By Sara Jean Green
The Seattle Times
SEATTLE — Seattle mayor-elect Katie Wilson announced Wednesday she will keep police Chief Shon Barnes and three other public-safety leaders when she takes office next month.
In a statement titled “A Vision for Public Safety in Seattle,” Wilson wrote that every person in the city, regardless of income or background, deserves to feel safe in their homes and in public spaces, including businesses and parks.
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“I understand public safety as a shared responsibility, requiring police, fire, emergency management, alternative responders, service providers, community leaders, businesses, and residents to work together to get results,” the statement says. “And it is time to build a coordinated, modern system which reflects that shared responsibility and helps us address our most difficult challenges, including persistent neighborhood-based safety issues, gun violence, behavioral health, and substance abuse.”
Barnes, Seattle Fire Department Chief Harold Scoggins, CARE Department Chief Amy Barden and Office of Emergency Management Director Curry Mayer will be staying on in Wilson’s administration. Each position serves at the discretion of the mayor.
Barnes, who became interim chief in January and was sworn in in July, previously served as police chief in Madison, Wisc. He is the Seattle Police Department’s 38th chief and the fourth person to serve as chief or interim chief since 2018.
In a statement posted to the Police Department’s online blotter, Barnes said he is “grateful and honored” to continue serving as chief, calling it “a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” that he doesn’t take lightly or for granted.
“Public safety is a shared value, and our priorities remain intact: crime prevention, community engagement, retention and recruitment of a qualified workforce, safety and wellness, and continuous improvement,” Barnes’ statement says. “I would like to thank the men and women of SPD and our entire community for our continued efforts to keep the city — and the region — safe.”
Scoggins has led the Fire Department for the past decade after serving as fire chief in Glendale, Calif. The Fire Department is responsible for providing fire, emergency medical and rescue services in the city.
Barden began working for the city in spring 2023 to help build the new Community Assisted Response and Engagement Department, which handles nonmedical 911 calls and responds to nonviolent, nonmedical calls.
Wilson’s statement noted the department houses diversion programs, public safety shelter resources and street safety teams, and is working to address public order issues stemming from unmet needs.”
“And central to our modern, diversified safety model, seamless coordination between SPD, CARE, and other non-police services will ensure the right responder is dispatched for behavioral health crises, welfare checks, and non-violent situations, Wilson’s statement says.
Fulfilling CARE’s intended role will improve outcomes for vulnerable residents and allow officers to focus on responding to more emergent, serious incidents, the statement says.
A newly approved police contract could greatly expand CARE’s role in the city, clearing the way to hire more crisis responders and deploy them without the help of sworn officers.
Curry Mayer became director of Seattle’s office of emergency management in 2020 after serving four years as Bellevue’s emergency manager, according to her LinkedIn profile.
Under Mayer’s leadership, “we will build our city’s resilience to disasters, including severe weather, and emerging threats by working hand-in-hand with communities to ensure preparedness efforts reflect their needs and strengths,” Wilson’s statement says.
“With active partnership and direction from the Mayor’s office, I believe these leaders can work together and form a unified team committed to strengthening coordination, reform, accountability, and results,” Wilson wrote.
Wilson also stressed her intent to build relationships and work with service providers, outreach teams, diversion case managers, business improvement areas, small businesses, and community organization to adopt a problem-solving approach that addresses root causes instead of relying solely on enforcement.
She also wrote that public safety means protecting immigrant communities, ensuring the safety of LGBTQ+ community members, preserving privacy and addressing concerns around surveillance technology and ensuring safe streets and public spaces.
“Seattle is ready for a new chapter — one where public safety is effective, equitable, accountable, and rooted in partnership with our communities,” Wilson’s statement says.
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