SEATTLE — Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson has confirmed that she has accepted the resignation of police chief Shon Barnes.
Reports on Wednesday night indicated that Wilson asked Barnes to resign, but at the time, Barnes did not confirm nor say what his reaction was.
At 3:30 p.m., the mayor’s office released a statement that Wilson has accepted Barnes’ resignation.
In a statement, Barnes said:
“It has been an honor to serve the Seattle Police Department and this city,” said Chief Barnes. “The men and women of this department show up every single day with professionalism and dedication, and what they did in the aftermath of the Bite of Seattle tragedy reflects the very best of who they are. I am proud of them and I have deep faith in the future of this department and in the vision for community-based policing that is taking root here. Seattle is committed to building a department that is truly connected to the communities it serves, and I believe in where that work is headed. I hope this transition gives the city and this department the opportunity to return full focus to what matters most, addressing youth gun violence and preventing more tragedies. That work is too important, and Seattle deserves nothing less.”
In a statement, Mayor Wilson said:
“Chief Barnes has served this department and this city with dedication, and I am grateful for his service,” said Mayor Wilson. “The courage and professionalism that the officers of the Seattle Police Department showed deserves to be honored. I share Chief Barnes’ hope that we can return our focus to addressing youth gun violence and ensuring that every family can feel safe in their neighborhood and across the city.”
Barnes’ criticsm this last week
The move comes after a mass shooting at Bite of Seattle at Seattle Center on Sunday, July 26, where three people were killed and at least four others injured.
Attendees and the public have scrutinized the city of Seattle and Seattle police for waiting several hours before addressing the public or providing any updates.
During a press conference the following day, another issue became a source of controversy: a local reporter grilled Barnes about splitting his time between Seattle and Chicago, and his travel and living schedule came into question. Records show Barnes’ family currently lives in Chicago.
Barnes was out of town on Sunday when the mass shooting took place, and was notably absent from the initial press conference held late Sunday night. When questioned, he told reporters he was attending the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Officers conference in Dallas, Texas.
He was absent again from Monday evening’s press update, but did speak to the media on Tuesday, where he said he lives in Seattle and is happy to be here.
Elected officials react
Joint statement from 4 Seattle city councilmembers
Today Council President Joy Hollingsworth (District 3), Councilmember Dan Strauss (District 6), Councilmember Debora Juarez (District 5), Councilmember Bob Kettle (District 7, Public Safety Chair), released this statement following an official announcement from Mayor Katie B. Wilson that Police Chief Shon Barnes has resigned.
“Our city faces profound public safety challenges, from youth gun violence destroying lives to drug markets and human trafficking plaguing our neighborhoods. After the Seattle Center shooting, our focus should be on the lives lost and how we can address gun violence in our city. Tackling these crises and creating a safer Seattle requires strong, stable leadership.
“When communities are grieving, major decisions should be made with great deliberation; making a significant leadership change in this moment puts our city in a precarious situation. Having cycled through four police chiefs in just two and a half years, our priority must be stability, not further disruption. The people of Seattle deserve reliable leadership, especially as we close out a busy summer of public events. “Right now, our focus should be on keeping residents and visitors safe, providing stability and clear leadership, reducing gun violence in Southeast Seattle and ensuring public safety agencies are coordinated and delivering timely alerts and public information.”
“We stand with community members who came forward today to express their support for Chief Barnes and the work he has been doing. We are disappointed to see his departure and thank him for his service.”
Seattle City Councilmember Rob Saka (District 1)
“If indeed, media reports turn out to be true, I am deeply disappointed by Mayor Wilson’s decision to remove Chief Barnes from his position as Seattle’s Chief of Police. At a time when our police department needs stability, consistency, and strong leadership, this decision takes us in the wrong direction.
“Our police department has experienced far too much leadership turnover in recent years. Seattle has cycled through chief after chief, and every leadership transition comes at a significant cost. It disrupts morale, weakens continuity, slows the implementation of long-term reforms, and makes it harder for the men and women of the Seattle Police Department to remain focused on delivering the services our communities deserve.
“Under Chief Barnes’ leadership, Seattle has made meaningful progress. Violent crime has declined, the department has continued rebuilding after years of staffing losses, and important work has been underway to strengthen public trust. The mayor’s decision completely undermines this progress.
“I have worked with Chief Barnes and have confidence in his ability to lead. He is a man of integrity, and I believe he is the right person for this job. He is also one of the few Black police chiefs to lead Seattle. Representation matters, particularly as we work to address gun violence and strengthen trust across all of our communities. I am grateful for Chief Barnes’ service and the personal sacrifices he has made on behalf of our city, and I want to acknowledge the steady, principled leadership he has brought to the department during a challenging period for public safety.
“Though we have no official confirmation, still, I urge Mayor Wilson to reconsider this decision and explain why removing a chief who has overseen measurable improvements in public safety is in the city’s best interest. Seattle cannot afford another period of uncertainty at the top of its police department. I remain committed to ensuring our city has a police department that is well-led, fully staffed, accountable, and capable of keeping every neighborhood safe.”
Downtown Seattle Association president and CEO Jon Scholes
“We are disappointed by Mayor Wilson’s decision to remove Chief Sean Barnes from his position as Seattle’s police chief.
The Downtown Seattle Association has valued our partnership with Chief Barnes and the Seattle Police Department under his leadership. Chief Barnes brought a collaborative approach to public safety, actively engaged stakeholders and worked across organizations to address some of downtown’s and Seattle’s most pressing challenges.
Chief Barnes deserves credit for the progress made under his leadership. From advancing officer hiring to helping reduce violent crime, Seattle has been moving in the right direction. While there is still significant and important work ahead, the steps forward we have made should not be taken for granted. Or worse, lost.
Seattle City Councilmember Alexis Mercedes Rinck (Position 8)
“Our community has been in mourning. This past weekend alone, 13 of our neighbors were shot, injured, or killed from gun violence.
“This includes a shooting on Thursday evening that injured three women off Aurora Avenue, another that happened in Capitol Hill that left three people injured early Saturday morning, and Sunday’s mass shooting at Seattle Center’s Bite of Seattle event killed three people and injured four people, including a two-year old.
“This continued violence is traumatic and unacceptable for everyone who calls Seattle home.
“At a time like this, the people of Seattle deserve leadership who are focused on working together to improve public safety and restore confidence in their government. That remains my highest priority.
“I am disappointed that I found out about the possible dismissal of Chief Barnes from reports on social media last night and did not receive any update or information about this development from the Mayor or Mayor’s Office until mid-morning today. Chief Barnes’ recent interactions with press have been concerning, but I have yet to receive an explanation of what decisions have or haven’t been made, or a full rationale behind why any decision has been made.
“While I respect the distinct roles and responsibilities of each branch of government, in order to have a government that works, the City Council, the Mayor, and the City Attorney must work together.
“As we navigate next steps, let’s make this is a moment where City Hall takes the work of good governance seriously, where communications between branches are improved, and we are working together for the safety of our residents.”
Strong public safety depends on steady leadership, strong partnerships and a commitment to building on what is working. The progress we’ve made has come through close coordination among SPD, city leaders, businesses, service providers and community organizations.
The selection of Seattle’s next police chief is one of the most important decisions facing our city. We call on Mayor Wilson to choose a leader who will sustain this progress, continue rebuilding the department, strengthen partnerships and maintain an unwavering focus on public safety downtown and across the entire city. We cannot afford to lose momentum or backslide on the gains we’ve worked so hard to achieve.”
Councilmember Martiza Rivera (District 4)
Today, Councilmember Maritza Rivera (District 4) released the following statement regarding unofficial reports that Mayor Katie Wilson has fired Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes:
“It has been 24 hours since rumors started swirling about the firing of Chief Barnes, and we have not heard one word from Mayor Wilson. This is unacceptable.
“If true, the impulsive and reckless decision to fire Chief Shon Barnes is the latest in a series of missteps, including her inadequate response to serious gun violence in our city. Her lack of experience and her incompetence have led to poor decision making and put the safety of our communities at risk.
“Chief Barnes has outstanding experience. He is nationally recognized for his crime reduction work and his efforts to build better relations between police and community.
“In my district alone, Chief Barnes’ model of community policing has made a significant, positive difference. In my personal experience, I have found Chief Barnes to be responsive and collaborative in ways that a police chief should be.
“SPD’s and Fire’s handling of the tragic events at Seattle Center was stellar; I have heard that directly from people who were there. Instead of commending Chief Barnes’ department for its swift and effective response, it is clear, and very unfortunate, that the mayor has decided to play politics and to pin her delayed and inadequate response to this weekend’s tragedy on a well-respected and effective police chief.”
Seattle Police Officer’s Guild (SPOG)
“Seattle doesn’t need another week of political drama. It needs leadership. SPOG has repeatedly called for proactive public safety measures that could help prevent tragedies like Sunday’s shooting. Instead, Mayor Katie’s administration has delivered confusion, mixed messages, and chaos surrounding Chief Barnes. The distractions keep coming. The solutions don’t. Seattle deserves a mayor focused on preventing the next tragedy- not managing the next political crisis. Unfortunately, Mayor Katie has made it clear that public safety is not her administration’s priority.”
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