(The Center Square) – Shon Barnes, who started his new job as chief of the Seattle Police Department on Friday, has big goals for 2025, including fully establishing his command staff within 100 days.
In December, Barnes was announced as the Emerald City’s incoming top cop.
Barnes joins the Seattle Police Department at a time when the city’s police force is struggling with a staffing shortage.
The Center Square previously reported that staffing levels within the department, as of March 2024, were at a three-decade low.
The new police chief’s top priorities include recruitment and retention; crime prevention; employee safety and wellness; and mending the strained relationship between the police department and the public.
These goals align with Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell’s goals for the department, including the city’s Seattle Police Recruitment and Retention Plan.
“Mayor Harrell and I share a vision of safe, thriving communities and a police department that is committed to inclusivity, innovation, and the highest standard of excellence,” Barnes said in a statement on Friday.
Prior to his current role, Barnes had served as the chief of police in Madison, Wis., since 2021.
Harrell’s office previously described Barnes as a nationally recognized leader in reducing crime, improving community-police relations, and driving a culture change within the department.
Barnes’ resume also includes being recognized as a National Institute of Justice Law Enforcement Advancing Data and Science Scholar, and he is a member of the National Policing Institute’s Council on Policing Reforms and Race.
Public safety in Madison improved under Barnes. In 2024, the city saw 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.
“Chief Barnes is an experienced and transformational leader whose dedication to building trust, clear vision, and commitment to justice will guide us towards a safer city for all,” said Harrell.
Barnes is the first permanent police chief since May, when former Seattle Police Chief Adrian Diaz resigned from his position amid lawsuits.
Diaz was then fired by Harrell last month following an investigation into Diaz’s actions while head of the department.
Interim Chief Sue Rahr had served in that role since Diaz’s departure.
