Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes is under renewed scrutiny following his absence during a recent mass shooting and resurfaced allegations regarding his travel schedule. Barnes was in Dallas, Texas, attending the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives' annual conference when a gunman opened fire at a local food festival on Sunday, resulting in three fatalities and five injuries.
During a press conference Tuesday, Barnes addressed questions about his out-of-town visits, including an investigation by PubliCola that claimed he spent many weekends from February to mid-June away from Seattle. A reporter pressed Barnes on how often he travels to Chicago to see his wife and children, who still reside there. Barnes deflected the question, stating he does not visit Chicago "as often as I would like" and called reports of him traveling every weekend "grossly misstated."
Barnes, who previously worked in Chicago, asserted his commitment to Seattle. "I'm here in Seattle. I love the neighborhood that I live in. I love my community. They love me. They know me. They see me all the time," he said. He also humorously noted his dissatisfaction with rent prices in the city, a point Mayor Katie Wilson, who stood beside him at the press conference, agreed with.
Barnes accepted the nomination to serve as Seattle's Police Chief last July, having previously been a finalist for the position in 2023 and served as a police chief in Wisconsin. The PubliCola investigation cited Barnes' official schedule, social media posts, and interviews with sources close to the chief to support its claims of his frequent absences. The Seattle Police Department's Chief of Staff, however, stated at the time that Barnes has been "tirelessly working to protect the Seattle community" and that his confirmation by the City Council underscored his commitment to policing excellence.
Barnes defended his presence at the conference in Dallas, explaining that he was there to support a community service officer receiving an award. His responses on Tuesday contrasted with a prior tense exchange with an independent reporter. In a video shared on X, Barnes told reporter Connor Nash, "I don’t have to tell you where I go. I had a medical procedure on Friday." He further stated, "I have been here working as hard as I can for this city, from the day I got here," and insisted that reports of his absence were incorrect. A staff member intervened as the reporter attempted to follow up.
