Seattle Mayor explains forced resignation of Police Chief

Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson’s administration has provided a formal explanation for the forced resignation of former Police Chief Shon Barnes. In a letter sent by General Counsel Caedmon Cahill, the administration stated that the Mayor requested the resignation to “build a cabinet that is aligned with her administration's values, policy goals, and vision for the Seattle Police Department.”

The request for Barnes to step down followed the fallout from the ‘Bite of Seattle’ shooting, an incident that resulted in three deaths and drew criticism regarding communication delays with the public and media.

Seattle City Councilmember Bob Kettle acknowledged the explanation but expressed disagreement with how the executive branch handled the ousting. While the Mayor’s legal team argued the City Charter does not require formal reasons for accepting a resignation, the explanation has now been placed on record via the City Clerk. The Mayor’s office is currently working with an advisory group to select a permanent replacement, while Interim Chief Sayles manages ongoing operations.