Well, Police Chief Shon Barnes is out for real now. Mayor Katie Wilson asked him to resign last night, and he accepted Thursday afternoon. And no, he was not in Chicago. Wilson appointed Deputy Chief Andre Sayles, who Barnes brought into the department, as interim chief.
His departure is the conclusion to a week of drama about how much time Barnes actually spends in Seattle.
Everything started when news broke that Barnes had been at a law enforcement conference in Dallas during Sunday’s shooting at Bite of Seattle. Three people died. His absence reminded the city of Publicola’s reporting last year, which showed Barnes spent most weekends with his wife and kids in Chicago during his first four months on the job. It might’ve blown over if he hadn’t gone viral and lost his temper on camera when South Seattle Emerald reporter Connor Nash asked about his frequent out-of-town trips.
The cherry on top came yesterday when Publicola reported that Barnes has spent seven weeks outside of Seattle this year. The schedules provided by SPD were incomplete and edited, so Barnes may have been out of town for even more time. Hours after that story came out, sources said Barnes had been canned.
For $373,000 a year, Seattle surely deserves a police chief who actually lives in Seattle, the city he is the literal police chief of, in case you forgot. Well, was chief of. It’s moving fast, isn’t it?
So fast that Mayor Wilson may have forgotten to tell a few people, the members of an obscure body called City Council. In statements Thursday, council members said they learned about Wilson’s decision on the news and social media, and they were not pleased. They seized this political moment to let loose on Wilson, who they haven’t gotten along with lately.
Rob Saka’s office sent this statement, which has been edited for brevity, because someone’s gotta do it:
“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… 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.”
Councilmember Maritza Rivera said this:
“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.”
Councilmember Alexis Mercedes-Rinck took a slightly different approach:
“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.”
Councilmember Debora Juarez sat down for a full-ass interview with KOMO’s Chris Daniels to tell everyone, in a breezy 21 minutes, her true thoughts about Wilson and her relationship with the Council. Spoiler alert: It is not positive.
“Myself and the Council President [Joy Hollingsworth] and other folks have never had any concerns to bring up about Chief Barnes, his competence, any concerns about what’s going on… I’m more concerned about what’s going on in the mayor’s office, the danger it would cause to this city, and what this mayor is up to. To frame this issue correctly as an elected leader, what we’re seeing under Mayor Wilson are more than just gaffs and missteps. I see a complete lack of leadership and, for some of us, a no-confidence in this administration.”
“I don’t think this mayor has made the transition from activist, to campaign, to Mayor Wilson. I think it’s showing in real time the things we’re seeing. How do you justify asking the chief of police to resign in the middle of a murder investigation, Sea Fair, and in June when we had a great record of no murders?”
Oh, I don’t know, Debora, maybe the man is never in Seattle and that should be a disqualifying quality for a police chief of a major city. Just spitballing.
Juarez goes on to say that communities of color don’t take issue with Barnes: “For a city that likes to pride itself on being progressive and centering and uplifting BIPOCs and being a good ally—if those communities are saying this Chief of Police is doing his job, why aren’t you listening, Mayor? I’m seeing in real time real arrogance, a lack of commitment to working with the legislative class, and a lot of privilege, quite frankly.” Talk about workplace drama!
Anyway, Barnes is now free to explore his passion for leaving Seattle. As he told the Seattle Times, “My family flew in yesterday and we’re going to spend some time at Seafair, watch the Blue Angels, and enjoy some of the great food around here.” Maybe they will be loud enough to drown out his thoughts.
This afternoon, Barnes offered a few parting words:
“The city’s focus should rightfully be on the investigation of the tragic events at the Seattle Center, justice for the victims, and healing the city from a senseless act of gun violence. I want to emphasize that it has been one of the greatest honors to lead the Seattle Police Department and to serve the citizens of the City of Seattle. Thank you to the officers and professional staff of the Seattle Police Department for your tireless work to protect and serve the city we all care about, especially under challenging circumstances. I cannot thank you enough.”
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Nathalie Graham
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