand the CARE Department, continue reducing response times, and build on the record of accountability and trust rooted in my lived experience and the needs of our diverse communities.”