After the chief twice mischaracterized PubliCola’s reporting, SPD confirmed the chief planned two weeks off before Sunday’s tragedy at Seattle Center.
By Erica C. Barnett
During a briefing on the mass shooting at the Bite of Seattle at Seattle Center on Sunday, Police Chief Shon Barnes responded to a few questions about his claim that PubliCola’s reporting on his whereabouts and schedule has been inaccurate. (Yesterday, Barnes lashed out at South Seattle Emerald reporter Connor Nash, who politely asked about my reporting on Barnes’ planned two-week absence, saying my stories were “wrong.” Clips of the confrontation quickly went viral.)
After telling me (inaccurately) that I had reported he would be out of town for “the entire month of August,” Barnes said, “I have a medical procedure on Friday. If I’m good to go, I’ll be in the office as my usual cheerful and bubbly self. But if not, I’ll take all the time that I need to make sure that that I’m okay.”
Barnes did not answer my followup question about how long he had originally planned to be out of the office before the shooting forced him to return from a conference in Dallas. (“Asked and answered,” he said.) After the press conference, SPD media staff told me the two weeks he had planned to take off actually extended from July 22 to August 3, with a planned return on August 4. The comms folks didn’t how much additional time the chief might have to take off because of his medical procedure.
Another reporter said she wanted to give Barnes an opportunity to “quash” criticism of his “heated exchange” with Nash about my reporting.
Barnes disputed that characterization, told the reporter, “I respect our media,” and said his reaction—which prompted his chief of staff, Alex Ricketts, to insert himself between Barnes and Nash and hustle the chief away—was just an example of being “passionate about what I do as a police officer” and “community member.”
“Sometimes that passion is in full display, especially if someone is questioning my work ethic or my integrity,” Barnes continued. “You know, having a two-year-old shot should evoke strong emotions in people.”
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Since his confrontation with Nash, at least one person has filed a complaint against Barnes with the city’s Office of Police Accountability, alleging that he violated a section of SPD’s policy manual that requires SPD employees to “treat everyone with respect and courtesy, guarding against an officious or overbearing attitude and refraining from language, demeanor, and actions that may cause the individual feeling belittled, ridiculed, or intimidated.”
Referring to published videos of the confrontation, the complaint continues, “Connor appears fearful and intimidated by Chief Barnes in this video. This violent outburst coming from the Police Chief, who is presumably armed during this encounter is completely unacceptable. Officers would be disciplined for behaving this way toward any community member. The fact the Chief left the room and then returned to begin this confrontation makes this more concerning.”
At Tuesday’s press conference, Barnes took another opportunity to dispute something I reported. Since former mayor Bruce Harrell hired him as interim chief in December 2024, Barnes’ wife and kids have continued to live in their family home in Chicago while he rents an apartment in Seattle. More than a year ago, I reported that Barnes was out of town for more than half the weekends during a four-month period for which I requested his schedule.
Asked how often he’s in Chicago (by—credit where it’s due—right-wing activist Jonathan Choe), Barnes again mischaracterized my reporting, saying “any reports that I’m gone every weekend are grossly misstated. I don’t have that kind of money.” (Since he brought it up, Barnes makes $373,000 a year and got a $50,000 signing bonus when he started.)
“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,” Barnes said. “So I feel good about being here in Seattle. I love this community.”
Let’s keep arguing about the Police Chief. That ought to make Seattle safer. It would obviously be racist to discuss gang violence or arresting youthful offenders so we won’t actually do anything to solve the problem. But at least we can be full of righteous indignation that the Police Chief spends his weekends with his family.
Great catch lady!
“Asked how often he’s in Chicago (by—credit where it’s due—right-wing activist Jonathan Choe), Barnes again mischaracterized my reporting, saying “any reports that I’m gone every weekend are grossly misstated. I don’t have that kind of money.” (Since he brought it up, Barnes makes $373,000 a year and got a $50,000 signing bonus when he started.)”
He doesn’t want to seem out of touch. So he pretends he’s not a million are. Thin disguise.
Just for references…
My best friend is a surgeon(retired) The chief of police in Everett lives next door. My buddy has a gorgeous 3 foot wrought iron fence. An “S” in every length is part of it that encloses a nice 1/2 acre lot on the street side. His last name initial. Nice area…
My cousins are filthy rich. Free full ride state college educations in the Silicon valley in the 60’s and 70’s paid off. Memorex, IBM, Locheed. etc…Apple and that lot. Larry Ellison.
They are scattered around America. Retired and working. Plus the kids are in tech now. My cousins in Florida?
Live in Parrish. A rich white redlined community. He has a pimp end of cul-de-sac and a pond to fish in with a fountain that actually keeps the temp down. Indoor/outdoor pool area. Big acre yards. 3 car garages and some with a diesel pusher class A. All HOA run. So the homes all look the same.
I drove by 5 cops on the way into the back of this ‘town/village’. They are well off. All have boats and spendy vehicles. In a 1.2 miles stretch. 5 cops. One was the Lt. there. In Sunnyvale? One lives in Saratoga. Next to a cop. He has a bloody MAN chon. 6 beds. Lives there alone. Bought it as an investment. He has somewhere in TX that’s a billion acres he wants to retire in. A sick sick man. But apparently there’s no crime on his 5 billionzillion acres either and nobody for 20 mins. in either direction.
Only my bestie is friends with his neighbor. The rest have no idea who they are. My cousin bought a home in Parrish for his sister in law. He has to travel 4 days a week. Then work from home 2 days with one day off. So he wanted the wifes best friend to keep her company. He owns a couple other homes in St Cloud. Owns homes in Santa Clara from Dad dying. He’s trying to sell them all. He retired last year.
If what we pay cops is so much that we get out of touch cops from all over America looking to skim cream? Then why are we doing it. How about pay well. But not 3rd most in America. Not without any real accountability.
It encourages them to live in the out of touch, red lined ‘villages’. And that compounds over time very quickly.
What if cops were forced to live in the zipcode they serve? As part of this massive salary. Some real accountability for our money. Never has a govt. agency been given so much for so little in return. Maybe the FBI. But other than that? Cops here in Seattle have it pretty good and only they can screw it up. And they do with attitudes. Sitting refusing to get a shot or wear a mask. Just quit. Then get a raise and back pay at the new wage. Pretty sweet gig. Not a single one of us would have a job. But cops get carte blanche.
It shows you how untruthful cops are. It’s a constant search for grey area and cracks in the laws. Never take accountability. Never rat on a cop. That’s dangerous.
Any information on the question Dr Jacqueline Boles asked at the press conference today? Looks like both the Mayor and Council President Hollingsworth haven’t responded to her.
https://www.whereweconverge.com/tdwt/v/dr-jacqualine-boles-talks-redeemed-wellness-center-and-accessible-healthcare
Joy simply has not been told what to say yet.
Next up – why wasn’t a city spokesperson from the mayors office available to tell the public what was happening in the first hour
For example, should people shelter in place? Or was it safe to leave? Should the neighborhood stay inside their homes? Etc?
Oh – I forgot – that might reflect poorly on our Mayor
“Sometimes that passion is in full display, especially if someone is questioning my work ethic or my integrity,” Barnes continued. “You know, having a two-year-old shot should evoke strong emotions in people.”
He hid behind a dead baby as an excuse. He’s a bully. THAT is why he blew up at the question. Not because he was all in his feels about a dead 2 year old.
He blew up because he knows full well he is not doing his job. Then asking about his job responsibilities? He explodes because he’s a bully. He doesn’t have an answer. So he popped off like cops always do when cornered. They come out swinging and lying. The union backs them. Cops are used to having it their way 100% of the time. Their whole life.
“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,”
The key issue here is “I” and not “my family and I”. Chief Barnes family not being in Seattle is an issue. He’ll statistics speaking much less likely to have his family experience violence in Seattle, so he literally is less connected to the community than someone who has their family living in Seattle.
It wasn’t his family at bite of Seattle and that was explicitly chosen by Chief Barnes. It should be a requirement for the chief of police to have his primary residence in Seattle
I would like the author of this article to contact me. Last Spring, I had a meeting with Chief Barnes and Captain George Davisson, along with officer Terry Whalen and a few View Ridge Council members. I presented evidence of 61 violent felony crimes committed by adult and juvenile offenders in the Sandpoint area. I focused on especially heinous crimes, many were juvenile crimes showing targeted attacks on innocent residents who were assaulted and some catastrophically injured. I put together crimes directly from charging documents I received from KCPAO. Casey McNerthney was extremely helpful. The group also presented violent crime statics from SPD data. After my presentation, Barnes asked Captain Davisson whether or not there had been any murders recently in our area. Davisson said, “No.” Barnes turned to me and stated “it’s your perception.”
Barnes is right…They keep track of these stats too. Priority and the number of cops on duty currently. We are running at about 60% currently. Violent crime stats are there for all to see.
I am not saying I think the dude is a decent pro. He seems ill-equipped. There’s a learning curve. I give the guy some slack where I can. But the phoney stuff is wearing thin.
So he loves the city so much he tells his family to not move here and continue to live in Chicago. Makes me think he is not committed to Seattle or the communities safety but is hoping to get the top job in Chicago sooner rather then later. We can help him with that. I am not a fan of SPD but I at least want our top brass to live in the city with their families and be a true part of the community is that to much to ask for.
Echoing – it’s hard to believe there isn’t a capable individual out there who would like to live in the area.
Also curious about how many conferences Chief Barnes and other city employees attend on the public dime
You have no income taxes here. As long as you establish legal residency? You are living here. Big tax loophole.
Like everyone outside of Seattle. They come. Pillage and plunder and retire to Florida. Pay nothing forward. No to every tax. It’s really disgusting.