Mayor nominates new Seattle Police chief: Shon Barnes from Madison, Wisconsin

As speculated in citywide media in recent days, Mayor Bruce Harrell has chosen Madison, Wisconsin, Police Chief Shon Barnes as the next Seattle Police Chief. The announcement says Barnes “brings to Seattle a record of accomplishment, including implementing solutions that have driven a 67% decrease in homicides, a 40% decrease in auto thefts, and a 19% decrease in reports of shots fired so far in 2024, as well as advancing strategies to build an inclusive police service where 28% of officers are women.” The announcement adds, “Mayor Harrell will welcome Chief Barnes to Seattle with a public event in January, and Chief Barnes will begin a series of meetings with community members in city neighborhoods.” In Madison this week, he has been dealing with a high-profile case, a deadly school shooting. Barnes has been Madison chief for three and a half years, and has worked in law enforcement for 24 years, according to his Madison PD bio. If confirmed, he will succeed Interim Chief Sue Rahr, who came out of retirement earlier this year to lead SPD while a new chief was found in the wake of Adrian Diaz‘s then-demotion; she was not seeking the permanent position. You can read the full announcement here; it also notes:

There were 57 total applications received from across the United States which were reviewed and narrowed to a list of 44 qualified candidates. The top four candidates were invited to take a competitive exam in November, as required by the City Charter. Three candidates – Chief Barnes; Nicholas Augustine, Assistant Chief of the Montgomery County, Maryland, Department of Police; and Emada Tingirides, Deputy Chief, Los Angeles Police Department – passed the exam and were forwarded to Mayor Harrell for his consideration and final selection.

The city announcement also notes that the SPD chief’s job description was shaped by input from public-safety forums held around the city earlier this year; the one for the Southwest Precinct was a lightly attended event in South Park (WSB coverage here) two weeks before then-Chief Diaz was demoted.

Actually Mike December 20, 2024 (11:39 am)

I attended the May public safety forum in South Park , and I think that there were more people there than your coverage suggests. People began leaving quickly, though, when it became clear that Mayor Harrell was a no-show and the whole show seemed to be mostly for show. This administration has never really seemed interested in public safety issues in District 1, which is why I’ll find someone else to vote for next time around.

Hopeful December 20, 2024 (12:09 pm)

Welcome and good luck. Maybe he can authorize cops to actually do their jobs again, like NOT calling off the chase against the DWI suspect as noted in the earlier post. I heard the cops flying down Graham at a high rate of speed last night, and just incredulous to read that their “only” probable cause was for a hit and run on an unoccupied vehicle. There we have it, folks, the current state of atrophy that is now the Seattle justice system. To the Mayor and Chief Barnes: Get it right. Get cops hired and back on patrol and enforcing the public safety laws we rely on you for. Enough of this look the other way BS. Traffic crimes property crimes, personal assault and battery crimes–enough! Do your JOBS! Again, best of luck and welcome to the Wild West, West Seattle, Chief.

K December 20, 2024 (3:04 pm)

He was chosen by the same guy that chose the last one, so I’m expecting more of the same. Hopefully without the lies and lack of transparency of Diaz.

wetone December 20, 2024 (12:52 pm)

Here we go again…. have lost all faith in Mayor Harrell. why you ask ? let’s continue with his hiring of a police chief having a total of 3yrs experience as a police chief. Serving that intro time as police chief of Madison Wis. having a population of 300k compared to Seattle’s 750+k. Now his resume looks interesting, but where is the experience for leading a city as Seattle with all the current issues and troubled SPD ? He also carry’s some baggage (allegedly)that sounds like some of SPD’s current problems….. Chief Barnes was also turned down from a few other larger city’s looking for a PC. Seattle’s choice in hiring leaders over last 10yrs has been dismal at best, costing taxpayers hugely. Chief Barnes record of accomplishment sounds like he’s a super hero…. until you really look into it… “Madison has seen a 67% decrease in homicides, a 40% decrease in auto thefts, a 36% decrease in burglaries and a 19% decrease in reports of shots fired so far in 2024. It also praised Barnes for “advancing the Madison Police Department’s inclusive workforce initiative that has resulted in 28% of officers being women.”

Anne December 20, 2024 (2:03 pm)

Do you not get the “ appointed” part of this? Just like the KC Sheriff -these folks serve at the pleasure of their bosses-in these cases the Mayor & KC Executive. Yes they must be approved by City & County councils but follow direction of Mayor & Executive. I don’t ever remember being able to vote for a Chief of Police-but we were able to vote for KCS-until a few years ago when voters decided it would be better to have a politician in charge of hiring a Sheriff instead of the people. So in effect it’s the Mayor & the County Executive who are running these police departments -they will appoint folks they can control-who will do their bidding.
- WW Resident December 21, 2024 (12:19 pm)
  
  Let’s keep in mind that the voters literally voted to give away their right to vote for a sheriff. On the same ballot there were two other initiatives (I can’t remember what they were at the top of my head) asking voters to give away their right to vote, which voters happily did. Now our supposed leaders didn’t like the way we voted about natural gas and are suing to reverse the vote. It’s ironic that the biggest threat to democracy around here are the voters and the leaders screeching on about it

Seattlite December 20, 2024 (1:49 pm)

I hope everyone knows why Harrell’s prior pick for Chief of Police, Adrian Diaz, was fired. Harrell has now picked another police chief, Shon Barnes. Let us all hope/pray that Barnes doesn’t have the negative baggage that Diaz carried with him into SPD. Seattle needs a reset when it comes to law and order; safe streets; fully staffed police officers.

Derek December 20, 2024 (2:20 pm)

Can’t trust Harrell

Rhonda December 20, 2024 (7:28 pm)

Amen, Derek.

helpermonkey December 20, 2024 (3:11 pm)

Maybe this new chief can finally address the fact that SPD had the highest contingency of officers at the January 6th insurrection out of all of the departments in the country. And we’re supposed to trust the cops after hearing that? Fix the problems from inside the house first, Chief Barnes.

Vee December 20, 2024 (7:49 pm)

Please give him a chanceThey’re is so much negativity

K December 21, 2024 (11:28 am)

I want to be optimistic, but the hiring process was done entirely behind closed doors, with no public input. Trust requires transparency, and unfortunately Mr. Barnes is going to start off at a deficit because the mayor chose to shut the public out of their decision-making process.
- CarDriver December 21, 2024 (6:50 pm)
  
  K. If the public was giving input we’d probably have(at least) 200 names and it’d take(at least) a couple of years before(most) everyone agreed on a single candidate.
  - WSB December 21, 2024 (6:59 pm)
    
    There was public input in the 2018 search, didn’t lead to a logjam, although the surprise twist came at the end when Carmen Best didn’t make the final cut and outcry resulted in a reversal of that decision …
    https://westseattleblog.com/2018/07/seattle-police-chief-search-mayor-announces-one-finalist-out-interim-chief-carmen-best-back-in/

Kadoo December 20, 2024 (8:17 pm)

A friend who lives in Madison, WI says he’s great and he’s sorry to see him go. So I’m going to be hopeful.

Jay December 21, 2024 (4:00 pm)

Nothing will change as long as Mike Solan and SPOG are running the department.

Actually Mike December 21, 2024 (5:46 pm)

Yep–SPOG seems to be a real impediment to quality policing.
- CarDriver December 21, 2024 (6:56 pm)
  
  Actually Mike;Jay. You have real factual issues to share? Or are you simply union bashing?
  - Nolan December 21, 2024 (10:35 pm)
    
    Spare us. Cops have a state-sponsored monopoly on violence, and it’s a matter of public interest that they cannot bargain to maximize their ability to inflict violence for fun.
  - k December 22, 2024 (7:33 am)
    
    CarDriver I know you’re trying to change the subject because you have no real defense for the indefensible, but I’ll bite. SPOG held up contract talks over language allowing police to be held accountable when they use their position to commit crimes against citizens. When protesters showed up at SPOG headquarters to ask for negotiations that were about worker rights instead of enabling state-sanctioned violence, Mike Solan mocked protesters and escalated what was just a small group chanting until he decided to make it into something big. Remember when the TikTok suitcase bodies almost washed back out to sea? The cops took hours to show up because Solan called them to SPOG HQ, where they (again) put their union ahead of protecting or serving the People of Seattle, the job you and I are paying them to do. We all know about the conversation about the value of Ms. Kandula’s life between SPOG leaders, and how rank-and-file SPOG members couldn’t speak out against them for fear of retaliation. The cops fear their own union more than the mayor, the council, or the taxpayers. Find me one carpenter who is more afraid of their union than their employers or the law. SPOG doesn’t operate like a real union, whose job is to even the balance of power between workers and their bosses. That’s why they were kicked out of the MLKCLC. They’re a union in name only, and everyone involved in the Labor community will tell you that. The citizens of Seattle will never be able to trust their police as long as they continue to behave the way they do, and they will never change as long as they have a thug like Solan making sure the bad apples don’t just stay on the force, but are supported in their actions.
    - CarDriver December 22, 2024 (11:07 am)
      
      I agree there are bad cops. I agree that they must be dealt with. But what I get from your, and others comments is that your hatred for all law enforcement and your silence on dealing with criminals that prey on innocent citizens will leave us wide open to the criminals while you develop “kind and gentle” law enforcement who will treat everyone- including the criminals with dignity honor courtesy and respect.
    - Actually Mike December 22, 2024 (2:22 pm)
      
      Nope CarDriver, you’re just blowing hot air. Nothing against cops and nothing against unions, but I have a big problem with SPOG’s culture–they don’t work for us, they take care of themselves and each other first and foremost and then maybe think about doing their jobs. I know a few good cops here but the SPOG culture is rotten to the core and we’ll never have a safe city until that mess is cleaned up.
    - K December 22, 2024 (2:23 pm)
      
      At the point cops contact a person, they are innocent in the eyes of the law. I think even you would agree innocent people deserve dignity and respect, and that it’s important to follow the law. The police are not the prosecutor, not the judge, not the jury. It’s unfortunate that you see people asking police to only do their jobs and not take on the roles of others as “hatred.” And ironic given how you started this dialogue, because one of the top issues that functional unions bargain over is making sure that one worker is only doing one person’s work, and not being exploited into taking on the roles of others. Maybe take a page from the unions you’re defending and stop advocating for the police to be judge, jury, and executioner, in addition to the job they’re actually being paid to do.
    - Bbron December 22, 2024 (2:21 pm)
      
      @CarDriver Do we not live in the US where a central tenet of due process is the presumption of innocence until proven guilty? our police force should adhere to that and treat everyone (including who you see as “criminals”) with respect and dignity; they aren’t judges or juries. It sounds like you want police to make the distinction whether someone is guilty and treat them worst? very totalitarian if so…

CarDriver December 22, 2024 (5:09 pm)

Have a great “innocent until proven guilty” story. About 20 years ago came out to see my car door ajar and lock punched. Looking in could see my steering column damaged. Didn’t touch anything and called SPD. Officer came out and got prints on the inside and outside. Had to have car towed to the shop. Called detective. Good news! Prints came back to a known prolific car thief. Bad news. Only good prints were on outside of the car. Detective said prosecutor wouldn’t touch it since prints were on outside thief could claim he wasn’t trying to steal. Innocent until proven guilty……

k December 22, 2024 (7:46 pm)

Your distaste for the law does not change the fact that it exists. Police officers are supposed to enforce the law, which DOES include the parts CarDriver doesn’t personally approve of.

Sorry, comment time is over.