Seattle launches national search for next police chief

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Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson has launched a national search for the city’s next permanent police chief, setting up a public-input and candidate-review process that is expected to run through December.

The search follows Chief Shon Barnes’ resignation on July 30 and Wilson’s appointment of Deputy Chief Andre Sayles as interim chief. Sayles will continue leading the Seattle Police Department while the city seeks a permanent leader.

Residents can weigh in in September i

Seattle community members can respond to the city’s public survey through September 15, 2026. The survey asks for views on the skills, experience and priorities the next chief should bring.

The first neighborhood listening session is scheduled for September 26 from noon to 2 p.m. at Van Asselt Community Center in south Seattle. The mayor’s office said additional forums will be announced later. The scheduled dates could change.

Advisory committee will review candidates i

Wilson’s office says community leaders and public-safety experts will serve on a Chief of Police Search Advisory Committee. The committee will use candidate qualifications and community input to evaluate applicants and recommend up to five people for a competitive examination.

The city’s announced timeline calls for advisory-committee candidate review in October and November. Candidate examinations and finalist interviews with the mayor are expected in November and December.

Wilson is expected to announce her selection by the beginning of 2027, although that timeline is not guaranteed. Until then, Sayles remains SPD’s interim chief.

City Council confirmation remains a separate step

The mayor’s selection will not by itself make a permanent appointment. The nominee must ultimately be confirmed by a majority of the Seattle City Council.

Public Safety Committee Chair Robert Kettle said the next chief should have strong policing experience, support reform efforts including alternative response, and understand the roles of the city’s accountability partners. He also said the nominee will need to align with the council’s public-safety goals in its Strategic Framework Plan for a Safer Seattle.

Kettle’s statement emphasized that the mayor and council will need to work together on the appointment, but it did not indicate that the council has predetermined whether it will approve a future nominee.

What Seattle residents should watch i

• September 15, 2026: Public survey deadline.
• September 26, 2026: First neighborhood listening session at Van Asselt Community Center, noon to 2 p.m.
• October and November: Expected advisory-committee candidate review.
• November and December: Expected candidate examinations and finalist interviews.
• Beginning of 2027: Anticipated announcement of the mayor’s selection, followed by the City Council confirmation process.

The decision will determine who leads SPD after the interim period and how the department’s public-safety goals, reforms, staffing and community relationships are managed under the next administration.

Sources

• Mayor Wilson launches search for Seattle’s next police chief
• Public Safety Chair Kettle on mayor’s search for a new Seattle police chief
• Seattle launches search for its next police chief

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