Applications are coming in for Seattle’s next police chief.
“I don’t know exactly what that number is, but people want that job,” said Mayor Katie Wilson on Tuesday.
KIRO 7 asked Mayor Wilson if she would prefer to hire someone within the department or outside it.
“I will say that I have an open mind on that,” she said. “I would say if I have a bias, it is to promote from within. I really want our police department to be a place where officers can see opportunities for advancement, where there’s those opportunities for training, for building their careers. And I think we’ve got a lot of great people in this police department, so I want to honor that.”
Interim Police Chief Andre Sayles told KIRO 7 Tuesday he had not decided whether he would apply for the job.
“I haven’t made that decision yet, and once I get to that, I’m not sure if I’ll let people know because once again it’s about the Seattle Police Department,” he said.
Sayles was appointed to the position after Mayor Wilson asked former Chief Shon Barnes to resign.
Sayles, who joined the department in 2025, brings more than 20 years of law enforcement experience.
Sayles joined the Seattle Police Department as deputy chief of administration and investigations after serving more than two decades with the Beloit Police Department in Wisconsin. During his career there, he spent four years as police chief, served 12 years on the department’s SWAT team and held several leadership roles.
According to an SPD webpage, Beloit saw an 81% reduction in gunshot victims and an 80% decline in open-air shootings during Sayles’ tenure as chief.
Sayles is currently the subject of an Office of Police Accountability investigation, OPA confirmed Tuesday.
Publicola reports the investigation surrounds allegations that Sayles retaliated against a detective who spoke at a pro-LGBTQ rally with department permission.
KIRO 7 asked Sayles about the complaint on Tuesday.
“I’ll be very brief in my comment because it is an ongoing investigation and it’s against me,” he said. “So there are some things I can and cannot say. OPA does a fantastic job. I did file a complaint in regard to that matter back in December of 2025. I believe in the OPA process. Looking forward to the conclusion of it, and we’ll just move forward from there.”
When it comes to the search for the next chief, Mayor Wilson has established a Chief of Police Search Advisory Committee to be composed of law enforcement executive professionals and community leaders with direct experience in public safety and policing matters to evaluate candidates based on community input and recommend candidates to the mayor.
There is also a survey that you can fill out where you can tell leaders what you’d like to see in the next police chief here.
fill out a survey of what you’d like to see in the next police chief here.
The planned timeline for the chief of police search is:
- August: Job posting and announcement
- September-October: Community outreach and engagement
- October-November: Candidate review with advisory committee
- November-December: Candidate Examination and finalist interviews with the mayor
The mayor is expected to announce her selection in early 2027.
“Successful candidates will be visionary leaders with an unwavering commitment to safety for all and a thorough understanding of constitutional policing in a major metropolitan area. They bring expertise from their law enforcement leadership experience, including significant executive-level experience within a complex policing organization. As the next chief of police, they will build on Seattle’s completed and ongoing reforms, demonstrating their ability to drive positive change and shape culture. The position is open to all candidates who meet the minimum job requirements and demonstrate alignment with the qualifications described,” the mayor’s office said.
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