Mayor Wilson Announces Resignation of Chief Barnes and Appointment of Andre Sayles as Interim Chief

SEATTLE, WA — Today, Mayor Katie B. Wilson accepted a letter of resignation from Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes. Chief Barnes was appointed by Mayor Bruce Harrell in late 2024 and has made substantial contributions to public safety in Seattle.

“It has been an honor to serve the Seattle Police Department and this city,” said Chief Barnes. “The members 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. I am proud of the work we have done, believe in the direction the city is headed, and have full confidence that the department will achieve success in tackling its most urgent public safety challenge, addressing youth gun violence and preventing more tragedies. That work is too important, and Seattle deserves nothing less.”

“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.”

The mayor is appointing Deputy Chief Andre Sayles as Interim Chief of the Seattle Police Department. Deputy Chief Sayles brings more than 20 years of law enforcement experience, including serving as Chief of Police in Beloit, Wisconsin. In 2025, Sayles joined the Seattle Police Department as Deputy Chief of Administration and Investigations. Under his oversight, SPD’s Gun Violence Reduction Unit and homicide detectives have continued to close difficult cases, including the arrest of a suspect in the fatal shooting of two teenagers near Rainier Beach High School. The mayor believes he is the right Interim leader for SPD in this moment and to ensure continuity while we conduct a thorough search for a permanent chief.

“My vision for public safety in this city is grounded in transparency, trust, and genuine collaboration with the community,” said Mayor Wilson. “Keeping people safe requires trust, and trust requires that this department shows up in neighborhoods every day, builds relationships with residents, community organizations, and small businesses, and is accountable to the people it serves.”

“This situation is very difficult, and I admire the mayor for acting decisively to move forward and rebuild strong and engaged leadership inside the department so SPD members can build trust with the communities they serve,” said Sue Rahr, former SPD Interim Chief and retired Sheriff.

The mayor will hold a press conference tomorrow morning at 11:00am at City Hall to introduce Chief Sayles and provide information on the process for a permanent chief.

Note: the quote from Chief Barnes has been updated.