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The future of policing in Seattle has become one of the central debates for candidates running for mayor in 2021. So, where do they each stand on the future of SPD?

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On Thursday, one of those candidates — Andrew Grant Houston — offered an ultimatum to his fellow challengers: either support defunding the Seattle Police Department by at least 50%, or “drop out.”

Houston’s campaign issued his challenge , calling on “all candidates in the race for Seattle Mayor to propose more than just fixing what is an inherently broken system of policing in our city and beyond.”

Last summer, seven of nine sitting Seattle councilmembers — including current mayoral candidate Lorena Gonzalez — voiced their support for cutting SPD’s budget in half. In the months that followed, that fervor died down amid a lengthy battle within City Hall, with the council eventually committing to less dramatic reductions.

Houston cited that in his letter, pointing to “candidates who, with direct influence over SPD鈥檚 budget, committed to defunding by 50% only to walk back their statements when it was no longer trendy to lay claim to the hashtag.”

“SPD鈥檚 budget is nearly double what it was 10 years ago, and we are not twice as safe,” he continued. “Defunding SPD by at least 50%, and investing in community and alternatives to public safety, is necessary. The time is now.”

Among the six major candidates who’ve raised , Houston is the only one to explicitly support defunding the city’s police department.

Other proposals run the gamut. That includes , who says the city should move its traffic safety and mental health crisis support “into the community,” and establish a Public Safety Department staffed by mental health workers and neighborhood liaisons.

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Former Council President Bruce Harrell be required to watch the full video of George Floyd’s murder, and voluntarily sign a letter saying that “the inhumane treatment of fellow human beings will not be tolerated in Seattle.” He also addresses the debate over the department’s funding, calling on city leaders to “move beyond the arbitrary and divisive public safety budget debates,” and invest money in training for officers, as well as for hiring social workers and addiction specialists.

Gonzalez’s stated position on her campaign website is more concise, simply stating that she envisions “a Seattle where public safety is completely reimagined: [where] policing is demilitarized and held accountable to the public.”

Economic developer Lance Randall sits furthest away from Houston’s “defund” stance, that is “adequately funded, staffed and supported,” and proposing the creation of a Public Safety Youth Academy “to train young people from our local community to carry the torch as the next generation of those who will keep Seattle residents safe.”

While former state lawmaker Jessyn Farrell has been competitive in raising early campaign funds, her website on policing, focusing more on post-pandemic economic recovery, wealth inequality, and public education.